cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Introduction to the special issue on statistical language modeling

The goal of statistical language modeling (SLM) is to estimate the likelihood (or probability) of a word string. SLM is fundamental to many natural language applications like automatic speech recognition (ASR) [Jelinek 1990], statistical machine translation (SMT) [Brown et al. 1993], and Asian language text input [Gao et al. 2002a]. The research on SLM basically involves two main tasks: modeling and estimation. Modeling is to determine the structure of a statistical model; estimation is to determine the free parameters of the model using training data. SLM usually uses a parametric model with Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) and various smoothing methods to tackle data sparseness problems. Different statistical models have been proposed in the past, but n-gram models (in particular, bigram and trigram models) still dominate SLM research. SLM has recently been demonstrated as an effective framework for a few new applications, such as question answering [Berger 2001], text summarization, paraphrasing [Barzilay and Lee 2004], and information retrieval [Croft and Lafferty 2003]. However, these new applications come with new challenges. For example, in the SLM approaches to information retrieval, a language model has to be trained on a single document, an extremely small training set; while in ASR, a language model is typically trained on a million word corpus. The recent development of related techniques stimulates new modeling and estimation methods that are beyond the scope of the traditional approaches. Two representative examples of such techniques are statistical parsing and discriminative training. With the ever-increasing popularity of SLM, we think that it is the right time to assemble a special issue reflecting recent advances in both its theory and applications. It __________________________________________________________________________________________
On Scheduling for Minimizing End-to-End Buffer Usage over Multihop Wireless Networks

While there has been much progress in designing backpressure based stabilizing algorithms for multihop wireless networks, end-to-end performance (e.g., end-to-end buffer usage) results have not been as forthcoming. In this paper, we study the end-to-end buffer usage (sum of buffer utilization along a flow path) over a network with general topology and with fixed, loop-free routes using a large-deviations approach. We first derive bounds on the best performance that any scheduling algorithm can achieve. Based on the intuition from the bounds, we propose a class of (backpressure-like) scheduling algorithms called &#945;&#946;-algorithms. We show that the parameters &#945; and &#946; can be chosen such that the system under the &#945;&#946;-algorithm performs arbitrarily closely to the best possible scheduler (formally the decay rate function for end-to-end buffer overflow is shown to be arbitrarily close to optimal in the large-buffer regime). We also develop variants which have the same asymptotic optimality property, and also provide good performance in the small-buffer regime. Our results are substantiated using both analysis and simulation.
Isolation of SagI, a new HaeIII isoschizomer from Streptococcus agalactiae.

A new HaeIII isochizomer from Streptococcus agalactiae was isolated by a single-step purification method. The highly active restriction endonuclease, SagI, was free of nonspecific nuclease activity and was suitable for use in molecular biology procedures. The rapid isolation procedure may be applicable for the recovery of other restriction endonucleases from bacteria.
Botulinum Toxin Therapy for Abductor Spasmodic Dysphonia

Summary Botulinum toxin has been widely accepted as an effective therapy for controlling the symptoms of adductor spasmodic dysphonia (ADSD). Reported experience with botulinum treatment for abductor spasmodic dysphonia (ABSD) has been less impressive. Factors that may impair outcomes for ABSD include differences in the pathophysiology of ADSD and ABSD and limitation of maximal dose from airway restriction with posterior cricoarytenoid muscle (PCA) weakness. We report our experience with botulinum injection of the PCA with an asymmetric dose escalation protocol, based on clinical observations that in ABSD, abductor spasms are often stronger on one side, usually the left. The nondominant side was injected with 1.25 units. Dominant side dose began at 5 units, with step-wise increments of 5 units per week until one of three endpoints was reached: Elimination of breathy voice breaks, complete abductor paralysis of the dominant side, or airway compromise. Fourteen of 17 patients achieved good or fair voice, with dominant-side doses ranging from 10 to 25 units. Exercise intolerance limited PCA dose in two patients. One patient had persisting breathiness that improved with medialization thyroplasty. Asymmetric botulinum toxin injection into PCA muscles can suppress abductor spasm in patients with ABSD, but breathiness may persist, because of inadequate glottal closure.
Single-Molecule Studies Reveal that DEAD-Box Protein DDX1 Promotes Oligomerization of HIV-1 Rev on the Rev Response Element

