cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling temporal and spatial data dependence with bayesian nonparametrics

In this thesis, temporal and spatial dependence are considered within nonparametric priors to help infer patterns, clusters or segments in data. In traditional nonparametric mixture models, observations are usually assumed exchangeable, even though dependence often exists associated with the space or time at which data are generated. Focused on model-based clustering and segmentation, this thesis addresses the issue in different ways, for temporal and spatial dependence. For sequential data analysis, the dynamic hierarchical Dirichlet process is proposed to capture the temporal dependence across different groups. The data collected at any time point are represented via a mixture associated with an appropriate underlying model; the statistical properties of data collected at consecutive time points are linked via a random parameter that controls their probabilistic similarity. The new model favors a smooth evolutionary clustering while allowing innovative patterns to be inferred. Experimental analysis is performed on music, and may also be employed on text data for learning topics. Spatially dependent data is more challenging to model due to its spatially-grid structure and often large computational cost of analysis. As a non-parametric clustering prior, the logistic stick-breaking process introduced here imposes the belief that proximate data are more likely to be clustered together. Multiple logistic regression functions generate a set of sticks with each dominating a spatially localized segment. The proposed model is employed on image segmentation and speaker diarization, yielding generally homogeneous segments with sharp boundaries. In addition, we also consider a multi-task learning with each task associated with spatial dependence. For the specific application of co-segmentation with multiple images, a hierarchical Bayesian model called H-LSBP is proposed. By sharing the same mixture atoms for different images, the model infers the inter-similarity between each pair of images, and hence can be employed for image sorting.
Biometry of phakic intraocular lens using Scheimpflug photography

Purpose To examine lateral and axial positioning of phakic intraocular lenses (IOLs) with iris fixation in the anterior chamber and to examine short-term stability of the IOL position. Setting The Netherlands Opthalmic Research Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Methods Thirty patients participated in the study. Thirty-one eyes were implanted with the 204 type myopia IOL, 14 eyes with the 206 myopia IOL, and 8 eyes with the 203 hyperopia IOL. Scheimpflug slitlamp photographs were made through the optical axis along 4 meridians of the eyes. Ray tracing was used to obtain the lateral and axial position of the IOLs. Results Centration of the IOL with respect to the pupil's center and the tilt angle of the IOL with respect to the optical axis of the eye were measured. Standard deviation of decentration was 0.21 mm vertically and 0.16 mm horizontally. Standard deviation of tilt was 1.30 degrees vertically and 0.90 degrees horizontally. Tilt and decentration are proportional to each other. Vaulting, the distance between the crystalline lens and the IOL, was constant over a period of 24 months, ranging from 0.2 to 0.8 mm, depending primarily on the radius of curvature of the crystalline lens. A geometric model for this dependence was formulated. Conclusion Phakic IOLs with iris fixation can be positioned in the eye with submillimeter precision. Axial position of iris-fixated phakic IOLs over time is excellent. Axial position and vaulting can be predicted when the radius of curvature of the crystalline lens is known. The IOL behaves as if mounted slightly above a sphere—the anterior surface of the crystalline lens.
Using XML in relational database applications

The author reviews relational database XML features and describes their use in database applications. Aspects that will be considered include the creation, validation, transformation, storage and retrieval of XML documents, the inclusion of existing and new relational data in XML documents, and the impact of XML Links.
Kefir improves lactose digestion and tolerance in adults with lactose maldigestion.

Abstract Objective Kefir is a fermented milk beverage that contains different cultures than yogurt. The objective of this study was to determine whether kefir improves lactose digestion and tolerance in adults with lactose maldigestion. Design Randomized block design. Subjects Fifteen healthy, free-living adults with lactose maldigestion. Main outcome measures Breath hydrogen excretion and lactose intolerance symptoms were monitored hourly for 8 hours after each test meal. Intervention Subjects were fed test meals consisting of 20 g lactose portions of milk (2% reduced fat), plain and raspberry flavored kefir, and plain and raspberry flavored yogurt, each following an overnight (12 hour) fast. Statistical analysis Mixed model ANOVA was performed on raw or transformed data, followed by Tukey HSD post hoc tests (when appropriate). Significance was defined as P
Information Functions of the Generalized Partial Credit Model.

The concept of information functions developed for dichotomous item response models is adapted for the partial credit model. The information func tion is explained in terms of the model parameters ...
Duration of protection of rabbits after vaccination with Bacillus anthracis recombinant protective antigen vaccine.

