cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effects of diluent composition on the rates of HCCI and spark assisted compression ignition combustion

Abstract In this study, an HCCI engine equipped with fully-flexible valve actuation was used to explore the effects of diluent composition on the rates of HCCI and spark assisted compression ignition (SACI) combustion. The diluent composition of the charge was characterized by the molar O2 fraction in the unburned mixture which was modified at constant charge energy content through careful control of the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) rate. During SACI operation the amount of EGR was systematically increased (thereby decreasing the molar O2 fraction in the charge) and the temperature of the unburned gas was varied to maintain constant combustion phasing at constant spark advance. A ∼45% relative increase in the molar O2 fraction of the unburned mixture required a ∼30 K decrease in the unburned gas temperature at intake valve closing (IVC) to maintain combustion phasing. Higher rates of heat release attributable to flames were observed as mixture O2 fraction increased; however, under both HCCI and SACI conditions, the auto-ignition durations were relatively insensitive to diluent composition. As the charge molar O2 fraction increased, the net indicated thermal efficiency of SACI combustion increased by 4% (relative basis) and peak rates of heat release decreased by ∼24%. However, engine-out NOx emissions during SACI operation nearly quadrupled (260% increase) for the fuel lean mixture (highest molar O2 fraction) compared to the stoichiometric EGR dilute mixture (lowest molar O2 fraction). Two-zone heat release analysis was used to better understand the contributions of flame propagation and auto-ignition to the overall SACI combustion rate.
Lower Metabolic Rate in Individuals Heterozygous for Either a Frameshift or a Functional Missense MC4R Variant

OBJECTIVE— Humans with functional variants in the melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) are obese, hyperphagic, and hyperinsulinemic but have been reported to have no difference in energy expenditure. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS— We investigated the association of two MC4R variants, Arg165Gln (R165Q) and A insertion at nucleotide 100 (NT100), with adiposity in 3,074 full-heritage Pima Indians, a subset of whom had metabolic measures including 24-h energy expenditure ( n = 252) and resting metabolic rate (RMR) ( n = 364). RESULTS— Among the 3,074 subjects, 43 were heterozygous for R165Q and 14 for NT100 (frequency = 0.007 and 0.002). Mean (± SD) BMI was higher among subjects with R165Q (39.3 ± 8.6 kg/m 2 ) or NT100 (41.2 ± 7.8) than subjects without either variant (37.1 ± 8.4) ( P = 0.04 and 0.02, adjusted for age, sex, and birth year and accounting for family membership). The 24-h energy expenditure (four with NT100; three with R165Q) or RMR (six with NT100; two with R165Q) was lower in heterozygous subjects but only met statistical significance when heterozygous subjects were combined and compared with subjects without either variant: least-squares means, 2,163 kcal/24 h (95% CI 2,035–2,291) vs. 2,307 kcal/24 h (2,285–2,328), P = 0.03 for 24-h energy expenditure, and 1,617 kcal/24 h (1,499–1,734) vs. 1,754 kcal/24 h (1,736–1,772), P = 0.02 for RMR; adjusted for age, sex, fat-free mass, and fat mass). For RMR, this difference persisted, even after accounting for family membership. CONCLUSIONS— Pima Indians heterozygous for R165Q or NT100 in MC4R have higher BMIs and lower energy expenditure (by ∼140 kcal/day), indicating that lower energy expenditure was a component of the increased adiposity.
Urinary Cotinine as a Measure of Passive Smoke Exposure in Asthmatic Children

This study sought to determine (1) the association between passive smoke exposure and acute symptoms in asthmatic children and (2) the association between parental report and objective measures of passive smoke exposure. Asthmatic children ages 3 to 11 were eligible for the study, which involved measurement of smoke exposure by questionnaire and by urine sample at a time of an acute asthma attack and then later when the child was symptom-free. High levels of passive smoke exposure were detected at both times in most children. Parental report of passive smoke exposure correlated with urinary measure of exposure.
Efficient Approximation of Spatial Network Queries using the M-Tree with Road Network Embedding

Spatial networks, such as road systems, operate differently from normal geospatial systems because objects are constrained to locations on the network. Performing queries on spatial networks demands entirely different solutions. Most spatial queries make use of an R-Tree to process them efficiently. The M-Tree is a data tree index which is capable of indexing data in any metric space. The M-Tree index can replace the R-Tree index for spatial network queries, such as range and KNN queries. The difficulty is that the M-Tree is only as efficient as the distance algorithm used on the underlying objects. Most network distance algorithms, such as A*, are too slow to allow the M-Tree to operate efficiently on spatial networks. The truncated road network embedding (tRNE) maps the network into a higher dimensional space where any LP metric can be used to efficiently compute an accurate approximation of network distance. The M-Tree combined with tRNE creates an efficient index structure for computing spatial network queries. The M-Tree substantially outperforms network expansion, the most popular method of computing spatial network queries, when performing spatial network KNN and range queries.
Increased fitness of transgenic insecticidal rapeseed under insect selection pressure

