cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanical response of bovine articular cartilage under dynamic unconfined compression loading at physiological stress levels

Abstract Objective: The objective of this study was to characterize the dynamic modulus and compressive strain magnitudes of bovine articular cartilage at physiological compressive stress levels and loading frequencies. Design: Twelve distal femoral cartilage plugs (3mm in diameter) were loaded in a custom apparatus under load control, with a load amplitude up to 40N and loading frequencies of 0.1, 1, 10 and 40Hz, resulting in peak Cauchy stress amplitudes of 4.8MPa (engineering stress 5.7MPa). Results: The equilibrium Young's modulus under a tare load of 0.4N was 0.49±0.10MPa. In the limit of zero applied stress, the incremental dynamic modulus derived from the slope of the stress–strain curve increased from 14.6±6.9MPa at 0.1Hz to 28.7±7.8MPa at 40Hz. At 4MPa of applied stress, the corresponding increase was from 48.2±13.5MPa at 0.1Hz to 64.8±13.0MPa at 40Hz. Peak compressive strain amplitudes varied from 15.8±3.4% at 0.1Hz to 8.7±1.8% at 40Hz. The phase angle decreased from 28.8°±6.7° at 0.1Hz to−0.5°±3.8° at 40Hz. Discussion: These results are representative of the functional properties of articular cartilage under physiological load magnitudes and frequencies. The viscoelasticity and nonlinearity of the tissue helps to maintain the compressive strains below 20% under the physiological compressive stresses achieved in this study. These findings have implications for our understanding of cartilage metabolism and chondrocyte viability under various loading regimes. They also help establish guidelines for cartilage functional tissue engineering studies.
The association between achieving low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goal and statin treatment in an employee population.

Abstract Statin medications are recommended for patients who have not achieved low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goals through lifestyle modifications. The objective of this retrospective observational study was to examine statin medication usage patterns and the relationship with LDL-C goal levels (according to Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines) among a cohort of employees of a major financial services corporation. From 1995 to 2004, a total of 1607 executives participated in a periodic health examination program. An index date was assigned for each study participant (date of their exam) and statin medication usage was determined from the pharmacy claims database for 365 days before the index date. Patients were identified as adherent to statins if the medication possession ratio was ≥80%. In all, 150 (9.3%) executives filled at least 1 statin prescription in the 365 days prior to their exam. A total of 102 statin users (68%) were adherent to statin medication. Among all executives who recei...
Methylprednisolone Treatment in Patients with Brain Tumors

A study was made in 10 patients with brain tumors of the effect of methylprednisolone sodium succinate (Solu-Medrol) on clinical neurological status, intracranial pressure, and periventricular elastance. Significant clinical improvement and reduction in periventricular elastance both ocurred within 24 hours of starting treatment, whereas intracranaial pressure was not significantly reduced until the 2nd day of therapy.
An Atmospheric Solitary Gust Observed with a Doppler Radar, a Tall Tower and a Surface Network

Abstract Doppler radar and a 444 m tall instrumented tower provide a detailed view of the kinematic and thermodynamic structure of a solitary gust. A study of the data fields, and comparison with theoretical and laboratory work leads to the conclusion that the gust is an internal solitary wave of permanent form launched by a thunderstorm outflow onto an inversion layer formed by the passage of an earlier storm. Comparisons with results from fluid experiments and numerical models are made and the similarities are striking. Both observations show turbulent breakdown at the rear of the wave. The ease with which solitary waves can be generated in experiments gives reason to believe that these nonlinear waves might be of considerable interest in the context of geophysical fluid dynamics.
Filgrastim therapy: a bone of contention

[Comment on Hirbe et al, page 3424][1]Every therapy comes with a cost, both fiscal and physical. Hirbe and colleagues report in this issue of Blood that granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (filgrastim) can promote tumor metastases by enhancing osteoclast function. Since its approval in 1992 for
DNA SYNTHESIS IN CRYPTOTHECODINIUM COHNII1

SUMMARY Thermal denaturation profiles of 32P-labeled DNA obtained from synchronous cultures of Cryptothecodinium cohnii were examined by elution from hydroxyapatite over a temperature range of 65 to 99 C. The profile of uniformly labeled DNA from this organism shows at least 4 discrete components which elute after a temperature of 83 C is reached. These components from the “high melt” region of the profile appear to be synthesized during the latter one-third of the S phase in synchronous culture.
Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a syndrome of chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain that is accompanied by sleep disturbance and fatigue. Clinical treatment usually includes lifestyle modifications and pharmacologic interventions meant to relieve pain, improve sleep quality, and treat mood disorders. These therapies are often ineffective or have been shown in clinical studies to have only short-term effectiveness. Pharmacologic treatments have considerable side effects. Patients may have difficulty complying with exercise-based treatments. Thus, patients seek alternative therapeutic approaches and physicians are routinely asked for advice about these treatments. This article reviews nontraditional treatment alternatives, from use of nutritional and herbal supplements to acupuncture and mindbody therapy. Little is known about efficacy and tolerance of complementary and alternative therapies in FM and other chronic musculoskeletal pain syndromes. Most studies on these treatments have been performed for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or focal musculoskeletal conditions. Clinical trials are scarce; the quality of these trials is often criticized because of small study population size, lack of appropriate control interventions, poor compliance, or short duration of follow-up. However, because of widespread and growing use of alternative medicine, especially by persons with chronic illnesses, it is essential to review efficacy and adverse effects of complementary and alternative therapies.
Theory and modeling of type-II strained-layer superlattice detectors

