cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Frequency and Risk Factors of Clostridium difficile Infection in Hospitalized Patients With Pouchitis: A Population-based Study.

BACKGROUND Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in patients with the ileal pouch after proctocolectomy has been increasingly recognized. We sought to evaluate the frequency and risk factors of CDI in patients with the primary or secondary discharge diagnosis of pouchitis in the United States. METHODS We reviewed the National Inpatient Sample of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project and identified patients admitted for pouchitis with underlying inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), between 2010 and 2012. Cases with CDI were identified based on a concomitant primary or secondary discharge diagnosis for CDI. The frequency of CDI was estimated in patients with underlying IBD and FAP. Multivariable analysis was conducted to study the risk factors associated with CDI in those with pouchitis with underlying IBD. RESULTS A total of 3566 eligible patients with pouchitis were identified during the study period. Eighty-nine patients (2.5%) had CDI as a concomitant primary or secondary discharge diagnosis. CDI was identified in 2.6% (99.9% confidence interval [CI], 1.3-3.8) of pouchitis patients with underling IBD. None of the patients with pouchitis with underlying FAP were found to have CDI during the study period. Among pouchitis patients with underlying IBD, the presence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (odds ratio = 5.4; 95% CI, 1.5-19.9), obesity (odds ratio = 5.5; 95% CI, 1.4-21.4), or obstructive sleep apnea (odds ratio = 10.3; CI, 2.0-53.7) was associated with an increased risk of CDI. CONCLUSIONS It seems that CDI was limited to pouchitis with underlying IBD and rare in those with underlying FAP. Patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, obesity, and obstructive sleep apnea are at an increased risk of C. difficile pouchitis among patients with IBD.
Optimum Fusion in Distributed Multisensor Network Decision Systems

Abstract In this paper, we consider optional fusion rule in distributed multi-hypothesis multi-sensor network decision systems, where communication pattern between sensors are fixed and fusion center can observe data. We propose a specific fusion rule, which is of the most general form including all possible fusion rules as its a special case and independent of the statistical characteristics of observations and decision criterions; therefore, to reach the globally optimal decision performance, people only need to optimize sensor rules under this fusion rule for given conditional distributions of observations and decision criterion. Hence, we can regard this fusion rule as optimal fusion rule. Computer simulations support the above results.
Background on Higher Education Policy in Europe

The political economy explanations for institutional change at the national level in Europe are addressed in this book. European higher education policy is directly relevant to the disciplines of International Education, Political Economy, and European Studies. The concept of a “Europe of Knowledge” was presented by the European Commission in 1997. The pursuit of global competitiveness in the knowledge economy was the impetus for the intergovernmental initiative of the Bologna Process, which has created the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). The influences of globalization and Europeanization are presented, as are the content and organization of the book. Growing from the 29 original participating countries to 48 in the EHEA, the objective is to converge upon national higher education governance and administration criteria in the region of Europe.
The Ethical Use of Technology for Clinical and Performance Enhancement Services: Prevalence and Perceptions Among Association for Applied Sport Psychology Certified Consultants

Sport psychology professionals have increasingly utilized technology for providing performance enhancement and clinical services. Some uncertainty exists amongst professionals to the ethical nature of providing services using technology. The purpose of this study was to survey Certified Consultants of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) on the frequency and perceived ethicality of their technology use for providing performance enhancement and clinical services. A secondary purpose was to investigate differences in perceived ethicality between consultants with professional licensure compared to unlicensed professionals. Results suggest overall technology use for service delivery by consultants is low. Technologies used to provide clinical services displayed significantly lower ethical ratings compared to their use for performance enhancement purposes. Differences between licensed consultants and those who are unlicensed emerged for the ethical perceptions of providing performance enhancemen...
A scalable communication abstraction framework for internet of things applications using Raspberry Pi

