Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
4D-Trajectory Air Traffic Management: Are There ‘Killer Apps’? – Part 2

The USA and Europe are developing plans – NextGen and SESAR – to transform the processes of Air Traffic Management (ATM). These will improve safety and efficiency, and match predicted increases in air transportation demand. They use advanced networking technology updated with information from satellite navigation and digital non-voice communication. The strategic goal, envisaged for 15–20 years hence, is a new ATM paradigm. Aircraft would fly on Four-Dimensional (4D) trajectories, incorporating altitude, position, time, and other aircraft positions and vectors. This vision would involve extremely large investments from the airline industry and ATM service providers. Thus, development priorities need to be based on sound business cases. But will these necessarily lead to the strategic vision of a 4D-trajectory system? Will the changes in practice be limited to a series of short and medium term operational improvements rather than strategic improvements? So, are there ‘Killer Apps’ for 4D-trajectory ATM? ‘Killer App(lication)s’ is jargon for innovations so valuable that they prove the core value of some larger technology. Killer Apps generate high degrees of stakeholder technical and financial cooperation. Ironically, most past ATM Killer Apps have improved safety, e.g., modern radar data processing led to collision avoidance systems. The analysis here attempts to identify and then size potential 4D-trajectory ATM Killer Apps. The evidence for Killer Apps has to pass key tests. Killer Apps obviously have to offer enormous benefits to stakeholders in the context of the potential costs. The bulk of these benefits must not be obtainable through technologically ‘cut down’ non−4D-trajectory versions. Part 1 of this paper (Brooker, 2012a) sets out the framework for investigating these questions. Part 2 examines potential Killer Apps derived from improvements in Fuel Efficiency, Capacity and Cost. An abbreviated version of this paper was first presented at the European Navigation Conference (ENC 2011), London in November 2011.
Field evaluation of five volatile organic compound measurement techniques: Implications for green building decision making

Measurements of volatile organic compounds can be necessary to ensure healthy indoor environments. Many methods exist to collect and analyze volatile organic compounds, and each technique is associated with characteristic issues that affect the identification and quantification of some volatile organic compounds. In this study, simultaneous samples of volatile organic compounds were collected during 30 test visits in 14 retail stores. Time-integrated measurements were made using Summa canisters, Tenax-GR sorbent tubes, and 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine tubes. Time-resolved measurements were collected using photoionization detectors and colorimetric formaldehyde multimode monitors. Sampling with Summa canisters is less field intensive than with sorbent tubes; however, samples collected using Tenax-GR sorbent tubes indicated more possible exceedances of health guidelines compared to Summa canister samples. Photoionization detector total volatile organic compound concentrations were not directly correlated with Summa canister results even after correction for differential response to different volatile organic compounds. Formaldehyde monitor results were strongly correlated with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine tube results for formaldehyde, and the two sampling techniques agreed on all exceedances of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) chronic recommended exposure limit (16 ppb) but not on exceedances of the stricter Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment chronic recommended exposure limit (7.3 ppb) at two stores. The formaldehyde monitor showed promising characteristics, supporting its further consideration as an indicator to control ventilation and/or environmental parameters in buildings where formaldehyde concentrations are of concern. The variation in results from various volatile organic compound sampling approaches can lead to different compliance levels with green building standards for a single building.
A Study of Red Cell Distribution Width in Neonatal Sepsis.

OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to evaluate a new nontraditional value of the red cell distribution width (RDW) in predicting the clinical outcome of neonatal sepsis. METHODS In this retrospective study, data were collected from the medical files of 500 full-term neonates with a diagnosis of early onset or late onset sepsis. Baseline RDW and other traditional biomarkers, including C-reactive protein (CRP), total leucocytic count, and platelet count were analyzed in light of the clinical data. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. RESULTS Red cell distribution width was significantly higher in nonsurvivors compared with survivors (P < 0.0001). Red cell distribution width was significantly elevated in infants with septic shock compared with those having severe sepsis and those with sepsis (P < 0.0001). A strong positive correlation was found between RDW and CRP (r = 0.8; P <0.0001). Red cell distribution width had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.75 for prediction of mortality, which was almost equal to that of CRP and platelet count. Furthermore, logistic regression analysis showed a positive association of RDW with mortality (odds ratio, 1.31; 95% confidence interval, 1.241-1.399). CONCLUSIONS Red cell distribution width is a useful prognostic marker in neonatal sepsis. Larger prospective studies are required to confirm the value of this routinely available marker in this category of patients.
Reduced quality-of-life ratings in mild cognitive impairment: analyses of subject and informant responses.

OBJECTIVES To determine whether quality-of-life (QOL) ratings are reduced in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and analyze correlations between QOL ratings and cognitive, neuropsychiatric, and functional indices in MCI. DESIGN Cross-sectional. SETTING The Easton Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research at the University of California, Los Angeles. PARTICIPANTS A total of 205 individuals who met criteria for normal cognition (n = 97) or MCI (n = 108). The MCI group included amnestic (n = 72) and nonamnestic (n = 36) MCI. MEASUREMENTS QOL was assessed using subject and informant ratings on the Quality of Life-Alzheimer's Disease (QOL-AD) scale. Cognitive performance was assessed with the National Alzheimer's Disease Coordinating Center Uniform Data Set neuropsychological battery. Neuropsychiatric symptoms were assessed with the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. Functional abilities were assessed with the Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ). RESULTS The normal cognition group had significantly higher QOL-AD scores than the MCI group on both subject and informant assessments. Individual item analyses indicated that the largest group differences were seen on the mood and memory items. Similar QOL-AD scores were seen in the amnestic and nonamnestic MCI subgroups. Multiple regression analyses within the MCI group indicated that QOL-AD ratings were not correlated with neuropsychological performance. Subject QOL-AD ratings were inversely correlated with GDS scores and informant QOL-AD ratings were inversely correlated with GDS, Neuropsychiatric Inventory, and FAQ scores. CONCLUSIONS Significant declines in QOL are seen in MCI and are associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms and functional decline. Interventions targeting mood symptoms and/or instrumental activities of daily living may improve QOL in MCI.
Global metabolite analysis of yeast: evaluation of sample preparation methods

Sample preparation is considered one of the limiting steps in microbial metabolome analysis. Eukaryotes and prokaryotes behave very differently during the several steps of classical sample preparation methods for analysis of metabolites. Even within the eukaryote kingdom there is a vast diversity of cell structures that make it imprudent to blindly adopt protocols that were designed for a specific group of microorganisms. We have therefore reviewed and evaluated the whole sample preparation procedures for analysis of yeast metabolites. Our focus has been on the current needs in metabolome analysis, which is the analysis of a large number of metabolites with very diverse chemical and physical properties. This work reports the leakage of intracellular metabolites observed during quenching yeast cells with cold methanol solution, the efficacy of six different methods for the extraction of intracellular metabolites, and the losses noticed during sample concentration by lyophilization and solvent evaporation. A more reliable procedure is suggested for quenching yeast cells with cold methanol solution, followed by extraction of intracellular metabolites by pure methanol. The method can be combined with reduced pressure solvent evaporation and therefore represents an attractive sample preparation procedure for high‐throughput metabolome analysis of yeasts. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Angiotensin II Reduces Mitochondrial Content in Skeletal Muscle and Affects Glycemic Control

