cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Wavelet transform-based QRS complex detector

In this paper, the authors describe a QRS complex detector based on the dyadic wavelet transform (D/sub y/WT) which is robust to time-varying QRS complex morphology and to noise. They design a spline wavelet that is suitable for QRS detection. The scales of this wavelet are chosen based on the spectral characteristics of the electrocardiogram (ECG) signal. They illustrate the performance of the D/sub y/WT-based QRS detector by considering problematic ECG signals from the American Heart Association (AHA) database. Seventy hours of data was considered. The authors also compare the performance of D/sub y/WT-based QRS detector with detectors based on Okada, Hamilton-Tompkins, and multiplication of the backward difference algorithms. From the comparison, results the authors observed that although no one algorithm exhibited superior performance in all situations, the D/sub y/WT-based detector compared well with the standard techniques. For multiform premature ventricular contractions, bigeminy, and couplets tapes, the D/sub y/WT-based detector exhibited excellent performance.
Potassium Citrate Prevents Increased Urine Calcium Excretion and Bone Resorption Induced by a High Sodium Chloride Diet

The amount of sodium chloride in the diet of industrialized nations far exceeds physiological requirements. The impact of abundant dietary salt on skeletal health has yet to be established, but is potentially detrimental through increased urinary calcium losses. We examined the effect of increased dietary sodium chloride on urine calcium excretion and bone turnover markers in postmenopausal women and, further, whether potassium citrate attenuates the effects of increased dietary salt. Postmenopausal women (n = 60) were adapted to a low-salt (87 mmol/d sodium) diet for 3 wk, then randomized to a high-salt (225 mmol/d sodium) diet plus potassium citrate (90 mmol/d) or a high-salt diet plus placebo for 4 wk. Urine calcium, urine N-telopeptide, urine cAMP, serum osteocalcin, and fasting serum PTH were measured at the end of the low- and high-salt diets. On the high salt plus placebo diet, urine calcium increased 42 +/- 12 mg/d (mean +/- SEM), but decreased 8 +/- 14 mg/d in the high salt plus potassium citrate group (P = 0.008, potassium citrate vs. placebo, unpaired t test). N-telopeptide increased 6.4 +/- 1.4 nanomoles bone collagen equivalents per millimole creatinine in the high salt plus placebo group and 2.0 +/- 1.7 nanomoles bone collagen equivalents per millimole creatinine in the high salt plus potassium citrate group (P < 0.05, potassium citrate vs. placebo, unpaired t test). Osteocalcin, PTH, and cAMP were not significantly altered. The addition of oral potassium citrate to a high-salt diet prevented the increased excretion of urine calcium and the bone resorption marker caused by a high salt intake. Increased intake of dietary sources of potassium alkaline salts, namely fruit and vegetables, may be beneficial for postmenopausal women at risk for osteoporosis, particularly those consuming a diet generous in sodium chloride.
Engineering insect flight metabolics using immature stage implanted microfluidics

Small-scale insect inspired aircraft represent a promising approach to downscaling traditional aircraft designs. Despite advancements in microfabrication, however, it has proven difficult to fully replicate the mechanical complexities that enable these natural systems. As an alternative, recent efforts have used implanted electrical, optical or acoustic microsystems to exert direct control over insect flight. Here we demonstrate, for the first time, a method of directly and reversibly engineering insect flight metabolics using immature stage implanted microfluidics. We present our technique and device for on-command modulation of the internal levels of L-glutamic and L-aspartate acids and quantify the resulting changes in metabolic activity by monitoring respiratory CO2 output. Microfluidic devices implanted 1 to 2 days prior to insects' emergence achieved survivability and flight-capable rates of 96% and 36%, respectively. Behavior ranging from retarded motion to complete, reversible paralysis, over timescales ranging from minutes to hours is demonstrated.
Induced mutations affecting pollinator choice in Mimulus lewisii (Phrymaceae)

The flowering plants are one of the most phenotypically varied and wide-ranging groups of organisms on earth, and yet, we have limited understanding of the contribution of animal pollinators to the diversification of floral form. To explore the interaction between variation in floral form and pollinator behavior, we observed the foraging behavior of bumblebees (Bombus impatiens) when presented with both wild-type Mimulus lewisii plants and each of three chemically induced single-locus mutants with altered floral phenotypes, including loss of the three lower petals, loss of nectar guides, and a change in petal color patterning. We found that each of the mutants attracted successful pollinator visits at just 29–80% of the rate relative to wild-type flowers, suggesting that effective recruitment of bumblebee pollinators requires the landing platform provided by the lower petals, and visual cues provided by the nectar guides and petal color pattern. Since single-locus recessive mutations are capable of ablating the lower petals, nectar guides, and color pattern, such changes in floral form provide insight into the driving forces behind plant adaptation.
Summary and applicability of analog fault detection/isolation techniques

