cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Higher order density approximations for solutions to estimating equations

General formulae for the intensity function of a point process defined by the solution set of a system of smooth random equations are widely available in the literature, offering a precise characterization of a type of random process arising naturally in many fields. Almost all are modifications or generalizations of an original formula derived by Rice (1945) and share the same relatively simple structure. Related methods have been applied to the evaluation of the density of the solution to multidimensional estimating equations arising in statistical inference (Skovgaard, 1990; Jensen and Wood, 1998; Almudevar et?al., 2000). This approach has been able to verify or extend a variety of known approximation methods, but has otherwise not been commonly used in the area of small sample asymptotic theory, despite its potential for the development of approximation methods of considerable generality. This article develops a general order O ( 1 / n ) density approximation method for solutions to multidimensional estimating equations which are sums of continuous independent, non-identically distributed random vectors. Two issues in particular which arise in the application of the Rice formula are addressed. Validation of this formula is often technically challenging, so a set of general conditions motivated specifically by the application to estimating equations is developed. In addition, the Rice formula includes a conditional expectation which would be difficult to evaluate for non-Gaussian processes. To address this issue, a general order O ( 1 / n ) approximation for expectations conditioned on random sums is derived, which may be directly used in the Rice formula under the hypothesis considered here. The method is demonstrated using the negative exponential regression model, a type of non-canonical generalized linear model.
PO-0332 Barriers To Disclosure Of Medication Errors

Background Medication administration error is the most frequent error in paediatrics and one of the leading causes of death.Adverse event reporting is critical to improving patient safety but challenging in our field, and not without barriers. The purpose of this analysis was to determine how often medications errors get communicated to patients and/or families and to identify the barriers perceived by healthcare providers to disclose these errors. Methods A survey was distributed to the critical care team. The questions were answered anonymously, with the only identifier being their position in the critical care team. Results A 76% response was obtained, eight attendings (44.4%), 5 nurses-RNs (27.8%), 3 nurse practitioners- NPs (16.7%), and 3 fellows (16.7%) returned the survey. The group that ‘always’ reported communication of medicine errors was the attendings (42%), followed by RNs (40%), NPs (25%), and the fellows (0%) (Figure 1). The most often perceived obstacle to communicating was family not being available (Figure 2). Conclusion This analysis demonstrated that communication of medication errors does not happen consistently. In addition, the most common obstacle identified was the absence of family when the event occurs. This is most likely a challenge that is more unique to the paediatric population. The culture of open communication is critical in creating a safer medical environment; therefore, it is a skill that must be implemented into the medical education.
Back to the basics: reflections on moral discourse in a contemporary Hindu community

Instead of searching through Hindu sources for appropriate insights into the questions related to "playing God" in biomedicine, the author seeks rather to understand why some Hindus at least are not inclined to ask such questions. Using examples from the Srĩvaisnava sect of south India, the author shows how Srĩvaisnava Hindus focus primarily on character formation and the practice of the virtues encoded in the classical texts, thereafter leaving it to the individual to "act as he or she will" in the world outside the community-a world which is neutral vis a vis religious values, neither governed by such values nor able to instigate the adjustment of religious values to fit changing times. The question then becomes, "What do modern ethicists have to learn from the moral discourse of the Srĩvaisnava community."
Ethanol and the Pancreas

The acute and chronic effects of ethanol on pancreatic structure and function are discussed. Acute necrotizing, acute edematous, acute relapsing, chronic relapsing, and painless pancreatitis have an established association with ethanol abuse. The management of these disorders is outlined.
Construction and Application of On-Line Monitor Center of Electric Power Equipments in Guangxi Power Grid

The items of electrical equipment on-line monitoring are numerous and varied,with many problems such as the data formats are not unified and the on-line monitoring resources can not be shared.Therefore the Guangxi Power Grid established the on-line monitor center of electric power equipments,which is promoting highly integrated development of the on-line monitoring to the multi-equipment and multi-parameter comprehensive monitoring and diagnosis,and realizing the on-line monitoring platform resources sharing.This article introducs the construction and structure of the on-line monitor center,with an abnormal growth event of hydrogen in main transformer oil for example,analyzes the application of the on-line monitor center of electric power equipments in Guangxi Power Grid.And relevant suggestions about improving reliability of the on-line monitor center is put forward.
Several Basic Issues of Environmental and Resource Protection Law System in China:From the Perspective of System Thinking Methodology

System thinking is not only a scientific theory of realizing and describing objective laws,but also a scientific methodology of analyzing and studying a system.Based on the methodology of system thinking,the article sets up the grounds of practice on which environmental and resource protection law can exist as an independent legal system,summarizes the learning functions of the system of environmental and resource protection law;and reviewing and evaluating the internal structure of the system of environmental and resource protection law.
Conservative Self-Enhancement

