cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sleep medicine practices, training, and attitudes: a wake-up call for pulmonologists.

Study objectives To determine attitudes and knowledge about sleep medicine among chest physicians. Design Interactive survey of self-selected respondents. Setting Interactive session at the 1998 American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) annual meeting. Participants Approximately 60 chest physicians. Interventions Interactive questions about the knowledge, training, attitudes, and practice of sleep medicine. Measurements and results Response rates demonstrated that 65% of respondents directed or were on the staff of a sleep laboratory, 18% had American Board of Sleep Medicine (ABSM) certification, and only 3% had completed formal sleep medicine training, and performance on test questions about sleep-disordered breathing was better than that on questions about “nonpulmonary” sleep disorders. We polled approximately 60 participants in an interactive session called “Issues in Sleep Medicine Education and Practice” at the ACCP annual meeting in October 1998. The group was well-credentialed, with about one third of participants being board-certified in pulmonary medicine and critical care medicine, and about 17% having passed the ABSM examination. About two thirds of the group spent ≤ 25% of their time in the practice of sleep medicine, but > 30% directed sleep laboratories. Respondents thought that sleep training was better addressed in pulmonary fellowship training than in medical school or other postgraduate training experiences. Forty-three percent of the group had received training in sleep medicine as part of a pulmonary fellowship. About half of the sample thought that formal training should be required for eligibility to take the ABSM examination. When presented with two “nonpulmonary” sleep disorder cases, this well-trained and self-selected group did not perform very well. The findings suggest that pulmonologists are actively involved in the practice of sleep medicine and that they both need and desire formal training in sleep disorders during pulmonary fellowship training. Conclusions Participants were actively involved in the practice of sleep medicine, most had trained informally, and performance on questions about nonpulmonary sleep disorders was not good.
Writing Zines, Playing Music, and Being a Black Punk Feminist: An Interview with Osa Atoe

This interview with Osa Atoe delves into her thoughts on the massive questions around punk, race, and feminism. Atoe discusses her fanzine Shotgun Seamstress and her experiences in various punk scenes in the U.S. The “feel” of the interview concerns punk magazine aesthetics and academic ecology.
Is There a Structural Foreign Accent? A Comparison of Syntactic and Phonological Errors in Second Language Acquisition.

The purpose of this study is to assess the validity of the claim that native language transfer manifests itself primarily at the level of phonology. Experimentation was designed to test whether native speakers can identify distinct foreign accents in speakers of English as a second language from different language backgrounds with and without the aid of phonological cues. Written and oral data were evaluated by native speaking judges to ascertain the extent to which they could identify members of the same native language group on the basis of either phonological or syntactic evidence. The results indicate that though native speakers of English are able to identify learners from the same mother tongue backgrounds when phonological cues are present, they cannot do so using only syntactic evidence. While these data do not confirm conclusively the hypothesis suggested above, they do lend strong support to it. An examination is then made of other research data to see if they confirm the hypothesis that syntactic and phonological L2 acquisition are different with respect to the degree to which they are influenced by LI interference.
Purification and properties of a new DNase activity from KB cells

Abstract A deoxyribonuclease activity with specificity towards single-stranded DNA has been purified approximately four hundred-fold from KB cells, by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, phosphocellulose and hydroxylapatite. The last step of the purification results in separation of the enzyme from a DNase activity which has been described previously (Wang, E.C., Furth, J.J. and Rose, J.A., (1978) Biochemistry 17: 544-549). The properties of the new DNase activity are significantly different from those of the enzymes which have previously been identified in these cells. The activity sediments at approximately 7.5S in a glycerol gradient. The DNase activity is optimal at pHs between 6.0 and 6.5. It cleaves DNA endonucleolytically and hydrolyzes single-stranded DNA at about 11 times the rate of double-stranded DNA and at twice the rate of Poly (dA). The activity is moderately sensitive to inhibition by N-ethylmaleimide and is inhibited 80% by 50 mM NaCl. It is stimulated twenty-fold by Mn++ at an optimal concentration of approximately 0.7 mM. It is stimulated by a lesser extent by Mg++, but not by Ca++.
Contrast enhancement of mitral regurgitation to estimate left ventricular systolic pressure.