OBJECTIVE—Blockade of angiotensin (Ang) II has been shown to prevent new-onset type 2 diabetes. We focused on the effects of AngII on muscle mitochondria, especially on their biogenesis, as an underlining mechanism of type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—C2C12 cells and C57bl/6 mice were used to examine roles for AngII in the regulation of muscle mitochondria and to explore whether the effect was mediated by type 1 AngII receptor (AT1R) or type 2 receptor (AT2R). RESULTS—C2C12 cells treated with 10−8–10−6 mol/l AngII reduced the mitochondrial content associated with downregulation of the genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis. The action of AngII was diminished by blockade of AT2R but not AT1R, whereas overexpression of AT2R augmented the effect. AngII increased mitochondrial ROS and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, and these effects of AngII were significantly suppressed by blockade of either AT1R or AT2R. Chronic AngII infusion in mice also reduced muscle mitochondrial content in association with increased intramuscular triglyceride and deteriorated glycemic control. The AngII-induced reduction in muscle mitochondria in mice was partially, but significantly, reversed by blockade of either AT1R or AT2R, associated with increased fat oxidation, decreased muscle triglyceride, and improved glucose tolerance. Genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis were decreased via AT2R but not AT1R under these in vivo conditions. CONCLUSIONS—Taken together, these findings imply the novel roles for AngII in the regulation of muscle mitochondria and lipid metabolism. AngII reduces mitochondrial content possibly through AT1R-dependent augmentation of their degradation and AT2R-dependent direct suppression of their biogenesis.
Outsourcer Knowledge Protection, Psychological Contract Schema, and Project Performance: A Vendor's Perspective

Despite the increased research attention directed to the importance of knowledge protection in collaborative business partnerships, such as IT offshore outsourcing, the extant literature offers conflicting views on whether knowledge protection inhibits project performance. Based on the transaction cost theory and the psychological contract theory, this study investigates how outsourcer knowledge protection affects project performance through partnership quality from the view of the vendors. Hypotheses were proposed and examined using data from 180 IT offshore outsourcing projects. This study finds that knowledge protection reduces partnership quality and project performance. Furthermore, a vendor's relational contract schema strengthens the negative effect of outsourcer knowledge protection on partnership quality, while a vendor's transactional contract schema weakens the negative effect. This study extends our understanding regarding the effects of knowledge protection on project performance and has important implications for outsourcing project management.
MRI tissue perfusion quantification : MR sequence optimization and inflow effect correction

Le sujet de cette these est la mesure de perfusion tissulaire par l'IRM et injection du produit de contraste. Les principes d'IRM, la methodologie, les differentes sequences d'imagerie rapide, et les produits de contraste sont d'abord passes en revue. Dans la premiere partie, l'optimisation des parametres de sequences d'echo de gradient pour la dynamique de contraste et conversion du signal en concentration de contraste est presentee. Ensuite, l'effet de flux sanguin sur l'intensite de signal est estime in-vivo. Cet effet est etudie plus en detail sur un modele experimental, et une methode de correction a ete developpee, et validee in-vitro et in-vivo. Enfin, les optimisations de la methode des chapitres precedents ont ete appliquees dans un protocole de mesure de la perfusion myocardique permettant une meilleure couverture spatiale du cœur.
The chewing robot: A new biologically-inspired way to evaluate dental restorative materials

This paper presents a novel in vitro dental wear simulator based on 6-6 parallel kinematics to replicate mechanical wear formation on dental materials and components, such as individual teeth, crowns or bridges. The human mandible, guided by a range of passive structures moves with up to six degrees of freedom (DOF). Currently available wear simulators lack the ability to perform these complex chewing movements. In addition simulators are unable to replicate the normal range of chewing forces as they have no control system able to mimic the natural muscle function controlled by the human central nervous system. Such discrepancies between true in vivo and simulated in vitro movements will influence the outcome and reliability of wear studies using such approaches. This paper summarizes the development of a new dynamic jaw simulator based on the kinematics of the human jaw.
Cost-Effectiveness of Outpatient Cardiac Monitoring to Detect Atrial Fibrillation After Ischemic Stroke

