cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role mining problem: A formal perspective

Devising a complete and correct set of roles has been recognized as one of the most important and challenging tasks in implementing role-based access control. A key problem related to this is the notion of goodness/interestingness—when is a role good/interestingq In this article, we define the Role Mining Problem (RMP) as the problem of discovering an optimal set of roles from existing user permissions. The main contribution of this article is to formally define RMP and analyze its theoretical bounds. In addition to the above basic RMP, we introduce two different variations of the RMP, called the δ-Approx RMP and the minimal-noise RMP that have pragmatic implications. We reduce the known “Set Basis Problem” to RMP to show that RMP is an NP-complete problem. An important contribution of this article is also to show the relation of the RMP to several problems already identified in the data mining and data analysis literature. By showing that the RMP is in essence reducible to these known problems, we can directly borrow the existing implementation solutions and guide further research in this direction. We also develop a heuristic solution based on the previously proposed FastMiner algorithm, which is very accurate and efficient.
Possible fetal effects of cervical dilation and uterine curettage during the first trimester of pregnancy

Abstract We describe two malformed infants whose mothers had cervical dilation and uterine curettage. One mother had the procedure at 8 weeks and the other at 6 weeks of gestation. One infant had a facial cleft, hypertelorism, scalp defects, brain malformations, and absent fingernails and a constricting band on the fourth and fifth fingers. The other infant had an area of diminished scalp hair, vertebral anomalies, and a heart defect. (J P EDIATR 1995;126:131-4)
bcl-2 Expression in Endometrial Hyperplasia and Carcinoma

The bcl-2 gene codes for a protein which functions to inhibit apoptotic cell death. bcl-2 overexpression was originally described in follicular lymphoma, but more recently bcl-2 expression has been observed in a variety of other human neoplasms. In this study we used immunohistochemistry to examine bcl-2 protein expression in endometrial hyperplasia and carcinoma. bcl-2 protein was observed in 4/4 cases of complex hyperplasia, 1/4 cases of complex atypical hyperplasia, and 10/29 cases of carcinoma. The staining observed in the cases of complex atypical hyperplasia and carcinoma was focal and less intense than the reactivity of normal proliferative endometrium. We conclude that bcl-2 protein is seldom overexpressed in complex atypical hyperplasia or carcinoma of the endometrium. Rather, in many cases of endometrial carcinoma bcl-2 expression appears to be decreased.
Endoscopic neural blockade for rhinogenic headache and facial pain: 2011 update.

Background: Over 45 million Americans suffer from recurrent headaches, and an estimated $11.9 million was spent on doctor's visits for rhinogenic pain last year. Sphenopalatine blocks have been described for various facial pain syndromes, but their use and the type of blockade agents remain controversial. The objective of this study was to demonstrate that endoscopic nerve blocks, using a mixture of bupivicaine and triamcinolone-40, injected into the anterior ethmoid or sphenopalatine regions, can be a relative safe and effective option for refractory pain. Methods: The charts of all patients undergoing endoscopic neural blockade, in a private practice setting from 1998 to 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. A 1:1 mixture of 0.5% bupivicaine and triamcinolone acetonide injectable suspension was injected into the patients' anterior ethmoid or sphenopalatine neural distribution, or both, depending on the pain distribution. Charts were reviewed to assess outcomes and any adverse events from nerve blocks. Results: A total of 882 nerve blocks were administered to 147 patients, over the course of 431 office visits. Four mild complications, 2 moderate complications, and no severe or permanent complications were noted. No permanent visual complications were observed. Of all the charts, 85% had documented effects of the nerve block at follow-up. Of those, 81.3% claimed improvement, 17.9% reported feeling the same, and 0.79% stated they had worse pain. Conclusion: Endoscopic neural blockade appears to be a relatively safe and viable option in the treatment of refractory headache and facial pain with a rhinogenic component. © 2012 ARS-AAOA, LLC.
An assessment of critical anthropometric dimensions for predicting the fit of a half-mask respirator.

The purpose of this study was to determine if facial dimensions for a group of subjects were predictive of the fit factors measured while one brand of half-mask respirator was worn. Fit factors and 12 facial dimensions measured on 30 female and 38 male subjects were analyzed by correlation coefficients; weighted, multiple linear regression; and discriminant analysis. Data were analyzed for all subjects, gender subgroups, a race subgroup (whites only), and race/gender subgroups. Significant correlation coefficients with the log-transformed fit factors were found for four dimensions; four dimensions had significant coefficients in four or more multiple linear regression models. Only two dimensions had significant coefficients in four or more discriminant analysis models. Menton-subnasale (lowerface) length was the only dimension included in all three of these groups. Gender-specific regression models had very high coefficient of determination values (R2>0.85). Discriminant analysis of the data for all subje...
Fast and Slow Oscillations of the Electro-oculogram in Best's Macular Dystrophy and Retinitis Pigmentosa

