cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Removing constant-induced errors in stochastic circuits

Stochastic computing (SC) computes with probabilities using randomised bit-streams and standard logic circuits. Its major advantages include ultra-low area and power, coupled with high error tolerance. However, due to its randomness features, SC's accuracy is often low and hard to control, thus severely limiting its practical applications. Random fluctuation errors (RFEs) in SC data are a major factor affecting accuracy, and are usually addressed by increasing the bit-stream length N . However, increasing N can result in excessive computation time and energy consumption, counteracting the main advantages of SC. In this work, the authors first observe that many SC designs heavily rely on constant inputs, which contribute significantly to RFEs. They then investigate the role of constant inputs in SC and propose a systematic algorithm constant elimination algorithm for suppression of errors to eliminate the constant-induced RFEs by introducing memory elements into the target circuits. The resulting optimal modulo-counting (OMC) circuits remove all constant inputs and, at the same time, minimise RFEs. Analytical and experimental results are presented demonstrating other aspects of OMC circuits, including their initialisation and autocorrelation properties, as well as their optimality in terms of minimising RFEs.
The Scandalous Record of Avoidable Errors in Expert Evidence Offered in FTC and Lanham Act Deceptiveness Cases

A content analysis is reported on evidence introduced in deceptive advertising cases, evidence that is erroneous, meaning rejected as unable to establish the factual finding it was introduced to su...
Implementing an efferent signal into an auditory pathway model for tone-in-noise detection

Simultaneous tone-in-noise detection has been studied extensively, but typically without consideration of the medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferents. We are testing hypotheses for masked detection using a central auditory model with a signal from midbrain to MOC. Masked tones are encoded in the rate profile of band-enhanced (BE) inferior colliculus (IC) neurons, which are excited by a range of modulation frequencies. Peripheral responses to noise are characterized by large fluctuations, an effective stimulus for BE IC neurons. In contrast, peripheral channels tuned near the tone have smaller fluctuations: addition of the tone flattens the signal envelope and also pushes the inner hair cell (IHC) transduction nonlinearity further into saturation. Excitatory projections to MOC from noise-driven BE IC cells would decrease cochlear gain, reducing IHC saturation, and resulting in larger fluctuations and IC rates. In contrast, tone-plus-noise-driven channels would reduce MOC excitation, resulting in relatively higher cochlear gain, more saturation, and ultimately lower IC rates. Thus, the descending signal from IC BE cells to MOC is hypothesized to enhance contrast in the IC rate profile. Because efferents have slow dynamics, timing is an important factor. Therefore, we focus on model sensitivity to masked tones of different durations for comparison to psychophysical trends.
The Epidemiology of Inadequate Control of Acute Pain

Acute pain is one of the most common presenting complaints in the United States. Despite numerous initiatives in the past 2 decades designed to better assess and treat acute pain, there has been little or no progress in improvement of pain outcomes.
In response to "Is solute movement within the extracellular spaces of brain gray matter brought about primarily by diffusion or flow?"

In our work, “Analysis of Convective and Diffusive Transport in the Brain Interstitium”, published in this journal (2019, 16:6), we estimate the interstitial superficial velocity by comparison of transport model simulations to published experimental Real-Time Iontophoresis (RTI) data. In the Discussion section, we calculate a value for perfusion rate, or volumetric flow rate per unit mass of tissue, from these fundamental results of superficial velocity. Drs. Hladky and Barrand have proposed an alternative method for choosing the surface area per volume used to calculate perfusion rate from superficial velocity, using our model domain. Their method seems reasonable to us, as does ours. Upon reflection, a range of volumetric flow per unit mass values should have been reported in our paper, 1–40 μL/min-g. The value calculated using Drs. Hladky and Barrand surface area is a likely upper-bound on this range and the value in the paper is a low estimate at the bottom of the range. We are confident in the estimates of interstitial velocity reported in our article, using the assumptions of the model. Peclet (Pe) numbers, which compare convective and diffusive transport rates for different molecules, were calculated using the superficial velocity estimates; and we continue to believe these values are correct along with all other major results and conclusions presented in the paper.
Near crash characteristics among risky drivers using the SHRP2 naturalistic driving study.

