cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coping with poor water supplies: empirical evidence from Kathmandu, Nepal

The authors examined the demand for clean drinking water using treatment behaviors in Kathmandu, Nepal. Water supply is inadequate, unreliable and low quality. Households engage in several strategies to cope with the unreliable and poor quality of water supplies. Some of the major coping strategies are hauling, storing, and point-of-use treatment. Boiling, filtering, and use of Uro-guard are some of the major treatment methods. Using Water Survey of Kathmandu, the authors estimated the effect of wealth, education, information, gender, caste/ethnicity and opinion about water quality on drinking water treatment behaviors. The results show that people tend to increase boiling and then filtering instead of only one method if they are wealthier. In addition, people boil and then filter instead of boiling only and filtering only if they think that water delivered to the tap is dirty. Exposure to information has the strongest effect in general for the selection of all available treatment modes.
Destruction of volatile organic compounds via catalytic incineration

This paper reports results from an EPA-funded study designed to investgate the effect of catalytic incinerator design and operation on the destruction of specific volatile organic compounds (VOC), both singly and in mixtures. A range of operating and design parameters were tested with a wide variety of compounds and compound mixtures. Results from the study showed that key variables affecting destruction included operating conditions (temperature, space velocity, catalyst geometry and catalyst volume), VOC composition and VOC concentration. Significant differences in destruction efficiency were found for some compounds when tested alone compared to when tested in mixtures.
Grain boundary precipitation in 18Ni maraging steels

Recent scanning Auger electron spectroscopy data which reinforces the important role of TiC in the thermal embrittlement process were reviewed. These results show that impurity segregation is not a general phenomena in maraging steels and cannot therefore be considered to be the principal cause of the additional reductions in fracture toughness observed in aged thermally embrittled alloys.
A multi‐thermal model of cumulus glaciation via the hallett‐Mossop process

Analysis of field observations has yielded the conclusion that the Hallett-Mossop process (H-M) of secondary ice production plays a major role in the glaciation of summertime cumulus clouds over New Mexico. Other studies have revealed that these clouds possess a characteristic multi-thermal structure. In an effort to quantify more fully the role of H-M in such clouds, and to establish which of the salient dynamical and microphysical parameters play important roles in the glaciation process, a model of ice-particle growth and splinter production in a simple multi-thermal framework is developed. the characteristics of the model are prescribed with values that are based on the above-mentioned field studies. the model cloud possesses four distinct regions: the main updraught, a quiescent (debris) region, the cloud top, and a downdraught region. The trajectories of all primary ice particles introduced into the cloud at t = O, together with those created as a consequence of the operation of H-M, are followed as they grow and are transported around the cloud. the sensitivities of these trajectories and a multiplication factor f to variations in parameters such as updraught speed, liquid-water content, L, thermal depth, inter-thermal interval, and downdraught characteristics are examined. These tests reveal that f is particularly sensitive to the values of L in the distinct regions of the cloud. Basically, combinations of parameter values which produce rapid growth of graupel pellets, large number of thermals, and efficient transport between cloud top and the Hallett-Mossop temperature band yield the most rapid ice-particle multiplication.
A Combined Connective Tissue Stain for Elastin, Reticulin and Collagen

A staining technique for demonstrating reticulin, elastin and collagen in the same tissue sections is based upon the use of a silver stain for reticulin, orcein for elastin and picro-anilin blue or fast green for collagen and other tissue structures.
Social Styles of Students and Professors: Do Students' Social Styles Influence Their Preferences for Professors?.

This article uses Merrill and Reid’s classification of social styles as drivers, analyticals, expressives, and amiables to examine differences between the personalities of different business majors and student choices of favorite professors. Significant differences were found in the social styles of different business majors. Furthermore, one’s major interacted with his or her gender to have a significant effect on the student’s social style. Students relied on cues both inside and outside the classroom to determine a professor’s social style. They were fairly accurate in guessing a professor’s level of assertiveness and responsiveness and, to a lesser extent, a professor’s specific social style. Students’ social styles and specific majors had a significant effect in preferences for specific faculty chosen as “favorites.” Recommendations are included on how marketing professors can develop a classroom persona to minimize personality conflicts in courses containing a mix of business majors.
Sentenced to Die: Last Statements and Dying on Death Row:

Moments prior to execution, death row inmates are given time to say anything they desire. In these moments, what do inmates find most important to express? This study first examined the context of dying on death row. Conflicts over high death stigma (Silverman, 1994), just world beliefs (Lerner, 1980), system justification needs (Jost & Banaji, 1994), high death salience, lack of control, and facing their own crime were explored. Next, last statements were studied. Six themes, forgiveness, claims of innocence, silence, love/appreciation, activism and after life belief, were found. Lastly, suggestions for future research on death and dying on death row were made, with special attention paid to terror management theory (see Solomon, Greenberg, & Pyszcynski, 2004 for review) and system justification theory (see Jost, Banaji, & Nosek, 2004 for review).
Best L 1 -approximation by generalized convex functions

