cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of Data Collection and Integration Framework for Road Inventory Data

The availability and quality of transportation data is a cornerstone of any data-driven program. There is a continuous need to identify and develop alternative, reliable, and inexpensive sources of data and efficient and robust integration techniques. This research presents an innovative cost-effective application to collect geographic information system (GIS)-compatible data from image-based databases. Road inventory data on guardrail end-type locations along with other road features on more than 8,000 mi of Wisconsin State Trunk Network highways were collected. Data collected from image-based sources with Global Positioning System coordinates presented the familiar problem of spatial mismatch. A framework was developed based on the principles of dynamic segmentation to integrate the data and resolve the spatial mismatch problem. The principles of dynamic segmentation and route calibration are well established in literature. However, there were no specific examples of a framework that created a workable ...
X-Ray treatment of carbuncles and furuncles (boils) A historical assessment

The goal of this article was to assess the historical role of radiotherapy in the treatment of selected inflammatory diseases. The specific research involved a literature-based assessment of the use of x-rays during the first half of the 20th century for the treatment of furuncles and carbuncles, the potentially serious staphylococcus infections. X-Rays were reported to be effective as a treatment at relatively low dose, about 10-20% of the skin erythema dose, which often quickly and profoundly reduce pain and accelerate the resolution/healing of the furuncles and carbuncles. These findings were based on considerable clinical experience that was generally reported in the form of case studies. The mechanism of x-ray-induced reduction of inflammation and acceleration of healing was suggested to result from a combination of immune alterations that enhanced phagocytosis as well as via an anti-localization effect on the pathogenic organism that facilitates their destruction.
A TECHNIQUE FOR ANALYSIS OF HISTORICAL BIOGEOGRAPHY AND OTHER CHARACTERS IN COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY

presented. Initial hypotheses are preferred (1) which are implied by compatibility of the cladogram of the group with that of a relevant character and (2) which have the greatest precision and empirical content and the highest degree of falsifiability. In cases for which compatibility analysis is not possible, a minimal character state set hypothesis meets the latter criteria. Deduction of testable implications of the various hypotheses is made possible by fully stating them in a narrative summary. Finally, character state hypotheses for ancestral species may provide a basis for projecting unobserved character states of modem taxa. [Comparative biology; character analysis; cladogram compatibility; historical biogeography; character state projections.]
Attendance at clinical visits predicts weight loss after gastric bypass surgery.

Clinicians working with patients who undergo bariatric surgery have found loss to follow-up challenging; however, the impact of this factor on postsurgical weight loss has not been adequately examined. The purpose of this study was to determine whether patients who returned for office visits after their gastric bypass (GBP) lost more weight than those who did not. All patients treated with GBP by a single surgeon during 2003 were eligible. Measured weights were obtained from surgical and local physician records over 24 months after GBP. Attender status was defined by whether patients attended the 12-month post-GBP visit, and number of visits attended was recorded. When measured weights were not available at 1.5, 6, 12, or 24 months, the previous measured weight was carried forward. Weight loss over time was compared by attender group and by visit number using mixed models and ≥50% excess weight loss (EWL) by logistic regression. Weight loss was greater in attenders and men (both p < 0.05). Increasing number of visits and BMI were associated with increased kilogram weight loss and %EWL (both p < 0.001). The odds of ≥50% EWL were 3.3-fold greater at 12 months and 2.8-fold greater at 24 months with each unit increase in visit number (both p = 0.001). For optimal weight loss over 24 months after GBP, follow-up is important. Further studies are needed to develop strategies that will optimize follow-up and weight loss, and to evaluate whether a threshold number of clinic visits can be established.
Mutational spectrum and recombinogenic effects induced by aminofluorene adducts in bacteriophage M13

Double-stranded replicative form (RFI) DNA of bacteriophage M13 strain M13mp10 which carries partial lacZ gene has been modified in vitro to various extents with N-hydroxy-2-amino-fluorene (N-OH-AF) and then transfected into E. coli cells. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis results demonstrate that the sole adduct (95%) formed in modified DNA is N-(deoxyguanosine-8-yl)-2-aminofluorene (dG-C8-AF). Approximately 20 adducts per RFI molecule constitute 1 lethal event when plaque-forming ability is assayed on E. coli cells which have received no prior SOS induction. The mutagenicity of dG-C8-AF adducts was assayed by measuring loss of beta-galactosidase activity as a function of adducts per molecule. A dose-dependent increase in Lac- mutants was observed, with a 4-fold increase in mutants per survivor at 30 adducts/molecule. The mutations produced, characterized by DNA sequencing, occur predominantly at either G or C positions different from those observed in the spontaneous mutant spectrum. Restriction-mapping results show that in our assay system, dG-C8-AF adducts induce a previously unreported recombinogenic activity.
The Effect of Electrode Size on Transvenous Defibrillation Energy Requirements: A Prospective Evaluation