The Internet of Things concept is described as a network of interconnected physical objects capable of gather, process, and communicate information about their environment, and potentially affect the physical world around them through their sensors, embedded processors, communication modules, and actuators, respectively. Such a network can provide vital information on events, processes, activities, and future projections about the state of a distributed system. In addition, it can give the devices inside the network awareness about their environment far beyond the range of their dedicated sensors through communication with other devices. In most cases, such network consists of devices with different processing and communication capacities and protocols, from a variety of hardware vendors. This paper introduces an abstracted messaging and commanding framework for smart objects, aimed towards making the network capable of including various communication standards. This issue is addressed by proposing a messaging structure based on JavaScript object notation (JSON) format so the new devices connecting to the network can introduce themselves to the central coordinator. The introduction includes a list of functionalities that the device is capable of, and the information it needs to carry out those tasks. This platform makes the network capable of incorporating different devices with various purposes and functions with ease and flexibility. Having a fast, reliable, and scalable communication scheme is critical for realization of a robust and flexible network.
Pharmacologic interventions in PET/CT imaging: Indications and imaging protocols

1036 Learning Objectives 1. Discuss the indications and adverse effects of pharmacologic interventions in PET CT imaging. 2. Recognize various metabolic processes or physiologic changes induced by drugs. 3. Describe the imaging protocols in drug- augmented PET CT imaging. PET CT imaging is valuable in assessing pathophysiology in a variety of organ systems. Pharmacologic interventions are often used in PET/CT imaging to modify or monitor physiologic changes, thereby optimizing the image to facilitate the diagnosis. Insulin, ativan and metoprolol have been used for oncologic PET/CT studies in order to overcome false- negative or false- positive results of hyperglycemia, claustrophobia, brown fat uptake, and muscular uptake. Pharmacologic intervention with diamox is used for brain reserve studies. Pharmacologic interventions performed during PET/CT imaging for urinary malignancies include diuretic administration such as furosemide. Recombinant thyrotropin can be used in patients with previously treated thyroid carcinoma who require PET/CT follow-up scanning for recurrent thyroid disease. Cardiac pharmacologic stress agents are commonly performed with regadenoson and it would be important to know how the vasodilatory effects of regadenososn may effect the intepretation of cardiac PET CT images. The goal of this presentation is to discuss indications and adverse effects of pharmacologic interventions in PET/CT imaging used to avoid false-negative or false positive results. Recognition of variuos metabolic processes and different physiologic changes induced by drugs are important in understanding how they would affect image data and image quality. It is recommended to have defined protocols in place in order to use drug- augmented PET CT imaging and avoid non diagnostic or poor diagnostic quality scans due to altered biodistribution or physiologic state. In this presentation, we review the indications, mechanism of action, and adverse effects of these drugs and present imaging protocols and examples of their use in PET CT imaging. Research Support Alena Kreychman, M.D. J. Antonio Obando, MD*,† * Department of Radiology Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT. †Division of Nuclear Medicine Veterans Administration CT Healthcare System, West Haven, CT
The Roles of Molecular Techniques in the Diagnosis and Management of Follicular Lymphoma

The first section of this chapter is an overview focused on the practical applications intended for trainees and nonspecialist practitioners. The second section reviews how the parameters assessed in molecular genetic assays reflect the parthenogenesis of follicular lymphoma (FL).
Long-term outcomes of interventions for radiation-induced xerostomia: A review

Xerostomia, or dry mouth, is a significant problem affecting quality of life in patients treated with radiation therapy for head and neck cancer. Strategies for reduction of xerostomia burden vary widely, with options including: sialagogue medications, saliva substitutes, acupuncture, vitamins, hyperbaric oxygen, submandibular gland transfer, and acupuncture or associated treatments. In this review, we sought to evaluate long-term outcomes of patients treated with various interventions for radiation-induced xerostomia. A literature search was performed using the terms "xerostomia" and "radiation" or "radiotherapy"; all prospective clinical trials were evaluated, and only studies that reported 1 year follow up were included. The search results yielded 2193 studies, 1977 of which were in English. Of those, 304 were clinical trials or clinical studies. After abstract review, 23 trials were included in the review evaluating the following treatment modalities: pilocarpine (three); cevimeline (one); amifostine (eleven); submandibular gland transfer (five); acupuncture like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (ALTENS) (one); hyperbaric oxygen (one); and acupuncture (one). Pilocarpine, cevimeline, and amifostine have been shown in some studies to improve xerostomia outcomes, at the cost of toxicity. ALTENS has similar efficacy with fewer side effects. Submandibular gland transfer is effective but requires an elective surgery, and thus may not always be appropriate or practical. The use of intensity-modulated radiation therapy, in addition to dose de-escalation in select patients, may result in fewer patients with late xerostomia, reducing the need for additional interventions.
Important factors in left atrial posterior wall isolation using 28-mm cryoballoon ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation-Block line or isolation area?

