cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Correlation-based reconstruction of a 3D object from a single freehand sketch

We propose a new approach for reconstructing a three-dimensional object from a single two-dimensional freehand line drawing depicting it. A sketch is essentially a noisy projection of a 3D object onto an arbitrary 2D plane. Reconstruction is the inverse projection of the sketched geometry from two dimensions back into three dimensions. While humans can do this reverse-projection remarkably easily and almost without being aware of it, this process is mathematically indeterminate and is very difficult to emulate computationally. Here we propose that the ability of humans to perceive a previously unseen 3D object from a single sketch is based on simple 2D-3D geometrical correlations that are learned from visual experience. We demonstrate how a simple correlation system that is exposed to many object-sketch pairs eventually learns to perform the inverse projection successfully for unseen objects. Conversely, we show how the same correlation data can be used to gauge the understandability of synthetically generated projections of given 3D objects. Using these principles we demonstrate for the first time a completely automatic conversion of a single freehand sketch into a physical solid object. These results have implications for bidirectional human-computer communication of 3D graphic concepts, and might also shed light on the human visual system.
Activation of ERK1/2 by Store-Operated Calcium Entry in Rat Parotid Acinar Cells

The regulation of intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) plays a critical role in a variety of cellular processes, including transcription, protein activation, vesicle trafficking, and ion movement across epithelial cells. In many cells, the activation of phospholipase C-coupled receptors hydrolyzes membrane phosphoinositides and produces the depletion of endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ stores, followed by the sustained elevation of [Ca2+]i from Ca2+ entry across the plasma membrane via store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE). Ca2+ entry is also increased in a store-independent manner by arachidonate-regulated Ca2+ (ARC) channels. Using rat parotid salivary gland cells, we examined multiple pathways of Ca2+ entry/elevation to determine if they activated cell signaling proteins and whether this occurred in a pathway-dependent manner. We observed that SOCE activates extracellular signal-related kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) to ∼3-times basal levels via a receptor-independent mechanism when SOCE was initiated by depleting Ca2+ stores using the endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase inhibitor thapsigargin (TG). TG-initiated ERK1/2 phosphorylation increased as rapidly as that initiated by the muscarinic receptor agonist carbachol, which promoted an increase to ∼5-times basal levels. Notably, ERK1/2 phosphorylation was not increased by the global elevation of [Ca2+]i by Ca2+ ionophore or by Ca2+ entry via ARC channels in native cells, although ERK1/2 phosphorylation was increased by Ca2+ ionophore in Par-C10 and HSY salivary cell lines. Agents and conditions that blocked SOCE in native cells, including 2-aminoethyldiphenyl borate (2-APB), SKF96363, and removal of extracellular Ca2+, also reduced TG- and carbachol-stimulated ERK1/2 phosphorylation. TG-promoted ERK1/2 phosphorylation was blocked when SRC and Protein Kinases C (PKC) were inhibited, and it was blocked in cells pretreated with β-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol. These observations demonstrate that ERK1/2 is activated by a selective mechanism of Ca2+ entry (SOCE) in these cells, and suggest that ERK1/2 may contribute to events downstream of SOCE.
The complete sequence of Drosophila alpha-spectrin: conservation of structural domains between alpha-spectrins and alpha-actinin

We report the complete sequence of Drosophila alpha-spectrin and show that it is similar to vertebrate nonerythroid spectrins. As in vertebrates, the alpha subunit consists of two large domains of repetitive sequence (segments 1-9 and 11-19) separated by a short nonrepetitive sequence (segment 10). The 106-residue repetitive segments are defined by a consensus sequence of 54 residues. Chicken alpha-spectrin (Wasenius, V.-M., M. Saraste, P. Salven, M. Eramaa, L. Holm, V.-P. Lehto. 1989. J. Cell Biol. 108:79-93) shares 50 of these consensus positions. Through comparison of spectrin and alpha-actinin sequences, we describe a second lineage of spectrin segments (20 and 21) that differs from the 106-residue segments by an 8-residue insertion and by lack of many of the consensus residues. We present a model of spectrin evolution in which the repetitive lineage of spectrin segments and the nonrepetitive lineage of segments found in spectrin and alpha-actinin arose by separate multiplication events.
Circularly symmetric retrodirective antenna system

A method is described by which automatically retrodirective performance may be obtained from circular arrays and circularly continuous aperture antennas. The method is also directly applicable to cylindrical antennas for two-dimensional retrodirectivity and is generalized to include a method for obtaining three-dimensional retrodirectivity. Both passive and active systems are possible, and control of the reradiated beam characteristics may be provided.
Static vs. adaptive feedback congestion controller for ATM networks

