cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The roles of natural organic matter in chemical and microbial reduction of ferric iron

Although natural organic matter (NOM) is known to be redox reactive, the roles and effectiveness of specific functional groups of NOM in metal reduction are still a subject of intense investigation. This study entails the investigation of the Fe(III) reduction kinetics and capacity by three fractionated NOM subcomponents in the presence or absence of the dissimilatory metal reducing bacterium Shewanella putrefaciens CN32. Results indicate that NOM was able to reduce Fe(III) abiotically; the reduction was pH-dependent and varied greatly with different fractions of NOM. The polyphenolic-rich NOM-PP fraction exhibited the highest reactivity and oxidation capacity at a low pH ( 4, soil HA showed a relatively high oxidation capacity, probably resulting from its conformational and solubility changes with an increased solution pH. In the presence of S. putrefaciens CN32, all NOM fractions were found to enhance the microbial reduction of Fe(III) under anaerobic, circumneutral pH conditions. Soil HA was found to be particularly effective in mediating the bioreduction of Fe(III) as compared with the NOM-PP or NOM-CH fractions. NOM-CH was the least effective because it was depleted in both aromatic and polyphenolic organic contents. However, because both soil HA and NOM-PP contain relatively high amounts of aromatic and phenolic compounds, results may indicate that low-molecular-weight polyphenolic organics in NOM-PP were less effective in mediating the bioreduction of Fe(III) at circumneutral pH than the high-molecular-weight polycondensed, conjugated aromatics present in soil HA. These research findings may shed additional light in understanding of the roles and underlying mechanisms of NOM reactions with contaminant metals, radionuclides, and other toxic chemicals in the natural environment.
Space research and Spartan

For a number of years, space research has been primarily conducted with sounding rockets and orbiting satellites. The use of satellites has disadvantages related to cost and the long lead time from design to launch, while a drawback in the case of sounding rockets is the short flight time of only a few minutes. The development of the Shuttle led to the proposal to employ for space research an autonomous free-flying payload deployed and recovered by the Shuttle. The proposed payload, called SPEAR (Small Payload Ejection and Recovery), looked very much like a rocket payload. Subsequently, the payload developed into a more compact form, and its name became Spartan-1. Attention is given to the demands of space research, the Spartan-1 payload, the payload functional control system, the thermal control system, the Spartan-1 mission, and the future of Spartan.
Analysis of the 13–14 July Gulf Surge Event during the 2004 North American Monsoon Experiment

Abstract Gulf surges are disturbances that move northward along the Gulf of California (GOC), frequently advecting cool, moist air from the GOC or eastern tropical Pacific Ocean into the deserts of the southwest United States and northwest Mexico during the North American Monsoon (NAM). Little attention has been given to the dynamics of these disturbances because of the lack of reliable high-resolution data across the NAM region. High temporal and spatial observations collected during the 2004 North American Monsoon Experiment are used to investigate the structure and dynamical mechanisms of a significant gulf surge on 13–14 July 2004. Integrated Sounding Systems deployed along the east coast of the GOC and an enhanced network of rawinsonde sites across the NAM region are used in this study. Observations show that the 13–14 July gulf surge occurred in two primary stages. The first stage was preceded by anomalous low-level warming along the northern GOC on 13 July. Sharp cooling, moistening, and increased ...
Role of Education in Production: A Slightly New Approach

The allocative hypothesis that schooling makes people more productive stresses the effect of information on decision making and the benefits of education for decoding information. A developing agricultural field is used to test an extension of the theory - that schooling lowers the costs of acquiring relevant information and raises the benefits derived from the information. The payoff of schooling differs in the analysis for farm operators and hired laborers, raising questions about the lack of an allocative role for much of the agricultural work force and suggesting that a policy of broader land ownership might benefit the schooling for many of these workers. 10 references. (DCK)
Failure of oxethazaine to alter acid-induced esophageal pain.

Fifty patients with positive responses to acid perfusion tests were studied to determine the effectiveness of oxethazaine, a topical anesthetic, in preventing acid-induced esophageal pain. Oxethazaine was tested in concentrations ranging from 0.2% to 2.4% and acid-induced esophageal pain was not altered in 48 of 50 patients studied.
Serine-selective membrane probe based on immobilized anaerobic bacteria and a potentiometric ammonia gas sensor