Recent technological advances have resulted in high success rates for implantation of nonthoracotomy defibrillation lead systems. Further decreases in defibrillator size, facilitating pectoral placement, will depend in part on lowering defibrillation energy requirements. The purpose of this study was to determine if endocardial defibrillation energy requirements are influenced by electrode size. Thirteen adult mongrel dogs were studied under general anesthesia. A 9 Fr integrated bipolar pace/sense/defibrillation electrode (cathode) was positioned transvenously at the RV apex. The second defibrillation electrode (anode) was positioned at the junction of the RA and SVC. Two diameters of the proximal electrode, 7 Fr and 11 Fr, were sequentially tested in random order in each animal. The DFT for each electrode was determined using a 50-V up-down method. Energy, leading edge voltage, and current, current distribution, and total resistance were measured. The mean defibrillation voltage threshold with the 11 Fr proximal electrode was significantly less than with the 7 Fr proximal electrode (551.1 +/- 76.5 V vs 588.5 +/- 54.6 V, P < 0.01). Similarly, the mean DFT with the 11 Fr electrode was less than with the 7 Fr electrode (20.7 +/- 5.7 J vs 23.3 +/- 4.4 J, P < 0.01). Lower DFTs were found using the larger electrode in 11 of the 13 animals studied. However, there was no difference in defibrillation lead impedance between the two electrode systems. Endocardial defibrillation energy requirements may be lowered with a larger diameter proximal electrode. The mechanism by which this occurs may be due to a more even distribution of current gradients with the larger electrode. Determination of the optimal electrode size requires evaluation in humans, as this may allow further reduction in defibrillation energy requirements and defibrillator size.
Overcharge Protection for High Voltage Lithium Cells Using Two Electroactive Polymers

A bilayer conducting polymer composite separator provides overcharge protection for high voltage rechargeable lithium batteries. The polymer with the higher oxidation potential is placed in contact with the cathode and sets the overcharge protection limit, while the lower voltage polymer completes the reversible shunt and protects the high voltage polymer from degradation due to instability at the anode potential. The passage of an oxidation front through such a polymer bilayer was visualized using a transparent thin-film cell, and the approach was successfully used for internal protection of LiFePO 4 /Li cells and external protection of LiNi 0 . 8 Co 0 . 1 5 Al 0 . 0 5 O 2 /Li cells.
Robust Bundle Adjustment for Structure from Motion

Structure from motion (SFM) is the problem of reconstructing the geometry of a scene from a stream of images. In this problem, the geometry of the scene must be inferred from images, along with the camera pose parameters. Bundle adjustment (BA) is a refinement method used to improve SFM solutions. It consists in simultaneously improving a set of initial estimates for all parameters (structure and camera pose) by minimizing a global cost function. It is generally considered to be highly accurate, and so is typically used as a last refinement step in most current SFM methods. Unfortunately, estimating the pose of the camera from a stream of images is an ill-conditioned problem. We thus propose a BA adjustment formulation which does not involve solving for the camera orientations. We tested this approach on several real world models. The numerical results obtained show that this approach is much less affected by noise than traditional BA.
Micrometer-Resolution High Speed Imaging of Pulsed Microdischarge Ignition

The application of a short, pulsed excitation is known to allow for higher power deposition into microdischarges without the onset of instabilities. Here, a MOSFET-based high voltage pulser is used to drive a 50-torr argon microdischarge with short pulsed currents of ~75 A, with <;100-ns full-width at half-maximum, and a repetition rate of 1 MHz. With this excitation, an average power density of ~10 13 W/m 3 is achieved, with a peak power density~3.10 14 W/m 3 . A high speed iCCD camera is used to observe ignition processes and confirm the absence of unstable operation. The images were taken using a 5-ns gate time with a spatial resolution of ~2.5 μm.
15N n.m.r.: Substituent effects on nitrogen chemical shifts in anilinium ions

15N chemical shifts were measured in a series of anilinium fluorosulfonate salts and compared with chemical shift data from a comparable series of 15N-enriched aniline derivatives. A smaller overall range of nitrogen chemical shifts was observed for the protonated aniline series compared with that for the unprotonated anilines and is attributed to the elimination of nitrogen lone pair delocalization in the former series. Further-more, it was found that the range of nitrogen chemical shifts in the protonated anilines is determined primarily by substituent electronic effects from the ortho ring position with almost negligible contributions from the para position.
Remediation of Deficits in Recognition of Facial Emotions in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

This study evaluated the efficacy of the Mind Reading interactive computer software to remediate emotion recognition deficits in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Six unmedicated children with ASD and 11 unmedicated non-clinical control subjects participated in the study. The clinical sample used the software for five sessions. The control sample was evaluated only on pre- and post-test performance to assess practice effects. Results showed that participants with ASD scored significantly higher on the posttest than on the pretest. As level of emotion difficulty increased, mean scores on the pretest decreased, indicating that difficulty level had a valid effect. The Mind Reading computer software appears to significantly improve the emotion recognition abilities in children with ASD.
Some Results Concerning the Estimation of Beta Distribution Parameters in PERT