Continuous wave Doppler measurement of prosthetic valve gradients correlate with gradients obtained by cardiac catheterization for most prostheses. 1 For mechanical valves and prostheses with smaller and multiple orifices, however, significant discrepancies between Doppler-derived and catheter gradients have been reported. 2, 3 Transvalvular gradients in excess of 50mm Hg exist in approximately 10% of patients with normally functioning aortic prostheses. 4 This apparent "overestimation" of the transvalvular gradient by continuous wave Doppler has been attributed to the effects of localized pressure gradients and pressure recovery. 3 Overestimation of gradients caused by pressure recovery may lead to the erroneous diagnosis of prosthetic valve dysfunction. To circumvent potential errors in measurement of prosthetic valve gradients, it may be possible to estimate transvalvular gradients with indirect measurements of left ventricular and aortic systolic pressures. The approach used to estimate the left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP) is based on the common echocardiographic practice used to determine right ventricular systolic pressure from the jet of tricuspid regurgitation. 5 In this case peak velocity of the mitral regurgitant (MR) jet obtained by continuous wave Doppler is used as an index of the gradient between the left ventricle and the left atrium (APLv-LA). This gradient, when added to a presumed left atrial pressure (LAP), results in an estimation of the LVSP (LVSP = LAP + APLv_LA). Left atrial pressure is assumed at 15 mm Hg, an estimate that would be expected to result in only minimal error for most patients. The aortic systolic pressure (Ao P) is estimated from the blood pressure recorded noninvasively in the brachial artery. The estimated LVSP and Ao P are then used to calculate a pressure gradient between the left ventricle and aorta, thereby avoiding the inherent problems associated with Doppler gradients across prosthetic valves. This approach requires that the jet of MR be of sufficient strength to accurately measure velocity. It has been well established that low concentrations of transpulmonary contrast agents enhance both spectral and color Doppler signals in the left heart. 6 Simultaneous administration of intravenous sonicated albumin for potentiation of the mi-
Experimental characterization of bit error rate and pulse jitter in RSFQ circuits

Rapid Single Flux Quantum (RSFQ) logic is well-known for its ultra-high switching speed and extremely low power consumption. In this paper, we present two original experiments to demonstrate that it's also a reliable technology and its reliability is sufficient even for such a large-scale system as a proposed petaflops-scale HTMT computer. We have measured the bit error rate (BER) for a circular register of inverters representing a critical path of a 64-bit integer adder, and timing jitter in a 200 Josephson junction (JJ) long transmission line, imitating a branch of a clock distribution tree, both being important and representative building blocks of the HTMT computer. For the adder critical path we have demonstrated the highest clock frequency of 17 GHz, latency of 860 ps and BER of 10/sup -19/ for 3.5 /spl mu/m technology of HYPRES, Inc. The value of timing jitter was 200 fs per JJ for 1.5 /spl mu/m technology of TRW, Inc. These figures are in good agreement with our simulations.
The Synthesis of Some Derivatives of Cinnamic Acid and Their Antifungal Action

Various amide derivatives of o -chlorocinnamic acid, p -nitrocinnamic acid, and cinnamic acid were prepared and tested for antifungal activity against four organisms. N-(4-Chlorophenyl)-2-chlorocinnamamide proved to be the most active compound against M. gypseum and T. rubrum , while N-(3-chlorophenyl) cinnamamide proved to be the most active compound against M. canis and T. mentagrophytes . In general, the results of the test indicated that most of the cinnamamide derivatives had little or no antifungal activity in vitro .
A MONOTONIC CONVOLUTION FOR MINKOWSKI SUMS

We present a monotonic convolution for planar regions A and B bounded by line and circular arc segments. The Minkowski sum equals the union of the cells with positive crossing numbers in the arrangement of the convolution, as is the case for the kinetic convolution. The monotonic crossing number is bounded by the kinetic crossing number, and also by the maximum number of intersecting pairs of monotone boundary chains, which is typically much smaller. We give a Minkowski sum algorithm based on the monotonic convolution. The running time is O(s + nα(n)log(n) + m2), versus O(s + n2) for the kinetic algorithm, with s the input size and with n and m the number of segments in the kinetic and monotonic convolutions. For inputs with a bounded number of turning points and inflection points, the running time is O(sα(s) log s), versus Ω(s2) for the kinetic algorithm. The monotonic convolution is 37% smaller than the kinetic convolution and its arrangement is 62% smaller based on 21 test pairs.
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine: review of cost-effectiveness studies in Australia, North America and Europe.

The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) is the first vaccine proven to be effective in reducing the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease, pneumonia and acute otitis media in children, and has been recommended for universal use in children in a number of high-income countries. The high cost of the vaccine relative to previous vaccines has generated interest in assessing its cost-effectiveness and numerous cost-effectiveness analyses of PCV have been performed in Australia, North America and Europe. The primary objectives of this review are to enhance the ability to make direct comparisons between these analyses, to aid in the identification and interpretation of methodological differences and to summarize the findings. Although these studies varied greatly in terms of methodology and assumptions, if and when indirect effects and quality-of-life improvements are taken into account, the cost-effectiveness ratios of PCV in these countries are likely to be within the ranges generally considered favorable vis-a-vis other health interventions.
The small amplitude of density turbulence in the inner solar wind

Abstract. Very Long Baseline Interferometer (VLBI) observations were made of radio sources close to the Sun, whose lines of sight pass through the inner solar wind (impact parameters 16-26 R E ). Power spectra were analyzed of the interferometer phase fluctuations due to the solar wind plasma. These power spectra provide information on the level of plasma density fluctuations on spatial scales of roughly one hundred to several thousand kilometers. By specifying an outer scale to the turbulence spectrum, we can estimate the root-mean-square (rms) amplitude of the density fluctuations. The data indicate that the rms fluctuation in density is only about 10% of the mean density. This value is low, and consistent with extrapolated estimates from more distant parts of the solar wind. Physical speculations based on this result are presented.
Is Bigger Always Better? Mate Selection in the Houston Toad (Bufo houstonensis)