One of the fundamental challenges facing broadband information transport is the determination of congestion control strategies to support multiple classes of traffic in the asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) based networks. Monitoring the buffer status (queue length) is the most commonly used mechanism to detect congestion in ATM networks. In a static feedback controller approach, feedback signals are generated when the queue length of the buffer exceeds a threshold value. However, defining the threshold of the buffer as a congestion point is not straightforward and the value to which source rates must be regulated is not so clear, either. We propose an explicit congestion notification mechanism for ATM networks using artificial neural networks (ANNs) to estimate the amount by which sources need to reduce their transmission rates. Three models using the ANNs are presented and the obtained results are compared. The results of a simulation study suggest that our mechanisms provide simple and effective traffic management for ATM networks. Cell loss due to congestion shows a 2-10 times improvement compared with the static approach, while transmission delay introduced by our ANN controller is also smaller than in the static approach in most cases.
Comparison of percutaneous extraperitoneal closure (LPEC) and open repair for pediatric inguinal hernia: experience of a single institution with over 1000 cases.

Recently, laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure (LPEC) for pediatric inguinal hernia has become more popular. The aim of this study was to compare LPEC with open repair (OR) performed in one institution. In total, 1050 patients underwent OR from July 2003 to June 2008, and 1017 patients underwent LPEC from July 2008 to June 2013. The mean follow-up period was 100 months in OR and 40 months in LPEC (p < 0.01). Given the difference in the follow-up periods, the log-rank test was used for the analysis of the long-term results. The mean age at operation in OR and LPEC was 3.72 and 3.75 years, respectively (p = 0.81). The mean body weight was 14.73 and 14.72 kg, respectively (p = 0.98). The male/female ratio was 617/433 and 561/456, respectively (p = 0.10). In the LPEC procedure, the asymptomatic contralateral internal ring was routinely observed, and when a patent processus vaginalis (PPV) was confirmed, prophylactic surgery was performed. The mean operative time for unilateral surgery in OR and LPEC was 28.5 and 21.2 min, respectively (p < 0.01). The mean operative time for bilateral surgery was 52.3 and 25.4 min, respectively (p < 0.01). Recurrence was confirmed in 0.52 % in OR and in 0.27 % in LPEC (p = 0.53). In the LPEC group, 41.7 % of patients with clinically unilateral inguinal hernia were confirmed to have a contralateral PPV and underwent prophylactic LPEC. Contralateral metachronous inguinal hernia (CMIH) was seen in 6.48 % in OR and in 0.33 % in LPEC (p < 0.01). Two patients showed postoperative testicular atrophy, and two had iatrogenic postoperative cryptorchism after OR, while no postoperative testicular complications were seen after LPEC. Both OR and LPEC obtained satisfactory results from the perspective of recurrence rate and complications. Prophylactic contralateral LPEC is useful for preventing CMIH without prolonging operative time compared with OR. The midterm safety and efficacy of LPEC are proven.
Dynamics of mobile ions : Fitting of CKN frequency response data without an excess wing

Ion dynamics effects and the resulting dispersed frequency response of conducting materials have often been explained in the past by a combination of the Moynihan original modulus formalism (OMF) and the Ngai coupling model (NCM). These incorrect approaches and their inappropriate conclusions are replaced by alternate, Kohlrausch-related physically reasonable conductive-system fitting and interpretation models that are then used for the analysis of both limited-range and wide-range data for the supercooled liquid 0.4Ca(NO3)2*0.6KNO3 (CKN). Detailed analysis of the limited-range 342 K data at the electric modulus immittance level shows that OMF fitting leads to an excess wing and that more appropriate models fit the data well without such a wing. Further, although such models allow estimation of the bulk dipolar dielectric constant of the material, as well as one associated only with mobile charges, they lead to implausibly small estimates of the important Kohlrausch K1 model shape parameter, beta1, and lead to an inadequate determination of its characteristic relaxation time. Therefore, wide-range CKN data sets extending to nearly 1012 Hz for the temperatures 342, 350, 356, and 361 K were very well-fitted with a more detailed composite model but one still involving K1 response. All model parameters were well-determined with no excess wings; beta1 estimates were all much closer to the universal value of 1/3; and the estimated model parameters led to a Boson peak beyond 1012 Hz, to very large thermal activation energies, and to evidence that the mobile charge concentration reached a saturation value at about 356 K. Such results do not support assumptions about variable ion-ion correlation, a mainstay of the OMF and NCM approaches. Finally, it is shown that although excess wings can sometimes be eliminated by using just an appropriate bulk fitting model and series blocking-electrode capacitor, as shown for the present narrow-range data, adequate fitting of the present wide-range data sets over their full spans of as much as 13 decades required the addition of an additional series dispersive-response model to the composite model. This addition seems likely to be required to take adequate account of the presence of more than one species of mobile charge in CKN.
A model of atomicity for multilevel transactions

