cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simple Dynamic Gasifier Model That Runs in Aspen Dynamics

Gasification has been used in industry on a relatively limited scale for many years, but it is emerging as the premier unit operation in the energy and chemical industries. The switch from expensive and insecure petroleum to solid hydrocarbon sources (coal and biomass) is occurring due to the vast amount of domestic solid resources, national security, and global warming issues. Gasification (or partial oxidation) is a vital component of “clean coal” technology. Sulfur and nitrogen emissions can be reduced, overall energy efficiency is increased, and carbon dioxide recovery and sequestration are facilitated. Gasification units in an electric power generation plant produce a fuel gas for driving combustion turbines. Gasification units in a chemical plant generate synthesis gas, which can be used to produce a wide spectrum of chemical products. Future plants are predicted to be hybrid power/chemical plants with gasification as the key unit operation. The widely used process simulator Aspen Plus provides a li...
Microlens rapid prototyping technique with capability for wide variation in lens diameter and focal length

A ''mold-less'' method for rapid prototyping spherical microlenses using the surface tension of a transparent, temperature sensitive polymer is presented. The lens size can be varied with the volume of the polymer dispensed, with a diameter range of [email protected] The focal length can be varied with the deposition/curing temperature, and can have values in the range of 2-25mm. Mechanical profilometry and custom software was used to measure the lens profile. Parameters such as curvature, focal length, diameter, contact angle, and F-number were extracted from the measurements. Finally, an empirical model that predicts these variables as a function of temperature and volume deposited is proposed.
The Application of Constrained Least Squares Estimation to Image Restoration by Digital Computer

Constrained least squares estimation is a technique for solution of integral equations of the first kind. The problem of image restoration requires the solution of an integral equation of the first kind. However, application of constrained least squares estimation to image restoration requires the solution of extremely large linear systems of equations. In this paper we demonstrate that, for convolution-type models of image restoration, special properties of the linear system of equations can be used to reduce the computational requirements. The necessary computations can be carried out by the fast Fourier transform, and the constrained least squares estimate can be constructed in the discrete frequency domain. A practical procedure for constrained least squares estimation is presented, and two examples are shown as output from a program for the CDC 7600 computer which performs the constrained least squares restoration of digital images.
Inventory of nonvolatile fatty acids and hydrocarbons in the oceans

Abstract A survey of the distribution of nonvolatile fatty acids and hydrocarbons in the oceans is given. The results represent more a “feel” from the literature rather than a mathematical analysis and are given in Table III. Fatty acid concentration appears to show a greater variation, presumably because they are more prone to biological influences than the hydrocarbons.
Effects of North American BSE Events on U.S. Cattle Prices

In May 2003, a beef cow in the Province of Alberta tested positive for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease). In December of 2003, a dairy cow in the state of Washington also tested positive for BSE. These discoveries disrupted cattle and beef trade in North America and major export markets. We examine the effects of these two North American BSE events on U.S. fed and feeder cattle prices. The results indicate that the demand for U.S. beef was affected to a much greater degree by the reactions of foreign governments to the BSE announcements than by the reactions of U.S. households.
A Semicustom VLSI System Design Course Supported by the General Electric Microelectronics Center

This paper presents an approach to VLSI system design and fabrication using gate arrays which has been implemented at the University of Virginia in conjunction with the General Electric Microelectronics Center (GE-MEC). Material initially developed by GE-MEC was modified and incorporated into a new graduate course to supplement that which already existed in the area of VLSI system design. A software tool set which includes functional and fault simulators for the TEGASTM1 hardware description language, a testability analyzer, and packages for cell placement, channel routing, and system delay extraction was used for chip design. Chip fabrication of successful design projects is the responsibility of GE-MEC.
Allele-specific expression and eQTL analysis in mouse adipose tissue

The simplest definition of cis-eQTLs versus trans, refers to genetic variants that affect expression in an allele specific manner, with implications on underlying mechanism. Yet, due to technical limitations of expression microarrays, the vast majority of eQTL studies performed in the last decade used a genomic distance based definition as a surrogate for cis, therefore exploring local rather than cis-eQTLs. In this study we use RNAseq to explore allele specific expression (ASE) in adipose tissue of male and female F1 mice, produced from reciprocal crosses of C57BL/6J and DBA/2J strains. Comparison of the identified cis-eQTLs, to local-eQTLs, that were obtained from adipose tissue expression in two previous population based studies in our laboratory, yields poor overlap between the two mapping approaches, while both local-eQTL studies show highly concordant results. Specifically, local-eQTL studies show ~60% overlap between themselves, while only 15-20% of local-eQTLs are identified as cis by ASE, and less than 50% of ASE genes are recovered in local-eQTL studies. Utilizing recently published ENCODE data, we also find that ASE genes show significant bias for SNPs prevalence in DNase I hypersensitive sites that is ASE direction specific. We suggest a new approach to analysis of allele specific expression that is more sensitive and accurate than the commonly used fisher or chi-square statistics. Our analysis indicates that technical differences between the cis and local-eQTL approaches, such as differences in genomic background or sex specificity, account for relatively small fraction of the discrepancy. Therefore, we suggest that the differences between two eQTL mapping approaches may facilitate sorting of SNP-eQTL interactions into true cis and trans, and that a considerable portion of local-eQTL may actually represent trans interactions.
Editorial: 1996 in Review: Part II

This second part of our annual review attempts to place Volume 35 in the historical context of the journal, so that trends can be evaluated as we plan the future of Optical Engineering.
BACKWARD PEAKS IN ELASTIC PION--PROTON SCATTERING FROM 6 TO 17 GeV/c.