Political conservatism has been linked to motivated forms of social cognition, sensitivity to threat, and defensive cognitive styles. The present research examined whether liberal-conservative political ideology was associated with self-enhancement using large Internet samples across eight studies (N=13,002). Meta-analysis of these results revealed that the tendency to make overly positive self-evaluations was positively associated with general political conservatism, social conservatism, economic conservatism, and conservative patterns of moral foundation endorsement (.12 ≤ rrandom ≤ .13; .07 ≤ rfixed ≤ .10), even after controlling for key demographic variables (.08 ≤ rrandom ≤ .16; .03 ≤ rfixed ≤ .09). These findings suggest that, above and beyond previously studied variables, multiple forms of political conservatism predict a strengthened tendency to evaluate the self in an overly positive way.
The three-link nonholonomic snake as a hybrid kinodynamic system

Motion planners often avoid the so-called singular configurations of a locomoting system because they can change a system's dynamics and cause it to incur unbounded input controller costs. However, such configurations can also allow a system to exhibit new modes of locomotion, which can be incorporated into previously established planning techniques. Here we take a nonholonomic kinematic system and present the formalism for representing it as a hybrid system taking advantage of the singular configuration and the associated dynamics. We show how to achieve the transition maps between the modes of operation by allowing actuated joints to become passive or locked, circumventing problems with unbounded constraint forces. This new model offers a new capability to take advantage of drift dynamics and rolling motions, which we demonstrate using a switching controller involving established kinematic techniques and preliminary dynamic maneuvers.
Economics of Biodiversity

Biodiversity, or biological diversity, is defined as variations in gene, species, and ecosystem habitat (terrestrial and aquatic) (Chapman, 1999). The extinction of plant and animal species results in loss of biodiversity. Humans have increased the rate of extinction through direct and indirect human activity encroaching on natural ecosystems. Direct activity consists of killing flora and fauna for consumption. Indirect activity consists of destruction of the habitat by (1) land conversion through tropical deforestation and draining of wetlands for agricultural use, (2) introduction of exotic species that do not have predators, and (3) pollution.
A guide to magnetic tweezers and their applications

Magnetic force spectroscopy is a rapidly developing single molecule technique that found numerous applications at the interface of physics and biology. Since the invention of the first magnetic tweezers, a number of modifications were incorporated into the approach that helped relieve the limitations of the original design and amplified its strengths. Inventive molecular biology solutions further advanced the technique by expanding its possible applications. In its present form, the method can be applied to single molecules and live cells without resorting to intense sample irradiation, can be easily multiplexed, accommodates multiple DNAs, displays impressive resolution, and allows a remarkable ease in stretching and twisting macromolecules. In this review, we describe the architecture of magnetic tweezers, key requirements to the experimental design and analysis of data, and outline several applications of the method that illustrate its versatility.
Mobile Telephony in a Peri-urban Setting

Mobile telephones began to be widespread in 2007. The moral status of mobile phones is double-edged. On the one hand, they are used and understood by peri-urban Murik people for culturally defined purposes. On the other, their use encourages the individuation of the subject as well as mistrust in and of modernity. Phones condense space and time, simultaneously integrating Murik society and estranging Murik voices from modernity as they do. The chapter assesses attitudes about and incidents during which mobile phones were used by peri-urban men.
Hereditary Colorectal Cancer Syndromes

Awareness of hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes is important to facilitate their identification because affected patients are at increased risk for early onset, synchronous, and metachronous colorectal malignancies, and certain extracolonic malignancies depending on the syndrome. Identification of an affected individual allows for screening and early interventions for patients and their at-risk kindred. Genetic counseling and testing is important to the care of these patients. As knowledge of the genetic basis of these syndromes grows, unique genotype-phenotype profiles allow clinicians to tailor surveillance and treatment strategies based on individual risk.
LUMINESCENCE.Edited by G. Remond, L. Balk, and D.J. Marshall. Scanning Microscopy Supplement 9, Proceedings of the 13th Pfefferkorn Conference, 1995. Softbound, 286 p. $66 U.S.

Luminescence contains 24 papers mostly dealing with cathodoluminescence and mostly as observed with electron beam excitation in a scanning electron microscope or with thermoluminescence. Unlike many conference proceedings, these are full papers, nicely formatted, with high quality illustrations, and with complete (full titles) bibliographies. As such, the volume is a useful reference work. The subject matter is an eclectic mix. Ten papers deal with mineral luminescence, eight papers with semiconductors, and six papers with experimental technique. Of concern here are the papers on mineralogical topics. The titles give …
Synchrotron X-ray Microdiffraction and Fluorescence Imaging of Mineral and Rock Samples