Data management applications that use multilevel database management system (DBMS) capabilities have the requirement to read and write objects at multiple levels within the bounds of a multilevel transaction. The authors define a new notion of atomicity that is meaningful within the constraints of the multilevel environment. They offer a model of multilevel atomicity that defines varying degrees of atomicity and recognizes that lower security level operations within a transaction must be able to commit or abort independently of higher security level operations. Execution graphs are provided as a tool for analyzing atomicity requirements in conjunction with internal semantic interdependencies among the operations of a transaction and rules for determining the greatest degree of atomicity are proved that can be attained for a given multilevel transaction. Several alternative transaction management algorithms that can be used to preserve multilevel atomicity are presented. >
Anxious Solitude and Peer Exclusion: A Diathesis-Stress Model of Internalizing Trajectories in Childhood.

A diathesis-stress model was proposed in which the joint forces of individual vulnerability (anxious solitude) and interpersonal adversity (peer exclusion) predict depressive symptoms in children over time. Children's (N = 388; 50% female) social behavior, peer exclusion, and emotional adjustment were assessed at kindergarten entry and every spring thereafter through 4th grade, primarily by teacher report. Results indicated that anxious solitude and peer exclusion co-occur in children soon after kindergarten entry and that anxious solitary children who are excluded early on, in comparison with their nonexcluded anxious solitary counterparts, display greater stability in their subsequent display of anxious solitude. As hypothesized, the joint influence of anxious solitude and exclusion predicted the most elevated depressive symptom trajectories.
Energy bands and fermi surfaces

This is a discussion of various methods of computing energy bands. The tight-binding and almost-free-electron methods, the first ones to be suggested, are now proving useful as semiempirical devices to fit energy bands determined by more practicable methods, or by experiment. The augmented-plane-wave and orthogonalized-plane-wave methods are proving to be the most useful methods derived from first principles. There is some discussion of the recent applications of the augmented-plane-wave method, and of the exchange correction to be used in setting up the self-consistent potential.
Black Media Images as a Perceived Threat to African American Ethnic Identity: Coping Responses, Perceived Public Perception, and Attitudes towards Affirmative Action

A self-administered survey of 202 African American respondents examined the relationship among Black images in the media, perceived public perception of the in-group, and endorsement of affirmative action. Based on the literature on coping and group threats stemming from social identity, the study hypothesized that perceived negative Black images predicted coping responses among Black respondents. Negative evaluation of Black media images predicted perceived lower level of public perceptions of Blacks, which was in turn related to greater endorsement of affirmative action. The possible role of minority media portrayals in our racial environment was also discussed.
Bacterial Interactions with Necrophagous Flies

ABSTRACT Animal remains represent ephemeral resources that provide nutrients to a wide range of organisms. On death, vertebrate carrion is immediately colonized with a variety of microorganisms (typically obligate or facultatively anaerobic bacteria from the air, from insects, or from the corpse itself), which produce odors through the breakdown of tissues, the alteration of volatile chemicals present in the environment, or both. Within minutes, certain necrophagous flies are attracted by these chemical signals, resulting in waves of oviposition and larviposition activity. Although there are certainly detrimental (pathogenic) bacteria in the milieu, there is significant evidence suggesting that the presence of bacteria in or on the corpse seems to aid in larval development and pupariation. This may be because of a change in larval nutrition, with the bacteria either being used as a food source themselves or making nutrients more available to larvae. Maggots also produce and secrete or excrete antimicrobia...
The Effective Use Of NOAA Satellite Data By The Marine Community

NOAA's operational environmental satellites have been collecting data over the entire globe daily ever since April 1960. Although originally designed primarily for meteorological purposes, extensive use of these data have been made over the past several years for marine applications. With the launch of SEASAT in July of 1978, the marine community had its first proof-of-concept oceanographic satellite in orbit.
Intermediary metabolism of the sialic acids.

The wide distribution and biological importance of glycoproteins and mucins has been stressed a t these meetings. The precise structures of these polymers are not known but are thought to consist of protein backbones and carbohydrate side chains containing hexoses (D-galactose, D-mannose) , a 6-deoxyhexose (L-fucose), S-acetylhexosamines (D-galactosamine and D-glucosamine) , and sialic acids. Of particular interest in this laboratory has been the metabolic origin, activation, and polymerization of the sialic acids; some of these findings will be reviewed in the subsequent discussion. The sialic acids, originally reported by Blix,’ are a family of compounds derived from neuraminic acid (2-keto-5-amino-3,5-dideoxynononic a id). FIGURE 1 depicts the currently accepted formulas2 of the five known sialic acids; all are A17-acylated neuraminic acids, with monoor di-0-acetyl substitution in three instances. The structure of neuraminic acid is a modification of that proposed by Gottschalk3 and is based on the observation that an aldolase obtained from Clostridizcm perfringens reversibly cleaves N-acetyland N-glycolylneuraminic acids (NAN and NGN) to pyruvate and the corresponding L4r-acyl-~-mannosamine4 as shown in FIGURE 2. This demonstration of the natural occurrence of D-mannosamine derivatives in mammalian tissues prompted an investigation of their role in the biosynthesis of the sialic acids and has led to the discovery and isolation of a number of enzymes as described below.
Structural analysis of resource allocation systems with synchronization constraints