Abstract Let {u 0 ,…, u n − 1 } be an ECT-system and let C ( u 0 ,…, u n − 1 ) be its generalized convexity cone. We give a precise description of best L 1 -approximations to continuous functions from C ( u 0 ,…, u n − 1 ). These best approximations are, piecewise, certain extremal Chebyshevian splines, which are obtained by applying results from moment theory for Chebyshev systems.
Parallel circuit simulation using hierarchical relaxation

This paper describes a class of parallel algorithms for circuit simulation based on hierarchical relaxation that has been implemented on the Cedar multiprocessor. The Cedar machine is a reconfigurable, general-purpose supercomputer that was designed and implemented at the University of Illinois. A hierarchical circuit simulation scheme was developed to exploit the hierarchical organization of Cedar. The new algorithm and a number of key issues, such as multilevel circuit partitioning, data partitioning, cluster algorithm selection, and cluster algorithm implementation are described in this paper. Performance results on a variety of different configurations of Cedar are also presented that illustrate the benefits of the hierarchical approach over the non-hierarchical approach.
Targeted overexpression of insulin-like growth factor I to osteoblasts of transgenic mice: increased trabecular bone volume without increased osteoblast proliferation.

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) is an important growth factor for bone, yet the mechanisms that mediate its anabolic activity in the skeleton are poorly understood. To examine the effects of locally produced IGF-I in bone in vivo, we targeted expression IGF-I to osteoblasts of transgenic mice using a human osteocalcin promoter. The IGF-I transgene was expressed in bone osteoblasts in OC-IGF-I transgenic mice at high levels in the absence of any change in serum IGF-I levels, or of total body growth. Bone formation rate at the distal femur in 3-week-old OC-IGF-I transgenic mice was approximately twice that of controls. By 6 weeks, bone mineral density as measured by dual energy x-ray, and quantitative computed tomography was significantly greater in OC-IGF-I transgenic mice compared with controls. Histomorphometric measurements revealed a marked (30%) increase femoral cancellous bone volume in the OC-IGF-I transgenic mice, but no change in the total number of osteoblasts or osteoclasts. Transgenic mice also demonstrated an increase in the osteocyte lacunea occupancy, suggesting that IGF-I may extend the osteocyte life span. We conclude that IGF-I produced locally in bone osteoblasts exerts its anabolic effect primarily by increasing the activity of resident osteoblasts. (Endocrinology 141: 2674 ‐2682, 2000)
Improved analytical methods for microarray-based genome-composition analysis

Background: Whereas genome sequencing has given us high-resolution pictures of many different species of bacteria, microarrays provide a means of obtaining information on genome composition for many strains of a given species. Genome-composition analysis using microarrays, or ‘genomotyping’, can be used to categorize genes into ‘present’ and ‘divergent’ categories based on the level of hybridization signal. This typically involves selecting a signal value that is used as a cutoff to discriminate present (high signal) and divergent (low signal) genes. Current methodology uses empirical determination of cutoffs for classification into these categories, but this methodology is subject to several problems that can result in the misclassification of many genes. Results: We describe a method that depends on the shape of the signal-ratio distribution and does not require empirical determination of a cutoff. Moreover, the cutoff is determined on an array-to-array basis, accounting for variation in strain composition and hybridization quality. The algorithm also provides an estimate of the probability that any given gene is present, which provides a measure of confidence in the categorical assignments. Conclusions: Many genes previously classified as present using static methods are in fact divergent on the basis of microarray signal; this is corrected by our algorithm. We have reassigned hundreds of genes from previous genomotyping studies of Helicobacter pylori and Campylobacter jejuni strains, and expect that the algorithm should be widely applicable to genomotyping data.
Measurement of transmembrane pH gradients in human erythrocytes using 19F NMR.

Abstract A new high-sensitivity method has been described for measuring transmembrane pH gradients in vesicular systems using 19 F NMR. The 19 F resonance of trifluoroethylamine has been shown to have a large pH-dependent chemical shift and the position of the resonance was measured with high precision and sensitivity. In suspensions of human erythrocytes, trifluoroethylamine distributed itself across the membrane and separate 19 F resonances were obtained from the trifluoroethylamine inside and outside of the cells. The pH in each compartment was calculated from the resonance positions.
Possible relationships between morphology, territory quality, and skin color of American Kestrels1

