cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Deposition of coal ash on a vertical surface in a 100 kW downflow laboratory combustor: A comparison of theory and experiment

Abstract This paper is concerned with deposition rates of coal ash on a vertical surface in a 100 kW rated down-flow laboratory coal combustor. At that scale, flow in the post flame where deposition occurs, is laminar, and the deposits on a vertical surface are similar to the early, sticky, inner deposits on horizontal surfaces. Therefore the problem addressed has relevance to understanding mechanisms of deposit formation in general. Experimental data presented here consist of particle size distributions of the ash aerosol, and time resolved measurements of the vertical deposit mass, for various controlled surface temperatures, one coal, and two combustion conditions: air-firing and oxy-firing with 50% inlet O 2 . Theory consisted of a transport model in which the criterion on whether an ash particle was captured, depended on a newly introduced “Thermophoresis Number”, Tp, which is the ratio of the time taken for the particle to contact the (cold) surface through thermophoresis, to that for the particle to pass by the surface. If Tp
Sulfide tolerance: Physiological mechanisms and ecological implications

The discovery of macrofauna associated with sulfide-emitting deep-sea hydrothermal vents has stimulated research on physiological adaptations to sulfide in aerobic marine organisms. However, sulfid...
Removal of Self-Expanding Metallic Stents.

BACKGROUND Despite their safety profile, self-expanding metallic stents (SEMS) have been difficult to remove. We aim to describe our experience in removal of SEMS at Henry Ford Hospital with a specific emphasis on safety. METHODS We reviewed the charts of all patients who underwent removal of a SEMS at Henry Ford Hospital between 2003 and 2013. We recorded demographic information, indication for initial stent placement, indication for stent removal, time to stent removal, procedure of removal, and any complications. RESULTS In all, 19 stents were removed in 16 separate procedures in 14 patients. The median age was 62 years, and 50% of the patients were female. Stents were removed at a median of 35 days (range, 2 to 595 d). No complications occurred in 10/16 (62.5%) procedures. In the remaining 5 patients, complications were not directly related to the stent removal, and serious complications were mostly related to severity of underlying lung disease. Of the 10 procedures done as outpatients, 70% were discharged immediately after the procedure. CONCLUSIONS Removal of SEMS can be done safely. Routine postoperative ventilation and intensive care unit monitoring is not required. In the absence of severe underlying lung disease, patients can safely be discharged if there are no immediate postprocedure complications.
Cooling Dodecanethiol-Capped 2 nm Diameter Gold Nanocrystal Superlattices below Room Temperature Induces a Reversible Order–Disorder Structure Transition

We recently observed that a disordered assembly of octadecanethiol-capped gold (Au) nanocrystals can order when heated from room temperature to 60 °C [Yu, Y.; Jain, A.; Guillaussier, A.; Voggu, V. R.; Truskett, T. M.; Smilgies, D.-M.; Korgel, B. A. Faraday Discuss. 2015, 181, 181–192]. This “inverse melting” structural transition was reversible and occurred near the melting-solidification temperature of the capping ligands. To determine the generality of this phenomenon, we studied by in situ grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) the structure of assemblies of Au nanocrystals with shorter C12 and C5 alkanethiol capping ligands that form ordered superlattices at room temperature and have a ligand melting-solidification temperature below room temperature. Superlattices of dodecanethiol-capped Au nanocrystals disorder when cooled below 260 K, which is the melting-solidification temperature for dodecanethiol. Au nanocrystals capped with even shorter pentanethiol ligands that have a melting t...
Four Noble Truths of Buddhism Related to Behavior Therapy

The four noble truths, basic tenets of Buddhist psychology, are related to the theory and practice of behavior therapy with emphasis on self-control. Discussion includes the ideas of suffering and attachments, the cultivation of peace of mind, and meditation as a therapeutic tool.
Surface Water Mapping by Deep Learning

Mapping of surface water is useful in a variety of remote sensing applications, such as estimating the availability of water, measuring its change in time, and predicting droughts and floods. Using the imagery acquired by currently active Landsat missions, a surface water map can be generated from any selected region as often as every 8 days. Traditional Landsat water indices require carefully selected threshold values that vary depending on the region being imaged and on the atmospheric conditions. They also suffer from many false positives, arising mainly from snow and ice, and from terrain and cloud shadows being mistaken for water. Systems that produce high-quality water maps usually rely on ancillary data and complex rule-based expert systems to overcome these problems. Here, we instead adopt a data-driven, deep-learning-based approach to surface water mapping. We propose a fully convolutional neural network that is trained to segment water on Landsat imagery. Our proposed model, named DeepWaterMap, learns the characteristics of water bodies from data drawn from across the globe. The trained model separates water from land, snow, ice, clouds, and shadows using only Landsat bands as input. Our code and trained models are publicly available at http://live.ece.utexas.edu/research/deepwatermap/ .
Polarimetric LIDAR with FRI sampling for target characterization

