cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An FPGA implementation of parallel ICA for dimensionality reduction in hyperspectral images

Independent component analysis (ICA) is a technique that extracts independent source signals by searching for a linear or nonlinear transformation which minimizes the statistical dependence between components. ICA has been used in a variety of signal processing applications including dimensionality reduction in hyperspectral image (HSI) analysis. Due to the computation complexities and convergence rates, ICA is very time-consuming for high volume or dimension data set like hyperspectral images. Hardware implementation provides not only an optimal parallelism environment, but also a potential faster and real-time solution. This work synthesizes a parallel ICA (pICA) algorithm on field programmable gate array (FPGA). In the proposed implementation method, the pICA is partitioned into three temporally independent functional modules, and each of which is synthesized individually with several ICA-related reconfigurable components (RCs) that are developed for reuse and retargeting purpose. All modules are then integrated into a design and development environment for performing many subtasks such as FPGA synthesis, optimization, placement and routing. In a case study, we synthesize the pICA algorithm for hyperspectral image dimensionality reduction on the pilchard reconfigurahle computing platform embedded with Xilinx: VIRTEX V1000E. The FPGA executes at the maximum frequency of 20.161 MHz, and the pilchard board transfers data directly with CPU on the 64-bit memory bus at the maximum frequency of 133MHz. The performance comparisons between the proposed and another two ICA-related FPGA implementations show that the proposed FPGA implementation of pICA has potential in performing complicated algorithms on large volume data sets.
Application of Andersen Sampler in Hatchery Sanitation

Abstract HATCHERY sanitation has attracted the attention of several workers in the past. However, the inaccurate methods applied and inconclusive results reported have, thus far, made it impossible to effectively evaluate hatchery sanitation procedures. Andersen (1958) described an air sampler and discussed its applications. He stated that the sampler permitted the trapping, detecting and accurate counting of the viable pathogens in polluted air (aerosol). Recently Chute and Gershman (1960) reported on the use of Andersen sampler ** in determining the microbial population of the air in nine hatcheries. Their studies indicated that the microbial population of the air varied from hatchery to hatchery and was not influenced by the season of the year or the makes of incubators (setters) and hatchers. They proposed arbitrary figures to be used in evaluation of hatchery cleanliness. The subject of hatchery sanitation is of a complex nature. Knowing that a “clean chick” is likely to hatch …
IIR Filter Adaptation Using Branch-and-Bound: A Novel Approach

Adaptive infinite impulse response (IIR) filters provide significant advantages over equivalent finite impulse response (FIR) implementations because they are able to more accurately model physical plants that have pole-zero structures. Additionally, they are typically capable of meeting performance specifications using fewer filter parameters. This savings in parameters, which can be as much as 5-10 times, leads to the use of fewer multiplier blocks and therefore, lower power consumption. Despite these advantages, adaptive IIR filters have not found widespread use because the associated mean squared error (MSE) cost function is multimodal and therefore, significantly difficult to minimize. Additionally, the filter can become unstable during adaptation. These two properties pose several problems for adaptive algorithms, causing them to be sensitive to initial conditions, produce biased solutions, unstable filter configurations or converge to local minima. These problems prevent the widespread use of adaptive IIR filters in practice and if such filter structures are to become more practical, new, innovative solutions are required. This paper proposes a new algorithm for minimizing the MSE cost function of adaptive IIR filters aimed at addressing some of the aforementioned issues. We adopt the approach of using a branch-and-bound algorithm, which is an exhaustive search method, and employ interval arithmetic for all computations. Simulation results show that the resulting algorithm is viable and competitive and, when compared with a number of existing state-of-the-art algorithms, outperforms them in terms of the MSE of the final point.
Facilitating curriculum reforms through lesson study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to briefly describe the role of lesson study in implementation of national curriculum reforms in Japan, identifying key features that may be of interest to policy-makers in other countries. Design/methodology/approach – Literature review, observation, and artefact collection were used to study the role of lesson study in educational reform in Japan. Findings – One key characteristic of implementation of national curricular reforms in Japan is that lesson study allows primary and secondary schools, universities, district and prefectural offices, and subject-matter associations to collaborate in implementation. Some key features of the lesson study-supported system of implementation of curricular reform in Japan includes: the ability of school-based lesson study groups to leverage regional and national subject-matter expertise; school learning routines that enable systematic study, refinement, and dissemination of practice (e.g. kyouzai kenkyuu, public research lessons...
Boosting power for clinical trials using classifiers based on multiple biomarkers

