cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
420 THE DEVELOPMENT OF HEPATIC STEATOSIS AND OXIDATIVE STRESS IN THE OFFSPRING OF NONHUMAN PRIMATES FED A HIGH-FAT DIET.

Purpose The dramatic increase in childhood obesity greatly increases the risk of obesity and related health risks in adulthood. While this increase has been predominantly attributed to changes in nutrition and physical exercise in children, maternal health and diet during pregnancy are proving to be critical contributors as well. Concurrent with higher-fat diets in children, an increase in pediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been shown. The purpose of these studies was to develop a non-human primate (NHP) model to investigate the contribution of chronic maternal high-fat diet on fetal metabolic systems and, in particular, the liver. Methods Japanese macaques were placed on one of two diets; (1) control diet (CTR) - 13% of calories from fat and (2) high-fat diet - 35% of calories from fat for 3 years. Fetuses from these moms were obtained at gestational day 130 (full term = 175 days) each year of the diet and tissues were collected during necropsy. Results The high-fat diet induced moderate maternal hyperinsulinemia and hyperleptinemia that increased over the 3 years. In addition, the fetuses displayed increased circulating free fatty acids and shifts in gene expression in liver and skeletal muscle indicating attempted adaptation to this high-fat environment. Fetuses from mothers on the high fat diet for 2-3 years showed changes in gene expression that suggest oxidative stress and insulin resistance. Furthermore, histological analysis of the liver showed increased staining for markers of oxidative stress as well as steatosis. Conclusion Fetuses exposed to a high-fat maternal environment can initially generate an adaptive response; however, if the maternal condition persists, the fetus can develop metabolic sequelae. This maternal phenotype (overweight and on a high-fat diet) represents a large proportion of pregnancies within the United States and may be one of the most common health risks facing developing fetuses. These data suggest that increased maternal high fat consumption may underlie some of the metabolic disorders in children including the increased occurrence of NAFLD. Acknowledgments NIH grants DK060685, DK060685S2, HD14643, HD18185, and RR00163.
Three cavity narrow band pass filtermonitored by upper reflectance setup

The spectrum performance of three cavity narrow band pass filter(NBPF) is calculated by TFCalc thin film software.The monitor accuracy of domestic multilayer coater with upper reflectance setup is analysed.The filter is monitored by half reference wavelength with pre-coating.The experiment results matched the previous theoretical calculation.
Analysis, Classification, and Estimation of Pattern for Land of Aurangabad Region Using High-Resolution Satellite Image

Land use land cover (LULC) information extraction is a crucial exercise for agricultural land. The present study highlights the advantages of remote sensing, GIS, and GPS techniques for LULC mapping from high-resolution remote sensing data. High spatial resolution (5.8 m) satellite imagery of IRS-P6 Resourcesat-II LISS-IV having three spectral bands was utilized for LULC classification and for data processing ENVI 4.4 tool and Arc GIS10 software were used. Eight training samples for LULC classes have been selected from the image. Supervised classification using maximum likelihood (ML), Mahalanobis distance (MD), and minimum distance to means (MDM) were applied. The performances of above classifiers were evaluated in terms of the classification accuracy with respect to the collected real-time ground truth information. The evaluation result shows that the overall accuracies of LULC classifications are approximately 84.40, 77.98, and 74.31 % with Kappa coefficients 0.82, 0.74, and 0.70 for the ML, MD, and MDM, respectively. It is noticed that ML has a better accuracy than the MD and MDM classifiers and it is a more effective method for complex and noisy remote sensing data because of its unified approach for estimation of parameters.
Zoetropes: Turning Fetuses into Humans at the National Memorial for the Unborn

This essay advances a theory of zoetropes, or rhetorical figures that modulate the social status of living entities. Using fetal memorialization at the National Memorial for the Unborn as a case study, I identify the humanizing zoetropes of naming (antonomasia), en/voicing (apostrophe), and en/facing (prosopopeia). While the malleability of the fetal entity lends itself toward zoetropes, arguably all subjects are made zoetropologically. To be tropologically animated, or given life, means immediate absorption into a biopolitical field of regulation. Humanhood is among the most consequential of biopolitical thresholds through which an entity can be zoetroped. This essay contributes to rhetorical theory by locating the tropological means by which entities gain the public status of humanhood. The biopolitical discourses that work to include entities into humanhood are the obverse side of the coin from the necropolitical discourses that work to exclude entities from humanhood.
More Job Services—Better Employment Outcomes: Increasing Job Attainment for People With IDD

Job search, job placement, and on-the-job supports are valuable services provided to many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to obtain work in the community. Investigating those who were unemployed at the time of service entry, this study seeks to extend understanding about the effect of services. Using extant data, a sample of 39,277 people with IDD using Vocational Rehabilitation services were studied to understand the potential cumulative effects of these job-related services and individual characteristics on job attainment. Findings showed people with IDD of different demographic groups had different outcomes. Also, those receiving three job-related services were 16 times more likely to obtain employment than the reference group. This study has wide implications for research, policy, and practice.
Paradise Lost Forever: A Study of the German Philosophical Epics of the Nineteenth Century

