cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bone formation following OP‐1 implantation is improved by addition of autogenous bone marrow cells in a canine femur defect model

Osteogenic Protein-1 (OP-1, BMP-7) acts locally on connective tissue progenitors (CTPs) to induce bone formation. The response to OP-1 and similar agents is potentially limited by the number of local CTPs. This study tested the hypothesis that supplementing local CTPs using autogenous bone marrow will enhance bone formation at an OP-1 implant. Four 1.0-cm diameter unicortical cylindrical defects in the left proximal femur were grafted in each of seven dogs. Radial ingrowth of new bone formation was assessed at 4 weeks using micro CT. The OP-1 (3.5 mg rhOP-1 in 1 g bovine collagen I matrix) was implanted in each site combined with either clotted blood or aspirated bone marrow (BM). Bone formation was increased in the group augmented with transplanted marrow. These data suggest that increasing the local population of cells and CTPs using aspirated bone marrow can enhance the performance of OP-1, but may not eliminate the effects of site variation on the response to OP-1 and similar agents. The canine multiple femoral defect model defined in this study is well suited to quantitatively evaluate strategies for augmenting bone repair using local cell targeting and cell transplantation strategies.
Torsion classes and a universal constraint on Donaldson invariants for odd manifolds

This paper studies the topology of the gauge group and gives mod 2 universal relations along Donaldson polynomials of smooth 4-manifolds, generalizing Y. Ruan's previous related result.
Multi-strip scintillation counters (MSSC)☆

Abstract Using binary-coded light-pipe systems, we have demonstrated a single-layer, position-sensitive scintillation counter which can respond at a rate up to 108Hz with a relatively small number of photomultiplier tubes. These devices may also be used as position-sensitive gamma-ray detectors.
Steiner triple systems with transrotational automorphisms

Abstract A Steiner triple system of order v is said to be k -transrotational if it admits an automorphism consisting of a fixed point, a transposition, and k cycles of length (v−3) k . Necessary and sufficient conditions are given for the existence of 1- and 2-transrotational Steiner triple systems.
Anastral spindle assembly and γ-tubulin in Drosophila oocytes

Anastral spindles assemble by a mechanism that involves microtubule nucleation and growth from chromatin. It is still uncertain whether γ-tubulin, a microtubule nucleator essential for mitotic spindle assembly and maintenance, plays a role. Not only is the requirement for γ-tubulin to form anastral Drosophila oocyte meiosis I spindles controversial, but its presence in oocyte meiosis I spindles has not been demonstrated and is uncertain. We show, for the first time, using a bright GFP fusion protein and live imaging, that the Drosophila maternally-expressed γTub37C is present at low levels in oocyte meiosis I spindles. Despite this, we find that formation of bipolar meiosis I spindles does not require functional γTub37C, extending previous findings by others. Fluorescence photobleaching assays show rapid recovery of γTub37C in the meiosis I spindle, similar to the cytoplasm, indicating weak binding by γTub37C to spindles, and fits of a new, potentially more accurate model for fluorescence recovery yield kinetic parameters consistent with transient, diffusional binding. The FRAP results, together with its mutant effects late in meiosis I, indicate that γTub37C may perform a role subsequent to metaphase I, rather than nucleating microtubules for meiosis I spindle formation. Weak binding to the meiosis I spindle could stabilize pre-existing microtubules or position γ-tubulin for function during meiosis II spindle assembly, which follows rapidly upon oocyte activation and completion of the meiosis I division.
Patient-clinician communication: Associations with important health outcomes among veterans with COPD

Background High quality patient-clinician communication is widely advocated, but little is known about which health outcomes are associated with communication for patients with COPD. Methods Using a cross-sectional study of 342 veterans enrolled in a randomized controlled trial, we evaluated the association of communication, measured with the quality of communication (QOC) instrument, with subject-reported quality of clinician care, breathing problem confidence, and general self-rated health. We measured these associations using general estimating equations and adjusted odds ratios (OR) of patient-reported outcomes associated with one-point changes in QOC scores. Results Nearly one-half of the subjects reported receiving the best imaginable care (47%), whereas fewer reported being confident with their breathing problems all the time (29%) or in very good or excellent health (15%). General communication was associated with best-imagined quality of care (OR, 4.29; 95% CI, 2.84–6.48; P P P = .19). Specific clinician behaviors with larger associations with higher quality care included listening, caring, and attentiveness. The associations between general communication and quality care increased over time ( P for interaction .03). Conclusions Communication between patients and clinicians is associated with quality of care and confidence in dealing with breathing problems, and this association may change over time. Attention to specific communication strategies may lead to improvements in the care of patients with COPD.
Mixed leukocyte culture with mouse spleen cells in a serum-free medium.