In this report, we describe a detailed procedure for acquiring and processing x-ray microfluorescence (μXRF), and Laue and powder microdiffraction two-dimensional (2D) maps at beamline 12.3.2 of the Advanced Light Source (ALS), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Measurements can be performed on any sample that is less than 10 cm x 10 cm x 5 cm, with a flat exposed surface. The experimental geometry is calibrated using standard materials (elemental standards for XRF, and crystalline samples such as Si, quartz, or Al2O3 for diffraction). Samples are aligned to the focal point of the x-ray microbeam, and raster scans are performed, where each pixel of a map corresponds to one measurement, e.g., one XRF spectrum or one diffraction pattern. The data are then processed using the in-house developed software XMAS, which outputs text files, where each row corresponds to a pixel position. Representative data from moissanite and an olive snail shell are presented to demonstrate data quality, collection, and analysis strategies.
More on the first order chiral symmetry transition in QCD

We present evidence from numerical simulations for a first order chiral symmetry restoration transition in QCD at finite temperature. Also, for quarks in the fundamental representation, there is a simultaneous deconfinement transition. These transitions are present only for small quark masses. We use an exact algorithm to incorporate the dynamical quarks.
Adaptive particle swarm optimizer: Response to dynamic systems through rank-based selection

A response method to dynamic changes based on evolutionary computation is proposed for the particle swarm optimizer. The method uses rank-based selection to replace half of the lower fitness population with the higher fitness population, when changes are detected. Time-varying values for the acceleration coefficients are proposed to keep a higher degree of global search and a lower degree of local search at the beginning stages of the search. Performance is compared with two previous response methods using the parabolic De Jong benchmark function. Experimental results on the function with varying severity and dynamic change frequency is analyzed.
Precarity, Precariousness, and Vulnerability

This review examines precarity through two foci. First, I focus on related terms of the lumpenproletariat and informal economy, each of which have left their mark on the notion of precarity as a bo...
Disparities in Wait-List Outcomes for Adults With Congenital Heart Disease Listed for Heart Transplantation Before and Since Revision of Status I Listing.

Medical and surgical advances in the late 20th century that allowed the majority of children born with congenital heart disease (CHD) to survive have resulted in a shift of the burden of morbidity and mortality into adulthood. Heart failure is the leading cause of death in adults with CHD. This study aimed to address the gap in understanding of outcomes of adults with CHD who have heart failure and are listed for heart transplantation compared with those without CHD. The study analyzed data from the US Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients database, categorized by the listing era (on/before or after January 19, 1999). The primary combined outcome was death while waiting for an organ or delisting due to worsening clinical condition. Overall, there was a significant decrease in the probability of the primary outcome in the current compared with the early era for both adults with CHD (13.2% vs 18.6%, p = 0.01) and non-CHD (12.1% vs 15.9%, p
Results: The Interplay Between Internal and External Memory

In this chapter we finish reporting the results of our comprehensive survey study on the interplay of internal and external memory in everyday life and how that is changing in the early twenty-first century (N = 476 Mechanical Turk participants). We report on the themes that emerged from the qualitative data on the interplay between internal and external memory, and we also report correlational analyses. Participants’ responses indicated that internal memory is used more than external memory for episodic and procedural purposes, and its strengths are in rich vivid recollection, phenomenology, personal relevance, creativity, and security; external memory is used more than internal memory for semantic and prospective purposes, and its strengths are in accuracy, precision, fidelity, longevity, and capacity. The overall picture is of a growing symbiosis between internal and external memory; the two complement and depend on each other.
Measuring evolution acceptance using the GAENE: influences of gender, race, degree-plan, and instruction

The evolution education research community has defined the construct of “evolution acceptance” in different ways and measured it using different instruments. One of these instruments—the GAENE—has not been analyzed across different student populations, demographic groups, degree plans, and instructional treatments. Such comparisons are crucial for examining whether the inferences drawn from instrument measures are valid, reliable, and generalizable. In this study, we attempt to replicate findings produced in the original validation study and explore aspects of the instrument not previously examined. We use Rasch analysis to study a large sample (n > 700) of undergraduates enrolled in standard introductory biology classes in the Northeastern USA. Participants completed the GAENE pre- and post-course for two semesters, and the MATE pre- and post-course for one semester. We assessed dimensionality, reliability, item fit, and rating scale functioning. We used regression analyses and generalized eta squared to evaluate the contribution of demographic and background variables to pre-course measures and pre-post course acceptance gains. Our analyses of GAENE dimensionality and item properties were generally in line with prior work, including the finding that particular items displayed psychometric problems. Surprisingly, GAENE measures did not differ between biology majors and non-majors. Evolution instruction produced significant but small pre-post improvements in GAENE measures. GAENE measures were significantly associated with MATE measures (0.68–0.80). White and male participants had the highest evolution acceptance measures using both the MATE and the GAENE; race had a much stronger contribution to MATE measures as compared to GAENE measures. Race and gender acceptance differences were found to be as large as the differences produced in response to evolution instruction. Overall measures of acceptance change will be similar, but not identical, using the MATE and the GAENE. We make several recommendations for the modification or removal of some GAENE items, as well as future research directions for the measurement of evolution acceptance.
Thermomechanical wrinkling and strength of sandwich panels with nanoscale or microscale randomly reinforced core