Carotenoid-based coloration of skin and plumage has been found to be correlated with individual quality in many species of birds during the breeding season. However, less is known about the possible role of these signals during the nonbreeding season, particularly among nonpasserines that defend winter territories. American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) are sexually dimorphic raptors that defend winter territories and possess carotenoid-based morphological features known to be correlated with individual quality. Much is known about winter territory use and habitat segregation by male and female kestrels, but possible relationships among morphological features, individual quality, and habitat quality have not been examined. Our objective was to examine possible relationships between morphology, territory quality, and skin color of American Kestrels. Male kestrels had brighter skin than females, and the skin color of male kestrels was positively correlated with size (wing chord and tail length) and territorial quality (hunting territories with less canopy and more grass cover). No such relationships were found for female kestrels. Skin color appears to be an honest indicator of quality for male American Kestrels and may serve both intersexual (territory acquisition) and intersexual (mate choice) functions during the breeding and nonbreeding seasons. SINOPSIS. Posible relaci´
Measure of joint path drift for kinematically redundant robots

Redundant robots which are kinematically controlled by using Jacobian pseudo-inverses may not have repeatable joint motions. This problem was initially observed and analyzed by C.A. Klein and C.H. Huang (1983). T. Shamir and Y. Yomdin (1988) recently analyzed this problem using a differential geometric approach. The above papers arrived at conditions under which a cyclic path in the work space does not result in a cyclic path in the joint space. However, it was not clear that these conditions were equivalent. It is presently shown that these two criteria are indeed equivalent. A measure for the drift motion is presented. The mathematical analysis given in the present paper can determine these predictable properties of drift motion. It is shown that the Lyapunov analysis and phase portrait techniques can be used to predict the stability behavior of drift utilizing the drift density measure described here. Information about how much drift will occur and which configurations are stable can be obtained from the analysis. >
Complementary and Alternative Medicine Behaviors and Beliefs in Urban Adolescents with Asthma

Background/purpose. Up to 80% of adolescents with asthma have used complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for symptom management. However, little is known about patient characteristics associated with CAM factors other than use. Previous studies recommend provider–patient discussion of CAM use, although few adolescents with asthma disclose their CAM use to their providers. To inform clinical interactions, this study examined prevalence and predictors of CAM use, consideration of use, disclosure of use, and perceived efficacy of use, in urban adolescents with asthma. Methods. Adolescents with asthma (N = 151) recruited from a children's hospital completed questionnaires addressing demographic and clinical variables and 10 CAM modalities. Response frequencies to four questions assessing CAM use, consideration of use, disclosure, and perceived efficacy were calculated for each modality. Multivariable logistic regression analyses examined characteristics associated with responses to each question for th...
UREA-MERCAPTOETHANOL-SOLUBLE PROTEIN FROM SPORES OF BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS AND OTHER SPECIES.

Treatment with urea-mercaptoethanol of purified spores of Bacillus thuringiensis, other Bacillus species, and Clostridium roseum solubilizes a protein fraction between 5 and 12% of the dry weight of the spores. This fraction behaves identically to the crystal protein of B. thuringiensis on acrylamide-gel electrophoresis. The protein from all of the Bacillus species shows partial homology with crystal protein, using the Ouchterlony immunodiffusion technique. A further fraction, similar in amount, can be removed from spores of B. thuringiensis by the addition of sodium lauryl sulfate to the urea-mercaptoethanol. Spores of B. thuringiensis extracted in these ways show no difference when compared to untreated spores with respect to viability or resistance to heat and ultraviolet-irradiation. The extracted spores do show differences in their germination requirements and their susceptibility to phase-darkening by lysozyme. It is concluded that an urea-mercaptoethanol-soluble protein or class of protein is a widespread component of bacterial spores, possibly located in the spore coat, and that this protein may be related to the crystal protein of B. thuringiensis.
Aerobic fitness, physiologic difficulty and physical activity in Black and White women

PURPOSE: The purpose of this work was to determine if racial differences in maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max) and difficulty in doing submaximum (sub) exercise tasks contribute to activity-related energy expenditure (AEE) and activity-related time equivalent (ARTE) index, an index of time spent in physical activity. METHODS: Subjects were 35 Black and 39 White sedentary premenopausal women group matched for age, weight and body composition. Percent fat was determined by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, AEE by doubly labeled water and sleeping energy expenditure, ARTE index by AEE and energy cost above sleeping for five exercise tasks, and VO2 max by a graded exercise test. Subexercise oxygen uptake was measured during walking at 3 mph on the flat and up a 2.5% grade, climbing stairs, and riding a bike ergometer at 50 W. Difficulty of exercise was assessed during the subexercise and taken as heart rate, ventilation, and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and expressed as a % of the individual’s maximum. RESULTS :V O 2 max was related to AEE (r ¼ 0.29, Po0.04) and to ARTE index (r ¼ 0.37, Po0.01). All three difficulty measures were related to AEE (r ¼� 0.35 to � 0.42, P-valueso0.02) and the ARTE index (r ¼� 0.49 to � 0.52, all P-valueso0.01), with the exception of RPE with ARTE (r ¼� 0.27, P ¼ 0.10). Compared to Black women, White women had significantly higher VO2 max (12%), AEE (45%) and ARTE (50%), and significantly less physiologic difficulty of performing the subexercise tasks: heart rate (5%), ventilation (13%), and RPE (8%). Significant racial differences in AEE and ARTE disappeared after adjusting for any of the three difficulty measures. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that more participation in free-living physical activity is related to greater VO2 max and less difficulty in being active. In addition, lower levels of physical activity found in Black women may be partially explained by lower VO2 max and increased difficulty of engaging in physical activities.
Neural speech predictors

