cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Grouping efficiency measures and their impact on factory measures for the machine-part cell formation problem: A simulation study

Over the past 25 years, the machine-part cell formation problem has been the subject of numerous studies. Researchers have applied various methodologies to the problem in an effort to determine optimal clusterings of machines and optimal groupings of parts into families. The quality of these machine and part groupings have been evaluated using various objective functions, including grouping efficacy, grouping index, grouping capability index, and doubly weighted grouping efficiency, among others. In this study, we investigate how appropriate these grouping quality measures are in determining cell formations that optimize factory performance. Through the application of a grouping genetic algorithm, we determine machine/part cell formations for several problems from the literature. These cell formations are then simulated to determine their impact on various factory measures, such as flow time, wait time, throughput, and machine utilization, among others. Results indicate that it is not always the case that a ''more efficient'' machine/part cell formation leads to significant changes or improvements in factory measures over a ''less efficient'' cell formation. In other words, although researchers are working to optimize cell formations using efficiency measures, cells formed this way do not always demonstrate optimized factory measures.
Developing an expert panel process to refine health outcome definitions in observational data

Graphical abstractDisplay Omitted Expert panelists reviewed claims data to classify real health outcome cases.Challenges: data availability, extraction and presentation; case determination.Success factors: filtering and sorting data; consensus process to reach agreement.Future directions: additional outcomes and datasets; larger panelist groups. ObjectivesDrug safety surveillance using observational data requires valid adverse event, or health outcome of interest (HOI) measurement. The objectives of this study were to develop a method to review HOI definitions in claims databases using (1) web-based digital tools to present de-identified patient data, (2) a systematic expert panel review process, and (3) a data collection process enabling analysis of concepts-of-interest that influence panelists' determination of HOI. MethodsDe-identified patient data were presented via an interactive web-based dashboard to enable case review and determine if specific HOIs were present or absent. Criteria for determining HOIs and their severity were provided to each panelist. Using a modified Delphi method, six panelist pairs independently reviewed approximately 200 cases across each of three HOIs (acute liver injury, acute kidney injury, and acute myocardial infarction) such that panelist pairs independently reviewed the same cases. Panelists completed an assessment within the dashboard for each case that included their assessment of the presence or absence of the HOI, HOI severity (if present), and data contributing to their decision. Discrepancies within panelist pairs were resolved during a consensus process. ResultsDashboard development was iterative, focusing on data presentation and recording panelists' assessments. Panelists reported quickly learning how to use the dashboard. The assessment module was used consistently. The dashboard was reliable, enabling an efficient review process for panelists. Modifications were made to the dashboard and review process when necessary to facilitate case review. Our methods should be applied to other health outcomes of interest to further refine the dashboard and case review process. ConclusionThe expert review process was effective and was supported by the web-based dashboard. Our methods for case review and classification can be applied to future methods for case identification in observational data sources.
Interferons and other cytokines in head and neck cancer

The use of cytokines in head and neck cancer is increasingly under investigation. Clinical trials have tested the interferons, interleukin-2 and other cytokines as single agents and in various combinations. The addition of interferon to the cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) regimens (with and without leucovorin) has been explored. A randomized international trial comparing cisplatin and 5-FU with cisplatin, 5-FU and interferon-α 2b is in progress.
Terminal Intron Dinucleotide Sequences Do Not Distinguish between U2- and U12-Dependent Introns

Abstract Two types of eukaryotic nuclear introns are known: the common U2-dependent class with /GU and AG/ terminal intron dinucleotides, and the rare U12-dependent class with /AU and AC/ termini. Here we show that the U12-dependent splicing system can splice introns with /GU and AG/ termini and that such introns occur naturally. Further, U2-dependent introns with /AU and AC/ termini also occur naturally and are evolutionarily conserved. Thus, the sequence of the terminal dinucleotides does not determine which spliceosomal system removes an intron. Rather, the four classes of introns described here can be sorted into two mechanistic classes (U2- or U12-dependent) by inspection of the complete set of conserved splice site sequences.
Note on graviton amplitudes for new twistor string theories

A new class of twistor string theories was recently constructed by Abou-Zeid, Hull, and Mason. The most interesting one of these theories has the particle content of $\mathcal{N}=8$ supergravity. Arguments are given for the vanishing of the ($+--$)-helicity amplitude for gravitons which suggest that this theory describes a chiral $\mathcal{N}=8$ supergravity rather than Einstein supergravity.
Formation of Nanophase Niobium Aluminide by Mechanical Alloying