Wrinkling represents one of the failure modes in sandwich structures, although in practical designs the loss of strength and global buckling often occur at lower compressive loads. However, the pro...
Millimeter-Wave Continuous-Mode Power Amplifier for 5G MIMO Applications

This paper presents three millimeter-wave (mm-wave) continuous-mode power amplifiers (PAs) for fifth-generation (5G) MIMO applications, including a two-stage differential continuous-mode Class-F−1 PA in 130-nm SiGe process, a single-stage differential continuous-mode hybrid Class-F/F−1 PA in 45-nm SOI CMOS process, and a two-stage differential continuous-mode hybrid Class-F/F−1 PA in 45-nm SOI CMOS process. The first PA design covers 19–29.5 GHz, while the other two designs cover 23–41 GHz, all covering multiple 5G bands (24/28/37/39 GHz). All the presented PA designs are based on a proposed transformer-based continuous-mode harmonically tuned PA output network. This network provides proper harmonic impedance terminations for the fundamental, second-order, and third-order harmonic impedances, which supports continuous-mode Class-F−1 or hybrid Class-F/F−1 PA operations to achieve ultrawide bandwidth yet high efficiency. The first PA design achieves a wide $P_{\mathrm {sat}}~1$ -dB bandwidth of 19–29.5 GHz (43.3%) and high peak power-added efficiency (PAE) (43.5%). The second design achieves an ultrawide $P_{\mathrm {sat}}~1$ -dB bandwidth of 23.5–41 GHz (53.3%) and high peak PAE (46%). Moreover, it achieves 43.4% PAE and 18.6-dBm $P_{\mathrm {sat}}$ at 27 GHz, 40.2% PAE and 18.6-dBm $P_{\mathrm {sat}}$ at 37 GHz, and 41.2% PAE and 18.5-dBm $P_{\mathrm {sat}}$ at 39 GHz, respectively. The third PA design also achieves an ultrawide $P_{\mathrm {sat}}~1$ -dB bandwidth of 23.5–41 GHz (53.3%) and high peak PAE (43.2%). It achieves 43% PAE and 18.9-dBm $P_{\mathrm {sat}}$ at 27 GHz, 37% PAE and 19-dBm $P_{\mathrm {sat}}$ at 37 GHz, and 36% PAE and 18.9-dBm $P_{\mathrm {sat}}$ at 39 GHz, respectively. Extensive 64-/256-QAM modulation tests demonstrate the high PA linearity. Our proposed PA designs outperform the reported mm-wave silicon-based 5G PAs in terms of high efficiency over an ultrawide bandwidth.
Designing a secure DRAM+NVM hybrid memory module

Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) such as PCM has emerged as a potential alternative for main memory due to its high density and low leakage power. However, an NVM main-memory system faces three challenges when compared to Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) - long latency, poor write endurance and data security. To address these three challenges, we propose a secure DRAM+NVM hybrid memory module. The hybrid module integrates a DRAM cache and a security unit (SU). DRAM cache can improve the performance of an NVM memory module and reduce the number of direct writes to the NVM. Our results show that a 256MB 2-way DRAM cache with a 1024B cache line performs well in an 8GB NVM main memory module. The SU is embedded in the onboard controller and includes an AES-GCM engine and an NVM vault. The AES-GCM engine implements encryption and authentication with low overhead. The NVM vault is used to store MAC tags and counter values for each DRAM cache line. According to our results, the proposed secure hybrid memory module improves the performance by 32% compared to an NVM-only memory module, and is only 6.8% slower than a DRAM only memory module.
Prevalence of Systemic Hypertension Among HIV-Infected and HIV-Uninfected Young Adults in Baltimore, Maryland.

Objectives Adults with perinatally acquired human immunodeficiency virus (PHIV) infection may be at increased risk for nonacquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) diseases, including systemic hypertension (HTN). The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of HTN among young adults with PHIV compared with recently infected and uninfected young adults. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study of young adults with PHIV, frequency matched on race and sex to a stratified random sample of young adults with nonperinatally acquired HIV (NPHIV) and HIV-uninfected young adults. All of the subjects were aged 18 to 29 years. HTN was defined as two systolic blood pressure measurements ≥140 mm Hg or diastolic ≥90 mm Hg at least 3 months apart and/or prescription for an antihypertensive medication. Logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted prevalence odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between HIV infection and HTN. Results A total of 324 patients were included-108 per exposure group. The prevalence of HTN was 23% among individuals with PHIV, 10% among individuals with NPHIV, and 8% among HIV-uninfected patients. PHIV patients had 3.4 (95% CI 1.48-7.66) times the base odds of having HTN compared with HIV-uninfected patients, and 2.7 (95% CI 1.23-5.71) times the odds compared with NPHIV patients. By multivariable analysis, PHIV patients had 4.7 and 2.9 times the odds of having HTN compared with HIV-uninfected patients and NPHIV patients, respectively, after controlling for sex, race, and family history of hypertension. Conclusions Our findings suggest that HTN prevalence among PHIV young adults is significantly higher than sex- and race-matched NPHIV and HIV-uninfected patients of similar age.
The Launch Phase