Long-term protection of rabbits that had been vaccinated with two doses of a recombinant protective antigen (rPA) vaccine was examined against an aerosol spore challenge with the Ames isolate of Bacillus anthracis at 6 and 12 months. At 6 months after the primary injection, survival was 74.1% (20/27) with quantitative ELISA titer of 22.3g of anti-rPA IgG per millilitre and toxin neutralizing antibody (TNA) assay titer of 332. At 12 months after the primary injection, only 37.5% (9/24) of the rabbits were protected with quantitative ELISA titer of 19.8 g of anti-rPA IgG per millilitre and TNA assay titer of 286. There was a significant loss of protection ( p = 0.0117) and a significant difference in survival curves (p = 0.0157) between the 6- and 12-month groups. When ELISA or TNA assay titer, gender, and challenge dose were entered into a forward logistic regression model, week 26 ELISA titer (p = 0.0236) and week 13 TNA assay titer (p = 0.0147) for the 6-month group, and week 26 ELISA titer (p = 0.0326) and week 8 TNA assay titer (p = 0.0190) for the 12-month group, were significant predictors of survival. Neither gender nor challenge dose were identified as having a statistically significant effect on survival. Booster vaccinations with rPA may be required for the long-term protection of rabbits against anthrax. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Comparison of calcium chloride and calcium lactate effectiveness in maintaining shelf stability and quality of fresh-cut cantaloupes.

Fresh-cut cantaloupe cylinders were dipped for 1 min in 2.5% solutions of either calcium chloride (CaCl2 )a t 25°C or calcium lactate at 25 and 60°C. Firmness, microbiological (total plate count, yeast and mold, and microaerophilic bacteria) and sensory characteristics, respiration (CO2) and ethylene (C2H4) production were evaluated during 12 days storage at 5°C and 95% relative humidity air. Both calcium salts maintained melon firmness throughout cold storage. CaCl2, but not calcium lactate, imparted undesirable bitterness to the fruit pieces. No significant differences were observed in the physiological behavior of the treated fresh-cut compared to just-cut samples. © 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
A Universal Design Infrastructure for Multimodal Presentation of Materials in STEM Programs: Universal Design

We describe a proposed universal design infrastructure that aims at promoting better opportunities for students with disabilities in STEM programs to understand multimedia teaching material. The Accessible Educational STEM Videos Project aims to transform learning and teaching for students with disabilities through integrating synchronized captioned educational videos into undergraduate and graduate STEM disciplines. This Universal Video Captioning (UVC) platform will serve as a repository for uploading videos and scripts. The proposed infrastructure is a web-based platform that uses the latest WebDAV technology (Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning) to identify resources, users, and content. It consists of three layers: (i) an administrative management system; (ii) a faculty/staff user interface; and (iii) a transcriber user interface. We anticipate that by enriching it with captions or transcripts, the multimodal presentation of materials promises to help students with disabilities in STEM programs master the subject better and increase retention.
Correlation between CT-estimated tumor volume, pathologic tumor volume, and final pathologic specimen weight in children with Wilms' tumor

Abstract Objective To evaluate the relationship of Wilms' tumor (WT) volume to weight, and evaluate computed tomography (CT) scan-derived final pathologic specimen weight estimation models. Methods We retrospectively reviewed WT patients from 2003 to 2011 who had a pre-operative CT scan, final pathologic specimen weight, and tumor dimensions. A partial nephrectomy tumor cohort ( n = 12) was used derive WT density. A radical nephrectomy cohort ( n = 45) was used to develop a simplified estimation equation of final pathologic specimen weight, and analysis of all known estimation models was performed. Results Fifty-two patients were identified. WT volume and weight were not equivalent ( p = 0.0410). WT density was 1.3091 g/cm 3 . WT volume and final pathologic specimen weight were not significant ( p = 0.0007). Our model ( p = 0.9983) and CT estimated ellipsoidal volume ( p = 0.0741) were able to estimate final pathologic specimen weight in all tumors. However, CT-estimated ellipsoidal volume failed to estimate final pathologic specimen weight in specimens p = 0.0066). Conclusion Pathologic WT volume is not equivalent to final pathologic specimen weight. Final pathologic specimen weight can be estimated from a pre-operative CT scan, which suggests that it may be used to improve pre-operative surgical planning and to reduce treatment morbidity.
Estimation and control of systems with multiplicative noise via linear matrix inequalities

This paper provides estimation and control design methods for linear discrete-time systems with multiplicative noise. First, we present the design of the state feedback controller, such that the closed loop system is mean square stable. Second, we provide sufficient conditions for the existence of the state estimator; these conditions are expressed in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs), and the parametrization of all admissible solutions is addressed. Finally, an estimator design approach is formulated using LMIs, and the performance of the estimator is examined by means of numerical examples.
A Statistical Framework for Expression Quantitative Trait Loci Mapping