The traditional method of estimating mean activity-time in PERT analysis, as a weighted average of the pessimistic, most likely and optimistic activity-times, is examined. Based on properties of the beta distribution, it is shown that there are theoretical grounds for using this estimate for a specified range of modal activity times. Finally, a simple refinement of the estimate is suggested when the modal value lies outside this range.
Activities of extracellular enzymes in physically isolated fractions of restored grassland soils

Extracellular enzymes degrade complex organic compounds and contribute to carbon turnover in soils. We used physical fractionation procedures to investigate whether soil carbon is spatially isolated from degradative enzymes across a prairie restoration chronosequence in Illinois, USA. We found that carbon-degrading enzymes were abundant in all soil fractions, including macroaggregates, microaggregates, and the clay-sized fraction. The activities of two cellulose-degrading enzymes and a chitin-degrading enzyme were 2–10 times greater in particulate organic matter (POM) fractions than in bulk soil, consistent with the rapid turnover of POM fractions. Polyphenol oxidase activity in the clay-sized fraction was 3 times that in the bulk soil, despite a higher mean residence time for carbon in the clay-sized fraction. For most enzymes, differences in activity among fractions and across the restoration chronosequence diminished when adjusted for differences in carbon concentrations. However, glycine aminopeptidase activity per unit carbon increased four-fold across the chronosequence in the clay fraction, while polyphenol oxidase activity declined by 40%. These results suggest that enzyme production and carbon turnover occur rapidly in POM fractions, but slowly in mineral-dominated fractions where enzymes and their carbon substrates are immobilized on mineral surfaces. Soil carbon accumulation in mineral fractions and across the prairie restoration chronosequence probably reflects increasing physical isolation of enzymes and substrates on the molecular to micron scale, rather than exclusion of enzymes from entire soil fractions. Based on these mechanisms, land managers could increase soil C stocks by reducing the physical disruption of soil structure associated with cultivation. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
The Instructional Organization for Integrating Diverse Expertise.

Responsibility for instruction should pass from academic content experts to experts in the technology of instruction. This implies substantial changes in organizational structure, especially in higher education. The instructional process is very complex, requiring organizational arrangements permitting growth by the accretion of diverse expertise. Traditional education has assumed that the essence of instruction is in its content. Though important, content can no longer be regarded as the most critical dimension. Concern with accountability forces attention on the process; the technology becomes critical. Diverse expertise could be applied usefully to problems of instruction if arrangements can be changed to allow more such specialists to participate. They are needed for planning facilities, designing practical and experimental learning stations, providing arrangements for monitoring instructional operations, and introducing instructional content relevant to man/machine/environment interfaces.
Sugary soda consumption and albuminuria: results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2004.

Background End-stage renal disease rates rose following widespread introduction of high fructose corn syrup in the American diet, supporting speculation that fructose harms the kidney. Sugar-sweetened soda is a primary source of fructose. We therefore hypothesized that sugary soda consumption was associated with albuminuria, a sensitive marker for kidney disease. Methodology/Principal Findings Design was a cross-sectional analysis. Data were drawn from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 1999–2004. The setting was a representative United States population sample. Participants included adults 20 years and older with no history of diabetes mellitus (n = 12,601); after exclusions for missing outcome and covariate information (n = 3,243), the analysis dataset consisted of 9,358 subjects. Exposure was consumption of two or more sugary soft drinks, based on 24-hour dietary recall. The main outcome measure was Albuminuria, defined by albumin to creatinine ratio cutpoints of >17 mg/g (males) and >25 mg/g (females). Logistic regression adjusted for confounders (diet soda, age, race-ethnicity, gender, poverty). Interactions between age, race-ethnicity, gender, and overweight-obesity were explored. Further analysis adjusted for potential mediators: energy intake, basal metabolic rate, obesity, hypertension, lipids, serum uric acid, smoking, energy expenditure, and glycohemoglobin. Alternative soda intake definitions and cola consumption were employed. Results Weighted albuminuria prevalence was 11%, and 17% consumed 2+ sugary soft drinks/day. The confounder-adjusted odds ratio for sugary soda was 1.40 (95% confidence interval: 1.13, 1.74). Associations were modified by gender (p = 0.008) and overweight-obesity (p = 0.014). Among women, the OR was 1.86 (95% CI: 1.37, 2.53); the OR among males was not significant. In the group with body mass under 25 kg/m2, OR = 2.15 (95% confidence interval: 1.42, 3.25). Adjustment for potential mediators and use of alternative definitions of albuminuria and soda consumption did not appreciably change results. Diet sodas were not associated with albuminuria. Conclusions Findings suggest that sugary soda consumption may be associated with kidney damage, although moderate consumption of 1 or fewer sodas does not appear to be harmful. Additional studies are needed to assess whether HFCS itself, overall excess intake of sugar, or unmeasured lifestyle and confounding factors are responsible.
Avoidance of Immune Response Prolongs Expression of Genes Delivered to the Adult Rat Myocardium by Replication-Defective Adenovirus