The energy dependence, charge dependence, and angular distributions of pion-proton elastic scattering near 180\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} have been measured at beam momenta from 5.9 to 17.1 GeV/c. The 180\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} cross sections decrease with energy as ${{P}_{\mathrm{lab}}}^{\ensuremath{-}1.1}$ for ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{-}p$ and ${{P}_{\mathrm{lab}}}^{\ensuremath{-}1.4}$ for ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}\ensuremath{-}p$. At all energies the ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}\ensuremath{-}p$ backward peak is quite sharp and has a width about \textonehalf{} that of the forward diffraction peak. The ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{-}p$ backward peaks are about twice as wide as the forward diffraction peak and appear to go through a maximum before reaching 180\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}.
Using virtual scans for improved mapping and evaluation

In this paper we present a system to enhance the performance of feature correspondence based alignment algorithms for laser scan data. We show how this system can be utilized as a new approach for evaluation of mapping algorithms. Assuming a certain a priori knowledge, our system augments the sensor data with hypotheses (`Virtual Scans') about ideal models of objects in the robot's environment. These hypotheses are generated by analysis of the current aligned map estimated by an underlying iterative alignment algorithm. The augmented data is used to improve the alignment process. Feedback between data alignment and data analysis confirms, modifies, or discards the Virtual Scans in each iteration. Experiments with a simulated scenario and real world data from a rescue robot scenario show the applicability and advantages of the approach. By replacing the estimated `Virtual Scans' with ground truth maps our system can provide a flexible way for evaluating different mapping algorithms in different settings.
A Survey of User Behavior in VoD Service and Bandwidth-Saving Multicast Streaming Schemes

As broadband networks using Fiber-to-the-x (FTTx) technologies are being increasingly deployed in access networks, video service, especially VoD (Video-on-Demand), is becoming more attractive to deploy. To provide efficient VoD service, a cost-effective service model is very important and a lot of research has been conducted over the past decade. This paper reviews the existing literature on this topic, focusing on the user behavior in VoD services and bandwidth-saving multicast streaming schemes, which are the most important aspects of VoD service. First, we review the user behavior in VoD such as video popularity, daily access pattern, and interactive VCR (Videocassette Recorder) properties from recent data. Each video title's rental frequency, i.e., video popularity, follows the Zipf distribution, and this popularity can change with time or by service provider's recommendation of videos. This overall request frequency for each video constitutes a specific pattern throughout the day and has a similar pattern every day. Second, we review the bandwidth-saving streaming schemes such as broadcasting, batching, patching, and merging, which use multicast streaming technologies and user buffer memory. We review the mechanism of each multicast streaming technology and compare their differences. We also review the recent trends on multicast streaming technologies, which is summarized as hybrid architecture which combines several multicast streaming technologies to obtain better performance. Next, we review how these multicast streaming technologies implement interactive VCR functions. We classify the VCR interactivity into discontinuous and continuous VCR actions and examine the principles for VCR support in multicast streaming schemes: caching some video data for discontinuous VCR support and allocating contingency channels for continuous VCR support. We review mechanisms of VCR support for different multicast streaming schemes. Through this survey, we provide an in-depth understanding of VoD service deployment.
1761 ANATOMIC DISTRIBUTION AND QUANTITATIVE CHANGES IN GUINEA PIG PULMONARY β-RECEPTORS IN EXPERIMENTAL ASTHMA

1761 ANATOMIC DISTRIBUTION AND QUANTITATIVE CHANGES IN GUINEA PIG PULMONARY β-RECEPTORS IN EXPERIMENTAL ASTHMA
Time to Brain Imaging in Acute Stroke Is Improving: Secondary Analysis of the INSTINCT Trial