(1960). Paradise Lost Forever. The Germanic Review: Literature, Culture, Theory: Vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 185-201.
How Did the Great Recession Affect Charitable Giving

A great deal of research has studied the effects of income and tax changes on charitable giving. However, little work has focused on how these relationships were affected by the Great Recession. Th...
Analysis of controllable capacity for electric vehicle battery swapping stations

Battery swapping is an effective way for the energy fast recharge of electric vehicles (EVs). The batteries stored in the battery swapping stations (BSSs) might be an emerging form of energy storage that can be used in the future power systems. Unlike traditional battery storage, the application of BSSs storage needs to consider the behaviour of EV users and the charging process in the BSSs. The calculation of controllable capacity (CC) plays a key role in the application of BSSs storage. This study proposes a Monte Carlo stochastic simulation method (MCSS) to estimate the CC of BSSs. The queuing problems in EV batteries swapping are simulated by the proposed MCSS method. The CC then can be obtained from the queues analysis. Simulation results demonstrate the availability of the proposed method.
The Burden and Benefits of Caregiving: A Latent Class Analysis

Background and objectives Informal caregiving to older adults is a key part of the U.S. long-term care system. Caregivers' experiences consist of burden and benefits, but traditional analytic approaches typically consider dimensions independently, or cannot account for burden and benefit levels and combinations that co-occur. This study explores how benefits and burden simultaneously shape experiences of caregiving to older adults, and factors associated with experience types. Research design and methods 2015 National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) and National Study of Caregiving (NSOC) data were linked to obtain reports from caregivers and recipients. Latent class and regression analysis were conducted on a nationally representative sample of U.S. informal caregivers to older persons. Results Five distinguishable caregiving experiences types and their population prevalence were identified. Subjective burden and benefits level and combination uniquely characterize each group. Primary stressors (recipient depression, medical diagnoses), primary appraisal (activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, medical task assistance, hours caregiving), and background/contextual factors (caregiver age, race, relationship to recipient, mental health, coresidence, long-term caregiving) are associated with experience types. Discussion and implications Findings highlight caregivers' experience multiplicity and ambivalence, and identify groups that may benefit most from support services. In cases where it is not possible to reduce burden, assistance programs may focus on increasing the benefits perceptions.
Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, vitamin D, and lung function in children with asthma.

BACKGROUND It is unclear whether exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) affects lung function in children with asthma. Whether vitamin D insufficiency enhances any detrimental effects of PAH on lung function in asthmatic children is also unknown. METHODS Cross-sectional study of 1,821 children (6-17 years) who participated in the 2007-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Multivariable linear regression was used to analyze the relation between molar mass of urinary PAH metabolites (sum of all PAH (ΣmolPAH), sum of PAH with 2 benzene rings (Σmol2-PAH), or sum of PAH with 3 or 4 benzene rings (Σmol3,4-PAH)) and lung function or exhaled fraction of nitric oxide (FeNO) in children with and without asthma. In this multivariable analysis, we tested whether vitamin D insufficiency (a serum 25(OH)D level <30 ng/mL) interacts with PAH exposure on lung function in children with asthma. RESULTS Children in the highest quartiles of urinary Σmol3,4-PAH had 2.3 times increased odds of asthma than those in the lowest quartile of Σmol3,4-PAH. Urinary PAH were not associated with lung function in children with or without asthma. Given a significant interaction between vitamin D insufficiency and PAH metabolites on lung function in asthmatic children, we stratified the analysis by vitamin D status. In this analysis, urinary PAH metabolites were significantly associated with 2.7-3.9% reduced %predicted FEV1 and %predicted FEV1/FVC in children with asthma and vitamin D insufficiency, but not in those with asthma and vitamin D sufficiency. CONCLUSIONS Vitamin D insufficiency and PAH exposure may have synergistic detrimental effects on lung function in asthmatic children.
Predictable Pairs: Association in Two-Way Tables

The results of a survey might provide lots of information on characteristics of students at your school, such as what proportion eat breakfast regularly, like first-period classes, have a job, or own a car. Does a “yes” response to one of these characteristics help us predict what the response of that same person will be to another characteristic? Is a person who eats breakfast likely to have an early class? Is a person who has a job likely to own a car? Looking for associations between categorical variables is an important part of the analysis of frequency data. How to begin the process of measuring association is the subject of this lesson.
The mid-IR spectral effects of darkening agents and porosity on the silicate surface features of airless bodies

