cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Shape constrained figure-ground segmentation and tracking

Global shape information is an effective top-down complement to bottom-up figure-ground segmentation as well as a useful constraint to avoid drift during adaptive tracking. We propose a novel method to embed global shape information into local graph links in a Conditional Random Field (CRF) framework. Given object shapes from several key frames, we automatically collect a shape dataset on-the-fly and perform statistical analysis to build a collection of deformable shape templates representing global object shape. In new frames, simulated annealing and local voting align the deformable template with the image to yield a global shape probability map. The global shape probability is combined with a region-based probability of object boundary map and the pixel-level intensity gradient to determine each link cost in the graph. The CRF energy is minimized by min-cut, followed by Random Walk on the uncertain boundary region to get a soft segmentation result. Experiments on both medical and natural images with deformable object shapes are demonstrated.
What Survives from the Classical Concept of Absolute Time

The title of this paper may be understood as a form of question which is only in part a question of intellectual history. It cannot be answered by a mere outline of the post-Newtonian development of the concept of time; what is needed is also to contrast the modern concept of time with its classical counterpart and to analyze whether some residue of the latter is not perhaps present, no matter how disguised, in the concept which is generally accepted today. I do not mean only the time of relativity; there is a similar problem of time in thermodynamics, in quantum theory and in cosmogony, even though the one in relativity is probably the most fundamental.
A single-fed element antenna for tri-band anti-jamming GPS arrays

A small tri-band GPS antenna is proposed as part of an anti-jamming GPS array. A key aspect of the element is its single feed to achieve circular polarization even when integrated in a small array. This is done via a Wilkinson powder divider together with a quarter-wavelength delay line. Different array configurations are studied to minimize coupling. Design procedures are presented along with the measurement validations.
CONSERVATIVELY EXTENDING CLASSICAL LOGIC WITH TRANSPARENT TRUTH

This paper shows how to conservatively extend a classical logic with a transparent truth predicate, in the face of the paradoxes that arise as a consequence. All classical inferences are preserved, and indeed extended to the full (truth-involving) vocabulary. However, not all classical metainferences are preserved; in particular, the resulting logical system is nontransitive. Some limits on this nontransitivity are adumbrated, and two proof systems are presented and shown to be sound and complete. (One proof system features admissible Cut, but the other does not.)
Changes in Cytosolic pH within Arabidopsis Root Columella Cells Play a Key Role in the Early Signaling Pathway for Root Gravitropism

Ratiometric wide-field fluorescence microscopy with 1',7'- bis-(2-carboxyethyl)-5-(and-6)-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF)-dextran demonstrated that gravistimulation leads to rapid changes in cytoplasmic pH (pHc) in columella cells of Arabidopsis roots. The pHc of unstimulated columella cells in tiers 2 and 3, known sites of graviperception (E.B. Blancaflor, J.B. Fasano, S. Gilroy [1998] Plant Physiol 116: 213-222), was 7.22 +/- 0.02 pH units. Following gravistimulation, the magnitude and direction of pHc changes in these cells depended on their location in the columella. Cells in the lower side of tier 2 became more alkaline by 0.4 unit within 55 s of gravistimulation, whereas alkalinization of the cells on the upper side was slower (100 s). In contrast, all cells in tier 3 acidified by 0.4 pH unit within 480 s after gravistimulation. Disrupting these pHc changes in the columella cells using pHc modifiers at concentrations that do not affect root growth altered the gravitropic response. Acidifying agents, including bafilomycin A1, enhanced curvature, whereas alkalinizing agents disrupted gravitropic bending. These results imply that pHc changes in the gravisensing cells and the resultant pH gradients across the root cap are important at an early stage in the signal cascade leading to the gravitropic response.
tCal: transcriptional probability calculator using thermodynamic model.

Summary: Thermodynamic model has been proposed as a realistic model of gene transcriptional regulation in bacteria, in which transcription probability calculation is based on physical interpretation of biological knowledge. We extend the published results in this area, and derive a relatively new model which could serve as a generalized form of previous results. To facilitate the application in gene network modeling studies, we implement our model in a Python module, ‘tCal’. With minimum programming efforts, user can use tCal to build transcription units, and either compute the transcription probabilities, or construct SBML models of regulatory networks.
Photon statistics of a two-photon laser☆

Abstract The steady state quantum statistical properties of a two-photon laser are presented for the case when the cavity loss mechanism is simulated by a single-photon process.
Equalizing secondary path effects using the periodicity of fMRI acoustic noise

Non-minimum phase secondary path has a direct effect on achieving a desired noise attenuation level in active noise control (ANC) systems. The adaptive noise canceling filter is often a causal FIR filter which may not be able to sufficiently equalize the effect of a non-minimum phase secondary path, since in theory only a non-causal filter can equalize it. However a non-causal stable filter can be found to equalize the non-minimum phase effect of secondary path. Realization of non-causal stable filters requires knowledge of future values of input signal. In this paper we develop methods for equalizing the non-minimum phase property of the secondary path and improving the performance of an ANC system by exploiting the periodicity of fMRI acoustic noise. It has been shown that the scanner noise component is highly periodic and hence predictable which enables easy realization of non-causal filtering. Improvement in performance due to the proposed methods (with and without the equalizer) is shown for periodic fMRI acoustic noise.
Family life events in the first year of acute lymphoblastic leukemia therapy: a children's oncology group report.