Rapeseed Brassica napus L. transgenic for a Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) transgene was developed and was shown to be insecticidal towards certain caterpillars including the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella L. and the corn earworm Helicoverpa zea Boddie. To simulate an escape of the transgenics from cultivation, a field experiment was performed in which transgenic and nontransgenic rapeseed plants were planted in natural vegetation and cultivated plots and subjected to various selection pressures in the form of herbivory from insects. Only two plants, both transgenic, survived the winter to reproduce in the natural-vegetation plots which were dominated by grasses such as crabgrass. However, in plots that were initially cultivated then allowed to naturalize, medium to high levels of defoliation decreased survivorship of nontransgenic plants relative to Bt-transgenic plants and increased differential reproduction in favour of Bt plants. Thus, where suitable habitat is readily available, there is a likelihood of enhanced ecological risk associated with the release of certain transgene/crop combinations such as insecticidal rapeseed. This is the first report of a field study demonstrating the effect of a fitness-increasing transgene in plants.
Azathioprine induced pancreatitis in a patient with co-existing autoimmune pancreatitis and hepatitis.

Context Azathioprine induced pancreatitis usually runs a benign self limited course with rapid disappearance of signs and symptoms upon with drawl of the drug. Azathioprine is used in treating relapses in patients with autoimmune pancreatitis and maintenance of remission in autoimmune hepatitis. Acute pancreatitis complicated by symptomatic pseudocysts requiring drainage is not usually associated with drug induced pancreatitis. The risk of azathioprine use in patients with underlying disease of pancreas including autoimmune pancreatitis is unclear. Case report We report here a case of an African American patient with co-existing autoimmune pancreatitis and autoimmune hepatitis who developed azathioprine induced acute pancreatitis complicated by a large symptomatic pseudocyst compressing the duodenum requiring a cystoduodenostomy. Conclusions Future studies to investigate the risk of azathioprine induced pancreatitis in the presence of underlying disease of the pancreas including autoimmune pancreatitis are required to further understand the safety of azathioprine in this sub group of patients. Image: Pseudocyst in the head of the pancreas compressing the common bile duct and duodenum.
New insertion sequences of Sulfolobus: functional properties and implications for genome evolution in hyperthermophilic archaea

Analyses of complete genomes indicate that insertion sequences (ISs) are abundant and widespread in hyperthermophilic archaea, but few experimental studies have measured their activities in these hosts. As a way to investigate the impact of ISs on Sulfolobus genomes, we identified seven transpositionally active ISs in a widely distributed Sulfolobus species, and measured their functional properties. Six of the seven were found to be distinct from previously described ISs of Sulfolobus, and one of the six could not be assigned to any known IS family. A type II 'Miniature Inverted-repeat Transposable Element' (MITE) related to one of the ISs was also recovered. Rates of transposition of the different ISs into the pyrEF region of their host strains varied over a 250-fold range. The Sulfolobus ISs also differed with respect to target-site selectivity, although several shared an apparent preference for the pyrEF promoter region. Despite the number of distinct ISs assayed and their molecular diversity, only one demonstrated precise excision from the chromosomal target region. The fact that this IS is the only one lacking inverted repeats and target-site duplication suggests that the observed precise excision may be promoted by the IS itself. Sequence searches revealed previously unidentified partial copies of the newly identified ISs in the Sulfolobus tokodaii and Sulfolobus solfataricus genomes. The structures of these fragmentary copies suggest several distinct molecular mechanisms which, in the absence of precise excision, inactivate ISs and gradually eliminate the defective copies from Sulfolobus genomes.
A synthetic workload for a distributed real-time system

In this paper, we describe the design and implementation of a synthetic workload (SW) for a distributed real-time system. A SW is a set of parameterized synthetic or artificial programs which serve as the workload for a system under study. The parameterized nature of the programs allows the user to change their behavior to create different resource demands on the system. The SW is easy to use, flexible, and can be representative of a real-time workload. The SW consists of a driver and a set of synthetic tasks. The synthetic tasks are generated by a synthetic workload generator (SWG) from the user's specification written in SWSL, a synthetic workload specification language. We describe the design goals of our SW and discuss its software structure and how it meets these goals.
Providing transactional quality of service in event stream processing middleware