A survey of common analog fault diagnostic techniques is provided. The focus is on providing information to facilitate the use of viable techniques suited for a problem definition. The level of understanding of the analog system is correlated with the type of techniques best suited for the diagnostic system. Reviewed are techniques from Control Theory, Probability Theory, Computational Expert Systems, and Computational Artificial intelligence. The Control Theory techniques are suited best for system diagnostic problems where the system model is accurately understood. Techniques that employ Probability Theory are valuable for addressing uncertainty that arises in diagnostics of systems affected by noise. Computational Expert Systems address the problem of diagnostics by creating a data situations where the diagnostic process is accurately understood. Computational Artificial Intelligence techniques are presented as being best suited for systems where little reliable knowledge is known. The analysis does not preclude the use of any technique, but rather addresses efficiency of application.
Generalizing metamodules to simplify planning in modular robotic systems

In this paper we develop a theory of metamodules and an associated distributed asynchronous planner which generalizes previous work on metamodules for lattice-based modular robotic systems. All extant modular robotic systems have some form of non-holonomic motion constraints. This has prompted many researchers to look to metamodules, i.e., groups of modules that act as a unit, as a way to reduce motion constraints and the complexity of planning. However, previous metamodule designs have been specific to a particular modular robot. By analyzing the constraints found in modular robotic systems we develop a holonomic metamodule which has two important properties: (1) it can be used as the basic unit of an efficient planner and (2) it can be instantiated by a wide variety of different underlying modular robots, e.g., modular robot arms, expanding cubes, hex-packed spheres, etc. Using a series of transformations we show that our practical metamodule system has a provably complete planner. Finally, our approach allows the task of shape transformation to be separated into a planning task and a resource allocation task. We implement our planner for two different metamodule systems and show that the time to completion scales linearly with the diameter of the ensemble.
Reading First in Pennsylvania: Achievement Findings after Five Years

This article reports on the student achievement outcomes for third graders in Reading First (RF) schools in Pennsylvania over the five years of implementation for the group as a whole, for disaggregated groups of third graders, and for third graders who received reading instruction in RF schools for one, two, and three years. We also present a school-level growth measure for representing school improvement and for characterizing the success of RF in Pennsylvania. Results indicate that third-grade students in these RF schools are making substantially more progress in third-grade reading than are students in other schools in Pennsylvania, there is an increase of nearly 24% of students performing at proficient or advanced level over the five years, and the students in the below basic range on the achievement measure declined nearly 18%. Further, the disaggregated data show that the achievement gap, though not closed, was reduced for all groups of third graders. Finally, nearly 80% of the RF schools were succ...
Discipline and Resistance: Order and Disorder in a Cardiac Rehabilitation Clinic

The author of this article offers an analysis of cardiac rehabilitation based on fieldwork conducted in two cardiac rehabilitation clinics. Disciplinary power is exercised through confessional, disciplinary, and surveillance technologies of cardiac rehabilitation. Through her analysis, the author shows how clients adhere to but also challenge agendas of rehabilitation. Transgressing, complaining about, and clowning despite the rules and regimens of the clinic, clients actively create and negotiate the social world of the clinic. Order and disorder prevail, as the scope of the medical gaze is contingent and tenuous. The analysis reveals pleasurable and productive possibilities experienced by clients and describes enabling bodily, self, and social transformations made possible by the disciplinary, confessional, and surveillance technologies of rehabilitation.
Topic modeling with network regularization

In this paper, we formally define the problem of topic modeling with network structure (TMN). We propose a novel solution to this problem, which regularizes a statistical topic model with a harmonic regularizer based on a graph structure in the data. The proposed method bridges topic modeling and social network analysis, which leverages the power of both statistical topic models and discrete regularization. The output of this model well summarizes topics in text, maps a topic on the network, and discovers topical communities. With concrete selection of a topic model and a graph-based regularizer, our model can be applied to text mining problems such as author-topic analysis, community discovery, and spatial text mining. Empirical experiments on two different genres of data show that our approach is effective, which improves text-oriented methods as well as network-oriented methods. The proposed model is general; it can be applied to any text collections with a mixture of topics and an associated network structure.
Linguistic support for semantic identification and interpretation in multidatabases

Ongoing research in the area of linguistic support for semantic identification and interpretation in multidatabase system is presented. The summary schemas model is discussed as a suitable adjunct to multidatabase language systems in order to provide automatic identification of semantically similar entities in different local databases. The summary schemas model also provides a user friendly global interface that accepts queries in the user's own terms. Two taxonomies are reviewed as possible bases for the summary schemas model. Experimental results from using the two taxonomies are discussed. >
Vascular Graft Replacement of the Ascending and Descending Aorta: Do Dacron Grafts Grow?