PROBLEM Previous research have focused extensively on crashes, however near crashes provide additional data on driver errors leading to critical events as well as evasive maneuvers employed to avoid crashes. The Strategic Highway Research Program 2 (SHRP2) Naturalistic Driving Study contains extensive data on real world driving and offers a reliable methodology to study near crashes. The current study utilized the SHRP2 database to compare the rate and characteristics associated with near crashes among risky drivers. METHODS A subset from the SHRP2 database consisting of 4,818 near crashes for teen (16-19 yrs), young adult (20-24 yrs), adult (35-54 yrs), and older (70+ yrs) drivers was used. Near crashes were classified into seven incident types: rear-end, road departure, intersection, head-on, side-swipe, pedestrian/cyclist, and animal. Near crash rates, incident type, secondary tasks, and evasive maneuvers were compared across age groups. For rear-end near crashes, near crash severity, max deceleration, and time-to-collision at braking were compared across age. RESULTS Near crash rates significantly decreased with increasing age (p < 0.05). Young drivers exhibited greater rear-end (p < 0.05) and road departure (p < 0.05) near crashes compared to adult and older drivers. Intersection near crashes were the most common incident type among older drivers. Evasive maneuver type did not significantly vary across age groups. Near crashes exhibited a longer time-to-collision at braking (p < 0.01) compared to crashes. SUMMARY These data demonstrate increased total near crash rates among young drivers relative to adult and older drivers. Prevalence of specific near crash types also differed across age groups. Timely execution of evasive maneuvers was a distinguishing factor between crashes or near crashes. Practical Applications: These data can be used to develop more targeted driver training programs and help OEMs optimize ADAS to address the most common errors exhibited by risky drivers.
Research progress on continued nursing care for pediatric chronic diseases

This article reviews the research status on continued care for pediatric chronic diseases, and expounds the intervention object, nursing method, nursing content and effects, as well as existing problems and countermeasures, in order to provide a basis for exploring the continued care norms and models for pediatric chronic diseases in China. Key words: Child; Chronic disease; Continued care
Towards thermoneutral hydrogen evolution reaction using noble metal free molybdenum ditelluride/graphene nanocomposites.

Abstract The development of efficient electrocatalysts for hydrogen generation is an essential task to meet future energy demand. In recent years, molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe2) has triggered incredible research interests due to intrinsic nontrivial band gap with promising semi-metallic behaviors. In this work, 2D MoTe2 nanosheets have been synthesized uniformly on graphene substrate through ultra-fast microwave-initiated approach, that shows a superior hydrogen evolution in acidic medium with low overpotential (~150 mV), low activation energy (8.4362 ± 1.5413 kJ mol−1), along with a Tafel slope of 94.5 mV/decade. Interestingly, MoTe2/graphene exhibits the enhanced electrocatalytic stability during the long cycling test, resulting an increase in specific surface area of catalyst materials. Moreover, the results from periodic plane-wave density functional theory (DFT) indicate that, the best active sites are the corner of a Mo-atom and a critical bifunctional site comprised of adjacent Mo and Te edge atoms. Furthermore, the corresponding volcano plot reveals the near thermoneutral catalytic activity of MoTe2/graphene for hydrogen generation.
Urban Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides, Carbon Monoxide, and Methane Determined from Ground-Based Measurements in Philadelphia.

Nitrogen oxides (NOX) and methane impact air quality through the promotion of ozone formation, and methane is also a strong greenhouse gas. Despite the importance of these pollutants, emissions in urban areas are poorly quantified. We present measurements of NOX, CH4, CO, and CO2 made at Drexel University in Philadelphia along with NOX and CO observations at two roadside monitors. Because CO2 concentrations in the winter result almost entirely from combustion with negligible influence from photosynthesis and respiration, we are able to infer fleet-averaged fuel-based emission factors (EFs) for NOX and CO, similar in some ways to how EFs are determined from tunnel studies. Comparison of the inferred NOX and CO fuel-based EF to the National Emissions Inventory (NEI) suggests errors in NEI emissions of either NOX, CO, or both. From the measurements of CH4 and CO2, which are not emitted by the same sources, we infer the ratio of CH4 emissions (from leaks in the natural gas infrastructure) to CO2 emissions (from fossil fuel combustion) in Philadelphia. Comparison of the CH4/CO2 emission ratios to emission inventories from the Environmental Protection Agency suggests underestimates in CH4 emissions by almost a factor of 4. These results demonstrate the need for the addition of long-term observations of CH4 and CO2 to existing monitoring networks in urban areas to better constrain emissions and complement existing measurements of NOX and CO.
Nursing Home Compare Star Rating and Daily Direct-Care Nurse Staffing During Hurricane Irma.

Abstract Objectives Nursing homes (NHs) are affected by major hurricanes and other natural disasters. To mitigate adverse effects of a major hurricane, NHs often increase their direct-care nurse staffing levels to meet the needs of their residents. However, the quality rating of the NH may affect the resources available to obtain and retain staff. This data brief provides estimates of direct-care nurse staffing levels by quality star rating during Hurricane Irma. Design Retrospective cohort study from September 3, 2017, to September 10, 2017. Setting and Participants 570 Florida NHs that sheltered in place during Hurricane Irma. Methods We stratified NHs by their NH Compare overall quality star rating and then measured change in direct-care nurse staffing levels for registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified nursing assistants. Results We found that the NH Compare overall star rating was positively associated with a greater staffing level response during Hurricane Irma among registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified nursing assistants. This change was largest for 5-star facilities and smallest for 1-star facilities. Conclusions and Implications Higher-quality NHs may be more responsive and have the resources to be more responsive, to increased needs during a natural disaster. Our findings may serve as a platform for ongoing discussion on the role of the federal, state, and local governments in ensuring minimum staffing standards during natural disasters.
Tsirelson—Vershik Product Systems