Machine learning methods pool diverse information to perform computer-assisted diagnosis and predict future clinical decline. We introduce a machine learning method to boost power in clinical trials. We created a Support Vector Machine algorithm that combines brain imaging and other biomarkers to classify 737 Alzheimer’s disease Neuroimaging initiative (ADNI) subjects as having Alzheimer’s disease (AD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or normal controls. We trained our classifiers based on example data including: MRI measures of hippocampal, ventricular, and temporal lobe volumes, a PET-FDG numerical summary, CSF biomarkers (t-tau, p-tau, and A42), ApoE genotype, age, sex, and body mass index. MRI measures contributed most to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) classification; PET-FDG and CSF biomarkers, particularly A42, contributed more to MCI classification. Using all biomarkers jointly, we used our classifier to select the one-third of the subjects most likely to decline. In this subsample, fewer than 40 AD and MCI subjects would be needed to detect a 25% slowing in temporal lobe atrophy rates with 80% power—a substantial boosting of power relative to standard imaging measures.
Stem cell therapies in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy and keratopathy

Nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (DR) is characterized by multiple degenerative changes that could be potentially corrected by stem cell therapies. Most studies so far have attempted to alleviate typical abnormalities of early retinopathy, including vascular hyperpermeability, capillary closure and pericyte dropout. Success was reported with adult stem cells (vascular progenitors or adipose stem cells), as well as induced pluripotent stem cells from cord blood. The cells were able to associate with damaged vessels in both pericyte and endothelial lining positions in models of DR and ischemia-reperfusion. In some diabetic models, functional amelioration of vasculature and electroretinograms was noted. Another approach for endogenous progenitor cell therapy is to normalize dysfunctional diabetic bone marrow and residing endothelial progenitors using NO donors, PPAR-δ and -γ agonists, or inhibition of TGF-β. A potentially important strategy would be to reduce neuropathy by stem cell inoculations, either naive (e.g., paracrine-acting adipose stem cells) or secreting specific neuroprotectants, such as ciliary neurotrophic factor or brain-derived neurotrophic factor that showed benefit in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Parkinson's disease. Recent advances in stem cell therapies for diabetic retinal microangiopathy may form the basis of first clinical trials in the near future. Additionally, stem cell therapies may prove beneficial for diabetic corneal disease (diabetic keratopathy) with pronounced epithelial stem cell dysfunction.
Children’s understanding of curvilinear downward motion

Previous recent work has outlined that throughout middle childhood the ability to integrate knowledge about horizontal and vertical motion dimensions in order to reason about motion down inclines appears to change with increasing age. To investigate this shift in more detail, this study investigated children’s understanding of motion down curved slopes by addressing the changing interaction of horizontal and vertical dimensions along a single trajectory. Across four different age groups children were asked to predict motions of balls down curved tubes by addressing both comparisons between balls (heavy and light) and between sections of the trajectory (shallow incline, intermediate incline, steep incline). The results suggest that children do integrate information from horizontal and fall when judging motion down inclines. Crucially, this integration changes with increasing age, implying a change in salience of support in the process of motion reasoning and the overall development of commonsense theories of motion. Potential implications for educational practice are discussed.
Cache replacement with memory allocation

In the generalized caching problem, items can have varying costs and sizes. We consider a variant of this problem in which the cache management policy must not only specify which items to evict to make room for an incoming item (cache replacement), but must also specify a location in memory where each object can be placed contiguously (memory allocation). The problem is motivated by current implementations of key-value stores in large commercial databases with high read-to-write ratio such as those maintained by Facebook and Twitter. We propose a simple algorithm and show that if the algorithm is given some additional memory to account for fragmentation, it is competitive against an offline optimal algorithm that does not specify memory layout. (The optimal algorithm needs only to ensure that the sum of the sizes of the items in the cache does not exceed the total capacity of the cache). On the benchmark traces in the experiments presented here, our algorithm requires approximately 10--15% additional space to be k-competitive against the optimal offline algorithm. Through trace-driven simulations, we demonstrate that the caching performance of our algorithm for cache replacement with memory allocation is close to that of competitive strategies that are not required to manage memory layout within the cache.
DESIGN AND GROUND TESTING OF A HYDROGEN PEROXIDE/KEROSENE COMBUSTOR FOR RBCC APPLICATION

Design and testing of a staged-bipropellant combustor using 90% by weight hydrogen peroxide and JP-8 for use in a ducted rocket configuration was performed to support the development of rocket-based combined cycle (RBCC) test operations for a future flight experiment. A catalyst bed was used to decompose the hydrogen peroxide at a bed loading of approximately 0.4 lbm/s-in 2 . JP-8 fuel was injected transversely into the hot decomposed gas where it vaporized and autoignited at a core mixture ratio of about five. Flameholding was accomplished in the combustor using a rearward-facing step of a thickness of approximately 1/6 of the chamber diameter. Fuel film cooling was provided by the axial injection of additional fuel along the chamber inner wall. The peripheral fuel flow, accounting for approximately 60% of the total fuel flow, also serves the purpose of providing fuel for afterburning with the duct air. Ground testing of the thruster was conducted at Advanced Propellants and Combustion Lab (APCL) at Purdue, and results were used to verify autoignition limits, energy release, and thruster durability. After the design requirements were verified in the APCL, the thruster was incorporated into a new combined cycle test stand built at the High Pressure Combustion Lab for direct-connect testing of the ducted rocket at simulated flight conditions. The combined cycle test stand comprises bipropellant tanks, valves, and regulators; a high-pressure heated-air supply; and a six-axis 3000 lbf thrust measurement system. Initial tests proved the facility and data acquisition and control system was capable of providing simulated flight conditions. To date duct lengths up to about one duct diameter have been tested. The mixing between the rocket exhaust and the bypass air has been investigated using a pitot pressure probe measurement at discrete lengths downstream of the mixing plane. Work in progress includes incremental increases of instrumented duct length to measure thrust and the location of the thermally-choked throat. NOMENCLATURE
Office evaluation and management of the symptomatic knee.