In this paper we propose a new neural network architecture that deploys and extended Kalman filter (EKF) based learning algorithm. We used the new neural network for the prediction of speech signals. Simulation results show that the neural networks leads to better performance than the well known linear predictor coefficients (LPC) that uses Levinson-Durbin algorithm.
Nonreciprocal coupling structure of a ferrite loaded dielectric image guide

A novel coupled image guide was designed and tested from 26.5 to 40 GHz. The nonreciprocal structure consisted of two dielectric image guides separated by a YIG/GGG ferrite film. Electromagnetic scattering matrix elements of the device were measured for the magnetic field applied perpendicular to the ferrite film plane. Nonreciprocal behavior in the scattering parameters was observed to be in agreement with analysis. The results indicated that various types of millimeter-wave passive devices could be realized in a planar geometry, such as isolators, filters, modulators, switches, and circulators. >
Sum of gamma variates and performance of wireless communication systems over Nakagami-fading channels

Capitalizing on the Moschopoulos (1985) single gamma series representation of the probability density function (PDF) of the sum of gamma variates, we provide a PDF-based approach for the performance analysis of maximal-ratio combining and postdetection equal-gain combining diversity techniques as well as cochannel interference of cellular mobile radio systems over Nakagami (1960)-fading channels with arbitrary parameters. Aside from putting under the same umbrella many of the past results obtained via characteristic function (CF) or moment generating function (MGF)-based approaches, the proposed approach also allows the derivation of additional performance measures, which are harder to analyze via CF or MGF-based approaches.
Carbon–Carbon Bond Formation Pathways in CO Hydrogenation to Higher Alcohols

Abstract Carbon–carbon bond formation pathways during CO hydrogenation to higher alcohols were studied on alkali-promoted Cu-based catalysts (K-CuMgCeO x and Cs-Cu/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 ) using 13 CO/H 2 / 12 CH 3 OH reactants. C–C bonds in ethanol form via two pathways, direct reactions of 13 CO and direct coupling of 12 CH 3 OH. On K-Cu 0.5 Mg 5 CeO x , direct reactions of 13 CO are the predominant pathway for the initial C–C bond steps. On Cs-Cu/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 , ethanol is predominantly formed via direct coupling of oxygen-containing C 1 intermediates derived from 12 CH 3 OH. Cs + cations introduce a methanol-coupling pathway unavailable on catalysts without Cs + promoter, leading to higher alcohol synthesis rates. After ethanol formation, additional chain growth occurs via aldol-type coupling pathways using C 1 intermediates derived from 12 CH 3 OH on both K-Cu 0.5 Mg 5 CeO x and Cs-Cu/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 catalysts.
A New Three Dimensional Display of the Vectorcardiogram Employing Holography

A three dimensional display of the vectorcardiogram loop was obtained with the newly developed techniques of coherent light optics known as holography. Using the Frank lead system, the coordinates of 32 instantaneous vectors in a QRS complex were used in making a multiple exposure hologram which, when reilluminated with coherent light, reconstructed a three dimensional image of the VCG loop. The technique used and the methods for making quantitative measurements are described.
Processing Workers' Compensation Claims in Illinois

The substitution of no-fault compensation for recoveries at tort law in cases of work-related injuries would, according to turn-of-the-century reformers, minimize resort to adjudication. Charges of unanticipated controversy and excessive litigation under state compensation statutes, however, have been raised periodically for several decades. This article presents the findings of current research into the prevalence of disputes, attorney involvement, and court suits under workers' compensation legislation in Illinois, the locale of specific criticism. The author offers an explanation of the obstacles to discovering the incidence of work-related injuries, along with a description of the handling of both undisputed and disputed claims. By following the itinerary of a sample of 6, 652 compensation claims filed during 1978 through several stages of administrative and judicial processing, she then examines the persistence of these primarily disputed claims from initiation to resolution. Her major finding is that under workers' compensation legislation in Illinois, litigation, whether defined as attorney involvement or court action, may not be as excessive as charged. The research uncovers the need for more precise standards for defining a surfeit of controversy and offers suggestions for meeting this need.
Little evidence for demasculinization of the Drosophila X chromosome among genes expressed in the male germline.