Abstract Sexually dimorphic traits are used for mate selection either by female choice (intersexual selection) or male–male competition (intrasexual selection). In anurans, both types of selection mechanisms, especially intersexual selection, generally will favor large males. In bufonids, however, male size does not seem to be a factor in mate selection. Very little is known about the mating preferences of the endangered Houston Toad (Bufo houstonensis). Studies examining the breeding dynamics of B. houstonensis were conducted during the early 1980s, with conflicting results. To further examine mate selection, 329 Houston Toads were collected from Bastrop State Park, Texas, and the snout–urostyle length (SUL) was measured. There was no significant difference in size for males found in amplexus, suggesting females may not select larger males.
Evaluation of an object-caching coprocessor design for object-oriented systems

Object-oriented systems exhibit a very high rate of object creation, but most of the objects are short-lived. As a result, memory management overhead is significant. The paper evaluates an application-specific coprocessor architecture to speed up object creation and memory reclamation in object-oriented systems. The architecture supports a bit-vector approach to dynamic storage allocation and liberation. Newly created objects reside in a cache which is reference counted. The paper presents measurements of the performance of this coprocessor design. Simulation results show that 50% to 70% of objects die before they age out of the cache, greatly reducing the number of references to main memory. Overall, more than 60% of memory traffic is saved by the proposed scheme, and the interval between main-memory garbage collections is extended by more than 60%. >
Do loyal customers perceive the quality of restaurant attributes differently?: A study of Korean restaurant customers.

The purpose of this study was to identify whether first-time visitors and behavioral loyal customers perceive the quality of the food, employee service, and atmospherics of Korean restaurants differently. This study is unique in that it helps restaurateurs understand how non-loyal customers become loyal customers. Overall, first-time customers with a high intention to revisit perceived the quality as higher than those with lower intentions to revisit. Also, behavioral loyal customers evaluated food related attributes more highly, whereas first-time visitors with high intentions to revisit perceived the atmospherics related attributes more highly. This study suggested some practical advice for Korean restaurateurs based on the findings. Although environmental elements are substantial factors for first-time visitors in terms of revisit intentions, Korean restaurateurs also need to stress spicy taste and food variety if they want first-time visitors to become behavioral loyal customers.
Update on the Use of the RORA Program for Recharge Estimation

An update on the use of the RORA program is provided to supplement information given in the initial description of the program in Ground Water in 1994. The method estimates ground water recharge on the basis of streamflow records. Important considerations in the use of the automated approach are described that should improve the reliability of recharge estimates and avoid misapplication of the technique. Topics include the recession index, errors caused by direct surface runoff, the time scale for reporting results, comparisons with results of manual calculations, and errors caused by gradual recharge and discharge. The use of ground water levels for independent assessment of results from RORA is also described. RORA results are compared and contrasted with results from other base flow separation techniques.
A low noise 13 GHz power efficient 16/17 prescaler with rail to rail output amplitude

A state of the art 16/17 prescaler using current mode logic (CML) D-Flip Flops, CMOS inverters, and transmission gates for the .18mu TSMC process with a 1.8 V supply voltage is presented. The prescaler consists of a 4/5 synchronous core and a feedback loop which modulates the 4/5 core to produce a division ratio of 16/17. Instead of employing power hungry CML, the feedback circuit takes advantage of low power NOR and AND gates realized in transmission gate logic (TGL) to reduce the power consumption. To the best of our knowledge, this technique has never been used in a high frequency prescaler before. Additionally, this work will serve as a comprehensive description of the numerous considerations of prescaler design including explanation of gate-level design and transistor level optimization. Furthermore, digital circuit output is efficiently buffered with CMOS inverters for rail- to-rail operation, maximizing slew rate which minimizes phase noise. The simulated phase noise is -150 dBc/Hz @ 1 MHz and the input bandwidth is 2 GHz (11 GHz and 13 GHz). The power consumption of the entire prescaler is 18.5 mW. All of the above results were obtained from post-layout simulations. Circuit layout has been completed and sent for fabrication.
Elevated Cloud and Aerosol Layer Retrievals from Micropulse Lidar Signal Profiles

Abstract A threshold-based detection algorithm for cloud and aerosol layer heights in elevated micropulse lidar data (0.523 μm) is described. Thresholds for differentiating cloud and aerosol signals from that of the molecular atmosphere are based on the signal uncertainties of the level 1.0 Micropulse Lidar Network (MPLNET) data product. To illustrate the algorithm, data from 1 to 10 June 2003 collected by an MPLNET instrument at the South Pole are discussed for polar stratospheric cloud-height retrievals. Additional tests are run for algorithm sensitivity relative to variable solar background scenes. The algorithm is run at multiple temporal resolutions. Results derived at a base resolution are used to screen attenuation-limited profiles from longer time averages to improve performance. A signal normalization step using a theoretical molecular scattering profile limits the application of the technique in the lower atmosphere for a ground-based instrument. This would not be the case for some nadir-viewing...
The role of the native oxide on silicon in femtosecond laser damage threshold studies at grazing incidence

