cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Visualization by Ear: Auditory Imagery for Scientific Visualization and Virtual Reality

The title of our conference, "Dream Machines," is intentionally ambiguous and suggests at least two rather disparate, literal interpretations-one, the machines we dream of, and the other, the machines that produce our dreams. These two conflicting interpretations would seem easily resolved in a meeting of computer music practitioners who have struggled to create art with distinctly inartistic hardware and who have coveted machines more responsive to their artistic goals. Then again, this is a meeting of people who are focused and centered in auditory experience: "audiles" is the dictionary's term. I think that all of us have been motivated to be here and devote our lives to the art and science of sound because we have experienced a dream of sound, a dream that could be made real only by a "dream machine." The obvious gap between the two conflicting interpretations of our conference title can be bridged by a marriage of the two which suggests "the dreams that audiles have of machines that realize their auditory dreams." I will focus my discussion on a particular "auditory dream," rather than the machine. I wish to focus on two interrelated application areas that lie somewhat outside the obvious scope of computer music: scientific visualization and virtual reality. I believe that the design of "computer music systems" can be conceived broadly enough to serve goals other than creating musical compositions, and that computer music composition can be conceived of broadly enough to include the creation of the auditory images for new forms of computer technology. Composers have special insights and perspectives on the construction of sound that should inform this work
Problems in the distribution of medical care.

IT IS no accident that the Harvard Medical School has decided to hold these lectures on medical sociology. Never before has there been such widespread interest and activity in the social aspects of medicine among all groups of people — not only medical students and practicing physicians but farmers, members of labor organizations, businessmen and government officials. Ten years ago it would not have occurred to anyone to have such a lecture series, but today it seems the most natural thing imaginable. Indeed, the question of how better to distribute medical service is constantly present. Among groups of physicians, for . . .
Regulation of arcuate genes by developmental exposures to endocrine-disrupting compounds in female rats

Developmental exposure to endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) alters reproduction and energy homeostasis, both of which are regulated by the arcuate nucleus (ARC). Little is known about the effects of EDC on ARC gene expression. In Experiment #1, pregnant dams were treated with either two doses of bisphenol A (BPA) or oil from embryonic day (E)18-21. Neonates were injected from postnatal day (PND)0-7. Vaginal opening, body weights, and ARC gene expression were measured. Chrm3 (muscarinic receptor 3) and Adipor1 (adiponectin receptor 1) were decreased by BPA. Bdnf (brain-derived neurotropic factor), Igf1 (insulin-like growth factor 1), Htr2c (5-hydroxytryptamine receptor), and Cck2r (cholescystokinin 2 receptor) were impacted. In Experiment #2, females were exposed to BPA, diethylstilbestrol (DES), di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, or methoxychlor (MXC) during E11-PND7. MXC and DES advanced the age of vaginal opening and ARC gene expression was impacted. These data indicate that EDCs alter ARC genes involved in reproduction and energy homeostasis in females.
Calibrating the SMART Biosolids Model and Applying It to Fault Scenarios

This report calibrates the groundwater transport pathway of the SMART biosolids model to data obtained from field monitoring of wet weather events. The calibrated model is then applied to a wide variety of fault scenarios developed from an expert elicitation exercise. The estimated risks associated with scenarios are compared with estimated frequencies of occurrence found by a survey of biosolids land application practitioners to identify the scenarios of greatest concern. This title belongs to WERF Research Report Series . ISBN: 9781780404530 (eBook)
The design and use of an optical mapping system for the study of intracardiac electrical signaling

Abstract Fluorescent optical mapping of electrically active cardiac tissues provides a unique method to examine the excitation wave dynamics of underlying action potentials. Such mapping can be viewed as a bridge between cellular level and organ systems physiology, e.g., by facilitating the development of advanced theoretical concepts of arrhythmia. We present the design and use of a high-speed, high-resolution optical mapping system composed entirely of “off the shelf” components. The electrical design integrates a 256 element photodiode array with a 16 bit data acquisition system. Proper grounding and shielding at various stages of the design reduce electromagnetic interference. Our mechanical design provides flexibility in terms of mounting positions and applications (use for whole heart or tissue preparations), while maintaining precise alignment between all optical components. The system software incorporates a user friendly graphical user interface, e.g., spatially recorded action potentials can be represented as intensity graphs or in strip chart format. Thus, this system is capable of displaying cardiac action potentials with high spatiotemporal resolution. Results from cardiac action potential mapping with intact mouse hearts are provided. It should be noted that this system could be readily configured to study isolated myocardial biopsies (e.g., isolated ventricular trabeculae). We describe the details of a versatile, user-friendly system that could be employed for a magnitude of study protocols.
The forecasting model of vehicle ownership based on GRNN