Polarimetric LIDAR is a significant tool for current remote sensing applications. In addition, measurement of the full waveform of the LIDAR echo provides improved ranging and target discrimination, although, data storage volume in this approach can be problematic. In the work presented here, we investigated the practical issues related to the implementation of a full waveform LIDAR system to identify polarization characteristics of multiple targets within the footprint of the illumination beam. This work was carried out on a laboratory LIDAR testbed that features a flexible arrangement of targets and the ability to change the target polarization characteristics. Targets with different retardance characteristics were illuminated with a linearly polarized laser beam and the return pulse intensities were analyzed by rotating a linear analyzer polarizer in front of a high-speed detector. Additionally, we explored the applicability and the limitations of applying a sparse sampling approach based on Finite Rate of Innovations (FRI) to compress and recover the characteristic parameters of the pulses reflected from the targets. The pulse parameter values extracted by the FRI analysis were accurate and we successfully distinguished the polarimetric characteristics and the range of multiple targets at different depths within the same beam footprint. We also demonstrated the recovery of an unknown target retardance value from the echoes by applying a Mueller matrix system model.
Surveying Psychiatrists' Psychopharmacology Practices Across Common Clinical Scenarios.

The practice of psychopharmacology has become increasingly complex with the expansion of medication options across psychiatric conditions. The level of variability among psychiatrists in their appl...
Small gold nanoparticles presenting linear and looped Cilengitide analogues as radiosensitizers of cells expressing α ν β 3 integrin

This work uses linear and looped RGDfV sequences attached to the surface of small (1.8 nm in diameter) gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to enhance the radiosensitizating effects of Cilengitide, a cyclic RGDf (NMe)V pentapeptide that targets αvβ3 integrin which is overexpressed in certain cancers. Following synthesis and purification, the AuNPs were evaluated in vitro against HUVEC, H460, and MCF7 cells in clonogenic assays using a 137Cs irradiator. Untargeted AuNPs induced no significant dose enhancement factors (DEFs) in any of the cell types when compared to radiation treatment alone, whereas all evaluated AuNPs functionalized with targeting peptides performed at least as well as controls (irradiation after Cilengitide treatment). The observed DEFs also suggest that cyclizing the linear peptides into more spatially constrained, looped structures may facilitate target binding. These greater dose enhancements merit future in vivo studies of drug-AuNP conjugates to assess the ability of the nanostructures to provide an improved therapeutic benefit over treatment with drug candidates and radiation alone.
The Sustained DeyeCOM Sign as a Predictor of Large Vessel Occlusions and Stroke Mimics.

Introduction Rapid imaging in acute stroke is critical and often occurs before full examination. Early, reliable examination findings clarify diagnosis and improve treatment times. The DeyeCOM sign has been described as a predictor of ischemic stroke. In this study, we evaluate a sustained DeyeCOM sign on serial computed tomography scans in prediction of large vessel occlusion. Methods Between April and June 2017, we retrospectively reviewed 46 patients with acute stroke from the University of California, San Diego Stroke Registry, who had both computed tomography and computed tomography angiography as part of their acute work-up. A DeyeCOM(+) sign was defined as a conjugate gaze deviation on imaging of at least 15°. DeyeCOM(++) was defined as sustained gaze deviation on both scans. Results Three groups of patients were observed: DeyeCOM(++), nonsustained gaze deviation, and no gaze deviation (DeyeCOM(−−)). All patients in the DeyeCOM(++) (8 of 8, 100%) had large vessel occlusion. Of those with nonsustained gaze deviation, 2 of 7 (29%) had large vessel occlusion. No patients in the DeyeCOM(−−) (0 of 31, 100%) had large vessel occlusion. The specificity and sensitivity of DeyeCOM(++) for large vessel occlusion was 100% (confidence interval [CI] .90-1.0) and 80% (CI .44-.97). The specificity and sensitivity of DeyeCOM(−−) for absence of large vessel occlusion was 100% (CI .69-1.0) and 86% (CI .70-.95). Conclusions DeyeCOM(++) had 100% specificity for large vessel occlusion, whereas DeyeCOM(−−) had a 100% specificity for absence of large vessel occlusion. Sustained DeyeCOM, whether positive or negative, is a strong predictor of ultimate diagnosis that could lead to quicker endovascular treatment times.
Protecting Donors and Safeguarding Altruism in the United States: The Living Donor Protection Act.