Oligomeric assembly of Rev on the Rev response element (RRE) is essential for the nuclear export of unspliced and singly spliced human immunodeficiency virus type 1 viral mRNA transcripts. Several host factors, including the human DEAD box protein DDX1, are also known to be required for efficient Rev function. In this study, spontaneous assembly and dissociation of individual Rev–RRE complexes in the presence or absence of DDX1 were observed in real time via single-molecule total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. Binding of up to eight fluorescently labeled Rev monomers to a single RRE molecule was visualized, and the event frequencies and corresponding binding and dissociation rates for the different Rev–RRE stoichiometries were determined. The presence of DDX1 eliminated a second kinetic phase present during the initial Rev binding step, attributed to nonproductive nucleation events, resulting in increased occurrence of higher-order Rev–RRE stoichiometries. This effect was further enhanced upon the addition of a non-hydrolyzable ATP analog (adenylyl-imidophosphate), whereas ADP had no effect beyond that of DDX1 alone. Notably, the first three Rev monomer binding events were accelerated in the presence of DDX1 and adenylyl-imidophosphate, while the dissociation rates remained unchanged. Measurements performed across a range of DDX1 concentrations suggest that DDX1 targets Rev rather than the RRE to promote oligomeric assembly. Moreover, DDX1 is able to restore the oligomerization activity of a Rev mutant that is otherwise unable to assemble on the RRE beyond a monomeric complex. Taken together, these results suggest that DDX1 acts as a cellular cofactor by promoting oligomerization of Rev on the RRE.
Social facilitation as a function of the mere presence of others.

According to R. B. Zajonc's (1965) drive theory of social facilitation, the mere presence of others increases arousal and, thereby, the frequency of dominant responses (i.e., responses with the greatest habit strength). In the present experiment, U.S. undergraduates performed a stimulus discrimination task under 1 of 2 conditions: in the presence of another individual (audience) or alone. The mere presence condition was designed to make it difficult for the participants to attend directly to the audience. The task was designed to minimize the likelihood that the specific response (numerical preference) would be attributable to a desire to respond appropriately to the audience. There was a significant difference in the mean number of dominant responses between the participants in the audience condition and those in the alone condition. The results provide support for Zajonc's mere presence drive theory of social facilitation.
Profiles of disability among adults with bipolar spectrum disorders

Heterogeneous groups of patients with a spectrum of service needs are commonplace in mental health settings. Although comprehensive assessments are available to measure variations in service needs, numerous challenges still exist when confronting this heterogeneity and many assessments used in clinic settings are lengthy and have not been demonstrated to be consistent over time. The purpose of this study was to identify subgroups of persons with bipolar spectrum disorders, who have similar disability profiles, and to the extent to which the subgrouping is stable over time. Participants were recruited from the Continuous Improvement for Veterans in Care–Mood Disorders. Eligible patients (N = 435) were those who received inpatient or outpatient treatment for bipolar disorder at a large urban VA mental health facility in Western Pennsylvania from July 2004 through July 2006. This was a naturalistic cohort study of patients with bipolar spectrum disorders. Baseline and 1-year follow-up data were collected using face-to-face interviews and recorded abstraction. The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Scale was the primary measure used to identify subgroups within this sample. Using a classification strategy called latent profile analysis, this study identified three unique subgroups that showed significant differences in various clinical measures at baseline and follow-up. The largest and most consistent subgroup differences were observed in the current bipolar symptomatology. The classification of functional status in the present study can aid clinicians in the identification of bipolar patients, with specific impairment profiles, who may need additional intervention. Future research is needed to understand whether specific interventions targeted at these subgroups can improve the quality of care for this high-need and at-risk population.
Color table animation

Even a small amount of animation can greatly enhance graphic communication—particularly when it is desired to show change, movement, or a complex idea or relationship. In raster scan display systems, however, the cost of providing animation has usually been prohibitively high due to the large bandwidths involved in changing a picture rapidly. This paper describes a simple method for providing a limited but very useful real-time interactive animation capability on many existing frame buffer systems. Color table animation relies on changing only the colors of objects and areas present within a single, static picture via the frame buffer's color table RAM. Several variations of this technique are discussed and examples are given of such a capability in use for illustration, educational animation, and television graphics.
Converging Research Fields Need Converging Communities

The seismological community consists of researchers in academia, government, and industry working on a wide range of research topics that include: earthquake dynamics, induced seismicity, deep earth structure, the exploration and production of reservoirs, and hazard analysis. In practice, the results of this research are presented at various conferences and in journals that fall under the auspices of professional societies, such as the Seismological Society of America (SSA), the American Geophysical Union (AGU), and the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG). There are a number of converging trends in the seismological community despite the broad range of topics studied. In exploration geophysics, microseismicity enjoys increasing importance in a number of applications. Induced seismicity is a side-effect of hydrofracturing carried out to produce tight gas reservoirs and is used to diagnose fluid migration. Characterization and monitoring of induced seismicity is used for the exploration and production of hydrocarbons and is important in geothermal energy production and carbon …
Oh, Honey, I Already Forgot That : Strategic Control of Directed Forgetting in Older and Younger Adults*