Background The tendency of Dacron vascular grafts to expand after placement in the ascending and descending thoracic aorta has been noted, but never described in detail. Methods From 1986 to 2005, two or more computed tomography studies were obtained as part of routine postoperative surveillance in patients with Dacron grafts implanted to replace diseased aortic segments. Scans were digitized to evaluate the entire thoracic aorta. The median diameters of 547 grafts (18 to 34 mm) in the ascending (349) and descending (198) aorta were calculated from more than 2,000 postoperative computed tomography scans. Results In scans obtained 7 or fewer days after implantation, the median graft diameters increased from the manufacturer's measurement by 17% in the ascending aorta (n = 169; interquartile range, 11% to 21%; p p p = 0.0001). Descending grafts dilated less markedly: 1.1% per year (n = 80; interquartile range, −4.0% to +6.1%; p = 0.14). After 18 months, median graft expansion gradually diminished to less than 1% per year. Conclusions Significant initial expansion and early growth of woven vascular Dacron grafts occurs; it is slightly different in the ascending and descending aorta. Graft expansion should be anticipated when selecting grafts for aortic valve–sparing procedures to prevent development of regurgitation, and, for endoluminal repair of thoracoabdominal aneurysms, to prevent development of type III endoleaks in the projected landing zone.
Transhepatic techniques for accessing the biliary tract.

Gaining access to the biliary tract by minimal invasive image-guided techniques is the forefront procedure for interventionalists to manage biliary disease. The technical know how and learned maneuvers are the fundamental skill sets of an interventional radiologist. This article details the technical maneuvers that can be utilized to gain access to the biliary tract with a needle and/or cathter/wire combinations. These techniques include (1) fluoroscopic-guided needle localization from a percutaneous transhepatic approach, (2) different types of wire access/entry into the biliary system, (3) the use of intrabiliary snares as targets for secondary/additional biliary access, (4) recannulating transhepatic biliary tracts after inadvertent discontinuation of percutaneous biliary drains, and (5) ultrasound-guided left-sided biliary duct access.
Cepstral Filtering on a Columnar Image Architecture: A Fast Algorithm for Binocular Stereo Segmentation

Many primate visual cortex architectures have a prominent feature responsible for the mixing of left and right eye visual data: ocular dominance columns represent thin (about 5-10 minutes of arc) strips of alternating left and right eye input to the brain. It is shown that such an architecture, when operated upon with a cepstral filter, provides a strong cue for binocular stereopsis. Specifically, the vector of binocular disparity may be easily identified in the output of the (columnar based) cepstral filter. This algorithm is illustrated with application to a random dot stereogram and to natural images. The authors suggest that this provides a fast algorithm for stereo segmentation, in a machine vision context. In a biological context, it may provide a computational rationale for the existence of columnar systems with regard to both ocular mixing and other visual modalities that have a columnar architecture. >
Emergency Department inter-hospital transfer for post-cardiac arrest care: Initial experience with implementation of a regional cardiac resuscitation center in the United States

Abstract Objective The American Heart Association recently recommended regional cardiac resuscitation centers (CRCs) for post-resuscitation care following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Our objective was to describe initial experience with CRC implementation. Methods Prospective observational study of consecutive post-resuscitation patients transferred from community Emergency Departments (EDs) to a CRC over 9 months. Transfer criteria were: OHCA, return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), and comatose after ROSC. Incoming patients were received and stabilized in the ED of the CRC where advanced therapeutic hypothermia (TH) modalities were applied. Standardized post-resuscitation care included: ED evaluation for cardiac catheterization, TH (33–34 °C) for 24 h, 24 h/day critical care physician support, and evidence-based neurological prognostication. Prospective data collection utilized the Utstein template. The primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge with good neurological function [Cerebral Performance Category 1 or 2]. Results Twenty-seven patients transferred from 11 different hospitals were included. The majority (21/27 [78%]) had arrest characteristics suggesting poor prognosis for survival (i.e. asystole/pulseless electrical activity initial rhythm, absence of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or an unwitnessed cardiac arrest). The median (IQR) time from transfer initiation to reaching TH target temperature was 7 (5–13) h. Ten (37%) patients survived to hospital discharge, and of these 9/10 (90% of survivors, 33% of all patients) had good neurological function. Conclusions Despite a high proportion of patients with cardiac arrest characteristics suggesting poor prognosis for survival, we found that one-third of CRC transfers survived with good neurological function. Further research to determine if regional CRCs improve outcomes after cardiac arrest is warranted.
Parental Problem Drinking and Adolescent Psychological Problems The Moderating Effect of Adolescent–Parent Communication

The primary aim of this study was to examine whether adolescent–parent communication moderates the relationship between parental problem drinking and adolescent psychological problems. Surveys were administered to a community sample of 1,001 adolescents in the spring of 2007. Results indicate that paternal problem drinking was associated with adolescent alcohol use, whereas maternal problem drinking was associated with adolescent depression. In addition, open adolescent–parent communication specifically acts as a protective factor for girls but not for boys. These results highlight the need to consider both the gender of the adolescent and the gender of the parent when examining the adolescent–parent relationship.
ULTRAVIOLET IRRADIATION OF NUCLEIC ACIDS COMPLEXED WITH HEAVY ATOMS-II. PHOSPHORESCENCE AND PHOTODIMERIZATION OF DNA COMPLEXED WITH Ag*