The present state of transplantation in the United States can be most easily summarized as “good news/bad news.” On the positive side, improvements in short-term outcomes have translated into measurable improvement in long-term survival ([1][1]), new allocation schema have increased
Digital Simulation of the DOE/NASA 100 kW Wind Turbine Generator Connected to Power Systems

Abstract This paper presents a digital simulation of the system dynamics of a wind turbine generator at rated load connected to a power system. The functioning NASA 100 kW wind turbine (MOD-O) is used as a practical case study. The effects of tower shadow and wind gusts are included in this study. Different configurations of the drive train and modern control techniques are implemented in the simulations. Computer results reveal that removal of the Falk coupling and the addition of a slip clutch in the drive train improve system stability effectively.
Psychological Co-morbidities of HIV/AIDS

Individuals with HIV/AIDS are disproportionately affected by mental health problems relative to the general population, including mood, anxiety, and substance abuse disorders. Psychological factors have been implicated in less effective disease management and advanced disease progression among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive individuals. Thus, it is critical that mental healthcare providers are aware of the intricate relationship between comorbid psychological disorders and the physical health of individuals living with HIV. To this end, this chapter will provide an overview of the epidemiology and pathophysiology of various Axis I disorders and HIV, including clinical considerations for assessment and treatment, and a review of existing evidence supporting the efficacy of psychotherapy interventions. When reviewing each of these disorders, particular care is taken to address practical considerations for assessment and treatment, as well as the broader nature of the relationship between physical symptoms associated with HIV/AIDS and various psychosocial concerns. The chapter concludes with a discussion of cultural considerations for the clinician working with HIV-positive individuals.
Sounding the Alarm: Machiavelli, Locke and States of Emergency

Leaders have long sought to redefine the legal and political order in states of emergency. In this paper, I detail the theoretical formulations of emergency powers provided by Machiavelli and Locke. These theorists offer contrasting accounts about the tolerable use of executive authority to define when emergencies arise and to rule accordingly. Even though they both discuss these powers as inevitable features of political life, I argue there should be a distinction between the authority to delineate what situations constitute emergencies and the permissible executive powers during these times. Extralegal power automatically flows from the determination of an emergency for these theorists, which I find problematic and disquieting. I warn against Machiavelli’s idea that self-interested princes alone should determine when emergencies exist and the extent of powers to eradicate these threats. While I am more sympathetic to Locke’s attempt to limit extralegal executive authority, I find he does not adequately account for abuses of emergency powers. Both theoretical accounts lead to disturbing political communities wherein the same person is given the dual authority to determine when a situation constitutes an emergency and the scope of powers in these times.
Human and machine roles in team product reviews: a prescription for change

Abstract A team product review, often called a structured walkthrough, is one type of small group meeting used to improve the quality of system deliverables. During all such meetings, participants assume roles; these have been discussed in the behavioral literature. Lately, new computer-based technologies for improving meetings have emerged. These technologies may help developers, but their use in support of meetings will require system developers to understand and accept new procedures and methods, and understand the roles of both the participants and technology. This paper examines the team product review process, past work on the various roles in small groups, and changes that might be needed when using computer system support. A basic premise is that an analysis of the roles of humans and machines can show how processes should change in order to use new technology to its maximum potential.
Factor Analysis Methods and Validity Evidence: A Systematic Review of Instrument Development across the Continuum of Medical Education.

FACTOR ANALYSIS METHODS AND VALIDITY EVIDENCE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF INSTRUMENT DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE CONTINUUM OF MEDICAL EDUCATION By Angela Payne Wetzel, Ph.D. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University, 2011 Director: James H. McMillan, Ph.D. Professor, Foundations of Education School of Education Previous systematic reviews indicate a lack of reporting of reliability and validity evidence in subsets of the medical education literature. Psychology and general education reviews of factor analysis also indicate gaps between current and best practices; yet, a comprehensive review of exploratory factor analysis in instrument development across the continuum of medical education had not been previously identified. Therefore, the purpose for this study was critical review of instrument development articles employing exploratory factor or principal component analysis published in medical education (2006-2010) to describe and assess the reporting of
Effect of Detector Placement, Train and Traffic Characteristics on Operational Performance of At-Grade Railroad Crossing

This paper focuses on modeling and evaluating the effect of detector placement (distance), train, and traffic characteristics on operational performance of at-grade railroad crossings. Train and vehicular traffic related data were collected at an at-grade railroad crossing in the city of Charlotte, NC, USA. The collected data was then loaded into VISSIM traffic simulation software to develop a calibrated model and compute operational performance measures such as delay, the number of stops, and queue length. In addition, VISSIM traffic simulation software has an essential tool to place the detector on the track within a certain distance from the road. This tool was used to compute operational performance measures by detector placement (distance from the road). The results obtained by detector placement, the length of the train, speed of the train, and traffic volume are summarized. The findings help engineers and practitioners to place detectors on the track, within an ideal distance, for reducing delay and congestion without compromising on safety and flow of the traffic passing an at-grade railroad crossing.
A prosodic profile of American Aviation English