This article is about age-related differences in intentional forgetting of unwanted information. Imagine receiving medication and reading the directions on how to take it. Afterwards, the doctor tells you to take a different dosage at a different time from that printed on the label. Updating the directions may necessitate intentional forgetting of the earlier-learned information. The current article took one approach to examining this issue by examining age differences in the effectiveness of intentional forgetting using the popular list-method directed forgetting procedure invented by R. A. Bjork, LaBerge, and LeGrand (1968).
A 1000-yr record of forest fire activity from Eclipse Icefield, Yukon, Canada

A 1000-yr record of forest fire activity has been developed using three annually dated ice cores from Eclipse Icefield, Yukon, Canada. Forest fire signals were identified as NH4 ! residuals above a robust spline and corroborated by an empirical orthhogonal function (EOF) analysis that identified a chemical association in the NH4 ! ,C 2O4" and K ! records similar to that observed in forest fire plumes. These statistical techniques yielded similar records of forest fire activity, although the EOF analysis provides more conservative identification of forest fire signals. Comparison of forest fire signals in the Eclipse ice cores with the record of annual area burned in Alaska and the Yukon demonstrates that 80% of high fire years in Alaska and 79% of high fire years in the Yukon are identifiable as NH4 concentration residuals in at least one core from Eclipse Icefield, although any individual core records 36# /67% of these events. The Eclipse ice cores record high fire activity in the AD 1760s, 1780s, 1840s, 1860s, 1880s, 1890s, 1920s# /1940s and 1980s. Peak fire activity occurred in the 1890s, possibly reflecting anthropogenic ignition sources associated with the large influx of people to the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush. Periods of low fire activity are evident during the 1770s, 1810s# /1830s, 1850s, 1950s and 1960s. Extending our proxy of fire activity to AD 1000 using annual NH4 concentrations from our one core that extends back this far provides evidence of high fire activity from 1240 to 1410 during the waning stages of the 'Mediaeval Warm Period'.
Gynocentric Greenwashing: The Discursive Gendering of Nature

This study complicates the gendering of “mother nature,” pointing to an underlying everyday discursive formation of nature that is decidedly androcentric. The dialectic at play, a favorably forefronted gynocentric pole masking a dominant androcentric pole, problematizes past understandings of binaries and offers new ways to understand humanature. Building upon the burgeoning study of critical ecocultural dialectics, we empirically investigate nature framings in North American ocean and forest contexts. We suggest that a gynocentric greenwashing exists in discourses about “the environment,” in which communal, embodied human orientations with nature are favorably forefronted, but individuating, frontal orientations are overwhelmingly practiced. As such, everyday ecologically exultant discourses may obscure deeply embedded exploitive orientations that centrally regulate our perceptions of, and interactions with, nature.
Capsule commentary on Faerber et al., content analysis of false and misleading claims in television advertising for prescription and nonprescription drugs.

The study by Faerber and Kreling1 adds to a growing literature about direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA), a unique form of drug advertising prohibited in most of the world. They found that of television ads airing from 2008 to 2010, 33 % were objectively true, 57 % were potentially misleading and 10 % were just outright (“pants on fire”) false. There were more objectively true claims and fewer false claims for prescription than non-prescription ads. The authors used a well-defined protocol and the high inter-rater agreement between coders was reassuring. The differences between prescription and non-prescription drugs were of interest—one has to wonder whether differences in the regulatory environment of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) account for this. Although the authors only examined a subset of claims from a subset of ads from a subset of DTCA, there is no obvious reason that this would substantially bias their results. They acknowledge that their endpoint was a proximal one—some of the claims may not have misled consumers, and consumers may have been misled without consequential changes in their clinical care. Perhaps most vexing is that while many of the claims were misleading, they were not illegal per se. While this study may be welcome ammunition for those opposing DTCA, others will continue to argue that DTCA serves a valuable social good by leading to case-finding and by destigmatizing diseases such as depression. Interestingly, despite the volume of rhetoric, there is remarkably little evidence about DTCA’s true effects on prescription drug utilization and health outcomes, though most research suggests DTCA is associated with an increase in drug utilization, patient requests for specific drugs, and physicians’ confidence in prescribing.2 Although DTCA remains a lightning rod for controversy, it remains highly concentrated in a small number of products and accounts for only 15 % or so of prescription drug marketing.3 Tried and true methods of pharmaceutical marketing, detailing visits, and free office samples4 continue to account for the lion share of promotion; this is not surprising, given how effective these methods are at changing physician behavior.5
Artificially Sweetened Beverages—Do They Influence Cardiometabolic Risk?