GRNN has obvious advantages such as better approximation and classification capability,and higher learning speed,in solving the problems with high noise.Case study shows that the principal component analysis of the GRNN model is superior to traditional methods in predicting car ownership in Shandong province.Compared with the traditional methods,GRNN prediction accuracy is higher in decision-making,having the reference value to the relevant departments.
Mechanisms of the nephrotoxicity of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Renal cortical prostaglandin synthesis, particularly by arterioles and glomeruli, is important to preserve renal blood flow (RBF) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Glomeruli and arterioles synthesize not only the vasodilatory prostaglandins PGE2 and PGI2, but also the vasoconstrictor, thromboxane A2. The primary renal cortical actions of these prostaglandins are renal vasodilatation and maintenance of GFR (PGE2 and PGI2) or renal vasoconstriction and reduction of GFR (thromboxane A2). Vasodilatory renal prostaglandins are relatively unimportant under normal circumstances but play a modulatory role after ischemia or in the presence of increased concentrations of vasoconstrictor substances such as angiotensin II (ANG II), vasopressin or norepinephrine. ANG II and vasopressin stimulate the synthesis of PGE2 in rat glomerular epithelial and mesangial cells maintained in cell culture. These stimulatory actions of constrictor peptides are dependent upon calcium entry into the cells since removal of extracellular calcium or co-incubation with verapamil or nifedipine block the prostaglandin stimulatory capacity of ANG II or vasopressin. In vivo indomethacin potentiates the actions of ANG II on the kidney, particularly the reduction of RBF and GFR. Isolated rat glomeruli contract in response to ANG II and this contractile effect, which reflects reduction in glomerular filtration surface area, can be potentiated by cyclooxygenase blockade. Conversely, arachidonic acid reduces the glomerular contractile effect of ANG II. The importance of renal prostaglandins in support of RBF and GFR has been studied in dogs after chronic bile duct ligation (CBDL). CBDL dogs have significant increase in renal PGE2 and PGI2 which maintain RBF and GFR since cyclo-oxygenase inhibition resulted in a 50% decrease in both RBF and GFR. Indomethacin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and sulindac sulfide had comparable effects. The pro-drug, sulindac sulfoxide, was tested in normal volunteers and found to spare renal prostaglandin synthesis whereas indomethacin reduced renal synthesis of PGE2 and PGF2α by more than 50%. In vitro, sulindac sulfide is a potent inhibitor of renal prostaglandin synthesis by kidney cells in culture. It is, therefore, concluded that renal prostaglandins play an important vasoregulatory role. Furthermore, sulindac sulfoxide may spare renal cyclo-oxygenase and thereby preserve renal function.
Evaluation and Treatment of a Ureterosciatic Hernia Causing Hydronephrosis and Renal Colic

Abstract An 87-year-old female presented with complaints of intermittent severe right renal colic. CT imaging demonstrated a ureterosciatic hernia and moderate hydronephrosis proximal to the portion of the ureter that was herniated through the sciatic foramen. A retrograde pyelogram demonstrated a transition point in the ureter at the location of the hernia. A ureteral stent was placed resulting in straightening of the ureter, resolution of hydronephrosis, and complete resolution of the patient's symptoms.
Various Spatial Skills, Gender Differences, and Transferability of Spatial Skills

This chapter attempts to clarify the conceptual distinctions among terms that have been used interchangeably or generically in referring to a constellation of loosely defined spatial skills. In the first part of this chapter, distinctions between small-scale and large-scale spatial skills are elucidated, followed by clarifications of the conceptual terrains of spatial perception, mental rotation, spatial visualization, mental imagery, and visuospatial working memory, all of which are subcategories of small-scale spatial skills. In the second part of this chapter, studies reporting gender differences in various types of spatial skills defined in the first part of the chapter are reviewed, followed by a discussion of two main factors, i.e., gender differences in VSWM and strategy use, that contribute to gender differences in spatial skills. In the last part of this chapter, evidence supporting the intrinsic association between numerical magnitude and space, the predictive relationship between spatial skills and mathematical achievement, and evidence supporting trainability and transferability of spatial skills to mathematical domains is reviewed. This is followed by an outlook of future directions in spatial skills research.
Isolated presumed optic nerve gumma, a rare presentation of neurosyphilis.

Abstract Purpose The incidence of syphilitic infections continues to rise and represents a major public health concern, particularly in patients co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The infection has a multitude of clinical presentations and is often referred to as the ‘great imitator.’ We present a rare case of an isolated presumed syphilitic optic nerve gumma and characterize it using newer imaging modalities. Observations A 36-year-old HIV-positive man, compliant with treatment, presented with a five day history of decreased vision in the left eye. On examination his visual acuity was 20/30 with mild dyschromatopsia and an inferior altitudinal field defect in the left eye. Funduscopy demonstrated small cup to disc ratios bilaterally and a swollen and hyperemic left optic disc. Following five months of stable vision, the patient's vision in the left eye declined to 20/60, associated with diffuse visual field loss and continued swelling of the left optic disc. Subsequent magnetic resonance imaging with contrast demonstrated enhancement of the left optic nerve, and his serologies were positive for syphilis. Fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography were used to better characterize the lesion being most consistent with a syphilitic optic nerve gumma. Conclusions and importance Gummas of the central nervous system are a rare presentation of neurosyphilis and the last reported gumma of the optic nerve was in 1990. Such lesions have not been characterized using newer imaging modalities including optical coherence tomography and fluorescein angiography, both of which may assist in the diagnosis of this rare entity. With the increased prevalence of syphilis and remarkable response to therapy, syphilitic gummas should be considered in at-risk patients presenting with an optic neuropathy.
Blocky Sulfonation of Syndiotactic Polystyrene: A Facile Route toward Tailored Ionomer Architecture via Postpolymerization Functionalization in the Gel State