Abstract Aviation English is a codified register of English used by international pilots and controllers, derived from postwar American radiotelephony. Although regulations require proficiency in Aviation English, little has been done to describe it. The current study seeks to add to the literature by describing the prosodic profile, or rhythm and intonation, of American Aviation English as compared to Standard American English. Specifically, we examine corpora of air traffic controller speech and professional radio broadcasters’ speech: two corpora of naturally produced speech. This study demonstrates that Aviation English has a more restricted pitch range, is faster, and exhibits less variable vowel durations and more variable consonant durations than Standard English. These prosodic differences from Standard English may create difficulties for Aviation English users, and indicate inaccuracy in the assumption that attaining proficiency in conversational English is sufficient for proficiency in Aviation English.
Beta-cell therapies for type 1 diabetes: Transplants and bionics

Research continues toward the goal of treating type 1 diabetes by replacing insulin-producing beta cells. Ideally, such treatment would be safe and long-lasting and would eliminate the need for subcutaneous insulin replacement. This article reviews the current state of beta-cell replacement through transplant of the whole pancreas or of islet cells. It also looks at the "bionic" pancreas and other future challenges.
Upper extremity disability and quality of life after breast cancer treatment in the Greater Plains Collaborative clinical research network

Chronic upper extremity disability (UED) is common after breast cancer treatment but under-identified and under-treated. Although UED has been linked to quality of life (QoL), the role of UED as mediator between contemporary treatment practices and QoL has not been quantified. This investigation describes UED in a contemporary sample of breast cancer patients and examines its relationship with personal and treatment factors and QoL. Eight hundred and thirty-three women diagnosed at eight medical institutions during 2013–2014 with microscopically confirmed ductal carcinoma in situ or invasive stage I–III breast cancer were surveyed an average of 22 months after diagnosis. UED was measured with a modified QuickDASH and QoL with the FACT-B. The questionnaire also collected treatments, sociodemographic information, comorbidity, body mass index, and a 3-item health literacy screener. Women who received post-mastectomy radiation and chemotherapy experienced significantly worse UED and QoL. Women who had lower income, lower health literacy and prior diabetes, arthritis or shoulder diagnoses had worse UED. Patients with worse UED reported significantly worse QoL. Income and health literacy were independently associated with QoL after adjustment for UED but treatment and prior conditions were not, indicating mediation by UED. UED mediated 52–79% of the effect of mastectomy-based treatments on QoL as compared with unilateral mastectomy without radiation. UED and QoL did not differ by type of axillary surgery or post-mastectomy reconstruction. A large portion of treatment effect on QoL is mediated by UED. Rehabilitation practices that prevent and alleviate UED are likely to improve QoL for breast cancer survivors.
Hidden in Plain Sight: Learning from Chinatown’s Produce Distribution System

First paragraph: New York’s Chinatown has a century-old produce distribution system that supplies the city with more than 200 types of extremely low-cost fresh fruits and vegetables that are sourced from hundreds of small- and midsize biodiverse farms and distributed to a network of vendors and restaurants. Yet this remarkable supply chain has been overshadowed by the gigantic Hunts Point terminal market and the distribution channels operated by the major supermarket chains. It is also overlooked by advocates of direct farm-to-consumer food retail. Valerie Imbruce’s From Farm to Canal Street unmasks this “alternative” food network, offering important lessons for policy­makers interested in increasing access to healthy, affordable, culturally appropriate food. . . .
Elements of Linear Algebra in Tensor Notation

Linear algebra and tensor algebra are inextricably linked. The mechanics of these subjects are similar: linear combinations dominate calculations and change of coordinates (referred to as change of basis in linear algebra) is of primary interest. Some ideas are best expressed with matrix notation while others are best expressed with tensors. Matrix notation is more effective at expressing the overall algebraic structure of a calculation.
Image-Processing Software

It goes without saying that every CCD camera needs good software to control the camera and to process the final image. However, more often than not, amateurs struggle to get the software to do what they want and, for most people, there just aren’t enough spare hours in their busy working lives to wade through that enormous “user’s manual’. Invariably, software manuals are written in a way that is obvious to the writer, but not to the user! In addition, even when the basic procedures are mastered, if the user doesn’t use a particular feature for a few months, all memory of how the procedures were mastered is generally lost, unless (as I do) a customized aide-memoire (in the form of a yellow sticky label) is inserted into the manual!
Randomized phase 2 study of adjunctive cenobamate in patients with uncontrolled focal seizures