The sweeteners in artificially sweetened beverages (ASB) are potent stimulators of sweetness on the palate, yet contain no energy. This "mismatch" between sweetness and energy in ASB has raised concern about metabolism and health. This article provides a review of the recent literature on the effect of ASB on cardiometabolic risk factors and disease. Physiologic mechanisms are discussed, as well as epidemiologic studies. Prospective studies of ASB intake and the risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease have revealed inconsistent results. Higher-quality studies suggest either no effect of ASB or perhaps a protective effect through replacement of calorically dense alternatives. Although some studies have reported that ASB may increase risk, these observations appear to be an artifact of reverse causality. The limited experimental evidence does not support an effect of ASB on obesity or chronic disease. Indeed, experimental studies in humans suggest ASB may be effective for weight loss when replacing sugar-sweetened beverages.
Temporal and spatial resolved SuperDARN line of sight velocity measurements corrected for plasma index of refraction using Bayesian inference

Recent work by Gillies et al. (2012, 2009, 2010) has sought an explanation for the SuperDARN line-of-sight velocity underestimate of ionospheric plasma velocity. The reason for the underestimation is thought to be from the modification of the measured Doppler shift of the backscattered signal due to phase refractive index of the ionospheric plasma in the scattering region. Presented here is an analysis technique to estimate the plasma drift velocity, correcting for the index of the refraction of the scattering medium. The technique requires dual frequency SuperDARN observations and calculates velocity from the phase of the SuperDARN autocorrelation function (ACF). Both plasma velocity and plasma density are treated as independent unknowns, and self-consistent error estimates are generated for each. This new technique was employed at the McMurdo radar, resulting in estimates of plasma velocity on scales relevant to existing SuperDARN data products. The McMurdo dual frequency analysis also provides a new SuperDARN data product, an estimate for the plasma density in the ionospheric region derived wholly from SuperDARN backscatter.
School food and nutrition policy, monitoring and evaluation in the USA.

Objective: To provide an overview of school food and nutrition monitoring from 1980 to the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 and data on school food availability in the USA. Design: A review of the history of school food and nutrition policy, monitoring and evaluation efforts in the USA over the past three decades. Setting: USA. Subjects: School food service, school districts and schools nationwide. Results: The school food environment in the USA is governed by a patchwork of federal, state and local laws and policies. The federal government has primary authority over the school meal programmes and has recently issued updated regulations governing the food and nutrient requirements for meals sold or served through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. Competitive foods (i.e. foods and beverages sold/served outside the meal programmes) are governed primarily by state and district laws and policies, although new federal regulations are expected to set minimum standards in this area. The USA has a long history of data monitoring and evaluation funded by government and private foundations which has enabled decision makers to monitor progress and opportunities to improve the foods and beverages made available to students in school. Conclusions: School food-related monitoring and evaluation research has been highly influential in influencing legislation and policy, leading to improvements in the foods and beverages available to children at school as part of planned meals and individual items sold outside the meal programmes. The lessons learned from the US experience provide insights that may be valuable for implementation, monitoring and evaluation of school food programmes in other countries.
Inter- and Intra-Community Variability in Continuous Coarse Particulate Matter (PM10-2.5) Concentrations in the Los Angeles Area

Continuous coarse particulate matter (CPM, PM 10−2.5 ) concentrations were measured hourly at three different sites in the Los Angeles area from April 2008 through May 2009 as part of a larger study of the characteristics and toxicology of CPM. Mean hourly concentrations calculated seasonally ranged from less than 5 μg m –3 to near 70 μg m –3 at the three sites depending upon the CPM source variability and prevailing meteorology. Different diurnal concentration profiles were observed at each site. Correlation analysis indicates that CPM concentrations can generally be explained by wind-induced road dust re-suspension, particularly in drier seasons. CPM concentrations between the sites were not appreciably correlated and metrics used to assess variability between the sites—the coefficients of divergence—indicated that CPM concentrations were heterogeneous. The relative CPM contribution to observed PM 10 concentrations varied by season and between sites. Additional concurrent CPM data available within a few...
Review of intracoronary Doppler catheters.

During the last 20 years several types of Doppler catheters have been developed and applied to the measurement of coronary blood flow velocity in man. Validation studies in the laboratory and in animals have shown that these catheters can accurately measure velocity from a small sample volume beside or ahead of the catheter tip. The Doppler transducers have been miniaturized enough (< 1 mm dia) to be mounted on subselective coronary catheters or balloon angioplasty catheters without compromising any of the normal catheter functions. Good quality, high fidelity velocity signals have been recorded from many sites within the coronary circulation of patients during coronary arteriography and balloon angioplasty. Coronary flow reserve measured with Doppler catheters is a physiologic index of the severity of a stenosis which, when carefully measured, can be used for assessing lesions, planning treatment, and evaluating the success of interventions.
An Extraordinary Katabatic Wind Regime at Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica

Abstract Three years of automatic weather station observations for the months of February to April show that intense katabatic winds persistently blow across the western shore of Terra Nova Bay. The data demonstrate that the anomalously strong katabatic winds of Adelie Land are not unique, and thus strongly support the proposition that most of the cold boundary layer air from the ice sheet crosses the coastline in a small number of narrow zones. Furthermore the observations prove that katabatic winds can routinely blow for substantial distances across flat terrain in marked contrast to the abrupt dissipation previously monitored just offshore from East Antarctica. Winter wind conditions onset suddenly in mid-February and are characterized by negligible directional variations and by speeds mostly ranging between 10 and 30 m s−1. Katabatic winds at Terra Nova Bay both affect and are affected by the regional atmospheric circulation. This katabatic airflow is a time-averaged source of cold boundary layer air ...
Redesigning Successor Liability

In his article, Professor Cupp takes a critical look at the current state of successor liability in products liability law. For many years, traditional corporate law principles dictated whether a successor corporation would be held responsible for the torts caused by products produced by its predecessor. These principles disallowed successor liability in many cases, even when the successor engaged in the same line of business or sold the same product line as its predecessor. The Restatement (Third) of Torts: Products Liability suggests that this continues to be the trend. Professor Cupp, however, through careful analysis of current case law, demonstrates that although many courts continue to follow the traditional approach, an increasing number of states have followed one of two less restrictive approaches, each resulting in more successor responsibility. Professor Cupp advocates adoption of these less restrictive approaches. The most persuasive rationale for adopting these alternative approaches is that they more effectively channel responsibility for products back to the predecessor corporation than does the traditional approach. They do so by forcing successor corporations to consider the projected cost of the predecessor’s products liability at the time the successor purchases the predecessor. After analyzing the “channeling back” justification for alternative approaches, Professor Cupp favorably analogizes courts’ application of one of the less restrictive approaches in CERCLA cases to products liability, as well as making fairness and efficiency arguments. Cupp further argues that the courts present a more realistic, appropriate, and logical avenue for the change than do state legislatures. Finally, Professor Cupp considers, in cases where the traditional approach is not abandoned, how the fraud exception to the traditional rule might often be used to achieve the same goals of the two alternative approaches.
Regulating the Over the Counter Derivatives Market: Focusing on Bilateral Coordination and Substituted Compliance Regimes

Charged with being the true cause of...the credit crisis, over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives have received considerable flack and regulatory attention since 2008. This attention is in stark contrast to the pre-2008 regulatory world, where calls to police the OTC derivatives market were rejected as unnecessary and OTC derivatives were hailed as utopian financial instruments. The crisis soon shattered such exaltations as the highly interconnected nature of the OTC derivatives market exposed its dark side: enormous systemic risk, reckless leverage, and opacity. Recognizing these issues, global leaders agreed, post-2008, that a co-existing national and international framework was necessary to successfully regulate OTC derivatives. Five years later, however, no adequate regulatory framework has been implemented by the G-20. Following the G-20’s proposed regulatory reforms, much has been written on the specific, technical aspects of OTC derivative regulations. However, very little — aside from calls for an international framework — has been written on how countries should proceed in coordinating their regulatory reforms and rules. This paper seeks to fill that void and suggests that focusing on global coordination is a mistake: While global goals, harmonization, and macro-level policy statements are informative for directing domestic regulatory reforms, focusing on a gold-standard global governance regime for the OTC derivatives market diverts attention away from where real progress can be made: at the bilateral and regional level. International financial institutions and organizations should focus on facilitating information about the domestic regulatory frameworks of their Members (through production and dissemination), rather than trying to facilitate actual rule-specific global coordination. Further, because the vast majority of OTC derivatives dealers are based in just a few countries, the goal of reducing systemic risk and contagion in the OTC derivatives market can be largely achieved by focusing coordination efforts in just these few markets.
Technological choices in less-developed countries: a policy-oriented model

U.S. foreign assistance programs are ambiguous because little is understood about the relationship between technology and the intervention mechanisms chosen for economic development in the less-developed countries (LDCs). A policy model is developed to show has LDCs can choose appropriate technologies and to demonstrate the importance of making these choices in a social context if development is to occur. The decision frameworks based on trickle down or stages of growth theories have had negative impacts on the economy, the environment, and society. The use of social framework, on the other hand, considers the nature of the technology, how it is to be used, and what are the anticipated results. (DCK)
Exploring virtual reality--are we there yet?