Mechanical alloying of an elemental powder mixture containing 51.5 mass%Nb; 43.0 mass%Al and 5.5 mass%Ti was carried out in an Argon-filled ball mill at ambient temperature for 90 to 1800 ks. MAed powders were examined by X-ray diffraction for changes in elemental particulate size and grain sizes of newly formed intermetallic phases. The elemental particulate size measured from the line-broadening decreased with increasing MA time up to 720 ks, while XRD identified the newly formed intermetallic phases, Nb 3 Al and NbAl 3 at and beyond 720 ks. Their grain sizes remained at a few nanometers level (3-8 nm). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) of MAed powders revealed both exothermic and endothermic reactions
A PROFILE OF LOCAL SUBSIDIARY MANAGERS

The article discusses biographic data of several local subsidiary managers. Biographic data was gathered from 130 non-American executives in 27 subsidiaries of 12 U.S. companies in Belgium, France,...
Preventing workplace harassment: an organizational change perspective

Illegal workplace harassment has become an increasingly significant issue. While most articles have focused on the legal and/or practical steps necessary for employers to avoid litigation, a neglected issue is how to prevent illegal harassment more effectively. Describes an organization change approach to developing an environment of mutual respect. When harassment prevention is examined from this perspective, the critical issues involve how to increase awareness about harassment, how to incorporate employee input and involvement in the change process, and how to develop employee responsibility for maintaining a harassment‐free work environment. Recommendations encourage managers to change the way they approach the problem of harassment.
Post-transcriptional Regulation of Meprin α by the RNA-binding Proteins Hu Antigen R (HuR) and Tristetraprolin (TTP)

Meprins are multimeric proteases that are implicated in inflammatory bowel disease by both genetic association studies and functional studies in knock-out mice. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease show decreased colonic expression of meprin α, although regulation of expression, particularly under inflammatory stimuli, has not been studied. The studies herein demonstrate that the human meprin α transcript is bound and stabilized by Hu antigen R at baseline, and that treatment with the inflammatory stimulus phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate downregulates meprin α expression by inducing tristetraprolin. The enhanced binding of tristetraprolin to the MEP1A 3'-UTR results in destabilization of the transcript and occurs at a discrete site from Hu antigen R. This is the first report to describe a mechanism for post-transcriptional regulation of meprin α and will help clarify the role of meprins in the inflammatory response and disease.
The epidemiology of measles in Tianjin, China, 2005-2014

Background: Measles incidence in China has declined over the last decade and elimination is targeted by 2020. Despite increases in routine immunization services and supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) periodic outbreaks continue to occur. In this paper we examine measles epidemiology during 2005-2014 in Tianjin China. Methods: Measles case data were extracted from a web-based communicable disease surveillance system. We examined the socio-demographic characteristics of measles case patients including age sex urbanicity residency status and vaccination history. Demographic characteristics of cases were compared with the general population. Results: From January 1 2005 to December 31 2014 12466 measles cases in Tianjin were reported. Among the cases 7179 (57.6%) were male and 5287 (42.4%) were female. Over time more cases occurred in adults and for the 2711 cases in 2014 the majority were either infants <1 year (558 20.58%) or adults =20 years (2043 75.36%). Municipal-wide SIAs in Tianjin occurred in 2008 and 2010 with reduction in measles cases the following year for both (189 cases in 2009 and 37 cases in 2011). The number of cases rebounded to pre-SIA levels or higher within 1-3 years following each SIA: 1990 cases in 2010 and 2711 cases in 2014. Vaccination status was reported as "none" or "unknown" for 84% of all reported measles cases. Conclusions: Despite the general decline in cases measles outbreaks continue to occur. Although the SIAs reduce numbers in their immediate aftermath case counts rebound 1-3 years after the intervention. Continued monitoring of cases through disease surveillance activities accompanied by targeted immunization activities including to adults can help ensure progress toward elimination.
Combining a Peptide Vaccine With High-Dose Interleukin-2

High-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a US Food and Drug Administration–approved treatment for metastatic melanoma. It was originally developed at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Surgery Branch and represents one of the few examples in which antitumor effects seen in mice correctly predicted antitumor effects in patients. The initial clinical report, which used recombinant IL-2 plus lymphokine-activated killer cells (now known to be mostly natural killer cells), reported a 44% response rate. 1 This caught everybody’s attention. Subsequently, over the next 9 years, as more patients were treated with IL-2 alone, the NCI Surgery Branch reported progressively lower response rates from 31% 2 to 24% 3 and finally to 17%. 4 Consistent with this, a pooled analysis of seven NCI-sponsored trials, representing 270 patients, reported a response rate of 16% with IL-2. 5 It is this number, 16%, that is most commonly cited as the response rate for high-dose IL-2. However, the substage of metastatic melanoma is an important predictor of response to IL-2. Durable responses are more common in patients with either M1a disease (subcutaneous sites only) or M1b disease (lung metastases) and much less common in patients with M1c disease. 5,6 The importance of this will be discussed further in this editorial. Subsequent efforts by the NCI Surgery Branch to improve the
Effect of serum nicotine level on posterior spinal fusion in an in vivo rabbit model.