Background and Purpose— Patients with acute ischemic stroke benefit from rapid evaluation and treatment, and timely brain imaging is a necessary component. We determined the effect of a targeted behavioral intervention on door-to-imaging time (DIT) among patients with ischemic stroke treated with tissue-type plasminogen activator. Second, we examined the variation in DIT accounted for by patient-level and hospital-level factors. Methods— The Increasing Stroke Treatment through Interventional behavioral Change Tactics (INSTINCT) trial was a cluster-randomized, controlled trial involving 24 Michigan hospitals. The intervention aimed to increase tissue-type plasminogen activator utilization. Detailed chart abstractions collected data for 557 patients with ischemic stroke. We used a series of hierarchical linear mixed-effects models to evaluate the effect of the intervention on DIT (difference-in-differences analysis) and used patient-level and hospital-level explanatory variables to decompose variation in DIT. Results— DIT improved over time, without a difference between intervention and control hospitals (intervention: 23.7–19.3 minutes, control: 28.9–19.2 minutes; P =0.56). Adjusted DIT was faster in patients who arrived by ambulance (7.2 minutes; 95% confidence interval, 4.1–10.2), had severe strokes (1.0 minute per +5-point National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale; 95% confidence interval, 0.1–2.0), and presented in the postintervention period (4.9 minutes; 95% confidence interval, 2.3–7.4). After accounting for these factors, 13.8% of variation in DIT was attributable to hospital. Neither hospital stroke volume nor stroke center status was associated with DIT. Conclusions— Performance on DIT improved similarly in intervention and control hospitals, suggesting that nonintervention factors explain the improvement. Hospital-level factors explain a modest proportion of variation in DIT, but further research is needed to identify the hospital-level factors responsible.
Gender stereotypes: Children's perceptions of future compensatory behavior following violations of gender roles

Fifth-grade students were exposed to descriptions of men and women performing behaviors that were mildly inconsistent or highly inconsistent with traditional gender stereotypes. They then rated the likelihood that the person who performed the action (the deviant target) and another person (a fellow group member) would subsequently perform a gender-consistent behavior. The results indicated that children exposed to inconsistent information about a male target expected another man to perform a highly gender-consistent behavior. This expectation was not observed with respect to female targets. These findings were predicted from Seta and Seta's schema-maintenance through compensation analysis (e.g., Seta & Seta, 1993) and support this model's assumption that stereotype violations can result in the generation of compensatory expectancies that may help maintain extant stereotypic beliefs. In addition, the results suggest that these processes are intact rather early in gender-role development.
Using an informing strategy to manage moral legitimacy in healthcare organisations

Healthcare organisations operating within highly institutionalised environments are exposed to very intense isomorphic pressures. These institutional pressures help determine organisational success and survival through the recognition and distribution of legitimacy, which is generally gained through conformity. Moral legitimacy, defined as the ethical judgments made about an organisation’s activities, is of particular importance in the healthcare field. Following previous literature that argues that compliance may be an explicit strategic response to institutional processes, this paper develops and discusses a new related strategy for managing organisational moral legitimacy; it is labelled informing. Informing is used to signal allegiance to the institution and enhance organisational moral legitimacy. Building on institutional theory research, we develop key propositional statements regarding the informing strategy and its relationship to moral legitimacy, which is inherently important to all types of healthcare organisations and warrants further study. The informing strategy is then exemplified through several specific tactics that differ in their influence on the moral legitimacy along with other types of organisational legitimacy, although we demonstrate that its main utility lies in its ability to impact moral legitimacy.
Some Correlates of Feminism

To look at attitudinal and demographic characteristics of individuals who support or oppose the aims of the women's movement, a feminism scale, several measures of autonomy, and a questionnaire concerning family background were given to 154 Ss from selected groups at the University of Cincinnati. Supporters of feminism achieved significantly lower Social Distance scores, higher Independence of Judgment scores, and higher Modernism scores than opposers (p < .001). Also, male supporters of feminism were more likely to have mothers who completed some college, and female supporters of feminism were more likely to have parents who were either Jewish, atheist, or agnostic. All supporters of feminism were more likely to be atheist, agnostic, Jewish, or Unitarian, while opposers of feminism were more likely to be Protestant or Roman Catholic. Personality correlates are discussed.
Spinal clonidine inhibits neural firing in locus coeruleus.

Abstract Intrathecally-administered clonidine inhibited the spontaneous firing of single neurons in the pontine nucleus locus coeruleus of rats. Such inhibition of neuron firing was not observed when the non-lipophilic α2 adrenoceptor agonist (oxymetazoline) was administered intrathecally. It is concluded that lipophilic drugs like clonidine, when administered intrathecally, can have profound supraspinal actions and thus caution should be exercised in interpreting the sites of action of such drugs.
KNOWLEDGE PATTERN REPRESENTATION OF CHINESE CHARACTERS

This article discusses some intelligence aspects of Chinese characters. Some basic concepts of two-dimensional pattern representation and artificial intelligence such as semantic networks, forward chaining, deduction and the resolution principle are used to analyze and interpret the syntactic structure, representation, semantics and evolution of Chinese characters. The concept of degrees of ambiguity and the principle of new characters are investigated. It is found that Chinese characters are actually not only artistically elegant and culturally rich but also semantically meaningful and intelligently sound. Finally some topics for future research such as intelligent pattern recognition for Chinese characters, automatic learning and translation, and knowledge-based Chinese language understanding are discussed.
The evolution of and expert DSS for electric utility load research