The XRDS blog highlights a range of topics from conference coverage, to security and privacy, to CS theory. Selected blog posts, edited for print, are featured in every issue. Please visit xrds.acm.org/blog to read each post in its entirety. If you are interested in joining as a student blogger, please contact us.
Americans, Germans, and War Crimes: Converging Narratives from “the Good War”

All nations participating in World War II were guilty of war crimes, although that rec ognition is subject to important qualification. German genocide as the supreme wartime offense, Japanese mass murders of Chinese, the slaughter of Polish officers by the Soviet Union?the list is hardly complete, and some would argue for the inclusion of indis criminate bombing of cities?are distinct from the smaller-scale and more spontaneous atrocities that were commonplace on all sides. The latter were often the products of combat stresses that were universal and independent of either official programs of exter mination or of ideologies and perspectives that dehumanized the enemy and encouraged the annihilation of enemy civilians as well as combatants, programs and perspectives especially characteristic of the German war against the Soviet Union. As the historian John W. Dower has shown, the antagonists' mutual perceptions of inhuman "otherness" lent the Pacific war its characteristic savagery. Max Hastings, in discussing the murder of prisoners of war (pows) in Normandy by combatants who generally recognized each other's common humanity, notes that "in the heat of battle, in the wake of seeing com rades die, many men found it intolerable to send prisoners to the rear knowing that they would thus survive the war, while they themselves seemed to have little prospect of do ing so. . . . it is difficult with hindsight to draw a meaningful moral distinction between the behavior of one side and the other on the battlefield." The Canadian general Chris Vokes, considering a plea for clemency from Kurt Meyer, commander of the Twelfth SS Panzer Division, who had been condemned to death in a postwar trial for the murders of Canadian pows, conceded "there isn't a general or colonel on the Allied side that I know of who hasn't said, 'Well, this time we don't want any prisoners.'"1 Prisoners were killed in reprisal for real or imagined atrocities, for the utilitarian rea son that keeping them was impractical or inconvenient, or out of frustration with a war that was going badly or was being unnecessarily prolonged by the enemy. Civilians often fell victim to the fury of ground combatants, particularly in situations where occupying forces were real or imagined objects of guerrilla warfare. Due to their brutal occupation
PACEMAKER DEPENDENCY AFTER TRANSCATHETER AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT IS ASSOCIATED WITH REDUCTION IN GLOBAL LEFT VENTRICULAR FUNCTION

Consequences of conduction abnormalities requiring a permanent pacemaker (PPM) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) are still unclear. Our aim was to determine risk factors for PPM after TAVR and associated effects on LV function over time. Of 389 consecutive TAVR patients, we
Quantitation of Monoamine Oxidase Inhibition Produced with Various Drugs in Man.

SummaryAn increased urinary excretion of tryptamine occurred in human hypertensives during treatment with 5 monoamine oxidase inhibitors. Doses of drugs purported to produce comparable clinical effects, appear to have approximately equivalent enzymatic effects as indicated by changes in urinary tryptamine. It is recommended that biochemical observations of this type be included in further studies on therapeutic effects of these agents.
Waiting for the Other Foot to Drop

A 65-year-old man presented with a 4-month history of fevers, sweats, fatigue, and weakness. He also reported that pain in his feet and calves was sufficiently distracting that he could not enjoy reading.
Laparoscopic Extracorporeal Appendectomy in Overweight and Obese Children.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES To compare surgical outcomes of overweight and obese patients with acute appendicitis who have undergone single-port extracorporeal laparoscopically assisted appendectomy (SP) with those who have had conventional 3-port laparoscopic appendectomy (TP). METHODS This single-center retrospective chart review included patients 21 years of age and younger with a preoperative diagnosis of appendicitis who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy from January 2010 through December 2015. Cases of gangrenous and perforated appendicitis were excluded. Subgroup analyses of patients with acute appendicitis were performed. Operative time (OT), length of stay (LOS), and cost were compared between groups stratified by body mass index (BMI) and operative technique. RESULTS A total of 625 appendectomies were performed-457 for acute appendicitis. Sixty-eight patients were overweight. The SP technique (n = 30) had shorter OT (median minutes, 41 vs 68; P < .001), lower cost (median , $5741 vs $8530; P < .001), and shorter LOS (median hours, 16 vs 19; P = .045) than the TP technique had (n = 38). Seventy patients were obese: 19 were treated with SP and 51 with TP. LOS did not differ significantly between the SP and TP groups, but subjects treated with SP had shorter OT (median minutes, 39 vs 63; P < .001) and lower cost (median, $6401 vs $8205; P = .043). CONCLUSIONS The SP technique for acute appendicitis was found to have a significantly shorter OT and lower cost in all weight groups. There were minimal differences in LOS. SP should be considered in patients with acute appendicitis, regardless of their weight.
CORN SUPPLEMENTATION OF LAMBS GRAZING ALFALFA