Abstract A new class of bioselective membrane probes using anaerobic bacteria is introduced with the successful construction of a L-serine-selective probe consisting of Clostridium acidiurici cells coupled to a potentiometric ammonia gas sensor. The intact cells containing the enzyme serine dehydratase are physically immobilized at the electrode surface in conjunction with iron(II) stearate, which is shown to enhance response characteristics. The potential vs. log concentration plot is linear from 1.6 × 10-2 to 1.8 × 10-4M serine with an average slope of 54 mV/decade and response times of 3–5 min. Optimal behavior of the probe is retained even in non-deaerated media for at least three days, and significant interference is posed only by L-glutamine. Quantitative conversion of serine is demonstrated over the linear concentration range, suggesting possible analytical or clinical applications for these probes utilizing anaerobic bacteria
RELATIONSHIP OF DISTORTION IN SELF-REPORTS OF GRADES AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES TO THE CROWNE-MARLOWE MEASURE OF APPROVAL MOTIVE

Summary.-Among some 150 young men, the Crowne-Marlowe scale of need for social approval correlated positively with the amount of distortion (in a socially desirable direction) in self-reports of grades and extracurricular activities. However, this relationship held only among those for whom these events were not so recent and who could reasonably believe that their reports' accuraq would not be checked. For these same individuals, rwo measures of fear of failure were also positively related to the amount of distortion in reports of grades. Crowne and Marlowe (1964) describe their scale as measuring the tendency to avoid self-criticism and "to choose self-evaluative statements which summatively portray a stereotypically acceptable self-image." Individuals scoring high on need for approval are characterized by the authors as lacking adequate self-esteem and as describing themselves in socially desirable ways in order to gain approval from others. But the determination of the extent of the distortion in a socially desirable direction usually requires a comparison of objective and self-report accounts given on the same scale. In most cases, the dimensions of self-description involve traits or affective states for which objective measures are not easy to obtain and distortion cannot be measured, thus hampering the acclimulation of evidence regarding the construct validity of the Crowne-Marlowe scale. During the course of an investigation of the biochemical correlates of achievement behavior and motivation (Kasl, Brooks, & Rodgers, 1970), information on grade point average and extracurricular activities of male high schooI students was collected both from school records (objective data) and from a questionnaire on which the students indicated their grade point average and listed the extracurricular activities in which they participated (self-report). Membership in all athletic and non-athletic activities officially recognized, sponsored, and supervised by the schools were counted in the measure of "extracurricular activities." In this way, a direct comp~ltation of amount of distortion was possible because both objective and self-report data along the same dimension were available. Moreover, within the high school setting, it is safe to assume that good grades and participation in activities are socially desirable accomplishments (even though to individual students they may not be personally desirable).
An experimental study of steady-state multiplicity features of two parallel catalytic reactions

Abstract A study of the multiplicity features of a single catalytic pellet on which either ethane, carbon monoxide or both reactants were oxidized revealed several new features such as: four different stable states during the co-oxidation of both reactants and three states during the oxidation of carbon monoxide. Very intricate bifurcation diagrams, which describe the dependence of a state variable on an operating condition, were found. It was shown that the experimental finding of a cross-section of the bifurcation set is the rational approach of studying the multiplicity features of systems characterized by a large number of parameters and for which no exact mathematical model is available. Recent theoretical results provide useful guidance in selecting the operating conditions so that all the possible multiplicity features are found. These theoretical results may be used to place constraints on the functional form of any proposed reaction rate expression.
Abnormally high nourishment during sensitive periods results in body weight changes across generations.

Objective: This study asked whether a brief period of over-nutrition during a developmentally sensitive time could impact the individual's adult weight and that of succeeding generations. Research Methods and Procedures: Female rat pups (F1 generation) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: (1) a control group that was naturally reared by mothers; (2) another control group implanted with chronic gastric fistulas on postnatal day 4 and fed enough formula to match the growth of the mother-reared group; and (3) an experimental group gastrostomized and infused from day 8 through day 16 with a greater quantity of food than gastrostomy-reared controls (OF). On postnatal day 16, both gastrostomy-reared groups were returned to normal litters. Adult F1 females from overfed and mother-reared groups were bred with normal males to yield an F2 generation. F2 adult females were bred to normal males to produce an F3 generation. Results: When adult, the F1 experimental group was heavier than control groups. F2 adults from OF mothers were smaller than those from the control group. F3 animals from OF grandmothers were heavier at weaning than F3 descendants from mother-reared animals. Discussion: Excess nourishment during a developmentally sensitive period changed the metabolic phenotype of one generation so dramatically that the gestational development and subsequent phenotype of two succeeding generations were also changed. The experiment models fetal effects of gestational diabetes in humans and may help to elucidate how, independent of genetic anomalies, secular changes can be detected across generations.
Differences in antiwrithing activity of morphine and nalorphine over time and in slopes of the dose-response lines

Writhing was produced in mice by injecting them intraperitoneally with phenylquinone either 10 or 20 min before the start of scoring. The activity of two antiwrithing agents was compared: morphine and nalorphine at doses of 0.5 and 2.0 mg/kg injected subcutaneously 10, 20, or 40 min before scoring. Analyses of both quantal and graded data indicated that the antiwrithing activity of nalorphine decreased faster than that of morphine over time and that the slopes of the dose-response lines for nalorphine were flatter than those for morphine.
Centrifugation attenuates the fluid shear response of circulating leukocytes