Background Gene delivery is a rapidly expanding field with potential applications to every human organ system. Recently, adenoviruses have been used as efficient vectors for in vivo gene transfer into the myocardium. These methods, however, have shown a sharp decline of gene expression after 1 week. To test the hypothesis that an immune-effector mechanism is involved in this decline, we compared the results after injection of adenovirus-5 carrying the β-galactosidase gene (Adβ-gal) into the left ventricular myocardium of athymic nude rats (NDRs) versus immunocompetent Sprague-Dawley rats (SDRs). Methods and Results Adβ-gal (5.0×109 PFU/mL) was injected into the left ventricle of NDRs (n=16) and SDRs (n=22). Hearts were harvested, embedded in paraffin, and sectioned and stained for β-gal activity, hematoxylin and eosin and picrosirius red at 4, 21, 35, 85, and 120 days. Representative samples were immunostained with antibodies directed at inflammatory markers. β-gal activity was quantified by digital plani...
Identifying Patterns of Coaching to Support the Implementation of the Good Behavior Game: The Role of Teacher Characteristics

There is growing interest in coaching to support teacher implementation of evidence-based interventions; yet, there is limited research examining the tailoring of coaching support to teachers’ needs. This paper examined coaching dosage across one school year, and the relationship between coaching contacts and teacher baseline and end-of-year data. Data came from a randomized controlled trial including 210 teachers in 18 schools implementing the Good Behavior Game (GBG), either as a stand alone or when integrated with a social–emotional learning curriculum. The overarching goal was to determine whether coaches provided varying levels of teacher contacts and how this support related to condition assignment, implementation, and teachers’ beliefs and perceptions data. Growth mixture modeling (GMM) was used to examine the frequency of teacher contacts across the school year. GMM indicated three distinct patterns: about 58 % of teachers received a moderate number of contacts; 27 % received a consistently low number of contacts; and 15 % received high and increasing support. Teachers who received a high degree of support were more often implementing the integrated GBG and reported more negative beliefs and perceptions at the start of the school year than those in the low contact class. Teachers in the low contact class implemented the least number of games and minutes of GBG, but reported better perceptions of organizational health and burnout, at the end of the year. Coaching dosage was unrelated to observer ratings of implementation quality.
The Intehaction of Aqueous Solutions of Chlorine with Malic Acid, Tartaric Acid, and Various Fruit Juices: A Source of Mutagens

Abstract The interactions of aqueous solutions of chlorine with some fruit acids (citric acid, DL-malic acid, arid L-tartaric acid) at different pH values were studied. Diethyl ether extraction followed by GC/MS analysis indicated that a number of mutagens (certain chlorinated propanones and chloral hydrate) are present as major products in some of these samples. A number of fruit juices (orange, grape, apple, pineapple, and grapefruit) were also treated with aqueous solutions of chlorine at their pH values. The products were analyzed by GC/MS. The same mutagens that were formed by the pure acids (citric acid and DL-malic acid) were identified as major products in ether extracts of these samples. Another mutagen, dichloroacetonitrile, was also identified as a minor product in some of these juice samples. All of the major products observed in the chlorination of all five fruit juices are potentially derived from reactions of aqueous solutions of chlorine with citric or malic acid and with trace amounts of ...
Effect of water absorption on the izod impact energy of crosslinked poly(methyl methacrylate‐acrylic acid) and their composites

Crosslinked poly(methyl methacrylate-acrylic acid) and composites using this crosslinked copolymer as the matrix have been synthesized and evaluated for their potential as bioimplantable materials in design of a new class of bone anchors. The low-velocity impact energy absorption properties of this slightly hydrophilic class of materials were examined by Izod impact testing. In particular, the influence of swelling (by absorption of water) on the impact resistance of the crosslinked copolymer and composites based on this copolymer was investigated. Also, the influence of fiber type and preform architecture on the impact resistance of the composite, in both the dry and swollen states, was investigated. The fracture surfaces and the modes of failure in these tests were examined using scanning electron microscopy. The results indicated that absorption of water leads to about a threefold increase in the impact resistance of the copolymer. However, the increase in the impact resistance of the composite samples after water absorption varied considerably, depending on the type and form of fibrous reinforcement. These results and our understanding of the role of water absorption on the impact resistance of these novel systems are presented.
Structure of the New Madrid seismic source zone in southeastern Missouri and northeastern Arkansas

New seismic reflection data in the southwestern part of the New Madrid seismic zone (NMSZ) show that a major zone of disrupted reflectors and a large antiform coincide with a prominent trend of earthquake epicenters between Caruthersville, Missouri, and Marked Tree, Arkansas. We speculate that the antiform may be caused by igneous intrusions. The strong correlation between the seismicity in this trend and the extent of the disrupted zone provides a geologic basis for defining the source zone for large earthquakes in this part of the NMSZ.
Quasi-ENO Schemes for Unstructured Meshes Based on Unlimited Data-Dependent Least-Squares Reconstruction