Abstract Load research conducted by electric utility companies is an activity embracing the measurement and study of electrical load to understand the trends and behavior of electric utility consumption. The results of load research are major determinants in rate design and capacity planning for the electric utility company. Accurate load research is imperative for a well managed electric utility. The information base used in load research consists of customer billing data and sample data collected under strict guidelines set by the Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act. Selection of appropriate sampling procedures is a central function of load research. This paper describes the evolution of an integrated expert decision support system (XDSS) for load research sample design. It is an exploratory system that has a potentially large impact on the profitability of electric utility companies. It was the result of a consulting project begun 4 years ago with a medium sized utility company. Much of the underlying statistical sampling methodology in the XDSS had to be newly derived to meet the specific needs of sampling in load research.
Splat Feature Classification With Application to Retinal Hemorrhage Detection in Fundus Images

A novel splat feature classification method is presented with application to retinal hemorrhage detection in fundus images. Reliable detection of retinal hemorrhages is important in the development of automated screening systems which can be translated into practice. Under our supervised approach, retinal color images are partitioned into nonoverlapping segments covering the entire image. Each segment, i.e., splat, contains pixels with similar color and spatial location. A set of features is extracted from each splat to describe its characteristics relative to its surroundings, employing responses from a variety of filter bank, interactions with neighboring splats, and shape and texture information. An optimal subset of splat features is selected by a filter approach followed by a wrapper approach. A classifier is trained with splat-based expert annotations and evaluated on the publicly available Messidor dataset. An area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.96 is achieved at the splat level and 0.87 at the image level. While we are focused on retinal hemorrhage detection, our approach has potential to be applied to other object detection tasks.
Integrated optics and Raman scattering: molecular orientation in thin polymer films and Langmuir-Blodgett monolayers

Studies of submicron films and molecular monolayers with infrared and Raman spectroscopy have been hampered by the inability of current spectroscopic techniques to detect the minute amount of material present in these thin-film assemblies. A method for overcoming this problem by using integrated optics has been successfully demonstrated. In the case of Raman studies, the material whose spectrum was desired was made into an asymmetric slab waveguide or a composite waveguide structure in which both the optical field intensity of the in-coupled laser source and the scattering volume of the sample have been significantly increased. Using this technique we have obtained Raman spectra of thin polymer films (<80 nm) and the resonant Raman spectra of single dye monolayers (2.7 nm). Estimates of molecular orientation within the two-dimensional films have been made based on the results of polarized Raman measurements. In addition, the results of overcoating experiments illustrate the versatility and applicability of this technique to a wide variety of surface and thin-film studies.
Introducing an intergenerational relationship to improve engagement in aphasia therapy

Background: When the relationship between a clinician and a client with aphasia is not strong, engaging the client in therapy may become a clinical challenge. Engagement, in this context, refers to the client’s interpersonal involvement and emotional connection to the individuals, activities and ideas present in the therapy session. It is foundational for evoking the interest needed to achieve clinical goals. Persons with aphasia may internalise positional designations associated with illness rather than authority, and as a result become disengaged in the therapeutic process. Including an intergenerational participant in therapy may offer those with aphasia an opportunity to assume new roles. Favourable outcomes have been reported when intergenerational relationships are formed for the purpose of generating engagement, although these studies are limited in the field of aphasia.Aim: The aim of this instrumental case study was to describe how introducing an intergenerational relationship between a participa...
Strategies for Teaching Research: A Survey of Baccalaureate Programs.

The purpose of this study was to survey educators in National League for Nursing-accredited baccalaureate programs regarding placement and teaching strategies for nursing research and assignments used to integrate research throughout the curriculum. The 25-item survey instrument was sent to 100 randomly selected deans and directors of schools, 67 of whom responded. Demographic and descriptive data are reported. Assignments specific for theory and clinical courses are tabulated. Although a number of variables, such as size of school, region, education of faculty, and presence of a graduate program were analyzed, no significant correlations were found.
Effect of down-regulation of insulin receptors on receptor-antibody binding.

The extraction of insulin receptor antibody (ARAB) by IM-9 lymphoblastoid cells was measured using nonisotopic ARAB. ARAB extraction was expressed as a clearance, with ARAB determinations made indirectly by a method dependent on its inhibition of insulin binding. Control cells and down-regulated IM-9 cells (cells exposed to 107 M insulin for 16 h) at a cell density of 8 X×107 cells/ml were incubated in the presence of a 1:75 dilution of serum from a patient with insulin resistance due to insulin receptor antibodies. After 60 min at room temperature, control cells cleared 42±3% of ARAB compared to only 18±2% by the down-regulated cells. ARAB clearance was directly proportional to maximal tracer insulin binding, as determined in parallel experiments. ARAB clearance was similarly reduced in a dose-related fashion by 16- h exposure to Concanavalin A. These results indicate that ARAB extraction by IM-9 cells is reduced by chronic exposure to insulin. The observation that ARAB binding to insulin down-regulated ...
Wave transformation in shoaling water