— We have studied the luminescence (at 77°K) and photochemistry (at 298°K) of a variety of polynucleotides complexed with Ag+. In all cases we observed that Ag+ induces a ‘heavy atom effect’ as indicated by quenching of fluorescence, enhancement of phosphorescence, and reduction of triplet lifetimes. The enhancement by Ag+ of the phosphorescence intensity of poly (dT) and DNA paralleled a 20-fold enhancement of the rate of thymine dimerization. These results suggest a possible triplet precursor for thymine dimerization in Ag+ complexes. Dimers were also made with a variety of triplet sensitizers, and Ag+ increased the dimer yield two- to four-fold, depending on the sensitizer used.
Multidimensional Scaling and Clustering in Marketing: Paul Green’s Role

This paper is divided into two main parts: The first concerns the history of Multidimensional Scaling (MDS), focusing especially on Paul Green’s role in defining the role of MDS in marketing. The second concerns Clustering, again emphasizing Green’s role in defining the theory and practice of clustering methodology applied to marketing, both in the form of market segmentation and various tools used in competitive market structure analysis.
Seasonal Pattern of Host-Seeking Activity by the Human-Biting Adult Life Stage of Dermacentor andersoni (Acari: Ixodidae)

Nonremoval drag sampling was conducted in multiple sites in Larimer County, CO, from March to July 2006 to determine the seasonal pattern of host-seeking activity by the human-biting adult life stage of the Rocky Mountain wood tick, Dermacentor andersoni Stiles (Acari: Ixodidae). Four sites, at elevations ranging from 1,790 to 2,470 m, consistently yielded host-seeking ticks. Ticks were active from March until late June; the length of the active period ranged from 84 to 104 d. Based on site-specific linear regression models of increase and decrease in tick host-seeking activity over time, densities of D. andersoni adults were estimated to reach 50% of their peaks between 2 and 11 April, to peak between 21 and 28 April, and to fall below 50% of the peaks between 24 and 27 May. The length of the periods with tick densities exceeding 50 and 75% of the peak was 43–52 and 21–26 d, respectively. Rapid increases in tick numbers in late March to early April followed a stretch of days with daily maximum temperatures exceeding 5°C, whereas rapidly declining tick numbers in mid- to late May were associated with daily maximum temperatures consistently exceeding 20°C and daily minimum relative humidity commonly falling below 20%. Densities of D. andersoni adults exceeded 50% of the peak when daily maximum temperatures were in the 16–19°C range and daily minimum relative humidity was >20%. Finally, tick seasonality may be adapted to local climatic conditions within Larimer County; site-specific daily maximum temperatures at the time of peak tick host-seeking activity in late April were positively associated with site-specific mean daily maximum temperatures for April.
Neuroinformatics for C. elegans: Relating Mind and Body in Wormbase

In this chapter, we have described how neuroscience data for the nematode C. elegans are deposited to and accessed from database. Research on neuroscience of C. elegans has attracted tremendous attention primarily because of its simple nervous system with 302 neurons. Data generated by comprehensive reconstruction and other efforts were initially deposited to and retrieved from ACeDB. More recently, Wormbase was created, which allows users to access data remotely and easily.
Exercise increases susceptibility of muscle glucose transport to activation by various stimuli

The insulin sensitivity of glucose transport in skeletal muscle is enhanced after exercise. In this study, stimulation of transport of the nonmetabolizable glucose analogue 3-O-methylglucose by the...
258 THE ASSOCIATION OF BODY MASS INDEX AND LEPTIN WITH SERUM AND URINE LEUKOTRIENE LEVELS IN MODERATE TO SEVERE ASTHMATIC ADULTS AND NONASTHMATIC CONTROLS.

Introduction Obese asthmatics appear to benefit more from antileukotriene drugs when compared with leaner asthmatics. However, it is unknown whether leukotriene (LT) levels are associated with body mass index (BMI) or leptin in these patients. Objective Describe the association of BMI and leptin with serum and urine leukotriene levels in asthmatics and nonasthmatic adults. Methods Moderate to severe asthmatics and nonasthmatic controls were invited to participate. All asthmatics were free from an exacerbation, were current nonsmokers, had an FEV1/FVC > 0.70, and were on inhaled corticosteroids. Participants provided urine samples for urinary LTE4 and plasma samples for LTB4, LTE4, and adipokines. All subjects also performed spirometry and exhaled nitric oxide (NO). Results A total of 65 asthmatics and 43 controls participated in the study. The average BMI was 32 (95% CI 31-35) in asthmatic subjects and 31 (29-33) in controls. A total of 54% of asthmatics were taking monteleukast. In asthmatics, the levels of plasma LTB4, LTE4, und urinary LTE4 (pg/mL) were 106 (95% CI 94-118), 620 (546-694), and 1,077 (846-1,309) respectively, whereas in controls these were 102 (80-125), 625 (537-714), and 1,050 (876-1,225). These levels were not statistically different. Plasma LTE4 levels were marginally lower in obese asthmatics compared with asthmatics with normal BMI (p = .06). Urinary LTE4 was also associated with increased exhaled isoprostane levels, independent of BMI (p Conclusions There were no consistent associations between BMI and leptin with leukotriene levels. Urinary LTE4 does appear to be associated with airway oxidation in asthmatics, independent of BMI.
Investigation of Enterobacter sakazakii contamination in Sushi