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of adjunctive cenobamate 200 mg/d in patients with uncontrolled focal (partial-onset) seizures despite treatment with 1 to 3 antiepileptic drugs. Methods In this multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, adults 18 to 65 years of age with focal seizures were randomized 1:1 (cenobamate:placebo) after an 8-week baseline period. The 12-week double-blind treatment period consisted of a 6-week titration phase and a 6-week maintenance phase. The primary outcome was percent change in seizure frequency (from baseline) per 28 days during double-blind treatment. Results Two hundred twenty-two patients were randomized; 113 received cenobamate and 109 received placebo; and 90.3% and 90.8% of patients, respectively, completed double-blind treatment. Median baseline seizure frequency was 6.5 in 28 days (range 0–237). Compared to placebo, cenobamate conferred a greater median percent seizure reduction (55.6% vs 21.5%; p 10% in either group (cenobamate vs placebo) were somnolence (22.1% vs 11.9%), dizziness (22.1% vs 16.5%), headache (12.4% vs 12.8%), nausea (11.5% vs 4.6%), and fatigue (10.6% vs 6.4%). Conclusion Adjunctive treatment with cenobamate 200 mg/d significantly improved seizure control in adults with uncontrolled focal seizures and was well tolerated. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01397968. Classification of evidence This study provides Class I evidence that, for patients with uncontrolled focal seizures, adjunctive cenobamate reduces seizures.
Black spaces: African diaspora in Italy

Black Spaces: African Diaspora in Italy makes visible what is invisible, that is, how space becomes racialized in the practice of everyday life in contemporary Italy. Heather Merrill’s exploration ...
Twice is nice? Test-retest reliability of the Multiple Sleep Latency Test in the central disorders of hypersomnolence

Citation:Trotti LM. Twice is nice? Test-retest reliability of the Multiple Sleep Latency Test in the central disorders of hypersomnolence. J Clin Sleep Med. 2020;16(suppl_1):17S–18S.
Review of Allegory in Iranian Cinema: The Aesthetics of Poetry and Resistance

Michelle Langford, Allegory in Iranian Cinema: The Aesthetics of Poetry and Resistance . London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2019. xiii + 278 pp. ISBN 9781780762982
Recommendations on the use of virtual interviews in the orthopaedic trauma fellowship match: A survey of applicant and fellowship director perspectives.

Objective The aim of this study was to assess applicant and fellowship director (FD) perspectives on virtual interviewing based on the 2019 to 2020 orthopaedic trauma fellowship interview experience and to develop recommendations for future application cycles. Methods Web-based surveys were distributed to all matched applicants and orthopaedic trauma FDs after the 2019 and 2020 orthopaedic trauma fellowship match. Thirty-one applicants and 23 FDs completed the survey-response rates of 34% and 38%, respectively. Results Virtual interviews were completed by 68% of applicants and 17% of FDs. Twenty-nine percent of applicants felt they were able to familiarize themselves with the culture of programs, and 38% of applicants were satisfied with their ability to present themselves. Most (62%) were comfortable ranking programs based on the virtual interview, but 38% reported the format influenced them to rank a program lower. Among all applicants, 77% preferred the in-person interview. Most FDs (75%) reported virtual interviews limited their ability to familiarize themselves with an applicant, and only 50% were comfortable ranking an applicant afterward. Still, 78% of FDs believe there is a role for virtual interviews in the fellowship match. Choosing a virtual interview may negatively affect applicants as 97% of applicants worry the choice conveys less interest to programs, while 43% of FDs would interpret it as less interest. Conclusions Virtual interviews have multiple shortcomings but are technically feasible and provide reasonable information to applicants and FDs to complete the match process. Our recommendations, based on the perspectives of applicants and FDs, can guide their implementation.
“Itsyourownfault”: Space omission in a Russian women's support group

Abstract Russian online discourse includes phrases in which spaces are omitted deliberately. This phenomenon is a Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) cue: it adds meaning to the verbal message and participates in identity and relationship building in online communities (Herring, 2004). In order to determine the meaning dimension of space omission as a CMC cue and the role of community in its use, an online community with a clearly defined group identity has been chosen as the source of data. Using posts from the women's support group #scastʹebytʹženoj (happiness of being a wife), this study applies the tools of Computer-Mediated Discourse Analysis (Herring, 2004; Androutsopoulos, 2014) to examine the discourse functions of this cue. The analysis of space omission and its context suggests that, similarly to paralinguistic cues in oral reported speech, this CMC cue contributes to multimodal role-shift (Stec et al., 2016). Moreover, the study concludes that the participants of the group tend to use space omission to report speech that they heard multiple times. This CMC cue can position the original speaker as being a member of the out-group and it demonstrates the typically negative behavior, as viewed by the community.
Genomic studies of Hodgkin lymphoma using circulating cell-free DNA