Summary In summary, data recorded during the office evaluation should include a chief complaint, a subjective history, a functional history (Table 1), motion and strength analysis, and objective examination measurements (Table 2). Storage and access of these data may be categorized on the basis of probable etiology (Table 3). Finally, the historic and examination criteria for conservative or surgical care may be reviewed periodically to evaluate the results of a specific treatment and changes may be made as necessary to improve patient satisfaction and improve the physician's diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities.
SUCCESSFUL THERAPY OF VIRAL KERATITIS.

5-Iodo-2′-deoxyuridine (IDU) is the first therapeutic antiviral agent with proved activity in animals and man. It is useful in treating keratitis caused by herpes simplex virus and vaccinia. By competitively reversing the deleterious effects of corticosteroids on corneal virus infection and by protecting the cornea, it aids anti-inflammatory therapy of deeper disease. IDU-resistant virus occurs, but cytosine arabinoside appears effective in this case. It seems likely that an agent therapeutically effective against viral disease must act either on the terminal virus-specific stages of DNA synthesis or on the assembly of the virus.
On the path to untreatable infections: colistin use in agriculture and the end of 'last resort' antibiotics.

The unrelenting challenge of antibiotic resistance has led to the resurrection of classes of antibiotics that were supplanted by more potent and less toxic compounds, particularly for treating mult...
An updated systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy and tolerability of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors in patients with type 2 diabetes with moderate to severe chronic kidney disease.

Objective:This updated meta-analysis determines the effect of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors on glycemic and tolerability outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease with glomerular filtration rate of ⩽60 mL/min or on dialysis.Methods:In all, 14 citations were identified from multiple databases. Qualitative assessments and quantitative analyses were performed.Results:There were 2261 participants, 49–79 years of age, 49% men and 44% Caucasians. In seven placebo-comparator studies, reduction in hemoglobin A1c at weeks 12–24 was 0.55% (95% confidence interval: −0.68 to −0.43), P < 0.00001). In three sulfonylurea-comparator studies, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors did not significantly reduce hemoglobin A1c at weeks 52–54 (−0.15% (95% confidence interval: −0.32 to 0.02)). In one sitagliptin versus albiglutide study, albiglutide significantly reduced hemoglobin A1c in patients with moderate renal impairment (−0.51%). A similar reduction in hemoglobin A1c was seen with sit...
Promoting Secondary Teachers' Well-Being and Intentions to Implement Evidence-Based Practices: Randomized Evaluation of the Achiever Resilience Curriculum.

Teaching is regarded as one of the most challenging yet rewarding professions. Moreover, research has shown that stress and burnout are likely to undermine teacher effectiveness and negatively impact their willingness and intentions to implement evidence-based practices. The present study sought to contribute to a growing body of research implicating the importance of teacher well-being by evaluating the efficacy of a theoretically based training that integrates several practices into a single program (e.g., mindfulness, values clarification, gratitude practices, sleep hygiene, etc.) that are designed to promote the well-being of teachers—the ACHIEVER Resilience Curriculum (ARC). To evaluate the ARC, a randomized block controlled study was conducted with pre–post measurement. Results from the study indicated that, compared with an active control group, teachers who participated in the ARC experienced significantly better outcomes, characterized by medium effect sizes, including reductions in job-related stress, improvements in teaching self-efficacy, and stronger intentions to implement evidence-based classroom practices. The implications of these findings for teacher preparation and professional development, along with the limitations of the study, are discussed.
The selection and uses of plant tissue cultures resistant to toxic compounds

Beginning in 1970, in vitro selection for resistance to various toxic compounds has produced many plant cell lines useful for studying biochemical pathways, altering overall cell metabolism and growth, and regenerating plants with desirable traits. Some toxin-resistant lines have been used to elucidate the genetic and biochemical mechanisms plant cells use to adapt, including gene amplification. Other resistance traits have been used for the selection of protoplast fusion hybrids or to develop selectable markers for nuclear or plastid transformation through cloning the corresponding genes and promoters.
A Century of Radiation Therapy and Adaptive Immunity