Background and Purpose— Extending the duration of continuous electrocardiography after ischemic stroke detects more new cases of atrial fibrillation, which is an important and treatable cause of stroke, but the cost-effectiveness of this approach is unknown. Therefore, we performed a cost-utility analysis of outpatient cardiac monitoring after ischemic stroke. Methods— Using a Markov model, we determined the lifetime cost and utility of warfarin therapy in a hypothetical cohort of 70-year-old patients with atrial fibrillation, prior stroke, and no contraindication to warfarin therapy. Meta-analysis was used to determine the yield of outpatient cardiac monitoring. Results— Outpatient cardiac monitoring would detect 44 new cases of atrial fibrillation for every 1000 patients monitored. This would result in a gain of 34 quality-adjusted life-years at a net cost of $440 000. Therefore, the cost-utility ratio of outpatient cardiac monitoring would be $13 000 per quality-adjusted life-years gained. Outpatient monitoring remained cost-effective throughout a wide range of model inputs in sensitivity analyses, including changes in the cost and yield of monitoring. Conclusions— By identifying patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation who will benefit from anticoagulation, outpatient cardiac monitoring is cost-effective after ischemic stroke over a wide range of model inputs. The optimal duration and method of monitoring is unknown.
A Text Clustering Framework for Information Retrieval

Abstract : Text-mining methods have become a key feature for homeland-security technologies, as they can help explore effectively increasing masses of digital documents in the search for relevant information. This research presents a model for document clustering that arranges unstructured documents into content-based homogeneous groups. The overall paradigm is hybrid because it combines pattern-recognition grouping algorithms with semantic-driven processing. First, a semantic-based metric measures distances between documents, by combining content-based and behavioral analysis. Such a metric allows taking into account the lexical properties, the structure and the styles characterizing the processed documents. In a second step, the model relies on a Radial Basis Function (RBF) kernel-based mapping for clustering documents. As a result, the major novelty aspect of the proposed approach is to exploit the implicit mapping of RBF kernel functions to tackle the crucial task of normalizing similarities, while embedding semantic information in the whole mechanism. Experimental results on Reuters and Newsgroup 20 databases validate the proposed approach.
Folliculostellate Cells Are Required for Laminin Release from Gonadotrophs in Rat Anterior Pituitary

The anterior pituitary gland is organized tissue comprising hormone-producing cells and folliculostellate (FS) cells. FS cells interconnect to form a meshwork, and their cytoplasmic processes are anchored by a basement membrane containing laminin. Recently, we developed a three-dimensional (3D) cell culture that reproduces this FS cell architecture. In this study of the novel function of FS cells, we used transgenic rats that express green fluorescent protein in FS cells for the 3D culture. Anterior pituitary cells were cultured with different proportions of FS cells (0%, 5%, 10%, and 20%). Anterior pituitary cells containing 5–20% FS cells formed round/oval cell aggregates, whereas amorphous cell aggregates were formed in the absence of FS cells. Interestingly, immunohistochemistry showed laminin-immunopositive cells instead of extracellular laminin deposition in FS cell-deficient cell aggregates. Double-immunostaining revealed that these laminin-immunopositive cells were gonadotrophs. Laminin mRNA expression did not differ in relation to the presence or absence of FS cells. When anterior pituitary cells with no FS cells were cultured with FS cell-conditioned medium, the proportion of laminin-immunopositive cells was lower than in control. These results suggest that a humoral factor from FS cells is required for laminin release from gonadotrophs.
CHANGES IN LAND USE/MANAGEMENT AND WATER QUALITY IN THE LONG CREEK WATERSHED 1

ABSTRACT: Surface water in the Long Creek watershed, located in western Piedmont region of North Carolina, was monitored from 1993 to 2001. The 8,190 ha watershed has undergone considerable land use and management changes during this period. Land use surveys have documented a 60 percent decrease in cropland area and a more than 200 percent increase in areas being developed into new homes. In addition, more than 200 conservation practices have been applied to the cropland and other agricultural land that remains in production. The water quality of Long Creek was monitored by collecting grab samples at four sites along Long Creek and continuously monitoring discharge at one site. The monitoring has documented a 70 percent reduction in median total phosphorus (TP) concentrations, with little reductions in nitrate and total Kjel‐dahl nitrogen, or suspended sediment levels. Fecal coliform (FC) and streptococci (FS) levels declined significantly downstream as compared to upstream during the last four years of monitoring. This decrease was attributed to the implementation of waste management practices and livestock exclusion fencing on three dairy operations in the watershed. Annual rainfall and discharge increased steadily until peaking in the third year of the monitoring period and varied while generally decreasing during the last four years of the project. An array of observation, pollutant concentration, and hydrologic data provide considerable evidence to suggest that the implementation of BMPs in the watershed have significantly reduced phosphorus and bacteria levels in Long Creek.
Intricate Correlation between Body Posture, Personality Trait and Incidence of Body Pain: A Cross-Referential Study Report