Blocky sulfonated syndiotactic polystyrene (SsPS) copolymers were produced using a recently developed postpolymerization functionalization procedure conducted in the gel state. The thermal properties and crystallization behavior of a matched set of blocky and random SsPS copolymers containing 3 and 10 mol % sulfonate groups were compared using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), which shows that the blocky functionalization architecture displays a much faster rate of crystallization even at low sulfonate contents and a higher crystallizability at high sulfonate contents. The glass transition temperature for gel-state-functionalized copolymers was found to be independent of sulfonic acid content above 4% sulfonation, consistent with behavior observed in previous studies of sodium styrenesulfonate block copolymers. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) from the blocky copolymer indicates that the sulfonated units are distributed within the amorphous interlamellar domains. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WA...
Assessment of radiation dose from abdominal quantitative CT with short scan length

Objective:To assess radiation dose for patients who received abdominal quantitative CT and to compare the midpoint dose [DL(0)] at the centre of a 1-cm scan length with the volume CT dose index (CTDIvol). Although the size-specific dose estimate (SSDE) proposed in The American Association of Physicists in Medicine Report No. 204 is not applicable for short-length scans, commercial dose-monitoring software, such as Radimetrics™ Enterprise Platform (Bayer HealthCare, Whippany, NJ), reports SSDE for all scans. SSDE was herein compared with DL(0).Methods:Data were analyzed from 398 abdominal quantitative CT examinations in 165 males and 233 females. The CTDIvol was 4.66 mGy, and the scan length was 1 cm for all examinations. Radimetrics was used to extract patient diameter and SSDE. DL(0) was assessed using a previously reported method that takes into account both patient size and scan length.Results:The mean patient diameter was 28.5 ± 6.3 cm (range, 16.5–46.6 cm); the mean SSDE was 6.22 ± 1.36 mGy (range, 3...
Treatment Approaches for Opioid Use Disorders in Late Life

The use of opioids and opioid-related deaths in the USA has risen to epidemic proportions. Until recently, the impact of this public health crisis in older adults has not been adequately emphasized. This paper reviews the extant literature for the management of opioid use disorder (OUD) in older adults, with a focus on both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions for OUD in older adults. Opioid prescriptions for older adults have dramatically increased since the 1990s. OUD in older adults is under recognized and under treated in clinical settings. Once identified, appropriate treatments for OUD should be offered to older adults. These include a combination of psychosocial and pharmacologic approaches. Pharmacologic treatments include antagonist and agonist therapies. Antagonist agents, such as naloxone for acute overdoses and naltrexone for maintenance treatment, and agonists, such as buprenorphine and methadone, have been used. Psychosocial treatments include motivational interviewing (MI) and motivational enhancement treatment (MET) approaches, as well as family support and community resource linkage. In order to optimally address OUD in older adults, a multi-dimensional approach involving pharmacotherapy in combination with psychosocial treatments is recommended. Directions for future research include studies aimed at evaluating the efficacy of such treatments specifically in older adults including those with chronic pain and other comorbidities for which opioid use presents both benefits and challenges.
Fine-Tooth Iron-Core Linear Synchronous Motor for Low Acoustic Noise Applications

The design of a novel low-noise high-force linear motor for precision positioning applications, such as in semiconductor lithography, is presented in this paper. New magnetic designs achieve low noise and vibration by reducing high spatial-frequency magnetic field components, which cause harmonic vibrations of a moving stage. To reduce such force harmonic content, our new motor has fine teeth, narrow slots with high slot aspect ratio, five phases, and a moving skewed Halbach magnet array. As compared with a commercially available iron-core motor, in our new design, the acoustic noise level in Pascals is reduced by more than 90%, corresponding to a 20 dB reduction in sound pressure level, even with a nonskewed magnet array. Using a skewed magnet array, the cogging-driven and velocity-dependent noise is further reduced by 90% in Pascals. This new linear motor simultaneously is capable of very high shear force densities in order to support high-acceleration motions, and thus provides new options for high-performance and quiet linear motion devices.
In Vivo Efficacy of Histatin-1 in a Rabbit Animal Model.