Objective:To find out the contamination status of sushi by Enterobacter sakazakii.Methods:Forty sushi samples were subjected to isolation and identification of Enterobacter sakazakii utilizing routine bacterial culture method and real-time PCR,respectively.Results:Four strains of Enterobacter sakazakii were isolated and identified from the 40 sushi samples,and the positive rate was 10%.The results obtained by the two identification methods were consistent.Conclusion:Enterobacter sakazakii contamination poses great risk to the food safety of sushi.
Etiologic study of 32 Yersinia enterocolitica strains

Objective To investigate the etiology and distribution of Yersinia enterocolitica in Xuzhou area.Methods Yersinia strains were isolated from the feces of patients with diarrhea,live stock and poultry,as well as from flies and meat products using conventional methods.The isolates were tested for serologic,biologic types and drug resistance.Polymerase chain reaction(PCR)tech nique was used to detect virulence gene.At the same time,the detected O:3 and O:9 strains, which were the main epidemic strains in China,were analyzed using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).Results Thirty-two strains(17 serotypes)of Yersinia enterolitica were detected from 2014 samples.The total isolation rate was 1.59%,among Which the isolation rate of O:3 and O:9 sero- types that have the same mechanism of drug resistance was 9.4%.Among the 32 strains,the strains carrying all,ystA,yadA,virF virulence genes or the strains carrying all,ystA virulence genes both counted for 9.4%.Only ystB gene positive strains were 21.8%.The strains with none of the above genes were 59.4%.The 32 strains of Yersinia enterolitica were divided into 3 biological types, among which type 1A was 78.1%,type 3 was 18.8%,and type 2 was 3.1%.The fragments of PFGE were the same between the 2 isolates of O:3 serological type of Yersinia enterolitica isolated in this area,which was the main clone of O:3 serological type in China.Conclusion There are path- ogenic strains of O:3 and O:9 serological types of Yersinia enterolitica and related diarrhea diseases in Xuzhou area,which need much attention.
Investigating profiles of lexical quality in preschool and their contribution to first grade reading

This longitudinal study investigated profiles of lexical quality domains in preschool children and the extent to which profile membership predicted reading comprehension in first grade. A latent profile analysis was conducted to classify 420 preschool children on lexical quality domains, including orthography, phonology, morphosyntax, and vocabulary. Regression analysis was used to determine whether profile membership was associated with first grade outcomes across reading comprehension and its components (i.e., listening comprehension and word recognition). Results revealed five profiles of lexical quality which were predictive of all three outcomes in first grade. Children in low lexical quality profiles performed more poorly on the outcome measures than children in the higher lexical quality profiles. Additionally, profile membership did differentially predict later reading outcomes. These results suggest that lexical quality profiles are associated with reading and therefore may offer a means of early identification of children who are susceptible to future reading difficulties.
Recovery of Cranberry Plants Infected With Tobacco streak virus and Incidence and Distribution of TSV in the Field

Tobacco streak virus (TSV) has been detected in cranberry plants in Wisconsin, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, and is associated with berry scarring symptoms. In the current study, cv. Mullica Queen plants that produced scarred, symptomatic, TSV-positive fruit in one year produced nonscarred, asymptomatic, TSV-positive fruit in subsequent years, consistent with the "recovery" phenomenon previously documented in other ilarvirus-woody plant interactions. In field trials, fruit set and berry weight were significantly reduced (P < 0.05) in symptomatic, TSV-positive cranberry shoots but not in recovered, TSV-positive shoots compared with healthy, TSV-negative shoots. Likewise, return bloom in the first year following berry scarring was not negatively impacted in recovered shoots. Detection of TSV in various plant parts throughout the growing season was more variable in symptomatic shoots than in recovered shoots. Of all plant parts tested, TSV detection was lowest in berries at the time of harvest in both symptomatic and recovered shoots. Minimal increases in incidence of TSV-infected shoots in cranberry beds from one year to the next, and spatial autocorrelation of TSV-infected shoots, suggest that most new infections result from TSV spreading within a bed, rather than frequent introductions of the virus from external sources.
On the Electoral Persistence of Parties of the Right