We present an efficient algorithm for providing transactional guarantees when federating a transactional object store with a stream processing engine. The object store allows transactions to programmatically access and update persistent tables as inmemory map objects. The stream processing engine processes continuous queries on events from designated map objects to generate continuously updated derived views. Stream processing traditionally provides an “eventual correctness” guarantee; however our clients insisted upon a uniform transactional quality of service for the federated system: in particular, the system must guarantee that no transaction can observe an updated map object and a stale value of a derived view. A straightforward approach would entail executing all stream processing within the scope of transactions, and this comes at a performance cost. Our approach, based on a hybrid optimistic concurrency control technique, allows stream processing to proceed in parallel, usually after commit time. We present our algorithm along with experimental performance evaluations of both approaches.
A Longitudinal Study of the Use of a Collaboration Tool: A Breadth and Depth Analysis

In this paper we present both a broad and deep look at the use of a collaboration tool in the intelligence community. Through an experimental program, intelligence analysts are given the opportunity to explore and use tools to determine if the tools provide sufficient value to be certified and moved into the analytic work environment. The goal of this program is to bring advanced technologies to the intelligence community through research and experimentation. New tools are evaluated using a metrics based assessment. Tools that successfully pass these evaluations are then introduced on an experimental network. Analysts employed by the experimental program work along side analysts in the intelligence community and look for opportunities where the experimental tools could be useful in current analytic processes. These uses are also evaluated to determine the value of the tools in the analytic environment.
The Annealing Induced Solid State Transformation of Quenched Beta Cr-Ti

Microstructural changes in the bcc-based water-quenched alloy pd Cr40Ti60 have been investigated as a function of annealing time at 873 K. The as-quenched structure has been found to contain a non-ideal form of the ω structure, which has been detected and characterized on the basis of diffuse scattering to which it gives rise in electron diffraction patterns. Annealing at 873 K results initially in platelet precipitates of the metastable pd″ phase, which is found to posses a bulk body centered tetragonal structure in which chemical ordering has been detected via electron diffraction and high resolution microscopy. After several hours of annealing at 873 K the equilibrium phases 6h-Ti and the C15 Laves phase Cr2Ti form as spherical polycrystalline aggregates. No evidence is found of reported annealing-induced amorphization [1]. It is suggested that amorphization cannot occur in this alloy via thermal activation, and that the reported findings may have resulted from impure specimens.
The Perceived Objectivity of Ethical Beliefs: Psychological Findings and Implications for Public Policy

Ethical disputes arise over differences in the content of the ethical beliefs people hold on either side of an issue. One person may believe that it is wrong to have an abortion for financial reasons, whereas another may believe it to be permissible. But, the magnitude and difficulty of such disputes may also depend on other properties of the ethical beliefs in question—in particular, how objective they are perceived to be. As a psychological property of moral belief, objectivity is relatively unexplored, and we argue that it merits more attention. We review recent psychological evidence which demonstrates that individuals differ in the extent to which they perceive ethical beliefs to be objective, that some ethical beliefs are perceived to be more objective than others, and that both these sources of variance are somewhat systematic. This evidence also shows that differences in perceptions of objectivity underpin quite different psychological reactions to ethical disagreement. Apart from reviewing this evidence, our aim in this paper is to draw attention to unanswered psychological questions about moral objectivity, and to discuss the relevance of moral objectivity to two issues of public policy.
Comparing pairwise and simultaneous joint registrations of decorrelating interval exams using entropic graphs

The interest in registering a set of images has quickly risen in the field of medical image analysis. Mutual information (MI) based methods are well-established for pairwise registration but their extension to higher dimensions (multiple images) has encountered practical implementation difficulties. We extend the use of alpha mutual information (αMI) as the similarity measure to simultaneously register multiple images. αMI of a set of images can be directly estimated using entropic graphs spanning feature vectors extracted from the images, which is demonstrated to be practically feasible for joint registration. In this paper we are specifically interested in monitoring malignant tumor changes using simultaneous registration of multiple interval MR or CT scans. Tumor scans are typically a decorrelating sequence due to the cycles of heterogeneous cell death and growth. The accuracy of joint and pairwise registration using entropic graph methods is evaluated by registering several sets of interval exams. We show that for the parameters we investigated simultaneous joint registration method yields lower average registration errors compared to pairwise. Different degrees of decorrelation in the serial scans are studied and registration performance suggests that an appropriate scanning interval can be determined for efficiently monitoring lesion changes. Different levels of observation noise are added to the image sequences and the experimental results show that entropic graph based methods are robust and can be used reliably for multiple image registration.
A hybrid numerical technique to model 3-D flow fields in resin transfer molding processes