• Fast oscillations (FOs) of the electro-oculogram are fluctuations in the corneofundal or standing potential of the eye that are greatest in response to stimulation by dark and light periods of approximately 1.25 minutes each, in contrast to the slow oscillations (SOs) of the electro-oculogram, which are greatest in response to dark and light periods of approximately 12.5 minutes each. The FOs and SOs were measured in 11 patients from four families with Best's macular dystrophy who were found to have marked loss of the SOs with prolonged light peaks but relatively preserved normal or near-normal FOs. A patient with autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (RP) with a pericentral distribution of pigmentary changes also had preserved FOs of abnormal phase and markedly subnormal SO with normal light-peak time. Six patients with early RP (two sisters with autosomal recessive RP and four patients from three families with autosomal dominant RP) had greater attenuation of FOs than SOs. These results can be partially explained by consideration of the generators of these potentials and the known pathophysiology of the two diseases.
Activity of camptothecin, harringtonin, cantharidin and curcumae in the human tumor stem cell assay

The antitumor activity of four investigational natural products (camptothecin, harringtonin, cantharidin and curcumae) obtained from China were tested on human tumor biopsies in an in vitro soft agar clonogenic assay system. Significant antitumor activity was seen with camptothecin against human ovarian cancer and some other adenocarcinomas. Antitumor activity was also observed for harringtonin against adenocarcinoma and sarcoma. Both drugs also appeared to show activity in melanoma and mesothelioma. However, cantharidin and curcumae were relatively ineffective on the human tumors tested. For purposes of comparing the intensity of antitumor effects with standard cytotoxic drugs to those of the four new agents, the ID50 values were calculated. The ratio of ID50S of new drugs to the standard agents doxorubicin, cis-platinum and vinblastine (ID50 of the standard drug/ID50 of tested drug) were 10.2, 64.1 and 1.9 for camptothecin and 1.5, 10.3 and 0.9 for harrington respectively. A relationship was observed between the duration of drug exposure (1 hr prior to plating vs continuous contact in the agar) and inhibition of clonogenic tumor cells for camptothecin, harringtonin and doxorubicin.
Multiplicity analysis of char combustion with homogeneous CO oxidation

Abstract The steady-state bifurcation behavior of a char combustion system which involves the reactions C + 1 2 O2 → CO, CO + built1 2 O2 → Co2 and CO 2 + C → 2CO is investigated. The loci of limit points, double limit points, and hysteresis points are constructed and used to divide the investigated parametric space into regions of different number solutions or different type of solution loci. The effects of several model parameters on the behavior of steady-state solutions are investigated in detail. Our computational results show that the existence of thermal radiation reduces the region of multiple steady-state solutions, but the presence of CO and CO2 in the environment favors the appearance of solution loci with four limit points. The multiplicity characteristics of the problem depend strongly on the interplay of the three chemical reactions, but the occurrence of the heterogeneous reaction of CO2 with carbon is not necessary for solution loci with five steady states to occur.
The Relationship of Listener Personality To Perceptions of Three Dimensions of Credibility.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the relationship of listener personality to perceptions of speaker credibility. The results of the analysis allowed for distinctions among the different dimensions of source credibility, and the description of a set of listener characteristics relevant to the prediction of credibility ratings.
Farmer support of local organizations, causes, and charities through philanthropy

As rural communities lose population, businesses close their doors, and financial resources become scarce, local leaders experience increasing difficulty providing necessary facilities and services to ensure an acceptable quality of life. A strategy for obtaining additional resources to meet local needs is through philanthropy or charitable giving of local residents. In farming communities, estate bequests have particular appeal because the legacy of many farmers is their land holdings. In 2004 the Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll questioned farmers about their philanthropy with local community organizations, causes, and charities. Amounts and types of local contributions by farmers are examined controlling for theoretically relevant personal, social, and structural factors. Results indicate that amount given is related primarily to economic factors, whereas who the benefactors are and the nature of the contributions is more a function of degree of participation in community organizations and activities. Imp...
Bounds on track purity for multiple target tracking

Theoretical bounds are derived on the probability of correct data association in a dense multiple-target environment with clutter, false alarms, nonunity probability of detection, etc. The theory allows the best possible performance to be estimated without implementing the optimal algorithm. The bounds can be used to study the fundamental limitations of tracking performance, rather than pursuing an endless quest for better algorithms. For some applications, however, the use of the theory could show that there is substantial room for algorithmic improvement. >
Selections from current literature: cholelithiasis, cholecystectomy and the risk of colorectal cancer

The study by Ekbom et al. clearly demonstrates that, overall, there is no increased risk of colorectal cancer following cholecystectomy. However, it is noted that women have a slight increase in the risk of proximal colon cancer following cholecystectomy. The reasons for this finding remain unclear. However, since this finding has been consistent in several studies, it is probably not an artifact, but a true association that may warrant further investigation. It is possible that the association noted between cholecystectomy and colorectal cancer is due not to the cholecystectomy, but to the reason why cholecystectomies are performed, namely the presence of gallstones. The cholecystectomy itself may simply be a surrogate for cholelithiasis, which may be a true risk factor for colorectal cancer. Excess secondary bile acids may be carcinogenic or the factors which cause the formation of cholelithiasis may also increase the risk for developing colorectal cancer. An answer to the separate question of whether excessive laparoscopic cholecystectomies are being performed, or whether newer indications make the increased number of laparoscopic cholecystectomies appropriate, remain outstanding. This new procedure, despite being cheaper than the open cholecystectomy, has resulted in greater utilization of the world's dwindling health care resources. In conclusion, the decision to perform a cholecystectomy should be made only with consideration of the patient's current medical condition. There is no need to be concerned about any future increased risk of colorectal cancer following a cholecystectomy.
Flame Characteristics of Vaporized Renewable Fuels and Their Blends with Petroleum Fuels