We investigated the effects of supplementing Rambouillet x Suffolk wether lambs grazing irrigated 'Cimarron' alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) with three levels (0 [C0], 123 [C123], and 247 [C247] g of DM.lamb-1.d-1) of cracked corn. Each treatment group also received 190 g of a supplement designed to prevent bloat. Replicated pastures (three per treatment) grown on a fine, mixed, thermic Torretic Paleustoll soil were grazed rotationally (forage plus supplement allowance of 6.5% of BW/d) by lambs for 85 d during spring 1992. Supplemental corn levels were analyzed as single degree of freedom contrasts for linear and quadratic effects. At the start of the experiment, lambs weighed 30.7 +/- .32 kg. Average daily gains for C0 C123, and C247 were 141, 154, and 169 g/d, respectively. Lamb production per hectare increased quadratically (P .10) between C0 and C123 after 27 d of corn supplementation, but after 75 d PUN concentrations between C0 and C123 had decreased (P < .10) by 11%. For C247, PUN concentrations after 27 and 75 d of corn supplementation had decreased (P < .10) by 17 and 18%, respectively, compared with C0. Plasma urea N concentrations increased (P < .01) linearly (r2 = .93) with an increase in digestible CP:DE ratio (DP:DE).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
High Throughput Characterization of RNA Tertiary Elements

The function of many RNAs is intimately linked to the final three-dimensional conformation of the folded molecule. Folding of an RNA can be viewed as hierarchical: RNA secondary structure is the formation of locally ordered helices from a given primary sequence of bases, and RNA tertiary structure is the reduction of conformational space explored by local helices through the formation of long-range contacts. The thermodynamic principles guiding the formation of RNA secondary structure are largely successful at predicting local base pairing of RNA. However, RNA tertiary structure remains difficult to predict, largely because of a dearth of data on the conformational preferences of RNA junctions and helices. By making thermodynamic measurements on millions of different RNAs in parallel, our work begins to dissect the energetics of RNA tertiary structure formation. In a discrete model system, we determined simplifying rules for conformational preferences of helices and junctions.
Charge-Induced Long-Range Order in a Room-Temperature Ionic Liquid.

We report direct evidence for charge-induced long-range (ca. 100 μm) order in the room-temperature ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIM+BF4–), supported on a silica surface. We have measured the rotational diffusion dynamics of anionic, cationic, and neutral chromophores as a function of distance from a silica surface. The results reflect the excess charge density gradient induced in the IL by the (negative) charge present on the silica surface. Identical measurements in ethylene glycol reveal spatially invariant reorientation dynamics for all chromophores. Capping the silica support with Me2SiCl2 results in spatially invariant reorientation dynamics in the IL. We understand these data in the context of the IL exhibiting a spatially damped piezoelectric response mediated by IL fluidity and disorder.
Lead-free solder paste selection and solder joint reliability for copper stud flip chip

With the escalating global gold (Au) price, most of the semiconductor manufacturers swiftly convert from gold wire bonding to the Copper (Cu) wire bonding. Cu stud flip chip becomes a competitive option not only from the cost perspective; it aligns well with the miniaturization trend. Only minor modifications on the existing wire bond platform enables the tremendous cost saving on the material and reduces the hassles in stitch bonding. [1] However, solder joint reliability is a major concern in Cu stud flip chip package. The assembly process and the solder paste selection are critical in defining the robustness of the package. Hence, in this paper, we discussed the Cu stud bumping and exploration of different solder deposition methods. These include solder printing, solder dispensing and solder dipping process. Solder dipping is an alternative to the conventional solder deposition process as it offers lower cost and shorter process cycle time. The compatibility of the solder paste with the Ag spot Cu lead frame and the Cu stud is crucial in selecting a solder paste material. For this reason, SAC 305 solder paste was selected. Choosing the right lead-free solder paste includes selecting the compatible flux system. Flux residue, which often degrades the adhesion strength of the mold compound, needs to be minimized to reduce the delamination risk. Both type 5 and type 6 solder paste were evaluated for 0.2mm dot deposition at 0.5mm lead pitch. The reflow conditions for this small powder size SAC alloy were included in this paper. The assembled Cu stud flip chip packages were subjected to temperature cycle test to check on the integrity of the solder joint formed. Cross-sectioned units were observed under the high power scope. The paper also discussed the intermetallic growth at the solder joint after temperature cycling. The results showed that the Cu stud co-planarity and bump strength affects the joint reliability. Sufficient solder deposition was essential to ensure the Cu stud in contact with the solder paste and lead frame. Type 6 solder paste needed extra care during handling and reflowing to avoid failure in the solder joint formation. Cu-Sn intermetallic growth and Kirkendall void were observed after thermal aging. However, the electrical test result showed no significant shift in the resistance after thermal shock test.
Specification and analysis of system level inter-component communication

In embedded systems the interfaces between software and its embedding environment are a major source of costly errors. For example, R.R. Lutz (1993) reported that 20%-35% of the safety related errors discovered during integration and system testing of two spacecraft were related to the interfaces between the software and the embedding hardware. Also, the software's operating environment is likely to change over time further complicating the issues related to system level inter component communication. We discuss a formal approach to the specification and analysis of inter component communication using a revised version of the RSML (Requirements State Machine Language) specification language. The formalism allows rigorous specification of the physical aspects of the inter component communication and enables encapsulation of communication related properties in well defined interface specifications. This allows us to both analyze a system design and detect incompatibilities between connected components and use the interface specifications as simple safety kernels to enforce safety and sample liveness constraints.
Promoting self-explanation to improve mathematics learning: A meta-analysis and instructional design principles