Background Despite higher cure rates, childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) may continue to result in considerable family strain. We sought to (i) measure incidence of divorce, reduced career opportunities, changes to work hours, home relocation, and changes to family planning at one year after ALL diagnosis; and (ii) Identify family and patient factors associated with these events. Procedure We conducted a prospective cohort study of 159 children with average risk-ALL enrolled and treated on COG protocol AALL0331 at 31 selected sites. Eligibility criteria included age ≥2 years and English or Spanish comprehension. Parents completed surveys at three time points during the first 12 months of therapy. Results Parents were at significantly increased risk of loss of employment (46% vs. 9.1%, P ≤ 0.001) than peers nationally. 13% divorced/separated, 27% relocated homes, 22% decided not to have more children, 51% declined occupational opportunities, and 68% decreased work hours. In adjusted analyses, relocation correlated with less maternal education (OR: 4.27 [95% CI: 1.43–12.82]). Declining parental opportunities associated with family income <$50,000 (OR: 4.25 [95% CI: 1.50–12.02]) and child <5 years old (OR: 4.21 [95% CI: 1.73–10.25]). Deciding not to have more children correlated with smaller family size 2–3 versus 4–5 (OR: 3.62 [95% CI: 1.10–11.96]). Conclusion Families experience a high incidence of major life changes in the first year of ALL treatment. Understanding these burdens helps health care providers to provide appropriate anticipatory guidance and support. No unifying factor was associated with the different family events. Ongoing follow-up is planned to measure long-term outcomes. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2014;61:2277–2284. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The application of thin layer chromatography to sulfobromophthalein metabolism studies.

Abstract A thin-layer chromatographic system has been devised for studying BSP metabolism. Its advantages consist of speed, enhanced separation, and ease for carrying out comparative studies. The effects of species variation, acute biliary stasis, and hepatotoxic agents on BSP metabolism have been investigated.
Supervised machine learning for modeling human recognition of vehicle-driving situations

A classification system is developed to identify driving situations from labeled examples of previous occurrences. The purpose of the classifier is to provide physical context to a separate system that mitigates unnecessary distractions, allowing the driver to maintain focus during periods of high difficulty. While watching videos of driving, we asked different users to indicate their perceptions of the current situation. We then trained a classifier to emulate the human recognition of driving situations using the Sandia Cognitive Framework. In unstructured conditions, such as driving in urban areas and the German autobahn, the classifier was able to correctly predict human perceptions of driving situations over 95% of the time. This paper focuses on the learning algorithms used to train the driving-situation classifier. Future work will reduce the human efforts needed to train the system.
Novel Anticoagulant Use for Venous Thromboembolism: A 2013 Update

Many pharmacologic options are available for prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE). The anticoagulant selected may vary according the individual patient situation such as the acute versus chronic setting, renal function and indication for either VTE prevention or treatment. Established methods of pharmacologic prophylaxis agents include heparinoids, injectable anti-Xa inhibition and vitamin K antagonists (VKA). The novel anticoagulants have recently been incorporated into orthopedic surgery prophylaxis pathways and can be used for VTE treatment. Chronic VTE management, however, has largely been managed with the use VKA. The advantages of VKA include low cost, familiarity with use, and established protocols to manage catastrophic bleeding. VKA use, however, poses hurdles including the fact that correct dosing can be empiric, the existence of multiple potential medication and dietary interactions, and the possiblity for complications when anticoagulation levels are not well monitored. In contrast, the novel anticoagulants offer ease of dosing, reliable pharmacokinetics and low risk of interactions with other medications or diet. Potential hazards of the novel anticoagulants include high costs, questionable therapeutic benefit in those with poor adherence, a reliance on renal clearance, lack of reliable reversibility in the event of catastrophic bleeding, as well as incomplete familiarity with use by the general practitioner. Although clinical trials demonstrate promise of greater applicability of use of these novel agents, hospital systems will need to simultaneously create a plan for appropriate management of the use of these agents, an anticoagulation stewardship program. As guidelines are adopted to prevent and manage VTE, an appreciation for this new level of complexity is essential.
Paternal care and the evolution of exaggerated sexual swellings in primates