Abstract Background context Cigarette smoking has a deleterious effect on spinal fusion. Although some studies have implied that nicotine is primarily responsible for poor fusion outcomes, other studies suggest that nicotine may actually stimulate bone growth. Hence, there may be a dose-dependent effect of nicotine on posterior spinal fusion outcomes. Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine if such a relationship could be shown in an in vivo rabbit model. Study design/Setting This is a prospective in vivo animal study. Methods Twenty-four adult male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into four groups. All groups received a single-level posterolateral, intertransverse process fusion at L5–L6 with autologous iliac crest bone. One group served as controls and only underwent the spine fusion surgery. Three groups received 5.25-, 10.5-, and 21-mg nicotine patches, respectively, for 5 weeks. Serum nicotine levels were recorded for each group. All animals were euthanized 5 weeks postoperatively, and spinal fusions were evaluated radiographically, by manual palpation, and biomechanically. Statistical analysis evaluated the dose response effect of outcomes variables and nicotine dosage. This study was supported by a portion of a $100,000 grant from the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation. Author financial disclosures were completed in accordance with the journal's guidelines; there were no conflicts of interests disclosed that would have led to bias in this work. Results The average serum levels of nicotine from the different patches were 7.8±1.9 ng/mL for the 5.25-mg patch group; 99.7±17.7 ng/mL for the 10.5-mg patch group; and 149.1±24.6 ng/mL for the 21-mg patch group. The doses positively correlated with serum concentrations of nicotine (correlation coefficient=0.8410, p Conclusions The effects of nicotine on spinal fusion are complex, may be dose dependent, and may not always be detrimental. The uniformly negative effects of smoking reported in patients undergoing spinal fusion may possibly be attributed to the other components of cigarette smoke.
Impact of monsoon transitions on the physical and optical properties of aerosols

increased by an order of magnitude from 0.03 to 0.47 � g/m 3 . These measurements suggest a large increase in the aerosol radiative forcing of the region with the arrival of the dry monsoon.
Downloader-Initiated Random Linear Network Coding for Peer-to-Peer File Sharing

Network coding has recently drawn tremendous attention. Applying network coding to Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file sharing is still a relatively new area of study. Adopting network coding in a P2P file sharing network can make data distribution more effective and relieve the burden of the original seeder. In this paper, we first provide the mathematical analysis modeled from contemporary P2P file sharing protocols to analyze the efficiency of network coding in P2P file sharing networks. Then, we further investigate the “unlucky combination” problem encountered by the traditional random linear network coding algorithm when applied to a P2P file sharing network. Hence, we propose a “Downloader-Initiated Random Linear Network Coding” algorithm, which lets the downloader determine the random linear coding to eliminate the “unlucky combination” problem, and therefore further improves the performance of P2P file sharing networks.
Nondisjunctional Segregations in Drosophila Female Meiosis I Are Preceded by Homolog Malorientation at Metaphase Arrest

The model of Drosophila female meiosis I was recently revised by the discovery that chromosome congression precedes metaphase I arrest. Use of the prior framework to interpret data from meiotic mutants led to the conclusion that chromosome segregation errors (nondisjunction, NDJ) occurred when nonexchange chromosomes moved out on the spindle in a maloriented configuration and became trapped there at metaphase arrest. The discovery that congression returns nonexchange chromosomes to the metaphase plate invalidates this interpretation and raises the question of what events actually do lead to NDJ. To address this, we have assayed an allelic series of ald (mps1) meiotic mutants that complete congression at wild-type rates, but have widely varying NDJ rates in an otherwise isogenic background, as well as a nod mutant background that primarily undergoes loss of chromosome 4. Using genetic assays to measure NDJ rates, and FISH assays to measure chromosome malorientation rates in metaphase-arrested oocytes, shows that these two rates are highly correlated across ald mutants, suggesting that malorientation during congression commits these chromosomes to eventually nondisjoin. Likewise, the rate of chromosome loss observed in nod is similar to the rate at which these chromosomes fail to associate with the main chromosome mass. Together these results provide a proximal mechanism for how these meiotic mutants cause NDJ and chromosome loss and improve our understanding of how prometaphase chromosome congression relates to anaphase chromosome segregation.
Test floor verification of multiprocessor hardware

Verification of multiprocessor (MP) system hardware on the test floor for coherence violations is a challenging problem because internal signals are not as readily available as they are in simulation models. Furthermore, in high performance MP systems which employ weak ordering, races between accesses to the same coherence granule can result in non-deterministic results, thereby adding to the difficulty. Therefore, a common verification practice has been to either allow false sharing only or restrict multiple processors from accessing the exact same location without using some form of a "barrier" around the shared location. This allows the execution results to be deterministic so that they can be predicted for static checking at the end of the test program. The paper presents a methodology for detecting coherency violations in weakly ordered multiprocessor systems with arbitrary streams of instructions and without restricting the level of sharing by the processors. This verification is performed under the native operating system of the system under test. In our methodology, only a weak relative ordering of instruction issuance and completion times of loads are sufficient. The method ensures that data returned for each different load from the same processor is stored in a different register each time until no more new registers are available, at which point a program interrupt is generated and the results at that time verified across the system. The test vectors are designed to make full use of the different registers in the system. This technique defines a maximal window during which exact ordering violations are checked. The methodology described here also establishes a process that applies equally well to simulation models as well as floor testing and is 100% portable across the two environments.
The Effects of Rotation on the Atmospheres of Early-Type Main-Sequence Stars (Review Paper)