The work presented in this paper extends recently developed in the theory of resource allocation systems (RAS) to RAS behaviors that present synchronization requirements in the underlying process flows. More specifically, the paper first provides a formal definition of the considered RAS structures and behaviors by introducing the Petri net sub-class of generalized augmented marked graphs (G-AMG), and subsequently, it proceeds to the analysis of the liveness properties of the resource allocation underlying the G-AMG operation. It is shown that similar to the case of some previously studied RAS structures, non-liveness of the resource allocation taking place in the G-AMG context can be attributed to a structural object known as resource-induced deadly marked siphon, that is developed in a properly defined projection of the net reachability space. Beyond its theoretical significance in terms of formally characterizing and understanding the nature of deadlock or livelock that can occur in the considered resource allocation context, the aforementioned result is also deemed to be important from the practical standpoint of synthesizing liveness-enforcing supervisors (LES), since it is expected to enable LES synthesis through application of the correctness verification methodology originally developed in (J. Park and S. Reveliotis, 2001); the actual potential of this approach is currently under investigation.
Negotiation from a Near and Distant Time Perspective

Across three experiments, we examined the effects of temporal distance on negotiation behavior. We found greater temporal distance from negotiation decreased preference for piecemeal, single issue consideration over integrative, multi-issue consideration (Experiment 1). We also found greater temporal distance from an event being negotiated increased interest in conceding on the lowest priority issue and decreased interest in conceding on the highest priority issue (Experiment 2). Lastly, we found increased temporal distance from an event being negotiated produced a greater proportion of multi-issue offers, a greater likelihood of conceding on the lowest priority issue in exchange for a concession on the highest priority issue, and greater individual and joint outcomes (Experiment 3). Implications for conflict resolution and construal level theory are discussed.
The Effects of Disability-Focused Training on the Attitudes and Perceptions of University Staff

This investigation examines the relationship between prior disability-focused training and university staff members’ attitudes toward students with learning disabilities (LD). A survey containing items pertaining to prior disability-focused training experiences and attitudes about students with LD was administered to 300 university staff members. Responses from 112 participants indicated that staff who had not received any form of prior training had greater interest in receiving training regarding LD and had insufficient knowledge to support students with LD. In contrast, staff who had received some form of prior training reported greater scores on general knowledge and sensitivity toward university students with LD. Analyses of training type indicated that staff who had previously participated in disability-related workshops and coursework reported the most positive attitudes, followed by staff who had participated in other forms of training (i.e., reading books and articles or visiting websites). Total ...
A salty salute: progenitor cell therapies and no-option heart disease.

Cardiovascular disease is all too common, and cardiovascular diagnoses are too frequently dire. In spite of advances, many patients with cardiovascular diseases remain symptomatic and at risk. The severity and frequency of these illnesses have stimulated searches for new strategies. Some of these translational projects have never really worked out (transmyocardial laser revascularization); others have been major success stories (drug-eluting stents); and some we just do not know what to think about (enhanced external counterpulsation). All have garnered widespread notoriety that, as will be argued below, follows a stereotypical pattern: technological ascent, hyperbolic promise, and rational acceptance or rejection through the ultimate processes of randomized, controlled trials. In the current issue of the Journal, results are presented from one of the first human studies examining the consequences of intramyocardial injection of autologous bone marrow in patients with refractory angina. This report is notable for having been caught up in the controversies and politicization of bstem cellQ therapies, and also for its significance in raising expectations about the promise of regenerative medicine for patients with refractory cardiovascular disease. This promising study therefore invites further consideration of both of these issues. The experimental protocol in this report was designed based on similar protocols from another group in small animal models. This article was originally submitted for peer review and accepted for publication in the Journal in 2003, but was subsequently withdrawn at the request of the Italian Ministry of Health to allow a review of human research involving stem cells in Italy. This is an interesting set of events insofar as the cells used in this study are autologous bone marrow cells. Why injecting
Reducing patient re-identification risk for laboratory results within research datasets