A crucial step in obtaining high-order accurate steady-state solutions to the Euler and Navier?Stokes equations is the high-order accurate reconstruction of the solution from cell-averaged values. Only after this reconstruction has been completed can the flux integral around a control volume be accurately assessed. In this work, a new reconstruction scheme is presented that is conservative, is uniformly accurate, allows only asymptotically small overshoots, is easy to implement on arbitrary meshes, has good convergence properties, and is computationally efficient. The new scheme, called DD-L2-ENO, uses a data-dependent weighted least-squares reconstruction with a fixed stencil. The weights are chosen to strongly emphasize smooth data in the reconstruction, satisfying the weighted ENO conditions of Liu, Osher, and Chan. Because DD-L2-ENO is designed in the framework ofk-exact reconstruction, existing techniques for implementing such reconstructions on arbitrary meshes can be used. The scheme allows graceful degradation of accuracy in regions where insufficient smooth data exists for reconstruction of the requested high order. Similarities with and differences from WENO schemes are highlighted. The asymptotic behavior of the scheme in reconstructing smooth and piecewise smooth functions is demonstrated. DD-L2-ENO produces uniformly high-order accurate reconstructions, even in the presence of discontinuities. Results are shown for one-dimensional scalar propagation and shock tube problems. Encouraging preliminary two-dimensional flow solutions obtained using DD-L2-ENO reconstruction are also shown and compared with solutions using limited least-squares reconstruction.
Integrating sphere theory

Abstract A simplified approach to integrating sphere theory with a wall mounted sample is presented.
Induction of stable prenatal tolerance to beta-galactosidase by in utero gene transfer into preimmune sheep fetuses.

The successful transduction of hematopoietic stem cells and long-term (28 months) transgene expression within the hematopoietic system following the direct injection of high-titer retroviral vectors into preimmune fetal sheep was previously demonstrated. The present studies extended these analyses for 40 months postinjection and evaluated whether the longevity of transgene expression in this model system was the result of induction of prenatal tolerance to the transgene product. The intraperitoneal injection of retroviral vectors into preimmune sheep fetuses transduces thymic epithelial cells thought to present antigen and thus define self during immune system development. To directly demonstrate induction of tolerance, postnatal sheep were boosted with purified β-galactosidase and showed that the peripheral blood lymphocytes from in utero–transduced sheep exhibited significantly lower stimulation indices to transduced autologous cells than did control animals and that the in utero–transduced sheep had a reduced ability to mount an antibody response to the vector-encoded β-galactosidase protein compared with control sheep. Collectively, our results provide evidence that the direct injection of retroviral vectors into preimmune sheep fetuses induces cellular and humoral tolerance to the vector/transgene products and provide an explanation for the duration and stability of transgene expression seen in this model. These results also suggest that even relatively low levels of gene transfer in utero may render the recipient tolerant to the exogenous gene and thus potentially permit the successful postnatal treatment of the recipient.
Dyslipidemia during sirolimus therapy in liver transplant recipients occurs with concomitant cyclosporine but not tacrolimus.

Since its approval as an immunosuppressive agent in renal transplantation, sirolimus (RAPA) recently has been used in the primary immunosuppression regimen at several liver transplant centers. One of the major side effects of RAPA is hypercholesterolemia, which is reported in up to 44% of patients. We describe our experience in 57 primary liver transplant recipients treated with RAPA and either cyclosporine A (CSA) or tacrolimus (TAC). We report the incidence and severity of hypercholesterolemia using a prednisone-free immunosuppressive regimen. Between January 2000 and September 2000, a total of 57 patients underwent transplantation at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center (Denver, CO) with RAPA and either CSA or TAC. The initial 10 patients who underwent transplantation under this protocol were not administered corticosteroids, and the subsequent 47 patients were administered only 3 doses of methylprednisolone days 0, 1, and 2 postoperatively (1, 0.5, and 0.5 g, respectively). Total fasting cholesterol, high-density cholesterol, low-density cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were measured at monthly intervals. Mean serum cholesterol level was significantly greater in CSA patients (200 mg/dL) compared with TAC patients (158 mg/dL; P = .0003). Serum triglyceride levels were more than 2-fold greater with CSA (292 mg/dL) compared with TAC (134 mg/dL; P = .002). Hypercholesterolemia (cholesterol > 240 mg/dL) was present in 10 of 57 patients (18%) and was significantly more common in CSA-treated patients (8 of 27 patients; 30%) compared with TAC-treated patients (2 of 30 patients; 6%; P 300 mg/dL) was present in 10 of 57 patients (18%) and was significantly more common in CSA-treated patients (9 of 27 patients; 33%) compared with TAC-treated patients (1 of 30 patients; 3%; P < .05). We conclude that (1) concomitant use of TAC with RAPA reduces the prevalence and severity of posttransplantation dyslipidemia, and (2) these findings have important implications in the prevention of complications of hypercholesterolemia in liver transplant recipients. (Liver Transpl 2001:7:401-408.)
Modeling heaping in self‐reported cigarette counts