SummaryFollowing experiments which suggested that apparent stimulation of mouse spleen cells by fetal calf serum (FCS) was masking specific blastogenic effects in the mixed leukocyte culture (MLC), cultures of CBA and BALB/c spleen cells were set up in RPMI-1640 medium, containing FCS at 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and 0%. On termininating the cultures on day 4, the ratio of 3H-thymidine incorporation between the mixed and the separate cultures was found to be considerably higher in absence of FCS than in the presence of FCS at any of the concentrations indicated. A series of timed cultures, without any FCS, showed a ratio between the incorporation of 3H-thymidine in the mixed cultures and the sum of incorporation in cultures of separate cells which reached a maximum level of 11-15, on day 5 or 6. In tests with cells of other sources, it was found that thymus cells could serve as a source of allogeneic antigen, but could not incorporate thymidine, and that bone marrow cells could be stimulated, but to a lower degree th...
The gamma-ray spectrum of 210mBi

Abstract The gamma spectrum following the alpha decay of the long-lived 210Bi isomer was studied with a Ge(Li) spectrometer. The energies and relative intensities of the lines observed are 265.7±0.2 (100), 304.8±0.3 (54), 329.1±0.8 (≈2), 344.0±1.0 (≈2), 369.6±1.0 (≈1) and 649.8±1.0 (≈4)KeV. They are fitted into a level scheme for 206Tl with excited states at 265.7±0.2, 304.8±0.3, 634.5±0.8 and 649.5±0.8keV. The intensity measurements indicate that the level at 650 keV has a spin of 1 rather than the 2 or 3 previously suggested. No evidence was found for the existence of a proposed ground state doublet with small separation.
Phospholipid profiling of sediments using phosphorus‐31 nuclear magnetic resonance

A phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance method has been developed for the determination of aquatic sediment phospholipid profiles that may be generally applied to all soils and deposits containing viable cellular material. A method of scrubbing chloroform/methanol extracts with potassium acid phosphate overcomes adverse signal broadening from the mineral component, permitting eleven sediment phospholipids to be determined at the quantitative level.
Re: Evaluating the Learning Curve for Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Cystectomy

Purpose: We seek to describe the learning curve of robot-assisted laparoscopic radical cystectomy by evaluating some of the surgical, oncologic, and clinical outcomes in our initial experience with...
Identification of Transferrin Receptor 1 as a Hepatitis C Virus Entry Factor

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a liver tropic pathogen that affects ∼170 million people worldwide and causes liver pathologies including fibrosis, cirrhosis, steatosis, iron overload, and hepatocellular carcinoma. As part of a project initially directed at understanding how HCV may disrupt cellular iron homeostasis, we found that HCV alters expression of the iron uptake receptor transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1). After further investigation, we found that TfR1 mediates HCV entry. Specifically, functional studies showed that TfR1 knockdown and antibody blocking inhibit HCV cell culture (HCVcc) infection. Blocking cell surface TfR1 also inhibited HCV pseudoparticle (HCVpp) infection, demonstrating that TfR1 acts at the level of HCV glycoprotein-dependent entry. Likewise, a TfR1 small-molecule inhibitor that causes internalization of surface TfR1 resulted in a decrease in HCVcc and HCVpp infection. In kinetic studies, TfR1 antibody blocking lost its inhibitory activity after anti-CD81 blocking, suggesting that TfR1 acts during HCV entry at a postbinding step after CD81. In contrast, viral spread assays indicated that HCV cell-to-cell spread is less dependent on TfR1. Interestingly, silencing of the TfR1 trafficking protein, a TfR-1 specific adaptor protein required for TfR1 internalization, also inhibited HCVcc infection. On the basis of these results, we conclude that TfR1 plays a role in HCV infection at the level of glycoprotein-mediated entry, acts after CD81, and possibly is involved in HCV particle internalization.
An expiration age-based document placement scheme for cooperative Web caching

The sharing of caches among proxies is an important technique to reduce Web traffic, alleviate network bottlenecks, and improve response time of document requests. Most existing work on cooperative caching has been focused on serving misses collaboratively. Very few have studied the effect of cooperation on document placement schemes and its potential enhancements on cache hit ratio and latency reduction. We propose a new document placement scheme which takes into account the contentions at individual caches in order to limit the replication of documents within a cache group and increase document hit ratio. The main idea of this new scheme is to view the aggregate disk space of the cache group as a global resource of the group and uses the concept of cache expiration age to measure the contention of individual caches. The decision of whether to cache a document at a proxy is made collectively among the caches that already have a copy of this document. We refer to this new document placement scheme as the Expiration Age-based scheme (EA scheme). The EA scheme effectively reduces the replication of documents across the cache group, while ensuring that a copy of the document always resides in a cache where it is likely to stay for the longest time. We report our study on the potentials and limits of the EA scheme using both analytic modeling and trace-based simulation. The analytical model compares and contrasts the existing (ad hoc) placement scheme of cooperative proxy caches with our new EA scheme and indicates that the EA scheme improves the effectiveness of aggregate disk usage, thereby increasing the average time duration for which documents stay in the cache. The trace-based simulations show that the EA scheme yields higher hit rates and better response times compared to the existing document placement schemes used in most of the caching proxies.
Global analysis of piecewise linear systems using impact maps and surface Lyapunov functions