Femtosecond laser ablation studies of silicon with and without the native oxide on the surface were conducted in an ultrahigh vacuum environment. SEM results show a clear difference in the laser intensity threshold for ablation.
Color Measurement of Translucent Food Samplesa

SUMMARY Reflectance measurements of foods and food products can serve as rapid nondestructive indicators of quality. The problem of sample presentation to photoelectric reflectance units is easily solved with opaque, non-light-transmitting samples. With translucent materials, problems arise relating to internal light transmission and consequent light loss through trapping. A method of overcoming these problems is suggested, involving the application of Kubelka-Munk colorant layer analyses. Appleberry-applesauce mixtures with color differences controlled by addition of red food coloring, and artificial systems consisting of agar, cellulose, and controlled increments of yellow food dye, were evaluated subjectively and objectively. Direct measurement of deep layers of samples by photoelectric tristimulus colorimetry was not as successful in ranking the samples as was the visual panel. The measurement of thin layers of sample backed by white standard plaques increased the separation of successive samples in color space to conform closely to visual experience.
EFFECTS OF ESTROGEN ON ANDROGENIC STIMULATION OF THE PROSTATE AND SEMINAL VESICLE OF THE RAT

RESTORATION OF NORMAL structure in the prostate and seminal vesicle of castrate animals is considered to be specifically a function of androgens. This ‘restoration of normal structure’ includes more than just weight stimulationsince androgens stimulate the development of histological and cytological characteristics similar to those of the normal prostate and seminal vesicle (1, 2). It is also known that the female hormone will cause a weight increase in the sexual accessories of the castrate male. This was first demonstrated by Freud (3) for the seminal vesicles and has been confirmed subsequently by many observers. Freud also claimed that the addition of estrogens to administered androgens caused a marked increase in effect on the seminal vesicles over that obtained with the androgens alone. This greater effect was more than “a simple addition of the separate effects of the two substances.”
A novel oxysterol promotes bone regeneration in rabbit cranial bone defects

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) have played a central role in the development of regenerative therapies for bone reconstruction. However, the high cost and side-effect profile of BMPs limits their broad application. Oxysterols, naturally occurring products of cholesterol oxidation, are promising osteogenic agents alternative to BMPs. The osteogenic capacity of these non-toxic and relatively inexpensive molecules has been documented in rodent models. We studied the impact of Oxy49, a novel oxysterol analogue, on the osteogenic differentiation of rabbit bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs). Moreover, we evaluated the capacity for in vivo bone regeneration with Oxy49 in rabbit cranial bone defects. We found that rabbit BMSCs treated with Oxy49 demonstrated differentiation along osteogenic pathways, and that complete bone regeneration occurred when cranial defects were treated with Oxy49. Collectively, these results demonstrate that Oxy49 has the ability to induce osteogenic differentiation in rabbit BMSCs with an efficacy comparable to that of BMP-2 and to promote significant bone regeneration in cranial defects. Oxysterols may be a viable novel agent in bone tissue engineering. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Life-World as Built-World

For Edmund Husserl the purely perceptual world possesses an unchanging, homogeneous structure. Taking issue with Husserl, this essay isolates a subregion of artificial bodies and processes called the “built world” which lacks the structural stability exhibited by the perceptual world as a whole. The paper goes on to argue that alterations within the built portion of the perceptual world during the late Middle Ages set the stage for insights essential to the “mathematization of nature.” Husser’s account of mathematical physics as an outgrowth of philosophy may be mistaken.
Fiber Optic Immunosensors for Cardiovascular Disease Diagnosis

Cardio-vascular diseases are principal causes of the mortality in the United States. These are closely associated with thrombophilia, and the most prevalent cause of the hereditary thrombophilia is the deficiency or dysfunction of hemostasis related plasma factors. Currently, there is an on-going effort to develop near real-time quantifying methods for the three important molecules related to cardio-vascular diseases in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Louisville. They are: Protein C (PC), Factor V Leiden (FVL), and cardiac Troponin T (cTnT). PC is a key anticoagulant and anti-thrombotic in plasma at the normal concentration of 4 µg/ml. Activated Protein C (APC) achieves its anticoagulant role by inactivating Factor V (FV) and Factor VIII. The heterozygote (less than 60% of the normal level) has an 8-10 fold higher risk of the thrombotic complications by the age of 40 years.’ Currently, PC deficiency is diagnosed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), which takes at least 6 hours to complete.
Multiscale Modeling of Strengthening Mechanism in Aluminum-Based Amorphous Nanocomposites

In this work we focus upon theoretical exploration of the mechanical constitutive behavior of amorphous nanocomposites in terms of a multi-scale approach starting from the nanostructure. Local heterogeneous stress field and deformation are calculated based on the concept of eigenstrain and equivalent inclusion method. The overall elastoplastic constitutive model for amorphous nanocomposites is developed through homogenization averaging procedures. Explicit expressions of the effective elastic stiffness and yield strength of amorphous nanocomposites in terms of the constituents’ properties and nanostructures are obtained. An interlayer phase between nanoparticles and the amorphous matrix is experimentally observed and incorporated in the proposed model. The interlayer thickness is treated as a characteristic length scale. Thus, the particle size effect on the nanocomposite properties is particularly investigated within continuum nanomechanics framework. It provides direct determination of the intrinsic mechanisms of the nanocomposite structure-property relationship at the nanoscale.
Cattle grazing in semiarid forestlands: Habitat selection during periods of drought.