ABSTRACTPurpose/Aim: Corneal abrasions and nonhealing corneal epithelial defects are common conditions that cause pain and sometimes are slow to heal. Histatins, a family of histidine-rich peptides, have been implicated in oral and skin epithelial wound healing, and have been shown to be effective in vitro in human corneal epithelial cells. The objective of this study was to test the efficacy of histatin-1 on corneal epithelial wound healing in rabbits.Materials & Methods: Twenty-two (22) rabbits were separated into four treatment groups, each containing 3–7 rabbits. Treatments included three histatin-1 formulations (0.1 ug/ml. 1 ug/ml, and 10 ug/ml) and one inactive vehicle, one drop given three times per day. Eight (8) mm circular wounds were created using 0.5 ml of 20% ethyl alcohol in the right eye of each rabbit. A masked observer photographed each eye twice daily using slit-lamp biomicrophotography. Wound area was analyzed by using ImageJ. Statistical analysis was conducted using Graphpad Prism.Resu...
Introduction to the Special Issue on Theoretical Frameworks in School Psychological Intervention Research: Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Future Directions

A thriving science of school-based intervention requires reciprocal and lively interaction (co-action) between empiricism and theory.(Hughes, 2000, p. 302)Evidence that school psychologists can pos...
Reaching an Underserved Wine Customer: Connecting with the African American Wine Consumer.

Marketing strategies addressing underserved African American wine customers’ needs that also positively impact producers’ and retailers’ clientele was the impetus for this exploratory, qualitative paper. African Americans demonstrate a thirst to elevate their education about and be more involved in the wine industry as evidenced by the proliferation of African American wine-tasting groups designed to help educate and expose their membership to a variety of wines. Moreover, compared to the average adult, African-American wine drinkers are 241% more likely to have spent $20 or more on a bottle of store bought wine (Arbitron, 2005). Despite African Americans’ representation as one of the fastest growing ethnic minority segments in the U.S., wine industry strategies don't appear to connect with this market segment. Like Alice in Wonderland, we characterize this phenomenon by suggesting this market segment is ‘peering through the looking glass’. Three focus groups were conducted to specify possible targeted media strategies as well as to identify attitudes and opinions that influence this segment's wine purchasing and consumption behaviors. Industry strategies were suggested that would appear to benefit producers, retailers, and this customer segment. The results of the research will be used to inform a quantitative instrument in order to generalize findings beyond the context of the exploratory setting.
History of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Discovery

This chapter presents a historical perspective on the discovery of the simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs) that are ancestral to human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV-1 and HIV-2). The discovery of SIV and its recognition as a natural infection of African monkeys were made at National Institutes of Health (NIH) Primate Research Centers in the United States. The early misadventures of SIV research are recounted, including its detour, like HIV, through the delta-retrovirus family even though HIV was clearly recognized as a lentivirus. SIVmac (macaque), a pathogenic macaque virus, does not exist naturally. The story of how SIVmac was a manmade invention through the unintended consequences of kuru research is covered. Because SIV was first discovered in Asian macaques, its recognition as a nonpathogenic virus in African non-human primates came later from research on leprosy in sooty mangabeys, another serendipitous discovery. SIV research has generated over 6500 research publications and its impact has been far reaching, occupying the attention and resources of virtually every medical research institution, some governments, and tens of thousands of research scientists worldwide.
Genome-wide association study of Gossypium arboreum resistance to reniform nematode

Reniform nematode (Rotylenchulus reniformis) has emerged as one of the most destructive root pathogens of upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) in the United States. Management of R. reniformis has been hindered by the lack of resistant G. hirsutum cultivars; however, resistance has been frequently identified in germplasm accessions from the G. arboreum collection. To determine the genetic basis of reniform nematode resistance, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed using 246 G. arboreum germplasm accessions that were genotyped with 7220 single nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) sequence markers generated from genotyping-by-sequencing. Fifteen SNPs representing 12 genomic loci distributed over eight chromosomes showed association with reniform nematode resistance. For 14 SNPs, major alleles were shown to be associated with resistance. From the 15 significantly associated SNPs, 146 genes containing or physically close to these loci were identified as putative reniform nematode resistance candidate genes. These genes are involved in a broad range of biological pathways, including plant innate immunity, transcriptional regulation, and redox reaction that may have a role in the expression of resistance. Eighteen of these genes corresponded to differentially expressed genes identified from G. hirsutum in response to reniform nematode infection. The identification of multiple genomic loci associated with reniform nematode resistance would indicate that the G. arboreum collection is a significant resource of novel resistance genes. The significantly associated markers identified from this GWAS can be used for the development of molecular tools for breeding improved reniform nematode resistant upland cotton with resistance introgressed from G. arboreum. Additionally, a greater understanding of the molecular mechanisms of reniform nematode resistance can be determined through genetic structure and functional analyses of candidate genes, which will aid in the pyramiding of multiple resistance genes.
Prenatal exposure to di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and high-fat diet synergistically disrupts mouse fetal oogenesis and affects folliculogenesis†