Human leukocytes retract pseudopods in response to physiological fluid shear, a phenomenon that serves to keep circulating leukocytes in a spherical state. We show here that leukocyte fluid shear response is attenuated irreversibly by centrifugation. Inhibition of shear response depends on duration and magnitude of acceleration during centrifugation and time duration after centrifugation. Even after low-speed centrifugation, leukocytes no longer retract pseudopods during shear application. After centrifugation at higher acceleration, leukocytes project pseudopods instead of retracting during shear application, which can be suppressed by a calcium channel blocker. We examined the role of fluid shear response in vivo by reintroduction of centrifuged cells into the rat circulation. Centrifuged leukocytes have a significantly enhanced tendency to migrate into tissue. These observations indicate that centrifugation may irreversibly damage the fluid shear response of leukocytes. It causes an impaired leukocyte behavior after reintroduction into the circulation, suggesting that shear response is a requirement for normal passage of leukocytes through the microcirculation.
Degenerate Hopf bifurcations in power systems

The occurrence of degenerate Hopf bifurcations in power systems is considered and this phenomenon is explored analytically using the Lyapunov-Schmidt reduction method and by simulation. A qualitative method that uses system trajectory data to classify the type of degenerate Hopf bifurcation is proposed. >
Embedded Algorithms Within an FPGA to Classify Nonlinear Single-Degree-of-Freedom Systems

This study is a significant advancement of this team's proof-of-concept study on using field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) in wireless sensing for structural health monitoring. Compared with traditional microprocessor-based systems, fast growing FPGA technology offers a more powerful, efficient, and flexible hardware platform. An effort is presented herein to embed algorithms to process nonlinear time series by entirely using an FPGA, while an ongoing effort is to pursue the development of an FPGA and microprocessor co-design for a more extended and robust version of this study. The Hilbert transform (HT) and a backbone curve technique are the centerpiece to extract instantaneous characteristics of a displacement time history from a under free vibration. Critical design issues are carefully considered including required approximation accuracy, constraints imposed by limited hardware resources, timing in the execution of the hardware design, and data representations in a fixed-point design environment. An automation of the classification of three basic types of SDOF systems (including linear, hardening and softening) are implemented for wireless transmission of processed results. An off-the-shelf high-level abstraction tool along with the MATLAB/Simulink environment is utilized to program the FPGA, rather than coding the hardware description language (HDL) manually. Extensive validation using simulated data is conducted for every step/stage of the design as well as major built-in functions adopted from the hardware design tool. The contribution of this study includes (1) enabling the functionality of a full hardware design for an enhanced computational efficiency in wireless structural health monitoring and (2) achieving balance between computational efficiency and resource utilization for onboard data processing especially when non-high-end FPGA products are targeted for practical consideration in structural health monitoring.
The market orientation–performance relationship in the context of a developing economy: An empirical analysis

Abstract The buyer market conditions that emerged in India following its decision to liberalize the economy in 1991 provided the setting for studying the effect of market orientation on organizational performance. Results from a sample of 162 manufacturing and service firms provided support for a strong positive relationship between market orientation and growth in overall revenue, return on capital, success of new products and services, ability to retain customers, and success in controlling operating expenses. The study found that competitive hostility, suppliers' power, and market turbulence did not moderate the market orientation–performance relationship.
A projection-based semi-blind channel estimation for long-code WCDMA

The third generation (3G) wireless systems such as Wideband CDMA(WCDMA) employ coherent detection where pilot symbols for channel estimation are transmitted simultaneously with data using orthogonal channelization codes. The orthogonality of codes, unfortunately, is lost easily due to multipath delays. Furthermore, the use of long scrambling code introduces time variation in channel model. In this paper, based on the projection of time-varying subspaces, we present a semi-blind channel estimation technique for long code CDMA systems that use code division multiplexed pilot symbols.
Toughening of a Cordierite Glass–Ceramic by Compressive Surface Layers

An indentation fracture mechanics analysis is developed to characterize the toughening effects of a compressive surface layer in brittle materials. The analysis is used to describe the enhanced toughness of cordierite glass-ceramic laminate composites, in which thermal-expansion mismatch effects induced uniform stress in the exterior layers of the symmetric exterior:interior:exterior structures. Interpretation of indentation crack length and inert strength tests via the analysis shows that cracks can be viewed as experiencing discrete regions of decreasing stabilization on propagation from small cracks and complete containment within the compressive layer to large cracks and partial extension into the compensating tensile interior. The observations are described using a stress-intensity factor for circular cracks in linear stress fields that includes different base and surface values for extended cracks. Deconvolution of inert strength data for the model cordierite system studied suggested an increase in toughness from 1.4 MPa.m 1/2 for the base material to a peak of about 5 MPa.m 1/2 for a 1:18:1 composite structure, with attendant increases in strength and flaw tolerance.
Beheaded west-flowing drainages in the Lake Tahoe region, northern Sierra Nevada: implications for timing and rates of normal faulting, landscape evolution and mechanism of Sierran uplift