Type II strained-layer superlattices promise superior performance as detectors in the LWIR and VLWIR wavelength regimes due to their potential for suppressing Auger recombination (and thus dark currents). These predictions for lower Auger rates have been verified experimentally, however the Shockley-Read-Hall recombination times remain shorter than for competing materials. Recent advances in understanding the interaction of defect/donor states with interfaces in strained materials indicates that in these short-period superlattices the behavior of defects and donors can be very different from in the bulk. The current understanding of these issues will be reviewed.
Studies of the internalization of vitamin D3 metabolites by cultured osteogenic sarcoma cells and their application to a non-chromatographic cytoreceptor assay for 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3

Abstract Cultured osteogenic sarcoma (OS) cells have been used here to study the internalization of 1,25(OH)2D3 and other major metabolites of D3 by cells. Intact OS cells incubated for 1h at 37°C in medium containing [3H]1,25(OH)2D3 at low concentrations (0.16 to 1.6nM) take up and retain this hormone with high affinity (Kd=3.3×10−10M) similar to that found for the hormone-receptor interaction in cytosol preparations. Vitamin D3 and its major metabolites such as 25(OH)D3 or 24,25(OH)2D3, even at supraphysiological concentrations, are not internalized by the cells when small amounts of plasma D binding protein (DBP) or human alpha-globulin are added to the incubation medium. This phenomenon can be exploited to develop a non-chromatographic cytoreceptor assay for 1,25(OH)2D3.
Instability of the uniform antiferromagnetic chain

Abstract It is shown that in the X−Y model the uniform antiferromagnetic chain spontaneously distorts into an alternating antiferromagnet. This is a Jahn-Teller effect where the distortion lifts the degeneracy between the ground state and the k = 0 magnon.
Molecular mechanics of mouse cardiac myosin isoforms.

Two myosin isoforms are expressed in myocardium, αα-homodimers (V1) and ββ-homodimers (V3). V1exhibits higher velocities and myofibrillar ATPase activities compared with V3. We also observed this f...
Children's Oncology Group's 2013 blueprint for research: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin lymphomas account for approximately 7% of cancers diagnosed in patients less than 20 years of age, with approximately 800 cases diagnosed annually at COG institutions. With current therapies, cure rates range from 70% to over 90%, even for children with disseminated disease. However, two major challenges need to be overcome: (i) to optimize upfront treatment to prevent relapse since prognosis for patients with relapsed disease remains poor and (ii) minimize long-term side effects in survivors. Hence, the future initiatives for the treatment of pediatric NHL are to utilize novel targeted therapies to not only improve outcomes but to decrease bystander organ toxicities and late effects.
Feather River Ultramafic Body, Northern Sierra Nevada, California

The Feather River ultramafic body is an elongate mass of metamorphosed peridotite and dunite with subordinate lenses of mafic schist. Classification of the body as an alpine-type peridotite is indicated by its mineral chemistry (olivine, Fo 88–92 ; enstatite, En 89–92 ; chromium-rich spinel) and the presence of “flow-layering” and kink bands in olivine and enstatite. The body is located along the northernmost part of the Melones fault zone and is faulted against surrounding slate units derived from thick mudstone-chert and volcaniclastic-carbonate sequences of Paleozoic and Triassic age. The ultramafic rock underwent an early episode of high-temperature flowage, probably as a crystal mush, and later was metamorphosed in the greenschist facies, at least in part contemporaneously with emplacement. Mafic schist lenses within the ultramafic body were metamorphosed under amphibolite- and then greenschist-facies conditions. The western contact of the northern part of the body is a zone of intense shearing and is bordered by a layer 100 to 600 m thick of complexly deformed schist which is intermediate in metamorphic grade between amphibolite and greenschist facies. Evidence is inconclusive as to whether the ultramafic body was intruded into the Sierran environment at high temperatures or was tectonically emplaced as a cool slab of oceanic upper mantle. The latter origin, however, is supported by the tabular form of the body and the discordance of high-temperature flow features with the northwest trend of the body.
Lorentz-Lorenz effect and ρ 2 terms in pion-nucleus scattering

Recent results indicate that terms in the optical potential nonlinear in the matter density rho are important in ..pi..-nucleus scattering. It does not seem possible to identify these terms with a single physical effect. In particular, the contribution to the real part of the optical potential due to true meson absorption may be of the same order as that of the Lorentz-Lorenz effect.
Constant Time Graph Algorithms on the Reconfigurable Multiple Bus Machine