Climate change models are predicting increased frequency and severity of droughts in arid and semiarid environments, and these areas are responsible for much of the world’s livestock production. Because cattle (Bos Taurus) grazing can impact the abundance, distribution, and ecological function of native plant and animal communities, it is important to understand how cattle might respond to increasingly arid conditions. Here, we evaluate changes in habitat selection by cattle across an 8-yr period as a function of rainfall and other environmental covariates. Using resource selection functions, we evaluated habitat selection based on 2 behaviors, stationary and mobile. Models revealed similarity in cattle habitat selection across years, with only modest changes in selection as a function of precipitation, despite marked seasonal and interannual differences in rainfall. Cattle preferred gentle slopes, forest edges, wet meadows, and areas near water as well as areas far from water on plateaus. Cattle avoided areas at intermediate distances from water, typically associated with steep slopes. As conditions became drier during the late season, cattle did not switch selection patterns but instead contracted their selection around water. Cattle also selected similar habitats whether they were mobile or stationary, possibly making microsite decisions therein. This consistent pattern of selection across years could be particularly problematic for riparian communities as climates become drier; however, it may also simplify cattle management, as range managers can focus vegetation monitoring efforts on riparian areas. Due to the uncertainty surrounding future climatic conditions, it is imperative that both range and wildlife managers develop longterm plans to continue managing these multiuse landscapes in an ecologically sustainable manner based on expected patterns of livestock grazing.
Radiolabeled γ-AApeptides: A new class of PET tracers

1522 Objectives The goal of this study was to design, synthesize, and characterize 64Cu-labeled γ-AApeptides, a new class of peptidomimetics with superb stability, for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging applications. Methods A γ-AApeptide that mimics the tripeptide sequence RGD is termed "γ-AA1", which was conjugated to DOTA via a linker and termed "γ-AA2". Flow cytometry studies were performed in U87MG cancer cells (integrin αvβ3-positive) to evaluate the affinity of the γ-AApeptide-based conjugates for integrin αvβ3. γ-AA2 was labeled with 64Cu and the enzymatic stability of 64Cu-γ-AA2 was measured by radio HPLC. PET imaging, biodistribution, and blocking studies were performed on U87MG tumor-bearing mice to evaluate the in vivo tumor targeting efficacy of 64Cu-γ-AA2. Results γ-AA1 has similar binding affinity to integrin αvβ3 as the c(RGDyK) peptide. However, the enzymatic stability was much higher: 8% degradation of 64Cu-γ-AA2 and 100% degradation of 64Cu-labeled c(RGDyK) respectively after incubation with 0.1 mg/mL pronase at 37 °C for 2 h. Uptake of 64Cu-γ-AA2 in the U87MG tumor was clearly visible as early as 0.5 h p.i., which remained persistent over time (0.9±0.3, 1.0±0.2, 1.1±0.2, and 0.7±0.2 %ID/g at 0.5, 2, 4, and 24 h p.i., n = 3). 64Cu-γ-AA2 clears rapidly from the circulation and excellent tumor contrast was observed, with tumor/muscle ratio of 3.8±0.9, 4.8±1.8, 5.8±1.4, and 8.3±3.9 at 0.5 h, 2 h ,4 h, and 24 h p.i. respectively. Administering a blocking dose of c(RGDyK) significantly reduced the U87MG tumor uptake, thereby confirming in vivo target specificity of 64Cu-γ-AA2. Conclusions We report PET imaging of integrin αvβ3 with a 64Cu-labled γ-AApeptide-based RGD mimetic, which exhibited comparable integrin αvβ3 binding affinity as the c(RGDyK) peptide but significantly higher resistance to enzymatic degradation and better in vivo stability, despite its shorter sequence and linear nature. This study establishes γ-AApeptides as a novel class of enzymatically stable targeting ligands for molecular imaging applications
Effect of estrogen and progasterone upon milk secretion in normal and ovariectomized rats and on mammary gland DNA.