The exaggerated sexual swellings exhibited by females of some primate species have been of interest to evolutionary biologists since the time of Darwin. We summarize existing hypotheses for their function and evolution and categorize these hypotheses within the context of 3 types of variation in sexual swelling size: 1) variation within a single sexual cycle, 2) variation between the sexual cycles of a single female, and 3) differences between females. We then propose the Paternal Care Hypothesis for the function of sexual swellings, which posits that exaggerated sexual swellings function to elicit the right quantity and quality of male care for a female’s infant. As others have noted, swellings may allow females to engender paternity confusion, or they may allow females to confer relative paternal certainty on one male. Key to our hypothesis is that both of these scenarios create an incentive for one or more males to provide care. This hypothesis builds on previous hypotheses but differs from them by highlighting the elicitation of paternal care as a key function of swellings. Our hypothesis predicts that true paternal care (in which males accurately differentiate and provide assistance to their own offspring) will be most common in species in which exaggerated swellings accurately signal the probability of conception, and males can monopolize females during the window of highest conception probability. Our hypothesis also predicts that females will experience selection to behave in ways that either augment paternity confusion or enhance paternal certainty depending on their social and demographic contexts. Key words: infanticide, parental care, primates, sexual swellings. [Behav Ecol]
Ancient Course of the Tiber River Near Rome: An Introduction to the Middle Pleistocene Volcanic Stratigraphy of Central Italy

The volcanic sequence exposed in the Treia Valley, 40 km north of Rome, promises to be useful in establishing the climate and chronology of the Mediterranean middle Pleistocene. A change in the course of the Tiber River has been a critical factor in the development of this section. The Tiber makes a detour eastward from Civita Castellana around the volcanic area of the Monti Sabatini before reaching Rome and the sea. Stratigraphic relations exposed in the Treia Canyon show that early in the Pleistocene the “Paleotiber” flowed due south from Civita Castellana to Rome, and was diverted by the first products of the Sabatini volcanoes. The former bed of the “Paleotiber” can be identified, and the occurrence of lake beds clarifies the way in which damming took place. The present course of the Tiber probably formed when the lake backed into a tributary valley and overflowed into the headwaters of another tributary.
Analysis and Design of Finite-Length LDPC Codes

We consider the performance analysis and code construction of finite-length low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes. First, by convergence analysis based on the extrinsic information evolution, we analyze the performance of both regular and irregular finite-length LDPC codes under iterative decoding. Next, by focusing on a special class of LDPC codes, namely, systematic irregular repeat-accumulate (IRA) codes, we propose a design procedure to construct finite-length LDPC codes. In addition to giving rise to a simple encoding structure, the special structure of IRA codes can be exploited to introduce unequal protection with cycle control for different types of nodes in the factor-graph code representation. We propose a modified bit-filling algorithm that leads to the construction of a set of finite-length IRA codes with low error floors
Acyl peptide hydrolase degrades monomeric and oligomeric amyloid-beta peptide

Background: The abnormal accumulation of amyloid-beta peptide is believed to cause malfunctioning of neurons in the Alzheimer's disease brain. Amyloid-beta exists in different assembly forms in the aging mammalian brain including monomers, oligomers, and aggregates, and in senile plaques, fibrils. Recent findings suggest that soluble amyloid-beta oligomers may represent the primary pathological species in Alzheimer's disease and the most toxic form that impairs synaptic and thus neuronal function. We previously reported the isolation of a novel amyloid-betadegrading enzyme, acyl peptide hydrolase, a serine protease that degrades amyloid-beta, and is different in structure and activity from other amyloid-beta-degrading enzymes. Results: Here we report the further characterization of acyl peptide hydrolase activity using mass spectrometry. Acyl peptide hydrolase cleaves the amyloid-beta peptide at amino acids 13, 14 and 19. In addition, by real-time PCR we found elevated acyl peptide hydrolase expression in brain areas rich in amyloid plaques suggesting that this enzyme's levels are responsive to increases in amyloidbeta levels. Lastly, tissue culture experiments using transfected CHO cells expressing APP751 bearing the V717F mutation indicate that acyl peptide hydrolase preferentially degrades dimeric and trimeric forms of amyloid-beta. Conclusion: These data suggest that acyl peptide hydrolase is involved in the degradation of oligomeric amyloid-beta, an activity that, if induced, might present a new tool for therapy aimed at reducing neurodegeneration in the Alzheimer's brain.
Pan-mentoring in creative engineering design &#8211; the coordination of individual and team creativity

Pan-mentoring is an approach to creative engineering design education establishing a close relationship with and within design teams of students. This paper focuses on the role of the pan-mentor in creative engineering design as a coordinator of individual creativity and team creativity. Globalization and fast changing technologies require that engineering design education prepare students to become flexible, innovative, and resourceful engineers. This translates into an emphasis on creativity in a wider sense than is currently practiced. Such an approach involves: analyzing individual learning types; providing engineering design tools, such as hand sketches; and introducing evolutionary design. This also involves exploring the notion of team creativity, including gender and ethnicity issues. In this context the role of the pan-mentor consists of: helping students to effectively tap their creativity as individuals and as teams; guiding them through the design process at both the individual and team level; and encouraging self-reflection and assessment. This paper will show that the coordination of individual and team creativity under the guidance of a pan-mentor can enhance engineering design education and help to prepare students for a fast changing future
Molecular structure and thermodynamic predictions to create highly sensitive microRNA biosensors.