The coming of age for immunotherapy (IT) as a genuine treatment option for cancer patients through the development of new and effective agents, in particular immune checkpoint inhibitors, has led to a huge renaissance of an old idea, namely to harness the power of the immune system to that of radiation therapy (RT). It is not an overstatement to say that the combination of RT with IT has provided a new conceptual platform that has re-energized the field of radiation oncology as a whole. One only has to look at the immense rise in sessions at professional conferences and in grant applications dealing with this topic to see its emergence as a force, while the number of published reviews on the topic is staggering. At the time of writing, over 97 clinical trials have been registered using checkpoint inhibitors with RT to treat almost 7000 patients, driven in part by strong competition between pharmaceutical products eager to find their market niche. Yet, for the most part, this enthusiasm is based on relatively limited recent data, and on the clinical success of immune checkpoint inhibitors as single agents. A few preclinical studies on RT-IT combinations have added real value to our understanding of these complex interactions, but many assumptions remain. It seems therefore appropriate to go back in time and pull together what actually has been a long history of investigations into radiation and the immune system (Figure 1) in an effort to provide context for this interesting combination of cancer therapies.
A Natural History of the Drag Queen Phenomenon

The drag queen cultural phenomenon has been described at length. However, the depiction of outlandish and hyperbolic womanhood and taunting and formidable behavior at the core of drag queens' public persona has still to be fully accounted for. We argue that these aspects of the drag queen's public appearance could best be understood in a signaling framework. Publicly donning extravagant woman's costumes attracts harassment and brings financial, mating, and opportunity costs, generating the conditions for the transmission of honest signals. By successfully withstanding those odds, drag queen impersonators signal strategic qualities to members of the gay community. Data collected among gay and straight participants support a costly signaling reading of the drag queen cultural phenomenon. Participants generally agree that successful drag queens typically incur costs, while gaining specific social benefits.
Birmingham hip resurfacing versus cementless total hip arthroplasty in patients 55 years or younger: A minimum five-year follow-up.

Abstract Objective The optimal reconstructive method for advanced degenerative hip disease in young adults is a topic of ongoing discussion. The purpose of this study is to report the largest single institution experience from the United States on the outcomes of Birmingham hip resurfacing (BHR) vs. cementless total hip arthroplasty (THA) in patients 55 years or younger at a minimum follow-up of five years. Currently, BHR is the only FDA-approved hip resurfacing implant available in the US. Methods A cohort of 505 patients representing all BHR cases performed at our institution between 2006 and 2010 was compared with an identical size cohort of consecutive patients who underwent primary cementless THA. Exclusion criteria were age greater than 55 years, non-elective cases, revision procedures, and those performed for fractures, tumors, or by low-volume arthroplasty surgeons. THAs with metal on metal articulation were also excluded. Outcomes assessed were all-cause reoperations, complications, patient satisfaction, and mortality. After exclusions, 442 patients with BHR and 327 with THA were included. Results Mean follow-up was 73.2 months. After controlling for potential confounding factors, multivariate analyses showed significant increase in the rates of revision surgery (p Conclusions This is largest US study to report on the midterm outcomes of BHR vs. THA. The results demonstrate favorable results for BHR in patients 55 years or younger. Long-term multicenter studies are needed to better understand the optimal patient characteristics when deciding between THA versus BHR.
Revisiting Microfinance in Africa

Microfinance has been touted as a possible pathway out of poverty for individuals in many poor communities. However, its track record remains spotty and there is a need to rethink what space microfinance efforts occupy within the broader structural transformation context. In this regard, microfinance should not become a pretext or alibi for the state to abdicate its core functions and responsibilities to its citizens.
TARGETED LEVOTHYROXINE THERAPY FOR TREATMENT OF CONGENITAL HYPOTHYROIDISM.

ABSTRACT Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine if infants with congenital hypothyroidism (CH) whose initial dose of levothyroxine (LT4) is based on thyroid gland anatomy require fewer dose adjustments in the first 6 months of life than those who were started empirically on LT4. Methods: Newborns with CH who had a thyroid ultrasound performed at diagnosis were eligible for this prospective, historical case-controlled study. The daily LT4 dose prescribed was based on results on the thyroid ultrasound as follows: 15 mcg/kg for athyreosis, 12 mcg/kg for a dysgenetic thyroid, and 10 mcg/kg for an anatomically normal gland. Routine labs according to standard guidelines were obtained, and the number of dose adjustments over the first 6 months of therapy was recorded. Each study participant was matched with 2 historical controls with CH based on sex and thyroid anatomy. Results: Twenty-two subjects (10 with athyreosis, 4 with dysgenetic glands, and 8 with anatomically normal glands) were matched t...
Algunos Aspectos de la Lucha Contra el Crimen Organizado Internacional en America Latina

A pesar de mucho discurso, del esfuerzo y la promulgacion de mecanismos multilaterales y domesticos, la falta de voluntad politica, la carencia de cooperacion en la investigacion y la ausencia de enjuiciamiento o extradicion de dichos grupos, han provocado que se enfrente hoy una situacion donde el crimen organizado resulta abrumador para las democracias del continente y es el sosten principal de muchas economias locales en la region.
Water-soluble and UV traceable isatoic anhydride-based reagents for bioconjugation