In discussing the status of the theory of rotating stellar atmospheres, it is necessary to draw upon the contributions of many well established aspects of astrophysics and to interconnect them in a cohesive pattern structured so as to provide insight into a rather specific problem — namely, the structure and characteristics of a surface of the star undergoing axial rotation. Many different connections are possible having varying degrees of emphasis and, of necessity, those given here represent only one such presentation. The discussion could be much simplified if it were not necessary to test the efficacy of the theoretical development by referring to observations. Unfortunately, such a comparison is necessary and the results are at the moment somewhat inconclusive. This unhappy situation arises from the retrospectively obvious fact that axial rotation does not play a dominant role in determining the directly observable properties of stars. Indeed, if rotation were a dominant factor, earlier attempts at describing stellar structure and evolution would have met with little success. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that the structure and final evolution of highly evolved stars are greatly influenced by the total angular momentum which they retain from their earlier history. In order to understand the angular momentum distribution present in the final state, it is necessary to understand the effects of stellar evolution on the total angular momentum and its distribution. But even before this step can be taken, one must first successfully describe the rotational structure of the main-sequence phase as it is this state which provides the initial conditions necessary for any further study. It is further appropriate that we attempt to describe this period of a star’s life as the largest body of observational material with which we must test our results exists for these stars. In addition, we should expect a study of the atmospheric structure to be the most fruitful as this is the region of the star which provides the final modification of the radiation we observe.
Cancer is a Preventable Disease that Requires Major Lifestyle Changes

This year, more than 1 million Americans and more than 10 million people worldwide are expected to be diagnosed with cancer, a disease commonly believed to be preventable. Only 5–10% of all cancer cases can be attributed to genetic defects, whereas the remaining 90–95% have their roots in the environment and lifestyle. The lifestyle factors include cigarette smoking, diet (fried foods, red meat), alcohol, sun exposure, environmental pollutants, infections, stress, obesity, and physical inactivity. The evidence indicates that of all cancer-related deaths, almost 25–30% are due to tobacco, as many as 30–35% are linked to diet, about 15–20% are due to infections, and the remaining percentage are due to other factors like radiation, stress, physical activity, environmental pollutants etc. Therefore, cancer prevention requires smoking cessation, increased ingestion of fruits and vegetables, moderate use of alcohol, caloric restriction, exercise, avoidance of direct exposure to sunlight, minimal meat consumption, use of whole grains, use of vaccinations, and regular check-ups. In this review, we present evidence that inflammation is the link between the agents/factors that cause cancer and the agents that prevent it. In addition, we provide evidence that cancer is a preventable disease that requires major lifestyle changes.
Productive Interrelationships between Collaborative Groups Ease the Challenges of Dynamic and Multi-Teaming

Work organization and team membership is highly complex for modern workers. Teams are often dynamic as personnel change during a project. Dynamic team members have to be actively recruited and personnel changes make it harder for participants to retain group focus. Workers are often members of multiple groups. Though prior work has identified the prevalence of multi-teaming and dynamic teams, it has been unable to explain how workers cope with the challenges the new style of work should cause. This paper systematically characterizes the modern organizational landscape from an individual perspective, by studying how people typically organize work across their multiple collaborative groups. A unique contribution of our work is to examine the interrelationships between the collaborative groups individuals typically participate in. We introduce the notion of a collaboration profile to characterize these interrelations. We expected workers to be overburdened by contributing to multiple teams often with shifting personnel. However, we found that multi-teaming involves productive interrelationships between collaborative groups that ease some of the documented challenges of dynamic teams, such as goal setting, recruiting, and group maintenance. We define a typology that describes the various types of collaborative groups workers participate in, and provide examples of productive interrelations between collaborations. In characterizing interrelations between collaborations, we provide detailed examples of how people exploit resources across their different collaborations to address the problems of working in multiple dynamic teams.
Macrosystemic Approaches to Drug Treatment.