The development of rockets as a means of carrying payloads to high altitudes was initiated in the nineteen thirties by von Braun in Germany and Goddard in the USA. The German work culminated in the V2 rocket of World War 2, a single-stage rocket bomb (ballistic missile). Multi-stage rockets are however required to put any significant payload into at least a low-Earth orbit. In the early stages of space programmes (1957 onwards) all launch vehicles were based on the propulsion systems of American and Soviet ballistic missiles, upper stages being added as necessary. Since 1970 launch systems have been developed specifically for space applications, eg. the European Ariane and the American Space Shuttle. The latter is different in two essential respects because it is manned and reusable after an atmospheric reentry and wing-assisted landing. The first stage of a typical system occurs in the atmosphere when an air breathing jet engine is a feasible alternative to a rocket motor which carries the weight of its own oxidiser. The addition of wings to provide aerodynamic lift renders such options potentially very efficient and consequently they are being studied actively for future space transportation.
An Analysis of Hamate Morphology Relevant to Hemi-Hamate Arthroplasty.

Purpose Dorsal fracture-dislocations of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint can lead to joint incongruity from loss of the buttress function of the middle phalanx volar base. Hemi-hamate arthroplasty can reconstruct the volar articular surface of the middle phalangeal base where repair is not possible. We compared the anatomy of the hamate graft with the middle phalanx base. Methods Forty unique skeletal specimens (40 hamates, 160 middle phalanges) were sampled. Anatomical features relevant to hemi-hamate reconstruction were measured, including the articular surface areas, the axial ridge angles, and the sagittal inclination angles of the hamate and the middle phalanx base specimens. Facets of the articular surfaces were classified as concave, convex, or flat. Calibrated measurements were made using digital photographs of the cadaveric specimens. Descriptive and univariate statistics were performed. Results There was greater variability in the distal hamate than in the middle phalanx base. The ring finger facet of the distal hamate was concave in 39 of 40 specimens, whereas the little finger facet was convex in 31 of 40 specimens. The hamate axial ridge angle (66.0° ± 3.7°) was significantly different from the middle phalanx base (90.4° ± 0.4°). The hamate articular sagittal inclination (3.2° ± 4.1°) was significantly different from the middle phalanx base (51.2° ± 1.3°). The hamate articular surface area (1.96 cm2) was significantly greater than the middle phalanx base (mean index/middle/ring finger = 0.85 cm2 and mean little finger = 0.59 cm2). Conclusions The distal articular surface of the hamate is not anatomically identical to the middle phalanx base. The differences may still preclude anatomical reconstruction in the setting of a dorsal PIP fracture-dislocation, thereby affecting short- and long-term outcomes. Clinical relevance Knowledge of the anatomical differences between the distal hamate and the middle phalanx base may improve graft harvest and inset during reconstruction.
Optimizing convolutional neural networks to perform semantic segmentation on large materials imaging datasets: X-ray tomography and serial sectioning

Abstract Machine learning was used to segment large materials science datasets resulting from synchrotron-based x-ray computed tomography (XCT) images of dendrite growth, and serial sectioning (SS) images of dendrite coarsening. Both neural networks (NNs) yielded quantitatively more accurate outputs than conventional segmentation techniques using only 30 XCT or 6 SS training images. We show that performance can be improved if NNs are trained using a large number of small images that are sampled from the fixed amount of training data. The optimal image size and number of training images was identified for the XCT and SS datasets. NN transferability was also tested by applying the highest performing XCT and SS NNs to related datasets. While the initial segmentations were successful, applying simple transformations to the raw images further improved NN performance. These results show the great predictive ability and promising future of using machine learning for segmentation of large materials science datasets.
Character Education for the Public Good: The Evolution of Character Capacities in and Beyond College

Higher education carries the potential to transform the troubled state of affairs—from political discord to social injustice—evident in U.S. society. Benefits to the public good can be realized to ...
Energy Efficient NFV Resource Allocation in Edge Computing Environment

With the development of IoT and 5G communication, a recent trend is to shift the Network Function Virtualization (NFV) from the centralized cloud computing to edge computing. In this paper, we study the energy efficient NFV-Resource Allocation problem in the edge computing environment. We define two problems. In the first problem, we assume that the physical resources (PRs) on the edge do not have energy constraint. Our objective is to find an optimal deployment so that the maximum energy consumption on the PRs is minimized. In the second problem, we assume that the PRs have energy constraint and aim to find an optimal deployment to reduce the number of PRs. We prove both problems NP-complete and propose heuristic algorithms to solve them. We also design baseline algorithms using genetic programming to find approximate optimal solutions to these problems. We conduct simulations to evaluate the performance of our proposed algorithms. Simulation results show that our algorithms produce results very close to those of the baseline algorithms in a much shorter time.
Vector quantization based QoS evaluation in cognitive radio networks