Abstract We systematically measured the mid-IR spectra of different mixtures of three silicates (antigorite, lizardite, and pure silica) with varying effective porosities and amounts of darkening agent (iron oxide and carbon). These spectra have broad implications for interpretation of current and future mission data for airless bodies, as well as for testing the capabilities of new instruments. Serpentines, such as antigorite and lizardite, are common to airless surfaces, and their mid-IR spectra in the presence of darkening agents and different surface porosities would be typical for those measured by spacecraft. Silica has been measured in the plumes of Enceladus and presents exciting possibilities for other Saturn-system surfaces due to long-range transport of E-ring material. Results show that the addition of the IR-transparent salt, KBr, to simulate surface porosity affected silicate spectra in ways that were not predictable from linear mixing models. The strengthening of silicate bands with increasing pore space, even when only trace amounts of KBr were added, indicates that spectral features of porous surfaces are more detectable in the mid-IR. Combining iron oxide with the pure silicates seemed to flatten most of the silicate features, but strengthened the reststrahlen band of the silica. Incorporating carbon with the silicates weakened all silicate features, but the silica bands were more resistant to being diminished, indicating silica may be more detectable in the mid-IR than the serpentines. Finally, we show how incorporating darkening agents and porosity provides a more complete explanation of the mid-IR spectral features previously reported on worlds such as Iapetus.
Global talent management: A life cycle view of the interaction between human and social capital

Abstract We present a theoretical model that describes the interaction between social and human capital and the different forms that such an interaction may take – positive and negative. Extending the concepts of stocks and flows of knowledge, this model evaluates social capital flows against human capital stocks. When we compare these flows to the value of human capital, we are able to better understand how these resources can interact with each other, influence global talent development, and change over time. We discuss the implications for practices in global talent management in selecting, developing, and harnessing talent.
Video-rate volumetric neuronal imaging with multi-z confocal microscopy (Conference Presentation)

Fast, volumetric imaging over large scales has been a long-standing challenge in biological microscopy. To address this issue, we developed a variant of confocal microscopy that provides simultaneous multiplane imaging over large field of view and at video rate. Our apparatus, called multi-Z confocal microscopy, differs from a conventional confocal microscope in both its illumination and detection parts. First, axially elongated illumination is achieved by under filling the back aperture of the microscope objective. The resulting low NA provides an axial extent of the illumination of the order of 100 µm. The light from the sample is then collected by the same objective, now taking advantage of the full NA which ensures high collection efficiency, and send to the detection unit. The latter is comprised by four reflecting pinholes axially distributed in the image plane such that they are conjugated to different depths within the sample. Each detection channel spans a probe volume at a different depth and volumetric imaging is obtained by simply combining the four channels. In our current configuration, each imaging plane covers a field of view of 1.2 mm and the distance between two planes is equal to 25 µm. In other words, we image 1200x1200x100 µm3 at 30Hz. We first demonstrated the applicability of our technique by imaging entire C. elegans in vivo with a cellular resolution. Secondly we applied our technique to image multiple layers of neurons in mouse brain. We were able to record the activity of 550 neurons, with 100-150 neurons present in each imaging plane.
Can Blockchain technologies help tackle the opioid epidemic: A Narrative Review

Objective To introduce the basic concepts of blockchain technologies in tackling the opioid epidemic. Design A narrative review. Setting/background The opioid epidemic is taking a big toll in terms of lives and livelihood in America. Various public and private sector agencies are actively implementing different strategies to contain the epidemic. Development of robust real-time databases that are secure and easily accessible to the stakeholders in the opioid/paincare ecosystem is essential. Blockchain technologies, with their inherent features of decentralization, immutability, and easy access are well suited to achieving these goals. Some practical applications of blockchain technologies include data collection/aggregation/analysis, patient/provider identification, traceability/monitoring of opioids, supply chain provenance, prescription monitoring, licensure and credentialing, interoperability, seamless integration/communication, development of opioid alternatives, and research incentivization. Conclusions Blockchain technologies may help support the efforts of different agencies in curtailing the opioid epidemic.
Selective Sequencing of Peptides with N-Terminal Ser or Thr in Mixtures

Publisher Summary This chapter explores the selective sequencing of peptides with N-terminal ser or thr in mixtures. It highlights the potential of a new protein sequencer designed around a distinctive approach to sample loading and retention. In a study described in the chapter, the peptide mixture gave two sequences at roughly equal levels, allowing for low recoveries of PTH-Ser and PTH-Trp. Periodate oxidation resulted in substantial loss of the signal from SYSMEHFRWG, consistent with modification of its N-terminus. Oxidation and transamination led to SYSMEHFRWG being detected in its product form of GYSMEHFRWG with little effect on relative signal strength compared to the control. The full three-step process permitted selective sequencing of the peptide GYSMEHFRWG, with near-complete elimination of the signal from RPVKVYPNGAEDESDEAFPLEF. There was a significantly reduced signal compared to the control, which appeared because of an effect of the acetylation step. Peptide elution by the hydrophobic acetic anhydride was a possible reason for this. The oxidized and transaminated peptide was ultimately sequenced at about 40% of its initial level.
Paneth Cell Dysfunction Mediates Alcohol-related Steatohepatitis Through Promoting Bacterial Translocation in Mice: Role of Zinc Deficiency.