In studies of smoking behavior, some subjects report exact cigarette counts, whereas others report rounded-off counts, particularly multiples of 20, 10 or 5. This form of data reporting error, known as heaping, can bias the estimation of parameters of interest such as mean cigarette consumption. We present a model to describe heaped count data from a randomized trial of bupropion treatment for smoking cessation. The model posits that the reported cigarette count is a deterministic function of an underlying precise cigarette count variable and a heaping behavior variable, both of which are at best partially observed. To account for an excess of zeros, as would likely occur in a smoking cessation study where some subjects successfully quit, we model the underlying count variable with zero-inflated count distributions. We study the sensitivity of the inference on smoking cessation by fitting various models that either do or do not account for heaping and zero inflation, comparing the models by means of Bayes factors. Our results suggest that sufficiently rich models for both the underlying distribution and the heaping behavior are indispensable to obtaining a good fit with heaped smoking data. The analyses moreover reveal that bupropion has a significant effect on the fraction abstinent, but not on mean cigarette consumption among the non-abstinent.
Characterization of contact electromechanics through capacitance-voltage measurements and simulations

Electrostatically actuated polysilicon beams fabricated in the multiuser MEMS process (MUMPs) are studied, with an emphasis on the behavior when the beam is in contact with an underlying silicon nitride dielectric layer. Detailed two-dimensional (2-D) electromechanical simulations, including the mechanical effects of stepups, stress-stiffening and contact, as well as the electrical effects of fringing fields and finite beam thickness, are performed. Comparisons are made to quasi-2-D and three-dimensional simulations. Pull-in voltage and capacitance-voltage measurements together with 2-D simulations are used to extract material properties. The electromechanical system is used to monitor charge buildup in the nitride which is modeled by a charge trapping model. Surface effects are included in the simulation using a compressible-contact-surface model. Monte Carlo simulations reveal the limits of simulation accuracy due to the limited resolution of input parameters.
Analysis of DCTCP: stability, convergence, and fairness

Cloud computing, social networking and information networks (for search, news feeds, etc) are driving interest in the deployment of large data centers. TCP is the dominant Layer 3 transport protocol in these networks. However, the operating conditions---very high bandwidth links, low round-trip times, small-buffered switches---and traffic patterns cause TCP to perform very poorly. The Data Center TCP (DCTCP) algorithm has recently been proposed as a TCP variant for data centers and addresses these shortcomings.In this paper, we provide a mathematical analysis of DCTCP. We develop a fluid model of DCTCP and use it to analyze the throughput and delay performance of the algorithm, as a function of the design parameters and of network conditions like link speeds, round-trip times and the number of active flows. Unlike fluid model representations of standard congestion control loops, the DCTCP fluid model exhibits limit cycle behavior. Therefore, it is not amenable to analysis by linearization around a fixed point and we undertake a direct analysis of the limit cycles, proving their stability. Using a hybrid (continuous- and discrete-time) model, we analyze the convergence of DCTCP sources to their fair share, obtaining an explicit characterization of the convergence rate. Finally, we investigate the "RTT-fairness" of DCTCP; i.e., the rate obtained by DCTCP sources as a function of their RTTs. We find a very simple change to DCTCP which is suggested by the fluid model and which significantly improves DCTCP's RTT-fairness. We corroborate our results with ns2 simulations.
Non-Parametric Nonlinear System Identification: A Data-Driven Orthogonal Basis Function Approach

In this paper, a data driven orthogonal basis function approach is proposed for non-parametric FIR nonlinear system identification. The basis functions are not fixed a priori and match the structure of the unknown system automatically. This eliminates the problem of blindly choosing the basis functions without a priori structural information. Further, based on the proposed basis functions, approaches are proposed for model order determination and regressor selection along with their theoretical justifications.
Study of the Flow Around an External Fuel Tank Mounted Under a CF-18 Wing using Combined PSP and Schlieren Techniques

A wind tunnel study on a 6% scale model of the CF-18 aircraft was conducted in the Trisonic Blowdown Wind Tunnel of the National Research Council, Canada. The CF-18 model was tested with wing tip missiles, two stores mounted on the outboard pylons, external fuel tanks (EFT) mounted on the inboard pylons and semi-recessed AIM7 missiles along the fuselage sides. The pressure distribution on lower surface of the port side EFT was measured using Pressure-Sensitive Paint (PSP) at various angles of attack [-2 ° to 4 ° ], two Mach numbers [0.89 and 0.95] and two unit Reynolds numbers [6×10 6 /ft and 8×10 6 /ft]. The influence of the engine inlet mass flow rate and the effect of the port side semi-recessed AIM7 missile on the EFT pressure distribution were also determined. A focusing Schlieren system was used to visualize the flow field around the EFT, for the configuration without AIM7 and at the maximum engine inlet mass flow rate. For the first time, both the PSP and the Schlieren techniques were used simultaneously in the Trisonic Blowdown Facility.
Combination Antifungal Therapy in Treatment of Murine Pulmonary Mucormycosis: Roles of Quinolones and Azoles