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a chemical that is widely used as a plasticizer. Exposure to DEHP has been shown to alter ovarian function in humans. Additionally, foods high in fat content, regularly found in the western diet, have been shown to be another potential disruptor of fetal ovarian function. Due to DEHP's lipophilicity, high-fat foods can be easily contaminated. Therefore, exposure to DEHP and a high-fat diet are both health concerns, especially in pregnant women, and the effects of these exposures on fetal oocyte quality and quantity should be elucidated. In this study, our goal was to determine if there are synergistic effects of DEHP exposure at an environmentally relevant level (20 μg/kg body weight/day) and high-fat diet on oogenesis and folliculogenesis. Dams were fed with a high-fat diet (45 kcal% fat) or a control diet (10 kcal% fat) 1 week before mating and during pregnancy and lactation. The pregnant mice were dosed with DEHP (20 μg/kg body weight/day) or vehicle control from E10.5 to litter birth. We found that treatment with an environmentally relevant dosage of DEHP and consumption of high-fat diet significantly increases synapsis defects in meiosis and affects folliculogenesis in the F1 generation.
Regio- and Diastereoselective Iron-Catalyzed [4+4]-Cycloaddition of 1,3-Dienes

A family of single-component iron precatalysts for the [4+4]-cyclodimerization and intermolecular cross-[4+4]-cycloaddition of monosubstituted 1,3-dienes is described. Cyclooctadiene products were obtained with high regioselectivity, and catalyst-controlled access to either cis- or trans-diastereomers was achieved using 4-substituted diene substrates. Reactions conducted either with single-component precatalysts or with iron dihalide complexes activated in situ proved compatible with common organic functional groups and were applied on multigram scale (up to >100 g). Catalytically relevant, S = 1 iron complexes bearing 2-(imino)pyridine ligands, (RPI)FeL2 (RPI = [2-(2,6-R2-C6H3-N═CMe)-C5H4N] where R = iPr or Me, L2 = bis-olefin), were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, Mosbauer spectroscopy, magnetic measurements, and DFT calculations. The structural and spectroscopic parameters are consistent with an electronic structure description comprised of a high spin iron(I) center ( SFe = 3/2) engaged in antiferromagnetically coupling with a ligand radical anion ( SPI = -1/2). Mechanistic studies conducted with these single-component precatalysts, including kinetic analyses, 12C/13C isotope effect measurements, and in situ Mosbauer spectroscopy, support a mechanism involving oxidative cyclization of two dienes that determines regio- and diastereoselectivity. Topographic steric maps derived from crystallographic data provided insights into the basis for the catalyst control through stereoselective oxidative cyclization and subsequent, stereospecific allyl-isomerization and C-C bond-forming reductive elimination.
Iris Identification in 3D.

In the presence of eyelids and eyelashes movement, pupil dilation, poor lighting, blur due to movement during iris image acquisition, factors that collectively cause distortion in the iris image, 2D image-based iris identification techniques become limited and might lead to iris misclassification. To alleviate this problem, we introduce a novel 3D iris model and reader for iris identification. Using a set of at least two 2D images taken from different views, a small set of reliable and corresponding salient fiducial points (corner points taken from crypts, corona and serpentine rings of iris pattern) in the two images are extracted, from which a set of 3D iris salient points are constructed using triangulation. Corresponding salient points in the 2D images are found using the Random Sampling Consensus (RANSAC) algorithm, which is robust in identifying the inlier points that correspond to each other in the different views of the iris. From this small and reliable salient point set, a denser (high resolution) set of extra salient feature points is constructed at minimum cost using a loop sub-division method that yields corresponding extra salient points in the two images upon which a high-resolution 3D iris model is obtained. This 3D model construction method allows for a 3D distortion invariant classification of a test iris to one of many possible irises stored in the database.
Wind Tunnel Testing of Active Flow Control on High-Lift Common Research Model