Beheaded west-flowing drainages are identified in the northern Sierra Nevada west and north of the Lake Tahoe Basin. These include the canyons of the modern South Fork American River, the Rubicon River, the South Yuba River and their tributaries. These drainages were beheaded, east-side-down displacements along faults of the Tahoe-Sierra frontal fault zone as Cenozoic normal faults encroached into the Sierra Nevada block about 2.5–3 Ma. Most major Sierran passes in this region are wind gaps or water gaps formed by beheading, and include Carson Pass, Echo Summit, Aloha Pass, Velma Lakes Pass, Miller Creek Pass, Five Lakes Pass, Donner Pass and Euers Saddle. The Carson Range represents a remnant of the former Sierran crestal region, and may have formerly attained elevations between 3.6 and 4 km. Possible remnants of the beheaded west-flowing Sierran drainages occur as major passes in the Carson Range and include passes at Big Meadows, Luther Pass, Armstrong Pass, Star Pass, Daggett Pass, Spooner Summit and ...
Aurora A is a negative prognostic factor and a new therapeutic target in human neuroblastoma.

We studied expression of the Aurora A gene and its clinical significance in a cohort of neuroblastoma patients. In addition, we investigated the antitumor activity of MLN8054, a novel small-molecule inhibitor of Aurora A kinase, on cultured NB cell lines in vitro. Aurora A mRNA expression was assessed by quantitative real-time PCR in tumor tissue specimens from 67 patients at diagnosis and in 9 human neuroblastoma cell lines. Western blot assays for Aurora A protein were done on tumor tissue of 53 patients. The results were correlated with various prognostic factors of neuroblastoma. Aurora A mRNA and protein expression were identified in 9 of 9 neuroblastoma cell lines. Overexpression of Aurora A mRNA in neuroblastoma tumor tissue is associated with high risk (P = 0.019), high-stage (International Neuroblastoma Staging System III and IV) tumors (P = 0.007), unfavorable histology (P = 0.007), MYCN amplification (P = 0.017), disease relapse (P = 0.019), and decreased progressionfree survival (P < 0.0001) but not correlated with the age at diagnosis (P = 0.877). Similarly, Aurora A protein expression also significantly correlated with high risk (P = 0.011), high stage (P = 0.0028), unfavorable histology (P = 0.0006), MYCN amplification (P = 0.0029), and disease relapse (P = 0.044). Small interfering RNA– mediated knockdown of the endogenous Aurora A gene causes a proliferation defect and enhances chemosensitivity in human neuroblastoma cell lines. In support of these observations, the Aurora A kinase inhibitor, MLN8054, markedly inhibited growth of cultured neuroblastoma cell lines through an apoptosis-dependent pathway. Overexpression of Aurora A is associated with disease progression in neuroblastoma. Inhibition of this kinase is a promising modality for neuroblastoma treatment. [Mol Cancer Ther 2009;8(8):2461–9]
MicroRNA alterations in Barrett's esophagus, esophageal adenocarcinoma, and esophageal adenocarcinoma cell lines following cranberry extract treatment: Insights for chemoprevention.

Background: Aberrant expression of small noncoding endogenous RNA molecules known as microRNAs (miRNAs) is documented to occur in multiple cancer types including esophageal adencarcinoma (EAC) and its only known precursor, Barrett's esophagus (BE). Recent studies have linked dysregulation of specific miRNAs to histological grade, neoplastic progression and metastatic potential.
Storage and transplantation of bone marrow in the treatment of malignant diseases.

The development of special methods of bone marrow transplantation, coupled with new knowledge in the area of donor-recipient selection and the suppression of the secondary diseases, has generated renewed interest in allografting of bone marrow for a variety of diseases. The interest in marrow allotransplantation has overshadowed previously existing interest in autotransplantation despite the fact that autotransplantation has not met with serious side effects, such as GVH and secondary diseases. Sufficient evidence demonstrating the reliability of methods of short-term and long-term storage of human bone marrow has now been accumulated. It can be anticipated that reinfusion of bone marrow stored by these methods will result in uniform hematopoetic recovery of bone marrow suppressed by irradiation or chemotherapeutic agents. In cases of malignant diseases in anticipation of future needs, disease-free marrow can be collected before the malignant process becomes generalized. Since bone marrow is best obtained under general anesthesia, routine bone marrow collection and storage from patients undergoing surgery for specific malignancies is suggested.
An Electronic Health Record Content Protection System Using SmartCard and PMR