In order to obtain a fundamental understanding of the thermo-chemical processes and pollutant formation during the combustion of biofuels and their blends, laminar partially premixed flames of palm methyl ester (PME) were studied and compared with those of Jet-A. The fuels were prevaporized and mixed with heated air and injected out of a stainless steel circular tube with a beveled rim. The fuel flow rate was maintained constant and the airflow rates were varied to obtain injector-exit equivalence ratios of 2, 3, and 7. In addition to global CO and NO emission indices and flame radiation, temperature, gas concentration, and soot volume fraction profiles were measured at different flame heights. The measurements highlighted the effects of fuel-bound oxygen in PME. The PME flames had less soot content than the corresponding Jet-A flames; the temperature measurements implied differences in the soot particle size and morphology formed during the combustion of biofuels.
Networks, Hierarchies, and Markets : Aggregating Collective Problem Solving in Social Systems

How do decentralized systems collectively solve problems? Here we explore the interplay among three canonical forms of collective organization--markets, networks, and hierarchies--in aggregating decentralized problem solving. We examine these constructs in the context of how the offices of members of Congress individually and collectively wrestle with the Internet, and, in particular, their use of official websites. Each office is simultaneously making decisions about how to utilize their website. These decisions are only partially independent, where offices are looking at each other for lessons, following the same directives from above about what to do with the websites, and confront the same array of potential vendors to produce their website. Here we present the initial results from interviews with 99 Congressional offices and related survey of 100 offices about their decisions regarding how to use official Member websites. Strikingly, we find that there are relatively few efforts by offices to evaluate what constituents want or like on their websites. Further, we find that diffusion occurs at the "tip of the iceberg": offices often look at each others' websites (which are publicly visible), but rarely talk to each other about their experiences or how they manage what is on their websites (which are not publicly visible). We also find that there are important market drivers of what is on websites, with the emergence of a small industry of companies seeking to serve the 440 Members. Hierarchical influences--through the House and through the party conferences--also constrain and subsidize certain practices.
An application of impediography to the high sensitivity and high resolution identification of structural damage

In this study we explore the use of impediographic techniques to perform damage detection in plate-like metal structures. Impediography relies on the piezo-resistive coupling of the host structure to reconstruct high sensitivity and high resolution maps of the internal electrical conductivity. By exploiting localized strain perturbations generated via focused acoustic waves, the piezo-resistive coupling allows extracting a set of linearly independent boundary voltage data that drastically reduces the ill-conditioning of the inverse problem, therefore increasing the performance. The localized perturbation is achieved by leveraging the concept of frequency selective structure (FSS), that is a dynamically tailored structural element enabling the required acoustic focusing via vibration localization. Based on the FSS approach, the impediographic technique is numerically tested to investigate the performance of the combined approach for structural damage detection. The effects of practical implementation issues, such as limited perturbations and limited boundary data, are also explored.
An Arginine-Deficient Diet in Humans Does Not Evoke Hyperammonemia or Orotic Aciduria

The essentiality of dietaryargininewas ex amined in adult humans with three biochemical indices: plasma levels of ammonium and amino acids and urinary orotic acid excretion. Three male and two female subjects participatedin the 10-d study. Subjects consumed an i- amino acid diet containing 0.74 g protein equivalent/kg body weight on d 1-5; these amino acid concentrations were doubled on d 6-10. The diet was devoid of arginine on d 3-8. Daily urine was collected and blood samples were drawn on 6 of the 10 d at 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 4 h after the breakfastmeal. Whenargininewas removed from the diet, urinaryorotic acid did not increase, in contrast to what has been reportedin most otheranimalspecies tested. Plasma ammonium concentrations remained within nor mal limits throughout the study. A small postprandialde crease in plasma arginineconcentrationwas observedwhen the arginine-deficientdiet was consumed; this decline dis appeared when the diet was resupplied with arginine.The results of this study suggest that over the short term the adulthuman's capacityforde novo argininesynthesis when fed a dietarydeficiencyof arginineis sufficientforthe main tenance of normal cellular metabolism. J. liutr. 117: 1734-1739, 1987.
TE 21 Second-Harmonic Gyro-TWT Amplifier Experiment