Background and aims Microbial dysbiosis is associated with alcohol-related hepatitis (AH), with the mechanisms yet to be elucidated. The present study aimed to determine the effects of alcohol and zinc deficiency on Paneth cell (PC) antimicrobial peptides, α-defensins, and to define the link between PC dysfunction and AH. Approach and results Translocation of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) was determined in patients with severe AH and in a mouse model of alcoholic steatohepatitis. Microbial composition and PC function were examined in mice. The link between α-defensin dysfunction and AH was investigated in α-defensin-deficient mice. Synthetic human α-defensin 5 (HD5) was orally given to alcohol-fed mice to test the therapeutic potential. The role of zinc deficiency in α-defensin was evaluated in acute and chronic mouse models of zinc deprivation. Hepatic inflammation was associated with PAMP translocation and lipocalin-2 (LCN2) and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1) elevation in patients with AH. Antibiotic treatment, lipopolysaccharide injection to mice, and in vitro experiments showed that PAMPs, but not alcohol, directly induced LCN2 and CXCL1. Chronic alcohol feeding caused systemic dysbiosis and PC α-defensin reduction in mice. Knockout of functional α-defensins synergistically affected alcohol-perturbed bacterial composition and the gut barrier and exaggerated PAMP translocation and liver damage. Administration of HD5 effectively altered cecal microbial composition, especially increased Akkermansia muciniphila, and reversed the alcohol-induced deleterious effects. Zinc-regulated PC homeostasis and α-defensins function at multiple levels, and dietary zinc deficiency exaggerated the deleterious effect of alcohol on PC bactericidal activity. Conclusions Taken together, the study suggests that alcohol-induced PC α-defensin dysfunction is mediated by zinc deficiency and involved in the pathogenesis of AH. HD5 administration may represent a promising therapeutic approach for treating AH.
Effects of multiple climate change stressors on gene expression in blue rockfish (Sebastes mystinus).

Abstract Global climate change is predicted to increase the co-occurrence of high pCO2 and hypoxia in coastal upwelling zones worldwide. Yet, few studies have examined the effects of these stressors on economically and ecologically important fishes. Here, we investigated short-term responses of juvenile blue rockfish (Sebastes mystinus) to independent and combined high pCO2 and hypoxia at the molecular level, using changes in gene expression and metabolic enzymatic activity to investigate potential shifts in energy metabolism. Fish were experimentally exposed to conditions associated with intensified upwelling under climate change: high pCO2 (1200 μatm, pH~7.6), hypoxia (4.0 mg O2/L), and a combined high pCO2/hypoxia treatment for 12 h, 24 h, or two weeks. Muscle transcriptome profiles varied significantly among the three treatments, with limited overlap among genes responsive to the single and combined stressors. Under elevated pCO2, blue rockfish increased expression of genes encoding proteins involved in the electron transport chain and muscle contraction. Under hypoxia, blue rockfish up-regulated genes involved in oxygen and ion transport and down-regulated transcriptional machinery. Under combined stressors, blue rockfish induced a unique set of ionoregulatory and hypoxia-responsive genes not expressed under the single stressors. Thus, high pCO2 and hypoxia exposure appears to induce a non-additive transcriptomic response that cannot be predicted from single stressor exposures alone, further highlighting the need for multiple stressor studies at the molecular level. Overall, lack of a shift towards anaerobic metabolism or induction of a cellular stress response under multiple stressors suggests that blue rockfish may be relatively resistant to intensified upwelling conditions in the short term.
Creation of an electrokinetic characterization library for the detection and identification of biological cells

The rising concern over drug-resistant microorganisms has increased the need for rapid and portable detection systems. However, the traditional methods for the analysis of microorganisms can be both resource and time intensive. This contribution presents an alternative approach for the characterization of microorganisms using a microscale electrokinetic technique. The present study aims to develop and validate a library with a novel parameter referred to as the electrokinetic equilibrium condition for each strain, which will allow for fast identification of the studied bacterial and yeast cells in electrokinetic (EK) microfluidic devices. To create the library, experiments with six organisms of interest were conducted using insulator-based EK devices with circle-shaped posts. The organisms included one yeast strain, Saccharomyces cerevisiae; one salmonella strain, Salmonella enterica; two species from the same genus, Bacillus cereus and Bacillus subtilis; and two Escherichia coli strains. The results from these experiments were then analyzed with a mathematical model in COMSOL Multiphysics®, which yielded the electrokinetic equilibrium condition for each distinct strain. Lastly, to validate the applicability EK library, the COMSOL model was used to estimate the trapping conditions needed in a device with oval-shaped posts for each organism, and these values were then compared with experimentally obtained values. The results suggest the library can be used to estimate trapping voltages with a maximum relative error of 12%. While the proposed electrokinetic technique is still a novel approach and the analysis of additional microorganisms would be needed to expand the library, this contribution further supports the potential of microscale electrokinetics as a technique for the rapid and robust characterization of microbes.
Refractive approaches to visual rehabilitation in patients with keratoconus.