Isatoic anhydride is elaborated to water soluble bioconjugation reagents that gives functionality and water solubility in one self-cleaning step. This new platform offers high atom economy with carbon dioxide being the only byproduct, and is shown to very quickly and efficiently label proteins in bicarbonate buffered solutions.
Hit-or-Wait: Coordinating Opportunistic Low-effort Contributions to Achieve Global Outcomes in On-the-go Crowdsourcing

We consider the challenge of motivating and coordinating large numbers of people to contribute to solving local, communal problems through their existing routines. In order to design such "on-the-go crowdsourcing" systems, there is a need for mechanisms that can effectively coordinate contributions to address problem solving needs in the physical world while leveraging people's existing mobility with minimal disruption. We thus introduce Hit-or-Wait, a general decision-theoretic mechanism that intelligently controls decisions over when to notify a person of a task, in ways that reason both about system needs across tasks and about a helper's changing patterns of mobility. Through simulations and a field study in the context of community-based lost-and-found, we demonstrate that using Hit-or-Wait enables a system to make efficient use of people's contributions with minimal disruptions to their routines without the need for explicit coordination. Interviews with field study participants further suggest that highlighting an individual's contribution to the global goal may help people value their contributions more.
How Will Bulgarian Exporters Benefit from Adopting the Euro? The Dynamics of Multi-Product Firms

Bulgaria follows a currency board tied to the euro and we find that multi-product firms (MPFs) specializing only in Non-EU markets absorb exchange rate movements relatively more in their export volume than in their prices of every variety. Such effects can be however offset by cannibalization effects and the higher costs of producing new varieties to Non-EU countries. Bulgarian trade flows across destinations and price setting are found to reflect the decisions by MPFs to vary the range of their exported products across EU and Non-EU markets. We find that firms selling their products in both EU and Non-EU markets export relatively more varieties in markets with tougher competition such as in the EU. Rising costs of producing more varieties for EU markets are likely compensated with the absence of exchange rate risks and other benefits from participating in EU markets. We also find that not all of the higher costs are passed on to EU consumer prices, as some costs are absorbed by the firm itself resulting from cannibalization effects. A main conclusion is that Bulgarian firm-level productivity increases are entirely driven by firms exporting both relatively higher volumes, and more varieties, to EU markets.
New surgical approaches to treatment of cervical cancer.

PURPOSE Our goal was to evaluate laparoscopic pelvic lymph node dissection, para-aortic lymph node sampling, and laparoscopic radical vaginal hysterectomy (Schauta) in the treatment of early stage cervical cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS In a retrospective study of 37 patients treated in the period between October 1993 and February 1996, we evaluated operative time, blood loss, length of hospital stay, lymph node count, and morbidity. Radical abdominal hysterectomy was compared with laparoscopic pelvic lymph node dissection and para-aortic lymph node sampling. Improvement over time was analyzed. RESULTS Mean operative time was 225 minutes, blood loss was 525 mL, and the average hospital stay was 3 days. This information was compared with a radical abdominal hysterectomy and pelvic and para-aortic lymph node dissection, where the operative time was 210 minutes, blood loss was 1500 mL, and the hospital stay was 9.7 days. Blood transfusion was required in 11% of patients compared with a range of 35%-95% reported in the literature for radical abdominal hysterectomy. The mean pelvic lymph node count was 35; the mean para-aortic lymph node count was 11. Two patients had cystotomies repaired at surgery without lengthening hospital stay or subsequent complication. Two patients had ureteral vaginal fistulae treated by a ureteral stent, which was removed 6 weeks later without further operative procedures or urinary damage. When the data were correlated with the length of experience using the analysis of variance test and linear regression, operative time, blood loss, and hospital costs significantly improved over time. Patient charges averaged $14,868.00 and estimated hospital costs averaged $6449.00. CONCLUSION Laparoscopic pelvic lymph node dissection and para-aortic lymph node sampling can be performed with adequate lymph node counts and lower morbidity. Laparoscopic Schauta allows shorter hospital stay than radical abdominal hysterectomy, with significantly less blood loss and markedly fewer blood transfusions. Morbidity is higher early in the surgeon's experience but decreases over time.
Risk Management of Interconnected Infrastructures: An Empirical Study of Joint Stress Conditions