This paper presents an entirely new constructive global analysis methodology for a class of hybrid systems known as piecewise linear systems (PLS). This methodology infers global properties of PLS solely by studying the behavior at switching surfaces associated with PLS. The main idea is to analyze impact maps, i.e., maps from one switching surface to the next switching surface. Such maps are known to be "unfriendly" maps in the sense that they are highly nonlinear, multivalued, and not continuous. We found, however, that an impact map induced by an linear time-invariant flow between two switching surfaces can be represented as a linear transformation analytically parametrized by a scalar function of the state. This representation of impact maps allows the search for surface Lyapunov functions (SuLF) to be done by simply solving a semidefinite program, allowing global asymptotic stability, robustness, and performance of limit cycles and equilibrium points of PLS to be efficiently checked. This new analysis methodology has been applied to relay feedback, on/off and saturation systems, where it has shown to be very successful in globally analyzing a large number of examples. In fact, it is still an open problem whether there exists an example with a globally stable limit cycle or equilibrium point that cannot be successfully analyzed with this new methodology. Examples analyzed include systems of relative degree larger than one and of high dimension, for which no other analysis methodology could be applied. This success in globally analyzing certain classes of PLS has shown the power of this new methodology, and suggests its potential toward the analysis of larger and more complex PLS.
Cmos-Compatible Dual-Resonator MEMS Temperature Sensor with Milli-Degree Accuracy

This paper presents a dual-resonator design which, not only enables temperature sensing of the resonators but also acts as a general-purpose temperature sensor. The frequency stability of the temperature compensated resonator depends on the accuracy with which the temperature of the resonator is measured. The dual-resonator design, described here, produces temperature-dependent beat frequency which is inherent to the resonator and thus eliminates any spatial and temporal thermal lag associated with the use of an external temperature sensor. Furthermore, this design can also be used as a CMOS-compatible digital temperature sensor. In this work, we achieved the sensor resolution of approximately 0.008degC which is comparable to that of the best CMOS temperature sensors available today.
Urinary tract infections in long-term care residents

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is common in long-term care (LTC) residents; however, most infections are asymptomatic and do not require treatment. Differentiating asymptomatic from symptomatic UTI is challenging, because LTC residents typically have chronic genitourinary complaints, multiple comorbid illnesses, and communication barriers. Although consensus guidelines have been proposed to improve the accuracy of identifying symptomatic UTIs and minimize treatment of asymptomatic UTIs, diagnostic accuracy is not yet optimized. Strategies for prevention of UTI are unsatisfactory and require further study; nevertheless, there is some evidence for the efficacy of cranberry products and vaginal estrogen to prevent recurrent UTI in women.
Quantum fingerprints of classical ruelle-pollicott resonances

The quantum-classical correspondence for chaotic systems has been studied extensively in the context of universality and periodic orbit contributions. This approach has focused on eigenvalues and eigenfunctions and their statistical properties. Universality has been shown to arise from random matrix theory (RMT) [1], while periodic orbit contributions have been analyzed in the semiclassical scheme for calculations of eigenvalue spectra [2] and constructions of eigenfunctions [3]. An entirely different approach is to consider correlations of observables. In the classical context a probabilistic approach is best taken with Liouvillian dynamics. In certain classical systems these have been shown to lead to RuellePollicott (RP) resonances [4,5], arising from complex eigenvalues of the Perron-Frobenius operator. In open systems, this leads to a quantitative description of the time evolution of classical observables, the most common being the particle density. In the quantum context, diffusive transport has been argued to be intimately connected with Liouvillian dynamics, not just in disordered systems where the correspondence is made with nonlinear s-models of supersymmetry [6] but also in individual chaotic systems which represent a ballistic limit.
An Experimental and Computational Study on the Aerodynamic and Acoustic Characteristics of Case Fans

We report the progress made in our recent study to develop an ultra-quiet axial fan for computer cooling applications. By using a commercially-available cooling fan as the baseline, a number of acoustically tailored modifications are implemented in order to reduce the noise level of the cooling fan, which includes optimizing the rotating blades and guide vanes according to axial fan design theory, adding an intake cone in the front of the hub to guide the airflow into the axial fan smoothly, and reducing the tip clearance to lower the noise generation due to tip vortex structures. A comparison study is conducted to measure the sound pressure level (SPL) of the new-design axial fan in an anechoic chamber, in comparison to that of the baseline fan, in order to assess the effects of the modifications on the fan noise reduction. The measurement results of our study reveal that, at the same flow rate, the SPL of the new-design fan would be up to 5 dB lower than that of the baseline fan. In addition to measuring the sound pressure levels (SPLs) of the fans, a digital particle image velocimetry (PIV) system is also used to conduct detailed flow field measurements to reveal the changes of the flow characteristics and unsteady vortex structures associated with the modifications. “Time-averaged” PIV measurements illustrate the ensemble-averaged statistics of the flow quantities such as mean velocity, Reynolds stress, and turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) distributions at the flow field around the axial fan. Moreover, a numerical study of the new-design fan is also performed and which is aimed to investigate the flow details inside of the fan. The validation comparison between numerical results and experimental results agree very well and that gives the strong confidence for the computational flow field in the fan can be regarded as useful complement for experiments. The detailed flow field measurements are correlated with the SPL measurements in order to elucidate underlying physics associated with the fan noise reduction.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Effects of deslorelin or hCG administration on reproductive performance in first postpartum estrus mares.