A series of wave-recorders was installed from the surf zone to a point nearly a mile offshore, to study the transformation of waves in shoaling water. Examples of data taken by the recorders are presented and the records are correlated with one another. The theory for waves traveling in shoaling water is given, and a table is presented for use in predicting the theoretical travel time for periodic waves on beaches of small constant slope. From the data obtained, it appears that under favorable circumstances wave records obtained in water as deep as 81 ft (below MLLW could be correlated with records obtained in the vicinity of the surf zone in 12 ft of water, the recorders being located nearly 4200 ft apart. Travel time is predicted quite well by theory.
Transfer and expression of the bacterial NPT-II gene In chick embryos using a Schmidt-Ruppin retrovirus vector

In an effort to introduce foreign genes into chickens, the bacterial neomycin phosphotransferase (NPT-II) gene was cloned into an infectious avian retroviral vector derived from the Schmidt-Ruppin A strain of RSV. The NPT-II gene was stable in the vector during passage in vitro and infected cells were resistant to G418. Fertilized chicken embryos were inoculated with the recombinant virus on day 0 and screened on day 20 for the NPT-II gene in blood cell DNA. Approximately 12% of the embryos were positive for the NPT-II gene. Screening of DNA from the brain, muscle, liver and foot of the positive embryos indicated that the NPT-II gene copy number could vary in a single embryo. However, some embryos had nearly equal NPT-II copy number in each tissue examined. To determine the expression of the bacterial gene, tissue extracts from the positive embryos were assayed for NPT-II activity. The results indicated that NPT-II activity varied depending on the tissue, with activity being highest in muscle and foot regardless of NPT-II gene copy number.
Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Mediates Angiotensin II Inhibition on BKCa Channels

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is a critical regulator of sodium balance, extracellular fluid volume, vascular resistance, and, ultimately, arterial blood pressure. The key RAS molecule angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R), and another major determinant of vascular tone, the large conductance calcium-activated potassium (BKCa) channel, are both highly expressed in renal arterial smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Our previous studies in expression systems revealed a physical association between AT1R and BKCa, and that AT1R association modified BKCa channel voltage sensitivity. However, the effect of Ang II on BKCa channels in renal arterial SMCs needs to be defined. Furthermore, whether AT1R association is critical for the alteration of channel activity in response to Ang II, and whether the coupling changes BKCa reactivity to specific inhibitors also remain unknown. Our present studies in rat renal arterial SMCs show that application of 100 nM Iberiotoxin (IbTx, a specific BKCa channel blocker) inhibits whole-cell BKCa currents by 63.0±12.5% (n=5). IbTx-sensitive BKCa currents were reduced by 44.4±8.7% (n=3) in response to 1 μM Ang II treatment. In AT1R-IRES-BKCa-transfected HEK293T cells, extracellular application of 1 μM Ang II also suppressed whole-cell BKCa currents by 19.7±0.3% (n=3), while this treatment made no significant changes in cells expressing only BKCa (n=6). IbTx reduced the whole-cell currents by 37.2±1.9% (n=4) in BKCa-transfected HEK293T cells and 37.7±12.5% (n=5) in AT1R-IRES-BKCa-transfected cells. Paxilline treatment (100 nM) produced a 66.8±8.0% (n=3) reduction of BKCa whole-cell currents in BKCa-transfected HEK293T cells and 65.8±9.2% (n=3) reduction in AT1R-IRES-BKCa-transfected cells. These results demonstrate that Ang II inhibits BKCa channel activity in renal arterial SMCs and suggest that AT1R serves as the mediator of the effect. However, the interaction between AT1R and BKCa does not change channel reactivity towards specific channel inhibitors. Supported by NIH.
Nonconvex separation theorem for multifunctions, subdifferential calculus and applications

We derive a nonconvex separation theorem for multifunctions that generalizes an early result of Borwein and Jofre and show that this result is equivalent to several other subdifferential calculus results in smooth Banach spaces. Then we apply this nonconvex separation theorem to improve a second welfare theorem in economics and a necessary optimality condition for a multi-objective optimization problem.
Aging and the Lower Urinary Tract