A 10%-scale high-lift version of the Common Research Model (CRM-HL) and an Active Flow Control (AFC) version of the model equipped with a simple-hinged flap (CRM-SHLAFC) were successfully tested. The tests were performed in the 14- by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel (14x22) at the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). The CRM-HL has a set of 37° inboard and outboard single-element Fowler flaps. The CRM-SHL-AFC has a set of 50° inboard and 55° outboard simple-hinged flaps equipped with integrated modular AFC cartridges on the flap shoulder. Both high-lift configurations share the same 30° slats and engine nacelle. Three new types of AFC devices were examined: the Double-Row Sweeping Jets (DRSWJ), the Alternating Pulsed Jets (APJ), and the High Efficiency Low Power (HELP) actuators. The DRSWJ and the APJ actuators used two rows of unsteady jets, whereas the HELP actuators used a combination of unsteady and steady jets, to overcome strong adverse pressure gradients while minimizing the mass flow usage. Nozzle pressure ratio, mass flow consumption and the power coefficient, which takes account of both supply air pressure and mass flow usage for the actuators, were used for judging the performance efficiency of the AFC devices. A prestall lift performance degradation for the CRM-HL configuration was resolved with a properly placed nacelle chine. The configuration with nacelle chine was chosen as the representative reference conventional high-lift case for comparison with the CRMSHL- AFC. The AFC-induced lift coefficient increment (DCL) was maintained for the entire lift curve over the CRM-SHL-AFC case with no AFC for almost all flow-control cases examined. The lift curve of the reference CRM-HL have a slightly steeper slope compared to those of the CRM-SHL-AFC configurations. The HELP actuation concept was extremely effective in controlling flow separation in the “linear region” of the curves comparing lift coefficient to mass flow rate. The HELP actuation achieved a targeted DCL of 0.50 using a moderate amount of mass flow and supply air pressure. The CRM-SHL-AFC configuration equipped with HELP actuation was able to match or exceed the lift performance of the reference conventional high-lift configuration (i.e., CRM-HL equipped with a nacelle chine), thus meeting the NASA Advanced Air Transport Technology (AATT) project goal.
Scaling up parallel GC work-stealing in many-core environments

Parallel copying garbage collection (GC) is widely used in the de facto Java virtual machines such as OpenJDK and OpenJ9. OpenJDK uses work-stealing for copying objects in the Parallel GC and Garbage-First (G1) GC policies to balance the copying task among GC threads. When a thread has no task in its own queue, it tries to steal a task from another thread's queue as a thief. When a thief succeeds in stealing a task, it processes the task and enqueues the children of the task into its queue, which is accessible from other thieves.Unfortunately, the overhead of the work-stealing framework becomes non-negligible when we aim to achieve a minimum GC pause time by increasing the number of GC threads. Since the number of tasks processed per thread decreases, thieves frequently try to steal tasks from others at a low success rate. When a thief fails in steals continuously, it needs to wait in a spin loop on the termination protocol of the work-stealing framework. Spinning in a loop frequently results in high CPU utilization, which is not acceptable in a large-scale data center where severe power management is required. This paper proposes two approaches named steal-best-of-many selection and spin-less termination to reduce the overhead in the work-stealing framework. Steal-best-of-many selection reduces steal failures by changing the number of queue selections to steal in accordance with the number of GC threads. Spin-less termination moves a part of the object copies into a spin loop by changing the procedure of copying GC. It reduces part of the GC pause time for the object copy as well as the CPU utilization for the spin loop. We developed a prototype on OpenJDK8 and evaluated it using SPECjbb2015 and SPECjvm2008 benchmarks. Critical-jOPS performance of SPECjbb2015 improved by 18% at maximum and scores of the SPECjvm2008 benchmarks improved by 1-5%.
Viscoelastic Finite Element Evaluation of Transient and Residual Stresses in Dental Crowns: Design Parametric Study

Abstract Porcelain-veneered zirconia (PVZ) are one of the popular choice for crown restorations. Veneer layer of these dental restorations, however, is susceptible to chipping and delamination due to the development of transient and residual stresses during the cooling phase of veneer firing. The aim of this study is to elucidate the effect of material property mismatch, veneer to core thickness ratio, and cooling rate on these transient and residual stresses of PVZ restorations. Three-dimensional viscoelastic finite element modelling (VFEM) was performed. The VFEM model was developed using the UEXPAN subroutine in ABAQUS software and was validated for transient and residual stresses in a sandwich seal problem with experimental data available. A good agreement between the simulated VFEM results and experimental data was obtained. Using validated VFEM, two PVZ systems (PM9/zirconia and ZirPress/zirconia), three veneer to core thickness ratios (2:1, 1:1 and 1:2), and two cooling rates controlled slow cooling at 1.74E-5 W/mm2 °C (i.e. ~30 °C/min) and fast bench cooling at 1.74E-4 W/mm2 °C (i.e. ~300 °C/min) were used. The results showed that PM9/zirconia has smaller thermal contraction mismatch, resulting in lesser residual stress (33.36 MPa) as compared to ZirPress/zirconia (37.94 MPa) for controlled cooling and 2:1 veneer to core ratio. In addition, in both systems with the decrease in veneer thickness, we observed a decrease in residual stresses developed. We also observed some effect of cooling rate on residual stresses. The controlled cooling resulted in lower residual stress (24.35 MPa) for PM9/zirconia with a 1:1 veneer to core thickness ratio as compared to bench cooling (28.04 MPa). The effect of cooling rate was more evident on transient stresses. For instance, in the PM9/zirconia with 1:1 thickness ratio model, the difference in transient stresses was 9.93 MPa between controlled and bench cooling. Therefore, properties such as elastic modulus and coefficient of thermal contraction (CTC), as well as the thickness ratio and cooling rate all play an important role in transient and residual stresses developed in the studied ceramic systems.
Differential Infrared Pyrometry for Determination of Microkelvin Temperature Variations.