Tsirelson’s construction of unitless product systems [Tsi00b] is based on ideas developed in an earlier paper with Vershik [VT98], see the Notes and Remarks of Section 14.6. The properties of these product systems derive from properties of certain stationary Gaussian random distributions that are not white noise, but are close to white noise; we refer to such noises as off-white. They are close to white noise in the sense that random variables corresponding to smeared values of the random distribution over disjoint intervals, while they are not probabilistically independent, are approximately probabilistically independent in the sense that their joint distributions give rise to a probability measure that is mutually absolutely continuous with respect to the product of the probability measures associated with the two intervals.
The Creation of a Theoretical Framework for Avatar Creation and Revision

Multi-User Virtual Environments MUVE are increasingly being used in education and provide environments where users can manipulate minute details of their avatar's appearance including those traditionally associated with gender and race identification. The ability to choose racial and gender characteristics differs from real-world educational environments and raises interesting questions regarding the applicability of previous racial and gender research findings. Specifically, do racial and gender categorizations found in traditional classroom research convey to virtual worlds where gender and race are controllable? To explore this issue research related to racial and gender characteristics in traditional and MUVEs environments is considered. Additionally, the theories of classification and mental categorization, media equation theory, equalization hypothesis, and Social Identification Model of Deindividuation Effects are examined as potential foundations of understanding. Results of two pilot studies conducted to determine associations of avatar appearance with gender and racial classifications are discussed in relation to the development of a theoretical framework. Implications for future investigations are discussed.
Premature rupture of the membranes; a clinical study.

Abstract 1. 1. One hundred cases of premature rupture of the membranes at 37 weeks' gestation or less were studied from a total of 2,481 admissions, with an incidence of 4 per cent. 2. 2. Patients with rupture of the membranes were placed on complete bed rest for 48 to 72 hours and discharged if not in labor and if, in the majority of instances, loss of amniotic fluid had completely stopped. Antibiotics were given to 39 patients. Amnionitis developed in only 2 cases, in both of which antibiotics had been given. 3. 3. Fifty per cent of the patients studied were admitted at about the thirty-sixth to thirty-seventh week of gestation. Only 25 per cent of the total number of patients studied had ruptured membranes prior to the thirty-second week. 4. 4. No etiological factor was apparent, nor did age, race, or presentation appear to influence premature rupture of the membranes. 5. 5. In 79 per cent of the patients labor began and delivery occurred within the first 72 hours after rupture. 6. 6. There were 2 cases of prolapse of the umbilical cord, a higher incidence than is usually seen.
The stability of pregnancy intentions and pregnancy-related maternal behaviors.

Objectives: Our objectives were to characterize the stability of pregnancy intention and to examine whether stability is associated with the timing of prenatal care initiation, smoking during pregnancy, and breastfeeding. Methods: We use a sample of women from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY) for whom information on pregnancy intention was collected both during pregnancy and after delivery. In bivariate analyses we compare outcomes and characteristics of women whose pregnancy intention changed between the prenatal and postpartum periods. With multivariate methods, we analyze the correlates of switching pregnancy intention as well as the association between switching and maternal behaviors. Results: Women whose pregnancy intention changes between the two assessments are similar in marital status and socioeconomic background to those who report both during pregnancy and after delivery that the pregnancy is unintended. Disagreement during pregnancy between the parents' pregnancy intentions is the most important predictor of instability in the mother's pregnancy intention. Effects of unintended pregnancy on the timing of initiation of prenatal care, smoking during pregnancy, and breastfeeding based on reports after delivery are smaller than those based on reports during pregnancy, although differences are not statistically significant. Adverse effects of unintended pregnancy are greater when pregnancies reported by the mother to be unintended at either assessment are combined into a single category for unintended pregnancy. Conclusion: Unstable pregnancy intention may be a marker for adverse maternal behaviors related to infant health.
Repercussions of early versus late initiation of dialysis

Despite the widespread use of chronic dialysis, there remains a lack of consensus about the optimal time for initiation of renal replacement therapy. Recommendations from the National Kidney Foundation Kidney Disease Outcome Quality Initiative are generally used as the guideline. This has resulted in a trend in the past decade toward earlier initiation of dialysis, especially in the elderly. The associated burden of comorbidities in the elderly population has resulted in greatly reduced survival outcomes. Here, the data obtained from retrospective cohort studies have been corroborated with a recent randomized control trial conducted in Australia and New Zealand (IDEAL study). There are limitations to consider from the IDEAL study that originate from different confounding factors that intervene in the test population. The present paper is an evidence-based review of the literature, focusing on diminution of survival outcomes following the early initiation of dialysis.
The role of allocation functions in energy modeling: A review