In 2001, Sen and Churchill reported a general Bayesian framework for quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping in inbred line crosses. The framework is a powerful one, as many QTL mapping methods can be represented as special cases and many important considerations are accommodated. These considerations include accounting for covariates, nonstandard crosses, missing genotypes, genotyping errors, multiple interacting QTL, and nonnormal as well as multivariate phenotypes. The dimension of a multivariate phenotype easily handled within the framework is bounded by the number of subjects, as a full-rank covariance matrix describing correlations across the phenotypes is required. We address this limitation and extend the Sen–Churchill framework to accommodate expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) mapping studies, where high-dimensional gene-expression phenotypes are obtained via microarrays. Doing so allows for the precise comparison of existing eQTL mapping approaches and facilitates the development of an eQTL interval-mapping approach that shares information across transcripts and improves localization of eQTL. Evaluations are based on simulation studies and a study of diabetes in mice.
Reusing invariants: a new strategy for correlated queries

Correlated queries are very common and important in decision support systems. Traditional nested iteration evaluation methods for such queries can be very time consuming. When they apply, query rewriting techniques have been shown to be much more efficient. But query rewriting is not always possible. When query rewriting does not apply, can we do something better than the traditional nested iteration methods? In this paper, we propose a new invariant technique to evaluate correlated queries efficiently. The basic idea is to recognize the part of the subquery that is not related to the outer references and cache the result of that part after its first execution. Later, we can reuse the result and combine it with the result of the rest of the subquery that is changing for each iteration. Our technique applies to arbitrary correlated subqueries.This paper introduces algorithms to recognize the invariant part of a data flow tree, and to restructure the evaluation plan to reuse the stored intermediate result. We also propose an efficient method to teach an existing join optimizer to understand the invariant feature and thus allow it to be able to generate better join plans in the new context. Some other related optimization techniques are also discussed. The proposed techniques were implemented within three months on an existing real commercial database system.We also experimentally evaluate our proposed technique. Our evaluation indicates that, when query rewriting is not possible, the invariant technique is significantly better than the traditional nested iteration method. Even when query rewriting applies, the invariant technique is sometimes better than the query rewriting technique. Our conclusion is that the invariant technique should be considered as one of the alternatives in evaluating correlated queries since it fills the gap left by rewriting techniques.
Cross-Cultural Telecommuting Evaluation in Mexico and the United States

This paper tests the impact of differences in culture on telecommuting in the United States and Mexico. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of each country’s culture on the perceptions of telecommuting satisfaction and organizational support for telecommuting. The research questions assess the telecommuting satisfaction, and extent of support by organizational policies for telecommuting in the two countries. These results are compared with the expected outcomes due to the differences in culture in both countries. The tests are done, based on a questionnaire sample of 204 employees in the U.S. and Mexico. The statistical method is crosstabulation analysis. The results show no difference between the two samples regarding job satisfaction. Respondents in the two samples indicate differences on the extent of organizational support for telecommuting. The Mexican sample shows more support for telecommuting arrangements than the U.S. one. This result is unexpected, given the cultural differences in both countries. The findings have implications for telecommuting policies and telecommuting cross-cultural research.
Hexosamine regulation of glucose-mediated laminin synthesis in mesangial cells involves protein kinases A and C.

Hyperglycemia leads to alterations in mesangial cell function and extracellular matrix (ECM) protein accumulation. These adverse effects of glucose may be mediated by glucose metabolism through the...
A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Treatment of Co-occurring Opioid Use Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Pregnancy: A Case Report

Perinatal opioid use disorders negatively impact maternal and neonatal outcomes and are a public health problem of increasing severity. More than half of women with a substance use disorder have a history of posttraumatic stress disorder that, if not adequately addressed, can impede substance use disorder treatment. This case report describes complexities in the treatment of a pregnant woman with opioid use disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder and reviews the psychotherapeutic and pharmacologic approaches available to treat these co-occurring disorders in pregnancy. This case demonstrates the importance of early screening and intervention for co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder in pregnant women who use substances in a closely coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to improve outcomes for women and their infants.
Reforming Modern Appraisal Litigation

This Article demonstrates that appraisal claims in Delaware during the most recent period of activity continue to exhibit multiple proxies for legal merit, suggesting that modern appraisal litigation plays a salutary if small role in MA eliminate the irrational exemption for all-stock transactions; and adopt a de minimis requirement. The system of awarding interest to dissenters can be improved in ways we sketch out here but develop fully in a separate paper. Lastly, we offer a simple way to meet the demand of the deal advisors — that appraisal eligibility be tied to a record date set by the board — without forsaking the governance virtues of an active appraisal market: Delaware law should require that any applicable record date be set for not earlier than 20 days following the mailing of notice of appraisal rights. This would ensure that stockholders and other market participants are able to see crucial disclosures before the record date. It thus represents a sensible compromise by giving deal advisors what they’ve demanded without destroying the policy benefits of appraisal.
Possible high- T c superconductivity in thin wires