Precise measurement of temperature is important in studies of chemical and biological systems as reaction kinetics are almost universally sensitive to temperature. However, the use of conventional ...
Using Productive Collaboration Bursts to Analyze Open Source Collaboration Effectiveness

Developers of open-source software projects tend to collaborate in bursts of activity over a few days at a time, rather than at an even pace. A project might find its productivity suffering if bursts of activity occur when a key person with the right role or right expertise is not available to participate. Open-source projects could benefit from monitoring the way they orchestrate attention among key developers, finding ways to make themselves available to one another when needed. In commercial software development, Sociotechnical Congruence (STC) has been used as a measure to assess whether coordination among developers is sufficient for a given task. However, STC has not previously been successfully applied to open-source projects, in which some industrial assumptions do not apply: management-chosen targets, mandated steady work hours, and top-down task allocation of inputs and targets. In this work we propose an operationalization of STC for open-source software development. We use temporal bursts of activity as a unit of analysis more suited to the natural rhythms of open-source work, as well as open source analogues of other component measures needed for calculating STC. As an illustration, we demonstrate that open-source development on PyPI projects in GitHub is indeed bursty, that activities in the bursts have topical coherence, and we apply our operationalization of STC. We argue that a measure of socio-technical congruence adapted to open source could provide projects with a better way of tracking how effectively they are collaborating when they come together to collaborate.
Refinement-Based Game Semantics for Certified Abstraction Layers

Formal methods have advanced to the point where the functional correctness of various large system components has been mechanically verified. However, the diversity of semantic models used across projects makes it difficult to connect these component to build larger certified systems. Given this, we seek to embed these models and proofs into a generalpurpose framework where they could interact. We believe that a synthesis of game semantics, the refinement calculus, and algebraic effects can provide such a framework. To combine game semantics and refinement, we replace the downset completion typically used to construct strategies from posets of plays. Using the free completely distributive completion, we construct strategy specifications equipped with arbitrary angelic and demonic choices and ordered by a generalization of alternating refinement. This provides a novel approach to nondeterminism in game semantics. Connecting algebraic effects and game semantics, we interpret effect signatures as games and define two categories of effect signatures and strategy specifications. The resulting models are sufficient to represent the behaviors of a variety of low-level components, including the certified abstraction layers used to verify the operating system kernel CertiKOS.
Be an Ally for Accessibility: Tips for All Librarians

Accessibility is a concern for librarians in digital as well as physical spaces, and we have a responsibility to uphold the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). However, regardless of legal requirements, librarians endeavour to make content available to everyone. People with disabilities are no exception. While some of the more complex accessibility issues should be left to instructional technologists and web developers, there are plenty of things that anyone posting content online can do to increase content accessibility. Here are five tips that we have found useful for creating guides, posting handouts in our Learning Management System (LMS), building online tutorials, or similar activities.
Weather or Not: Tracking Hurricanes and Changes to Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program Plans

Climate change poses many threats to residential communities throughout the United States, including by contributing to the increased intensity and duration of disasters like hurricanes and other w...
Comparing Example-Based Collaborative Reflection to Problem Solving Practice for Learning during Team-Based Software Engineering Projects

Contributing to the literature on aptitude-treatment interactions between worked examples and problem-solving, this paper addresses differential learning from the two approaches when students are positioned as domain experts learning new concepts. Our evaluation is situated in a team project that is part of an advanced software engineering course. In this course, students who possess foundational domain knowledge but are learning new concepts engage alternatively in programming followed by worked example-based reflection. They are either allowed to finish programming or are curtailed after a pre-specified time to participate in a longer worked example-based reflection. We find significant pre- to post-test learning gains in both conditions. Then, we not only find significantly more learning when students participated in longer worked example-based reflections but also a significant performance improvement on a problem-solving transfer task. These findings suggest that domain experts learning new concepts benefit more from worked example-based reflections than from problem-solving.
Phase I study of combination of vorinostat, carboplatin, and gemcitabine in women with recurrent, platinum-sensitive epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancer

Combining histone deacetylase inhibitors and chemotherapy is synergistic. This phase I study combined escalating vorinostat doses with constant doses of carboplatin and gemcitabine for the treatment of recurrent platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer. The objectives of this study were to determine the maximally tolerated dose of this combination; secondary objectives included preliminary response rate of this regimen and toxicity profile. Fifteen patients with relapsed ovarian cancer were enrolled into this phase I study. Doses of carboplatin and gemcitabine were AUC 4 on day 1 and 1000 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8, respectively; cycles were administered every 21 days. Vorinostat was tested using four different schedules. The first dose level (DL A) tested vorinostat as daily oral dosing from days 1 to 14. DL B tested twice daily (BID) vorinostat dosing on days 1–3 and 8–10. DL C tested BID vorinostat dosing on days 1, 2, 8, and 9, starting vorinostat 1 day prior to initiation of carboplatin and gemcitabine, and DL D tested vorinostat on days 1 and 2 with chemotherapy starting on day 2. All four DLs tested resulted in dose-limiting toxicities, and no MTD was determined. Toxicities were mostly hematologic. Seven patients were evaluable for RECIST assessment, and six of them had partial responses (PR) via RECIST. Combination of carboplatin, gemcitabine, and vorinostat has activity in relapsed platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer, but was difficult to combine because of hematologic toxicities in this phase I study. No maximally tolerated dose was found, and the study was terminated early.
Short sleep duration and incident coronary artery calcification.