In order to comply with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Healthcare IT managers are faced with growing need to protect access and use of patient's private information and to maintain its access-trail. Recent reports [2, 12, and 14] show that deployed medical records administrative systems are failing to protect patient's electronic health records (EHR). Major deficiencies of EHR management system used today are inconsistencies and interoperability in security systems. This paper presents a patient-centric content protection system that is based on temper-resistant hardware and widely adopted security protocols for identification, EHR encryption, and communication. High availability and interoperability of EHR content protection system is achieved with the use of a specially designed device called Personalized Media Recordertrade (PMR).
Evaluation of the particle immunofiltration anti-platelet factor 4 rapid assay in MICU patients with thrombocytopenia

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a life-threatening and limb-threatening, immune-mediated, prothrombotic disease resulting from an interaction between heparin and platelet factor 4 (PF4). Due to the many causes of thrombocytopenia in critically ill patients, the diagnosis of HIT is difficult, requiring both a high clinical suspicion and confirmatory testing. The ELISA test is the most commonly performed method to detect anti-PF4 antibodies; however, the ELISA results generally take one or more days to report. The particle immunofiltration assay (PIFA) test has the advantage of being done rapidly; with results generally available within 1 hour.
Bentonites — Clays for Molecular Engineering

Smectites are the main components of bentonites; their characteristics define the remarkable range for their uses in industry and technology. Their application depends on their fundamental properties, namely, their atomic structure with a rather flexible crystal lattice, their variable chemical composition, their particle size, and their morphology. The interlayer region of smectites is a favorable target for molecular engineering to design organic and inorganic hybrid materials, including smectite-polymer nanocomposites and pillared complexes of smectite-metal oxides.
Clinical, Radiographic, and Genetic Evaluation of a Novel Form of Autosomal-dominant Oligodontia

A frameshift mutation recently identified within the paired domain of the transcription factor, PAX9, has been linked to a unique form of oligodontia in a single, multigenerational family (Stockton et al., 2000). We now describe the phenotypic and segregation analyses of this remarkable kindred, the initial approach taken to identify a candidate gene involved in this form of oligodontia, and the power of this single-family pedigree to generate significant linkage in a genome search. Of the 43 family members enrolled in this study, 21 individuals were affected with several congenitally missing permanent teeth. The pattern of inheritance of the oligodontia trait suggested the involvement of a single gene bearing a dominant mutation. To various degrees, affected members lacked permanent first, second, and third molars in all four quadrants. Several individuals with missing molars also lacked second premolars- most commonly, maxillary second premolars and mandibular central incisors. To the best of our knowledge, this pattern of non-syndromic, familial tooth agenesis has not been previously described in the literature. Since a missense mutation in the homeobox gene, MSX1, was previously linked to tooth agenesis in a single family lacking second premolars and third molars, we performed a mutational analysis of MSX1 by PCR. The absence of a mutation in exons 1 and 2 of MSX1 suggested that allelic mutations in the coding region of MSX1 are not associated with this phenotypically distinct form of oligodontia. Computer simulation of linkage analysis further proved that this pedigree alone was sufficient to generate a significant result for a total genome scan.
A Sociological Theory of Scientific Change

In current science studies, there are only few systematic effort at explaining how different scientific specialties change over time. Such specialties are viewed here as organizations in which workers deal with various degrees of task uncertainty and mutuel dependence. The sociological theory of change suggests that scientific change is generally triggered by competition, but various types of change depend on the social organization and status of scientific groups. Some fields change through permanent discoveries, some through specialization and cumulation, yet others change through cognitive fragmentation.
The Confounding Issue of Comorbid Renal Insufficiency

The United States is currently beleaguered by twin epidemics, heart failure (HF) and renal insufficiency (RI). HF and RI frequently coexist in the same patient, and this conjunction, often called the "cardiorenal syndrome," has important therapeutic and prognostic implications. Approximately 60% to 80% of patients hospitalized for HF have at least stage III renal dysfunction as defined by the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), and this comorbid RI is associated with significantly increased morbidity and mortality risk. Numerous studies have demonstrated that in patients with HF, indices of renal function are the most powerful independent mortality risk predictors. Comorbid RI can result from both intrinsic renal disease and inadequate renal perfusion. Atherosclerosis, renal vascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension are significant precursors of both HF and RI. Moreover, diminished renal perfusion is frequently a consequence of the hemodynamic changes associated with HF and its treatment. Both HF and RI stimulate neurohormonal activation, increasing both preload and afterload and reducing cardiac output. Inotropic agents augment this neurohormonal activation. In addition, diuretics can produce hypovolemia and intravenous vasodilators can cause hypotension, further diminishing renal perfusion. Management of these patients requires successfully negotiating the delicate balance between adequate volume reduction and worsening renal function. Despite this, few evidence-based data are available to guide management decisions, indicating a compelling need for additional studies in this patient population.
Disruption of odour quality coding in piriform cortex mediates olfactory deficits in Alzheimer’s disease