A heuristic approach to the theory of superconductivity based on a simple physical picture and capable of treating the simultaneous participation of multiple bosonic modes that mediate the pairing interaction is first developed. The effect of the bosonic mode damping is also accounted for. We then propose a possible mechanism of superconductivity in slender electronic systems of finite cross sections based on the pairing interaction mediated by the multiple modes of acoustic plasmons in these structures. Such modes include the quasi-one-dimensional plasmon as well as the so-called slender acoustic plasmons. The critical temperature and the energy gap/${T}_{c}$ ratio are then calculated by the heuristic method just developed. Numerical results on ${T}_{c}$ in various samples are presented, showing ${T}_{c}$ in the 150--200 K range. The ratio 2${\ensuremath{\Delta}}_{0}$/${T}_{c}$ differs generally from the BCS value due to the temperature dependence of the mode damping. The associated coherence length is shown to be considerably smaller than the transverse dimension of the wires.
Selected Areal Effects of Planning Processes Upon Urban Development in the Federal Republic of Germany

A MERICAN and German planners face similar problems. Increasing percentages of the populations are concentrated in metropolitan areas where regional problems of urban sprawl, haphazard land use, and unbalanced functional development override political boundaries. In both countries valuable agricultural land on the urban fringe is developed each year in varying ways. The German approach to these problems has been different from the American one but little has been written in English on German planning concepts. This is particularly true of the postwar period when planning has become an essential tool for a nation faced with the problems of reconstruction and numerous refugees. However, planning must now take place within a decentralized governmental system since a federal structure has replaced the prewar centralized administration. The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to present some generalizations concerning the evolution of the planning framework in the Federal Republic after the war; and, secondly, to examine two planning processes, one regional and the other local, which appear to be affecting German urban development. In the Federal Republic of Germany metropolitan expansion is a predominant characteristic of the population pattern. Using estimated figures for 1955, Davis found that the 38 metropolitan areas of the Federal Republic (including Berlin) included slightly over 25 million people, or approximately half the total population of the country.' Over 13 million lived in the Landkreise (counties) which surround the Kreisfreie Stddte or cities independent of the county. German planners have become particularly concerned with the increase of the metropolitan population because the average population density is already very high and proper use of the rapidly dwindling land resource is especially important for all aspects of the economy. The solution of these problems can be carried out only on a regional basis since rapid geographic changes bear no real relationship to existing community, county, or even state boundaries.
Reciprocal Relationships between Concept Identification Tasks and Preference-Test Performance in Children:

A test of the reciprocal effects of stimulus preference test and concept task upon each other showed no effects. Furthermore, concept performance was predicted by the preference task administered e...
Supervised learning from embedded subgraphs

We develop a machine learning algorithm which learns rules for classification from training examples in a graph representation. However, unlike most other such algorithms which use one graph for each example, ours allows all of the training examples to be in a single, connected graph. We employ the Minimum Description Length principle to produce a novel performance metric for judging the value of a learned classification. We implement the algorithm by extending the Subdue graph-based learning system. Finally, we demonstrate the use of the new system in two different domains, earth science and homeland security.
The crystallization of mid- ocean ridge basalts at moderate and high pressures

The ascent of magmas in the sub-oceanic mantle to crustal-level magma chambers provides an opportunity for mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORBs) to undergo crystallization at moderate (3 to 10 kbar) to high (10 to 25 kbar) pressures. Both MORB liquid lines of descent and oceanic cumulates record effects of crystallization at moderate to high pressures. These effects include the crystallization of magnesian pyroxenes, especially the magnesian clinopyroxene megacrysts common within MORBs. Many ultramafic and gabbroic cumulates include magnesian pyroxenes and would appear to have formed at moderate to high pressures as well. The onset of clinopyroxene crystallization can be detected in MORB liquid lines of descent by a decrease in the CaO contents. If the MgO content at which this decrease in CaO begins is significantly higher than is observed in 1 atm experiments, it is likely that the chemical variations in the suite of natural basaltic glasses were produced by crystallization at moderate to high pressures. As an example, the CaO contents of basaltic glasses from the Mid-Cayman Rise continuously decrease from 11.1% to 8.7% as MgO decreases from 7.7 to 5.4%, indicating that the apparent liquid line of descent for these glasses was produced by the co-crystallization of olivine, plagioclase, and clinopyroxene. This inference of early crystallization of clinopyroxene in Mid-Cayman Rise glasses contradicts petrographic data, calculated 1 atm liquid lines of descent, and 1 atm experimental studies, all indicating that clinopyroxene does not crystallize in these samples. It is proposed that the observed liquid line of descent for the Mid-Cayman Rise glasses was produced by the crystallization of basaltic liquids at ∼ 6 kbar, where clinopyroxene would be a near-liquidus phase
Oncogenic Transformation by Herpes Simplex Virus