Promoting self-explanation (i.e., generating explanations for oneself in an attempt to make sense of new information) is a recommended study strategy and instructional practice. A meta-analysis of the literature on prompting self-explanation to improve mathematics learning confirmed that prompted self-explanation leads to a small to moderate improvement in procedural knowledge, conceptual knowledge and procedural transfer when assessed immediately after the intervention. However, evidence that self-explanation reliably promotes learning within a classroom context or retention of knowledge over a delay is much more limited. Moderator analyses indicated that the effect on immediate outcomes was stronger if scaffolding of high-quality explanation was provided but did not vary based on whether time on task was controlled across conditions. Based on the research literature, we propose instructional recommendations for mathematics educators: (a) scaffold high-quality explanations via training on self-explanation or structuring the self-explanation responses, (b) design explanation prompts so they do not sacrifice attention to other important content, (c) prompt learners to explain correct information, and (d) prompt learners to explain why common misconceptions are incorrect. We conclude with issues for future research, such as the need for additional research on effective use of self-explanation in classroom contexts and the merits of self-explanation relative to alternative instructional techniques.
"What about Gender and Power? Family-Unsupportive Supervision, Exhaustion, and Work-Life Conflict"

Using conservation of resources theory, this study examines the mediating effect of emotional exhaustion in the relationship between family responsibility discrimination from one’s supervisor and w...
Central Nervous System Involvement in Pediatric Systemic Autoimmune Diseases

Central nervous system (CNS) involvement occurs in many pediatric systemic autoimmune diseases. These manifestations are often associated with increased morbidity and mortality and can have adverse long-term effects on neurodevelopmental, health-related, and quality-of-life outcomes. In this review, we summarize the existing literature on CNS involvement in pediatric systemic autoimmune diseases, compare diagnostic findings, and describe current treatments. CNS manifestations of pediatric systemic autoimmune disease present diagnostic and management challenges due to their relatively rare occurrence in children, the difficulty in confirming direct CNS involvement as opposed to secondary symptoms occurring as a consequence of systemic inflammation, and the need to define treatment strategies effective for CNS involvement.
Adaptive natural entrainment via Andronov-Hopf oscillator

When controlling mechanical systems to sustain oscillatory movements, a resonance, or a natural oscillation, may be exploited to achieve high energy efficiency. Such mechanisms are observed in animal movements, and the idea can be adopted for control of robotic locomotion systems. In this article, we consider the problem of designing a nonlinear adaptive feedback controller for uncertain linear mechanical systems so that a natural mode of oscillations is achieved for the closed-loop system. The controller structure is based on the Andronov-Hopf oscillator with additional estimation mechanisms for the natural frequency and damping parameters. We prove that, under certain conditions, the estimated parameters converge to their true values and entrainment to a natural oscillation is achieved as part of an orbitally stable limit cycle.
Constitutional Debates and Nationalist Visions

This article looks at the role of competing nationalist visions in shaping the course and content of constitution-making processes. Using Turkey as its case study and focusing on a recent attempt at constitution writing (2011–2013), the examination demonstrates that engagements with and the framing of competing narratives of nationhood during constitutional negotiations go to the heart of societal reconstruction. Hence, such engagements should not be treated as an afterthought to institution building. The Turkish case also demonstrates how in deeply divided societies constitutional debates can acquire an ontological significance for the parties that in turn can work to deepen the existing ideological cleavages.
Impact of Fuel Composition and Intake Pressure on Lean Autoignition of Surrogate Gasoline Fuels in a CFR Engine

The critical compression ratio (CCR) criterion (defined as the minimum compression ratio at which the fuel shows initial signs of autoignition) was examined for various gasoline surrogate fuels in a motored engine. This investigation builds on the concept of CCR which is a good indicator of a fuel’s autoignition characteristics, to study the fuel compositional effects with increasing intake manifold pressure. The blends consisted of binary and ternary mixtures of n-heptane and/or iso-octane, and a fuel of interest. These fuels of interest were higher octane components; toluene, ethanol, and iso-butanol. A lean condition (Φ = 0.25) with varying intake pressure (atmospheric to 3 bar, abs) and at a constant intake temperature of 155 °C was used to investigate the ignition behavior of all the blends. Two sets of blends consisted of varying percentages of fuels of interest, formulated to approximately have research octane numbers (RON) at 80 and 100. For comparison, neat iso-octane was selected as the represen...