Summary form only given. A second-harmonic TE21 gyro-TWT has been constructed and is ready for hot testing at UCD that is predicted to produce 50 kW in Ka-band with 20% efficiency, 30 dB saturated gain and 3% bandwidth. The device is driven by an axis-encircling electron beam from a Northrop Grumman cusp gun. There is considerable interest in millimeter-wave amplifiers to be used in high-resolution advanced radar and communications applications. The gyro-TWT is an excellent candidate for these applications because of its potential to produce high power at millimeter-wave frequencies with broad bandwidth. There have been significant advancements in fundamental cyclotron frequency mode gyro-TWTs; however, they require superconducting magnets which increases the size, weight and complexity of the gyro-TWT. The required magnetic field for a gyro-TWT for a given frequency of operation is reduced by the number of the cyclotron harmonic; thus, with harmonic operation the gyro-TWT can potentially operate at high frequencies with conventional magnets or even permanent magnets. Unfortunately, gyro-TWTs operating at harmonics with a magnetron injection gun (MIG) suffer a significant loss in efficiency especially at higher harmonics. An axis-encircling beam is better suited to interact in a harmonic device. The gyro-TWT was carefully designed for stability. The device employs a sliced mode-selective circuit to suppress odd-order azimuthal modes by interrupting their wall currents. Surrounding the interaction circuit is a lossy cylinder to absorb the radiated power. Furthermore, the gyro-TWT uses the concept of distributed loss to suppress the TE41 (4) gyro-BWO mode, the strongest oscillatory threat for this gyro-TWT. The first 30.5 cm of the interaction circuit has a wall resistivity 2300 times that of copper to yield a stable interaction length of 220rw to suppress the TE41 (4) mode gyro-BWO. The last 11.5 cm of the 42 cm circuit long does not have loss added so that the high power wave is not attenuated. The cusp gun is currently being used for the UCD peniotron experiment. Hot testing of the second-harmonic TE21 gyro-TWT will begin upon completion of the peniotron experiment.
Negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometric studies of tetradentate schiff base coordination compounds. Fluorinecontaining reagent gases

Negative ion mass spectra using chemical ionization conditions have been measured for a series of tetradentate Schiff base corrdination compounds of Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II). Fluorine-containing reagent gases CF4, SO2F2 and SF6 have been used. The formation of molecular negative ions for the complexes is dependent on the reagent gas used. The secondary ions detected are produced by incorporation of CF3, F and F2 species into the coordination compounds.
Robustness Analysis of Semi-Active Tuned Vibration Absorbers With Magneto-Rheological Dampers: An Experimental Study

This paper offers an experimental robustness analysis of a semiactive tuned vibration absorber (TVA) as well as a passive TVA. A conventional passive TVA is only effective when it is tuned properly; otherwise, it may amplify the vibrations of the primary system. In many practical applications, inevitable off-tuning of a TVA often occurs because of system’s operating conditions or parameter changes over time. For example, adding or subtracting external mass on the existing primary system results in changes in the system’s natural frequency. The frequency changes of the primary system are responsible for “off-tuning” of TVAs. When TVAs are off-tuned, their effectiveness is sharply reduced. In our experimental robustness analysis, we focused on the dynamic performance of both the passive and the semiactive TVAs when the mass of the primary system changed (mass off-tuning). To this end, a test apparatus was built to represent a two-degree-of-freedom structure model coupled with a TVA. The semiactive TVA considered in this study employed a Magneto-Rheological (MR) damper as its damping element to enhance overall performance. Using this test apparatus, a series of tests were conducted to identify the optimal tuning parameters of each of the TVAs. The optimal tuning parameters were obtained based on equal peak transmissibility criteria. The mass off-tuning tests were then performed on the optimally tuned semiactive TVA and the optimally tuned passive TVA. In order to off-tune the primary mass, the mass of the primary system varied from −23% to +23% of its nominal mass. The experimental results showed that the semiactive TVA with MR dampers are more robust to changes in the primary mass (off-tuning) than the passive TVA.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Scaffold-switching: an exploration of 5,6-fused bicyclic heteroaromatics systems to afford antituberculosis activity akin to the imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine-3-carboxylates.

Abstract A set of 5,6-fused bicyclic heteroaromatic scaffolds were investigated for their in vitro anti-tubercular activity versus replicating and non-replicating strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) in an attempt to find an alternative scaffold to the imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine and imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidines that were previously shown to have potent activity against replicating and drug resistant Mtb. The five new bicyclic heteroaromatic scaffolds explored in this study include a 2,6-dimethylimidazo[1,2-b]pyridazine-3-carboxamide (7), a 2,6-dimethyl-1H-indole-3-carboxamide (8), a 6-methyl-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide (9), a 7-methyl-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine-3-carboxamide (10), and a 5,7-dimethyl-[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-2-carboxamide (11). Additionally, imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines isomers (2 and 12) and a homologous imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidine isomer (6) were prepared and compared. Compounds 2 and 6 were found to be the most potent against H37Rv Mtb (MIC’s of 0.1 μM and 1.3 μM) and were inactive (MIC >128 μM) against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. Against other non-tubercular mycobacteria strains, compounds 2 and 6 had activity against Mycobacterium avium (16 and 122 μM, respectively), Mycobacterium kansasii (4 and 19 μM, respectively), Mycobacterium bovis BCG (1 and 8 μM, respectively) while all the other scaffolds were inactive (>128 μM).
A Home Program of Sensory and Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation With Upper-Limb Task Practice in a Patient 5 Years After a Stroke