Observations of methadone clinics show that the treatment system itself, following natal family dynamics, fosters addictive behavior. Changes within clinics and the macrosystem are recommended.
The Surface Diffusion of High Temperature Vapors in Porous Alumina

In porous alumina barriers ~ 1 mm thick, 45% porosity, and ~1.2 pm average pore diameter, transmission coefficients for NaCl, NaF, and LiF vapors are ~2.6, 6, and 12 times that of He, indicating that surface diffusion contributes to the transmission. For Zn vapor, transmission coefficients are 1.2–3.5 that of He through the ~1.2 µm pores and 18 times that of He through 0.14 p.m pores. The temperature dependences of LiF and NaCl transmission by surface diffusion are close to those for Knudsen effusion, a result that indicates that the activated complex for surface diffusion is very weakly bound to the surface. Above their melting points, the transmissions of LiF and NaCl are irreproducible, but are usually markedly increased, perhaps because a liquid-like film partially penetrates the barrier.
Inhibition of human pulmonary phosphodiesterase activity by therapeutic levels of theophylline.

SUMMARY 1. To test the hypothesis that inhibition of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase is the major mechanism of the bronchodilator action of theophylline in reversible airways disease, the effects of therapeutic plasma levels of the drug on human pulmonary phosphodiesterase activity were examined. 2. Therapeutic levels of theophylline inhibited the phosphodiesterase-catalysed hydrolysis of adenosine cyclic 3′,5′-monophosphate (cAMP) and guanosine cyclic 3′,5′-monophosphate (cGMP), but the percentage inhibition was relatively small. 3. The results, while supporting the assumed contribution of phosphodiesterase inhibition to the overall mechanism of theophylline action, suggest that other presently unknown factors must also be taken into consideration to fully explain the beneficial effects of theophylline in reversible airways disease.
Role of TNFR1 and TNFR2 receptors in tubulointerstitial fibrosis of obstructive nephropathy

Unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) results in tubulointerstitial fibrosis of the obstructed kidney. In this study, we report the contribution of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) to the fibrosis t...
Challenges and opportunities for graphene as transparent conductors in optoelectronics

Summary As optoelectronic devices become more ubiquitous and applications for such devices begin to diversify, there is an increasing demand for an alternative transparent conducting film to address the shortcomings of transparent metal oxides. Graphene, which combines excellent optical transparency with mechanical robustness and chemical inertness, is a strong candidate for this purpose. Synthesize techniques such as chemical vapor deposition and liquid phase exfoliation allows researchers to produce large-area transparent conducting films that can be used for devices such as solar cells and light-emitted diodes. However, practical issues such as insufficient conductivity or surface roughness from transfer often hamper device performance. Nonetheless, researchers have succeeded in demonstrating graphene electrode-based solar cells, LEDs, photodetectors, and lasers. In this review, we present an overview of progress made in building optoelectronic devices with graphene as the transparent conductor and identify the major challenges that must be overcome before the material can move from the laboratory to industry.
Embedded space–time codes for multiple-input–multiple-output systems in Rayleigh fading

In this study, novel designs of embedded space–time multiplexing codes are presented. The space–time codes are constructed initially based on the decomposition of normal matrices that produce diagonal structures. The eigenvalue decomposition of circulant matrices, a type of normal matrices, can generate these codes. A key constraint in the design is that only the diagonal matrices are function of data. Since the components of the diagonal matrix are linear combinations of the data, the codes are called embedded. These codes provide an embedded diversity, full rate and enable multi-user applications with reduced interference. Later constructions in Galois fields are used to reduce the constellations expansion introduced by the dependency of the eigenvalues of the diagonal matrix to the data. The pairwise error probability for the codes is derived. Performance of the codes based on simulation and theoretical analysis, are compared with the conventional spatial-multiplexing codes and other complex orthogonal designs. Simulation results demonstrate the advantage of the proposed codes. Simulation has been done for Rayleigh-fading channels with known channel-state information.
Student achievement and French sentence repetition test scores

Sentence repetition (SR) tests are one way of probing a language learner’s oral proficiency. Test-takers listen to a set of carefully engineered sentences of varying complexity one-by-one, and then try to repeat them back as exactly as possible. In this paper we explore how well an SR test that we have developed for French corresponds with the test-taker’s achievement levels, represented by proficiency interview scores and by college class enrollment. We describe how we developed our SR test items using various language resources, and present pertinent facts about the test administration. The responses were scored by humans and also by a specially designed automatic speech recognition (ASR) engine; we sketch both scoring approaches. Results are evaluated in several ways: correlations between human and ASR scores, item response analysis to quantify the relative difficulty of the items, and criterion-referenced analysis setting thresholds of consistency across proficiency levels. We discuss several observations and conclusions prompted by the analyses, and suggestions for future work.
RadNet National Air Monitoring Program

The United States Environmental Protection Agency has operated a variety of national radiological air monitoring systems for more than four decades. The current system, RadNet, operates approximately 140 fixed monitoring systems across the United States including Alaska and Hawaii. The system provides near-real-time gamma spectroscopy data and limited gross beta radiation data as detected on a 4 in. air filter on a high volume air sampler. Filters are analyzed hourly and results are sent electronically to an EPA laboratory for review. Any anomalous results outside of normal background variation are reviewed by an EPA scientist. In addition to the fixed monitoring systems, there are 40 deployable units that include low and high volume air samplers and electronically transmit ambient gamma exposure readings. The system provided continuous data to the public and interested scientists during the Fukushima release. RadNet is able to remotely detect typical gamma emitting isotopes at levels several orders of magnitude below protective action guidelines. In order to provide even more sensitive analytical results, RadNet air filters are sent to an EPA laboratory for analyses approximately twice weekly. Potential updates to the system include improved radiation detectors and improved communication devices for deployable RadNet systems.
Estrogen promotes luteolysis by redistributing prostaglandin F2α receptors within primate luteal cells.

Prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) has been proposed as a functional luteolysin in primates. However, administration of PGF2α or prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors in vivo both initiate luteolysis. These contradictory findings may reflect changes in PGF2α receptors (PTGFR) or responsiveness to PGF2α at a critical point during the life span of the corpus luteum. The current study addressed this question using ovarian cells and tissues from female cynomolgus monkeys and luteinizing granulosa cells from healthy women undergoing follicle aspiration. PTGFRs were present in the cytoplasm of monkey granulosa cells, while PTGFRs were localized to the perinuclear region of large, granulosa-derived monkey luteal cells by mid-late luteal phase. A PTGFR agonist decreased progesterone production by luteal cells obtained at mid-late and late luteal phases but did not decrease progesterone production by granulosa or luteal cells from younger corpora lutea. These findings are consistent with a role for perinuclear PTGFRs in functional luteolysis. This concept was explored using human luteinizing granulosa cells maintained in vitro as a model for luteal cell differentiation. In these cells, PTGFRs relocated from the cytoplasm to the perinuclear area in an estrogen- and estrogen receptor-dependent manner. Similar to our findings with monkey luteal cells, human luteinizing granulosa cells with perinuclear PTGFRs responded to a PTGFR agonist with decreased progesterone production. These data support the concept that PTGFR stimulation promotes functional luteolysis only when PTGFRs are located in the perinuclear region. Estrogen receptor-mediated relocation of PTGFRs within luteal cells may be a necessary step in the initiation of luteolysis in primates.
G93(P) DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO? Differences between perceived and actual practice in the follow up of microscopic haematuria/proteinuria in febrile children seen in the children’s emergency department

Aims To examine the follow up of children with microscopic haematuria/proteinuria in the children’s emergency department (CED) and to see if it differs from the perceived practice of CED doctors. Methods An audit of children with a diagnosis of ‘viral URTI’ or ‘viral illness’ during one month in a busy (>30,000 attendances/year) CED was performed. The follow up of those children with a recorded positive urine dipstick was examined. A survey of responses to scenarios of children with an incidental finding of microscopic haematuria/proteinuria (with no overt signs of renal disease) was used. The survey was sent to SHO grade doctors and registrars and asked for their current practice in arranging follow up of children with positive urine dipstick results. Results 174 children were audited with 24 of them having a documented positive urine dipstick result. Seventeen children had a single positive (either haematuria/proteinuria), none had follow up. Seven children had at least 2+ of either proteinuria or haematuria and only one of these had any form of follow up arranged (14%). Online survey of SHO doctors (8) and registrars (12) showed that for a child with a 1+ positive urine dip only 5 doctors (25%) would arrange follow up. However 17 doctors (85%) said they routinely offer follow up to children with at least 2+ on urine dip (either haematuria or proteinuria). Conclusions Approximately 2/3 of microscopic haematuria/proteinuria in children without specific renal symptoms resolves. Ensuring resolution is important since up to 50% of children in whom it persists have renal disease.1 In our CED, only 14% of children with at least 2+ positive urine dipstick had follow up arranged. On survey, 85% of doctors working in CED stated that their current practice is to offer follow up to these same children. In regards to the management of haematuria/proteinuria, doctors’ perceived practice in a busy CED setting differs markedly from their actual practice. Reference Geary DF, Schaefer F. Comprehensive Pediatric Nephrology. Philadelphia: Mosby; 2008
Inductive Tiling of the Plane by Penrose Aperiodic Rhombi

(1995). Inductive Tiling of the Plane by Penrose Aperiodic Rhombi. The College Mathematics Journal: Vol. 26, No. 4, pp. 266-267.
Limits on anion reduction in an ionically functionalized fullerene by cyclic voltammetry with in situ conductivity and absorbance spectroscopy