The revolutionary finding of cell free DNA (cfDNA) circulating in the bloodstream had a huge impact on the development of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) (obstetrics) and liquid biopsies (oncology). The latter, combined with the sequencing of tumor DNA-containing cfDNA, have been widely applied in cancer research, demonstrating the potential of these techniques to improve prognostication and guide individualized treatment strategies. During routine NIPT analysis of more than 88,000 pregnant women performed in our institution, 14 abnormal genomic profiles suggestive of maternal tumor have been identified. Interestingly, one patient was further diagnosed with classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), a tumor characterized by a low content (< 2%) of neoplastic cells in tumor mass. To examine whether circulating cfDNA can be informative about genomic imbalances in neoplastic Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells, we performed a pilot study of nine prospective cHL cases. This study showed that genomic profiles of cfDNA correspond to the profiles of HRS cells. To get further insights into the genome of cHL, a large study on cfDNA from 177 prospective cHL patients was subsequently established. Based on ultra-low pass sequencing of cfDNA from this cohort, we built a comprehensive catalog of genomic abnormalities, as well as their frequencies and patterns. Besides the known recurrent imbalances, such as gain/amplification of 2p16/ REL-BCL11A and 9p24/ JAK2-CD274-PDCDLG2 , novel recurrent abnormalities were identified in cHL. Altogether, we have provided evidence that cHL is characterized by consistent and recurrent genomic imbalances and we have shown the potential of genomic profiling of cfDNA as a novel and non-invasive tool in the diagnosis and follow up of cHL patients.
Knowing who to listen to in speech recognition: visually guided beamforming

With speech recognition systems steadily improving in performance, freedom from head-sets and push-buttons to activate the recognizer is one of the most important issues to achieve user acceptance. Microphone arrays and beamforming can deliver signals that suppress undesired jamming signals but rely on knowledge where the signal is in space. This knowledge is usually derived by identifying the loudest signal source. Knowing who is speaking to whom and where should however not depend on loudness, but on the communication purpose. In this paper, we present acoustic and visual modules that use tracking of the face of a speaker of interest for sound source localization and beamforming for signal extraction. It is shown that in noisy environments a more accurate localization in space can be delivered visually than acoustically. Given a reliable location finder, beamforming substantially improves recognition accuracy.
Effect of Speed and Power Output on Piston Ring Wear In a Diesel Engine

The radiotracer technique of surface layer activation was used to study piston ring wear rates in the Detroit Diesel Allison «Series 60» engine. Radioactive Mn was induced in the chromium surface of the ring face by bombardment with an α beam from a particle accelerator. Wear of the piston ring surface was determined by measuring the accumulation of radioactive debris in the oil during engine operation and by measuring the radiation intensity of the rings from outside the engine between intervals of engine operation
On the performance of networks carrying multimedia traffic

The subject matter of this chapter is the performance of networks carrying multimedia traffic. The focus is particularly on audio/video traffic, since they constitute the types of media with the most stringent requirements, especially in terms of bandwidth and delay. The dependence of video traffic characteristics on the video encoding scheme and its control, as well as on the content, is illustrated by giving results for several example cases. The performance of Ethernets and ATM networks carrying video traffic is then addressed. The performance evaluation is undertaken by means of computer simulation, using real video sequences. All the delays in the system, starting with the camera, and ending with the display, are taken into account. Given the specific nature of the network considered and the maximum latency requirement, some data is lost. Loss of data at the receiver causes glitches in the display of video. The effect of data loss is thus measured in terms of the spatial extent, duration, and rate of glitches experienced as a function of the number of video streams, the delay requirement of the video application, and the video rate. Conversely, the performance of a network is measured in terms of the number of video streams that can be supported for a given maximum delay requirement and a given glitch rate, duration, and spatial extent.
A spatially explicit watershed scale optimization of cellulosic biofuels production

As environmental deterioration and global warming arouses more and more attention, identifying cleaner and more environmentally friendly energy sources is of interest to society. In addition to environmental concerns, both the high price of gasoline and the fact that the United States has heavy reliance on imports of energy have driven policymakers to find alternative energy sources. Producing biofuels from energy crops is one such alternative with relatively lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional energy sources. Cellulosic feedstocks such as corn stover, perennial grasses and fast growing trees are regarded as promising energy crops and are expected to help with the energy supply. This study takes a spatially explicit approach to examine fields within a watershed and explores the conditions under which the agricultural land in the watershed can meet the demand of a biorefinery. Costs of two dedicated energy crops, switchgrass and miscanthus, are compared with corn stover. A Matlab program is developed based on a genetic algorithm to minimize production cost subject to biomass production and pollution constraints in the Wildcat Creek Watershed in Indiana, USA. The process of using a genetic algorithm to solve high dimensionality mixed integer optimization problems is discussed. Results indicate that to achieve the required amount of biomass production for a minimum feasible scale thermochemical biorefinery within the watershed, miscanthus must be planted. Miscanthus also helps reduce pollutant levels (total sediment, N and P loadings) when compared to stover removal from continuous corn and corn-soybean rotations. Switchgrass is found to have similar environmental advantages, but is not economically competitive based on preliminary results that require further validation. Corn stover is the lowest cost feedstock considered, however, it results in relatively higher sediment, nitrogen and phosphorus loading than the perennial grasses considered. Relative to the baseline without stover removal, no-till in combination with stover removal results in decreased sediment loading, an increased loading of nitrogen under continuous corn and an increase in phosphorus (except at the 50% removal rate from continuous corn). There is clear tradeoff among cost, production and environmental improvement.
The Management of Testing in Distance Learning Environments.