A puzzle in the political behavior of European mass publics is that successive cohorts of young people enter the electorate with higher levels of support for the left than those preceeding them, yet the overall electoral strength of parties of the right remains relatively constant through time. Electoral behavior can be volatile, and support for the right over any particular time span is likely to be increasing in some countries and stable or decreasing in others. Yet, given the leftist orientations of the young, generational replacement of the electorate implies an inevitable decline in support for parties of the right. Why has this not taken place? The reasons are undoubtedly various and complex. We will examine several explanations for which the Eurobarometers provide an excellent source of data.
Model-based selective catalytic reduction systems aging estimation

This paper presents an estimation method for automotive selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems aging conditions. SCR has been widely recognized as one of the leading after treatment systems for reducing Diesel powertrain tailpipe NOx emissions in ground vehicle applications. While fresh SCRs are quite effective in reducing tailpipe NO x emissions, their NOx reduction capabilities and performances may substantially degrade with in-service aging. To maintain the emission control performance of a SCR system during the entire vehicle service life, it is thus critical to have an accurate estimation of SCR system aging condition. In this paper, a Lyapunov-based observer is analytically developed for estimating the SCR aging condition and verified in simulations. The measurement uncertainty is explicitly considered in the observer design process. A sufficient condition for the boundedness of the estimation error is derived. Simulation results under the US06 test cycle demonstrate effectiveness of the proposed observer.
Near Infrared Spectroscopy Another Toy or Indispensible Diagnostic Tool

The pursuit to identify vulnerable plaque has been relentless, as it is responsible for major healthcare problems, such as sudden cardiac death and acute coronary syndromes, including acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Per definition, vulnerable plaque is plaque that is prone to rupture but has not yet ruptured.1 The features associated with vulnerable plaque include a large lipid core, thin fibrous cap overlying the lipid core, increased macrophage activity, positive remodeling, and increased vasa vasorum.2 Among these 5 components, the 2 most important ones are probably the large lipid core and thin fibrous cap. Article see p 55 Since 95% of ruptured fibrous caps are thinner than 65 μm, noninvasive diagnostic tests such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance do not have sufficient resolution to accurately measure this thin structure. Therefore, a number of intravascular diagnostic modalities have been extensively tested over the last decade3 (Table). Among those most widely tested are radiofrequency intravascular ultrasound, angioscopy, and optical coherence tomography. Recently, near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) received US Food and Drug Administration approval. It is now being actively investigated. View this table: Table. Comparison of Invasive Diagnostic Modalities for Detection of Vulnerable Plaque Radiofrequency intravascular ultrasound was used in the PROSPECT trial4 and showed that plaque burden >70%, virtual histology-thin–cap fibroatheroma, and minimal luminal area ≤4.0 mm2 are factors for composite major adverse cardiac events during the 3-year follow-up period. Although the factors for future cardiac events were identified, all 3 predictors are related to plaque burden, …
The Challenges of Sustainability Ethics

Chapter 5 provides a short summary of Chaps. 2–4, which together constitute Part I of the book. I emphasize that sustainability ethics must be a relational ethics that entails an individual and a systemic component, and I outline the challenges of the development of such an ethical approach.
The applied value of public investments in biomedical research

Public funding for research depends on the idea that the resulting knowledge translates into socially valuable outcomes, such as medicines. Such linkages are easier to assert than to prove. Li et al. studied 27 years of grant-level funding by the U.S. National Institutes of Health. About 10% of grants are directly cited by patents, suggesting some technological application, and 30% of grants are cited in research articles that are then cited in patents. Five percent of grants result in papers cited by patents for successfully approved drugs, compared with less than 1% that are cited directly by such patents. These patterns hold regardless of whether the research is more basic or applied. Science , this issue p. [78][1] [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aal0010
Lung adenocarcinoma microRNA-31 expression levels to predict lymph node metastasis and patient survival.

7573 Background: In this study we performed genome-wide microRNA-seqencing (miRNA-seq) in lung adenocacinoma (ADC) patient samples and used bioinformatic analyses to identify novel and annotated microRNAs that are differentially expressed between patients with and patients without lymph node metastasis, as well as examining their potential prognostic value. Methods: Sixty four frozen tissue specimens from lung ADC patients collected between 2003 and 2012 were obtained through the OSUCCC Tissue Procurement Shared Resource, approved by internal review board (IRB). Total RNA samples were processed and loaded on the Applied Biosystems SOLiD 4 sequencing system for data acquisition. 249 patients from the TCGA lung ADC cohort were used for results validation. Human lung ADC cell lines H23 and H1573 were used for in vitro functional assays. Results: We identified several microRNAs that were associated with the presence of lymph node metastasis in primary lung adenocarcinoma tissues using genome-wide miRNA-seq. W...
Empirical Synthesis of the Effect of Standard Error of Measurement on Decisions Made within Brief Experimental Analyses of Reading Fluency