The reconfigurable multiple bus machine (RMBM) is a model of parallel computation based on reconfigurable buses. Unlike other reconfigurable bus-based models such as the reconfigurable mesh (R-Mesh), the RMBM separates the functions of processors and switches. In this paper, we present constant time RMBM algorithms for a number of fundamental graph problems. These algorithms are more efficient, in terms of processors, than corresponding R-Mesh algorithms. Also presented is a novel range reduction technique for a constant time simulation of each step of a Priority CRCW RMBM on a Common or Collision CRCW RMBM. This simulation incurs only a factor ofO(P?) increase in the number of processors and buses, where ? > 0 is any constant andPis the number of processors in the simulated Priority CRCW RMBM. This method may be of independent interest. The algorithms presented in this paper demonstrate the potential for fast and processor-efficient computation available in the ability of a reconfigurable bus-based model to separate the functions of processors and switches.
On Bob Cohen

Robert Cohen and I met 45 years ago when we were both graduate students at Yale. I remember well our political discussions in the spring of 1948 during the race for the presidency among Truman, Dewey and Wallace. Bob and I were united in our opposition to Dewey, but divided over who might successfully challenge him. He supported Wallace while I supported Truman, arguing that a vote for Wallace was in effect a vote for Dewey. At that time, I did not know enough of the lingo to use my strongest argument against Bob — to dismiss his position as one of utopian idealism.
THE ROLE OF LATTICE OXYGEN IN THE DYNAMIC BEHAVIOR OF OXIDE CATALYSTS

The lattice of an oxide catalyst used for oxidation reactions can act as a reservoir for oxygen, storing and releasing it for reactions at the catalyst surface under appropriate conditions. The implication of this oxygen storage property of an oxide catalyst on its dynamic response characteristics has been investigated through an experimental study of 2-butene oxidation over vanadium oxide as a model reaction. Isothermal reaction rate measurements in a differential reactor and nonisothermal studies in a single pellet reactor have been carried out. Following a step increase in the feed butene concentration, isothermal reaction rate overshoot and pellet temperature overshoot were observed. These observations could be modelled in a qualitatively correct way by a very simple model accounting for the participation of lattice oxygen in the catalytic reactions under dynamic conditions. It is demonstrated through model simulations that the ignition characteristics of a catalyst pellet are significantly affected b...
The limitations to delay-insensitivity in asynchronous circuits

Asynchronous techniques —that is, techniques that do not use clocks to implement sequencing— are currently attracting considerable interest for digital VLSI circuit design, in particular when the circuits produced are delay-insensitive (DI). A digital circuit is DI when its correct operation is independent of the delays in operators and in the wires connecting the operators, except that the delays are finite and positive.
Progestin secretion in 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats.

Progestin secretion in 3-methylcholanthrene (MCA)-treated rats was studied in rats with regular 4- or 5-day estruous cycles. 1 group of rats received either 10 or 20 IU ovine prolactin (LTH) from Days 1-4 (pretrauma period). On Days 5-8 (posttrauma period) the rats received either 5 IU prolactin /day subcutaneously 1 ml sesame oil intragastrically or 10 mg MCA in 1 ml sesame oil intragastrically. Rats were sacrificed on Day 9 and deciduomata formation was determined visually and verified histologically. Group 2 received 1 ml sesame oil/day intragastrically for 8-10 days prior to and during the pretrauma period. Group 3 were treated as Group 1 except that the animals were either adrenalectomized ovariectomized or hypophysectomized on Day 4 at the time of uterine traumatization. Rats not treated with LTH developed deciduomata. 4 of 23 who received 20 IU LTH/day from Days 1-4 showed positive reactions while 8 of 10 treated with 5 IU on Days 5-8 were positive. All treated with 10 mg MCA on Days 5-8 were positive while 6 of 20 who received 1 ml oil were also positive. 1 ml oil received prior to and during the pretrauma period resulted in all negative responses when oil was also received during the posttrauma period; however if MCA were received during the posttrauma period positive decidual reactions resulted. 75% of the adrenalectomized rats treated with LTH on Days 1-4 and MCA on Days 5-8 exhibited positive deciduomata. However ovariectomized or hypophysectomized rats exhibited negative deciduomata. It was concluded that MCA can maintain the decidual reaction and that both the pituitary and ovary are necessary for this response.
Automatic Reporting of Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate—Jumping the Gun?

In 2002, the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative recommended the use of an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) to detect early kidney disease (1). Subsequently, the National Kidney Disease Education Program (NKDEP) has taken the lead in promoting the use of eGFR. In their recommendations to health professionals (2), the NKDEP suggested determining an eGFR, as well as measuring a spot urine albumin/creatinine ratio, in patients at high risk for kidney disease, i.e., those with diabetes, hypertension, or a family history of kidney disease. The NKDEP defines chronic kidney disease (CKD) as a GFR persistently 30 mg/g creatinine. For calculating eGFR in adults, the NKDEP recommends using either of 2 versions of the 4-variable Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) Study equation. In their Suggestions for Laboratories , the NKDEP “strongly encourages clinical laboratories to automatically report eGFR when serum creatinine is reported” (3). Beginning in late 2003, members of various kidney societies were asked to strongly encourage their local laboratories to report an eGFR with each creatinine result. Recently, this encouragement has extended to the proposal in several states of laws requiring the reporting of eGFR with every creatinine result (4). Laboratorians (and legislatures) should consider several reservations before adopting automatic reporting of eGFR. Most creatinine measurements are not made to assess renal function in persons who have CKD or are at high risk for CKD. The great majority of creatinine measurements are ordered as part of a Basic Metabolic Panel. The Basic Metabolic Panel is used for assessment and monitoring of hundreds of conditions, many unrelated to renal function. The most common indication in most hospital laboratories is for routine monitoring of inpatients. The recommendation to report an eGFR with every creatinine measurement becomes, in effect, a …
The “killing zone” revisited: Serial nonlinearities predict general aviation accident rates from pilot total flight hours