Many studies have established microRNAs (miRNAs) as post-transcriptional regulators in a variety of intracellular molecular processes. Abnormal changes in miRNA have been associated with several diseases. However, these changes are sometimes subtle and occur at nanomolar levels or lower. Several biosensing hurdles for in situ cellular/tissue analysis of miRNA limit detection of small amounts of miRNA. Of these limitations the most challenging are selectivity and sensor degradation creating high background signals and false signals. Recently we developed a reporter+probe biosensor for let-7a that showed potential to mitigate false signal from sensor degradation. Here we designed reporter+probe biosensors for miR-26a-2-3p and miR-27a-5p to better understand the effect of thermodynamics and molecular structures of the biosensor constituents on the analytical performance. Signal changes from interactions between Cy3 and Cy5 on the reporters were used to understand structural aspects of the reporter designs. Theoretical thermodynamic values, single stranded conformations, hetero- and homodimerization structures, and equilibrium concentrations of the reporters and probes were used to interpret the experimental observations. Studies of the sensitivity and selectivity revealed 5-9 nM detection limits in the presence and absence of interfering off-analyte miRNAs. These studies will aid in determining how to rationally design reporter+probe biosensors to overcome hurdles associated with highly sensitive miRNA biosensing.
Life cycle assessment of heated airfield pavement system for snow removal

Airport operations are heavily and repeatedly impacted by snow and ice during winter seasons. Considering the potential economic losses resulting from ice/snow-related flight delays and airport shutdowns, there is a significant need to maintain the runways and taxiways free of snow and ice at all times. Traditional snow removal systems that employ de-icers and anti-icers have the potential to generate Foreign Object Debris (FOD) and could cause damage to aircraft parts and the pavements. In addition, traditional snow plows and equipment have difficulty accessing critical airside operations areas such as the apron/gate areas. An emerging technology, referred to as the heated pavement systems (HPS) are promising alternatives to traditional snow removal systems. Although heated pavement systems have been used widely in European countries for airport snow removal, there are no practical applications in US, and their environmental impacts were unknown. The purpose of this research is to evaluate and quantify greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy consumptions of heated pavement systems applied in airfield in order to give decision makers a more informed view in snow removal application selections. As the very first research on environmental impacts of heated pavement systems in removing snow, this research includes three individual studies. Each one builds on the understanding of previous one. The first study uses life cycle assessment (LCA) to compare geothermal heated pavement system (GHPS) and traditional snow removal system applied in airport runway by evaluating their energy consumptions and GHG emissions. This study analyzes construction and operation phases of both snow removal systems. According to the limited data from previous studies, results show no significant differences between the construction phases of two snow removal systems. Also, airports show more interests in applying this new technology in airport apron area instead.
On Open Texture of Law

This paper, prepared for the University of Frankfurt Symposium on Defeasibility in Epistemology, Ethics, law and Logic, addresses the claim of H.L.A. Hart and others that law is open-textured. It is in the nature of law, they say, that it necessarily possesses an open texture going beyond the open texture of the language in which legal rules are written. But when we examine the question of open texture in light of Hart’s claim that the open texture of law entails the necessary defeasibility of legal rules, we discover that Hart and his followers are mistaken. Both the alleged open texture of law qua law (as opposed to the open texture occasioned by the open texture of the language used by law) and the defeasibility of legal rules are contingent features of certain legal rules in certain legal regimes, but neither are necessary components of the nature of law or the nature of rules.
The influence of 'hypophysectomy' on bone growth and alkaline phosphatase activity in the chick embryo.

Wet weights, total bone alkaline phosphatase activity and specific alkaline phosphatase activity were determined on demarrowed femurs of normal, ‘hypophysectomized’ and pituitary-grafted chick embryos at selected intervals of incubation. In normal bones, all parameters noted above increased progressively through developmental time. ‘Hypophysectomy’ by means of surgical decapitation significantly retarded the normal increase of femur wet weight, total and specific alkaline phosphatase activity; in embryos bearing pituitary transplants, there was a return towards normal values. The possible role(s) of the pituitary in skeletal maturation and enzyme synthesis or activation is discussed.
GENETIC DIVERGENCE UNDER UNIFORM SELECTION. I. SIMILARITY AMONG POPULATIONS OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER IN THEIR RESPONSES TO ARTIFICIAL SELECTION FOR MODIFIERS OF ci D .