In 2004 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University transitioned from proctored examinations for distance learning courses to online examinations that are not proctored. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a significant difference in the midterm and final examination grades between proctored and non-proctored online examinations. Three courses, MGMT 311, MGMT 210 and ASCI 254, were selected for the study,. The study found that there was a significant increase in the mean scores between the midterm and final examinations. What this study did not examine was the impact of the overall course grades. This needs to be considered in future studies.
Coalescent-based species tree inference from gene tree topologies under incomplete lineage sorting by maximum likelihood.

Incomplete lineage sorting can cause incongruence between the phylogenetic history of genes (the gene tree) and that of the species (the species tree), which can complicate the inference of phylogenies. In this article, I present a new coalescent-based algorithm for species tree inference with maximum likelihood. I first describe an improved method for computing the probability of a gene tree topology given a species tree, which is much faster than an existing algorithm by Degnan and Salter (2005). Based on this method, I develop a practical algorithm that takes a set of gene tree topologies and infers species trees with maximum likelihood. This algorithm searches for the best species tree by starting from initial species trees and performing heuristic search to obtain better trees with higher likelihood. This algorithm, called STELLS (which stands for Species Tree InfErence with Likelihood for Lineage Sorting), has been implemented in a program that is downloadable from the author’s web page. The simulation results show that the STELLS algorithm is more accurate than an existing maximum likelihood method for many datasets, especially when there is noise in gene trees. I also show that the STELLS algorithm is efficient and can be applied to real biological datasets.
Glucocorticoid-induced lymphocytolysis is not mediated by an induced endonuclease.

Abstract The mechanism of glucocorticoid-induced internucleosomal DNA cleavage and cytolysis of lymphatic cells is not known. Recent data (Compton, M.M., and Cidlowski, J.A. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 8288-8292) suggested that in vivo treatment of rat thymocytes with glucocorticoids induces a nucleolytic "lysis gene" product(s) responsible for lymphocytolysis. In this paper, the possibility that lymphocytolysis may result from glucocorticoid-induced nuclease(s) was examined. Using the rat thymocytes as a model system, we have shown by electrophoretic, enzymatic, and amino acid sequence analysis that the putative glucocorticoid-induced nucleases identified recently by Compton and Cidlowski are in fact H1, H1(0), and core histones, and their gross appearance is not the result of new histone protein synthesis, but a result of the release of histone-containing nucleosomes during chromatin breakdown. Evidence presented here shows that the putative induced nuclease activity is an artifact of the assay system employed. Because our data do not support induction of a glucocorticoid-induced nuclease(s), we examined the possibility that DNA cleavage might be induced by activation of a constitutive endogenous endonuclease. We have shown that it is possible to produce characteristic internucleosomal DNA cleavage of rat thymocytes, merely by incubating intact nuclei from untreated adrenalectomized rat thymocytes with Ca2+ and Mg2+ for a short period of time. However, in glucocorticoid-sensitive human CEM-C7 lymphocytes activation of internucleosomal DNA cleavage was independent of calcium uptake. We conclude that glucocorticoid induction of internucleosomal DNA fragmentation does not necessarily require expression of a new nuclease(s), but is the result of the activation of a constitutive endogenous endonuclease(s). Also, our data suggest that the mechanism which controls activation of internucleosomal DNA cleavage in rat thymocytes differs from that which operates in CEM-C7 lymphocytes.
Low-Pathogenicity Avian Influenza Virus in Live Bird Markets—What About the Livestock Area?

Abstract Low-pathogenic avian influenza virus (AIV) continues to be isolated from the live bird markets (LBMs) in the Northeastern United States. Recent years have seen increasing numbers of these markets opening and an expansion of the type of animals they sell in conjunction with traditional live poultry. Specific-pathogen-free chickens were released into the livestock area of 13 New York City LBMs and then tested for evidence of AIV. We were able to recover virus or demonstrate seroconversion among the chickens introduced to four of the markets.
A bayesian approach to bioassay. technical report m498

We describe the design and analysis for a simulation experiment to compare the mean-squared errors (MSE's) of two quantile estimators defined for random walk designs. The dependence of the easily computed MSE of the first estimator on the levels of five factors is examined via multiple regression. This information is used to plan a simulation to compute the MSE of the second estimator using a fraction of a 3352factorial allowing uncorrelated estimates for all main effects and the two-factor interactions of a specified factor. Efficient estimation of the MSE of the second estimator is attempted through antithetic and control variate techniques of variance reduction, with modest success.
Development and Structure of Winter Monsoon Cloud Clusters On 10 December 1978