Amphotericin B is the only recognized antifungal used in the treatment of mucormycosis. In this study, we evaluated various combinations of amphotericin B, fluconazole, and trovafloxacin or ciprofloxacin in the treatment of murine pulmonary mucormycosis. The combination of fluconazole and a quinolone has a marked effect on the outcome of murine pulmonary mucormycosis. Even though we did not optimize therapy with the drugs, these experiments suggest that azoles, especially fluconazole, in combination with either trovafloxacin or ciprofloxacin were effective in the treatment of this aggressive mycosis in the mouse model.
Liver Transplantation Trends in the HIV Population

There is a paucity of information on the utilization patterns of liver transplantation (LT) for HIV-positive individuals. The aim of this study is to examine the trends in LT of HIV patients in the US. This study was a retrospective analysis using the UNOS database (1999–2008). There were 135 HIV-positive patients. There was a steady increase in the number of LT recipients over time as well as regional variation. Ethnic minorities accounted for 33.3% and there was no ethnic difference in survival. Though LT for HIV-positive patients is on the rise, significant variations exist in patient demographics, geographic location, and insurance payer.
Methodology for low power test pattern generation using activity threshold control logic

This paper proposes a new technique of power-aware test pattern generation, wherein the test mode power constraints are specified using pseudo hardware logic functions (referred to as power constraint circuits) that augment the target circuit fed to the ATPG tool. The novelty of this approach is three-fold: (i) The ATPG tool only sees the enhanced circuit. This influences the generation of the test cubes themselves, as against post-processing of these cubes for a given pattern. (ii) Pattern generation can be driven to minimize test power according to a programmable switching activity threshold, and hence, is scalable. (iii) The same constraint circuit can also be effectively used for pattern filtering to isolate patterns which cause high switching activity. Additionally, the proposed method does not require any changes to the pattern generation tool or process. This paper describes the methodology, together with techniques for realizing the hardware circuit and specifying thresholds. Experimental results on various benchmark circuits (including an industrial design) are presented to show the effectiveness of this approach.
Photoconductive arrays for monitoring motion of spatial optical intensity patterns

We describe a photodetector array based on photoconductance-monitoring by four-point probing. This detection scheme is aimed specifically at detecting changes within a speckle or microscopic fringes within a larger nonuniform optical intensity distribution. One specific application is the detection of lateral displacements of these speckles or fringes, for example, in laser light reflected from optically rough vibrating surfaces. With a prototype, we have detected subnanometer surface displacements interferometrically. We also demonstrate speckle-based, noninterferometric detection of a guitar body's vibrations at a standoff distance of 6 m with nanowatt power. We observe and explain the prototype's limited frequency response by considering space-charge effects. This detection scheme is most useful in low-power, low-frequency applications.
Semi-Empirical Prediction of Aircraft Low-Speed Aerodynamic Characteristics

This paper lays out a comprehensive methodology for computing a low-speed, high-lift polar, without requiring additional details about the aircraft design beyond what is typically available at the conceptual design stage. Introducing low-order, physics-based aerodynamic analyses allows the methodology to be more applicable to unconventional aircraft concepts than traditional, fully-empirical methods. The methodology uses empirical relationships for flap lift effectiveness, chord extension, drag-coefficient increment and maximum lift coefficient of various types of flap systems as a function of flap deflection, and combines these increments with the characteristics of the unflapped airfoils. Once the aerodynamic characteristics of the flapped sections are known, a vortex-lattice analysis calculates the three-dimensional lift, drag and moment coefficients of the whole aircraft configuration. This paper details the results of two validation cases: a supercritical airfoil model with several types of flaps; and a 12-foot, full-span aircraft model with slats and double-slotted flaps.
Model Climatology of the North American Monsoon Onset Period during 1980-2001

Abstract In this study, the seasonal development of the North American monsoon system (NAMS), as simulated by a mesoscale model during a 22-yr simulation from 1980 through 2001, is assessed. Comparison between model simulations and observations shows that the model simulation reproduces the precipitation, skin temperature, and wind field patterns in the seasonal development (May–July) of the NAMS reasonably well and that the mesoscale features and spatial heterogeneity of the NAMS are described correctly. The onset of the monsoon in the central and southern Sierra Madre Occidental (SMO) in Mexico occurs on 20 June, about 2 weeks earlier than the onset in Sonora, Mexico (6 July), the Sonoran Desert, and central Arizona and New Mexico (8 July). The temperature in Mexico is highest after the onset of the monsoon and then decreases with the increasing monsoon rainfall. However, the temperature in the Sonoran Desert and central Arizona and New Mexico is highest just prior to the onset of the monsoon, and high ...
Estradiol enhances the stimulatory effect of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) on mammary development and growth hormone-induced IGF-I messenger ribonucleic acid.