Introduction Left atrial (LA) roof ablation using the cryoballoon technique, combined with pulmonary vein isolation (PVI), has been reported to be beneficial for ablation therapy in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). Left posterior wall ablation also results in improved patient outcomes. However, the contribution of these techniques to the success of cryoballoon ablation (CBA) treatment of AF is not known. The present study examined the influence of the roofline block and isolation area on outcomes after CBA. Methods and results We enrolled 78 patients with persistent AF. LA roof ablation was performed using a 28-mm cryoballoon with a single freezing of 3 minutes at each region (median number of freezes: 4) after PVI. After CBA, bipolar voltage amplitude mapping was performed during sinus rhythm using the NavX mapping system. Patients were divided into two subgroups according to the voltage and activation map: the roof-conduction (n = 46) and roofline-block groups (n = 32). Atrial tachyarrhythmia recurred in 20 patients of the conduction group and 4 patients of the roofline-block group. The rate of 12-month freedom from tachyarrhythmia after a single ablation procedure was 78% (95% confidence interval [CI], 60%-89%) in the roofline-block group and 45% (95% CI, 30%-60%) in the conduction group (P = .048). Cox proportional hazard analysis revealed that the isolated area was not a significant predictor of recurrence (hazard ratio, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.86-1.02; P = .15). Conclusion Creating a complete roofline block is the major factor predicting the maintenance of sinus rhythm in patients with persistent AF.
Spatial-Temporal Trajectory Redesign for Dual-Stage Nanopositioning Systems With Application in AFM

This article focuses on trajectory redesign for dual-stage nanopositioning systems, where speed, range, and resolution are considered. Dual-stage nanopositioning systems are becoming increasingly popular due to their unique ability to achieve long-range and high-speed operation. Conventional trajectory assignment methods for dual-stage systems commonly consider frequency characteristics of the actuators, a process that can inappropriately allocate short-range, low-frequency components of a reference signal. A new systematic range-and-temporal-based trajectory-redesign process is presented, where the desired trajectory is first split based on achievable positioning bandwidth, and then, split spatially based on the achievable range and positioning resolution. Inversion-based feedforward control techniques are then used to compensate for the dynamic and hysteretic behaviors of a piezo-based prototype dual-stage positioner; this control architecture is selected to emphasize improvements achieved through the new trajectory-redesign method, as well as allow for implementation onto platforms with minimal sensing capabilities. Simulations and atomic force microscope experiments are included to demonstrate the success of this redesign procedure compared to approaches that consider frequency or range alone.
Neural correlates of self-evaluation in relation to age and pubertal development in early adolescent girls.

Abstract Early adolescence is marked by puberty, and is also a time of flux in self-perception. However, there is limited research on the neural correlates of self-evaluation in relation to pubertal development. The current study examined relationships between neural activation during self-evaluation of social traits and maturation (age and pubertal development) in a community sample of female adolescents. Participants (N = 143; age M = 11.65, range = 10.0–13.0) completed a functional MRI task in which they judged the self-descriptiveness of adjectives for prosocial, antisocial and social status-related traits. Pubertal development was based on self-report, and was also examined using morning salivary testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, and estradiol. Contrary to preregistered hypotheses, neither age nor pubertal development were related to neural activation during self-evaluation. We further examined whether activation in two regions-of-interest, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and perigenual anterior cingulate (pgACC), was associated with trial-level self-evaluative behavior. In line with preregistered hypotheses, higher vmPFC and pgACC activation during self-evaluation were both associated with a higher probability of endorsing negative adjectives, and a lower probability of endorsing positive adjectives. Future studies should examine neural trajectories of self-evaluation longitudinally, and investigate the predictive value of the neural correlates of self-evaluation for adolescent mental health.
Papilledema in Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP): A Pediatric Case and Review of the Literature:

Objective:To analyze the available literature on papilledema in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP), report the first detailed pediatric case, and explore the underlyin...
Narration as argument

Paula Olmos’ edited collection, Narration as Argument, pushes argumentation scholars to view narrative and argument as inextricable, and to develop frameworks for explaining how narratives function...
Acidity across the interface from the ocean surface to sea spray aerosol