Purpose of review As keratoconus is a chronic disease affecting young people, vision-related quality of life is often significantly impaired in patients with this disease. However, successful management of keratoconus, including visual rehabilitation strategies, can improve quality of life in these patients. This review will describe clinical approaches that improve vision-related quality of life in patients with stable keratoconus. Recent findings Several types of contact lenses including scleral lenses have been used successfully to manage keratoconus. Eyes with severe keratoconus, even those in which fitting with other types of lenses is challenging, can be successfully fitted with scleral lenses. Although laser ablative procedures, such as photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) have been traditionally contraindicated in patients diagnosed with or suspected of having keratoconus, PRK has been attempted to partially correct refractive errors in keratoconus. Although phototherapeutic keratectomy and radial keratotomy have been reported to be used in eyes with keratoconus, effectiveness and safety results have varied. Implantation of phakic intraocular lenses and intraocular lenses, including toric intraocular lenses, which primarily correct regular astigmatism, with cataract extraction or refractive lens exchange can improve vision-related quality of life in patients with keratoconus by significantly reducing cylinder while improving uncorrected visual acuity. Summary Appropriate selection and application of treatment options based on consideration of multiple factors will help patients with keratoconus, improving their vision-related quality of life and delaying or avoiding keratoplasty.
Supplemental carbohydrase enzyme and methionine in broilers fed flaxseed: effects on growth performance, nutrient retention, muscle lipids, and jejunal morphology

Summary The present study investigated the effect of carbohydrase enzyme, methionine (Met) (100% above Cobb 500 requirement level), or their combination on growth performance, carcass yield, total tract retention (TTR) of DM, CP, fatty acid (FA), muscle FA composition, lipid peroxidation products, and jejunum histomorphology in broiler chickens fed 10% flaxseed-containing diets. One hundred and twenty (n = 120) day-old Cobb chicks were fed corn-soybean meal–based diet containing 0% flaxseed (control), 10% whole flaxseed (diet 1), diet 1 + 0.05% carbohydrase enzyme (diet 2), diet 1 + 100% more Cobb 500 Met requirement (diet 3), and diet 1 + 0.05% carbohydrase enzyme + 100% more Cobb 500 Met requirement (diet 4) for 42 d. The data were analyzed by ANOVA with 5 treatments with 4 replications in a completely randomized design. At day 42, BW gain was the highest in control when compared to flaxseed-containing diets (P
Echocardiography for Structural Heart Disease Procedures

As the evolution of biotechnology continues to follow a steep trajectory, the perioperative and interventional echocardiographer will have to maintain pace with expectations for specialized proficiency. The number and variety of structural heart disease procedures in which echocardiography may have clinical utility continues to evolve. Consequently, the demands for expertise in two-dimensional and three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) imaging will continue to be paramount for the management of these complex cases. As a co-proceduralist, the interventional echocardiographer will remain a critical member of the structural heart disease team who must learn to the integrate knowledge pertaining to anatomy, functional geometry, the interventional procedure and imaging into clinical decision-making and the practice of medicine. This chapter will focus specifically on the primary principles and practical applications of echocardiographic imaging in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), the MitraClip transcatheter mitral valve repair, perivalvular leak occlusion, and the Watchman left atrial appendage occlusion device.
Human Dignity and Environmental Outcomes in Pakistan

Pakistan is one of the few countries worldwide whose Constitution does not explicitly address the environment. The higher courts have filled the vacuum by turning to the constitutional right to dignity, which the Constitution says is ‘inviolable’, as the basis for improving environmental outcomes to water, sanitation, and a stable climate, to name a few. This paper hazards an explanation as to the judicial reasoning behind this development. It posits that Pakistan takes the idea of dignity under law so seriously as to embrace environmental matters. In recent years, the courts have increasingly recognised the links between environmental protection and the enjoyment of human rights, including in particular, the human right to dignity. This article maintains that this is a positive development. As a conceptual matter, attention to human dignity foregrounds the impacts on human beings of environmental decisions, including decisions that contribute towards addressing climate change issues. It requires courts to address the ways in which those decisions diminish the ability of people to manage their own lives, often in ways that disproportionately affect those who are already the most vulnerable and marginalised.
The First Oil Shock? Nixon, Congress, and the 1973 Petroleum Crisis

This article investigates whether the United States had prior knowledge of the 1973 oil crisis instituted by Arab countries in 1973. It argues, using predominantly primary source documents, that as...
Dental Care Use, Edentulism, and Systemic Health among Older Adults.