A tendency for deslorelin implants to suppress subsequent follicular growth and delay return to estrus following induced ovulation has been documented in nonlactating mares. To investigate this phenomenon in lactating mares, 22 broodmares in southeast Texas were administered either deslorelin or hCG to induce ovulation in the first postpartum estrus during February and March 2001. Mares were teased daily and examined twice weekly (Tuesdays and Thursdays) by transrectal ultrasonography. When a follicle >35 mm diameter was detected on Tuesday, mares were treated with either 2,500 U hCG administered intravenously or with one implant (2.1 mg) deslorelin administered subcutaneously. Mares were bred every other day until ovulation was detected or until they ceased behavioral estrus, and were examined 16 days after treatment to detect pregnancy. Follicular measurements were recorded for all mares during each examination, and interestrous intervals were recorded for mares not becoming pregnant. Treatment of mares with either hCG or deslorelin resulted in similar ovulatory responses and pregnancy rates. Deslorelin-treated mares had fewer ovarian follicles >20 mm in diameter 16 days after treatment than hCG-treated mares (P 0.10). All mares failing to become pregnant from foal heat breedings became pregnant from later breedings, but the parturition to conception interval was prolonged in deslorelin-treated compared to hCG-treated mares that did not become pregnant on foal heat (P < 0.01).
Acoustic Droplet Vaporization and Propulsion of Perfluorocarbon‐Loaded Microbullets for Targeted Tissue Penetration and Deformation

Acoustic droplet vaporization of perfluorocarbon-loaded microbullets triggered by an ultrasound pulse provides the necessary force to penetrate, cleave, and deform cellular tissue for potential targeted drug delivery and precision nanosurgery.
Analysis of alternative energy sources for the united states Roadway Transportation System

Over the last decade, the U.S. transportation industry has produced approximately 60% of overall U.S. CO 2 emissions according to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). A greener fuel alternative for the transportation system is needed to reduce energy-related emissions and to aid in the overall decrease in the consumption of fossil fuels. The system to be analyzed is defined as the Roadway Transportation System (RTS) of the United States. This project aims to rank six alternative fuels against several objectives for the next 30 years. These objectives include minimizing emissions and risk, while maximizing suitability and goods moved. Six alternatives are considered: gasoline, diesel, biodiesel, electric, hydrogen, and compressed natural gas (CNG) technologies. The capability and feasibility of each alternative is analyzed in accordance with satisfying all objectives. This system analysis is limited to cars, trucks, and buses. An External System Model (ESM) is developed to show the interactions of the RTS with external systems, and how those interactions map to the traceability of all objectives (1st model). To conduct this analysis, data from previous years is collected for all objectives for each alternative. Regression of this data identifies the pattern of the alternatives against the objectives over time (2nd model). Ranking of the alternatives is accomplished through Utility Evaluation (3rd model). The ranking process follows the Multi Attribute Utility Theory (MAUT) process. Preliminary results show that there is uncertainty as to which alternative is best when weighed against the given objectives. However, electric and CNG rank the highest under pessimistic assumptions and electric and hydrogen rank highest under optimistic assumptions. Through analysis, all alternatives are ranked such that the objectives are satisfied over a 30 year period.
A device for a noninvasive evaluation of coronary bypass grafts

A new device is presented for evaluating the patency of coronary bypass grafts. Bypass grafts are located within the chest cavity using a Compton backscatter imaging (CBI) technique that creates frontal plane tomographic images. The tomographic image pixels are mapped into computer memory and displayed. A display pointer is used to mark the position of the bypass graft. The computer uses that information to subsequently position a radiation detector, such that it "looks" at the location of the bypass graft within the closed chest. The patency of the graft is then evaluated by monitoring an X-ray induced iodine fluorescence transient in the graft, subsequent to a peripheral intravenous contrast injection. This imaging and graft evaluation device is relatively inexpensive and its application does not require cutdowns or catheterization. The associated radiation dose is 1/10 to 1/50 of that associated with alternative X-ray graft patency evaluation techniques. Preliminary testing has been performed on mechanical and animal models. >
Electricity Cost Saving Strategy in Data Centers by Using Energy Storage

Electricity expenditure comprises a significant fraction of the total operating cost in data centers. Hence, cloud service providers are required to reduce electricity cost as much as possible. In this paper, we consider utilizing existing energy storage capabilities in data centers to reduce electricity cost under wholesale electricity markets, where the electricity price exhibits both temporal and spatial variations. A stochastic program is formulated by integrating the center-level load balancing, the server-level configuration, and the battery management while at the same time guaranteeing the quality-of-service experience by end users. We use the Lyapunov optimization technique to design an online algorithm that achieves an explicit tradeoff between cost saving and energy storage capacity. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed algorithm through extensive numerical evaluations based on real-world workload and electricity price data sets. As far as we know, our work is the first to explore the problem of electricity cost saving using energy storage in multiple data centers by considering both the spatial and temporal variations in wholesale electricity prices and workload arrival processes.
A decade of living lobar lung transplantation: recipient outcomes