Patients with early-stage Alzheimer's disease exhibit perceptual deficits in odour identification, often before the appearance of overt memory loss. This impairment coincides with the initial accumulation of pathological lesions in limbic olfactory brain regions. Although these data imply that odour stimuli may be effectively used as biological probes of limbic dysfunction, the precise neural mechanisms underlying the olfactory deficits in early Alzheimer's disease remain poorly understood. In the current study, we combined functional magnetic resonance imaging with an olfactory cross-adaptation paradigm to test the hypothesis that perceptual codes of odour quality in posterior piriform cortex are degraded in patients with Alzheimer's disease. In elderly control subjects, sequential presentation of qualitatively similar (versus qualitatively different) odourant pairs elicited cross-adapting responses in posterior piriform cortex, in accord with the pattern observed in healthy young adults. However, this profile was significantly blunted in patients with Alzheimer's disease, reflecting a functional disruption of odour quality coding in this olfactory brain area. These results highlight the potential of olfactory functional magnetic resonance imaging as a non-invasive bioassay of limbic functional integrity, and suggest that such an index could possibly aid in the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Furthermore, as a putative lesion model of odour quality processing in the human brain, our study suggests a causal role of posterior piriform cortex in differentiating olfactory objects.
On a Relationship between Bayesian Decision and Estimation

This paper presents several new results that give more insight on a general relationship between optimal Bayesian decision and estimation. For a standard signal classification problem the maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) decision is decomposed as a cascade of the continuous-valued minimum mean square error (MMSE) estimator (of an appropriately defined vector indicator) and a vector quantization operator for the obtained estimate. An explicit geometric characterization of this vector quantization operator is obtained. Furthermore, it is shown that the same quantization operator can be also implemented through nearest-neighbor quantization with an appropriately chosen vector norm.
Microwave Detection of Machined Notches in Stainless Steel with Rough Surface

Microwave near-field techniques, employing open-ended rectangular waveguide probes, have shown great potential for detecting tight surface cracks in metals as well as estimating their dimensions. However, the utility of these techniques has yet to be examined when detecting cracks in rough surfaces. In this paper, the results of using these probes, at different microwave frequencies, when detecting several machined notches in a steel specimen with a rough surface are presented.
Concise Review: Breast Cancer Stem Cells: Regulatory Networks, Stem Cell Niches, and Disease Relevance

Accumulating evidence has shown that cancer stem cells (CSCs), the cancer cells that have long-term proliferative potential and the ability to regenerate tumors with phenotypically heterogeneous cell types, are important mediators of tumor metastasis and cancer relapse. In breast cancer, these cells often possess attributes of cells that have undergone an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Signaling networks mediated by microRNAs and EMT-inducing transcription factors connect the EMT program with the core stem cell regulatory machineries. These signaling networks are also regulated by extrinsic niche signals that induce and maintain CSCs, contributing to metastatic colonization and promoting the reactivation of dormant tumor cells. Targeting these CSC pathways is likely to improve the efficacy of conventional chemo- and radiotherapies.
Chronically time-in or intermittently time-out? Differentiating time-out from a shortage of opportunities

Males that provide parental care may lose opportunities to acquire extrapair mates or secondary social mates. These opportunity costs can be estimated as the product of (1) the degree to which a male's participation in care makes him unready for mating (i.e. represents ‘time-out’ from the mating pool) and (2) the availability of potential mating partners. One stage of parenting may therefore be more costly than another because it depresses a male's probability of capitalizing on any given mating opportunity, and/or because it occurs when alternative mating opportunities are more abundant. To determine whether male parental care limits extrapair mating in house sparrows, Passer domesticus, we tracked changes in male extrapair mating success across stages of their nesting cycles. We then assessed whether periods of reduced extrapair mating by males coincided with a scarcity of fertilizable females, or whether certain activities placed males in time-out. We found that the number of potential extrapair mates was significantly higher on days when a male's social mate was fertile than during incubation or nestling provisioning; breeding synchrony consequently reduces the realized opportunity costs of male parenting. Nevertheless, males with nestlings to feed suffered greater opportunity costs than might be expected because of their relative inefficiency at obtaining extrapair matings with potentially available females. During the incubation stage, by contrast, the males' probability of extrapair mating per fertile female averaged four times higher. Thus, nestling provisioning apparently places males in a partial time-out, but male incubation does not. Males may be more fully engaged in the extrapair mating pool during incubation because they typically devote little time to this form of care and, when confronted with an increase in the abundance of extrapair mating prospects, they reduce the time they commit to incubation.
Vitamin D and cardiovascular risk: hype or new hope?