The fossil record contains examples of striking parallels in the evolution of closely related taxa. These episodes of parallel evolution generally have been interpreted as the product of very similar selection pressures acting on closely related lineages. But parallel evolution has never been construed to be an allele-forallele identity of response among lineages; it has long been realized that identical selection pressures do not guarantee identical responses to selection (Gulick, 1872; Wright, 1931). Indeed, conspecific populations of numerous species of animals and plants have diverged under similar selection pressures for a large variety of physiological, biochemical, and morphological characters (reviewed in Cohan, 1984). For instance, different populations of the spider mite Tetranychus urticae have responded to selection for organophosphate resistance by alternative mechanisms: a New York population has responded by detoxifying the poison, while a European population has altered its neural sensitivity to organophosphates (Matsumura and Voss, 1964). Other examples include diverse responses to selection for heavy metal tolerance among different mine populations of Mimulus guttatus (Macnair, 1976), multiple responses to selection for malaria resistance among different populations of Homo sapiens (Luzzatto and Testa, 1978; Luzzatto, 1979), and many more.
Main Group Redox Catalysis: Reversible PIII/PV Redox Cycling at a Phosphorus Platform

A planar, trivalent phosphorus compound is shown to undergo reversible two-electron redox cycling (PIII/PV) enabling its use as catalyst for a transfer hydrogenation reaction. The trivalent phosphorus compound activates ammonia-borane to furnish a 10-P-5 dihydridophosphorane, which in turn is shown to transfer hydrogen cleanly to azobenzene, yielding diphenylhydrazine and regenerating the initial trivalent phosphorus species. This result constitutes a rare example of two-electron redox catalysis at a main group compound and suggests broader potential for this nonmetal platform to support bond-modifying redox catalysis of the type dominated by transition metal catalysts.
Physical Properties and Diffusion Characteristics of CVD-Grown TiSiN Films

TiSiN films grown by chemical vapor deposition were characterized to evaluate the properties relevant to the application as a diffusion barrier in Cu-based interconnects. The films were grown using TiI 4 + SiI 4 + NH 3 + H 2 chemistry at substrate temperature, 370°C, and SiI 4 - to-TiI 4 precursor flow rate ratio of 30. The combined results from x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that the bulk of Ti 32 Si 21 N 42 films were predominantly consisted of a mixture of cubic TiN and amorphous SiN x phases. The specific electrical resistivity of the films was about 2000 μΩcm which is a few times higher than that of sputtered TiSiN films having similar composition and thicknesses. The 40 nm-thick barrier appeared to be thermally stable against Cu diffusion at the annealing temperatures up to 550°C. Breakdown of this diffusion barrier occurred at 600°C and was accompanied by the formation of Cu3Si protrusions at the TiSiN/Si interface.
Exploration for Impact of Radiative Forcing on Global Warming and Sea-Level Rise

Sea-level rise caused by global warming is posing a significant threat on the sustainable development of coastal regions in the world. Greenhouse gaseous emission generated by natural and anthropogenic radiative forcing, especially carbon dioxide (CO2), is a most important factor to result in global warming. In this study, we propose a new dynamic control system model that explicitly incorporates impact of CO2 on global warming and sea-level rise. In the model CO2 emission is taken as an external input acting on the system. The system is recognized using historical observations. A special emission scenario, which results in 2 o C increase of the temperature in 2100, is used to verify the model. The verified result shows that the model is effective to predict the global temperature and sea-level rise in future. We then apply the proposed model to six special emission scenarios generated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Projected results indicate that the temperature increase in 2100 ranges from 1.5 to 6.0 o C and sea-level rise in 2100 spans from 59.4 to 106.4 cm relative to 1990 level. These results are highly consistent with projections by IPCC and semi-empirical approaches in recent studies.
Green Culture: The Impact of Employee Environmental Culture

The concepts of sustainability, social responsibility, and environmentally friendly operations have been well noticed topics in the operations management literature. However, very few studies look at the workforce level of analysis to determine impacts on firm performance. This study looks at the development of employee environmental culture and the impact on the firm. Effects of environmental training, goal setting, and management support of environmental programs are considered. Further, moderating effects of environmental culture on Lean and TQM programs are also examined. Extensions and areas for future research are discussed.
The Design Concept for an Antenna′s Ejection Mechanism

Through the selection and study of concepts for antenna′s ejection mechanism,this paper describes a design method and some key problems during designing a reciprocating ejection mechanism operating in small space. It can be used as reference for similar designs.
Secret Key Estimation in Sequential Steganography Based on the Laplacian Model