Pubertal mammary development in the rat is largely dependent upon GH and estrogen. We recently showed that insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) can substitute for GH in inducing mammary development in male rats, suggesting that IGF-I mediates GH action. The present study investigated whether IGF-I, like GH, required estradiol (E2) to act or whether IGF-I could substitute for both GH and E2. The effects of IGF-I were tested in the presence and absence of E2. Elvax pellets containing IGF-I or des(1-3) IGF-I were implanted into right lumbar mammary glands of sexually immature, hypophysectomized, oophorectomized female rats, with control BSA-containing pellets in the contralateral glands. After 5 days, both lumbar mammary glands were removed and examined in whole mounts for mammary development by counting terminal end buds and alveolar structures. E2, administered in SILASTIC brand capsules, had no independent effect on mammary development. In the absence of E2, des(1-3) IGF-I had a small, but significant, in...
The Emergence of Total Responsibility Management Systems: J. Sainsbury's (plc) Voluntary Responsibility Management Systems for Global Food Retail Supply Chains

© 2006 Center for Business Ethics at Bentley College. Published by Blackwell Publishing, 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148, USA, and 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford OX4 2DQ, UK. Blackwell Publishing Inc M lden, USA ASR usiness and Society Review 0045-3609 © 2006 Ce ter f r Busin ss Ethics at Bentley College 111 4Origi al Article U INES and SOCIETY REVIEW JENNIFER LEIGH a d SANDRA ADDOCK The Emergence of Total Responsibility Management Systems: J. Sainsbury’s (plc) Voluntary Responsibility Management Systems for Global Food Retail Supply Chains
Increased Performace of FPGA-Based Color Classification System

This paper presents a hardware architecture for increased performance of color classification. In our architecture, color classification, based on an AdaBoost algorithm, identifies a pixel as having the color of interest or not. We designed the proposed architecture using Verilog HDL and implemented the design in a Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGA. The architecture for color classification can have 598 times performance improvement over an equivalent software solution and 1.9 times performance improvement over the leading hardware color classifier.
Segmented golden ratio radial reordering with variable temporal resolution for dynamic cardiac MRI.

PURPOSE: Golden ratio (GR) radial reordering allows for retrospective choice of temporal resolution by providing a near-uniform k-space sampling within any reconstruction window. However, when applying GR to electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated cardiac imaging, the k-space coverage may not be as uniform because a single reconstruction window is broken into several temporally isolated ones. The goal of this study was to investigate the image artifacts caused by applying GR to ECG-gated cardiac imaging and to propose a segmented GR method to address this issue. METHODS: Computer simulation and phantom experiments were used to evaluate the image artifacts resulting from three k-space sampling patterns (ie, uniform radial, conventional GR, and segmented GR). Two- and three-dimensional cardiac cine images were acquired in seven healthy subjects. Imaging artifacts due to k-space sampling nonuniformity were graded on a 5-point scale by an experienced cardiac imaging reader. RESULTS: Segmented GR provides more uniform k-space sampling that is independent of heart-rate variation than conventional GR. Cardiac cine images using segmented GR have significantly higher and more reliable image quality than conventional GR. CONCLUSION: Segmented GR successfully addresses the nonuniform sampling that occurs with combining conventional GR with ECG gating. This technique can potentially be applied to any ECG-gated cardiac imaging application to allow for retrospective selection of a reconstruction window. Magn Reson Med, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Transfer Learning, Feature Selection and Word Sense Disambiguation

We propose a novel approach for improving Feature Selection for Word Sense Disambiguation by incorporating a feature relevance prior for each word indicating which features are more likely to be selected. We use transfer of knowledge from similar words to learn this prior over the features, which permits us to learn higher accuracy models, particularly for the rarer word senses. Results on the OntoNotes verb data show significant improvement over the baseline feature selection algorithm and results that are comparable to or better than other state-of-the-art methods.
Particle-in-Cell Simulations of Initial Argon Dielectric-Barrier Discharges

We use the commercial particle-in-cell code MAGIC for simulations of dielectric-barrier discharges (DBDs). The simulations are done in pure argon at atmospheric pressure to avoid many of the complications that occur in air. We study DBDs with an embedded surface electrode and also with an exposed surface electrode. The only particle creation-destruction effect that we consider is the ionization of argon by electron impact. The ion drag is based on the process of charge exchange of an ion with its parent gas. The electron drag cross section is based on the binary-encounter-Bethe cross section with a low energy correction. Our simulations last for only about 1 ns due to the large number of electrons produced, which fill our computer memory. We calculate the momentum imparted to the neutral gas during each time step by collisions with the ions and the electrons, and also the total accumulated momentum density imparted to the neutral gas during the entire simulation. This effect has been called the electrohydrodynamic force. The discharge is so fast that the neutral atoms have no time to move and are considered to be at rest.
Asymmetries in face and brain related to emotion

Research on the neural substrates of emotion has found evidence for cortical asymmetries for aspects of emotion. A recent article by Nicholls et al. has used a new imaging method to interrogate facial movement in 3D to assess possible asymmetrical action during expressions of happiness and sadness. Greater left-sided movement, particularly during expressions of sadness was observed. These findings have implications for understanding hemispheric differences in emotion and lend support to the notion that aspects of emotion processing might be differentially localized in the two hemispheres.