SummaryThe present study investigated influence of 1 μg EB and 3 mg P alone or in combination upon lactation in normal and ovariectomized rat. EB and EB + P inhibited milk let-down and litter weight significantly when given to normal Iactating rats. Decrease in milk yield was 51.7 and 56.3%, respectively. EB and EB + P did not have such adverse effects in ovariectomized animals. P alone was without effect in both types of animals. This effect was apparently mediated through ovaries and apparently interfered with normal contraction of myoepithelial cells. Exogenous oxytocin intravenously or topically did not induce “let-down” in pre-treated animals.
Managing Reliability Improvement in the U.S. Navy’s Marine Gas Turbine Generator Sets

Gas Turbine Generator Sets (GTGs) provide electrical power for the U.S. Navy’s DDG-51 Class ships. These GTGs, packaged by Rolls Royce and powered by the Rolls Royce 501-K34, have been the subject of substantial, well-documented improvement efforts. This paper discusses the processes used to evaluate reliability and identify problematic components. It describes corrective actions that have been made to date and lays out a plan for the future. It goes on to discuss the impact that each improvement has made to GTG reliability and life cycle costs while attempting to project future impact.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Autoantibody-Positive Healthy Individuals Display Unique Immune Profiles That May Regulate Autoimmunity.

Objective Antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) are detected in ∼18% of females, yet autoimmune disease develops in only 5–8%. Immunologic differences between ANA-positive healthy individuals and patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may elucidate the regulatory mechanisms by which ANA-positive individuals avoid transition to clinical autoimmune disease. Methods Healthy individuals (n = 790) were screened for autoantibodies specific for 11 antigens associated with lupus, systemic sclerosis, and Sjogren's syndrome. From this screening, 31 European American ANA-positive healthy individuals were selected and demographically matched to ANA-negative controls and SLE patients. Serum cytokine profiles, leukocyte subset frequency, and reactivity were analyzed by multiplex assays, immunophenotyping, and phosphospecific flow cytometry. Results Of 790 individuals screened, 57 (7%) were ANA-positive. The majority of proinflammatory cytokines, including interferon-γ (IFNγ), tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-17 (IL-17), and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, exhibited a stepwise increase in serum levels from ANA-negative controls to ANA-positive healthy individuals to SLE patients (P < 0.0001). IFNα, IFNβ, IL-12p40, and stem cell factor/c-Kit ligand were increased in SLE patients only (P < 0.05). B lymphocyte stimulator (BlyS) was elevated in SLE patients but decreased in ANA-positive individuals (P < 0.001). Further, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) was down-regulated in SLE patients only (P < 0.0001). ANA-positive individuals had increased frequencies of monocytes, memory B cells, and plasmablasts and increased levels of pSTAT-1 and pSTAT-3 following IFNα stimulation compared with ANA-negative controls (P < 0.05). Conclusion ANA-positive healthy individuals exhibit dysregulation in multiple immune pathways yet differ from SLE patients by the absence of elevated IFNs, BLyS, IL-12p40, and stem cell factor/c-Kit ligand. Further, severely decreased levels of IL-1Ra in SLE patients compared with ANA-positive individuals may contribute to disease development. These results highlight the importance of IFN-related pathways and regulatory elements in SLE pathogenesis.
The interactive effects of patient control beliefs on adherence to fluid-intake restrictions in hemodialysis: Results from a randomized controlled trial

This study examined the interactive role of perceived control and preference for control on adherence in a sample of patients with chronic kidney disease. As part of a randomized controlled trial assessing adherence to fluid-intake restrictions, 119 hemodialysis patients completed measures of these constructs; results indicated that patients with high perceived control and high preference for control demonstrated the most favorable adherence. This suggests that patients who believe health-related outcomes are a function of one's own behaviors-and having the opportunity to exert control over aspects of treatment-may be most adherent to complex regimens in which self-management is key.
Therapeutic efficacy of recombinant α-lb interferon anisodamine and folic acid treatment of infantile diarrhea caused by rotavirus

Objective To evaluate the clinical therapeutic efficacy of recombinant α-lb interferon anisodamine and folic acid in treating infantile diarrhea infected with rotavirus.Methods 80 cases were randomly divided into two groups: recombinant α-lb interferon,anisodamine and folic acid treatment group(n=40),ribavirin treatment group(n=40),clinical results were evaluated aftertreatment.Results In recombinant α-lb interferon,anisodmine and folic acid treatment group,the cure rate were 37.5%,the effective rate were 55%,the inefficient rate were 7.5%.In ribavirin treatment group,the cure rate were 20%,the effective rate were 50%,the inefficient rate were 30%,Compare these date,x2=7.63,p0.05.Conclusions In treating with infantile diarrhea infected with rotavirus,recombinant α-lb interferon,anisodamine and folic acid are better than ribavirin.
Combinatorial Optimization of Distribution Network Loss with Distribution Generaltions

The networks reconfiguration and reactive compensation are two important means to improve voltage quality and reduce network loss in distribution networks,but both are affected by load degeneration,along with the fluctuated distributed generation,the effect is greater.Aiming at the distribution network with distributed wind power,considering the randomness of wind power and load,short-term forecasting data of wind speed and load were used,the minimum network loss was taken as an objective function,and the optimal solution of network topology and reactive power compensation were found,and difference of two days programs optimization objection function were taken as the indicators to determine whether execute the new program.An encoding method which combines network reconfiguration and reactive power compensation and harmony research algorithm was adopted to search out the reasonable solution.The simulation analysis based on IEEE 33-node system demonstrates that the proposed method could reduce network loss and improve voltage quality obviously,which proves the effectiveness of the proposed model and algorithm.
Transient Nonlinear Dynamics of Accelerating Hingeless Rotating Blades