Objective To try to lower patient re-identification risks for biomedical research databases containing laboratory test results while also minimizing changes in clinical data interpretation. Materials and methods In our threat model, an attacker obtains 5–7 laboratory results from one patient and uses them as a search key to discover the corresponding record in a de-identified biomedical research database. To test our models, the existing Vanderbilt TIME database of 8.5 million Safe Harbor de-identified laboratory results from 61 280 patients was used. The uniqueness of unaltered laboratory results in the dataset was examined, and then two data perturbation models were applied—simple random offsets and an expert-derived clinical meaning-preserving model. A rank-based re-identification algorithm to mimic an attack was used. The re-identification risk and the retention of clinical meaning for each model's perturbed laboratory results were assessed. Results Differences in re-identification rates between the algorithms were small despite substantial divergence in altered clinical meaning. The expert algorithm maintained the clinical meaning of laboratory results better (affecting up to 4% of test results) than simple perturbation (affecting up to 26%). Discussion and conclusion With growing impetus for sharing clinical data for research, and in view of healthcare-related federal privacy regulation, methods to mitigate risks of re-identification are important. A practical, expert-derived perturbation algorithm that demonstrated potential utility was developed. Similar approaches might enable administrators to select data protection scheme parameters that meet their preferences in the trade-off between the protection of privacy and the retention of clinical meaning of shared data.
Estimating Small‐Area Populations by Age and Sex Using Spatial Interpolation and Statistical Inference Methods

The objective of this research is to compute population estimates by age and sex for small areas whose boundaries are different from those for which the population counts were made. In our approach, population surfaces and age-sex proportion surfaces are separately estimated. Age-sex population estimates for small areas and their confidence intervals are then computed using a binomial model with the two surfaces as inputs. The approach was implemented for Iowa using a 90 m resolution population grid (LandScan USA) and U.S. Census 2000 population. Three spatial interpolation methods, the areal weighting (AW) method, the ordinary kriging (OK) method, and a modification of the pycnophylactic method, were used on Census Tract populations to estimate the age-sex proportion surfaces. To verify the model, age-sex population estimates were computed for paired Block Groups that straddled Census Tracts and therefore were spatially misaligned with them. The pycnophylactic method and the OK method were more accurate than the AW method. The approach is general and can be used to estimate subgroup-count types of variables from information in existing administrative areas for custom-defined areas used as the spatial basis of support in other applications.
Tissue-Engineered Heart Valves

A tissue engineered heart valve (TEHV) could serve as a living, implantable valve replacement that would grow and adapt with the patient. A TEHV consists of relevant cells seeded on or entrapped in a scaffold material which is designed to degrade as the cells produce their own extracellular matrix components. Because the valve consists of living tissue, it can grow and remodel as a patient ages, making it an especially attractive replacement option for pediatric and young adult patients. To date, using various cell sources, scaffold materials, and/or in vitro culture protocols, several laboratories have produced TEHVs with the appropriate geometry and near-native mechanical properties. TEHVs implanted in the pulmonary position in sheep in our laboratory have shown promising short-term functionality but fail to maintain good performance after several months in vivo. Upcoming TEHV research will focus on optimization of TEHV components and in vitro culture conditions in order to improve long-term function post-implant, with the hope of performing human implants in the future.
RhymeDesign: A Tool for Analyzing Sonic Devices in Poetry

The analysis of sound and sonic devices in poetry is the focus of much poetic scholarship, and poetry scholars are becoming increasingly interested in the role that computation might play in their research. Since the nature of such sonic analysis is unique, the associated tasks are not supported by standard text analysis techniques. We introduce a formalism for analyzing sonic devices in poetry. In addition, we present RhymeDesign, an open-source implementation of our formalism, through which poets and poetry scholars can explore their individual notion of rhyme.
“Every selfie tells a story …”: LGBTQ youth lifestreams and new media narratives as connective identity texts:

Drawing from a subset of data from a multi-year connective ethnographic study with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth, this article explores the scriptural counter-economy of composing new media narratives across online/offline contexts. Combining theoretical constructs from “multi-” literacy studies alongside visual and textual analysis, this article describes the influences of Web 2.0 technologies and photo-based composing tools on contemporary configurations of LGBTQ youth identity making. Giving visuality a place of primacy, this article focuses on two larger thematic findings: snapping selfies as sedimentary identity texts and curating lifestreams as operationalizing community. Focusing on how youth use these material, embodied, and visual texts to reinforce, challenge, combat, and/or resist identities of difference, this article considers how the so-called visual vernaculars and material texts of youth lifestreaming offer alternative conceptions to contemporary new media wr...
Field observations of the developing legal recreational cannabis economy in Washington State