Background and Purpose. This case report describes a person with upper-extremity (UE) hemiparesis who participated in a home program that included sensory amplitude electrical stimulation (SES) to his involved arm and performance of task-specific exercises with the assistance of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES). Case Description. The patient was a 67-year-old man with stable sensory and motor deficits 5 years after a stroke. Sensory amplitude electrical stimulation was delivered for 2 hours per day. A daily, 15-minute course of NMES was used to help him perform UE tasks. This home program was carried out for 18 weeks and included 6 physical therapist home visits. Outcomes. The patient's UE score on the Stroke Rehabilitation Assessment of Movement (STREAM) improved from 10/20 to 17/20. The score on the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) improved from 27/57 to 42/57. The patient reported that he was now able to button buttons, use a knife and fork, and tie simple fishing knots. Discussion. A home program combining SES and NMES may be an effective method to increase UE function even 5 years after a stroke.
People With Serious Mental Illness in the Criminal Justice System Causes, Consequences, and Correctives

This article examines the rising number of people with serious mental illness (PSMI) in the criminal justice system and suggests remedies for improving care and services for this troubled populatio...
In vitro model suggests oxidative stress involved in keratoconus disease

Keratoconus (KC) affects 1:2000 people and is a disorder where cornea thins and assumes a conical shape. Advanced KC requires surgery to maintain vision. The role of oxidative stress in KC remains unclear. We aimed to identify oxidative stress levels between human corneal keratocytes (HCKs), fibroblasts (HCFs) and keratoconus cells (HKCs). Cells were cultured in 2D and 3D systems. Vitamin C (VitC) and TGF-β3 (T3) were used for 4 weeks to stimulate self-assembled extracellular matrix (ECM). No T3 used as controls. Samples were analyzed using qRT-PCR and metabolomics. qRT-PCR data showed low levels of collagen I and V, as well as keratocan for HKCs, indicating differentiation to a myofibroblast phenotype. Collagen type III, a marker for fibrosis, was up regulated in HKCs. We robustly detected more than 150 metabolites of the targeted 250 by LC-MS/MS per condition and among those metabolites several were related to oxidative stress. Lactate levels, lactate/malate and lactate/pyruvate ratios were elevated in HKCs, while arginine and glutathione/oxidized glutathione ratio were reduced. Similar patterns found in both 2D and 3D. Our data shows that fibroblasts exhibit enhanced oxidative stress compared to keratocytes. Furthermore the HKC cells exhibit the greatest level suggesting they may have a myofibroblast phenotype.
Public-key cryptosystems based on cubic finite field extensions

The cryptographic properties of third-order linear feedback shift-register (LFSR) sequences over GF(p) are investigated. A fast computational algorithm for evaluating the kth term of a characteristic sequence of order 3 is presented. Based on these properties, a new public-key distribution scheme and an RSA-type encryption algorithm are proposed. Their security, implementation, information rate, and computational cost for the new schemes are discussed.
Objective analysis of temporally varying audio quality metrics

Subjective audio quality is currently obtained using expensive and time consuming listening tests that provide limited information. In this paper we show the different behaviors of several objective metrics designed to match subjective results over different audio sequences for several audio distortions. In particular we extend these metrics to the case where distortions vary temporally and evaluate performance over two common time-varying distortions.
Identifying main areas generating stormwater pollution from satellite imagery and ancillary data

Urban stormwater runoff has been recognized as a major source of pollutants in Santa Monica Bay watershed because of the watershed's highly developed, impervious landuses. Estimating stormwater pollutant mass emissions is inherently difficult and often requires land use information. Many approaches have been developed to estimate land use from satellite imagery. This research uses an alternative approach, which estimates stormwater pollutant loadings from satellite imagery. We classified a Landsat ETM/sup +/ image of the areas in the Santa Monica Bay watershed using Bayesian networks. Identified water quality parameters were heavy metals such as copper, lead and zinc, and oil and grease. The parameters were classified into low, medium and high loads and the most polluting areas are the target area to be identified. We examined the effect of incorporating ancillary data: locational data, such as X and Y coordinate values of each pixel, and elevation data such as SRTM. The results show that incorporating coordinate values or elevation data improves overall accuracy and lowers the omission error compared with using Landsat ETM/sup +/ spectral data only. In fact, incorporating coordinate values was more useful than incorporating elevational data to provide better accuracies and less omission errors. These results will be useful in developing best management strategies for stormwater pollution.
Comparison of Class E and Half Bridge Inverters for Use in Electronic Ballasts

Resonant converters are often used in florescent ballasts for highly efficient operation. Typically half bridge converters have been used in this application. As an alternative to reduce the number of switching devices, class E resonant converters have been considered. This paper compares the use of a class E converter to a half bridge converter for ballast applications. The operation and design methodology are described for each converter. Experimental measurements were made on each converter to evaluate the stresses on the switching components. Results show that although the class E converter has fewer switching components, voltage stresses on those components are considerably higher.
Energy optimization of bioethanol production via gasification of switchgrass