Intervention researchers often use curriculum-based measurement of reading fluency (CBM-R) with a brief experimental analysis (BEA) to identify an effective intervention for individual students. The current study synthesized data from 22 studies that used CBM-R data within a BEA by computing the standard error of measure (SEM) for the median data point from the baseline and intervention data. The median CBM-R score from the intervention that the authors of each study identified as most effective fell within the SEM (68% confidence interval) of the baseline data approximately 30% of the time, but the ranges for the two author-identified most effective interventions overlapped over 75% of the time. Extended analyses were consistent with the BEA results for approximately three-fourths of the instances after considering the SEM of the baseline and intervention phases. Using matched passages did not improve the overlap of the ranges, but there was less overlap when the study used three data points per condition. Results emphasize the importance of considering SEM of CBM-R data when comparing interventions within a BEA. Further implications for practice and future research are included.
Inference for Spatial Time Series

A class of product (or separable) ARMA processes defined on a k-dimensional lattice is considered. It is shown how the study of these k-dimensional processes can be reduced to the study of k one-dimensional ARMA processes. From observations of the process, this allows us to calculate the exact Gaussian likelihood function and the asymptotic distribution of the maximum likelihood estimators of the model coefficients.
Development of a Cigarette Tobacco Filler Standard Reference Material

A new tobacco filler Standard Reference Material (SRM) has been issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in September 2016 with certified and reference mass fraction values for nicotine, N-nitrosonornicotine, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone, and volatiles. The constituents have been determined by multiple analytical methods with measurements at NIST and at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and with confirmatory measurements by commercial laboratories. This effort highlights the development of the first SRM for reduced nicotine and reduced tobacco-specific nitrosamines with certified values for composition.
Perioperative Management of Female Hormone Medications.

BACKGROUND No clear guideline exists for the management of female hormone therapy in the perioperative period. Besides oral contraceptives (OCPs), hormone medications have been prescribed to treat cancer, osteoporosis, and menopausal symptoms. Since the introduction of OCPs in the 1960s, the thromboembolic risk associated with these medications has been studied and alterations have been made in the hormone content. The continuation of hormone therapy in the perioperative period and its possible interactions with commonly used anesthetic agents are important information for all perioperative health care providers. OBJECTIVE A review was done on the current guideline and available literature for the mechanisms of action and perioperative management of OCPs, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and antineoplastic hormonal modulators. METHOD Available guidelines and literature were reviewed and summarized. RESULTS Based on the available literature, no definite guidelines have been established for perioperative management of OCPs and HRT. However, manufacturers have recommended that these medications should be held perioperatively. Other antineoplastic hormonal modulators have increased the risk of venous thromboembolism and have perioperative implications that should be discussed with the prescribing physicians and addressed with the patient. CONCLUSION Until additional studies are performed, the risks and benefits must be weighed on an individual basis with consideration of prophylaxis when a decision is made to continue these medications in the perioperative period. Part of this decision making includes the risk of fetal harm in an unwanted pregnancy in preparation for nonobstetric surgery versus an increased risk of venous thromboembolism.
Administration without Sovereignty

The article offers both a sympathetic and a skeptical perspective on the global administrative law project. While the author agrees with the project's major premise that processes of global governance are to be described in administrative terms he also expresses doubts as to whether these processes are susceptible to the discipline of legality. The article speculates if what has been described hitherto as a move beyond the state might not be better understood, in fact, as the unfettering of statal administrative rationality from legal bounds. In particular, facile attempts to submit administrative processes to some discursively fluid form of legal constraint are likely to fall prey to what the law is supposed to control and thus to obscure social reality owing to the influence of normative idealisations.
Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone, Family of

Corticotropin-releasing hormone [CRH; also referred to as corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)] is a member of a family of related peptides in vertebrates that includes the fish urotensins-I, frog sauvagine, and the urocortin/stresscopin peptides. CRF was first named for its stimulatory effect on corticotropin [also known as adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)] secretion from the anterior pituitary gland. ACTH is the primary pituitary regulator of adrenal glucocorticoid biosynthesis and secretion. Members of the CRH family of peptides play central roles in the regulation of neuroendocrine, autonomic, and behavioral responses to physical and emotional stress.
Reproduction, Events and Management | Pregnancy: Physiology

Successful pregnancy requires an orchestration of events between the developing conceptus and the reproductive tract in which it resides. Early in development, before the 8- to 16-cell stage, the conceptus is transcriptionally inactive and relies on mRNA inherited from the oocyte for protein synthesis. It is not until days 16–18 that the ruminant conceptus adheres to the uterine endometrium. Until this time, the conceptus is dependent upon secretions from the oviduct and endometrium for nutritional support. A key event in early pregnancy is rescue of the corpus luteum from luteolysis. This event, caused by secretion of interferon-τ by the trophoblast, allows continued progesterone secretion by the corpus luteum. Progesterone is needed for the continuation of pregnancy. At least 140 endometrial genes are upregulated by progesterone and these gene products are involved in inhibition of uterine contractions, nourishment of the conceptus, angiogenesis, regulation of immune function, and placentation. Once formed, the placenta is very efficient at transfer of nutrients to the conceptus because of the organization of the maternal and fetal vasculatures. Nonetheless, nutritional deprivation or other insults to placental function can compromise fetal development and cause adverse effects on the physiology of the offspring that can persist into adulthood.
Improved diagnostic precision of urine cytology by implementation of The Paris System and the use of cell blocks.