Abstract Background Is there a “killing zone” ( Craig, 2001 )—a range of pilot flight time over which general aviation (GA) pilots are at greatest risk? More broadly, can we predict accident rates, given a pilot's total flight hours (TFH)? These questions interest pilots, aviation policy makers, insurance underwriters, and researchers alike. Most GA research studies implicitly assume that accident rates are linearly related to TFH, but that relation may actually be multiply nonlinear. This work explores the ability of serial nonlinear modeling functions to predict GA accident rates from noisy rate data binned by TFH. Method Two sets of National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)/Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data were log-transformed, then curve-fit to a gamma-pdf-based function. Despite high rate-noise, this produced weighted goodness-of-fit ( R w 2 ) estimates of .654 and .775 for non-instrument-rated (non-IR) and instrument-rated pilots (IR) respectively. Conclusion Serial-nonlinear models could be useful to directly predict GA accident rates from TFH, and as an independent variable or covariate to control for flight risk during data analysis. Applied to FAA data, these models imply that the “killing zone” may be broader than imagined. Relatively high risk for an individual pilot may extend well beyond the 2000-h mark before leveling off to a baseline rate.
TRANSPLACENTAL TRANSMISSION OF Protostrongylus sp. IN CALIFORNIA BIGHORN SHEEP (Ovis canadensis californiana) IN OREGON1

Transplacental transmission of Protostrongylus sp. was documented for the first time in California bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis californiana) by recovery of third stage larvae from two fetuses.
The Relationship Between Hope, Eustress, Self-Efficacy, and Life Satisfaction Among Undergraduates

The construct of eustress was studied alongside hope and self-efficacy, to explore how these constructs are related to life satisfaction among undergraduates. Questionnaires were administered to undergraduates to test the hypotheses that (1) as eustress levels increase, so will life satisfaction levels; (2) when eustress, hope, and self-efficacy are examined together, they will predict life satisfaction better than eustress alone; (3) eustress, hope, and self-efficacy will all be positively correlated with life satisfaction; and (4) self-efficacy will be the most positively correlated with life satisfaction. The results revealed a significant positive correlation between eustress and life satisfaction. A Hierarchical Linear Regression analysis revealed significant results supporting hypotheses 2 and 3, but not hypothesis 4. Results indicated that hope is the best predictor of life satisfaction. The work reported provides a reliable tool for measuring eustress, examines eustress in a new way at the academic level, and provides helpful information about student wellness to college administrators.
Thermal dependence of magnetocrystalline anisotropy and magnetostriction constants of single crystal Fe2,4Ti0.61O4

The temperature dependence of the magnetocrystalline anisotropy (K′) and magnetostriction (λ) constants of single crystal Fe2.4Ti0.61O4 (TM61) is measured using torque magnetometry and strain gage techniques in the temperature range between 300 K and Tc. At all temperatures, K′ is positive making the instead of crystal directions the easy axes of magnetization in TM61. The thermal dependence of K′(T) varies as (1-T/Tc)2.2. In terms of the saturation magnetization, K′(T)∝Ms(T)n where n≈6, a much weaker dependence than that found for magnetite (n=8–10). We also observed that K′∝λ1–2, consistent with K′∝Ms6. These results show that the magnetoelastic contribution to the magnetocrystalline anisotropy dominates the anisotropy constant of TM61 at elevated temperature and that the effects of stress cannot be neglected in theories of thermoremanence and micromagnetic models for intermediate titanomagnetites commonly found in oceanic basalts.
“Historically Informed” Corpus Studies

“historicist” or “presentist” ways of performing worksfrom the past. Music scholars who study early musicsometimes are forced to make similar choices. If onethinks of corpus studies in music as an objective formof counting the “elements of music,” the question ofwhat constitutes an “element” can involve similar his-toricist/presentist dilemmas. The article examines threehistorically significant characteristics of European artmusic—three historicist features—that are not alwaysrecognized in presentist corpus studies. For an illustra-tive example, a comparison is made between how thecadenza doppia in a Bach toccata for organ might berepresented in a corpus study as either a two-voiceframework or a series of Roman numerals in the tradi-tion of Allen McHose (1947). Because that type ofcadence was a commonplace in Bach's time and inBach's compositions, a corpus analysis should be ableto detect its multiple occurrences as a core element ofthe music.Received: October 15, 2012, accepted March 14, 2013.Key words: music theory, corpus studies, Bach, cadenzadoppia, BWV 564
Regulation of flagellar dynein by the axonemal central apparatus.