Abstract In the recent past, there has been a proliferation of technical models developed to describe the relationships between and to forecast the levels of energy-related magnitudes. Although the models vary widely in their structural features and objectives, they share at least one common attribute: an energy allocation problem. That is, the models predict an aggregate level of energy usage (often by type) and policy decisions require this prediction be made at a disaggregate level — either with respect to components of the equilibrium quantity demanded or with respect to the quantity supplied. By distinguishing the various problems of disaggregation this paper evaluates four methodological approaches that are commonly utilized in representing the energy allocation problem in the production sector of energy models. These approaches are evaluated in the context of the neoclassical theory of production with special emphasis given to the problems posed by aggregation over both inputs and micro-units and the effects of the formulation of short-run versus long-run dynamics.
Cell Signaling: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Publisher Summary The central importance of the general phenomenon of sensing of external stimuli by cells has been appreciated for a long time, but has truly become a dominant part of cell and molecular biology research in the past two decades, in part because a description of the dynamic responses of cells to external stimuli is in essence a description of the life process itself. This approach lies at the core of the developing fields of proteomics and metabolomics, and its importance to human and animal health is already plainly evident. This chapter briefly considers the origins of cell signaling, broadly summarizes the current state of the art, and speculates on future directions focusing on questions that must be answered and which ones likely will be answered in the near future. The signaling proteome contains a vast number of variants arising from message splicing and post-translational modification. System biology has already provided much insight into signaling processes. In the coming years, particularly through the clever applications of continued advances in separations methodology, mass spectrometry, and hybridization, the complex protein interactions that form the cellular signaling networks will become clear. It will be the future integration of genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic data that will provide the complete picture of signaling mechanisms and their responses.
Intra-Arterial Thrombectomy: Does Invasive Treatment Lead to Better Outcomes than Intravenous Thrombolysis Alone?

Intravenous thrombolysis is considered to be standard of care for acute ischemic stroke patients arriving within 3-4.5 h of stroke symptom onset. Recently, endovascular therapies have been proposed to extend and enhance stroke outcomes by targeting large vessel occlusions. Different radiologic methods, time windows, and treatment tools have delineated differences between trials. Overall, intravenous thrombolysis remains the treatment of choice for all acute ischemic stroke patients, with a small subset benefiting from additional endovascular therapy. Endovascular therapy remains a viable singular option for patients with large vessel occlusion unable to receive thrombolysis.
Successive Galerkin approximation of nonlinear optimal attitude

This paper presents the application of the successive Galerkin approximation (SGA) to the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation to obtain solutions of the optimal attitude control problem. Galerkin's method approximates the value function by a truncated Galerkin series expansion. To do so, a truncated Galerkin basis set is formed. A sufficient number of functions must be included in this Galerkin basis set in order to guarantee that the solution will be a stabilizing control. By increasing the size of the Galerkin basis the quality of the approximation is improved at the cost of rapid growth in the computation load of the SGA. A major result of this paper is the development of the Galerkin basis set in the context of the optimal attitude control problem.
Vitamin B12 activity of plasma and whole blood from various animals.

SummaryVit. B12 activity of whole blood and plasma from the human, dog, calf, rabbit, chicken and alligator was studied before and after alkaline hydrolysis. The data show a wide variation of blood and plasma vit. B12 content between the different species. In mammals, the vitamin is almost equally distributed between the erythrocytes and plasma. In chicken and alligator, the major portion of the vitamin activity is associated with the nucleated erythrocyte.
Numerical modeling of tides in the Great Bay Estuarine System: dynamical balance and spring-neap residual modulation

Abstract The Great Bay Estuarine System, in New Hampshire, USA, has been the focus area for an attempt to develop a robust finite element method model for estuarine hydrodynamics. Past studies used a nonlinear, time stepping, kinematic model with limited success (Ip et al. Advances in fluid mechanics III, WIT, Southampton (2000) 569; Bilgili et al. J. Geophys. Res. – Oceans 107 (2002); Erturk et al. Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci. 47 (1998) 119). We add dynamic physics (that is, local accelerations) for deep-water areas and keep kinematic physics (that is, without local and advective accelerations), with the inclusion of a porous medium beneath the open channel, for shallow and dewatering areas. The choice of which physics set to apply is made on an elemental depth dependent basis. The addition of the local acceleration terms for deep-water areas is seen to greatly improve accuracy in matching of tidal phasing over previous studies. Simulations involving M2/M4/M6 tidal constituents result in strong agreement to observed data from the 1975 Great Bay field program (Swift & Brown, Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci. 17 (1983) 297), in terms of both tidal heights and cross-section averaged velocities. Comparisons with 10 tidal elevation observation stations and four cross-section averaged current transects show good agreement, displaying average normalized root mean square misfit values of 0.08 and 0.25, respectively. Study of the simulated momentum balance shows the size of the contributions from acceleration terms to be on the order of a third the size of the contributions from the pressure gradient and bottom stress terms. Although relatively small, they are observed to peak at the crucial time of tidal reversal. Application of the model for long-term simulation using an M2/N2/S2 forcing shows the ability to realistically capture the spring–neap cycle. The tidally rectified flow is generally described as a constant spatial pattern with overall amplitude modulation following the spring–neap cycle.
The patient and practitioner as co-authors of the medical record.