ONCOGENIC TRANSFORMATION BY HERPES S IMPLEX V I RUS James C. Burns , D . D . S . , M . S . , Ph . D . �ledi ca l Col l ege o f Vi rgi ni a V i rg in ia Commonweal th Univers i ty , 1979 Major Professor : Dr. B. K. t·lurray Many l i nes of evi dence exi st associati ng herpes simpl ex v i rus ( HSV ) w ith the devel opment of carc i noma . Data from human studies i ncl udes seroepidemi ol ogi c studies of carc i noma patients and the l oca l i zati on of v i ral markers i n human cancers . Experi mental studies i ncl ude in v i tro transformation of cul tured cel l s and vi ra l i nduced al terati ons of host DNA . t�uch of th i s ev i dence i s anecdotal or associ ati ve i n nature and does not prove a cause and effect. The purpose of thi s research was to i nvesti gate the oncogeni c potenti al of HSV type 2 ( HSV-2) � vi vo and An in v ivo mouse model for l i p carc i nogenes i s was desi gned to com­ b ine HSV-2 i nfecti on , ul travi o l et (UV ) exposure and tetradecanyl -phorbol ­ acetate (TPA) appl i cati · on . Prel imi nary studies showed that HSV-2 i nocul ati on onto abraded mouse l i ps was capab l e of causi ng ves i cu lar u l cerati ve l esi on s . These l es ions hea led compl etely after 10-14 days . Repeated herpetic l i p i nfections fa i l ed to i nduce tumors . UVirradi ati on del i vered 2 to the l es ion s i te da i l y for 6 minutes at 42 ergslmm Is on days 3 through 6 postinfecti on caused hyperkeratosi s , acanthosi s and dysp las i a to deve lop i n several l i ps ; wh i l e the same UI! exposure del i vered by i tsel f fa i l ed to al ter the h i stol ogi c appearance . The add i t ion of repeated TPA appl i cation to the
The Emerald Acropolis: elevating the moon and water in the rise of Cahokia

In the mid eleventh century AD, Cahokia emerged as a substantial Mississippian urban centre. To the east, a shrine-complex known as the Emerald Acropolis, marking the beginning of a processional route to the city, also flourished. Excavations and geophysical survey of the monumental landscape around this site suggest that lunar cycles were important in the orientation of structures and settlement layout. They further indicate that water played a significant role in the ritual activities associated with the closure and abandonment of individual structures. The contemporary development of these sites suggests an intrinsic connection between them, and provides early evidence of the importance that the moon and water came to assume in Mississippian culture.
Copy number variation (CNV) of KIR genes characterized using qRT-PCR technique

Killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) are a group of cell surface proteins on the surface of natural killer cells. KIR genes are located in close proximity to one another in a head-to-tail fashion on chromosome 19. This arrangement permits misalignments or unequal crossover which can lead to deletions, duplicates or recombination. The non-reciprocal recombination increases the possibility of inequitable segregation of KIR genes leading to increased copies. The aim of the study was to develop assay for KIR CNV. Method We developed a KIR CNV assay for 2DL1, 2DL2, 2DL3, 2DS1, and 2DS2 by qRT-PCR (TaqMan® Copy Number Assay, Applied Biosystems) using primers and probes described by Jiang et al. (Genome research, 2012). Forty-three UCLA KIR exchange DNA and 14 members of 2 families with the present of these KIR were tested. Copy numbers were obtained using Life Technologies Copy Caller Software. Results Fig. 1 shows the CNV results of KIR2DL1 in 26 subjects. Of the 43 samples, majority showed 1 copy (63.0–84.6%) and some have 2 copies (12.5–29.6%) of all the 5 KIR genes. Three copies were observed only for KIR2DL1 in 7.4% of the subjects and 2DL3 in 3.8% of the subjects. None of the subjects has 4 copies in any of these KIR genes (Fig. 2). A member in 1 family carries 3 copies of KIR2DL1 with 2 copies in one haplotype and 1 copy in the second; another sibling bears a recombinant maternal haplotype (data not shown). Conclusions KIR genes are polymorphic with a large number of allelic variants and also display copy number variations. One or 2 copies are more common than 3 or more copies. The immunological relevance of CNV in certain KIR genes has been revealed in virus infection such as resistance against human immunodeficiency virus or increased clearance of hepatitis C virus. KIR CNV may also have impact on stem cell transplant outcome. Download : Download full-size image
Should Preferred Stock Funds Be Included in MutualFund Portfolios