Lower urinary tract symptoms and disorders are prevalent and bothersome in the rapidly growing aging population. Common symptoms include urinary frequency, nocturia, urgency, and incontinence. Among older men, symptoms of voiding difficulty, such as hesitancy, slow stream, and straining, are also common. A variety of aging changes, as well as age-associated disease, predispose older people to the development of lower urinary tract symptoms. Medications used to treat conditions outside the lower urinary tract also can contribute to these symptoms. Physicians and other health professionals should routinely ask specific questions about lower urinary tract symptoms in their older patients and evaluate them thoroughly when they are present.
Efficacy and safety of daptomycin in patients with renal impairment: a multicenter retrospective analysis

tudy Objective Daptomycin is a therapeutic option for patients with underlying renal insufficiency who are vulnerable to nephrotoxicity from vancomycin. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of daptomycin in patients with renal impairment. Design Multicenter, retrospective, observational, case series analysis. Setting Two academic medical centers. Patients One hundred and sixty adults with creatinine clearance (Clcr) of 50 ml/minute or less who received daptomycin for at least 72 hours for complicated Gram-positive infections from 2008–2011. Measurements and Main Methods Clinical and microbiologic outcomes were assessed at the end of daptomycin therapy. Safety evaluations were documented for all patients, and when available, creatine phosphokinase (CPK) levels were recorded. Thirty-eight (23.8%) patients were on hemodialysis, and 122 (76.3%) had a decreased baseline renal clearance not requiring hemodialysis with a median interquartile range (IQR) Clcr of 32.4 ml/minute (24.2–40.4 ml/min). The median (IQR) daptomycin dose was 6.0 mg/kg (5.8–7.8 mg/kg) administered every 24 hours in 68 patients (42.5%) and every 48 hours in 92 patients (57.5%). Daptomycin success, including cure or improvement, (Cure: signs and symptoms resolved and no additional antibiotic therapy required, or infection cleared with negative cultures reported at the end of daptomycin therapy; Improvement: partial resolution of signs and symptoms and additional antibiotic therapy necessary at the end of daptomycin therapy) was achieved in 128 of 160 (80.0%) patients at the end of therapy. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was the most common pathogen (45%) isolated. The most frequent reason for using daptomycin was due to vancomycin-associated nephrotoxicity (20%). Daptomycin therapy was discontinued in six patients (3.8%) because of elevated CPK (median time to onset, 11.5 days). Loss of daptomycin susceptibility occurred in two patients with complex endovascular infections who were on hemodialysis. Conclusions Daptomycin demonstrated clinical and microbiologic success rates comparable with prior studies. Discontinuation of therapy because of elevated CPK levels may have been avoided in some patients with adjustment to every 48-hour dosing for Clcr less than 30 ml/minute. The relatively early time to onset suggests the need for CPK monitoring more frequently than once/week in renally impaired patients receiving daptomycin. The treatment of bacteremia in patients with renal insufficiency warrants further study.
A practical framework for managing uncertainties in power device model evaluation

All models are only abstractions of the real systems and their performances are greatly dependent on the assumptions. As different models with different assumptions are introduced, the circuit designers face evaluation problems. In this paper we adopted uncertainty reasoning and the framework of decision-making under incomplete knowledge to solve the problems. The framework produces a range of the model-fit index according to the circuit designers' subjective or a priori specification on the importance of the performance criteria. Case studies were performed for practical applications of the framework. In the case study, it could be observed that the outcome of the model-fit index is more influenced by the order of the criteria than the way they are ranked.
Adaptive line enhancement using multirate techniques

A novel structure for multirate adaptive filtering with lower computational complexity and improved performance of the adaptive algorithm is introduced. It uses auxiliary subbands and a modified filter bank with decimated subbands. It avoids the aliasing distortions encountered in critically decimated overlapping filter banks as well as the spectral gaps in nonoverlapping filter banks. The authors show that this structure has a lower computational complexity than previously reported structures. Computer simulations are included showing the improvement in performance that can be achieved with the new structure operating as an adaptive line enhancer (ALE) compared with the conventional ALE. >
“Geometric clutch” hypothesis of axonemal function: Key issues and testable predictions

The Geometric Clutch hypothesis integrates a large body of seemingly disconnected analytical measurements and observations into one conceptual framework. It remains to be established whether certain key requirements of the hypothesis are actual attributes of real axonemes. The hypothesis is rich in predictive value, as its fundamental working elements are developed directly from physical properties and structures of the axoneme. Exploration of these predictions will serve to confirm or reject the hypothesis itself, but even more importantly, may contribute to elucidation of the principles underlying ciliary and flagellar functioning.
Indirect optic nerve trauma.

• This report summarizes the details of 33 personal cases of the important but uncommon entity of posttraumatic optic neuropathy, seen during an 11-year interval. Victims were predominantly young males, and bicycles proved the most common source of injury. Severity of visual loss correlated poorly with level of consciousness and presence of craniofacial fractures. Optic canal fractures were found in only seven of the patients. Vision improved in five of 25 untreated patients, one of four treated with corticosteroids, and three of four treated with corticosteroids and transethmoidal decompression of the optic canal. No patients lost vision after their initial examination. Two of six initially blind eyes regained some vision. Management of these injuries is controversial. Hospitals should designate physician teams that should develop and implement a treatment plan for traumatic optic neuropathies.
TUT and TABU transitional filters