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. The discovery of new risk factors and preventive measures for CVD is of major importance. Vitamin D receptors now are known to exist in heart and vascular tissue as well as bone, connective tissue, and many other tissues and organs, where they regulate the expression of multiple genes. Low or deficient levels of vitamin D are common among subjects at risk for and patients with established cardiovascular diseases. Importantly, vitamin D deficiency now has been associated in multiple populations with cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, obesity, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, heart failure, renal failure, and cardiovascular death. Multiple mechanisms relating vitamin D deficiency and CVD have been proposed, including secondary hyperparathyroidism. Studies to date supporting a role for vitamin D replacement to reduce CV risk are promising but limited and mostly observational, and not all recent evidence has been supportive of either CVD associations or benefits of vitamin D supplementation. Hence, randomized trials, such as VITAL, now underway, will be needed to firmly establish in whom and how to supplement vitamin D to improve CV health and reduce risk. A ‘U’ shaped association for vitamin D and health outcomes has been suggested, but both the lower and upper boundary of the optimal range for 25(OH)D levels for CV health remain controversial. The US Institute of Medicine report suggests a range 20–50 ng/ml as adequate and safe, but additional evidence is needed specific to CV health. Pending additional clinical trials evidence, both an empiric approach to lifestyle and supplementation or selected screening and treating to target may be considered. In conclusion, vitamin D deficiency has been shown to be associated with CV risk and disease, but more robust evidence is needed to conclusively demonstrate that vitamin D supplementation can play a major role in preventing or treating CVD.
An Inherited Defect in Aldosterone Biosynthesis Caused by a Mutation in or near the Gene for Steroid 11-Hydroxylase

The final step in aldosterone biosynthesis, an oxidation at position 18 of 18-hydroxycorticosterone, is catalyzed by an enzymatic activity termed corticosterone methyl oxidase II (CMO II). This activity is mediated in vitro by P450c11 (steroid 11-hydroxylase), a cytochrome P-450 enzyme that also catalyzes the preceding two steps of 11-hydroxylation and 18-hydroxylation. CMO II deficiency, an inherited defect in the 18-oxidation step, impairs aldosterone biosynthesis and thus leads to a clinical syndrome of salt wasting. To test the hypothesis that CMO II deficiency results from a mutation affecting the structural gene for P450c11, we examined 11 affected and 21 unaffected members of six families with this disorder. After DNA samples were digested with the restriction endonuclease MspI (thereby cutting the DNA at specific sites) and hybridized with a P450c11 DNA probe, a unique DNA fragment in the P450c11 structural gene was detected in subjects with the deficiency. The DNA fragment and the disease trait were inherited together in each family, demonstrating that CMO II deficiency is caused by a mutation in or very near the structural gene for P450c11 on chromosome 8. We conclude that the metabolic diseases of CMO II and 11-hydroxylase deficiency, which have distinct clinical symptoms, may be caused by different mutations in the single gene for a multifunctional enzyme.
Scheduling Algorithms for the Unbalanced Production Line: An Analysis and Comparison

Abstract This paper presents an analysis and comparison of scheduling algorithms for the unbalanced production line. A new heuristic algorithm is presented accompanied by an index for classifying the configuration of a production line. A factorial experiment was conducted in order to determine those factors which were significant with respect to the performance measure under consideration, the average cost of holding in-process inventory. Additional analyses were then performed on the line factors and scheduling algorithms with appropriate conclusions drawn. The best performing algorithm was then compared to the performance of Single Period integer programming over a multiple time frame. The heuristic algorithm was found to yield better average performance than the integer programming solution, although the differences were not statistically significant. Recommendations concerning the implementation of the heuristic algorithm are provided.
Nutritional monitoring in the ICU: rational and practical application.

tritional monitoring in the ICU has two components: monitoring the status of the lean body mass (i.e., the presence and severity of malnutrition) and monitoring the nutritional response to the nutrition/metabolic support used. An understanding of the rationale underlying these phenomenon and the treatment and monitoring regimens necessitates a discussion of the effects of starvation and of the metabolic response on the lean body mass and its distribution (i.e., on the body nitrogen economy).
Dynamic Analysis of a Novel Geared Infinitely Variable Transmission