Abstract Background Washington State legalized the sale of recreational cannabis in 2012. This paper describes the unfolding of the market regulatory regime in an eastern portion of the state, including field descriptions to illustrate the setting. Methods We made observations and conducted interviews of the local supply chain comprising a producer/processor, analytic facility, and retail establishments as well as querying the state director of the regulatory board. Results Interviews and observations of facilities suggest an overwhelming concern for black market diversion drives state regulatory efforts. The ongoing dialogue between market actors and the state has resulted in a more equitable distribution of profits at different stages in the process. State safety regulations have thus far been shifted to independent laboratories. Banks and insurance companies have slowly begun making inroads into the industry, despite federal prohibition. Conclusion The law was conceived as a social justice remedy, but the bulk of the legal and regulatory activity surrounds cannabis marketplace management. This has been characterized by concerns for black market diversion, producer/processor profits, and a hands-off approach to safety regulation. Minor cannabis violations as a pathway to criminal justice system involvement have been reduced substantially but disproportionate enforcement upon racial/ethnic minorities continues.
Cognitive Feedback Training using 3D Binocular Eye Tracker

Studies in visual search have shown that feedback training can improve visual inspection performance (speed and accuracy), provided it is given in a timely and appropriate manner. Traditionally, performance feedback, i.e. information about the outcome, serves as the basis of most feedback training schemes. Other forms of feedback, which provide search strategy information, may have a role to play in improving inspection performance. This form of feedback is referred to as ‘cognitive feedback’. This paper describes the setup for collecting and analyzing eye movements using a 3D binocular eye tracker, which serves as a tool for providing cognitive feedback training. It also emphasizes the various technical issues related with eye tracker integration and further discusses the use of a new 3D-fixation recognition algorithm.
Mitigation of Carbon Formation During Autothermal Reforming of Biodiesel for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Applications

Biodiesel is considered as a renewable hydrogen source for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). This study contributes to a fundamental understanding of biodiesel auto-thermal reforming (ATR), which has not yet been widely explored in the open literature. Ultra-lower sulfur diesel (ULSD) ATR is established as a baseline for this analysis. Solid carbon formation during AT R has been recognized as a primary degradation mode in solid oxide fuel cell-based auxiliary power unit systems in transportation applications, but is difficult to detect and control. To overcome these challenges, this work applies a direct photo-acoustic method to analyze carbon dynamic evolutions and quantify the carbon formation in a single-tube reformer under various operating conditions (temperature, steam/carbon ratio, and oxygen/carbon ratio). The key objective is to locate the optimum operating environment for biodiesel ATR with carbon-free deposition and peak hydrogen yield. Thermodynamic analysis based on the method of total Gibbs free energy minimization is used to evaluate the equilibrium reformate compositions. The experimental investigations complimented with the theoretical analysis of biodiesel ATR helps effectively optimize the onboard reforming conditions.© 2012 ASME
Reciprocal effect of angiotensin II in collecting duct renin synthesis.

activation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays a central role in the regulation of hypertension and sodium homeostasis. Angiotensin II (ANG II) is the most potent biologically active peptide that possesses pleiotropic functions to increase renal vascular resistance, cardiac contractility,
Paradox and privilege: a 55-year follow-up of the mortality of Yale College graduates

Abstract Objective Two hypotheses were tested: 1. People from privileged backgrounds had better survival than those from less privileged backgrounds. 2. The advantages of privilege were vitiated by fraternity membership. Methods A 55-year retrospective cohort study of survival since 1960 of 945 graduates of Yale College followed to 2015. Results The survival of graduates of private secondary schools (the privileged group) did not differ from that of public school graduates. However, graduates of private secondary schools who had not joined a fraternity in college had significantly better survival than private school graduates who had joined fraternities and than public school graduates, whether fraternity members or not. Conclusions The benefits of a privileged background in respect of survival were undermined by fraternity membership. It is suggested that both self-selection and substance mis-use may have contributed to the survival difference.
Transhepatic Venous Collaterals Circumventing Inferior Vena Caval Obstruction Due To Hypernephroma

AbstractWe report a case of hypernephroma invading and occluding the upper inferior vena cava, with the unusual feature of transhepatic venous collaterals circumventing the obstruction.
Journal Leadership and Editorial Board

Journal Leadership and Editorial Board for Volume Three, Issue Three: Special Issue on Family Issues in Amateur Athletics
Performance prediction of Newton-Rader propellers

In this work, a numerical method is presented for the hydrodynamic and hydroelastic analysis of Newton-Rader (NR) propellers (Newton & Rader 1961). The NR propellers are a well-known series of three-bladed propellers specifically designed, extensively tested, and well documented for high-speed crafts. The tests were conducted at the Vosper Cavitation Tunnel, and the propellers exhibit both face and back cavitation patterns (Newton & Rader 1961). The predicted fully wetted and cavitating performance agreed well with experimental measurements. The results indicate that the NR propellers can achieve high efficiency in both the fully wetted and cavitating regimes if the blades exhibit only back cavitation. However, significant reduction in efficiency was observed in all cases when face cavitation develops. The effects of varying blade area ratio on the hydrodynamic and structural performance are discussed. The importance of hydroelastic effects for both model-scale and full-scale NR propellers in uniform and wake inflow are presented.
Properties of primary motor cortical local field potentials in the leg and trunk representations during arm movements