Male-biased genes—those expressed at higher levels in males than in females—are underrepresented on the X chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster. Several evolutionary models have been posited to explain this so-called demasculinization of the X. Here, we show that the apparent paucity of male-biased genes on the X chromosome is attributable to global X-autosome differences in expression in Drosophila testes, owing to a lack of sex chromosome dosage compensation in the male germline, but not to any difference in the density of testis-specific or testis-biased genes on the X chromosome. First, using genome-wide gene expression data from 20 tissues, we find no evidence that genes with testis-specific expression are underrepresented on the X chromosome. Second, using contrasts in gene expression profiles among pairs of tissues, we recover a statistical underrepresentation of testis-biased genes on the X but find that the pattern largely disappears once we account for the lack of dosage compensation in the Drosophila male germline. Third, we find that computationally “demasculinizing” the autosomes is not sufficient to produce an expression profile similar to that of the X chromosome in the testes. Our findings thus show that the lack of sex chromosome dosage compensation in Drosophila testes can explain the apparent signal of demasculinization on the X, whereas evolutionary demasculinization of the X cannot explain its overall reduced expression in the testes.
Multiple Time Series Modeling With Reduced Ranks

There has been growing interest in multiple time series modeling, particularly through use of vector autoregressive moving average models. The subject has found appeal and has applications in various disciplines, including engineering, physical sciences, business and economics, and the social sciences. In general, multiple time series analysis is concerned with modeling and estimation of dynamic relationships among m related time series y 1t, ... ,y mt, based on observations on these series over T equally spaced time points t = 1,... ,T, and also between these series and potential input or exogenous time series variables x 1t,..., x nt, observed over the same time period. In this chapter, we shall explore the use of certain reduced-rank modeling techniques for analysis of multiple time series in practice. We first introduce a general model for multiple time series modeling, but will specialize to multivariate autoregressive (AR) models for more detailed investigation.
Molecular Pathology of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women, with an estimated 250,000 new cases in 2011 in the US alone, and 1.5 million worldwide. It is one of the first major diseases where basic laboratory research has had a large impact on the routine clinical management of patients, ranging from detection, to diagnosis, to therapy. Molecular approaches to pathology, in particular, have had an enormous influence, especially in the areas of diagnosis and therapeutic decision-making. The topic of molecular pathology in breast cancer is very large and evolving far too rapidly to cover completely in a chapter of this nature. This chapter will primarily focus on reviewing aspects that are already in routine clinical use, some of the more promising applications on the near horizon, and scientific questions that are currently at the forefront of translational research. From an etiological point of view, the molecular pathology of breast cancer is the result of molecular abnormalities occurring in important normal processes, including the gross, microscopic, and molecular anatomy of the breast, breast development, and adult physiology—which is where we begin.
Manifolds, Rotating and Stationary

Pipe manifolds with unsteady flow are frequent occurrences in civil engineering design. Rotating manifolds are used on trickling filters with rotary distributors, and stationary manifolds are used in filter underdrains, tank and reservoir blending pipes, and sewer outfalls plus other applications. The hydraulic design of manifolds is developed in a straightforward theoretical manner; then a practical means of handling manifold design is suggested. Manifolds behave in an unorthodox manner and unless understood, they will not function as expected. A pertinent characteristic of I manifolds is that the hydraulic gradient can actually go up in the direction of flow. This is a fact that can be used to good advantage by the designer. A suggested application for optimum distribution of wash water through a sand filter underdrain is shown.
Implications of the WHO Child Growth Standards in rural Honduras.

Objective: The present study analysed the impact of using the 2006 WHO Child Growth Standards (‘the WHO standards’) compared with the 1977 National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) international growth reference (‘the NCHS reference’) on the calculated prevalence of chronic malnutrition in children aged 6?0–59?9 months. Design: Anthropometric data were collected as part of a cross-sectional study exploring the association between household environments and nutritional status of children. Z-scores were computed for height-for-age (HAZ), weight-for-age (WAZ) and weight-for-height (WHZ) using each reference/standard. Results were compared using Bland–Altman plots, percentage agreement, kappa statistics, line graphs and proportion of children in Z-score categories. Setting: The study was conducted in thirteen rural villages within Honduras’s department of Intibuca ´. Subjects: Children aged 6?0–59?9 months were the focus of the analysis, and households with children in this age range served as the sampling unit for the study. Results: The WHO standards yielded lower means for HAZ and higher means for WAZ and WHZ compared with the NCHS reference. The WHO standards and NCHS reference showed good agreement between Z-score categories, except for HAZ among males aged 24?0–35?9 months and WHZ among males aged .24?0 months. Using the WHO standards resulted in higher proportions of stunting (low HAZ) and overweight (high WHZ) and lower proportions of underweight (low WAZ). The degree of difference among these measures varied by age and gender. Conclusions: The choice of growth reference/standard employed in nutritional surveys may have important methodological and policy implications. While ostensibly comparable, data on nutritional indicators derived with different growth references/standards must be interpreted cautiously.
A Review of Prey Selection by the Long-Eared Owl