A novel geared infinitely variable transmission (IVT) that can generate a continuous output-to-input speed ratio from zero to a certain value is studied for vehicle and wind turbine applications. The principle of changing the output-to-input speed ratio is to use a crank-slider mechanism; the output-to-input speed ratio is controlled by adjusting the crank length. Since the crank-slider mechanism can lead to relatively large variation of the output-to-input speed ratio in one rotation of the crank, the instantaneous input and output speeds and accelerations have variations and the corresponding forces exerted on each part of the IVT can have obvious changes in one rotation of the crank. Since forces on some parts of the IVT are critical and can cause failure of the IVT, a dynamic analysis of the IVT is necessary to simulate the input and output speeds and accelerations. A method that combines Lagrangian dynamics and Newtonian dynamics is developed in this work to analyze the motion of the IVT. The dynamic analysis results can be used to evaluate the design of the IVT.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
A computational framework for next-generation inspection imaging

Civil inspection images are notoriously difficult to interpret for those who were not present during an inspection, and so they have historically had limited value in ongoing condition monitoring applications. Within the last decade the advent of inexpensive digital imaging has compounded this problem by making it possible and common to capture and report numerous images, creating information overload that can easily overwhelm engineers and structure owners. More recently, developments in electronics manufacturing and robotics have made automated structural inspection an emergent technology for civil engineers, which inevitably is leading to even more digital image data that must be handled. This dissertation presents a systematic approach to capturing, processing, and representing inspection image data such that the inherent value of these increasingly large data sets can be realized. Using a data pipeline combining automated image capture, contextualized 3D visualization, and robust computational imaging and regression techniques, the goal is to allow engineers to view inspection images in their 3D spatial context, while aiding them through enhanced damage detection routines, all while helping to minimize field inspection disruptions through the use of robotic imaging. In the development of this pipeline and an associated prototype implementation, several key challenges have been addressed: (i) automated systems capable of comprehensive field imaging; (ii) 3D reconstruction algorithms which provide accurate, photorealistic image interpretations; (iii) robust computer vision algorithms suitable for field applications; and (iv) nonlinear regression models which correlate the relationships between extracted image information and structural performance. The results of prototype testing show that, given due consideration to the inherently large data sets that robots produce, systematic imaging can enable entirely new ways of visualizing and interacting with inspection information.
Mechanical ventilation in acute respiratory distress syndrome at ATS 2016: the search for a patient-specific strategy

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) was first defined by Ashbaugh et al . in 1967 (1). They described 12 patients who developed the acute onset of hypoxemic respiratory failure, diffuse bilateral alveolar infiltrates, and low respiratory system compliance brought on by a variety of different insults. Decades of dedicated research have followed this initial description, yet ARDS remains a common critical illness with an exceptionally high mortality rate of 35–46% (2). At the 2016 American Thoracic Society (ATS) International Meeting, Dr. Brian Kavanagh, a Professor of Anesthesia from the University of Toronto, delivered a highly popular keynote speech addressing the role professional societies play in promoting universal management guidelines. He made several important points about the challenges and possible downsides to this strategy. This article reviews the potential for a more patient-specific approach to ARDS care based on presentations at the ATS meeting and the recent literature.
Routine intravascular ultrasound guidance of percutaneous coronary intervention: A critical reappraisal

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) has played an integral role in the evolution of interventional cardiology. However, routine IVUS guidance of coronary stent implantation is not supported by a critical reappraisal of the available evidence. Although there is a trend toward a benefit with respect to target lumen revascularization favoring IVUS-guided coronary stent implantation, it is likely that this effect is driven by improved outcomes in small vessels, long coronary stenoses, and possibly saphenous vein graft interventions. No consistent trend in the incidence of death or myocardial infarction is apparent. Furthermore, the safety, efficacy, and effectiveness of IVUS should be taken into account when considering the goals, risks, benefits, and alternatives to such a treatment strategy.
Nontraumatic Vertebral Collapse

Nontraumatic vertebral collapse or compression fractures refer to acute body vertebral fractures caused by osteoporosis or metastatic infiltration. Benign osteoporotic and malignant fractures are commonly encountered without a corresponding history of an acute traumatic episode. In some cases of vertebral collapse, it is difficult to differentiate between benign and malignant etiologies. The aim of this chapter is to discuss the specific findings of each fracture type which help to differentiate them.
Coffee: The Leading Export Sector

Much of the argument in Chapter 3 was concerned with accelerating accumulation and growth in the non-export agricultural sector. In this chapter we shall focus on the problems of coffee, Ethiopia’s most important export crop. In addition to earning more than half the country’s foreign exchange, coffee is estimated to contribute to the income of 25 per cent of Ethiopia’s population, either directly through production or indirectly by employment generated by its processing, transporting and marketing. The value of the coffee sector’s output accounts for approximately six per cent of the GDP at current prices, and taxes on coffee are the largest single source of government revenue, amounting in 1978 to 250 million birr or 30 per cent of central government receipts. Finally, coffee is also an important consumer good. It is drunk by almost all Ethiopians and domestic demand accounts for about half of total output.