Numerous studies indicate that the central apparatus, radial spokes, and dynein regulatory complex form a signaling pathway that regulates dynein activity in eukaryotic flagella. This regulation involves the action of several kinases and phosphatases anchored to the axoneme. To further investigate the role of the central apparatus in this signaling pathway, we have taken advantage of a microtubule-sliding assay to assess dynein activity in central apparatus defective mutants of Chlamydomonas. Axonemes isolated from both pf18 and pf15 (lacking the entire central apparatus) and from pf16 (lacking the C1 central microtubule) have reduced microtubule-sliding velocity compared with wild-type axonemes. Based on functional analyses of axonemes isolated from radial spokeless mutants, we hypothesized that inhibitors of casein kinase 1 (CK1) and cAMP dependent protein kinase (PKA) would rescue dynein activity and increase microtubule-sliding velocity in central pairless mutants. Treatment of axonemes isolated from both pf18 and pf16 with DRB, a CK1 inhibitor, but not with PKI, a PKA inhibitor, restored dynein activity to wild-type levels. The DRB-induced increase in dynein-driven microtubule sliding was inhibited if axonemes were first incubated with the phosphatase inhibitor, microcystin. Inhibiting CK1 in pf15 axonemes, which lack the central pair as well as PP2A [Yang et al., 2000: J. Cell Sci. 113:91-102], did not increase microtubule-sliding velocity. These data are consistent with a model in which the central apparatus, and specifically the C1 microtubule, regulate dynein through interactions with the radial spokes that ultimately alter the activity of CK1 and PP2A. These data are also consistent with localization of axonemal CK1 and PP2A near the dynein arms.
Epidemiology of Heart Failure

Heart failure (HF) has been singled out as an epidemic and is a staggering clinical and public health problem, associated with significant mortality, morbidity, and healthcare expenditures, particularly among those aged ≥ 65 years. The case mix of HF is changing over time with a growing proportion of cases presenting with preserved ejection fraction for which there is no specific treatment. Despite progress in reducing HF-related mortality, hospitalizations for HF remain frequent and rates of readmissions continue to rise. To prevent hospitalizations, a comprehensive characterization of predictors of readmission in patients with HF is imperative and must integrate the impact of multimorbidity related to coexisting conditions. New models of patient-centered care that draw on community-based resources to support HF patients with complex coexisting conditions are needed to decrease hospitalizations.
Reassigned and new basal Archaeorthoptera from the Upper Carboniferous of Mazon Creek (IL, USA)

Abstract Lobeatta schneideri gen. and sp. nov., Anegertus cubitalis Handlirsch 1911, and Nectoptilus mazonus gen. and sp. nov., from the deposit of Mazon Creek (IL, USA; Upper Carboniferous), are described. They are shown to be close relatives of the genera Eoblatta Handlirsch 1906 and Ctenoptilus Lameere 1917. The latter genera, from French deposits nearly contemporaneous with Mazon Creek (Commentry, Montceaules-Mines), have been previously assigned to Archaeorthoptera Bethoux and Nel 2000. Additional evidence of archaeorthopterid affinities of the Mazon Creek species is provided. Ongoing reviews of North American and European Upper Carboniferous insect faunas might reveal more similarities than expected in their respective composition, although at a suprageneric taxonomic level.
Mixing in SRS Closure Business Unit Applications

The following equipment is commonly used to mix fluids: mechanical agitators, jets (pumps), shrouded axial impeller mixers (Flygt mixers), spargers, pulsed jet mixers, boiling, static mixers, falling films, liquid sprays, and thermal convection. This discussion will focus on mechanical agitators, jets, shrouded axial impeller mixers, spargers, and pulsed jet mixers, as these devices are most likely to be employed in Savannah River Site (SRS) Closure Business applications. In addressing mixing problems in the SRS Tank Farm, one must distinguish between different mixing objectives. These objectives include sludge mixing (e.g., Extended Sludge Processing), sludge retrieval (e.g., sludge transfers between tanks), heel retrieval (e.g., Tanks 18F and 19F), chemical reactions (e.g., oxalic acid neutralization) and salt dissolution. For example, one should not apply sludge mixing guidelines to heel removal applications. Mixing effectiveness is a function of both the mixing device (e.g., slurry pump, agitator, air sparger) and the properties of the material to be mixed (e.g., yield stress, viscosity, density, and particle size). The objective of this document is to provide background mixing knowledge for the SRS Closure Business Unit personnel and to provide general recommendations for mixing in SRS applications.
Image signal processing for front camera based automated driver assistance system

Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are designed to increase driver's situational awareness and road safety by providing essential information, warning and automatic intervention to reduce the possibility/severity of an accident. Front Camera (FC) based ADAS system uses computer vision based techniques to detect obstacles (e.g. pedestrian, cyclist etc) on road from captured image. Typical Image Signal Processing (ISP) is developed to cater cellphones and Digital Still Cameras (DSC) for purpose of human viewing unlike computer vision algorithms whose purpose is to help driver. The given paper explains typical sensor as well as ISP requirements for FC systems deployed in ADAS along with difference compared to cellphones and DSC. The paper proposes typical ISP pipeline which is tuned for computer vision (CV) application. The proposed solution is different in terms of input and output format & bit-depth, processing needs, actual processing algorithm, safety, temperature and thermal constraints. The proposed ISP pipeline is simulated on PC and can be enabled by means of mix of hardware and software on TI's Driver Assistance (TDA) series of processors.
Persuasive Technology And Mobile Health: A Systematic Review