In this article, we address the conceptual design of the bioethanol process from switchgrass via gasification. A superstructure is postulated for optimizing energy use that embeds direct or indirect gasification, followed by steam reforming or partial oxidation. Next, the gas composition is adjusted with membrane-PSA or water gas shift. Membrane separation, absorption with ethanol-amines and PSA are considered for the removal of sour gases. Finally, two synthetic paths are considered, high alcohols catalytic process with two possible distillation sequences, and syngas fermentation with distillation, corn grits, molecular sieves and pervaporation as alternative dehydration processes. The optimization of the superstructure is formulated as an mixed-integer nonlinear programming problem using short-cut models, and solved through a special decomposition scheme that is followed by heat integration. The optimal process consists of direct gasification followed by steam reforming, removal of the excess of hydrogen and catalytic synthesis, yielding a potential operating cost of $0.41/gal. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2011
Real-Time Monitoring and Prediction of Modes of Coherent Synoptic to Intraseasonal Tropical Variability

Abstract A technique of near-real-time monitoring and prediction of various modes of coherent synoptic to intraseasonal zonally propagating tropical variability is developed. It involves Fourier filtering of a daily updated global dataset for the specific zonal wavenumbers and frequencies of each of the phenomena of interest. The filtered fields obtained for times before the end of the dataset may be used for monitoring, while the filtered fields obtained for times after the end point may be used as a forecast. Tests of the technique, using satellite-observed outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) data, reveal its skill for monitoring. For prediction, it demonstrates good skill for the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO), and detectable skill for other convectively coupled equatorial modes, although the decaying amplitude of the predictions with time is a characteristic that users need to be aware of. The skill for the MJO OLR field appears to be equally as good as that obtained by the recent empirical MJO forecas...
The Role of Gas-Holding Structures in Fish Hearing: An Acoustically Evoked Potentials Approach

Fish varies greatly in their sensitivity to underwater acoustic signals. Over the past century, scientists have designed many methods to investigate auditory capacity of fish. Behavioral training paradigms (with either punishment or reward as incentives to the tested subjects) and various electrophysiological methods have been used to obtain audiograms, i.e., the auditory sensitivity curves of fish. Each method has its practical limitations: behavioral methods take long training time while the electrophysiological methods are invasive. This chapter first describes a novel, non-invasive electrophysiological recording method, i.e., the auditory brainstem response (ABR), which was first developed in my laboratory with the purpose of obtaining audiograms within short time for a comprehensive study on fish hearing ability. The setup of the system as well as technical details involved in using the ABR system are discussed in-depth with inputs from various users over the past 5 years since the debut of the ABR method. The second part of this chapter is focused on understanding how gas-holding structures (e.g., gasbladder, suprabranchial chamber, otic gasbladder) play a role in overall hearing ability of fish. The gas-holding structure, e.g., gasbladder, is generally regarded as an underwater resonant bubble. It is assumed that the resonant frequency created by the passing sound wave to gas-holding structure could aid in overall hearing ability of fish. This chapter reviews the work carried out by the ABR method in the author’s laboratory investigating how gas-holding structure plays a role in hearing ability of fish. The audiograms are obtained with the use of the ABR method before and after gas removal from: 1) gasbladder of goldfish, toadfish, and blue gourami; 2) suprabranchial chambers of blue gourami, kissing gourami, dwarf gourami; and 3) otic gasbladder of a mormyrid weakly electric fish. The general conclusion is that those fish (e.g., goldfish, gourami, mormyrid) that have direct coupling between gas-holding structure and the inner ear benefits greatly from such a coupling to have better hearing ability. While the gasbladder of toadfish, albeit large in size and is placed in close proximity to the inner ear does not contribute to the overall hearing ability. The finding is in general agreement with how a fish is either classified as a hearing specialist (with coupling device between ear and gas-holding structure) or a hearing generalist (without such a coupling device). This study also reveals the possible existence of different populations of sensory hair cells in specialist species.
What do We Know about Nonprofit Collaboration? A Comprehensive Systematic Review of the Literature

This comprehensive review of prior research reports on the content of 354 English language research articles that address nonprofit collaborative activity within and across the sectors. The goal was a thorough review of the analytic methods, theories, and key findings generated from past empirical study of nonprofit organizational collaboration. We have identified six major themes that emerge through our analysis of the existing literature: 1) diverse and rich data on collaboration; 2) more knowledge on the antecedents and outcomes of collaboration, less on the processes; 3) insufficient attention the similarities and differences between forms (or types) of nonprofit collaboration; 4) organizational theories dominate; 5) research is improving in sophistication but still has far to go; and 6) the need to overcome the problem of survivorship bias. Our findings help to inform both collaboration research and practice.
An Exact Dynamic Programming Solution for a Decentralized Two-Player Markov Decision Process