In this paper, we characterize the QoS that secondary users can expect in a cognitive radio network in the presence of primaries. To that end, we first define a $$K$$K-dimensional QoS space where each point in that space characterizes the expected QoS. We show how the operating condition of the system maps to a point in the QoS space, the quality of which is given by the corresponding QoS index. To deal with the real-valued QoS space, we use vector quantization to partition the space into finite number of regions each of which is represented by one QoS index. We argue that any operating condition of the system can be mapped to one of the pre-computed QoS indices using a simple look-up in $$O(log\,N)$$O(logN) time--thus avoiding any cumbersome computation for QoS evaluation. The proposed technique takes the power vector as its input from the power control unit which we consider as a black box. Using simulations, we illustrate how a $$K$$K-dimensional QoS space can be constructed. We choose capacity as the QoS metrics and show what the expected capacity would be for a given power vector. We also show the effect of having large number of partitions on the distortion. As for the implementation feasibility of the proposed concept, we implement the QoS space on an 8-bit microcontroller and show how the mathematically intensive operations can be computed in a short time. Further we use binary search to achieve scalability as the dimensionality of the space increases.
Safeguards for Using Viral Vector Systems in Human Gene Therapy: A Resource for Biosafety Professionals Mitigating Risks in Health Care Settings:

Introduction:Health care workers who work daily with human body fluids and hazardous drugs are among those at the highest risk of occupational exposure to these agents. The Occupational Safety and ...
Translation Jousts and Translation Genres: Translating Culture and Style at the Quais du Polar

The Quais du polar book festival in Lyon is more than a site of commerce. Instead, the category of the polar, which brings together the mystery and roman noir, reveals the potential to destabilize literary hierarchies, foreground translation, and transform the role of place in a globalized genre. Using the insights of Lawrence Venuti, Benoit Tadie and Luc Boltanski, this essay examines how, within the polar category and in the context of the festival, foreignizing translations may upend linguistic and cultural hierarchies and transform genre categories. The communal and local experience of festivals events, its rewriting of southern American authors, and its reframing of the role of readers and translators all reveal the transformative potential of the polar and its cultural reception.
Novel Si(II)+ and Ge(II)+ Compounds as Efficient Catalysts in Organosilicon Chemistry: Siloxane Coupling Reaction†

Novel catalytically active cationic Si(II) and Ge(II) compounds were synthesized and isolated in pure form. The Ge(II)+-based compounds proved to be stable against air and moisture and therefore ca...
The Producers of “Newness” in Luxury Fashion

The fashion industry has renewed itself with the help of different types of agents that shape material form into new object types. Tailors, designers, creative directors, fashion collectives, and collaborations are the agents that describe how the field of fashion has evolved over the years. These groups of creatives give us an indication of where fashion is heading in the future. Post-2020, newness in fashion will stem from the work of creatives who are familiar with culture and create culture-specific work that is more experimental.
Off-Nadir Longwave Infrared Hyperspectral Material Identification Using Radiometric Models

At high data volumes, users of hyperspectral target detection algorithms can be faced with an overwhelming number of false positives. Target identification algorithms have been developed as a secondary processing step that mitigates false positives that occur during detection. This paper utilizes an existing L WIR target identification method and applies it to off-nadir look angles. An examination of the effects of system noise, fractional material abundance, and off-nadir viewing on target identification is made. Off-nadir angles of 0 to 80° are used. In this scenario, determination of absolute quantities such as target material temperature and abundance are reliable for off-nadir angles of 40° or less. Target identification is largely unaffected by off-nadir view angles of 60° or less when material abundances are. 2 or higher at 1.5μ $F$ noise level. All spectra used here were simulated using the MODTRAN radiometric transport code.
Ethical concerns in Neonatal Intensive Unit: A Case Analysis

Neonatal nurses frequently encounter neonatal ethical issues related to provision of safe and quality care and communication in the NICU setup. This article discusses the hypothetical case of baby John diagnosed with neonatal sepsis. The ethical perspectives related to care and communication with the family members while their baby is receiving treatment in the NICU will be explored through the application of the QUAR framework.
Full and Partial Grounding

While controversy about the nature of grounding abounds, our focus is on a question for which a particular answer has attracted something like a consensus. The question concerns the relation between partial grounding and full grounding. The apparent consensus is that the former is to be defined in terms of the latter. In this article, we argue that the standard way of doing this faces a significant problem and that we ought to pursue the reverse project of defining full grounding in terms of partial grounding. The guiding idea behind the definition we propose is that full grounding is what happens when partial grounding works in a way that ensures that the grounded is nothing over and above the grounds. We ultimately understand this idea in terms of iterated ‘nothing over and above’ claims.
A Closer Look at the Effects of Equity Market Liberalization in Emerging Markets