Mobile Health (mHealth) is currently a topic of great interest worldwide. The major goal of most mHealth projects is to induce long-lasting behavior change among healthcare providers or patients or both. Clearly integration of Persuasive features has great potential for enhancing the effectiveness of mHealth solutions. In this paper we report the results of a systematic review of peer-reviewed papers describing mHealth interventions with a view to identifying the persuasive features employed, either explicitly or implicitly. Results have been summarized using descriptive statistics including cross-tabulations with types of mHealth interventions. Our results provide insights into the persuasive features that have been deemed to be useful across mHealth implementations in general and also across specific types of mHealth interventions.
Melampitta gigantea: Possible Relation between Feather Structure and Underground Roosting Habits

The Greater Melampitta (Melampitta gigantea) is one of the least known and apparently rarest New Guinea birds. No field observations at all have been reported for it. Only six specimens are known, from four far-flung areas of New Guinea, and records of only four of these specimens have been published. The apparent rareness of this species contrasts with the relative abundance of its only congener, the Lesser Melampitta (M. lugubris) of the New Guinea highlands. These two species were formerly considered babblers (Timaliidae), but are now assigned to the family Orthonychidae (log-runners), along with 15 other species that formerly were also usually considered to be babblers (14 other species in New Guinea or Australia or both, and 1 species in Malaya and the Greater Sunda Islands). Between 25 February and 3 March 1981, I found the Greater Melampitta to be common at a new locality, the Fakfak Mountains of northwestern New Guinea. I discovered its peculiar habitat preference and roost, recorded its voice, and obtained a second-hand account of its nest. The habitat preference helps explain why this species has been rarely encountered before. As background to my observations, I first review data on the six known specimens.
Direct inhibition of maintenance respiration in western hemlock roots exposed to ambient soil carbon dioxide concentrations.

Root respiration often exhibits a direct and immediate decline with increasing concentrations of ambient soil carbon dioxide concentration ([CO 2 ]), and recent evidence suggests this decline may be attributable to a decline in maintenance respiration within the root. If true, this concept could provide a clue to the biochemical process underlying respiratory inhibition as well as improve our knowledge of the timing and degree to which this inhibition occurs in nature. To test the hypothesis that maintenance respiration exhibits a direct, negative response to increasing [CO 2 ], we measured total respiration in intact root systems of western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) seedlings grown at different relative growth rates and exposed to soil [CO 2 ]s ranging from 91 to 7008 μmol mol −1 . Analysis of covariance was used to separate maintenance from total respiration. Total respiration declined exponentially with increasing [CO 2 ]. Maintenance respiration, which comprised 85% of total respiration over all treatments, also declined exponentially with increasing [CO 2 ]. Growth respiration was not inhibited at any [CO 2 ]. These findings may explain why roots of some fast-growing species do not show [CO 2 ] inhibition.
DESIGN OF A HYDRAULIC ACTUATOR TEST STAND FOR NON-LINEAR ANALYSIS OF HYDRAULIC ACTUATOR SYSTEM

Stability is imperative in the design of hydraulic systems. Servo-hydraulic systems are inherently non-linear creating various nuances when analyzing the stability of the system. Friction, port flow, saturation, impact loading, line dynamics, and boundary conditions are a few of the many non-linearities found in servo-hydraulic systems which are to be analyzed using advanced non-linear stability analysis techniques. Some effects of instabilities induced by nonlinearities such as pressure oscillations, noise, etc., can be detrimental to the stability or operation of hydraulic systems especially when the design is near the envelope of stability. A test stand has been developed to test the hydraulic cylinder system dynamics, with the inclusion of a mass-spring-damper system. An experimental modal analysis was performed on the hydraulic test stand to provide helpful information regarding the natural frequencies of the structure to insure that these frequencies do not lie near the natural frequencies of the hydraulic systems. Initial non-linear dynamic testing was completed on two hydraulic cylinders, consisting of finding the breakaway friction forces of the hydraulic cylinders.
Biomimetic total synthesis of forbesione and desoxymorellin utilizing a tandem Claisen/Diels–Alder/Claisen rearrangement

A concise synthesis of forbesione (1) and desoxymorellin (3) is presented. Central to the strategy is a biomimetic Claisen/Diels–Alder/Claisen reaction cascade that proceeds in a regioselective manner and produces the desired scaffold exclusively. The observed regioselectivity and product distribution of the Claisen/Diels–Alder/Claisen reaction are attributed to the electronic effects of the xanthone oxygen (O10), the C9 carbonyl group and the nature of the C1 functionality.
Intraoperative Extracorporeal Irradiation for the Treatment of the Meningioma-Infiltrated Calvarium.