Large, spatially-distributed populations of motor cortical neurons are recruited during upper limb movements. Here, we examined how beta attenuation, a mesoscopic reflection of unit engagement, varies across a spatially expansive sampling of primary motor cortex in a non-human primate (macaca mulatta). We found that electrodes in both the trunk and leg representation of motor cortex exhibit qualitatively similar behavior to electrodes in the arm representation during a planar reaching task, despite the fact that there were no overt movements of the trunk or leg. These findings are interpreted in the context of a state-based brain machine interface.
Building, Post-Processing, and Inspecting

The build cycle of an AM part can be broken down into prebuild operations, the actual build, post-processing, and inspection. This chapter provides the reader with a typical scope and sequence of operations and considerations associated with these operations. This knowledge is useful for those users considering the purchase and establishment of an AM system capability as well as those utilizing service providers. Knowledge of post-processing and finishing operations is critical to the design process and plays a critical role in subsequent design or process improvements. Operations such as powder recycling, heat treatment, hot isostatic pressing, machining, and surface finishing are discussed as well as the application of nondestructive and destructive evaluation and defect detection as applied to AM metal parts. Ongoing efforts within industry to draft standards and certify AM produced part are described.
Mistaken conclusions about systemic exercise intolerance disease being comparable to research case definitions of CFS: A rebuttal to Chu et al.

ABSTRACTThe recent article by Chu et al. contrasted different case definitions that have been used to describe chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). In particular, their study compared the new Institute of Medicine (IOM) criteria for systemic exertion intolerance disease (SEID) with three other ME and CFS case definitions. We appreciate these investigators attempting to use and operationalize the new IOM criteria; however, we disagree with their main conclusion that the percentage of patients selected by the IOM criteria is comparable to the percentage selected by other research case definitions. This conclusion could potentially encourage investigators to use the IOM criteria for research purposes. In this commentary, we discuss our observations of the Chu et al. article with respect to their methodology, illustrating how the conclusions of an investigation can be influenced by the manner in which case definitions are operationalized.
Mapping extragalactic dark matter annihilation with galaxy surveys: A systematic study of stacked group searches

Dark matter in the halos surrounding galaxy groups and clusters can annihilate to high-energy photons. Recent advancements in the construction of galaxy group catalogs provide many thousands of potential extragalactic targets for dark matter. In this paper, we outline a procedure to infer the dark matter signal associated with a given galaxy group. Applying this procedure to a catalog of sources, one can create a full-sky map of the brightest extragalactic dark matter targets in the nearby Universe ($z\ensuremath{\lesssim}0.03$), supplementing sources of dark matter annihilation from within the local group. As with searches for dark matter in dwarf galaxies, these extragalactic targets can be stacked together to enhance the signals associated with dark matter. We validate this procedure on mock Fermi gamma-ray data sets using a galaxy catalog constructed from the DarkSky $N$-body cosmological simulation and demonstrate that the limits are robust, at $\mathcal{O}(1)$ levels, to systematic uncertainties on halo mass and concentration. We also quantify other sources of systematic uncertainty arising from the analysis and modeling assumptions. Our results suggest that a stacking analysis using galaxy group catalogs provides a powerful opportunity to discover extragalactic dark matter and complements existing studies of Milky Way dwarf galaxies.
Teaching of English as an International Language in Various Contexts: Nothing is as Practical as Good Theory:

Despite the proliferation of publications on teaching English as an international language (EIL) or a Lingua Franca (ELF), the diffusion of these concepts into the world of English Language Teachin...
Is Treatment Readiness Associated With Substance Use Treatment Engagement? An Exploratory Study:

With nearly 8.2% of Americans experiencing substance use disorders (SUDs), a need exists for effective SUD treatment and for strategies to assist treatment participants to complete treatment progra...
Quantum-Assisted Cluster Analysis on a Quantum Annealing Device

We present an algorithm for quantum-assisted cluster analysis (QACA) that makes use of the topological properties of a D-Wave 2000Q quantum processing unit (QPU). Clustering is a form of unsupervised machine learning, where instances are organized into groups whose members share similarities. The assignments are, in contrast to classification, not known a priori, but generated by the algorithm. We explain how the problem can be expressed as a quadratic unconstrained binary optimization (QUBO) problem, and show that the introduced quantum-assisted clustering algorithm is, regarding accuracy, equivalent to commonly used classical clustering algorithms. Quantum annealing algorithms belong to the class of metaheuristic tools, applicable for solving binary optimization problems. Hardware implementations of quantum annealing, such as the quantum annealing machines produced by D-Wave Systems [1], have been subject to multiple analyses in research, with the aim of characterizing the technology’s usefulness for optimization, sampling, and clustering [2–16, 38]. Our first and foremost aim is to explain how to represent and solve parts of these problems with the help of the QPU, and not to prove supremacy over every existing classical clustering algorithm.
Off-label use of 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate is common despite little known benefit: A retrospective study.