Image sequential steganography is defined as a class of embedding algorithms that hide messages in the consecutive features(time,spatial or frequency domain)of the host signal.This paper presents a steganalysis method that estimates the secret key used in the sequential steganography of spread spectrum embedding.We use the method of cumulative sum based on the sequential probability test(CUMUM-SPRT)to detect the changes,which is used in sequential analysis and abrupt changes detection.Considering the Laplacian distribution of image DCT coefficients,we give a secret key estimation model of stationary Laplacian host signals embedded by the spread spectrum steganography.Experiments are done using the stationary Laplacian random sequence generated by a stochastic differential equation(SDE)method.For non-statioanry digital images with a low signal noise ratio(SNR),a locally most powerful steganaysis detector is derived based on the Laplacian distribution.The results of experiments show that our method is more efficient than Trivedi's method.
Studies on the Defects and Element Distribution of Sm_2(Co,Cu,Fe,Zr)_(17) Alloy Ingot

The defects presented in the Sm2(Co,Cu,Fe,Zr)17 alloy ingot and the cause of their formation were studied through the analysis of the element composition in various sections along the axis of ingot and the microprobe analysis of the air hole region and the abnormal columnar crystal region of the ingot with X-ray fluorescence spectrometer,scanning electron microscope and electron probe microanalysis.It was found that several alloy elements have different segregation tendency at various sections along the axis of ingot:the contents of Sm,Cu and Co increased slightly from bottom to top,Cu amd Zr distributed more evenly,and O was mostly concentrated at the middle part;Sm and Cu in the dendrite region of the surface of the hole wall segregated more severely;Sm and O were largely enriched in the projecting region of the hole wall surface;various elements also exhibited certain segregation in the abnormal columnar crystal region with a certain amount of O.The formations of the defects of the hole and the hole wall impurities were due to the leftover oxide inclusion in the ingot and that of abnormal columnar crystal was attributed to single phase crystal mode building-up by the narrow ingot solidifying region.
Achieving parenteral nutrition cost savings through prescribing guidelines and formulary restrictions

A hospital's use and pharmacy costs of parenteral nutrition (PN) therapy before and after implementation of standardized PN formulas, prescribing guidelines, and preprinted order forms were compared. The study hospital, a large teaching institution, did not have a formal PN team. Guidelines for prescribing were promulgated by the pharmacy and therapeutics committee, the quality assurance committee, and the medical staff executive committee. Records of all patients receiving PN therapy were audited for six-month periods before and after implementation of the program. Cost data associated with decreased PN and albumin wastage, reduced labor and materials costs, inventory reduction, decreased inventory holding costs, and competitive bidding were analyzed. After implementation of this program, the number of wasted PN solutions was reduced by 55.8%, and the cost of PN solutions decreased by 36.9%. Use of albumin-containing PN solutions was reduced by 85.3%. PN solution preparation times were reduced by 66.1% (a reduction of 58.7% in preparation costs), and PN acquisition costs were reduced by 54.5%. A total annual savings of $170,722 was realized, plus a one-time cost savings of $15,632 from inventory reduction. Use of standardized parenteral nutrition formulas and prescribing guidelines can substantially decrease the cost of patient care.
Whose criterion standard is it anyway

A criterion-referenced standard is an important element of most successful professional testing programs. A growing body of evidence suggests that judge decisions are influenced by characteristics related to the normative experience of the individual judge (e.g. gender, age, etc.). This investigation used two health-care related boards to explore the effects of judge characteristics on the standards established. Two judge panels (composed of 26 and 30 members respectively) were used in a simplified Objective Standard Setting exercise to define examination cutoff points. Multi-faceted Rasch analyses were employed to detect and explore differences in judgment making. Significant but not necessarily consistent differences were found between panel judges on several examined characteristics. Results suggest that criterion-referenced standards defined by judge panels are inexorably connected to their normative experiences and are therefore wholly sample dependent. While stratification of judge panels is clearly an important element in defining standards, if they are ever to achieve the goals of Glaser (1963) and Majer (1962) including meaningful independence, more must be done to investigate these and other concerns. The case for the predictive validity of criterion-referenced standards has not thusfar been made in any convincing fashion.
Integration of Multiple Internal Reflection (MIR) Infrared Spectroscopy with Silicon-based Chemical Microreactors

Anisotropic etching of silicon enables the batch fabrication of crystals suitable for multiple internal reflection (MIR) IR spectroscopy. Integration of these crystals with microfluidics produces devices that permit on-line monitoring of reactions. We use these devices for in situ kinetic studies of a model reaction (hydrolysis of ethyl acetate).
MicroRNAs in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Biology