Electron selective interfacial layers are necessary for the production of efficient organic and lead halide perovskite solar cells. Recently it has been asserted that ion-containing fullerene-based interfacial layers with high conductivities are self n-doped by anion reduction. In this study, dual-electrode spectroelectrochemistry is employed to determine the relationship between reduction level, conductivity, and in conjunction with absorbance spectroscopy the initial level of reduction of films of an ion containing fullerene, N,N,N-trimethyl-5-(N-methyl-3,4-[60]fulleropyrrolidin-2-yl)pentan-1-aminium bromide (NMFP-Br). We calculate an extinction coefficient at λmax of 5 × 103 M−1 cm−1 and a maximum conductivity of 6.1 × 10−2 S cm−1 at 40% of maximum reduction. We determine that anion-induced reduction is not occurring to a significant extent in pristine films of NMFP-Br. We also observe that the conductivity of electrochemically reduced NMFP-Br is consistent with a mixed-redox conduction mechanism. These results, with consideration of commonly reported conductivities and mobilities, are useful in understanding why ion-containing fullerene films are initially highly conductive.
Analysis of dietary pattern and nutritional status for adults in Hubei

Objective To describe and analyze the dietary pattern and nutritional status of adult residents in Hubei province.Methods This paper was based on the data of Hubei province,collected in the China Health and Nutrition Survey in 2006,and the subjects were 18-45 year-old healthy adults.24-hour dietary recall method(for 3 consecutive days) and weighting method were used in dietary survey.The criterion for defining overweight for adults was body mass index(BMI) of≥24 kg/m2.Results The daily consumption of fruit and dairy product for adults were too low,while the consumption of dietary fat and cooking salt were too high.Excessive meat consumption in urban,and inadequate fishery product consumption existed both in urban and rural area.The intake of energy and protein were satisfactory,while the intake of fat was overmuch on the whole.The proportion of energy,protein and fat supplied from animal food were the highest in urban.The average intake of thiamine,riboflavin and calcium were obviously insufficient.The prevalence of underweight and overweight among Hubei adults were 5.2 % and 32.3% respectively.The difference of dietary pattern and nutritional status between different gender and different areas were shortening.Conclusions The dietary quality has significantly improved,however,some specific and imbalanced dietary patterns and nutritional status in common still exist in Hubei residents.Some targeted measures should be taken to effectively control overweight and obesity so as to improve the health of the residents.
Epidemiological Analysis on Rabies from 2001 to 2005 in Tiantai County

OBJECTIVE To analysis rabies epidemiologic situation and explore its epidemiological factors.METHODS Rabies patients information was collected and individual case was investigated.RESULTS We found total 11 cases in Tiantai from the year 2001 to 2005,average incidence of a disease is 0.4 per hundred thousand,the annual highest incidence of rabies is 1.07 per hundred thousand.The rabies comes on in the four seasons,the most frequency is Feb,Mar and Apr.The harmful animals all are dogs,about 72.72% of the wounds did not treat and 90.90% have not injected rabies vaccine.CONCLUSIONS The reasons that rabies cases going up are the increase of dog adopting,untreated sounds in no time,non standard,not to jet rabies vaccine.
TOWARD A BROADER CONCEPT OF THE ROLE OF THE SPECIAL CLASS FOR EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED CHILDREN.

In an effort to meet the increasing demand for educational services for emotionally disturbed children in public schools, the authors describe their use of one form of mental health consultation. This approach was focused on regular classroom teachers and school administrators who were in contact with disturbed children. All of the consultants were affiliated with a public school special class program.
Zn(NH3)(CO3) inorganic helical framework for selective separation of carbon dioxide

Abstract This study explores the potential of Zn(NH3)(CO3) for selective CO2 separation. It develops a novel highly controllable single-pot synthesis approach based on urea hydrolysis and solvothermal aging to increase the feasibility of synthesizing Zn(NH3)(CO3), determines the structure of Zn(NH3)(CO3) in detail through single crystal X-ray diffraction and powder X-ray diffraction analyses, and performs adsorption analyses for the compound using N2, H2, and CO2 as adsorptives. Structural analyses show Zn(NH3)(CO3) to have an inorganic helical framework that consists of a small helix of (ZnOCO)2 and a big helix of (ZnOCO)4 with two ammines (NH3) pendant from every other zinc. In terms of adsorption capacity and CO2 selectivity, Zn(NH3)(CO3) adsorbed 0.550 mmol g−1 CO2 at 293 K and 4500 mmHg, but only 0.047 mmol g−1 N2 and 0.084 mmol g−1 H2 at the same temperature and pressure. This behavior demonstrates considerable equilibrium selectivities – 31 and 63 – for separating CO2 from H2 and CO2 from N2, respectively. During adsorption, the pendant ammines act as the gates of check-valves: applied pressure opens the gates for adsorption, and during desorption, the gates are closed, trapping the adsorbates, until a reduction of pressure to near-atmospheric levels. Therefore, Zn(NH3)(CO3) exhibits low-pressure H4 hysteresis, indicating that the Zn(NH3)(CO3) framework can achieve gas storage at near-atmospheric pressures. Additionally, the compound proves structurally stable, with an adsorption decrease of 0.8% after 20 adsorption/desorption cycles – a factor that, considered with the other characteristics of Zn(NH3)(CO3), renders this compound a potential candidate for separating CO2 from H2 and N2.
Biomechanical modeling and simulation of human eye movement