Past research suggests there are systematic associations between oral health and chronic illness among older adults. Although causality has not yet been credibly established, periodontitis has been...
Self-Healing Router Approach for High-Performance Network-on-Chip

Network-on-Chip (NoC) is used as the communication network in many applications that use multiple cores or Processing Elements (PEs). Routers play a crucial role as connectors since a faulty router can degrade the NoC’s performance and cause miscommunication between the network’s components. Thus a faulty router may cause the system to fail. To avoid failure in routers in NoCs, a novel self-healing technique is proposed. Self-healing serves to recover hardware faults, and it is defined as the ability of a system to recover from its faults without any external intervention. The proposed self-healing method is to heal faulty routers and their port buffers of faults as they occur. The proposed method uses the neighboring routers of a faulty router for computation. The data packet includes three bits for routing. A neighbor’s active router updates these bits according to the destination of the packet. A self-healing block is added inside each router. The proposed method also covers faulty buffers, and it uses active buffers to store the packet of a faulty one. It has been implemented and tested using VHDL and Altera Arria 10 GX FPGA. It has been found to attain improved reliability and Mean Time to Failure (MTTF) at an area overhead of 27%. It has been tested for complex NoC structure, and the results show it is practical, scalable, stable, and robust.
Genetic Programming for Feature Selection and Question-Answer Ranking in IBM Watson

IBM Watson is an intelligent open-domain question answering system capable of finding correct answers to natural language questions in real-time. Watson uses machine learning over a large heterogeneous feature set derived from many distinct natural language processing algorithms to identify correct answers. This paper develops a Genetic Programming (GP) approach for feature selection in Watson by evolving ranking functions to order candidate answers generated in Watson. We leverage GP’s automatic feature selection mechanisms to identify Watson’s key features through the learning process. Our experiments show that GP can evolve relatively simple ranking functions that use much fewer features from the original Watson feature set to achieve comparable performances to Watson. This methodology can aid Watson implementers to better identify key components in an otherwise large and complex system for development, troubleshooting, and/or customer or domain-specific enhancements.
Dictionary Methods for Cross-Lingual Information Retrieval

Multi-lingual information retrieval (IR) has largely been limited to the development of systems for use with a specific foreign language. The explosion in the availability of electronic media in languages other than English makes the development of IR systems that can cross language boundaries increasingly important. In this paper, we present experiments that analyze the factors that affect dictionary based methods for cross-lingual retrieval and present methods that dramatically reduce the errors such an approach usually makes.
Modified dynamic space compression for built-in self-testing of VLSI circuits

In this paper, we propose a space compression technique for digital circuits with the objective of minimizing the storage for the circuits under test while maintaining the fault coverage information. The technique introduced is called a Modified Dynamic Space Compression method. For a circuit under test, a compaction tree is generated based on its structure. The detectable error probability was calculated by using the Boolean Difference Method. The output data modification was employed to minimize the number of faulty output data patterns which have the same compressed form as the fault-free patterns. The compressed outputs were then fed into a syndrome counter to derive the signature for the circuit. Simulations were performed on known combinational circuits and the results indicate that the loss in fault coverage caused by compression is rather small.
MICRO DIFFUSION PRECIPITIN TESTS FOR ENTEROVIRUSES AND INFLUENZA B VIRUS

Middleton, G. K., Jr. (Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, N.C.), H. G. Cramblett, H. L. Moffet, J. P. Black, and H. Shulenberger. Micro diffusion precipitin tests for enteroviruses and influenza B virus. J. Bacteriol. 87:1171-1176. 1964.-A simple micro precipitin gel diffusion test has been adapted to the study of viral antigens. As far as is known from a review of recent literature, this is the first use of the ECHO viruses in precipitin tests and the first attempt to demonstrate by the gel diffusion technique precipitins in a patient's serum after natural virus infection rather than artificial immunization. The principal value of this technique in virology is the rapid identification or qualitative analysis of viral antigen preparations by use of pooled or specific hyperimmune sera. Virus concentrations of 10(7)tcid(50) per 0.1 ml are required for reliable results, but only 0.015 ml of serum is necessary for each test. Virus-serum precipitin reactions were type-specific except for reciprocal precipitation of ECHO 1 and ECHO 8 by their hyperimmune sera. No viral antigens have been found common to two or more virus types among those tested. Precipitins for viral antigens occur frequently in serum of patients after a viral infection and are readily detected by micro precipitin gel diffusion tests. However, this precipitin test remains at present a tool for virus and antigen identification and offers an approach for research appraisal of host response to infections.
Cataloging the Northern Sky Using a new Generation of Software Technology