Abstract Health care professionals traditionally have resisted patient access to medical records. There is evidence, however, that the patient's medical record can promote improved communication between patient and practitioner. In an exploratory study, patients in a primary care office practice collaborated with their health care professionals in the authorship of their records. Coauthorship was effective in conveying more complete, accurate, and mutually understandable information. The patient-held copy of the record served as an adjunct to this collaborative process. The potential problems and prospects arising from this strategy are discussed.
Preventive effects of phenoxybenzamine on nitrous oxide‐induced reproductive toxicity in Sprague‐Dawley rats

In previous studies, we have shown that the reproductive toxicity of N2O in rats is prevented by the co-administration of either halothane or isoflurane, whereas treatment with folinic acid, which should reverse the effects of N2O on DNA production, does not prevent toxicity. These results cast doubt on the commonly held theory that inactivation of methionine synthase is the sole cause of N2O-induced reproductive toxicity, and suggest the need for other hypotheses. One such possibility is that N2O causes adverse reproductive toxicity secondary to its sympathomimetic effects. As a first step to test this theory, we studied the effects of phenoxybenzamine (PX), an alpha-1 adrenergic antagonist, on N2O-induced reproductive toxicity using a well-established in vivo rat model. On day 8 of gestation (plug day = day 0), 130 timed-pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were injected s.c. with either 0.5 ml of either 0.9% saline (control and N2O alone groups) or PX (0.5, 5, or 50 μg/kg) in 0.9% saline, the latter the maximum tolerated PX dose. They were then exposed to either air (control) or 60% N2O for 24 hours (all other groups). On day 20 of gestation, cesarean sections were performed and the fetuses were removed and examined for either visceral of skeletal abnormalities. Compared with control, treatment with N2O alone resulted in increased incidences of fetal resorptions, major and minor visceral abnormalities, and minor skeletal abnormalities. The most common major abnormalities were various forms of altered body laterality (20/72 fetuses; 28%). The two highest PX doses partially reduced the incidence of resorptions but none of the PX doses prevented major teratogenic effects. These results suggest that stimulation of alpha-1 adrenergic receptors accounts for some of the adverse reproductive effects of N2O. It should be noted that although the concentration of N2O used in the present study is in the clinical range, N2O is rarely administered to surgical patients for more than a few hours. Our main aim was to study the mechanisms involved in the reproductive toxicity of longterm N2O exposure and not for any concerns that short-term (a few hours) exposure represented a reproductive risk.
A 70-Year-Old Man With Pulmonary Infiltrates and a Positive Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Autoantibody Test Result

(CHEST 2005; 127:1045–1050) A 70-year-old white man was referred for evaluation of pulmonary infiltrates and bronchiectases associated with cough and constitutional symptoms. He was in his usual state of health until he acquired B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in 1990. The lymphoma was localized to his stomach, and he was treated with surgical resection; chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone, and hydroxyurea; and radiation to the gastric bed. One year later, left lower lobe pneumonia developed that was treated with antibiotics. Because of persistent infiltrates, bronchoscopy was performed, with biopsy specimens revealing no abnormalities, and bronchiectases was diagnosed based on radiographic features. Three years prior to presentation, a cough productive of green-to-yellow sputum without hemoptysis developed. One year prior to presentation, progressive fatigue, anorexia, low-grade fevers, significant night sweats, and subsequent 20-lb weight loss developed. He denied other respiratory complaints. CT of the chest revealed patchy areas of consolidation in both lower lungs and in the right middle lobe along with mild mediastinal lymph node enlargement. Multiple sputum samples for acid-fast bacilli, bacteria, and fungi were negative. Endoscopic evaluations of his upper and lower intestinal tracts did not reveal recurrence of the lymphoma. Established medical problems included hypothyroidism and a previous myocardial infarction with subsequent revascularization surgery. He never smoked, and his family, social, and exposure history were otherwise noncontributory. He was referred to our tertiary care center for evaluation of productive cough, pulmonary infiltrates, worsening fatigue, persistent low-grade fevers with night sweats, and weight loss.
Use of a stringent dimerizer-regulated gene expression system for controlled BMP2 delivery.