Objectives Complete removal of infiltrated bone is required to achieve a Simpson Grade 1 meningioma resection. Reconstruction of the resulting bone defect is typically achieved with a nonnative implant that can result in poor cosmesis, foreign body reaction, or infection. Extracorporeal irradiation and reimplantation of tumorous bone has been used for limb-sparing surgery with excellent results, but this treatment option is not routinely considered in meningioma surgery. We present a case of anterior fossa meningioma with tumorous overlying calvarium that was successfully managed with intraoperative extracorporeal irradiation and reimplantation. Design, Setting, and Participant A 37-year-old woman with persistent chronic headaches was found to have an anterior skull base meningioma with extension into the forehead frontal bone. Concurrently with mass resection, the bone flap was irradiated intraoperatively with 120 Gy. After resection of the tumor, the bone flap was replaced in its native position. Main Outcome Measures and Results Twenty-nine months postoperatively, the patient had an excellent cosmetic outcome with no radiographic evidence of tumor recurrence or significant bone flap resorption. Conclusion Intraoperative extracorporeal irradiation of tumorous calvaria during meningioma surgery is an effective, logistically feasible treatment option to achieve local tumor control and excellent cosmetic outcome.
The social and spatial distribution of temperature-related health impacts from urban heat island reduction policies

Abstract Cities are developing innovative strategies to combat climate change but there remains little knowledge of the winners and losers from climate-adaptive land use planning and design. We examine the distribution of health benefits associated with land use policies designed to increase vegetation and surface reflectivity in three US metropolitan areas: Atlanta, GA, Philadelphia, PA, and Phoenix, AZ. Projections of population and land cover at the census tract scale were combined with climate models for the year 2050 at 4 km × 4 km resolution to produce future summer temperatures which were input into a comparative risk assessment framework for the temperature-mortality relationship. The findings suggest disparities in the effectiveness of urban heat management strategies by age, income, and race. We conclude that, to be most protective of human health, urban heat management must prioritize areas of greatest population vulnerability.
INFLUENCE OF PREIRRADIATION HEAT TREATMENT ON THE POSTIRRADIATION DUCTILITY OF STAINLESS STEEL

The ductility of irradiated structural alloys is of concern in reactor design. The purpose of this study is to determine some of the parameters affecting such ductility. Type-304 stainless steel ha...
Formation of atomically ordered and chemically selective Si—O—Ti monolayer on Si0.5Ge0.5(110) for a MIS structure via H2O2(g) functionalization

Si0.5Ge0.5(110) surfaces were passivated and functionalized using atomic H, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and either tetrakis(dimethylamino)titanium (TDMAT) or titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) and studied in situ with multiple spectroscopic techniques. To passivate the dangling bonds, atomic H and H2O2(g) were utilized and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) demonstrated unpinning of the surface Fermi level. The H2O2(g) could also be used to functionalize the surface for metal atomic layer deposition. After subsequent TDMAT or TiCl4 dosing followed by a post-deposition annealing, scanning tunneling microscopy demonstrated that a thermally stable and well-ordered monolayer of TiOx was deposited on Si0.5Ge0.5(110), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy verified that the interfaces only contained Si—O—Ti bonds and a complete absence of GeOx. STS measurements confirmed a TiOx monolayer without mid-gap and conduction band edge states, which should be an ideal ultrathin insulating layer in a metal-insulator-semicond...
Adaptive optics optical coherence tomography in glaucoma

Since the introduction of commercial optical coherence tomography (OCT) systems, the ophthalmic imaging modality has rapidly expanded and it has since changed the paradigm of visualization of the retina and revolutionized the management and diagnosis of neuro-retinal diseases, including glaucoma. OCT remains a dynamic and evolving imaging modality, growing from time-domain OCT to the improved spectral-domain OCT, adapting novel image analysis and processing methods, and onto the newer swept-source OCT and the implementation of adaptive optics (AO) into OCT. The incorporation of AO into ophthalmic imaging modalities has enhanced OCT by improving image resolution and quality, particularly in the posterior segment of the eye. Although OCT previously captured in-vivo cross-sectional images with unparalleled high resolution in the axial direction, monochromatic aberrations of the eye limit transverse or lateral resolution to about 15-20 μm and reduce overall image quality. In pairing AO technology with OCT, it is now possible to obtain diffraction-limited resolution images of the optic nerve head and retina in three-dimensions, increasing resolution down to a theoretical 3 μm3. It is now possible to visualize discrete structures within the posterior eye, such as photoreceptors, retinal nerve fiber layer bundles, the lamina cribrosa, and other structures relevant to glaucoma. Despite its limitations and barriers to widespread commercialization, the expanding role of AO in OCT is propelling this technology into clinical trials and onto becoming an invaluable modality in the clinician's arsenal.
CHANGES IN DYNAMIC BALANCE AND HIP STRENGTH AFTER AN EIGHT-WEEK CONDITIONING PROGRAM IN NCAA DIVISION I FEMALE SOCCER (FOOTBALL) ATHLETES.