In Chaps. 3 and 4, linear and nonlinear static solutions for beams made of composite materials were developed. In this chapter, a nonlinear dynamic model for analyzing the transient behavior of a rotating blade is presented. In the coming sections, static analysis serves two purposes. First, in order to run the nonlinear dynamic model, initial conditions for the internal forces and moments as well as the deflection and curvature distributions due to static forces (especially gravity) are required. The nonlinear static model can be used to provide such initial conditions. In this way, first static loads are applied to the nonlinear static computer program, and then, the calculated output (internal force and moment, as well as deflection and curvature distributions) are given as input to the nonlinear dynamics code. The second application of the static code in this chapter is for verification purposes as it will be explained later in Sect. 5.8.
PEDIATRIC CHEST MR IMAGING: Noncardiac Clinical Uses

SUMMARY The use of MR imaging in thoracic diseases has increased with the development of newer scanners which provide faster scan times and improved image quality. Because of its high soft-tissue contrast and ability to detect flowing blood, MR imaging has significant advantages for assessing tissue characteristics and vascular pathologic conditions. Potential clinical applications of MR imaging include assessment of vascular anomalies, preoperative evaluation of mediastinal or chest wall tumor extent, differentiation of tumor versus fibrosis, and characterization of pleuroparenchymal diseases.
Bestowing the Mantle

Two late English Jacobin novels, Charlotte Smith’s The Young Philosopher and Maria Edgeworth’s Castle Rackrent consider the situation of reform at the end of a decade marked by soaring hopes and sobering disillusionment. The pervasive running, hiding, wandering, and searching of Smith’s novel is matched by the chaos and lawlessness of Edgeworth’s text, as both authors struggle for a stabilizing center and a legacy to pass on to the next generation of enlightened individuals. The Young Philosopher investigates not so much the rationale for radical change as the frustrations of reformers who have attempted to respond to the exclusions from political advancements and have accepted the sacrifices that accompany the promotion of change. Making way for the “young philosophers”, Smith’s characters assess the state of radicalism at the end of the century, candidly revealing its confusion and uncertainty. Edgeworth’s characters are for the most part not reformers but those responsible for creating the turmoil in contemporary society. The world of Castle Rackrent is devoid of integrity, and thus it is in search of moral agency. The bestowing of the mantle on the next generation is done not with the expectation of an imminent New Jerusalem but with an acknowledgment of ongoing turbulence in a fallen world.
Development of Three-Dimensional Anthropometry Methods for Patients with High Body Mass Index

Patient handling equipment and related medical devices, such as hospital beds, slings, and patient transfer devices, must accommodate a diverse patient population while ensuring safety and comfort....
Treatment of Cystic Fibrosis

The treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF) requires a multi-pronged approach to target dysfunction in a number of organ systems. Although the advent of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulator therapies heralds a new era in CF care, their full impact on CF remains to be determined, and older patients with CF are likely to still have complications of CF that need to be addressed.
Compressive sampling of correlated signals

The recently developed theory of Compressive sensing (CS) has shown that sparse signals can be reconstructed from a much smaller number of measurements than their bandwidth suggests. In this paper we present a sampling scheme to acquire ensembles of correlated signals at a sub-Nyquist rate. The sampling architecture uses simple analog building blocks including analog vector matrix multiplier (AVMM) and linear time invariant (LTI) random filters to analog preprocess the signals before sampling them with non-uniform Analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). The sampling strategy takes advantage of the (a priori unknown) correlation structure in the ensemble to sample at a sub-Nyquist rate and stably recover the information using convex optimization. We close the discussion with some applications.
Leaders as Shamans: Working to Heal a Troubled World

In a world greatly in need of healing, today’s leaders acting as shamans could potentially bring the shaman’s ancient wisdom to the effort to create a more sustainable, just, and equitable world. Today’s shamanic leaders undertake the same roles as the traditional shaman: healing, connecting, and sensemaking in the service of a better world. From a leadership perspective, the shaman’s work is that of healing the world around us and our (human) relationship with that world, which is what many leaders are already attempting to do. In this context, healing can mean making our relationships, systems, and organizations whole or sound. In a similar vein, connecting means working across boundaries of different types, such as relationships, disciplines, functions, sectors, and institutions, among others, to create collaborative initiatives or new insights that can move ideas and institutions forward in a positive way. Finally, sensemaking means helping others understand and interpret their world in new and hopefully constructive ways. It means creating a new vision of the future through tasks like developing new memes or framing new stories or narratives that help people relate to their enterprises or the world in different ways. In today’s troubled world, where our dominant cultural mythologies, policies, and practices have resulted in frighteningly unsustainable conditions and divisiveness, I argue that more leaders explicitly need to (and can) take on these shamanic roles.
Structural Studies of DNA-Protein Interactions