A hybrid two-/three-dimensional solution technique is presented to model 3-D flow fields in resin transfer moeling using Darcy's law. The 3-D flow field is only solved for regions where all three velocity components are significant, thus largely reducing the number of unknowns. Elsewhere, the commonly used 2-D approximation for flow in thin gaps between plates is employed. The method is applied to regions where the flow splits, such as T-joints. Because of the uncertainties associated with an accurate determination of the permeability in these regions, a simplified, decoupled procedure is proposed, which reduces the computational complexity. In this procedure, the flow front is advanced using the 2-D formulation. The 2-D formulation also provides the boundary conditions for the subsequent computation of the 3-D flow field without feedback of flow field information to the 2-D model. The governing equations are solved using boundary fitted coordinate systems (BFCS) together with the finite difference method (FDM). Numerical as well as algebraic grid generation and domain decomposition are employed to generate grids that always coincide with the continuously deforming and enlarging flow domain. Results that include the tracking of numerical tracer particles to visualize the three-dimensionality of the flow field are presented for isothermal flow of a Newtonian fluid through a T-joint. This detailed flow field description is expected to form the basis for a rather accurate simulation of quantities that largely depend on the fluid particle pathlines, such as the degree of cure. The method is also extendable to shear-thinning fluids as well as to 3-D flow in the vicinity of the flow front.
Nonstationary autoregressive contour modeling approach for planar shape analysis

In this paper, modeling of contours by a time-varying autoregressive (TVAR) model is considered. In general, a contour function is not a stationary process, and stationary models are often unsatisfactory in representing local features. Recently, there have been advances in time-series modeling of nonstationary processes. In a typical TVAR modeling approach, autoregressive coefficients are expanded as a linear combination of deterministic functions. In this paper, a low-order discrete Fourier transform (DFT) is used to expand autoregressive coefficients. It is based on the fact that a contour is represented by a complex function, and the model coefficients need to be expanded by a set of complex functions. The parameter estimation and order selection in TVAR models are also considered. A least squares estimator of the TVAR model parameters is presented, and the maximum likelihood approach for determining the model order is also presented. The efficacy of the TVAR modeling approach in modeling a closed contour is demonstrated by estimating the time-varying spectrum of a synthetic contour by different approaches, and is tested by detecting curvature extrema points of synthesized contours. For the classification of contours of planar shapes, the estimated TVAR model parameters are used as features. A neural network is used to classify TVAR features extracted from complex contour functions. In the classification experiment with contours of various planar shapes, about 97% of samples are correctly classified.
Spatially directed guidance of stem cell population migration by immobilized patterns of growth factors

We investigated how engineered gradients of exogenous growth factors, immobilized to an extracellular matrix material, influence collective guidance of stem cell populations over extended time (>1 day) and length (>1 mm) scales in vitro. Patterns of low-to-high, high-to-low, and uniform concentrations of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor were inkjet printed at precise locations on fibrin substrates. Proliferation and migration responses of mesenchymal stem cells seeded at pattern origins were observed with time-lapse video microscopy and analyzed using both manual and automated computer vision-based cell tracking techniques. Based on results of established chemotaxis studies, we expected that the low-to-high gradient would most effectively direct cell guidance away from the cell source. All printed patterns, however, were found to direct net collective cell guidance with comparable responses. Our analysis revealed that collective “cell diffusion” down a cell-to-cell confinement gradient originating at the cell starting lines and not the net sum of directed individual cell migration up a growth factor concentration gradient is the principal driving force for directing mesenchymal stem cell population outgrowth from a cell source. These results suggest that simple uniform distributions of growth factors immobilized to an extracellular matrix material may be as effective in directing cell migration into a wound site as more complex patterns with concentration gradients.
Considerations for quadrature receiver calibration using frequency weighted least squares FIR filter design

When designing a filter for use in mitigating electromagnetic interference (EMI), one of the primary considerations is that the actual filter response conforms closely to the desired response. For many applications, finite impulse response (FIR) filters are used to provide the desired response. One particularly useful and flexible FIR filter design technique is frequency weighted least squares (FWLS). Custom structures, common to EMI and other applications, can require algorithm modifications. This paper develops a custom FWLS FIR filter structure and reviews general FWLS FIR filter design techniques. Although the application targets calibration of a communication receiver, the techniques apply to a wide class of filter design problems, including EM applications. Efficient and effective implementation is emphasized, which is particularly important in accommodating adaptive or real-time data processing.
Placebo and nocebo effects in randomized double-blind clinical trials for fatigue in advanced cancer patients

9640 Background: We have previously reported significant placebo response in randomized controlled treatment trials for cancer related fatigue (CRF). We conducted a retrospective study to determine the frequency and predictors of response to placebo and nocebo effect in patients with CRF. Methods: We reviewed patients that received placebo in two previous randomized clinical trials conducted by our group and determined the proportion of patients who demonstrated clinical response to fatigue using an increase (ΔFACIT-F score) > 7 from baseline to day 8, and those with nocebo response as those who reported side effects. Baseline patient characteristics and symptoms recorded from the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) were analyzed to determine their association with placebo and nocebo effects. Results: A total of 105 advanced cancer patients received placebo. 59 (56%) patients responded to placebo (median Δ FACIT-F score of 22). Worse baseline anxiety and well-being subscale score (univariate) and wel...
A Comparison of MT Errors and ESL Errors