Studying human eye movement has significant implications for understanding the oculomotor system and treating vision disorders. Existing models of the oculomotor system either simplify the geometry and mechanics of the orbit, or are restricted to static simulation. In this dissertation, we present a novel three-dimensional (3D) biomechanical modeling framework for simulation of the oculomotor plant that addresses the above limitations. We aim to lay the foundation of a biomechanical simulator that will potentially be used for scientific research on ocular motility and clinical applications. We first propose an efficient method for building subject-specific orbit models from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We reconstruct 3D geometric models of the orbit by fitting a generic template model to the MRI data of individual subjects. An automatic fitting process is developed, which combines parametric surface deformation with image feature selection. The accuracy of our method is validated by comparison to manual segmentation. We also present 3D reconstruction of eyeball models from MRI using the template approach with subdivision surface fitting. We then describe a new approach for determining the averaged longitudinal strains of cylindrical soft tissues. Our method does not rely on image features to establish tissue correspondences and uses the incompressibility property of soft tissues. We demonstrate its usefulness by estimating extraocular muscle (EOM) strains from reconstructed models. Simulated sensitivity analysis and validation on MRI of a rubber phantom show its accuracy. Integrating estimated EOM strains as deformation constraints, we register EOM models across eye positions in a physically consistent way. Finally, we develop a 3D dynamic biomechanical model for simulating ocular motility. We model EOMs as “strands,” which are modeling elements for musculotendon mechanics. Realistic muscle paths and cross sectional areas of the EOM strands are based on 3D geometric models reconstructed from human subject MRI. Nonlinear EOM mechanics are incorporated and pulley hypotheses are implemented. Simulation of fixations, smooth pursuits, and saccades are demonstrated. The model generates realistic gaze trajectories from neural control signals. We validate our simulator by comparing simulations to experimental data. Our model is the first one that simulates dynamics and includes anatomical and physiological properties.
Facilitating habitual reflection in students - application to an engineering capstone project

This work-in-progress examines an attempt to develop reflective habits in engineering students, towards engendering life-long reflective practices. The intervention was designed to implement theoretical frameworks of reflection in engineering education and self-regulated learning. The theory of reflection used is based on five elements of reflective activities: the experience, its features, the lens through which reflection is taken, the meaning making, and influence on future action. Self-regulated learning focuses on instilling behaviors and character traits to help students understand themselves as learners, strengthening their abilities to engage in new topics.
Discovering frequent itemsets on uncertain data: a systematic review

In this paper, we describe the development of a systematic review about the topic "Discovering Frequent Itemsets on Uncertain Data". To the best of our knowledge, this work seems to be the first systematic review addressing the topic. We show the whole process executed and its findings. Initially we define a rigorous protocol to lead the process. In the first phase, we create a systematic mapping of the area. In addition, from the complete reading of each article, a panorama of this area is presented. We reveal the search engines that most publicize this topic and which publishing types, authors and research institutions are involved in these papers. Moreover we identify the algorithms and the classes of these algorithms most compared over the years, how are made these comparisons, as well as their availabilities. Therefore this systematic review becomes a rich material for understanding this knowledge area.
Predicting behavior from cortical activity recorded through widefield transcranial imaging

We present a method based on visibility graph capable of predicting whisking activities with an accuracy of 93.57% from calcium signals of excitatory neurons that are recorded through widefield imaging in GCaMP6f reporter mice.
Coarse-Grained Modeling of Polyethylene Melts: Effect on Dynamics.

The distinctive viscoelastic behavior of polymers results from a coupled interplay of motion on multiple length and time scales. Capturing the broad time and length scales of polymer motion remains a challenge. Using polyethylene (PE) as a model macromolecule, we construct coarse-grained (CG) models of PE with three to six methyl groups per CG bead and probe two critical aspects of the technique: pressure corrections required after iterative Boltzmann inversion (IBI) to generate CG potentials that match the pressure of reference fully atomistic melt simulations and the transferability of CG potentials across temperatures. While IBI produces nonbonded pair potentials that give excellent agreement between the atomistic and CG pair correlation functions, the resulting pressure for the CG models is large compared with the pressure of the atomistic system. We find that correcting the potential to match the reference pressure leads to nonbonded interactions with much deeper minima and slightly smaller effective...
Integrating GLONASS with GPS for Drone Orientation Tracking

In addition to position sensing, GPS receivers can be leveraged for orientation sensing too. We place multiple GPS receivers on drones and translate their relative positions into orientation. Such an orthogonal mode of orientation sensing provides failsafe under Inertial sensor failures – a primary cause of drone crashes today. This paper integrates GLONASS satellite measurements with GPS for enhancing the orientation accuracy.