Context Coronary artery calcification is a subclinical predictor of coronary heart disease. Recent studies have found that sleep duration is correlated with established risk factors for calcification including glucose regulation, blood pressure, sex, age, education, and body mass index.
The rate and extent of oral bioavailability versus the rate and extent of oral absorption: clarification and recommendation of terminology.

In the literature, the meanings of the terms oral absorption and oral bioavailability of drugs vary greatly. Absorption has been considered to take place at the mucosal membrane of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It has also been defined as the process from the site of drug administration to the site of measurement. In the latter definition, the extent of oral absorption depends on the extent of first-pass elimination in the gut wall and liver even though a drug may be completely absorbed from the GI tract. Moreover, these two terms have also been used interchangeably. Inconsistency in the definition of these two terms has led to varying interpretations of these terms among students, researchers and laymen, and such an inconsistency seems undesirable. Apparently because of these inconsistencies, improper correlations between the Caco-2 permeability or intestinal permeability and the oral bioavailability of drugs subject to extensive first-pass effect may have occurred. It is suggested that absorption be defined as movement of drug across the outer mucosal membranes of the GI tract, while bioavailability be defined as availability of drug to the general circulation or site of pharmacological actions. Since transit times (this may range from about 1 min to several hours) across enterocytes, liver, lungs, and the peripheral venous sampling tissue are virtually unknown for all drugs, this factor alone would favor the use of “oral bioavailability rate” rather than “oral absorption rate” in all routine studies.
Posture monitor for vibration exercise training

Falls and fall-related fractures are common in the elderly and lead to negative health outcomes. Muscle function and balance impairment are important risk factors for falls. Traditional exercise improves muscle mass and function as well as balance. However, older adults often do not exercise regularly because of physical and cognitive limitations or lack of adherence. Whole body vibration promises to be an exercise intervention that can overcome some of the limitations of traditional exercise. Yet to ensure safety, the head and brain must be protected from high amplitudes of acceleration while training. Maintaining a body position without fully extended joint angles in the lower extremity (ankle, knee, hip) leads to a greater degree of vibration absorption into the soft tissues of the lower extremity and lower spine, as well as smaller transfer to the upper spine and brain. When using vibration exercise devices, users can be unaware of their incorrect body position until they begin to experience negative side effects. This is likely to be even more pronounced in older adults with physical and cognitive impairments. In this work, a system is designed using accelerometers to monitor the acceleration of the user at different body locations and a Microsoft Kinect to record the joint angles of the user as they exercise. These devices provide the user with feedback, letting them know if they are in a safe range of acceleration. If not, the system will inform them how to alter their posture to decrease the transmission of acceleration. This information will help open the door to vibration exercise for the geriatric population by aiding them to exercise safely.
Implementation of STEM Education Policy: Challenges, Progress, and Lessons Learned.

This is a case study of the implementation of state STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) policy over the period of the first 18 months of building a regional STEM partnership. Fullan's change theory is the framework used to determine progress and associated challenges with building a regional STEM educational partnership and establishment of STEM schools through a sustained education reform effort. Key stakeholders who were involved in leading this effort participated in focus groups, as well as individual interviews. Archival documentation was also used. Findings indicate implementation of STEM policy in this state experienced some barriers because of the nature of funding and timeline, as well as the competing agendas and interests of partners who did not have the opportunity to develop common vision and strategic plans prior to implementation. Implications for STEM policy decisions and implementation of other efforts through Race to the Top and other federal funding sources are discussed.
All jobs are not created equal: Divergent indicators in the knowledge economy

Abstract Univariate indicators such as employment are often used to benchmark economic growth at the local and regional levels. However, the tremendous technological and industrial changes in the U.S. economy in the second half of the twentieth century suggest this practice may be outdated. In fact, the singular use of univariate indicators to benchmark regional development may obscure a much richer and more complex web of economic processes. Given the potential complexities associated with regional benchmarking in the current global economy, this paper will explore the numerical differences in economic performance presented by popular univariate indicators of regional growth. Results demonstrate a univariate approach to benchmarking presents an incomplete snapshot of regional performance that is incapable of capturing the multifaceted nature of economic growth in today’s global knowledge economy. Although job creation remains an important component to development efforts, many other factors should be considered in evaluations of regional performance, including the industries in which jobs are created and their associated wages.