Abstract Objective Living lobar lung transplantation was developed as a procedure for patients considered too ill to await cadaveric transplantation. Methods One hundred twenty-eight living lobar lung transplantations were performed in 123 patients between 1993 and 2003. Eighty-four patients were adults (age, 27 ± 7.7 years), and 39 were pediatric patients (age, 13.9 ± 2.9 years). Results The primary indication for transplantation was cystic fibrosis (84%). At the time of transplantation, 67.5% of patients were hospitalized, and 17.9% were intubated. One-, 3-, and 5-year actuarial survival among living lobar recipients was 70%, 54%, and 45%, respectively. There was no difference in actuarial survival between adult and pediatric living lobar recipients ( P = .65). There were 63 deaths among living lobar recipients, with infection being the predominant cause (53.4%), followed by obliterative bronchiolitis (12.7%) and primary graft dysfunction (7.9%). The overall incidence of acute rejection was 0.8 episodes per patient. Seventy-eight percent of rejection episodes were unilateral. Age, sex, indication, donor relationship, preoperative hospitalization status, use of preoperative steroids, and HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-DR typing did not influence survival. However, patients on ventilators preoperatively had significantly worse outcomes (odds ratio, 3.06, P = .03; Kaplan-Meier P = .002), and those undergoing retransplantation had an increased risk of death (odds ratio, 2.50). Conclusion These results support the continued use of living lobar lung transplantation in patients deemed unable to await a cadaveric transplantation. We consider patients undergoing retransplantations and intubated patients to be at significantly high risk because of the poor outcomes in these populations.
Sucrose diacrylate: A unique chemically and biologically degradable crosslinker for polymeric hydrogels

A series of degradable hydrogels based on different vinyl monomers such as acrylamide, sucrose-1′-acrylate, and acrylic acid were synthesized using sucrose-6,1′-diacrylate (SDA) as a crosslinking agent. SDA was prepared by enzymatic transesterification of vinyl acrylate with sucrose in pyridine. Base catalyzed hydrolysis of SDA in aqueous solution was studied as a function of pH. As expected, hydrolysis of SDA was faster at higher pHs such that poly(acrylamide), poly(sucrose 1′-acrylate), and poly(acrylic acid) hydrogels underwent substantial degradation at and above pH 7, 9, and 13, respectively. The degradation was characterized by changes in the swelling ratios of the hydrogels indicating breakage of the crosslinking agent. Degradation of the hydrogels at their chemically stable pHs was studied in presence of enzymes. Enzymes, including pepsin and a fungal Lipase, were able to degrade the poly(acrylamide) hydrogel at pH 4 and 5, respectively. Poly(acrylic acid) hydrogel was degraded in presence of a fungal protease at pH 7.8. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 2221–2229, 1997
A strength hierarchy for a morphophonemic process in Tswana

A pattern of morphophonemic alternation in Tswana, a Southeastern Bantu language, is examined in the light of three models in an attempt to infer its underlying strength hierarchy. In the model derived from Lass and Anderson [1975] no explicit principles can be extracted to account for either the subset of phonemic segments taking part in the pattern or the specific segment alternations which are manifested therein. Based on a second model, Hooper [1976], the limited range of segments which do alternate are interpreted as a consequence of the Intersyllabic Principle. And finally the specific phonemic alternations manifested by the pattern appear to follow from the Inertial Development Principle in Foley [1977]. By thus incorporating Hooper's Intersyllable Principle into the Foley model, a strength hierarchy underlying the alternation principle is postulated.
Comparison of receptors for Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin : novel receptor present in IEC-6 cells

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli elaborate a heat-stable enterotoxin that causes diarrhea in humans and animals. The primary event in the diarrheal cascade is the binding of this enterotoxin to specific receptors on enterocytes and activation of guanylyl cyclase. Two intestinal cell lines, Caco-2 and IEC-6, were tested for the presence of these receptors. Although both cell lines exhibited specific binding, only the Caco-2 cell line responded to heat-stable enterotoxin with increased guanylyl cyclase activity. Cloning and expression studies confirmed that the receptor present in Caco-2 cells is a homologue of guanylyl cyclase C, a known transmembrane heat-stable enterotoxin receptor. Expression of the receptor in differentiating Caco-2 cells increases with cell maturation, indicating that these cells are a suitable model for future studies. However, Northern and polymerase chain reaction analyses demonstrated that guanylyl cyclase C is not expressed in IEC-6 cells, strongly suggesting the presence of a novel heat-stable enterotoxin receptor that is not coupled to guanylyl cyclase activity.
An Information Theoretic Approach to Bilingual Word Clustering