Aerosols impact climate, human health, and the chemistry of the atmosphere, and aerosol pH plays a major role in the physicochemical properties of the aerosol. However, there remains uncertainty as to whether aerosols are acidic, neutral, or basic. In this research, we show that the pH of freshly emitted (nascent) sea spray aerosols is significantly lower than that of sea water (approximately four pH units, with pH being a log scale value) and that smaller aerosol particles below 1 μm in diameter have pH values that are even lower. These measurements of nascent sea spray aerosol pH, performed in a unique ocean-atmosphere facility, provide convincing data to show that acidification occurs "across the interface" within minutes, when aerosols formed from ocean surface waters become airborne. We also show there is a correlation between aerosol acidity and dissolved carbon dioxide but no correlation with marine biology within the seawater. We discuss the mechanisms and contributing factors to this acidity and its implications on atmospheric chemistry.
Road Wary: Mobility, Law, and the Problem of Escape

Because their intentions are to relocate for only some time, they will not cut their ties with their home;they will not change their residence;they will not count themselves as a new member of the community in which they alight.3 Some have suggested that this portends an important shift from crowded cities to suburban or even rural locations.4 While we can only speculate whether this movement augurs a reconfiguration of residency,5 we can say with more confidence that COVID-19 has generated some meaningful shifts in workplace and in lifestyle. [...]zoning has this impact. [...]the law deals, albeit unsteadily, with the benefits and costs associated with citizens' mobility decisions, especially relocation and residency, in myriad uses. [...]whether or not we think that the government should stick its nose in our business when we consider escape, we should acknowledge that the impacts of these decisions may have repercussions that warrant government intervention, even if principally ex post.10 While no one seriously advocates depriving us of the opportunity to escape, nor can we seriously advocate in our United States that a state can or should pull up the drawbridge. The concept of legal residence is surprisingly opaque, given its significance for at least two key economic considerations, state and local tax liability and, in the case of public post-secondary education, eligibility for admission and the level of tuition and fees.12 This is not the place to canvas the various state approaches to establishing residency and domicile. Suffice it to say that the phenomenon of escape that I am considering here is something that will not implicate residency and the attendant obligations of a resident unless either: (1) the "refugee" does in fact make locational choices that, under relevant state law, change his or her residency, in which escape presages relocation, or (2) state governments insist on imposing economic and other legal responsibilities on individuals who are in their state for some period of time, even if this period is uncertain.
Mitigating Chronic Diseases during Archaeological Fieldwork: Lessons from Managing Asthma, Diabetes, and Depression

Chronic diseases and preexisting conditions shape daily life for many archaeologists both in and out of the field. Chronic issues, however, can be overlooked in safety planning, which more often focuses on emergency situations because they are considered mundane, or they are imperceptible to project directors and crews until a serious problem arises. This article focuses on asthma, diabetes, and depression as common medical conditions that impact otherwise healthy archaeologists during fieldwork, with the goal of raising awareness of these conditions in particular, and the need to be more attentive to chronic diseases in general. Archaeological fieldwork presents novel situations that put those with chronic diseases and preexisting conditions at risk: environmental hazards, remoteness from medical and social resources and networks, lack of group awareness, and varying cultural norms. As a result, if chronic diseases are not attended to properly in the field, they can lead to life-threatening situations. Managing the risk presented by these conditions requires a group culture where team members are aware of issues, as appropriate, and collaborate to mitigate them during fieldwork. Descriptions of how chronic diseases affect archaeologists in the field are followed by “best practice” recommendations for self-management and for group leaders.
Illuminating new structures of a rod CNG channel: The eye's chemoelectrical converter

In this issue of Neuron, Xue et al. report high-resolution structures of the human cGMP-activated ion channel CNGA1 from rod photoreceptors. These structures provide valuable insights into the processes of cGMP-dependent activation and Ca2+ block and permeation.
Woman Authorship in Pre-print Versus Peer-Reviewed Oral Health-Related Publications: A Two-Year Observational Study