Abstract Transitional XY filters (TXY) are considered with characteristics that vary smoothly from those of filter X to those of filter Y as a parameter is varied continuously. Emphasis is placed on transitional ultraspherical—Thomson (TUT) filters and transitional ultraspherical “ a ”-ultraspherical “ b ” (TABU) filters.
Comparison of techniques for disparate sensor fusion

The use of multiple disparate sensors such as range and visible is commonplace on most modern robotic platforms. Combination of evidence techniques which include Bayesian and Dempster-Shafer can be used to resolve some of the ambiguity in sensor outputs for scene segmentation purposes. This paper compares various versions of the Dempster-Shafer formalism and a neural network model for integration of disparate sensor outputs.
An iterative algorithm for trust and reputation management

Trust and reputation play critical roles in most environments wherein entities participate in various transactions and protocols among each other. The recipient of the service has no choice but to rely on the reputation of the service provider based on the latter's prior performance. This paper introduces an iterative method for trust and reputation management referred as ITRM. The proposed algorithm can be applied to centralized schemes, in which a central authority collects the reports and forms the reputations of the service providers as well as report/rating trustworthiness of the (service) consumers. The proposed iterative algorithm is inspired by the iterative decoding of low-density parity-check codes over bipartite graphs. The scheme is robust in filtering out the peers who provide unreliable ratings. We provide a detailed evaluation of ITRM via analysis and computer simulations. Further, comparison of ITRM with some well-known reputation management techniques (e.g., Averaging Scheme, Bayesian Approach and Cluster Filtering) indicates the superiority of our scheme both in terms of robustness against attacks (e.g., ballot-stuffing, bad-mouthing) and efficiency. Furthermore, we show that the computational complexity of the proposed ITRM is far less than the Cluster Filtering; which has the closest performance (to ITRM) in terms of resiliency to attacks. Specifically, the complexity of ITRM is linear in the number of clients, while that of the Cluster Filtering is quadratic.
Natural history of cow’s milk allergy

Cow’s milk allergy is the most common food allergy in children, with rates estimated at 2% to 3%. An article in 2007 from investigators from Johns Hopkins speculated that the natural history of food allergy is changing, with longer time to resolution and lower rate of resolution. As part of the National Institutes of Health–sponsored Consortium on Food Allergy Research, Wood et al examined the natural history of milk allergy in one of the larger cohorts studied. Their cohort consisted of 293 children with cow’s milk allergy (part of their cohort of 512 children with cow’s milk allergy and egg allergy). One hundred fifty-four (53%) children outgrew their cow’s milk allergy by 66 months of age. In addition, another 21% of the children were tolerating cow’s milk in baked goods, indicating that theywill probably tolerate ‘‘raw’’ cow’smilk in the near future. These data suggest that approximately 75% of children outgrow their cow’s milk allergy at approximately 5 years of age or later. Their results fall in between those of previous studies, most likely because of differences in the study design and population involved. For example, the study of the tertiary referral population at Johns Hopkins had a resolution rate of 19% at 4 years of age and 42% at 8 years of age. This compares with 78% seen at 5 years of age in the original study by Bishop et al of general pediatrics from 1990 and with 57% by 5 years of age in 54 infants with cow’s milk allergy from a general birth cohort of 13,000 infants in Israel (Table I). Other potential reasons for the study differences that require exploration include the genetics of the study population, the details of the cow’s milk exposure history (eg, age of introduction, preparation of the cow’s milk, and amount and regularity of milk ingestion), the severity of the initial allergic reaction, and the association of other atopic
Fast Modeling and Identification of Robot Dynamics Using the Lasso

This paper presents an approach for fast modeling and identification of robot dynamics. By using a data-driven machine learning approach, the process is simplified considerably from the conventional analytical method. Regressor selection using the Lasso (l1-norm penalized least squares regression) is used. The method is explained with a simple example of a two-link direct-drive robot. Further demonstration is given by applying the method to a three-link belt-driven robot. Promising result has been demonstrated.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Impulse Radio Address Event Interconnects for body area networks and neural prostheses

Impulse or ultra wideband (UWB) radio is a wireless communications method, providing high bandwidth for short range communication. Address event representation (AER) is a communications protocol for conveying information in terms of events and is widely used in neuromorphic systems. Combining the two techniques, we present a method for wirelessly sending AER events between neuromorphic systems. The resulting wireless protocol includes an AER event interface, asynchronous handshaking, PRN coding, and UWB transmission. The first three functions are implemented in digital logic and the last, the physical transmission is accomplished using UWB radio components. The asynchronous handshaking and PRN coding provide two layers of robustness for operating the protocol in noisy conditions. An analysis of the capacity of a network of UWB AER nodes, which demonstrates its ability to support several thousand neurons across multiple transmitters, even at relatively high sustained firing rates, suitable for body area networks (BANs) and wireless networked neural protheses.
Das Prinzip Bewegung – Herz und Gehirn als Metaphern des menschlichen Lebens