We have developed a system, called SKICAT, for producing, managing and analyzing catalogs from the digitized POSS-II survey. The system classifies and matches catalogs from multiple, overlapping plate scans as well as CCD calibration sequences; and it can be used for the scientific analysis of the resulting catalogs. It incorporates a number of novel machine-learning and AI tools, including the star/galaxy classification using decision tree algorithms. This results in star/galaxy separation accurate to 90% or better down to Bj, ∼ 21m, i.e. ∼ 1m above the plate limit The final catalog is expected to contain at least 5 x 107 galaxies and > 2 x 109 stars. We present preliminary results on galaxy counts from a test region near the NGP. We find a mild excess over the no-evolution models, smaller than previously found by the APM group. A search for z > 4 quasars and the two-point correlation analysis of this data set are in progress.
Developmental Synaptic Depression Underlying Reorganization of Visceral Reflex Pathways in the Spinal Cord

During development, neuronal connectivity has a remarkable plasticity. Synaptic refinement in the spinal autonomic nucleus might be involved in the elimination of primitive segmental reflexes and the emergence of mature spinobulbospinal reflexes, which occurs a few weeks after birth. To address this possibility, we examined the postnatal changes of segmental excitatory synaptic transmission by applying the whole-cell recording technique to parasympathetic preganglionic neurons in slice preparations of the rat lumbosacral spinal cord. The mean magnitude of unitary excitatory synaptic currents evoked in preganglionic neurons by stimulation of single interneurons remained unchanged during the first two postnatal weeks but was reduced by 50% during the third postnatal week. This reduction in synaptic efficacy was associated with a decrease in the amount of transmitter release from interneurons. Moreover, this developmental depression of segmental synaptic transmission was prevented by spinal cord transection at the thoracic level on postnatal day 14. Thus, developmental modification of excitatory synapses on preganglionic neurons appears to be attributable to competition between segmental interneuronal and descending bulbospinal inputs, which results in the developmental reorganization of parasympathetic excretory reflex pathways.
Comparison of modeling techniques in circuit variability analysis

Three nonlinear reduced-order modeling approaches are compared in a case study of circuit variability analysis for deep submicron complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technologies where variability of the electrical characteristics of a transistor can be significantly detrimental to circuit performance. The drain currents of 65 nm N-type metal-oxide-semiconductor and P-type metal-oxide-semiconductor transistors are modeled in terms of a few process parameters, terminal voltages, and temperature using Kriging-based surrogate models, neural network-based models, and support vector machine-based models. The models are analyzed with respect to their accuracy, establishment time, size, and evaluation time. It is shown that Kriging-based surrogate models and neural network-based models can be generated with sufficient accuracy that they can be used in circuit variability analysis. Numerical experiments demonstrate that for smaller circuits, Kriging-based surrogate modeling yields results faster than the neural network-based models for the same accuracy whereas for larger circuits, neural network-based models are preferred as, in all metrics, better performance is obtained. Within-die variations for an XOR circuit are analyzed, and it is shown that the nonlinear reduced-order models developed can more effectively capture the within-die variations than the traditional process corner analysis. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Prospective randomized trial of melphalan and prednisone versus vincristine, carmustine, melphalan, cyclophosphamide, and prednisone in the treatment of primary systemic amyloidosis

PURPOSE: Primary systemic amyloidosis is an immunoglobulin deposition disorder in which insoluble light chains cause organ dysfunction and death. The established conventional therapy is treatment with melphalan and prednisone. We investigated whether treatment with multiple alkylating agents improved the response rate or survival time, compared with melphalan and prednisone therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We treated 101 patients with biopsy-proven primary amyloidosis. The patients were randomly assigned to receive melphalan and prednisone (52 patients) or vincristine, carmustine, melphalan, cyclophosphamide, and prednisone (49 patients). Patients were stratified according to the presence of cardiac involvement, time from diagnosis to randomization, serum beta2-microglobulin level, and whether peripheral neuropathy was the major manifestation of the disease. RESULTS: The median duration of survival after randomization was 29 months, with no differences in survival time between the two groups. There were 29 ...
Controlled-Atmosphere Rotating Cell for in Situ Studies of Catalysts Using Laser Raman Spectroscopy

Laser Raman spectroscopy was used to characterize molybdenum on alumina catalysts using a controlled-atmosphere rotating cell. In situ spectra could be recorded at temperatures up to 600°C and pressures as low as 1.333 × 10−4 Pa. Catalysts were examined during the drying and calcining operations; adsorption of pyridine was also studied. Spectra of the dried and calcined catalysts indicated the presence of aggregated molybdenum species. Close resemblance to the aggregation of molybdenum species in aqueous solution was apparent. At higher loadings of molybdenum, a molybdenum trioxide phase developed. Adsorbed pyridine spectra indicated that a considerable portion of the alumina surface was not covered by molybdenum even after molybdenum trioxide was formed. A new form of pyridine adsorption associated with the aggregated phase was observed.
Hepatitis C Seropositivity and Kidney Function Decline Among Women With HIV: Data From the Women's Interagency HIV Study