We present an exact dynamic programming solution for a finite-horizon decentralized two-player Markov decision process, where player 1 only has access to its own states, while player 2 has access to both player’s states but cannot affect player 1’s states. The solution is obtained by solving several centralized partially-observable Markov decision processes. We then conclude with several computational examples.
Least-squares Reverse Time Migration/inversion For Ocean Bottom Data: a Case Study

We present a method based on least-squares reverse time migration/inversion (LSRTM) for imaging ocean bottom data. We show that by using LSRTM, we not only enhance the resolution of the image, suppress the migration artifacts, and more importantly, bring up the relative amplitude of true reflectors in the subsurface. This method can also be extended to image with higher-order multiples. In certain geometry LSRTM with multiples can further improve the image with a bigger aperture. We demonstrate the concept and methodology in 2D and apply our proposed scheme to an ocean bottom field survey located in the northern Cascadia continental margin.
Some properties of the absolute galois group of a hilbertian field

LetK be a hilbertian field,G(K) its absolute Galois group. IfK is countable, then for a.a.\(\bar \sigma \) inG(K)e,\(N(\left\langle {\bar \sigma } \right\rangle ) = \left\langle {\bar \sigma } \right\rangle ,C(\bar \sigma ) = \left\langle {\bar \sigma } \right\rangle if e = 1, = (1) if \) and there is no intermediate field\(K \subseteq M \varsubsetneqq K_s (\bar \sigma )\) with\([K_s (\bar \sigma ):M]< \infty \). Let\(\bar \sigma \in G(K)^e \) ∈G(K)e. Then for a.a.\(\bar \tau \) in\(G(K)',\left\langle {\bar \sigma } \right\rangle \cap \left\langle {\bar \tau } \right\rangle = (1)\).
Efficient Locking Techniques for Databases on Modern Hardware.

Traditional database systems are driven by the assumption that disk I/O is the primary bottleneck, overshadowing all other costs. However, future database systems will be dominated by many-core processors, large main memory, and low-latency semiconductor mass storage. In the increasingly common case that the working data set fits in memory or low-latency storage, new bottlenecks emerge: locking, latching, logging, and critical sections in the buffer manager. Prior work has addressed two of these – latching and logging. This paper addresses locking and proposes new mechanisms optimized for modern hardware. We devised new algorithms and methods to improve all components of database locking, including key range locking, intent locks, detection and recovery from deadlocks, and early lock release. Most of the techniques are easily applicable to other database systems. Experiments with Shore-MT, the transaction processing engine we used as the implementation basis, show throughput improvement by factors of 5 to 50.
Laser Measurements of the H Atom + Ozone Rate Constant at Mesospheric Temperatures

The exothermic H + O3 reaction produces OH(v) Meinel band emissions, used to derive mesospheric H concentrations and chemical heating rates. We remeasured its rate constant to reduce its uncertainty and extended the measurements to lower mesospheric temperatures using modern laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) techniques. H atoms were produced by pulsed ultraviolet laser trace photolysis of O3, followed by reaction of O(1D) with added H2. A second, delayed, frequency-mixed dye laser measured the reaction decay rate with the remaining ozone using LIF. We monitored either the H atom decay by two photon excitation at 205 nm and detection of red fluorescence, or the OH (v = 9) product time evolution with excitation of the B2Σ+–X2Π (0,9) band at 237 nm and emission in the blue B2Σ+–A2Σ+ (0,7) band. By cooling the enclosed low pressure flow cell we obtained measurements from 140 to 305 K at 20 to 200 Torr in Ar. Small kinetic modeling corrections were made for secondary regeneration of H atoms. The results are con...
Role of surgery in the management of pulmonary sporotrichosis

Management of four patients with sporotrichosis is summarized; one was treated medically and three were treated surgically. Thirty-seven cases from the literature are reviewed. The role of surgery in the management of pulmonary sporotrichosis is outlined as follows: (1) diagnosis of pulmonary infiltrates and/or pulmonary cavities of undetermined origin, (2) surgical intervention in patients with persistent infiltrates with cavitary lesions resulting from sporotrichosis, following failed medical treatment, and (3) resection of associated pulmonary cavitary lesions in patients in spite of adequte medical control of sporotrichosis. Surgical principles that must be observed in the management of pulmonary sporotrichosis follows: (1) Resection is the procedure of choice. The magnitude ranges from segmental resection to pneumonectomy. Clean resection is necessary. (2) Antifungal drug therapy—preferably with amphotericin B—is advisable preoperatively and postoperatively, since the major cause of late death is progression of the disease when clean resection has not been feasible. (3) Resection combined with drug therapy can be curative without increased risk in physiologically operable and anatomically resectable disease. (4) Thoracoplasty can be a lifesaving procedure for bilateral cavitary lesions with severe hemoptysis in patients with impaired pulmonary functions.
Lesions of the enamel organ of developing dog teeth following experimental inoculation of gnotobiotic puppies with canine distemper virus