Should preferred stock funds, despite their lack of attention from Wall Street, academia, and the financial media, be preferred in mutual fund portfolios? To address this question, we construct mean–variance-efficient portfolios from U.S.-centric mutual funds that represent common stocks, Treasury bills, Treasury bonds, corporate bonds, real estate investment trusts, and preferred stocks to determine whether a preferred stock fund meets the standards for inclusion in mutual fund portfolios. We also conduct robustness checks on the results and perform out-of-sample tests on portfolio performance with and without the preferred fund. Overall, the evidence indicates that a preferred stock fund allocation in the range of 5%–15% can reduce portfolio risk while at least preserving portfolio return, providing a cushion for portfolio managers of balanced funds and for income-seeking investors.
Repeated Shock Loading of Nickel and Stainless Steel

304 stainless steel and nickel sheet with grain sizes ranging from 14 – 93 μm were simultaneously shock loaded in sandwich arrays at pressures and pulse durations of 15 GPa, 2 μs, 30 GPa, 2 μs, and 30 GPa, 6 μs. Identical sandwiches were shock-loaded repeatedly at 25 GPa, 2 μs (two and three times) and at 30 GPa, 3 μs (twice). The residual hardness and tensile properties were measured and correlated with the microstructures observed by transmission electron microscopy. The effects of repeated shock loading were not observed to be additive nor to involve simple multiples of parameters characterizing either the structure or mechanical properties, or the shock loading parameters (pressure and pulse duration). The volume fraction of defamation twins increased in both materials for repeated shock loading at short pulse durations (2–3 μs), however, twinning occurred only in (001) oriented grains in the nickel at 30 GPa peak pressure, and were absent at 30 GPa, 6 μs. Correspondingly; the interwin spacing decreased with repeated loading. The volume fraction of martensite (α′) also increased in 304 stainless steel with repeated loading, and at increasing peak pressure and pulse duration. Dislocation cell sizes in nickel also decreased with repeated loading but the most prominent feature at lower pressure (15 GPa, 2 μs) was a pronounced thickening of the cell walls with repeated loading.
Spin-torque sensors with differential signaling for fast and energy efficient global interconnects

We propose a hybrid global interconnect that combines Spin-Torque (ST) sensors with differential amplifiers to greatly reduce the overall power consumption while minimizing the delay along the line. ST-sensor based interconnects have recently been proposed that show significant energy efficiency compared to conventional full swing CMOS interconnects. However, the latency of ST-sensor interconnects can be rather high due to inefficient signal regeneration along the line. As a solution, we propose the use of differential amplifiers as repeaters along with ST-sensor as receiver to speed up the interconnect delay. Moreover, the introduction of differential signaling greatly increases the robustness of the design against noise and variations. Our simulation results indicate that for a 10 mm line in 45 mm CMOS technology, the energy consumption with hybrid ST-sensor interconnect is ∼5× lower compared to full-swing CMOS interconnect while operating at similar speed. Moreover, the energy consumption is ∼2× lower compared to low-swing CMOS interconnect, in addition to significant improvement in latency.
The importance of drought-pathogen interactions in driving oak mortality events in the Ozark Border Region

Forests are expected to become more vulnerable to drought-induced tree mortality owing to rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns that amplify drought lethality. There is a crucial knowledge gap regarding drought-pathogen interactions and their effects on tree mortality. The objectives of this research were to examine whether stand dynamics and "background" mortality rates were affected by a severe drought in 2012; and to evaluate the importance of drought-pathogen interactions within the context of a mortality event that killed 10% and 26% of white (Quercus alba L.) and black (Q. velutina Lam.) stems, respectively, in a single year. We synthesized (i) forest inventory data (24 years), (ii) 11 years of ecosystem flux data with supporting biological data including predawn leaf water potential and annual forest inventories, (iii) tree-ring analyses of individual white oaks that were alive and ones that died in 2013, and (iv) documentation of a pathogen infection. This forest displayed stand dynamics consistent with expected patterns of decreasing tree density and increasing basal area. Continued basal area growth outpaced mortality implying a net accumulation of live biomass, which was supported by eddy covariance ecosystem carbon flux observations. Individual white and black oaks that died in 2013 displayed historically lower growth with the majority of dead trees exhibiting Biscogniauxia cankers. Our observations point to the importance of event-based oak mortality and that drought-Biscogniauxia interactions are important in shaping oak stand dynamics in this region. Although forest function has not been significantly impaired, these drought-pathogen interactions could amplify mortality under future climate conditions and thus warrant further investigation.
Discussing Conservative Management With Older Patients With CKD: An Interview Study of Nephrologists.