Gene therapy using constitutively active viral promoters to drive expression of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) has been extensively evaluated as a strategy for inducing bone regeneration. However, this approach offers little control over the concentration, timing, or duration of BMP synthesis. To gain greater control over BMP kinetics, we developed a new inducible system for the controlled expression of BMP2 using a two-component transcription factor that is dimerized with rapamycin (Rap). This approach provided stringent control over BMP2 synthesis with no BMP expression detected in the uninduced state. Rapamycin or the less immunosuppressive analogue, AP21967, rapidly and reversibly induced BMP2 in a dose-dependent manner (range 0.1–10 nM). Subcutaneous implants of fibroblasts containing the Rap-inducible system in syngeneic C57BL/6 mice were highly responsive to ip Rap injection (0.1–1 mg/kg). Peak BMP2 levels were detected within 24 h of a single Rap injection and declined to undetectable levels after 8–10 days. Alternate-day Rap injections (1 mg/kg) for 6 weeks induced subcutaneous ectopic bone formation. Rap-dependent healing of a critical-sized cranial defect was also achieved using this system. This regulated BMP2 expression system will be extremely useful for examining the role of timing and sequence of BMP delivery on bone regeneration.
Diagnosing periprosthetic joint infection: has the era of the biomarker arrived?

Background The diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) remains a serious clinical challenge. There is a pressing need for improved diagnostic testing methods; biomarkers offer one potentially promising approach.
First-principles characterization of Ni diffusion kinetics in β -NiAl

First-principles density functional theory calculations are performed to examine five postulated diffusion mechanisms for Ni in NiAl: next-nearest-neighbor (NNN) jumps, the triple defect mechanism, and three variants of the six-jump cycle. In contrast to most previous theoretical work, which employed empirical interatomic potentials, we provide a more accurate nonempirical description of the mechanisms. For each pathway, we calculate the activation energy and the pre-exponential factor for the diffusion constant. Although our quantum mechanics calculations are performed at 0 K, we show that it is critical to include the effect of temperature on the pre-exponential factor. We predict that the triple defect mechanism and [110] six-jump cycle both are likely contributors to Ni diffusion in NiAl since their activation energies and pre-exponential factors are in very good agreement with experimental data. Although the activation energy and pre-exponential factor of NNN jumps agree well with experiment, experimental evidence suggests that this is not a dominant contributor to Ni diffusion. Lastly, the activation energies of the [100] bent and straight six-jump cycles are 1 eV higher than the experimental value, allowing us to exclude both [100] cycle mechanisms.
A Valid Matérn Class of Cross-Covariance Functions for Multivariate Random Fields With Any Number of Components

We introduce a valid parametric family of cross-covariance functions for multivariate spatial random fields where each component has a covariance function from a well-celebrated Matern class. Unlike previous attempts, our model indeed allows for various smoothnesses and rates of correlation decay for any number of vector components. We present the conditions on the parameter space that result in valid models with varying degrees of complexity. We discuss practical implementations, including reparameterizations to reflect the conditions on the parameter space and an iterative algorithm to increase the computational efficiency. We perform various Monte Carlo simulation experiments to explore the performances of our approach in terms of estimation and cokriging. The application of the proposed multivariate Matern model is illustrated on two meteorological datasets: temperature/pressure over the Pacific Northwest (bivariate) and wind/temperature/pressure in Oklahoma (trivariate). In the latter case, our flexi...
Computation of gas and solid dispersion coefficients in turbulent risers and bubbling beds

Abstract A literature review shows that dispersion coefficients in fluidized beds differ by more than five orders of magnitude. To understand the phenomena, two types of hydrodynamics models that compute turbulent and bubbling behavior were used to estimate radial and axial gas and solid dispersion coefficients. The autocorrelation technique was used to compute the dispersion coefficients from the respective computed turbulent gas and particle velocities. The computations show that the gas and the solid dispersion coefficients are close to each other in agreement with measurements. The simulations show that the radial dispersion coefficients in the riser are two to three orders of magnitude lower than the axial dispersion coefficients, but less than an order of magnitude lower for the bubbling bed at atmospheric pressure. The dispersion coefficients for the bubbling bed at 25 atm are much higher than at atmospheric pressure due to the high bed expansion with smaller bubbles. The computed dispersion coefficients are in reasonable agreement with the experimental measurements reported over the last half century.
Proliferation of microglia and astrocytes in the dentate gyrus following entorhinal cortex lesion: a quantitative bromodeoxyuridine‐labelling study

Entorhinal cortex lesion of adult rats induces glial activation and proliferation in the deafferented dentate molecular layer. Double-labelling immunocytochemistry for the astrocyte-specific antigen glial fibrillary acidic protein or the microglial cell marker Griffonia simplicifolia isolectin B4 with bromodeoxyuridine detection revealed that microglia counts and the proliferation rate in the ipsilateral dentate gyrus reached a maximum in the molecular layer at 3 days post-lesion (dpl) and returned to control levels by 30 dpl. Astrocyte counts in the ipsilateral dentate gyrus peaked at 30 dpl, with maximum proliferation at 7 dpl. At 100 dpl the astrocyte count had reverted to control levels. Glial proliferation was not restricted to the ipsilateral molecular layer but also occurred to some degree in the granule cell layer and the contralateral dentate gyrus. Thus entorhinal cortex lesion induces a rapid microglia reaction and long-lasting astrocyte activation in the deafferented termination zone of the perforant path. We conclude that glial proliferation after entorhinal cortex lesion follows a complex temporal and spatial pattern that coincides with processes of neuronal and axonal reorganization.
Errors of Measurement, Precision, Accuracy and the Statistical Comparison of Measuring Instruments