Generating fluent and grammatical sentences is a major goal for both Machine Translation (MT) and second-language Grammar Error Correction (GEC), but there have not been a lot of cross-fertilization between the two research communities. Arguably, an automatic translate-to-English system might be seen as an English as a Second Language (ESL) writer whose native language is the source language. This paper investigates whether research findings from the GEC community may help with characterizing MT error analysis. We describe a method for the automatic classification of MT errors according to English as a Second Language (ESL) error categories and conduct a large comparison experiment that includes both high-performing and low-performing translate-to-English MT systems for several source languages. Comparing the distribution of MT error types for all the systems suggests that MT systems have fairly similar distributions regardless of their source languages, and the high-performing MT systems have error distributions that are more similar to those of the low-performing MT systems than to those of ESL learners with the same L1.
The Constable Blunders But Isn't Punished: Does Hudson v. Michigan's Abolition of the Exclusionary Rule Extend Beyond Knock-and-Announce Violations?

This article was originally based on the hypothesis that by downplaying the seriousness of the constitutional violation in Hudson, while at the same time emphasizing the "massive" cost of applying the exclusionary rule in such cases, the Court was in the process of carving out a new de minimus exception to the rule. However, a closer study of the case revealed that, more significantly, the Court had reworked two of its traditional approaches to exclusionary rule analysis (causation and attenuation), resulting in a departure from a case-by-case determination as to whether exclusion was the appropriate sanction for a Fourth Amendment violation. Instead, for the first time, the Court excluded an entire category of Fourth Amendment violations from its ambit. By applying these two new tests, the "certainty" approach to "but-for" causation and "impaired interest" attenuation in non-knock-and-announce cases, courts could further narrow the exclusionary sanction. Now that more than a year has passed since the Hudson decision, it is possible to analyze the post-Hudson cases decided by the federal circuit courts of appeal in order to determine if any trends have emerged in its wake. Part I of this article will briefly trace the ways the Court has circumvented the exclusionary rule since its decision in Mapp. Secondly, Part II will dissect the Hudson decision, specifically to expose the potentially revolutionary change it may signal in the Supreme Court's approach to the exclusionary rule. Then, Part III will examine the post-Hudson cases to determine what effects Hudson has thus far had, and lastly, Part IV will offer some conclusions.
Using Controlled Source Audio Frequency Domain Magnetics for Seepage Diagnosis of Earthen Embankments

This paper examines both the theoretical basis and the practical implications of a minimally invasive groundwater mapping method as applied to seepage detection in earthen embankments. The method involves inducing a low voltage, low amperage, low frequency audio electrical current into the groundwater system. This electric current naturally gathers in areas of highest conductivity—which include high porosity regions within the saturated zone. Per the Biot-Savart law—which relates magnetic fields to their source electric currents—the technology can reveal vital information about the location, character and preferential flow paths of the groundwater system through which it is passing. When properly captured, measured, filtered, and reduced, the data derived from that magnetic field can be used to create both two-dimensional maps and three-dimensional models of the subsurface electric current distribution some of which can be interpreted as seepage flowpaths. This method can be applied to a host of seepage related issues, especially tracking and pinpointing the leak locations in a dam’s embankment, abutments, foundation or outlet works. This paper will convey the findings of one case study in which the efficacy of this method has been tested on a seepage issue.
Factors Influencing Adoption of Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ulcer Prevention Programs in US Academic Medical Centers.

Purpose Recent data show a decrease in hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (PUs) throughout US hospitals; these changes may be associated with increased success in implementing evidence-based practices for PU prevention. The purpose of this study was to identify wound care nurse perceptions of the primary factors that influenced the overall reduction of PUs. Design Cross-sectional descriptive survey. Subjects and setting Surveys were sent to wound care nurses at 98 University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) hospitals. The UHC consists of more than 120 academic medical centers and affiliated facilities across the United States. Responses solicited from this survey represented a geographically diverse set of hospitals from less than 200 beds to more than 1000 beds. Instrument The survey questionnaire used a framework of 7 internal and 5 external influential factors for implementing evidence-based practices for PU prevention. Internal influential factors queried included availability of nurse specialists, high nursing job turnover, high PU rates, and prevention campaigns. External influential factors included data sharing, Medicare nonpayment policy, and applications for Magnet recognition. Methods Hospital-acquired PU prevention experts at UHC hospitals were contacted through the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society membership directory to complete the questionnaire. Consenting participants were e-mailed a disclosure and online questionnaire; they were also sent monthly reminders until they either responded to the survey or declined participation. Results Fifty-five respondents (59% response rate) indicated several internal factors that influenced evidence-based practice: hospital prevention campaigns; the availability of nursing specialists; and the level of preventive knowledge among hospital staff. External influential factors included financial concerns; application for Magnet recognition; data sharing among peer institutions; and regulatory issues. Conclusions These findings suggest that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services nonpayment policy influenced a large majority of hospital's changes in practice. The availability of nursing specialists for wound consult influenced hospitals internally. These factors are informative of the impact policy has on changes in hospital prioritization of adopting evidence-based practices for PU prevention.
Response of Selected Parasitoids and Predators of Stored-Product Insects to Whitelight or Blacklight Traps