Ten 7-day-old gnotobiotic Beagle puppies were inoculated intraperitoneally with virulent canine distemper virus (R252-CDV). The dogs were killed and perfused with paraformaldehyde/glutaraldehyde from eight to 36 days after inoculation. The developing teeth of the mandibles were examined by light microscopy, and the teeth from three dogs were examined by electron microscopy. Necrosis of individual cells in the stratum intermedium of the developing tooth was the first change, detectable at day 9 post-inoculation. At day 16 post-inoculation, there was disorganization of the ameloblasts. In the stratum intermedium, multinucleate giant cells and large eosinophilic cytoplasmic viral inclusions were prominent. Ultrastructurally, these inclusions consisted of clusters of tubular aggregates typical of canine distemper virus nucleocapsids. At 28 to 36 days post-inoculation, the changes were seen in the reduced enamel epithelium. Multinucleate cells were seen, but no inclusions. Some necrotic cells were seen. In these teeth, ameloblastic cells of the root were morphologically normal. Our results suggest that distemper virus affects developing teeth by direct infection of the enamel organ.
Pioneering a Global Cure for Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection

This year's Lasker∼Debakey Clinical Medical Research Award honors Ralf Bartenschlager, Charles Rice, and Michael Sofia, pioneers in the development of curative and safe therapies for the 170 million people with hepatitis C virus infection.
Determination of airborne concentrations of dichlorvos over a range of temperatures when using commercially available pesticide strips in a simulated military guard post

ABSTRACTDichlorvos is a chemical compound which has been used for decades as a pesticide. Potential inhalational exposure to dichlorvos vapor associated with using commercially-based, dichlorvos-impregnated resin strips in a simulated military guard post was evaluated. A varying number of these pesticide strips, ranging from the manufacturer's guidelines ((3)-16 g strips) up to a full package of strips ((12)-16 g strips), were placed in a small, enclosed space (2.31 m x 2.26 m x 2.44 m, 12.7 m3), which was similar in size to a typical military guard post. Static air sampling was then conducted to simulate personal air sampling, followed by analysis using OSHA Method 62 (GC-ECD). Air sampling was conducted over a range of discrete temperatures (26–38˚C) which approximated average ambient temperatures expected in a variety of deployed environments. Air sampling in this range was conducted to determine the airborne concentration generated at each temperature setting. Airborne concentrations were then compare...
Mass Spectral Library Quality Assurance by Inter-Library Comparison

A method to discover and correct errors in mass spectral libraries is described. Comparing across a set of highly curated reference libraries compounds that have the same chemical structure quickly identifies entries that are outliers. In cases where three or more entries for the same compound are compared, the outlier as determined by visual inspection was almost always found to contain the error. These errors were either in the spectrum itself or in the chemical descriptors that accompanied it. The method is demonstrated on finding errors in compounds of forensic interest in the NIST/EPA/NIH Mass Spectral Library. The target list of compounds checked was the Scientific Working Group for the Analysis of Seized Drugs (SWGDRUG) mass spectral library. Some examples of errors found are described. A checklist of errors that curators should look for when performing inter-library comparisons is provided.
Farzana: The Woman Who Saved an Empire. By Julia Keay. (New York, NY: I. B. Tauris, 2014. Pp. xiii, 338. $30.00.)

Several recent books have examined individuals who bridged India and Europe in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Now, in this latest study Farzana: The Woman Who Saved an Empire, ...
VPAC1 targeted detection of genitourinary cancer: a urinary assay

388 Objectives Genitourinary cancers, such as prostate (CaP) and bladder urothelial (BUC) cancer, are the most common malignancies, yet their non-invasive diagnosis remains challenging. In recent years, detecting circulating tumor cells in peripheral blood has drawn a considerable attention to assess the primary disease, as well as to determine effectiveness of therapy and predict recurrence of disease. These techniques are complex and are not yet widely used in routine clinical practice. On their cells, both diseases express VPAC1 receptors in high density. The goal is to target VPAC1 for detection of shed cancer cells (SCC) in voided urine using TP4303, a VPAC1 specific biomolecule linked with a near infrared fluorophore. Methods Urine samples (n=203) were collected from normal volunteers (n=53, M=22, F=31) and from patients with CaP (n=76), BUC (n=35, M=25, F=10), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, n=4), and with other non-oncologic complaints (n=35, M=14, F=21). The urine was cytospun, cells were fixed, incubated with TP4303 (Ex=633nm, Em=754nm), washed, and cell nuclei were stained with DAPI (Ex=350nm, Em=470nm). Slides were read using a confocal microscope. The protocol was IRB exempt as no health record was required to be collected. Results 74/76 CaP had SCC (97.4%), one was negative for SCC (1.3%), and one was technically unclear. For BUC, 33/35 (94.3%) had SCC, one was negative (2.8%), and one was technically unclear (2.8%). None of the 4 BPH had SCC (100%). In 53 normals, 11 had SCC (20.7%), 32 were negative (60.4%), and 10 were technically unclear (18.8%). In miscellaneous 35 subjects, 19 (54.3%) had SCC, 13 (37.1%) were normal, and 3 (8.6%) were technically unclear. Conclusions The method is simple, noninvasive, rapid, and detects SCC with a high sensitivity in voided urine of patients with CaP and BUC. Research Support NIH CA157372-02 and NuView Inc. (MLT)