This chapter has been written for engineering practitioners, support staff and researchers interested in how to assess and manage risks that arise because critical infrastructures are interconnected, and increasingly so. Infrastructures are large technical systems for water, electricity, transportation, telecommunications and financial services, among others, whose assets and services are considered vital to society. These engineered systems operate under legal, regulatory and mission mandates to be highly reliable, that is, to ensure the safe and continuous provision of the critical service in question, even during (especially during) peak demand or turbulent times. Because they operate under high reliability mandates, their control operators and staff take risk assessment and management seriously. This chapter focuses on what we consider to be neglected but extremely important topics related to the assessment, management and tracking of risks at the interconnected critical infrastructure system (ICIS) level. Special features of infrastructure control rooms are discussed, and an empirical analysis demonstrates conditions under which interconnected infrastructures share risks for joint management purposes.
Deep crustal cumulates reflect patterns of continental rift volcanism beneath Tanzania

Magmatism on Earth is most abundantly expressed by surface volcanic activity, but all volcanism has roots deep in the crust, lithosphere, and mantle. Intraplate magmatism, in particular, has remained enigmatic as the plate tectonic paradigm cannot easily explain phenomena such as large flood basalt provinces and lithospheric rupture within continental interiors. Here, I explore the role of deep crustal magmatic processes and their connection to continental rift volcanism as recorded in deep crustal xenoliths from northern Tanzania. The xenoliths are interpreted as magmatic cumulates related to Cenozoic rift volcanism, based on their undeformed, cumulate textures and whole-rock compositions distinct from melt-reacted peridotites. The cumulates define linear trends in terms of whole-rock major elements and mineralogically, can be represented as mixtures of olivine + clinopyroxene. AlphaMELTS modeling of geologically plausible parental melts shows that the end-member cumulates, clinopyroxenite and Fe-rich dunite, require fractionation from two distinct melts: a strongly diopside-normative melt and a fractionated picritic melt, respectively. The former can be linked to the earliest, strongly silica-undersaturated rift lavas sourced from melting of metasomatized lithosphere, whereas the latter is linked to the increasing contribution from the upwelling asthenospheric plume beneath East Africa. Thus, deep crustal cumulate systematics reflect temporal and compositional trends in rift volcanism, and show that mixing, required by the geochemistry of many rift lava suites, is also mirrored in the lavas’ cumulates.
2666 de Roberto Bolaño: una perspectiva de género

This research proposes the application of foundational gender and feminism concepts to Roberto Bolano’s last novel, 2666. Gender is an analytical category transversal in nature as it relates to various fields such as the social, political, economic, cultural, educational, even the philosophical and existential. One of the goals is to analyze the novel from these theories in order to discover the author’s stance, sometimes ambiguous. The ultimate end of this work is to deepen into certain sort of terminology that has been culturally acquired through a clearly patriarchal philosophical system to pinpoint and deconstruct it, and create alternative discourses. By resorting to literary analysis it is possible to deliberate on topics such as inequality and concepts such as sexism, patriarchy, violence against women and their invisibility, masculinity and sexual discrimination.
Impact of branching unit structure on the cloud point of highly branched polymers with lower critical solution temperature behavior

Abstract The impact of the branching unit nature on the thermal dependence of the solubility of branched poly(diethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate) (polyDEGMEMA) is studied systematically. The polymers were prepared by radical copolymerization of DEGMEMA and dimethacrylate crosslinkers with varying hydrophilicities in the presence of an efficient chain transfer agent, CBr4. Branched polyDEGMEMA containing hydrophilic groups at the branching points derived from oligo(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (MW 750, 2.5 mol %, vs DEGMEMA) showed a cloud point depression of 6 °C compared to linear polyDEGMEMA, while polymers with hydrophobic groups at the branching points derived from 1,6-hexanediol dimethacrylate (HDODMA, 2.5 mol % vs DEGMEMA) showed a more significant cloud point depression of 12 °C. By increasing the amount of hydrophobic crosslinker (HDODMA) from 1.25 to 10 mol %, the cloud points of the resulting branched polymers decreased gradually from 17 °C to 1 °C, and prominent solubility thermal hysteresis was observed.
14 Transcortical Corridors

Surgical treatment of deep subcortical lesions presents unique technical challenges related to atraumatic access with appropriate illumination and instrumentation in deep corridors. Advances in MRI technique with diffusion tensor imaging and whole brain tractography now allow for the development of minimally invasive parafascicular corridors to lesions. The combination of this technique with port-based approaches has significantly widened our surgical armamentarium. In this chapter, we discuss this technique in detail and the pathologies that can be addressed by port-based approaches.
Performance Evaluation of Energy Harvesting Enabled Phantom Cellular Network

Deployment of conventional two-tier phantom cellular network results in an increase in overall power consumption of cellular systems. In this paper, we evaluate the performance of sustainable phantom cellular networks to reduce the overall power consumption. The Phantom Base Stations (PBSs) are enabled with Energy Harvesting (EH) from renewable energy resources. Addition of Phantom cells in the network provides with a capacity gain of 1.25 times over the conventional macro cellular network. This gain can be further enhanced by up to 2.6 times by using interference free PBSs (mitigating interference). Moreover, this paper presents a performance comparison of Round Robin (RR) and Proportional Fairness (PF) in terms of capacity and energy efficiency (EE). Finally, the use of renewable energy to power PBS can reduce carbon CO 2 emission and will make our environment clean.
The Enhancing Quality of Prescribing Practices for Older Veterans Discharged From the Emergency Department (EQUIPPED) Potentially Inappropriate Medication Dashboard: A Suitable Alternative to the In-person Academic Detailing and Standardized Feedback Reports of Traditional EQUIPPED?