This paper describes variety and size of prey of the Long-eared Owl (Asio otus) from widespread parts of its range and develops a diet profile for the species. Compared to sympatric species, the Long-eared Owl has a restricted diet (Craighead and Craighead 1956, Errington 1932, Korschgen and Stuart 1972, Marti 1974, Maser et al. 1970). Food habits of this species have been extensively reported from North America and Europe. There are, however, large areas within its range from which no reports on diet are available.
Thermal Control of the Mars Science Laboratory Spacecraft Propellant Lines -- Design Architecture and Analytical Modeling

In 2012, NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft will use two separate propulsion systems to safely land a roving, robotic laboratory on the surface of Mars. During deep space transit, a Cruise Stage propulsion system will be used to orient the spacecraft and perform trajectory correction maneuvers. Prior to Mars entry, descent, and landing, a Descent Stage propulsion system will be used to position the spacecraft for ballistic entry, provide thrust for closed-loop guidance maneuvers, and decelerate the entry body for soft landing of the payload. The thermal design of the propellant transfer lines on the spacecraft is complicated by both the exposure of the lines to extreme and highly variable thermal environments and a limitation on available electrical power for survival heating. This paper presents an overview of the thermal design architecture and analytical thermal modeling employed in the design of the Mars Science Laboratory propellant line thermal control.
Early Postoperative Albumin Administration Contributes to Morbidity After the Fontan Operation

The Fontan operation has low mortality, but is associated with significant postoperative morbidity, including prolonged chest tube output (PCTO), which is associated with prolonged hospital length of stay (PLOS). We sought to identify variables present early in the clinical course that could predict patients at high risk for PCTO and PLOS. Retrospective data were collected on 84 Fontan (extracardiac conduit) operations from 1/2008 to 12/2013 at a single institution. PCTO was defined as ≥8 days (>75th percentile); PLOS was defined as ≥12 days postoperatively (>75th percentile). Multivariate regression was used to determine covariates associated with PCTO and PLOS. Median age was 3.5 years (IQR 3–5); weight was 14.5 kg (IQR 13–17). There was no mortality. LOS was 9 days (IQR 3–11), and duration of chest tube drainage 6 days (IQR 5–8) at 15 ml/kg/day (IQR 9–20). In univariate analysis, only systemic right ventricle, 24-h 5 % albumin administration, 24-h fluid balance, and 12-h inotrope score were associated with PCTO. In multivariate analysis, only 5 % albumin administration in first 24 h (p 25 ml/kg of 5 % albumin in first 24-h predicted PLOS (94 % specificity, 93 % sensitivity, AUC = 0.95, p < 0.001). Increased colloid in the first 24-h post-CPB strongly predicts PCTO and PLOS after Fontan operation, potentially providing an early identification of a cohort with unfavorable Fontan physiology. A better understanding of the role of colloid resuscitation after Fontan is necessary, and efforts to reduce perioperative colloid administration could decrease hospital morbidity
Hematologic and Oncologic Emergencies

This chapter will comprehensively address hematologic and oncologic emergencies beginning with disorders involving anemia, including sickle cell anemia. It will detail the emergencies of transfusion, including emergent intervention. This chapter will also detail disorders of hemoglobin, tests for bleeding, hemolytic anemia, and platelet disorders. It will also discuss malignancy and its concomitant complications. This chapter will additionally provide the learner with information regarding laboratory assessment if required as well as with information regarding imaging (if required) that is essential for passing examinations.
Male Social Roles

There is something rather special about a statement constructed by a group of men at the Berkeley Men’s Center several years ago. This group of men felt that they wanted to become “human” and in essence, wanted freedom from what they perceived to be a highly restrictive sex-role in America. Among other things, these men said: We no longer want to feel the need to perform sexually, socially, or in any way live up to an imposed male role… we want to relate to both men and women in more human ways—with warmth, sensitivity, emotion, and honesty… we want to be equal with women and to end destructive competitive relationships with men (Pleck and Sawyer, 1974, pp. 173–174). The significance of this statement, in addition to its contents, lies in the fact that a few modern-day men, over a decade ago, had raised their levels of consciousness regarding male sex-role obligations and expectations. In addition, they were brave enough to voice their resistance to a society whose norms imposed upon them specific obligations and expectations without due regard for individual differences among males. It would be misleading to say that the statement above has altered male sex-role obligations and expectations in the United States. Certainly the Women’s Movement has been extremely influential in regard to male sex-role changes.
Vineyard soil bacterial diversity and composition revealed by 16S rRNA genes: Differentiation by vineyard management