Tests in 44.7-m3 rooms showed that >;60% of released Bracon hebetor Say, Anisopteromalus Calandrae (Howard), and Venturia canescens (Gravenhorst) were attracted to New Jersey type blacklight and whitelight traps. Less than 10% of the Xylocoris sordidus (Reuter) that were released responded to the light traps. Most individuals of each species responding to the light sources were trapped by day 4. Parthenogenetic females of V. canescens showed a highly significant preference for blaeklight, but females of B. hebetor showed a stronger attraction for whitelight. More males than females of B. hebetor were trapped early in the tests, but the reverse was the case for A. calandrae . Only females of X. sordidus were caught in the whitelight traps and mostly females were caught in the blacklight traps.
Is There a Female Sex Pheromone in the Mosquito Culiseta inornata

Static air and air-flow olfactometer results failed to substantiate earlier published reports of a volatile female sex pheromone in the mosquito Culiseta inornata (Williston). Further investigations revealed that after male-female contact, stimuli on female legs are of prime importance in releasing male copulatory behavior. These leg-associated stimuli are rather species-specific, and they disappear slowly after the death of a female.
Quantum Random Bit Generation Using Degenerate Optical Parametric Oscillator

We implement a twin optical parametric oscillator as a true random bit generator, and verify the randomness statistically. The operation principle is based on two stable phase states in degenerate synchronously pumped optical parametric oscillators.
Becker’s Dystrophy

Two brothers affected with Becker’s muscular dystrophy in whom the disease followed completely different courses are reported from the Departments of Neurology/Neurosurgery and Genetics, Washington University Medical School, St. Louis, MO.
French on Innocence Lost

In “Losing Innocence for the Sake of Responsibility” (1992) Peter French argues that the loss of innocence is required for moral responsibility and that adults have a responsibility to facilitate the child’s loss of innocence. Drawing on the work of Herbert Morris, French provides a compelling account of the knowledge that is acquired in the process of losing one’s innocence and the sorts of experiences required for its loss. Although I agree with French that moral maturity requires the sorts of conceptual knowledge he identifies, I do not think that the loss of innocence is where we gain such knowledge. I shall argue that the experience of losing one’s innocence provides a more fundamental knowledge on which this conceptual capacity is based.
Abstract IA08: Immune checkpoint blockade in cancer therapy: New insights, opportunities, and prospects for cures

The existence of multiple non-redundant inhibitory pathways that limit T cell responses offers novel strategies for mobilizing the immune system to attack cancer cells. The best characterized of these immune checkpoints is CTLA-4, which inhibits T cell proliferation by interfering with the interaction of the costimulatory molecule CD28 with its ligands B7-1 and B7-2 on the surface of antigen presenting cells. Antibodies to CTLA-4 have proven effective against multiple tumor types in both pre-clinical and clinical studies. Ipilimumab, an antibody to human CTLA-4, showed long term (>4 years) survival benefit in about 20% of patients in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial in late stage melanoma. In 2011 it was approved by the FDA for treatment of late stage melanoma and is now a standard of care for that disease. The mechanism(s) of action of anti-CTLA-4 are still being elucidated. We and others have shown that CLTA-4 limits T cell proliferation by a cell intrinsic mechanism. However, there is also evidence that anti-CTLA-4 has to engage the target on both effector (Teff) and regulatory (Treg) T cells. Thus anti-CTLA-4 exerts its anti-tumor effects by multiple mechanisms. PD-1, another checkpoint, recruits a phosphatase and seems to interfere with T cell antigen receptor mediated signaling. It has two ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2, which are both expressed on dendritic cells. However, many tumor cells also express PD-L1. Antibodies to PD-1 and PD-L1 have both shown objective responses against several tumor types in clinical trials with response rates of about 25%. A recent phase II trial of a combination of anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 in melanoma showed objective responses in about 50% of late stage melanoma patients. Emerging data suggest that T cell responses are largely directed toward neoantigens arising as a result of mutational events associated with the carcinogenesis. While all tumors with antigens recognizable by the immune system should be targets for checkpoint blockade, it is becoming clear that certain types of tumors with lower burdens of mutations (e.g. prostate, breast, and kidney cancer) present special challenges for immune therapy. Strategies for effective treatment of such tumors will be discussed. Citation Format: James P. Allison. Immune checkpoint blockade in cancer therapy: New insights, opportunities, and prospects for cures. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2016 Oct 20-23; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2017;5(3 Suppl):Abstract nr IA08.
Urban source detection with mobile sensor networks enhanced with machine learning algorithms