The structures of three proteins that regulate gene expression have been determined recently and suggest how these proteins may bind to their specific recognition sites on the DNA. One protein (Cro) is a repressor of gene expression, the second (CAP) usually stimulates gene expression and the third (λ repressor) can act as either a repressor or activator. The three proteins contain a substructure consisting of two consecutive α-helices that is virtually identical in each case. Structural and amino acid sequence comparisons suggest that this bihelical fold occurs in a number of proteins that regulate gene expression. DNA-protein recognition appears to be based primarily on a network of hydrogen bonds between side-chains of the protein and the parts of the base-pairs exposed within the major groove of the DNA.
Dual regularized multi-view non-negative matrix factorization for clustering

Abstract Many real-world datasets are described by multiple modalities or views, which can provide compatible and complementary information to each other. Synthesizing multi-view features for data representation can lead to more comprehensive data description, which may further allow us to find more effective solutions for multi-view data clustering. In this paper, a novel algorithm, called Dual-regularized Multi-view Non-negative Matrix Factorization (DMvNMF), is developed for multi-view data clustering, which is able to preserve the geometric structures of multi-view data in both the data space and the feature space. A parameter-free strategy is developed for constructing the data graph in the multi-view context. Firstly, the affinity graph is learned for each view adaptively by using the self-expressiveness property and the principle of sparsity, i.e., reconstructing each data instance by using a few most similar instances. Secondly, these affinity graphs for different views are linearly combined to generate the global data graph, where the combination weights (importance weights) are learned automatically and the views with better explanations for data reconstruction can get larger importance weights. The feature graph for each view is also constructed in a similar way and it is treated as the affinity graph. For model optimization, an iterative updating scheme is developed to support our DMvNMF algorithm and its convergence proof is also provided. Our experimental results on three real-world datasets have demonstrated the effectiveness of our DMvNMF algorithm for multi-view data clustering and it can significantly outperform other baseline methods.
Intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) imaging in human achilles tendon.

BACKGROUND Limited microcirculation has been implicated in Achilles tendinopathy and may affect healing and disease progression. Existing invasive and noninvasive approaches to evaluate tendon microcirculation lack sensitivity and spatial coverage. PURPOSE To develop a novel Achilles tendon intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MRI protocol to overcome the limitations from low tendon T2 /T2 * value and low intratendinous blood volume and blood velocity to evaluate tendon microcirculation. STUDY TYPE Prospective. SUBJECTS Sixteen healthy male participants (age 31.0 ± 2.1) were recruited. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE A stimulated echo readout-segmented echo planar imaging (ste-RS-EPI) IVIM sequence at 3.0T. ASSESSMENT The feasibility of the proposed ste-RS-EPI IVIM protocol combined with Achilles tendon magic angle effect was evaluated. The sensitivity of the protocol was assessed by an exercise-induced intratendinous hemodynamic response in healthy participants. The vascular origin of the observed IVIM signal was validated by varying the diffusion mixing time and echo time. STATISTICAL TESTS Two-tailed t-tests were used to evaluate differences (P < 0.05 was considered significant). RESULTS Consistent with known tendon hypovascularity, the midportion Achilles tendon at baseline showed significantly lower IVIM-derived perfusion fraction (fp ) (3.1 ± 0.9%) compared to the proximal and distal Achilles tendon (6.0 ± 1.8% and 6.1 ± 2.0%, respectively; P < 0.01). Similarly, the midportion Achilles tendon exhibited significantly lower baseline blood flow index (D*×fp ) (40.9 ± 19.2, 18.3 ± 5.3, and 32.0 ± 9.4 in proximal, midportion, and distal Achilles tendon, respectively; P < 0.01). Eccentric heel-raise exercise led to ∼2 times increase of Achilles tendon blood flow in healthy participants. Consistent with its vascular origin, the estimated fp demonstrated a high dependency to IVIM protocol parameters, while the T1 /T2 -corrected absolute intratendinous microvascular blood volume fraction (Vb ) did not vary. DATA CONCLUSION Achilles tendon ste-RS-EPI IVIM noninvasively assessed baseline values and exercise-induced changes to tendon microcirculation in healthy tendon. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;48:1690-1699.
Ockham: Avignon, Before and After

In this paper I shall ask and try to respond to two questions. The first question is: why did William of Ockham go to Avignon?; the second is: what effect did his visit there have on him?
Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest Soil Diversity and Functioning

Knowledge of biodiversity is key to sustainable management. For tropical dry forests, information on soil animal diversity is sparse compared with tropical wet forests, and considerably less than for grasslands and deserts. Nevertheless, given the rapid transformation of dry tropical forests, primarily due to land use change (Janzen 1988a), it is important to examine the uniqueness of its faunal diversity and functioning as well as its vulnerability to increasing rates of global changes (Sala et al. 2000).