Background/objective While four-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (4F-PCC) is FDA-approved for reversal of warfarin-induced major bleeding, its use in real-world settings is unclear. This study's objective was to identify indications leading to 4F-PCC use and associated outcomes at a single university hospital. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of patients receiving 4F-PCC over a 22-month period. A dose was "on-label" if given for reversal of warfarin-induced coagulopathy in patients with major bleeding or requiring urgent surgeries/procedures; other doses were "off-label". Results A total of 165 doses of 4F-PCC in 154 patients were given. Sixty-one percent of doses were on-label, while 39% were off-label. Intracranial hemorrhage was the most common indication (55% of doses). On-label patients had significantly higher rate of INR normalization and survival to hospital discharge than off-label patients. There was no difference in time to INR normalization, time to hemostasis, or incidence of thromboembolic complications. Conclusions Off-label use of 4F-PCC is likely common, occurring in nearly 40% of drug administrations at our center. Larger-scale prospective trials studying specific indications are needed for validation in off-label settings. Until such evidence is available, given potential harms historically displayed by off-label use of other hemostatic agents, limiting off-label 4F-PCC use is recommended.
Responses of Plant Cells to Adsorbed Bacteria

To our knowledge this is the first review devoted entirely to the responses of plant cells to bacteria adhering to their surfaces. The choice of the term response is deliberate. It is intended to emphasize the fact that plant cells react to microorganisms, and that they are more than just passive substrates for bacterial colonization. Research on quantitative and qualitative aspects of bacterial adhesion to plant cells has gained momentum in recent years (see Dazzo, 1980; Sequeira, 1983; Pueppke, 1984; and Chapter 9). There also is a large body of data on the general responses of plants to challenge by pathogenic bacteria. Unfortunately, we often do not know how adherent bacteria influence plant responses. Distinctions between bacteria that are indeed bound and those that simply repose on plant cells also are difficult to make. As a consequence, we offer a substantial amount of speculative material in this section.
Matching between different image domains

Most of the image registration/matching methods are applicable to images acquired by either identical or similar sensors from various positions. Simpler techniques assume some object space relationship between sensor reference points, such as near parallel image planes, certain overlap and comparable radiometric characteristics. More robust methods allow for larger variations in image orientation and texture, such as the Scale-Invariant Feature Transformation (SIFT), a highly robust technique widely used in computer vision. The use of SIFT, however, is quite limited in mapping so far, mainly, because most of the imagery are acquired from airborne/spaceborne platforms, and, consequently, the image orientation is better known, presenting a less general case for matching. The motivation for this study is to look at the feasibility of a particular case of matching between different image domains. In this investigation, the co-registration of satellite imagery and LiDAR intensity data is addressed.
Immunoprophylaxis Against Bacterial Sepsis

Sepsis can be viewed as toxigenic illness resulting from the release of excess quantities of microbial-derived inflammatory mediators into the systemic circulation. Principal among these microbial mediators is bacterial endotoxin. Endotoxin is an essential component of the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria. Humans are exquisitely susceptible to endotoxin-induced systemic inflammatory reactions that may prove to be rapidly fatal. Many gram-positive bacteria express specific exotoxins that have the capacity to function as superantigens. These superantigens mediate deleterious systemic immune responses that may result in a toxic shock-like syndrome. These microbial toxins provide potential targets for vaccine development as a means of immunoprophylaxis and/or immunotherapy against septic shock. It may be possible to immunize susceptible populations at risk for sepsis and generate protective antibodies towards the common, injurious bacterial toxins. The feasibility of immune protection against microbial mediators of sepsis is the focus of this brief review.
Granulomatous Liver Disease: Pathology

Granulomas are found in up to 10% of liver biopsies1, 2 and thereby represent a significant diagnostic challenge for the histopathologist. These focal collections of mature apposed macrophages participate in an immunologic reaction to foreign material or other antigenic stimuli. Participating macrophages may attain epithelium-like features (epithelioid macrophages) or may fuse (giant cells). Interleukins 1 and 2 (IL-1 and IL-2), T-helper (T4) and T-suppressor (T8) lymphocytes, and variable numbers of eosinophils and plasma cells contribute to the formation of these localized lesions.3 The pathologic features of hepatic granulomas have been comprehensively reviewed by Ishak1 and others.3–9
Wave Propagation in Linear Viscoelastic Fluids

There are two canonical problems: 1. External excitation of plane harmonic waves, and 2. Impulsive excitation of shear waves.
The Great Man Theory of Teaching is Dead

(1997). The Great Man Theory of Teaching is Dead. Journal of Public Administration Education: Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 127-131.