Abstract Purpose The Enhancing Quality of Prescribing Practices for Older Veterans Discharged From the Emergency Department (EQUIPPED) program is a quality improvement initiative that combines education, clinical decision support (ie, geriatric pharmacy order sets), and in-person academic detailing coupled with audit and feedback in an effort to improve appropriate prescribing to older veterans discharged from the emergency department. Although the EQUIPPED program is effective at reducing the prescribing of potentially inappropriate medications, the reliance on in-person academic detailing may be a limitation for broader dissemination. The EQUIPPED dashboard is a passive yet continuous audit and feedback mechanism developed to potentially replace the in-person academic detailing of the traditional EQUIPPED program. We describe the development process of the EQUIPPED dashboard and the key audit and feedback components found within. Methods The Veterans Affairs (VA) Corporate Data Warehouse (CDW) serves as the underlying data source for the EQUIPPED dashboard. SQL Server Integration Services was used to build the backend data architecture. Data were isolated from the CDW for reporting purposes using an extract, load, transform (ELT) approach. The team used SQL Server Reporting Services to produce the user interface and add interactive functionality. The team used an agile development approach when designing the user interface, engaging end users at 2 VA EQUIPPED implementation sites by providing printed screenshots of a beta version of the dashboard. Findings The EQUIPPED dashboard ELT process executes nightly to provide dashboard end users with a near real-time data experience and the potential for daily audit and feedback. The following dashboard components were identified as necessary for the EQUIPPED dashboard to be a suitable audit and feedback tool: key performance indicators, peer-to-peer benchmarking, individual patient or encounter drill down, educational decision support, and longitudinal performance tracking. Implications To our knowledge, the EQUIPPED dashboard is the first information display of its kind with built-in audit and feedback that has been developed for VA emergency department practitioners as the primary end users. Further investigation is warranted to determine whether the EQUIPPED dashboard is a suitable alternative to in-person academic detailing. The EQUIPPED dashboard will be leveraged in a formal implementation trial that will entail the randomization of multiple VA sites to either (1) traditional EQUIPPED with in-person academic detailing coupled with audit and feedback or (2) EQUIPPED with passive audit and feedback delivered through the EQUIPPED dashboard without in-person prescribing outreach.
Identifying Characteristics of Bridges Vulnerable to Hydraulic Hazards Using Bridge Failure Data

AbstractHydraulic failure, which encompasses scour, flooding, and overtopping, accounts for most bridge failures in the United States. The research reported herein aimed to evaluate the current pra...
Lance and Other Gifted and Talented Students of Color Matter: Five Models and Theories to Guide Early Childhood Educators in Advancing Equity

This article focuses on essential models and theories to help early childhood educators (ECE) in understanding and teaching non-White gifted and talented (GATE) students. The focus is on minoritize...
Influence of introduced peregrine falcons on the distribution of red knots within a spring staging site

Predator recovery driven by single-species management approaches may lead to conservation conflicts between recovered predators and prey species of conservation concern. As part of an aggressive recovery plan, the Eastern Peregrine Falcon Recovery Team released (1975-1985) 307 captive-reared peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) and successfully established a breeding population within the mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain, a physiographic region with no historic breeding population and a critical spring staging area for migratory shorebirds. We examined the influence of resident falcons on the distribution of foraging red knots during spring migration. We conducted weekly aerial surveys (2006-2009) along the Virginia barrier islands during the spring staging period (25 April- 6 June) to map foraging red knots (Calidris canutus) and evaluated the influence of proximity (0-3, 3-6, >6 km) of beaches to active peregrine falcon nests on knot density (birds/km). Accumulated use of beaches throughout the season by red knots was significantly influenced by proximity of beaches to active falcon nests such that mean density was more than 6 fold higher on beaches that were >6 km compared to beaches that were only 0-3 km from active eyries. Whether or not an eyrie was used in a given year had a significant influence on the use of associated close (0-3 km) beaches. From 6.5 to 64 fold more knots used beaches when associated eyries were not active compared to when they were active depending on the specific site. Historically, red knots and other migratory shorebirds would have enjoyed a peregrine-free zone within this critical staging site. The establishment of a dense breeding population of falcons within the area represents a new hazard for the knot population.
The Labour Market Effects of Financial Crises