Previous studies link equity market liberalization to economic growth in emerging markets. In 24 emerging markets, liberalizations always coincide with other economic reforms, making identification tenuous. Theories linking liberalization to growth predict that at the firm-level liberalization leads to significant foreign ownership and influence on management, more external finance, and higher investment. We fail to find evidence that is consistent with any of these theories. Our findings suggest that either liberalization does not cause growth or that it promotes growth through a channel that is absent from the current literature.
Monitoring the effect of micro-/nanofillers on curing-induced shrinkage in epoxy resins

Abstract The curing process of polymers/resins in composites introduces volumetric shrinkage, which, based on the component type and boundary conditions, can detriment the strength of the resulting materials and components. In this work, the effect of resin reinforcement (micro- and nanofillers) and curing cycle on curing-induced shrinkage is presented. Dynamic measurements of the pristine and reinforced resin volume changes during the curing process were performed using a pycnometer. A special technique was developed to correct the existing pycnometer measurement methodology to make it independent of the testing chamber temperature, thereby allowing accurate measurements of volumetric changes during exothermic curing of resins. Overall, the study lays a foundation for measuring shrinkage-induced effects on the strengths of resins and resulting composites.
Short-term powdered tart cherry supplementation encircling an acute endurance challenge potentially increases running performance and attenuates post-race markers of inflammation

Background Consumption of tart cherry juice has been reported to increase endurance aerobic performance and attenuate perceptions of muscle soreness by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress that cause secondary muscle damage following endurance exercise. The purpose of this study was to determine if consumption of a powdered form of tart cherries derived from tart cherry skins (CherryPURE Freeze Dried Tart Cherry Powder) prior to and following strenuous endurance exercise increases performance while attenuating markers of inflammation and oxidative stress.
Receipt of recommended radiation therapy among rural and urban cancer patients

BACKGROUND: Rural populations have limited geographic access to radiation therapy. The current study examines whether rural patients with cancer are less likely than urban patients with cancer to receive recommended radiation therapy, and identifies factors influencing rural versus urban differences in radiation therapy receipt. METHODS: The current study included 14,692 rural and 107,834 urban patients with 5 cancer types and stages for which radiation therapy was recommended. The authors used 2000 to 2004 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Limited-Use Data from 8 state-based (California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Utah) and 3 county-based (Atlanta, rural Georgia, and Seattle/Puget Sound) cancer registries. Adjusted radiation therapy receipt rates were calculated by rural versus urban residence overall, for different sociodemographic and cancer characteristics, and for different states based on logistic regression analyses using general estimating equation methods to account for patient clustering by county. RESULTS: Adjusted rates of radiation therapy receipt were lower for rural (62.1%) than urban (69.1%) patients with breast cancer (P ≤ .001). Among patients with breast cancer, radiation therapy receipt differed more by sociodemographic characteristics (eg, rural patients aged < 50 years had a 67.1% receipt rate, whereas those aged ≥ 80 years had a radiation therapy receipt rate of 29.1%) than rural versus urban residence. Adjusted rates of radiation therapy receipt were similar for rural and urban patients with other cancer types overall (66.1% vs 68.2%; difference not significant), although there were differences between urban and rural patients with regard to radiation therapy receipt for patients with stage IIIA nonsmall cell lung cancer (66.2% vs 60.7%; P ≤ .01). CONCLUSIONS: Sociodemographics, cancer types and stages, and state of residence appear to have a greater influence over receipt of radiation therapy than rural versus urban residence location, suggesting that factors such as social support, receipt of other cancer treatments, and regional practice patterns are important determinants of radiation therapy receipt. Cancer 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Rescheduling Support for Mapping Dynamic Scientific Computation onto Distributed Memory Multiprocessors

In this paper we discuss the approach of applying task graph rescheduling method to the efficient parallelization of irregular/dynamic problems. Two new rescheduling algorithms are proposed: One for task graph weight variation, the other for dynamic spawning of subgraphs. These algorithms are localized and incremental, with very low complexity. But for coarse grain task graphs they yield schedules that are competitive to global rescheduling from scratch. Experiments with the N-body problem and Vortex Sheet simulation show good speedups for these problems on the NCUBE-2s.
Book Reviews: General, Applied and Theoretical

Class Differences and Sex Roles in American Kinship and Family Structure. DAVID M. SCHNEIDER and RAYMOND T. SMITH. The Changing Family. BETTY YORBURG.
Abstract 878: Identification and characterization of tumor-associated antigens as biomarkers in human prostate cancer