We present an information theoretic objective for bilingual word clustering that incorporates both monolingual distributional evidence as well as cross-lingual evidence from parallel corpora to learn high quality word clusters jointly in any number of languages. The monolingual component of our objective is the average mutual information of clusters of adjacent words in each language, while the bilingual component is the average mutual information of the aligned clusters. To evaluate our method, we use the word clusters in an NER system and demonstrate a statistically significant improvement in F1 score when using bilingual word clusters instead of monolingual clusters.
Peroxisomal Acyl-CoA Thioesterases from Arabidopsis

We have cloned two acyl-CoA thioesterases from the plant Arabidopsis that we have named ACH1 and ACH2. Both genes code for proteins carrying peroxisomal targeting sequences (type 1). In an effort to characterize the activity and function of these proteins, we have used the following approaches: In vitro activity assays of recombinant 6His-tagged ACH2 Quantitative RT-PCR Analysis of gene knock-out mutants
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Predicts Adverse Local Tissue Reaction Histologic Severity in Modular Neck Total Hip Arthroplasty

Abstract Background The association between advanced imaging, serum metal ion levels, and histologic adverse local tissue reaction (ALTR) severity has not been previously reported for Rejuvenate modular neck femoral stems. Methods A cohort of 90 patients with 98 Rejuvenate modular neck femoral stems was revised by a single surgeon from July 2011 to December 2014. Before revision, patients underwent multiacquisition variable resonance image combination sequence magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and serum cobalt and chromium ion levels were measured. Histologic samples from the revision surgery were scored for synovial lining, inflammatory infiltrate, and tissue organization as proposed by Campbell. Regression based on the generalized estimating equations approach was used to assess the univariate association between each MRI, demographic, and metal ion measure and ALTR severity while accounting for the correlation between bilateral hips. Random forest analysis was then used to determine the relative importance of MRI characteristics, demographics, and metal ion levels in predicting ALTR severity. Results Synovial thickness as measured on MRI was found to be the strongest predictor of ALTR histologic severity in a recalled modular neck femoral stem. Conclusion MRI can accurately describe ALTR in modular femoral neck total hip arthroplasty. MRI characteristics, particularly maximal synovial thickness and synovitis volume, predicted histologic severity. Serum metal ion levels do not correlate with histologic severity in Rejuvenate modular neck total hip arthroplasty.
Characterization of multiple damage sites in composites using reduced order piezoelectric sensor array

In this paper, we demonstrate the ability to locate structural damage in a composite material using minimum measurement paths. It was achieved by implementing compressive sampling to the damage localization algorithm. Therefore enabling us to isolate the piezoelectric sensor array to the location where the damage is detected. As a result it will reduce the time and effort of the procedure. This technique excels where large structures need to undergo NDT.
HIV protease inhibitors block streptolysin S production.

Streptolysin S (SLS) is a post-translationally modified peptide cytolysin that is produced by the human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes. SLS belongs to a large family of azole-containing natural products that are biosynthesized via an evolutionarily conserved pathway. SLS is an important virulence factor during S. pyogenes infections, but despite an extensive history of study, further investigations are needed to clarify several steps of its biosynthesis. To this end, chemical inhibitors of SLS biosynthesis would be valuable tools to interrogate the various maturation steps of both SLS and biosynthetically related natural products. Such chemical inhibitors could also potentially serve as antivirulence therapeutics, which in theory may alleviate the spread of antibiotic resistance. In this work, we demonstrate that FDA-approved HIV protease inhibitors, especially nelfinavir, block a key proteolytic processing step during SLS production. This inhibition was demonstrated in live S. pyogenes cells and through...
Positional distribution of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids on egg lecithin

A method is described to determine the position of fatty acids on lecithin. Purified egg lecithin is enzymatically hydrolyzed to the corresponding mixture of α,β-diglycerides with lecithinase D. Myristic acid is incorporated into the α' position of the diglycerides and the resulting triglycerides are hydrolyzed with pancreatic lipase, which specifically cleaves fatty acids from the α and α` positions. Palmitic, myristic, and stearic acids were freed by the pancreatic lipase, proving that the saturated acids are on the α' position, while the unsaturated fatty acids occupy the β position of egg lecithin. Since snake venom lecithinase A removes the unsaturated acids from lecithin, the site of hydrolysis must be at the β position of lecithin.
Domain knowledge and feature representation

Identifying covert internal brain by their expression in neural images, particularly from magnetic resonance imaging, is a popular, powerful, and important area of research whose ultimate expression is known now as “brain reading.” The nature of the imaging data is challenging however, in that they typically have two orders of magnitude more features than observations. We propose that it is many ways useful to apply prior knowledge of brain organization – both physical and mental. We note that sparsity offers quantitative leverage, and that this, itself, may provide insight into the nature of human cognition.
Analysis the clinic characteristic of pediatric chronic rhinosinusitis