BACKGROUND The Paris System for Reporting Urinary Cytology (TPS) published in 2016 provides a standardized approach to evaluating urine cytology. In the authors' practice, a TPS-like approach was adopted in 2012 using similarly defined cytologic criteria and correlating cystoscopic findings, and they also began incorporating the use of cell block (CB) material. The objective of the current study was to assess whether this TPS-like approach with the use of CB, as well as direct implementation of TPS, improved the diagnostic value of urine cytology. METHODS In total, 188 consecutive urine cytology specimens from 2010 through 2016 that had concurrent or subsequent histologic specimens available were retrospectively analyzed for diagnostic correlation. Urine cytology performance was compared between the periods 2010 to 2012 (pre-TPS-like), 2013 to 2016 (TPS-like), and after TPS reclassification, including blind review by a cytopathologist. The contribution of available CB material to final diagnoses also was assessed. RESULTS Both the TPS-like approach and TPS reclassification resulted in significantly lowering the rate of atypical urothelial cells (AUC) diagnosis from 48%, to 21%, to 9% (from pre-TPS, to TPS-like, to after TPS reclassification, respectively; P < 0.01) while increasing the positive predictive value of an AUC diagnosis for high-grade urothelial carcinoma from 21%, to 43%, to 83%, respectively. The use of CBs contributed to a definitive final diagnosis in 24 of 36 cases (66.7%). CONCLUSIONS In support of the new TPS recommendations, the application of stringent "TPS-like" and TPS criteria improves the value of an AUC diagnosis for clinicians and patients by lowering the AUC rate and increasing the positive predictive value of AUC for high-grade urothelial carcinoma. CBs can be used to help resolve problematic cases for more definitive diagnostic categorization.
Multiscale Graph-Theoretic Modeling of Biomolecular Structures

Abstract Biological structures and phenomena often operate at multiple scales, and investigating important biological problems effectively often involves understanding these different scales and how they interact. However, the biological data often look very different depending on the scale of investigation, thereby making different modeling tools more or less effective. In this chapter, we present two case studies that focused on RNA and protein structures, describing how a variety of graph-theoretic tools that have been used to understand the folding, functioning, and evolution of these biomolecular structures at a variety of scales. In addition to introducing readers to specific graph-theoretic tools, the chapter aims to use these case studies as exemplars of modeling at different scales.
An Analysis of Large Bank Corporate Governance and Litigation Expenses

Over the past decade, the banking industry has incurred over $300 billion in litigation and related legal costs. We analyzed the litigation expense data and corporate governance data of seven US and six European banking institutions. The 13 banking intuitions incurred nearly $200 billion in litigation expenses, roughly two-thirds of the total litigation expense incurred by the entire banking industry. We compared corporate governance metrics to the litigation expenses for the same 13 banking institutions. There are four main findings: First, litigation expenses of large banks have been on the decline since 2015; second, although the US banks incurred much greater litigation expenses during the 2010–2014 period, their litigation expenses have declined much more quickly than those of the European banks during the 2015–2017 period; third, litigation expenses incurred by European banks have been much higher than those of US banks when compared with bank total revenues and total capital; fourth, for US banks there is a strong correlation between improved corporate governance and lower litigation costs. However, for European banks it appears that the comply-or-explain approach to corporate governance muddies the link between good corporate governance and lower litigation costs.
Do Mandatory Energy Audits Reduce Building Energy Use?: A Bayesian Analysis of New York City's Local Law 87

Cities are experimenting with a range of policy and regulatory tools to reduce energy use in the building sector as a pathway to substantial carbon emission reductions. Increasingly, cities are turning to policies that reduce information asymmetries and knowledge gaps through data transparency, focusing on existing buildings and the potential to achieve up to 50% energy savings through retrofit adoption. These include energy disclosure - or benchmarking - ordinances and, more recently, mandatory energy audit requirements. While energy benchmarking is a relatively low-cost mandate, energy audits impose non-trivial costs in terms of capital and time for building owners. The question we explore here is whether mandatory energy audits lead to reduced energy consumption over time. We collect detailed energy use and building attribute data from 2011 to 2016 for approximately 4,000 buildings in New York City and integrate with a unique dataset of mandatory energy audit reports for a randomly selected sample conducted in 2013 and 2014. We use non-parametric statistical tests and Bayesian regression to evaluate the impact of energy audits on building energy performance, compared to a control group of matched buildings not subject to the audit requirement. We find that mandatory energy audits have a modest negative impact on energy consumption, consistent with savings expected from low-cost energy conservation measures and retro-commissioning activities. The result reinforces the hypothesis that audits, by themselves, create an insufficient incentive to invest in energy efficiency upgrades at the scale needed to meet city carbon reduction goals.