A very important and yet widely misunderstood concept or problem in science and technology is that of precision and accuracy of measurement. It is therefore necessary to define the terms precision and accuracy (or imprecision and inaccuracy) clearly and analytically if possible. Also, we need to establish and develop appropriate statistical tests of significance for these measures, since generally a relatively small number of measurements will be made or taken in most investigations. In this paper a discussion is given of some of the pertinent literature for estimating variances in errors of measurement, or the “imprecisions” of measurement, when two or three instruments are used to take the same observations on a series of items or characteristics. Also, present techniques for comparing the imprecision of measurement of one instrument with that of a second instrument through the use of statistical tests of significance are reviewed, as well as procedures for detecting the significance of the difference i...
Synchrotron Photoionization Mass Spectrometry Measurements of Kinetics and Product Formation in the Allyl Radical (H2CCHCH2) Self-Reaction†

Product channels for the self-reaction of the resonance-stabilized allyl radical, C3H5 + C3H5, have been studied with isomeric specificity at temperatures from 300-600 K and pressures from 1-6 Torr using time-resolved multiplexed photoionization mass spectrometry. Under these conditions 1,5-hexadiene was the only C6H10 product isomer detected. The lack of isomerization of the C6H10 product is in marked contrast to the C6H6 product in the related C3H3 + C3H3 reaction, and is due to the more saturated electronic structure of the C6H10 system. The disproportionation product channel, yielding allene + propene, was also detected, with an upper limit on the branching fraction relative to recombination of 0.03. Analysis of the allyl radical decay at 298 K yielded a total rate coefficient of (2.7 +/- 0.8) x 10(exp -11) cu cm/molecule/s, in good agreement with pre.vious experimental measurements using ultraviolet kinetic absorption spectroscopy and a recent theoretical determination using variable reaction coordinate transition state theory. This result provides independent indirect support for the literature value of the allyl radical ultraviolet absorption cross-section near 223 nm.
Quantitative Cerebral Blood Flow Measurement through Thinned Skull with Multi Exposure Speckle Imaging

We present a new Multi-Exposure Speckle Imaging instrument and a new speckle model to predict correlation times of flow in vivo that are unaffected by the presence of static scatterers such as an intact/thinned skull.
On the uniqueness of certain interacting particle systems

We discuss the existence, uniqueness and ergodicity of certain configurationvalued stochastic processes (it)t~+. Let V be a countable set of vertices, or sites, and S a compact metric space. At each time t our process assumes a value i, ~ S = SV; it is to be thought of as a configuration of values from S on the sites of V, i~(x) being the value at x. Let ID=ID(1R +, S) be the path space of right continuous functions with left limits from [0, oo) to & define ~t: ID--* S as the evaluation map co ~ co(t), co =(cot(x))~lD, and let ~ = a <(~t)t~§ be the a-algebra generated by the it. Also, put N~)=a<(~r)o=<,=<t). We view the desired stochastic system as the coordinate process (~) on (ID, 2) governed by any of a collection (P~)~ of probability measures such that
Empathy, others-concept, and prosocial orientation

The relationship between 56 nursing students' empathy and their others-concept was investigated to establish ties to a broader construct, prosocial orientation. The female Caucasian nursing students were rated for empathy by two clinical instructors. They were also given the Paired Hands Test to assess their others-concept. The students with the higher empathy ratings had more positive others-concepts. The responses of the low empathy group to the Paired Hands Test indicated a much stronger tendency to perceive and interpret social interactions negatively. Besides practical implications for nurses and other helping professionals, these findings have theoretical ramifications as well. Others-concept has been shown previously to be related to a cluster of variables such as positive social behavior and moral judgment. Evidence of the relationship to empathy helps to tie this cluster to the prosocial orientation construct as a base for further research.
Noise-induced transitions at a Hopf bifurcation in a first-order delay-differential equation