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are unique and highly specialized cells that are responsible for replenishing both the entire hematopoietic system and the HSC pool. As the largest cellular organ in mammals, the blood system is constantly being regenerated to meet the demands of the organism, and it is tightly controlled to maintain homeostasis. Within the past decade microRNAs, or miRNAs, have been identified as important regulators of gene expression, and recent research has demonstrated their involvement in hematopoiesis and hematopoietic stem cell biology. This chapter highlights this involvement and describes how specific miRNAs direct specific aspects of hematopoietic stem cell physiology. It also addresses the therapeutic potential of manipulating miRNA levels to treat HSC-based diseases and thus their potential in regenerative medicine.
A qualitative analysis of interprofessional healthcare team members’ perceptions of patient barriers to healthcare engagement

Healthcare systems increasingly engage interprofessional healthcare team members such as case managers, social workers, and community health workers to work directly with patients and improve population health. This study elicited perspectives of interprofessional healthcare team members regarding patient barriers to health and suggestions to address these barriers. This is a qualitative study employing focus groups and semi-structured interviews with 39 interprofessional healthcare team members in Philadelphia to elicit perceptions of patients’ needs and experiences with the health system, and suggestions for positioning health care systems to better serve patients. Themes were identified using a content analysis approach. Three focus groups and 21 interviews were conducted with 26 hospital-based and 13 ambulatory-based participants. Three domains emerged to characterize barriers to care: social determinants, health system factors, and patient trust in the health system. Social determinants included insurance and financial shortcomings, mental health and substance abuse issues, housing and transportation-related limitations, and unpredictability associated with living in poverty. Suggestions for addressing these barriers included increased financial assistance from the health system, and building a workforce to address these determinants directly. Health care system factors included poor care coordination, inadequate communication of hospital discharge instructions, and difficulty navigating complex systems. Suggestions for addressing these barriers included enhanced communication between care sites, patient-centered scheduling, and improved patient education especially in discharge planning. Finally, factors related to patient trust of the health system emerged. Participants reported that patients are often intimidated by the health system, mistrusting of physicians, and fearful of receiving a serious diagnosis or prognosis. A suggestion for mitigating these issues was increased visibility of the health system within communities to foster trust and help providers gain a better understanding of unique community needs. This work explored interprofessional healthcare team members’ perceptions of patient barriers to healthcare engagement. Participants identified barriers related to social determinants of health, complex system organization, and patient mistrust of the health system. Participants offered concrete suggestions to address these barriers, with suggestions supporting current healthcare reform efforts that aim at addressing social determinants and improving health system coordination and adding new insight into how systems might work to improve patient and community trust.
Die Politische Kultur der Europaskepsis im Vereinigten Königreich: Das Unbehagen vor Europa und der britische Sonderweg im europäischen Integrationsprozess als Hintergrund des Brexit

Lange hatte das Vereinigte Konigreich um die Mitgliedschaft in der Europaischen Gemeinschaft innerlich gerungen und mit den Grundungsmitgliedern fur diese gekampft. Im Laufe der Jahre, die dem Beitritt zur EG im Jahr 1973 folgten, kam es zu einer sukzessiven Europaisierung des Landes. Diese betrifft vor allem Bereiche wie Umwelt-, Wettbewerbs- und Regionalpolitik, lasst sich aber insbesondere auch auf der Polity-Ebene, also auf Seiten der britischen Institutionen wie etwa den Ministerien und Behorden, feststellen.
Treatment of Pediatric Diaphyseal Femur Fractures: External Fixation

External fixation is an efficient method to align and stabilize diaphyseal femoral fractures and enable early weight bearing and range of motion. Currently the primary indication for external fixation is in the setting of severe soft-tissue injury. Patients with significant closed-head injuries or multiple extremity injuries may also benefit from early fracture stabilization with an external fixator. Technical tips to the placement of external fixation pins in a child revolve primarily around limiting injury to the growth plate. Perhaps just as important to the application of an external fixation device is post-application pin care. While external fixation may inherently allow for some micromotion at the fracture site, it is important to advance the patients’ axial dynamization via progressive weight bearing to promote callus formation and stability. This should reduce the amount of time needed in the external fixator and decrease the risk of refracture once removed. The most common complications of this procedure include pin track infections and loosening, delayed union or malunion, leg length discrepancy, heterotopic ossification, refracture, and hypertrophic scar formation.
Simulation of biomass particle evolution under pyrolysis conditions using lattice Boltzmann method