Background Although dialysis may not provide a large survival benefit for older patients with kidney failure, few are informed about conservative management. Barriers and facilitators to discussions about conservative management and nephrologists' decisions to present the option of conservative management may vary within the nephrology provider community. Study Design Interview study of nephrologists. Setting & Participants National sample of US nephrologists sampled based on sex, years in practice, practice type, and region. Methodology Qualitative semistructured interviews continued until thematic saturation. Analytical Approach Thematic and narrative analysis of recorded and transcribed interviews. Results Among 35 semistructured interviews with nephrologists from 18 practices, 37% described routinely discussing conservative management ("early adopters"). 5 themes and related subthemes reflected issues that influence nephrologists' decisions to discuss conservative management and their approaches to these discussions: struggling to define nephrologists' roles (determining treatment, instilling hope, and improving patient symptoms), circumventing end-of-life conversations (contending with prognostic uncertainty, fearing emotional backlash, jeopardizing relationships, and tailoring information), confronting institutional barriers (time constraints, care coordination, incentives for dialysis, and discomfort with varied conservative management approaches), conservative management as "no care," and moral distress. Nephrologists' approaches to conservative management discussions were shaped by perceptions of their roles and by a common view of conservative management as no care. Their willingness to pursue conservative management was influenced by provider- and institutional-level barriers and experiences with older patients who regretted or had been harmed by dialysis (moral distress). Early adopters routinely discussed conservative management as a way of relieving moral distress, whereas others who were more selective in discussing conservative management experienced greater distress. Limitations Participants' views are likely most transferable to large academic medical centers, due to oversampling of academic clinicians. Conclusions Our findings clarify how moral distress serves as a catalyst for conservative management discussion and highlight points of intervention and mechanisms potentially underlying low conservative management use in the United States.
System integration for a biomimetic dynamic sonar head

Horseshoe bats (Rhinolophidae) have dynamic biosonar systems with interfaces for ultrasonic emission/reception that deform while diffracting the outgoing/incoming sound waves. This peripheral dynamics has been shown to enhance sensory information encoding. To investigate the properties and potential uses of these system features in the real world, a biomimetic sonar head is being developed with the goal of mimicking as much of the bats' peripheral dynamics as faithfully as possible. Further constraints on this development were suitability for integration with mobile platforms and support for interactive quantitative/in-depth experimentation. Flexible noseleaf and pinna shapes along with an actuation system have been designed to mimic the static geometry of the respective structures in bats as well as several of the animals' degrees of freedom in deforming them. The electrical subsystem has been designed to support high-quality ultrasound generation and recording. Generation of all source voltages and signal amplification have been consolidated into a single circuit board to reduce weight and complexity of the overall system. The frame has been altered to reduce weight and add modularity to the noseleaf and pinna elements. The software architecture is based on a back-end (Python, LabVIEW) combined with a flexible front-end (MATLAB) for experimental design and data analysis.Horseshoe bats (Rhinolophidae) have dynamic biosonar systems with interfaces for ultrasonic emission/reception that deform while diffracting the outgoing/incoming sound waves. This peripheral dynamics has been shown to enhance sensory information encoding. To investigate the properties and potential uses of these system features in the real world, a biomimetic sonar head is being developed with the goal of mimicking as much of the bats' peripheral dynamics as faithfully as possible. Further constraints on this development were suitability for integration with mobile platforms and support for interactive quantitative/in-depth experimentation. Flexible noseleaf and pinna shapes along with an actuation system have been designed to mimic the static geometry of the respective structures in bats as well as several of the animals' degrees of freedom in deforming them. The electrical subsystem has been designed to support high-quality ultrasound generation and recording. Generation of all source voltages and sign...
Sustainable ecotourism management and visitor experiences: managing conflicting perspectives in Rocky Mountain National Park, USA

ABSTRACTManagement of tourism attractions, including national parks, emphasizes partnership and collaboration among various stakeholders for resource sustainability and visitor satisfaction. Balancing visitor experiences, park resources, and concessionaires’ support for park policy and programs, however, has always been challenging. Past studies have attempted to address issues related to park management/stakeholders, collaboration, partnership, and governance, yet few have examined how differing perspectives of management and service providers (e.g. concessionaires) impact sustainable ecotourism management and visitor experiences. The purpose of this research was to explore perceptions (both similar and dissimilar) of two key stakeholders – park managers and concessionaires inside the park – at Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), U.S.A., regarding sustainable ecotourism management and visitor experiences. Twenty-seven park concessionaires and nine management staff responded to a brief questionnaire. Res...
Expectation-Based Models of Novelty for Evaluating Computational Creativity

The most broadly agreed-upon definition of a creative artefact is one that is both novel and valuable. This chapter argues for measuring novelty as the violation of observers’ expectations instead of as the objective differences between artefacts. We discuss why models of novelty based on measuring the differences between known and new artefacts are insufficient, and how models based on expectation can address those insufficiencies. We also describe how expectations can influence the generation of new creative artefacts, showing how unexpected discoveries can focus attention and reformulate goals. We base this on cognitive science research that shows this behaviour during creative design in humans. We present formal notation for a simple model of expectation, and give examples from our implementations in the domains of product design and culinary creativity.
The role of PD-L1 expression as a predictive biomarker: an analysis of all US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals of immune checkpoint inhibitors