In diesem Jahr, in dem wir Charles Darwins gedenken, mochte ich etwas riskieren und eine Frage erortern, die fur die Literatur ebenso wie fur die Biologie zentral ist: Was ist das Leben? Die Antwort auf diese Frage finden wir nicht in der Bibliothek und nicht im Labor, zumindest nicht an diesen erkenntnisproduzierenden Stellen allein. Als Literaturwissenschaftlerin und ehemalige Naturwissenschaftlerin glaube ich, dass wir das Leben nur verstehen werden, wenn wir seinen Wirkungen uberall nachforschen, inklusive in der Literatur.
Discovering excitatory relationships using dynamic Bayesian networks

Mining temporal network models from discrete event streams is an important problem with applications in computational neuroscience, physical plant diagnostics, and human–computer interaction modeling. In this paper, we introduce the notion of excitatory networks which are essentially temporal models where all connections are stimulative, rather than inhibitive. The emphasis on excitatory connections facilitates learning of network models by creating bridges to frequent episode mining. Specifically, we show that frequent episodes help identify nodes with high mutual information relationships and that such relationships can be summarized into a dynamic Bayesian network (DBN). This leads to an algorithm that is significantly faster than state-of-the-art methods for inferring DBNs, while simultaneously providing theoretical guarantees on network optimality. We demonstrate the advantages of our approach through an application in neuroscience, where we show how strong excitatory networks can be efficiently inferred from both mathematical models of spiking neurons and several real neuroscience datasets.
Characterization and heterologous expression of laccase cDNAs from xylem tissues of yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera).

Four closely related cDNA clones encoding laccase isoenzymes from xylem tissues of yellow-poplar (Ltlacc2.1–4) were identified and sequenced. The inferred yellow-poplar laccase gene products were highly related to one another (79–91% at the amino acid level) and showed significant similarity to other blue copper oxidases, especially with respect to the copper-binding domains. The encoded proteins had N-terminal signal sequences and 17–19 potential N-linked glycosylation sites. The mature proteins were predicted to have molecular masses of ca. 61 kDa (unglycosylated) and high isoelectric points (pI 9.3–9.5). The canonical copper ligands were conserved, with the exception of a Leu residue associated with the axial position of the Type-1 cupric ion. The residue at this position has been proposed to influence the redox potential of Type-1 cupric ions. Northern blot analysis revealed that the yellow-poplar laccase genes are differentially expressed in xylem tissues. The genes were verified as encoding active laccases by heterologous expression in tobacco cells and demonstration of laccase activity in extracts from transformed tobacco cell lines.
A framework for short-term humanitarian health care projects.

Background: This opinion piece, based on the experiences of the author, outlines the planning involved for a short-term assignment. With growing demand for humanitarian health care assistance to underserved countries, a framework for organizing short-term trips to such areas would be beneficial to the trip organizers. Content: The key to a successful project lies in focusing on specific populations and interventions while still in the planning stages. The hurdles that need to be cleared before actually embarking on the project are also discussed. Outcomes: The lasting result of such ventures lies in the learning experiences of the participants, the care that the population receives, and a deeper appreciation for global health and disparity.
Silicate complexation of NpO2 + ion in perchlorate media

Complexation behavior of NpO2+ with ortho-silicic acid (o-SA) has been studied using solvent extraction at ionic strengths varying from 0.10 to 1.00M (NaClO4) at pcH 3.68±0.08 and 25 °C with bis-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (HDEHP) as the extractant. The stability constant value (log β1) for the 1:1 complex, NpO2(OSi(OH)3), was found to decrease with increase in ionic strength of the aqueous phase [6.83±0.01 at I=0.10M to 6.51±0.02 at I = 1.00M]. These values have been fitted in the SIT model expression and compared with similar values of complexation of the metal ions Am3+, Eu3+, UO22+, PuO22+, Np4+, Ni2+ and Co2+. The speciation of NpO2+-o-silicate/carbonate system has been calculated as a function of pcH under ground water conditions.
Discrete-Time Priority Queues with Partial Interference

A class of discrete-time priority queueing systems with partial interference is considered. In these systems, N nodes share a common channel to transmit their packets. One node uses a random access scheme, while other nodes access the channel according to preassigned priorities. Packet arrivals are modeled as discrete-time batch processes, and packets are forwarded through the network according to fixed prescribed probabilities. Steady-state analysis of the class of systems under consideration is provided. In particular, we present a recursive method for the derivation of the joint generating function of the queue lengths distribution at the nodes in steady state. The condition for steady state is also derived. A simple example' demonstrates the general analysis and provides some insights into the behavior of systems with partial interference such as multihop packet radio systems.
Evacuation and Other Forms of Pre-impact Mobilization

As emphasized previously, the lines that demark human responses across the life cycle of a disaster are blurred. Yet, once the earliest warnings have been issued, additional forms of mobilization occur. Other sectors of the community beyond those involved in the initial aspects of the warning process gradually begin to monitor the impending threat with more concern. These responses take somewhat different forms depending upon the system level studied.