Objective Occupational back pain is a disorder that commonly affects the working population, resulting in disability, health-care utilization, and a heavy socioeconomic burden. Although the etiology of occupational pain remains largely unsolved, anecdotal evidence exists for the contribution of personality and posture to long-term pain management, pointing to a direct contribution of the mind-body axis. In the current study, we have conducted an extensive evaluation into the relationships between posture and personality. Method We have sampled a random population of 100 subjects (50 men and 50 women) in the age range of 13–82 years based on their personality and biomechanical profiles. All subjects were French-Canadian, living in Canada between the Québec and Sorel-Tracy areas. The Biotonix analyses and report were used on the subjects being tested in order to distinguish postural deviations. Personality was determined by using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator questionnaire. Results We establish a correlation between ideal and kyphosis-lordosis postures and extraverted personalities. Conversely, our studies establish a correlative relationship between flat back and sway-back postures with introverted personalities. Conclusion Overall, our studies establish a novel correlative relationship between personality, posture and pain.
The influence of belonging to virtual brand communities on consumers' affective commitment, satisfaction and word-of-mouth advertising: The ZARA case

Purpose – This paper aims to explore some of the effects of belonging to a virtual brand community on consumer behaviour. It also proposes the concept of belonging as a three‐dimensional construct.Design/methodology/approach – The paper proposes that belonging to a virtual community has positive effects on consumer satisfaction, affective commitment and word‐of‐mouth behaviour. After validation of the measurement scales the hypotheses are contrasted through modelling.Findings – The data show that belonging to a virtual community may enhance consumer satisfaction, affective commitment and word‐of‐mouth advertising towards the brand around which the community is developed. In addition, the paper introduces a third dimension to the construct of belonging, called non‐participative belonging. Active participative belonging influences the level of satisfaction and affective commitment more positively than passive and non‐participative belonging.Research limitations/implications – Data were obtained through surv.
Dendrite morphogenesis depends on relative levels of NT-3/TrkC signaling

Making dendritic arbors during development Developing axons are known to compete for limiting, target-derived neurotrophins for survival and growth in the peripheral nervous system. Joo et al. suggest that an additional, reciprocal model is involved in the development of dendritic arbors of cerebellar Purkinje cells. Working in mice, the authors show that growing dendrites of Purkinje neurons require presynaptic partner-derived neurotrophins during competitive dendritic growth in the central nervous system. Science, this issue p. 626 Presynaptic granule cell–derived signals drive competitive dendritic morphogenesis of Purkinje cells. Neurotrophins regulate diverse aspects of neuronal development and plasticity, but their precise in vivo functions during neural circuit assembly in the central brain remain unclear. We show that the neurotrophin receptor tropomyosin-related kinase C (TrkC) is required for dendritic growth and branching of mouse cerebellar Purkinje cells. Sparse TrkC knockout reduced dendrite complexity, but global Purkinje cell knockout had no effect. Removal of the TrkC ligand neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) from cerebellar granule cells, which provide major afferent input to developing Purkinje cell dendrites, rescued the dendrite defects caused by sparse TrkC disruption in Purkinje cells. Our data demonstrate that NT-3 from presynaptic neurons (granule cells) is required for TrkC-dependent competitive dendrite morphogenesis in postsynaptic neurons (Purkinje cells)—a previously unknown mechanism of neural circuit development.