Mobile radiation sensor networks integrated with global positioning system coordinates provide an attractive option for the task of dynamically monitoring a region's background radiation and detecting the illicit movement of radioactive materials. Both statistical and probabilistic approaches have been developed for stationary sensor networks to estimate source parameters. In this paper, a pre-filter framework for mobile sensor networks is presented that estimates multiple sources' positions and intensity without prior knowledge about the sources. The pre-filter framework contains a segmentation algorithm, a clustering algorithm and a maximum likelihood estimation algorithm. With adequate number of measurements, the pre-filter framework estimates source parameters in high accuracy. This offers an efficient alternative to traditional approaches where the multi-source problems are difficult to solve.
Evolving adabot: A mobile robot with adjustable wheel extensions

Robots are increasingly being utilized in unstructured environments. Autonomous mobile robots are being assigned with tasks that are either too difficult or too dangerous for people. For instance, search and rescue robots can be deployed in unstable environments to aid in the search for disaster victims. In this paper, we propose a novel design for an autonomous mobile robot that can dynamically adjust traction during runtime. Our device, called Adabot meaning adaptive robot, is small, has a simple design, and can extend wegs from its wheels by adjustable amounts. We optimize both the morphology and the control parameters of Adabot using differential evolution, and our simulation results show that Adabot is effectively able to take advantage of both purely wheeled locomotion and legged-wheel locomotion by transitioning automatically between these two modes.
TOIC: Timing Obfuscated Integrated Circuits

To counter the threats of reverse engineering (RE) and Trojan in-sertion, researchers have considered gate-level obfuscation in inte-grated circuits (IC) as a viable solution. However, several techniques are present in the literature to crack the obfuscation with varying degree of success raising the concern about their secrecy. In this article, we have presented TOIC (Timing Obfuscated Integrated Circuits), a novel technique where sequential elements are obfuscated to hide the true timing paths in the design. TOIC can act as a standalone countermeasure against IC reverse engineering or can be incorporated with existing gate camouflaging techniques to maximize adversarial RE effort. Previous research has shown that limiting access to internal nodes can improve the adversarial RE effort at the cost of poor testability. TOIC can impose prohibitively large decamouflaging time complexity by limiting the controllability and observability over the internal nodes in an IC while preserving complete testability.
FRI0245 The comparison of clinical findings and provocative tests with enmg in carpal tunnel syndrome

Background Carpal tunnel syndrome is most common nerve entrapment syndrome. It occurs by compression of median nerve in carpal tunnel at the wrist. Objectives In this study we compared the clinical findings and some provocative tests (Tinnel, Phalen, reverse phalen) with electrophysological examination (ENMG) results. Methods This study was carried out on 48 patients who had pain, numbness, tingling and weakness complaints in at least one hand. Provocative tests and ENMG investigation were applied for each patient whom suspected for carpal tunnel syndrome. 67 hands of 48 patients which represent positive sign for carpal tunnel syndrome were evaluated and compared with ENMG positivity. In order to evaluate validity of provacative tests, chi-square test was used. Positive-negative predictive values of provocative tests also investigated. Results 20 patients had bilateral complaints, 28 patients had complaints only in one hand. When compared with ENMG results, reverse Phalen test was founded most spesific test (%78.8). This was followed by Tinnel test%72.3 and Phalen test%70.2. Conclusion We concluded that provacative tests for ENMG have increased sensitivity, for that reason can be applied in epidemiological studies for carpal tunnel syndrome. But to make an definite diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome electrophysiological examination should be applied. References Shin JO. Clinical electromyography (Nerve conduction studies), 2nd edn. Baltimore Maryland-USA 21202, 1993 White JC, Hansen SR, Johnson RK. A comparison of EMG procedures in the carpal tunnel syndrome with clinical-EMG correlations. Muscle Nerve 1998;11;1177–82
Active Learning for Intrusion Detection Systems

Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs) play a vital role in the modern cyber-security system. The main task of an IDS is to distinguish between benign and malicious network flows. Hence, the researchers and practitioners usually utilize the power of machine learning techniques by considering an IDS as a binary-classifier. Recent research works demonstrate that an ensemble learning algorithm like xgboost can achieve almost perfect classification in the offline configuration. On the other hand, the performance of a simple and lightweight classification algorithm like Naive Bayes can be improved significantly if we can select a proper sub-training set. In this paper, we discuss the usage of active learning in online configuration to reduce the labeling cost but maintaining the classification performance. We evaluate our approach using the popular real-world datasets and showed that our approach outperformed state-of-the-art results.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation as Treatment in Multiple Neurologic Conditions

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a method of Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation that is based on electro-physical principles discovered by Michael Faraday. A TMS device is made of one or two copper coils, positioned superficially to a site of interest in the brain, to non-invasively produce a brief magnetic pulse to an estimated depth from the surface of the scalp with the following axonal depolarization. This axonal depolarization activates cortical and subcortical networks with multiple effects. There are different methods of TMS used, all with different mechanisms of action. TMS is well tolerated with very few side effects. TMS is now approved for major depression disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. There is significant data to consider approval of TMS for many neurological disorders. This is a review of the uses of TMS in diverse neurological conditions, including stroke and spasticity, migraine, and dementia. TMS is a device that utilizes non-invasive brain stimulation, and it has shown promising results with objective clinical and basic science data. Its ability to trigger neuronal plasticity and potentiating synaptic transmission gives it incredible therapeutic potential. There are diverse mechanisms of action, and this could be troublesome in elaborating clinical trials and standardization of therapy.
Model-driven experimental design identifies counter-acting feedback regulation in the osmotic stress response of yeast

Cells rely on mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) to survive environmental stress. In yeast, activation of the MAPK Hog1 is known to mediate the response to high osmotic conditions. Recent studies of Hog1 revealed that its temporal activity is subject to both negative and positive feedback regulation, yet the mechanisms of feedback remain unclear. By designing mathematical models of increasing complexity for the Hog1 MAPK cascade, we identified pathway circuitry sufficient to capture Hog1 dynamics observed in vivo. We used these models to optimize experimental designs for distinguishing potential feedback loops. Performing experiments based on these models revealed mutual inhibition between Hog1 and its phosphatases as the likely positive feedback mechanism underlying switch-like, dose-dependent MAPK activation. Importantly, our findings reveal a new signaling function for MAPK phosphatases. More broadly, they demonstrate the value using mathematical models to infer targets of feedback regulation in signaling pathways.
High-Performance 4WD Electric Powertrain With Flywheel Kinetic Energy Recovery

Four-wheel-drive (4WD) full-electric powertrains offer great potential for vehicle performance and efficiency improvements. This study introduces a novel 4WD electric powertrain that significantly increases the overall powertrain performance and battery lifespan. The proposed powertrain benefits from a new compact and highly efficient flywheel-based kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) that enables us to overcome most of the shortcomings of the conventional battery-based KERS. The utilized KERS is capable of capturing or providing much higher mechanical power than its electrical power ratings. Meaning that, without overloading, the powertrain can capture more mechanical power than traction motors’ nominal values. Moreover, since a significant part of the energy exchange takes place in mechanical form, only a portion of the initial kinetic energy (slip energy) needs to be converted into electrical form and be processed electrically. In the proposed powertrain, there is no energy exchange necessary between the battery and the powertrain during each accelerations or braking event, thus also reducing the battery power rating. Mathematical modeling and simulations were performed using space vector modeling method for the proposed powertrain. The results prove the functionality of the proposed 4WD powertrain. Experimental results are also presented for the proof of the concept.
Avoiding Dutch Books despite inconsistent credences

It is often loosely said that Ramsey (in: Braithwaite (ed) The foundations of mathematics and other logical essays, Routledge and Kegan Paul, Abingdon, pp 156–198, 1931) and de Finetti (in: Kyburg, Smokler (eds) Studies in subjective probability, Kreiger Publishing, Huntington, 1937) proved that if your credences are inconsistent, then you will be willing to accept a Dutch Book, a wager portfolio that is sure to result in a loss. Of course, their theorems are true, but the claim about acceptance of Dutch Books assumes a particular method of calculating expected utilities given the inconsistent credences. I will argue that there are better ways of calculating expected utilities given a potentially inconsistent credence assignment, and that for a large class of credences—a class that includes many inconsistent examples—these ways are immune to Dutch Books and single-shot domination failures. The crucial move is to replace Finite Additivity with Monotonicity (if $$A\subseteq B$$ , then $$P(A)\le P(B)$$ ) and then calculate expected utilities for positive U via the formula $$\int _0^\infty P(U>y)\, dy$$ . This shows that Dutch Book arguments for probabilism, the thesis that one’s credences should be consistent, do not establish their conclusion. Finally, I will consider a modified argument based on multi-step domination failure that does better, but nonetheless is not as compelling as the Dutch Book arguments appeared to be.