OBJECTIVE To analyze the clinic characteristic of pediatric chronic rhinosinusitis(CRS). METHODS 530 children with CRS were selected in the study.All patients were assessed including symptoms, physical signs and CT scan before starting treatment,and then managed with de-escalation treatment protocols.First stage was dealt with medical treatment.Second stage was underwent adenoidectomy or(and) tonsillectomy. Third stage was managed by endoscopic sinus surgery. RESULTS Snoring and chronic cough were the main symptoms accompanied with pediatric CRS;sometimes with postnasal drip.CT scan always showed either muddy or normal in all paranasal sinuses.Formalized de-escalation treatment was effective for all cases,the effective rate was 77.9%.CONCLUSION Pediatric CRS had their own clinic characteristic,and the de-escalation treatment protocols were proved to be efficient and safe.
Toward an Understanding of Parochial Observables

ABSTRACTRuetsche ([2011]) claims that an abstract C*-algebra of observables will not contain all of the physically significant observables for a quantum system with infinitely many degrees of freed...
WE-H-207B-02: MR-Driven RT Planning

In recent years, steady progress has been made towards the implementation of MRI in external beam radiation therapy for processes ranging from treatment simulation to in-room guidance. Novel procedures relying mostly on MR data are currently implemented in the clinic. This session will cover topics such as (a) commissioning and quality control of the MR in-room imagers and simulators specific to RT, (b) treatment planning requirements, constraints and challenges when dealing with various MR data, (c) quantification of organ motion with an emphasis on treatment delivery guidance, and (d) MR-driven strategies for adaptive RT workflows. The content of the session was chosen to address both educational and practical key aspects of MR guidance. Learning Objectives: 1.Good understanding of MR testing recommended for in-room MR imaging as well as image data validation for RT chain (e.g. image transfer, filtering for consistency, spatial accuracy, manipulation for task specific); 2.Familiarity with MR-based planning procedures: motivation, core workflow requirements, current status, challenges; 3.Overview of the current methods for the quantification of organ motion; 4.Discussion on approaches for adaptive treatment planning and delivery. T. Stanescu - License agreement with Modus Medical Devices to develop a phantom for the quantification of MR image system-related distortions.; T. Stanescu, N/A
Is God’S Existence Logically Possible?

Let us turn now to a discussion of M’s premiss (b), which asserts in effect that God’s existence is logically possible. Norman Malcolm has maintained that, though it is legitimate to expect proponents of M-like arguments to defend the claim that God is logically possible (call it ‘GLP’) against plausible criticisms, there is no onus of proof on the modal arguer to give a positive demonstration of GLP.1 And it looks, at least to the casual observer,2 as if Malcolm is right. It looks as if, given that something, X, does not appear on its face to be logically impossible, then there is an onus on anyone who affirms that X is logically impossible to prove his claim. Suppose that I maintain that, e.g., Ronald Reagan’s going to Jupiter in a space ship is logically possible. Then it is clearly not up to me to prove that I am right. Rather, it is up to anyone who denies my claim to show that I am wrong. The claim that X exists (occurs or obtains) is not, of course, similar in this respect to logical possibility claims. If I assert, not that it is logically possible for Ronald Reagan to go to Jupiter, but that in fact he has gone there, then it is up to me to provide evidence for my claim. (First person reports on states of consciousness are an exception.) It follows that if Malcolm is right about GLP, then, in inferring God’s existence from that proposition and the other premisses of M, we pass from the more certain to (what would be, in the absence of M-like arguments) the less certain, i.e., since GLP is, like the other premisses of M, epistemically prior to the proposition that God exists, M is not redundant.3
Angry Rumination Mediates the Unique Associations Between Self-Compassion and Anger and Aggression

Mindfulness is known to decrease anger and aggression. Self-compassion is a related and relatively new construct that may predict other clinical outcomes more strongly than does mindfulness. Little research has focused on whether self-compassion is related to anger and aggression, and no studies have explored mechanisms of these associations. The current survey study explores whether angry rumination mediates the unique associations between self-compassion and anger and aggression, controlling for trait mindfulness. Two hundred and one undergraduates completed questionnaires assessing self-compassion, mindfulness, angry rumination, and recent anger and aggression. Supporting our hypotheses, angry rumination mediated the associations between self-compassion—particularly its over-identification subscale—and anger and aggression when controlling for mindfulness. Mindfulness did not predict angry rumination, recent anger, or aggression when controlling for self-compassion. Furthermore, multiple regression analyses predicting aggression-related variables indicated that angry rumination uniquely predicted over-identification, one of the six self-compassion subscales. These findings suggest that self-compassion, particularly a lack of cognitive and emotion fusion, may be a more proximal predictor of clinical outcomes than mindfulness. Implications for current conceptualizations and measures of mindfulness are discussed. Self-compassion may be useful for developing clinical interventions targeting anger and aggressive behavior.
The Relationship Among Change Fatigue, Resilience, and Job Satisfaction of Hospital Staff Nurses.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between change fatigue, resilience, and job satisfaction among novice and seasoned hospital staff nurses. BACKGROUND Health care is typified by change. Frequent and vast changes in acute care hospitals can take a toll on nurses and cause change fatigue, which has been largely overlooked and under-researched. DESIGN AND METHOD A descriptive correlational design was employed with 521 hospital staff nurses in one midwestern state. Participants completed three online surveys: (a) Change Fatigue Scale, (b) Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and (c) McCloskey/Mueller Satisfaction Scale. FINDINGS In a multiple regression model, job satisfaction had a statistically significant negative association with change fatigue (p < .001) and significant positive association with resilience (p < .001). A linear trend was found with hospital size (number of beds) and change fatigue (p = .001) and education level and resilience (p = .03). CONCLUSIONS The results are consistent with job satisfaction among hospital nursing staff being negatively influenced by change fatigue and positively influenced by resilience, although reverse causal connections are also possible. Change fatigue may be increased by larger hospital size (number of beds), and resilience may be increased by higher educational level of hospital staff nurses. CLINICAL RELEVANCE The study advanced the nursing knowledge on change fatigue, resilience, and job satisfaction of staff nurses working in acute care hospitals. Engaging in strategies aimed at preventing change fatigue in nursing staff can enhance workplace environments, job satisfaction, and retention of nurses.
Set-point optimization frameworks for leveraging passive thermal storage in buildings