This paper examines how the 2008–2009 financial crisis affected labour markets in Europe, and how this impact depended on employment protection laws. Using a difference‐in‐differences approach, our estimates isolate the effect of the lack of credit on the labour market from that of the general decline in aggregate economic activity. We find large and negative impacts of the credit shock on total employment, particularly on temporary, unskilled and young workers. These impacts were significantly larger in countries with stronger legal protection of permanent workers from dismissal. This suggests that the differential impact of the crisis across countries was not entirely driven by the heterogeneity of the credit shock, but also by labour regulations. Given regulatory inflexibility in adjusting the permanent workforce, firms responded to tightening financial constraints by disproportionately laying off temporary workers (who tend to be younger and less skilled than permanent workers).
SIVA: A Low Complexity and Optimum Decoding Algorithm for Tail-Biting Codes

This paper introduces a low complexity and optimum decoding algorithm for tail-biting codes. The algorithm, called Selective Initialization Viterbi Algorithm (SIVA), performs the Viterbi algorithm (VA) iteratively and assigns at each iteration the initial costs for a selective set of states to satisfy a necessary condition. The process of selecting the set of states and setting their initial costs is done by forming a directed acyclic graph among the candidate states. We prove the convergence and optimality of SIVA and analyze its complexity in terms of the number of operations for the worst-case scenario with a noise-like decoder input. SIVA achieves optimum decoding at a complexity comparable to the popular, yet sub-optimal, wrap-around Viterbi algorithm (WAVA) and at several orders of magnitude lower complexity compared to other optimal tail-biting decoding algorithms. Application of SIVA to a practical millimeter wave MIMO system with two different tail-biting codes illustrates URLLC-regime frame error performance better than WAVA and confirms the low complexity of the proposed algorithm.
The more the merrier: Simultaneous mapping of multiple chromatin components in a single sample.

Gopalan et al. (2021) present multi-CUT&Tag, a modification of cleavage under targets and tagmentation (CUT&Tag) that enables simultaneous genome-wide mapping of multiple chromatin-associated targets in a single sample.
Auditory In-Vehicle Technologies to Support Older Drivers

Population aging, in combination with improved health care and more active lifestyles well into advanced age, have resulted in an increased number of older adults driving more miles than ever before. Unfortunately, these older drivers are over-represented in motor vehicle crashes and crash-related fatalities. Rather than the risk-tasking behaviors observed in young drivers, the collisions of older drivers frequently involve perceptual-cognitive errors. Advanced in-vehicle technologies have the potential to function as sensory-cognitive aids and may offset the negative impact of age-related changes in sensory and cognitive abilities. Collision Avoidance Systems (CASs) function as sensory aids to augment hazard detection capabilities, and therefore may be of particular benefit to older drivers. Navigation aids can offset the working memory requirements of wayfinding, and auditory guidance directions may reduce the visual demands of searching for street signs and reading maps. However, these advanced systems also have the potential to increase the information processing demands of the driving task or distract drivers, particularly if they are not designed in accordance with the sensory and perceptual capabilities of older adults. A series of experiments aimed at examining the impact of sensory-cognitive characteristics of auditory navigational aids on driver wayfinding, performance on a visual peripheral detection task, and neurophysiological, behavioral and subjective indices of driver mental workload and performance were conducted.
Proteomic Analysis of Sera and Saliva from Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Matched Controls

Approximately 1/88 children are believed to be affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). A more recent study suggests numbers as high as 1/50. With the increased diagnosis of ASD, treatment and u...
Seismic Studies of the Blake Ridge: Implications for Hydrate Distribution, Methane Expulsion, and Free Gas Dynamics

I summarize results of active-source seismic investigations, including single-channel seismic reflection, ocean-bottom seismic refraction, and vertical seismic profiles, from the Blake Ridge, offshore South Carolina. The Blake Ridge is a highly dynamic system, in which methane gas is being generated today at depths exceeding 700 m and migrates on the sub-Ma time scale. Seismic velocities indicate that hydrate occupies 3-4% of total rock volume (5-7% of porosity) in a 250-m-thick zone on the crest of the ridge and only about 1-2% of total rock volume 7 km off the crest of the ridge. A significant proportion of methane resides beneath the stability zone, where free gas comprises 1-10% of total rock volume in a zone at least 250 m thick. The impedance contrast responsible for the BSR is caused principally by gas, not hydrate: Site 994 shows that hydrate is not a sufficient condition for generation of a BSR, while Sites 995 and 997 suggest that free gas is a necessary condition. Zones of low reflectance beneath the BSR demonstrate that amplitude blanking is not required to explain low reflectance above the BSR on the Blake Ridge. Gas migrates along permeability contrasts at stratal boundaries and can be trapped by faults and at the base of the hydrate stability zone. The Blake Ridge collapse structure, which shows strong circumstantial evidence for expulsion of large quantities of methane into the ocean/atmosphere system, does not appear to have been a single catastrophic event. Rather, the collapse appears to be a relatively long-lived feature filled in the last 2 my at deposition rates of up to 300 m/my. Buried features similar to the collapse beneath the ridge suggest that episodic gas release is a fundamental, recurring part of the hydrate cycle on the Blake Ridge.