Little is known about the hierarchical effects of management practices, soil attributes and location factors on structure of vineyard soil microbiota. A hierarchical effect occurs when the specific influence of an experimental factor (e.g. cover crop type, compost application) on soil-borne bacterial communities is greater within a subset composing the larger set but not across the entire set (e.g. bacterial communities only respond to a management practice within a subset of soil types but not across the entire set composed of all soil types). To address this concept, we measured differences in soil bacterial and archaeal diversity in wine-grape vineyard soils throughout Napa Valley, California. We describe how vineyard management practices influence soil resources, which in turn determine shifts in soil-borne bacterial communities. Soil bacterial communities were structured with respect to management practices, specifically cover crop presence and cover crop mix, tillage, and agricultural system designation, i.e. conventional, organic and biodynamic production systems. Distinctions with respect to management were associated with differences in pH and soil resource pools: total carbon and total nitrogen of the <53 and 53–250 μm particulate organic matter fractions, and potentially mineralizable nitrogen. Findings in this study suggest management practices in vineyard production systems directly influence soil microbial community structure, as mediated by shifts in soil resource pools. However, hierarchical effects occur, in which β-diversity is more strongly affected by specific management practices only within certain soil types, tillage or no-till soils or winegrowing region. This work allows for subsequent assessments of interrelationships of vineyard management, microbial biodiversity and their combined influence on soil quality, vine health, and berry quality.
Remaining useful life prediction based on the mixed effects model with mixture prior distribution

ABSTRACTModern engineering systems are gradually becoming more reliable and premature failure has become quite rare. As a result, degradation signal data used for prognosis are often imbalanced as most units are reliable and only few tend to fail at early stages of their life cycle. Such imbalanced data may hinder accurate Remaining Useful Life (RUL) prediction especially in terms of detecting premature failures as early as possible. This aspect is detrimental for developing cost-effective condition-based maintenance strategies. In this article, we propose a degradation signal–based RUL prediction method to address the imbalance issue in the data. The proposed method introduces a mixture prior distribution to capture the characteristics of different groups within the same population and provides an efficient and effective online prediction method for the in-service unit under monitoring. The advantageous features of the proposed method are demonstrated through a numerical study as well as a case study wit...
A Novel Method for Fraudulent Medicare Claims Detection from Expected Payment Deviations (Application Paper)

Healthcare has and continues to be an integral component in people's lives, especially for the rising elderly population. One such healthcare program that provides for the needs of the elderly is Medicare. It is important that any such program be affordable but, unfortunately, this is not always the case. Out of the many possible factors for the rising cost of healthcare, fraud is a major contributor, but its impacts can be lessened through the use of fraud detection methods. We assess possible fraudulent activities by looking at the amounts paid to providers for services rendered to patients. In this study, we propose a novel methodology and framework towards identifying potential sources of fraud. We model these Medicare payments in order to create baseline values that reflect what the payments should be for a provider's specialty. We use these baseline expected payments and compare them to what was actually paid by Medicare for distinct specialties and healthcare services. Any deviations from the expected payments are flagged for further investigation. Our overall approach is consistent with related works, in healthcare, using anomaly-based detection methods to detect fraudulent activities, but we focus on an implementable and generalizable framework for initial fraud detection. Our results demonstrate the detection of possible fraudulent activities, with one specialty, Cardiology, demonstrating the detection of a known, real-world fraud case.
A complex exponential Fourier transform approach to gradient density estimation

We prove a novel result wherein the density function of the gradients of a thrice differentiable function S (obtained via a random variable transformation of a uniformly distributed random variable) defined on a closed, bounded interval Ω ⊂ R is accurately approximated by the normalized power spectrum of φ = exp ( iS τ ) as the free parameter τ → 0. The result is shown using the well known stationary phase approximation and standard integration techniques and requires proper ordering of limits. Experimental results provide anecdotal visual evidence corroborating the result.
Does autonomy for public hospitals in developing countries increase performance? Evidence-based case studies.

Abstract Objectives Governments in middle and low income countries have sought ways for the past decades to make their public hospitals more performing. The objectives of this assessment are to: (a) synthesize the experience of eleven countries at granting autonomy to their public hospitals and the obstacles encountered; (b) deduce which autonomy policies have or have not been effective documenting successes and failures; and (c) propose evidence-based recommendations to policy makers. Data sources Data for five countries are derived from the author's participation in the autonomy process augmented by current updates provided by national colleagues. Data for the other six countries are derived from publications available in the literature. Principal findings Policies granting autonomy to public hospitals have had limited success. In all cases Boards of Directors have been created. Governance of autonomized hospitals by Boards however is obstructed by the resistance of central level entities to have their authority diminished. The Ministry of Finance tends to maintain control over revenues and expenditures. The Public Service Commission resists abdicating its role to hire, promote, transfer and dismiss government employees. The Ministry of Health attempts to keep its authority to appoint hospital staff, procure medical supplies and equipment; it may do so directly or indirectly by selecting and appointing Board members. Management information systems continue to collect activity measures to be aggregated at the national level for statistical purposes and do not provide financial and clinical data useful for decision making by the Boards and by senior management. Conclusion Decentralizing decision making to the operational level has had limited success. Stakeholders at the central level devise strategies to maintain their power. Two main obstacles are delegating authority over human resources and finances that are sine qua non conditions for governing and increasing the performance of public hospitals.
Role of Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography in Biliary Disorders

Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography or MRCP is a technique that uses a powerful magnetic field to evaluate the disorders of liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, pancreas and pancreatic duct. This technique was introduced in 1991 & has evolved rapidly over last two decades as it is non-invasive, does not require anaesthesia or contrast enhancing material and is less operator dependent. Although at present endoscopic cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is the gold standard in evaluating the pancreaticobiliary disorders but is invasive, operator dependent and results in complications such as cholangitis, pancreatitis, haemorrhage and perforation of duodenum which have limited its routine use and has made MRCP as a routine investigation in evaluating biliary tree disorders. Furthermore MRCP is superior to ERCP in diagnosing the biliary disorders in the settings where biliary anatomy is distorted due to previous pancreatic biliary surgeries. MRCP is a technique that uses heavily weighted T2 sequences which highly enhances static or slowly flowing bile against non-enhancing surrounding soft tissue which makes the evaluation of biliary tree more accurate and easy.
Full-body gesture interaction with improvisational narrative agents

Interactive narrative research strives to allow humans and intelligent agents to co-create narratives in real-time as equal contributors. While intelligent agents can interact with humans through expressive embodied representations, typical interactive narrative interfaces provide humans no way to reciprocate with embodied communication of their own. This disparity in interaction capabilities has been informally discussed as the human puppet problem. Improvisational theatre (improv) provides a real-world analogue to embodied co-creative interactive narrative experiences. This paper presents an overview of a system for combining improvisational acting with full-body motions to support human-AI co-creation of interactive narratives. The human begins an improvised narrative with an AI improviser while an intelligent avatar mediates interaction and gives the human an embodied presence in the scene.
The Forces Participating in Triplex Stabilization

It is widely suggested that triplexes have a biological significance. Therefore, there should be natural mechanisms to control their stability. Interest in triplex stabilization is also a goal of the numerous applications of triplex technology that require high-affinity complexes and metabolic stability. There is also a cognitive aspect. By somehow making triplexes more stable, it would be possible to gain insight into the underlying interactions that govern the formation and maintenance of triple-stranded nucleic acid structures.
Value Creation for Emergency Supply Chain Members: An Abstract

In disaster management, a response to an incident that affects various people, communities, and organizations involves multiple parts of the supply chain. When a disaster occurs, people from the entire emergency supply chain are pulled together into one response team in order to ensure an effective disaster response. The whole team needs to work jointly as one unit, because even a small mistake can pose a serious threat to disaster victims’ and team members’ safety, health, and well-being.
Abstract 13031: Ultrasound Molecular Imaging of Inflammation in Mouse Abdominal Aorta With Modulated Acoustic Radiation Force

Introduction: Ultrasound molecular imaging has demonstrated the ability to detect the molecular signature of early vascular inflammation. Consequently, it may enable more timely detection of atherosclerosis. Unfortunately, existing methods face substantial challenges in large blood vessels. Recently, a new modulated acoustic radiation force (ARF)-based imaging method has demonstrated rapid and quantitative measurements of biomarkers in large vessels. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that a clinically translatable method could be tested pre-clinically for non-invasive rapid detection of vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 in the mouse abdominal aorta. Methods: C57BL/6 mice fed with a high-fat diet were used as a diet-induced obesity model (M DIO ). Normal mice were used as controls (M Normal ). Anti-VCAM-1 and isotype control antibodies were conjugated to microbubbles to form the VCAM-1 targeted (MB VCAM-1 ) and control (MB Control ) microbubbles, respectively. Constant infusions of microbubbles were performed, during imaging, for 180 s ( A ). A parameter, residual-to-saturation ratio (RSR), was extracted and used to assess VCAM-1 expression. Four groups of mice were studied (5 mice per group): M Normal + MB Control , M DIO + MB Control , M Normal + MB VCAM-1 , and M DIO + MB VCAM-1 . Results: RSR of the M DIO + MB VCAM-1 group was 56.0%, significantly higher ( p Normal + MB Control , -13.9% for M DIO + MB Control , and -37.4% for M Normal + MB VCAM-1 ) ( B ). Immunohistochemistry confirmed M Normal exhibited minimal VCAM-1 staining while M DIO exhibited VCAM-1 staining localized to the endothelium ( C ). Conclusions: In conclusion, a statistically significant assessment of VCAM-1 in mouse abdominal aorta was achieved using the modulated ARF-based method. This technique yields progress towards rapid targeted molecular imaging in large blood vessels, and thus has long-term potential for early diagnosis of atherosclerosis.