The development of immune checkpoint inhibitors has changed the treatment paradigm for advanced cancers across many tumor types. Despite encouraging and sometimes durable responses in a subset of patients, most patients do not respond. Tumors have adopted the PD-1/PD-L1 axis for immune escape to facilitate tumor growth, which can be leveraged as a potential target for immune checkpoint inhibitors. On this basis, PD-L1 protein expression on tumor or immune cells emerged as the first potential predictive biomarker for sensitivity to immune checkpoint blockade. The goal of our study was to evaluate PD-L1 as a predictive biomarker based on all US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug approvals of immune checkpoint inhibitors. We evaluated the primary studies associated with 45 FDA drug approvals from 2011 until April 2019. In total, there were approvals across 15 tumor types. Across all approvals, PD-L1 was predictive in only 28.9% of cases, and was either not predictive (53.3%) or not tested (17.8%) in the remaining cases. There were 9 FDA approvals linked to a specific PD-L1 threshold and companion diagnostic: bladder cancer (N = 3), non-small cell lung cancer (N = 3), triple-negative breast cancer (N = 1), cervical cancer (N = 1), and gastric/gastroesophageal junction cancer (N = 1) with 8 of 9 (88.9%) with immune checkpoint inhibitor monotherapy. The PD-L1 thresholds were variable both within and across tumor types using several different assays, including approvals at the following PD-L1 thresholds: 1, 5, and 50%. PD-L1 expression was also measured in a variable fashion either on tumor cells, tumor-infiltrating immune cells, or both. In conclusion, our findings indicate that PD-L1 expression as a predictive biomarker has limitations and that the decision to pursue testing must be carefully implemented for clinical decision-making.
Influence of advanced notice record cards on waterfowl hunting participation and harvest distributions

Wildlife management often requires accurate estimates of hunter participation and species harvested. Sending pre-season hunting cards for recording activity can improve the accuracy of estimates. T...
Mental tasking and rotary Chair-Induced vestibular nystagmus utilizing Video-Oculography.

Objective: To investigate whether the use of mental tasking, when compared to no mental task, affects measurement of nystagmus response with regard to gain, phase & symmetry, and artefact when utilising video-oculography (VOG) as the measurement technique in rotary chair testing (RCT).Design: A within-subject repeated-measures design was utilised.Study samples: Seventeen (17) healthy adults were evaluated (age 22-25 years). Each participant underwent slow harmonic acceleration (SHA) testing for 0.01, 0.02, 0.04, 0.08, and 0.16 Hz using RCT at two separate counterbalanced visits. At one visit mental tasking was utilised while the other visit did not utilise mental tasking. The following outcomes were measured for each visit: gain, phase, symmetry, and artefact.Results: No significant difference between the tasking conditions with regard to gain, phase, symmetry, or artefact. Significant frequency affects were noted, as expected, for gain, phase, and artefact. Analysis of individual subject data did, however, describe significant effects of tasking with regard to gain, phase, symmetry, and artefact.Conclusion: These results suggest that the use of mental tasking during RCT using VOG had no significant group effect on SHA gain, phase, symmetry, and artefact. However, individual subject effects were observed indicating variability in the effects of mental tasking during RCT.
Investigating effects of temperature and confining pressure on dynamic elastic properties and permeability—An experimental study

Abstract Unconventional reservoirs refer to hydrocarbon reservoirs that require special stimulation treatments, such as hydraulic fracturing, to economically produce hydrocarbon. These reservoirs are tight with very low permeability, less than 0.1 milli Darcy (0.1 mD). Shale oil and shale gas reservoirs are prime examples of unconventional reservoirs. Effects of temperature on unconventional reservoirs’ dynamic elastic properties and permeability are usually overlooked during laboratory measurements and reservoir simulations leading to erroneous results and unsuccessful stimulation operations. To investigate effects of temperature and confining pressure on dynamic elastic properties and permeability of unconventional core samples, two series of experiment were conducted on outcrop core samples from three prominent unconventional basins (Barnett, Wolfcamp, and Eagle Ford) in the United States. In the first set of experiments, eleven unsaturated outcrop core samples (four Barnett, four Eagle Ford, and three Wolfcamp) were used to assess effects of temperature and confining pressure on their dynamic elastic properties. In the second set of the experiments, seven core samples (two Barnett, two Eagle Ford, and three Wolfcamp) were used to study effect of temperature on their permeability at a constant confining pressure. Also, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was conducted on core samples to determine the mineral compositions them. The results were then used to study effect of mineralogy on the rock samples’ dynamic elastic properties and permeability. The results of this experimental study show that increase in temperature makes the core samples more ductile and less permeable. The results also demonstrate that the degree of the effect of the temperature on the dynamic elastic properties of the samples is directly related to the presence and volume of the clay minerals.