The influence of colored noise on the Hopf bifurcation in a first-order delay-differential equation (DDE), a model paradigm for nonlinear delayed feedback systems, is considered. First, it is shown, using a stability analysis, how the properties of the DDE depend on the ratio {ital R} of system delay to response time. When this ratio is small, the DDE behaves more like a low-dimensional system of ordinary differential equations (ODE's); when {ital R} is large, one obtains a singular perturbation limit in which the behavior of the DDE approaches that of a discrete time map. The relative magnitude of the additive and multiplicative noise-induced postponements of the Hopf bifurcation are numerically shown to depend on the ratio {ital R}. Although both types of postponements are minute in the large-{ital R} limit, they are almost equal due to an equivalence of additive and parametric noise for discrete time maps. When {ital R} is small, the multiplicative shift is larger than the additive one at large correlation times, but the shifts are equal for small correlation times. In fact, at constant noise power, the postponement is only slightly affected by the correlation time of the noise, except when the noise becomes white, inmore » which case the postponement drastically decreases. This is a numerical study of the stochastic Hopf bifurcation, in ODE's or DDE's, that looks at the effect of noise correlation time at constant power. Further, it is found that the slope at the fixed point averaged over the stochastic-parameter motion acts, under certain conditions, as a quantitative indicator of oscillation onset in the presence of noise. The problem of how properties of the DDE carry over to ODE's and to maps is discussed, along with the proper theoretical framework in which to study nonequilibrium phase transitions in this class of functional differential equations.« less
A Minimizing Algorithm for Sum of Disjoint Products

This paper describes a minimizing version of the Abraham sum-of-disjoint products (sdp) algorithm, called the Abraham-Locks-Revised (ALR) method, as an improved technique for obtaining a disjoint system-reliability formula. The principal changes are: 1) Boolean minimization and rapid inversion are substituted for time-consuming search operations of the inner loop. 2) Paths and terms are ordered both according to size and alphanumerically. ALR reduces the computing cost and data processing effort required to generate the disjoint system formula compared to the seminal 1979 Abraham paper, and obtains a shorter formula than any other known sdp method. Very substantial savings are achieved in processing large paths of complex networks.
Associations of Fat Distribution and Obesity with Hypertension in a Bi‐ethnic Population: The ARIC Study

Objective: To examine associations of hypertension with obesity and fat distribution among African American and white men and women. Research Methods and Procedures: The analysis sample included 15,063 African American and white men and women between the ages of 45 and 64 years who were participants in the 1987 through 1989 examination of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (ARIC). Odds ratios and adjusted prevalences of hypertension were calculated across sexspecific quintiles of body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist circumference, and waist-to-height ratio (waist/height) and adjusted for age, research center, smoking, education, physical activity, alcohol consumption, hormone replacement therapy, and menopausal status. Results: The prevalence of hypertension was higher among African Americans than whites. In the lowest quintile of BMI, 41% of African American women and 43% of African American men had hypertension compared with 14% of white women and 19% of white men. Elevated BMI, WHR, waist circumference, and waist/height were associated with increased odds of hypertension in African American and white men and women. In women, but not in men, there were significant interactions between ethnicity and the anthropometric variables studied here. The direction of the interaction indicated larger odds ratios for hypertension with increasing levels of anthropometric indices in white compared with African American women. Discussion: Obesity and abdominal fat preponderance were associated with increased prevalence of hypertension in African American and white men and women. Associations were similar among African American and white men, but obesity and fat patterning were less strongly associated with hypertension in African American than in white women.
Effects of Cyclodextrins and Phospholipids in Enhancing Dissolution of Indomethacin

AbstractInclusion complexes of indomethacin (IND) and β-cyclodextrins (β-CD) were prepared by the freeze drying methods. Solid dispersion of IND and Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) was prepared as coprecipitate (CPPT) by the solvent method. These formulations were characterized by X-ray diffractometry and dissolution rate determinations. Dissolution of IND from β-CD inclusion complex was found to be 133 times faster than the corresponding pure IND, whereas it was about 4 times faster from a DMPC CPPT sample. Various derivatives of β-CDs showed variable rates of dissolution of IND. β-CD and most of the other derivatives showed almost instantaneous dissolution of IND at a molar ratio of 1:1 (IND:β-CD) except dimethyl-β-cyclodextrin (DMB) derivative, which showed a fairly constant release of IND over 90 minutes. DMB may, therefore, have the potential for use in the formulation of a constant-release preparation. X-ray diffraction spectra showed that indomethacin remained as amorphous state in CPPT or in...
The conductance of bile salt-lecithin-water mixtures

The conductance of aqueous solutions of sodium glycodeoxycholate and sodium taurodeoxycholate displays a complex concentration dependence (0–0.5 C) with a maximum and minimum occurring in dilute solutions. This behavior can be related to physiologic concentrations observed in hepatic and gallbladder bile and interpreted in terms of anion dimerization and ultimately micellization. The addition of lecithin in 1:2 or 1:5 molar ratios results in micellization at lower concentration, disappearance of the maximum and minimum in the conductance curve, and a decrease in the total conductance.
The Digitization of Japanese Translations of the Rvf in the Oregon Petrarch Open Book

The article discusses the benefits of having translations of Petrarch available in Japanese, and describes a project to digitize portions of a Japanese translation of the Canzoniere . Conversion from printed Japanese to HTML posed several interesting challenges.