Abstract To accurately characterize biomass fast pyrolysis at the particle scale, intra-particle transport phenomena needs to be considered together with the gas flow surrounding the particle. In this study, a detailed numerical method was used to simulate the evolution of biomass particles under fast pyrolysis conditions. To conduct particle-scale simulations, the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) was employed to solve the conservation equations, and pyrolysis kinetics were implemented to describe the chemical reactions. The present model was validated by comparing the numerical results with experimental data for a single biomass particle under pyrolysis conditions. The predicted temperature and conversion history agree with the experimental data. The temperature and density fields in the particle were found to be anisotropic due to the effect of the gas flow surrounding the particle, which was ignored by the 1D model. The non-uniform distributions of surface temperature indicate that using a constant temperature or heat flux as boundary conditions may cause numerical errors. Sensitivity analysis shows that density is the most influential parameter while porosity is the least. The heat of reaction converting the intermediate solid to char is more dominant than those of the three primary reactions. A parametric study was conducted to investigate the effect of particle shape on conversion time and final product yields. The simulation results show that the conversion time decreased when using the elliptic particle instead of the regular (circular) particle. The model also shows that more tar and syngas were produced, while less char was generated from an elliptic particle. The effect of particle shape on the center temperature of the biomass particle can be explained by comparing the heat transfer conditions at the front of the particle and the convective heat transfer at the top and bottom of the particle. The results demonstrated that the current LBM framework has the ability to reveal the detailed conversion process of biomass particles under various pyrolysis conditions, which can then be used to improve engineering models for reactor-scale simulation.
Some New and Stratigraphically Useful Calcareous Nannofossils of the Cenozoic

Fifteen new species of calcareous nannofossils of probable stratigraphic significance are described here. Several of these-Cyclococcolithus macintyrei, Discoaster neohamatus, Discoaster quintatus, Helicopontosphaera sellii, Micrantholithus procerus, Sphenolithus anarrhopus, Sphenolithus neoabies, Thoracosphaera prolata, and Triquetrohabdulus inversus-are among taxa known to be abundant with wide geographic ranges and thus particularly useful in developing worldwide zonations. This usefulness has been evident during preliminary studies of Deep Sea Drilling Project cores, and naming the taxa, therefore, is important. Other new species-Helicopontosphaera papillata, Leptodiscus larvalis, Pemma snavelyi, Quinquerhabdus colossicus, Syracosphaera Formosa, and Syracosphaera labrosa-are presently known only from restricted regions or constitute only a minor part of worldwide assemblages. They, too, may prove useful because they are easily identified and seem to have restricted time ranges.
Structural Basis for Metastability in Amorphous Calcium Barium Carbonate (ACBC)

Author(s): Whittaker, ML; Sun, W; DeRocher, KA; Jayaraman, S; Ceder, G; Joester, D | Abstract: Metastable amorphous precursors are emerging as valuable intermediates for the synthesis of materials with compositions and structures far from equilibrium. Recently, it was found that amorphous calcium barium carbonate (ACBC) can be converted into highly barium-substituted “balcite,” a metastable high temperature modification of calcite with exceptional hardness. A systematic analysis ACBC (Ca1-xBaxCO3·1.2H2O) in the range from x = 0–0.5 is presented. Combining techniques that independently probe the local environment from the perspective of calcium, barium, and carbonate ions, with total X-ray scattering and a new molecular dynamics/density functional theory simulations approach, provides a holistic picture of ACBC structure as a function of composition. With increasing barium content, ACBC becomes more ordered at short and medium range, and increasingly similar to crystalline balcite, without developing long-range order. This is not accompanied by a change in the water content and does not carry a significant energy penalty, but is associated with differences in cation coordination resulting from changing carbonate anion orientation. Therefore, the local order imprinted in ACBC may increasingly lower the kinetic barrier to subsequent transformations as it becomes more pronounced. This pathway offers clues to the design of metastable materials by tuning coordination numbers in the amorphous solid state.
Expression of a rice soluble starch synthase gene in transgenic wheat improves the grain yield under heat stress conditions

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a temperate cereal with an optimum temperature range of 15-22°C during the grain filling stage. Heat stress is one of the major environmental constraints for wheat production worldwide. Temperatures above 25°C during the grain filling stage significantly reduced wheat yield and quality. This reduction was reported due to the inactivation of the soluble starch synthase, a key heat-labile enzyme in starch transformation of wheat endosperm. To improve wheat productivity under heat stress, the rice soluble starch synthase I, under the control of either a constitutive promoter or an endosperm-specific promoter, was expressed in wheat and the transgenic lines were monitored for expression and the effects on yield-related traits. The results showed that the transgenic wheat events expressed rice soluble starch synthase I at a high level after four generations, and transgenic plants produced grains of greater weight during heat stress. Under heat stress conditions, the thousand kernel weight increased 21-34% in T2 and T3 transgenic plants compared to the non-transgenic control plants. In addition, the photosynthetic duration of transgenic wheat was longer than in non-transgenic controls. This study demonstrated that the engineering of a heat tolerant soluble starch synthase gene can be a potential strategy to improve wheat yield under heat stress conditions.