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Autoantibodies against intracellular antigens are commonly found in a number of systemic autoimmune diseases. Their utility in providing insights into molecular and cellular biology and in the differential diagnosis of autoimmune diseases is well documented. Autoimmune phenomena manifested as antibodies to cellular components have been described in many types of cancer. Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in men and the second leading cause of male cancer deaths in the United States. PCa also presents the greatest racial disparity in this country, with an incidence and mortality in African-American men that is 3 times higher than in White and Latino men. Reducing these disparities would require a multi-faceted approach that includes developing more effective screening method for the early detection of PCa. The objective of this study is to analyze the frequency and specificity of autoantibodies in PCa patients, and further to identify and characterize the targeted tumor-associated antigens. In this study, 34 sera from PCa patients, and 30 sera from normal human individuals were examined for autoantibodies using indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) assay and western blotting. Autoantibodies were detected in 18 of 34 (52.9%) PCa sera by IIF, which was significantly higher than that in normal human sera. Of the interest is that of 34 PCa sera, 9 (26.5%) sera were identified by western blotting analysis containing antibodies against an unknown 70kDa cellular protein and 23.5% PCa patients showed antibody to 45 kDa protein. No reactivity with 70KDa and 45kDa proteins was detected in 30 normal human sera. In the further study, these cellular proteins targeted by serum antibodies in PCa were identified by using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) and liquid chromatography-tandem-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). This preliminary data supports that autoimmune responses to certain cellular proteins maybe a by-product in the transformation to PCa, and further studies of novel targeted proteins in PCa may provide insights into how these proteins might be involved in malignancy. Citation Format: Jitian Li, Liping Dai, Carlos A. Casiano, Jianying Zhang. Identification and characterization of tumor-associated antigens as biomarkers in human prostate cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 878. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-878
Temperature-dependent performance of lithium ion batteries in electric vehicles

The available driving range of electric vehicles is strongly affected by environmental temperatures. The primary cause is the poor performance of the battery pack under low temperature. This paper focuses on the study of the temperature-dependent performance of lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries. The battery of one major commercial available electric vehicle is examined. A series of tests including Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy test, dynamic driving schedule test and others are conducted under controlled temperatures. The temperature influence on the performance and characteristics of battery is discussed and analyzed. Based on the experimental results, the temperature-dependent battery model can be developed for the prediction of available driving range as well vehicle control development for EV and PHEV.
Progressive Myelopathy Patients Who Lack Spinal Cord Monitoring Data Have the Highest Rate of Spinal Cord Deficits Following Posterior Vertebral Column Resection Surgery

Abstract Objectives The authors analyzed patients who underwent posterior vertebral column resection (PVCR). All patients had spinal cord monitoring (SCM) attempted but some did not have predictable and usable tracings. Summary of Background Data Posterior vertebral column resection is a powerful technique to correct severe spinal deformities but it has the potential for major neurologic complications. Spinal cord monitoring is extremely helpful in managing these difficult patients. Methods Spinal cord monitoring data, operative reports, charts, and radiographs of 112 consecutive adult and pediatric patients (mean age, 23.5 years; range, 5.8–74.0 years) who underwent PVCR were reviewed. All surgical procedures were performed between 2002 and 2010 by 1 surgeon at a single institution. Results Twenty patients (11 male, 9 female; mean age, 15.9 years) of 112 (17.9%) did not have detectable SCM tracings during surgery. Average preoperative and postoperative scoliosis for these 20 patients was 79.2° and 41.3°, respectively. Average preoperative and postoperative kyphosis was 106.6° and 59.8°, respectively. Thirteen of the 20 were revisions. Preoperative neurologic status included acute progressive myelopathy (n = 9), no lower extremity function (n = 6), chronic weak lower extremities (n = 2), chronic quadriparesis (n = 1), and normal (n = 2). Four of 9 patients with acute progressive myelopathy developed transient paraplegia postoperatively. They had angular kyphosis (mean, 116.3°) and 3 were revisions. Compared with the 92 patients who had obtainable intraoperative SCM and no spinal cord deficits, the risk of developing postoperative paraplegia in patients who had no SCM tracings was statistically higher (p = .0008). All 4 with spinal cord deficits after surgery regained varying degrees of lower extremity function and resumed ambulatory status at most recent follow-up. Conclusions The prevalence of unobtainable intraoperative SCM during PVCR was 17.9% (20 of 112). Postoperative transient paraplegia occurred exclusively in patients with no monitorable data as a result of angular kyphosis with acute progressive myelopathy. The rate of transient spinal cord deficits was significantly higher when there was no obtainable SCM (4 of 20 vs. 0 of 92 with SCM; p = .0008).
Reproduction, Ethics, Moral Status of the Fetus

Introduction What is Moral Status? Moral Status and Moral Value Moral Status and Moral Rights Moral Status and Abortion Theories of Moral Status Genetic Humanity Birth Viability Brain Birth Personhood Being a Person and Having a Right to Life Potential Personhood A Future Like Ours Sentience-Based Views The Multi-Criterial View Keywords: ethics; fetus