Abstract Data from the Winter Monsoon Experiment (WMONEX) are used to study cloud clusters that occurred over the South China Sea on 10 December 1978. These clusters underwent life cycles in which they began as groups of intense convective cells and then developed into mesoscale systems consisting partly of convective cells and partly of stratiform precipitation. In the cellular regions of clusters, ice particle concentrations (at the 8 km, or −17°C, level) were found to be of the order of hundreds per liter, local convective updrafts of 4–17 m s−1 were observed, and the dominant ice-particle growth mechanism appeared to be riming. In the stratiform regions of clusters, the ice particles appeared to grow by vapor deposition and aggregation and weaker but more widespread mesoscale updraft motion was indicated at mid to upper levels by the observed ice-crystal structures, while unsaturated mesoscale downdraft motion was indicated at mid to lower levels by sounding data. The ice-particle concentrations at 8 ...
Reiterative and interruptive signaling in induced plant resistance to chewing insects.

Our understanding of induced resistance against herbivores has grown immeasurably during the last several decades. Based upon the emerging literature, we argue that induced resistance represents a continuum of phenotypes that is determined by the plant’s ability to integrate multiple suites of signals of plant and herbivore origin. We present a model that illustrates the range of signals arising from early detection through herbivore feeding, and then through subsequent plant generations.
The Democratic Constitution

The Democratic Constitution. By Neal Devins and Louis Fisher. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. 303p. 19.95 paper.For more than a quarter century, Louis Fisher has been arguing against court-centered approaches to constitutional studies by showing how constitutional law is “shaped both by judicial and nonjudicial forces,” including the actions of “the elected branches, the states, interest groups, and the general public” (p. vii). Neal Devins joined this effort when he and Fisher coauthored Political Dynamics of Constitutional Law (1992, 1996, 2001). With this latest iteration, their basic storyline is still the same, although they have added new case studies and a new normative argument about why constitution law “should work that way” (p. vii).
A Framework for Improving the Task-to-Technology Fit in Distance Education

The framework not only provides a mechanism for choosing the best technology for the particular educational experience, but also provides design guidelines for creating effective instruction given the unavailability of specific technologies. Finally, it provides a framework for research for designing better technologies. In other words, it allows teachers, administrators, and designers to create positive and powerful educational experiences by understanding the unique characteristics not only of the task but also of the technology. This framework is only a start. What is needed are dedicated voices who will start improving the task-to-technology fit.
Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Rigid Rod-Like Unsubstituted Quinoline Oligomers

The structure of quinoline oligomers synthesized by the catalytic dehydrogenative condensation reaction of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline was elucidated on the basis of various spectroscopic data including the 2D COSY 1H NMR. The x-ray crystal structural study of two quinoline dimers successfully isolated from the bulk material resolved the puzzle of ring conjunction positions between quinoline units of the oligomer product. A reaction mechanism is proposed. From this mechanism a delicate balance between dehydrogenation and polymerization activity of the catalyst is required to optimize the yield and the molecular weight of the product.
Ethylene oxide oligomer distribution in nonionic surfactants via high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)

A high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method using adsorption columns combined with linear gradient elution has been developed for the determination of ethylene oxide (EO) distribution in nonionic surfactants. The quantitative ethoxylate adduct distribution in single-carbon-number and mixed-carbon-number primary alcohol-based samples can be obtained. The HPLC method is also applicable for determining the molar EO distributions in diverse ethylene oxide adduct compounds such as alkylphenol ethoxylates, branched alcohol ethoxylates and secondary alcohol ethoxylates. Nonionic surfactant samples containing adducts up to 25 mol have been successfully separated and the individual adducts quantitated.
Sublimation kinetics of CO2 ice on Mars

Abstract Dynamic models of the martian polar caps are in abundance, but most rely on the assumption that the rate of sublimation of CO 2 ice can be calculated from heat transfer and lack experimental verification. We experimentally measured the sublimation rate of pure CO 2 ice under simulated martian conditions as a test of this assumption, developed a model based on our experimental results, and compared our model's predictions with observations from several martian missions (MRO, MGS, Viking). We show that sun irradiance is the primary control for the sublimation of CO 2 ice on the martian poles with the amount of radiation penetrating the surface being controlled by variations in the optical depth, ensuring the formation and sublimation of the seasonal cap. Our model confirmed by comparison of MGS-MOC and MRO-HiRISE images, separated by 2–3 martian years, shows that ∼0.4 m are currently being lost from the south perennial cap per martian year. At this rate, the ∼2.4-m-thick south CO 2 perennial cap will disappear in about 6–7 martian years, unless a short-scale climatic cycle alters this rate of retreat.