Background How coinfection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) impacts on the trajectory of kidney function in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients is unclear. This study examined the effect of HCV infection on kidney function over time in women infected with HIV. Study Design Retrospective observational cohort. Setting & Participants Study sample included participants from the Women's Interagency HIV Study who were HIV infected and had undergone HCV antibody testing and serum creatinine measurement at baseline. Predictor HCV seropositivity. Outcomes & Measurement Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) calculated from semi-annual serum creatinine measurements using the 4-variable Modification of Diet in Renal Diseases (MDRD) Study equation. Linear mixed models were used to evaluate the independent effect of HCV seropositivity on eGFR over time, adjusting for demographic factors, comorbid conditions, illicit drug use, measures of HIV disease status, use of medications, and interactions with baseline low eGFR ( Results Of 2,684 HIV-infected women, 952 (35%) were found to be HCV seropositive. In 180 women with chronic kidney disease (CKD) at baseline (eGFR Limitations The MDRD Study equation has not been validated as a measure of GFR in persons with HIV or HCV infection. Proteinuria was not included in the study analysis. Because the study is observational, effects of residual confounding cannot be excluded. Conclusions In HIV-infected women with CKD, coinfection with HCV is associated with a modest, but statistically significant, decrease in eGFR over time. More careful monitoring of kidney function may be warranted for HIV-infected patients with CKD who are also coinfected with HCV.
Designing Test Coverage for Grey Box Analysis

Test coverage is an important deliverable of white box testing process. Many articles have publish works detailing out on how to get coverage information by either code based testing (white box) or requirement based testing (black box). This article provides an overview of test coverage and testing analysis that mediates for both testing types. Finding detailed coverage can be time consuming. A future work is proposed in order to find test coverage by integrating the two testing types known as a grey box using software traceability approaches.
Substrate and Inhibitor Binding to a Glutamate Transporter Homologue

Glutamate transporters tightly control extracellular glutamate concentration by pumping the transmitter into neurons and glia. Active transport is achieved by coupling the energy of the transmembrane ionic gradients to the conformational changes of the transporter, which alternates between outward- and inward-facing states with the substrate-binding site accessible from the extra- and intracellular solutions, respectively. In order to concentrate the substrate into the cytoplasm, the transporter's binding site must exhibit a high affinity from the outside and a low affinity from the inside. To better understand this change, we have characterized the binding properties of a prokaryotic homologue of the glutamate transporters, GltPh, by means of isothermal titration calorimetry. We designed double cysteine mutants that, upon cross-linking, lock the transporter in either the outward- or the inward-facing state and measured the thermodynamic binding parameters of the substrate aspartate and a competitive inhibitor TBOA. Surprisingly, the free energies of aspartate binding to the outward- and inward-facing states of the transporter are very similar at 25 °C, although the enthalpic and entropic contributions differ significantly. GltPh affinity for aspartate depends steeply on the concentration of sodium ions (Na), consistent with binding of ∼3 Na being thermodynamically coupled to binding of each substrate molecule. In contrast to the substrate, TBOA shows significantly lower affinity for the inward-facing state compared to the outward-facing state. In both states, TBOA exhibits a weaker sodium-dependence with an apparent number of coupled Na near 1. Our results show that in the absence of a sodium gradient, GltPh binds aspartate and Na with the same affinity in the outward- and inward-facing states. Therefore, the higher substrate affinity on the extracellular side of the membrane is determined by the higher Na concentration in the extracellular space compared to the cytoplasm.
Undersensing During Ventricular Tachyarrhythmias in a Third‐Generation Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator: Diagnosis Using Stored Electrograms and Correction with Programming

Third-generation implantable cardioverter defibrillators with stored electrograms allow diagnosis of various sensing problems that may lead to an inappropriate device response. Undersensing of ventricular tachyarrhythmias is a potentially serious problem, as it may lead to failure to deliver therapy. To determine the incidence of this problem, we reviewed 98 patients with Ventritex Cadence defibrillator systems and found 2 patients in whom defibrillation therapy was delayed or aborted because of undersensing during induced ventricular tachyarrhythmias. In both cases, examination of stored electrograms revealed variation in electrogram amplitude, which presumably resulted in failure of the autogain feature to increase its sensitivity enough to count each complex. During charging, criteria for redetection of sinus rhythm were met because of this undercounting, leading to failure to deliver defibrillation therapy. This problem was detected in both patients 4-6 weeks following device implant during device testing, and both patients had been started on antiarrhythmic drug therapy prior to this testing. Programming the sinus redetection parameter from nominal to slow, increasing the number of beats necessary to confirm resumption of sinus rhythm, corrected the problem in both patients. Device testing in the electrophysiology laboratory, routinely postoperatively and following initiation of antiarrhythmic drug therapy, and the ability to retrieve stored electrograms are useful in detecting such sensing anomalies.