Reducing the operating energy costs of commercial buildings is an important problem faced by the facility managers. Additionally, energy cost from heating-ventilation-air-conditioners (HVAC) is a significant fraction (often greater than 50%) of the overall operational cost of these buildings. In this paper, we propose a pre-cooling framework that uses a “gray box” thermal model of a building to compute the optimal set-point temperature schedules to minimize the operational cost of the HVACs. We also propose a technique which involves relaxing the non-linear constraint to improve the computational complexity of the optimization framework. This optimization framework is tested using data obtained from the building management system (BMS) of a commercial building in Australia. The optimal scheduling of the set-point temperatures results in peak power reduction by over 40% and energy bills by 25% to 30%. Furthermore, the relaxation of the non-linearity reduces the computation time approximately by a factor of 50 while resulting in only a negligible loss in optimality of about 2%. Reduction in computation time of the optimization increases its amenability to use this framework alongside existing BMS systems.
Chemical Laser F2 Flow Distribution Studies

A sensitive F2 absorption diagnostic, employing a HeCd laser operating on the 325 nm line, suitable for slit nozzle scanning was developed and applied to the measurement of an F2 boundary layer in an arc - heated CW HF chemical laser flow. The probe beam provided a 0.006-in. (0.15-mm) diameter spatial resolution over a 1 1/2-in. (3.81cm) slit nozzle path length. Intensity difference sensitivities of ΔI/Io=3×10−5 were obtained with this system. This detection sensitivity corresponds to a lower limit measurability of ∿15 milli Torr F2 at T ∿ 300 K over the 1 1/2-in. (3.81cm) path length. The F2 boundary layer profile was determined to be of exponential decay form with peak at the nozzle wall and of width ∿1/3 the viscous boundary layer as inferred from pitot pressure measurements. The F2 concentration profile was displaced inwardly and slightly compressed by the H2 slit injection at the nozzle exit plane, which penetration profile followed the relation \(\delta = 0.1\sqrt x \). Measurements made near, and also 1 1/2-in. (3.81cm) downstream of the nozzle exit plane, transverse to both flow and slit axis directions, indicated only ∿15 percent reduction in F2 flow concentration. The F2 profile apparently remains fairly intact in passing through the lasing zones. Application of this diagnostic method to an NF3 combustor laser flow operating in the stagnation temperature range (1000–1600 K) exhibited no measurable F2 concentration. Spectral analysis determined that a strong concentration of NF radicals was present in the nozzle flow. NF radical recombination with F(F2) to form NF2 or NF3, totally dominates over F2 formation from F atom recombination in the nozzle flow environment. Thus the strong presence of NF radicals in a flow can account for both the otherwise thoroughly anomalous absence of F2 molecules determined in this study and the reduced laser efficiency observed with NF3 combustor - driven chemical lasers typically operating at combustor temperatures T < 1600 K.
Trends in transmission, distribution, and administration costs for U.S. investor-owned electric utilities

Abstract This paper analyzes the cost of transmission, distribution, and administration for U.S. investor-owned electric utilities. We analyze data reported to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) from 1994 to 2014 using linear regression to understand how the number of customers in a utility's territory, annual peak demand, and annual energy sales affect annual TD&A spending. Then, we use Edison Electric Institute data for 1960 to 1992 to show trends in TD&A spending between 1960 and 2014. We find that the number of customers in a utility's territory is the single best predictor for annual TD&A costs. Between 1994 and 2014, the average cost per customer was $119/Customer-Year for transmission, $291/Customer-Year for distribution, and $333/Customer-Year for utility administration. Total TD&A costs per customer have been approximately $700–$800/Customer-Year since 1960, but the cost per kWh of energy sold was significantly higher in the 1960s because the average customer used less than half as much energy annually versus 2014. Thus, TD&A costs per kWh are likely to increase if kWh energy sales decline in the future unless cost recovery is transitioned to a mechanism not based solely on kWh sales.