BACKGROUND Lower extremity injury commonly affects female soccer athletes. Decreased dynamic balance and hip strength are identified risk factors for lower extremity injury. Little is known about how these factors adapt to a training stimulus in this population. PURPOSE To retrospectively investigate changes in lower extremity dynamic balance and isometric hip strength in Division I collegiate female soccer athletes after participating in an eight-week strength and conditioning program. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective, non-experimental cohort study. METHODS As part of a standard testing battery, soccer athletes completed athletic performance pre- and post-testing separated by an eight-week off-season conditioning program consisting of overall strength and technical skill development. Testing included lower extremity dynamic balance assessment through the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) and isometric hip abduction and external rotation (ER) strength testing, normalized to limb length and percent body mass, respectively. Athletes rested for one week prior to post-testing. RESULTS Seventeen healthy Division I female soccer athletes (age: 18.8 ± 0.9 years, height: 1.7 ± 0.06 m, mass: 68.0 ± 8.2 kg) completed the protocol. Significant improvements in SEBT composite reach distance were observed in the dominant (DOM) (3.6 ± 4.8%, 95% CI: 1.1 to 6.0) and nondominant (NDOM) (4.8 ± 6.1%, 95% CI: 1.7 to 7.9) limbs. Significant improvements in DOM hip ER strength (2.4 ± 2.3%, 95% CI: 1.3 to 3.6) and DOM SEBT anterior reach (2.1 ± 2.8%, 95% CI: 0.6 to 3.5) were observed. Large effect sizes were observed for DOM and NDOM hip ER strength gains (0.87 - 1.0), while small-moderate effect sizes were noted for the anterior reach direction (0.40 - 0.66). Further, DOM hip ER strength gains were significantly associated with DOM anterior reach performance improvements (r2 = 0.37, p<.01). CONCLUSION DOM hip ER strength gains appear to be associated with improved lower extremity dynamic balance on the ipsilateral limb for the SEBT anterior reach direction in collegiate, Division I female soccer athletes after an eight-week conditioning program. Future investigations should prospectively investigate intervention strategies to modify lower extremity injury risk factors in this population. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 2b.
Slave to Modernity? General Ḥusayn’s Journey from Tunis to Tuscany (1830s-1880s)

Following the career of General Ḥusayn b. ʿAbdallāh, a prominent Circassian slave who served the Ottoman governors of Tunis from his childhood in the 1830s until his death in Tuscany in 1887, this paper attempts to grasp more than the colonial dimension of the North African past and to assess other global and transnational dynamics that molded the histories of modernity in the Maghrib. His exile in Florence redirects our attention to Mediterranean spaces, such as Tuscany, which were neither imperial nor colonial and which have been erased from the main narrative of colonized North Africa.
E-cigarette use as a predictor of cigarette smoking: results from a 1-year follow-up of a national sample of 12th grade students.

Objective To prospectively examine vaping as a predictor of future cigarette smoking among youth with and without previous cigarette smoking experience. A secondary aim is to investigate whether vaping may desensitise youth to the dangers of smoking. Methods Analysis of prospective longitudinal panel data from the nationally representative Monitoring the Future study. The analysis is based on 347 12th grade students who were part of a randomly selected subsample that completed in-school surveys in 2014 and were resurveyed 1-year later. Results Among youth who had never smoked a cigarette by 12th grade, baseline, recent vapers were more than 4 times (relative risk (RR)=4.78) more likely to report past-year cigarette smoking at follow-up, even among youth who reported the highest possible level of perceived risk for cigarette smoking at baseline. Among 12th grade students who had smoked in the past but had not recently smoked at baseline, recent vapers were twice (RR=2.15) as likely to report smoking in the past 12 months at the follow-up. Vaping did not predict cessation of smoking among recent smokers at baseline. Among never-smokers at baseline, recent vapers were more than 4 times (RR=4.73) more likely to move away from the perception of cigarettes as posing a ‘great risk’ of harm, a finding consistent with a desensitisation process. Conclusions These results contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting vaping as a one-way bridge to cigarette smoking among youth. Vaping as a risk factor for future smoking is a strong, scientifically-based rationale for restricting youth access to e-cigarettes.
Disjunctive interaction in continuous time Bayesian networks

Abstract A continuous time Bayesian network is a probabilistic graphical model capable of describing discrete state systems that evolve in continuous time. Unfortunately, the number of parameters required for each node in the graph is exponential in the number of parents of the node, which can be prohibitively large for many real-world systems. To mitigate this problem, disjunctive interaction is proposed as a method for reducing the number of required parameters from exponential to linear. In this work, the relation between disjunctive interaction and standard parameterization techniques is explored both theoretically and experimentally. Experimental results demonstrate that inference over models with disjunctive interaction exhibits greater scalability with no degradation in accuracy.
Unannounced Drill Program: Testing Spill Management Team Capability through Vessel & Facility Oil Spill Contingency Plans

California has approximately >10,000 vessels calling its ports each year, and 200–300 facilities state wide, many of which are required to have a California Oil Spill Contingency Plan (Contingency ...
Optimal loading capacity in distribution grids

This paper proposes an efficient hosting capacity approach for evaluating the capabilities of a distribution system in accommodating additional loading without violating operational requirements. The calculated maximum possible loading in the distribution system is called loading capacity in this paper. Existing methods for computing hosting capacity require extensive iterations, which can be computationally-expensive and lack solution optimality. The proposed model in this paper removes the need for iterations by linearizing the AC power flow equations and then finding the optimal loading capacity through a developed optimization problem. The IEEE 33-bus test system is used to exhibit the effectiveness of the proposed optimal loading capacity model.