Objectives: Women in oral health science face similar societal issues and challenges as those in other STEMM careers, and gender disparities continue to exist as evidenced by fewer women represented as first and last authors in scientific publications. Pre-prints may serve as a conduit to immediately disseminating one9s work, bypassing the arduous peer review process and its associated inherent biases. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to 1) compare the gender of first and last authors in pre-print versus peer reviewed publications, 2) examine the composition of first and last author pairs as stratified by publication type, and 3) examine the correlation between woman authorship and institutional geographic location and publication metrics stratified by publication type. Methods: The keyword "oral health" was used to search for publications in BioRxiv and Pubmed in the years 2018 and 2019. Gender of first and last authors were determined, and its frequency was considered as the primary outcome. Additionally, the geographic location of the author9s associated institution and publication metrics measured by Altmetrics score were extracted. Data was descriptively summarized by frequencies and percentages. Chi-square analysis was conducted for categorical variables which included the relationship between gender and publication type as well as gender and region of author9s associated institution. Binomial regression analysis was conducted to analyze the relationship between gender and Altmetrics. Results: Woman first authors comprised 40.3% of pre-prints and 64.5% of peer reviewed publications (p 0.05). Conclusion: For the first time in oral health science, it was found that women show higher representation as first and last author positions in peer reviewed publications versus pre-prints.
Association Between Statewide Financial Incentive Programs and COVID-19 Vaccination Rates (preprint)

To encourage COVID-19 vaccination, many states in the US have introduced financial incentives ranging from small, guaranteed rewards to lotteries that give vaccinated individuals a chance to win $1 million or more. We compiled information on statewide incentive programs along with data on daily vaccine doses administered per 100,000 individuals in each state. Leveraging variation across states in the daily presence of incentives, we used difference-in-differences regressions to examine the association between these incentive program indicators and vaccination rates. Difference-in-differences analysis showed that 24 statewide incentive programs were associated with a non-significant relative decline in daily vaccination rates of 8.9 per 100,000 individuals (95% CI [-64.3,46.5]; p=0.75). Furthermore, there was no significant difference in vaccination trends between states with and without incentives in any of the 14 days before or after incentives were introduced. Lotteries and other incentives offered by 24 states were not associated with a significant change in COVID-19 vaccination rates. More substantial incentives or mandates may be necessary to raise vaccination rates.
Yeast Fermentation Product Improves Pre-transit Antioxidant Defense and Post-transit Performance of Beef Steers

Steers supplemented Diamond V NaturSafe, a yeast fermentation product, at the manufacturer’s current recommended dose for receiving cattle (12 g/steer/d) during a 19-d preconditioning period exhibited greater antioxidant (glutathione) capacity prior to a 19-h transit event. Regardless of treatment, activity of the antioxidant enzyme Mn-superoxide dismutase was increased post-transit, suggesting more antioxidants may be needed to combat transit-induced stress. Supplementing NaturSafe at 12 g/steer/d during both preconditioning and receiving also improved feedlot performance early in the receiving period (d 0 to 30). These data suggest increasing antioxidant status may be an effective strategy to help cattle prepare for and recover from a stressful event, such as long-distance transit.
A Bio-inspired Approach to Self-organization of Mobile Nodes in Real-Time Mobile Ad Hoc Network Applications

In this chapter, we study the applicability and effectiveness of an evolutionary computation approach to a topology control problem in the domain of mobile ad hoc networks (manets). We present formal and practical aspects of convergence properties of our force-based genetic algorithm, called fga, which is run by each mobile node to achieve a uniform spread. Our fga is suitable for manet environments since mobile nodes, while running the fga, only use local neighborhood information. An inhomogeneous Markov chain is used to analyze the convergence speed of our bio-inspired algorithm. To demonstrate our topology control algorithm’s applicability to real-life problems and to evaluate its effectiveness, we have implemented a simulation software system and two testbed platforms. The simulation and testbed experiment results indicate that, for important performance metrics such as the normalized area coverage and convergence rate, the fga can be an effective mechanism to deploy mobile nodes with restrained communication capabilities in manets operating in unknown areas. Since the fga adapts to the local environment rapidly and does not require global network knowledge, it can be used as a real-time topology controller for realistic military and civilian applications.
Absence of hepatitis C viral RNA from saliva and semen of patients with chronic hepatitis C

Abstract Body fluids from 14 patients with chronic hepatitis C were analyzed for the presence of hepatitis C viral RNA using the polymerase chain reaction. Nucleic acids were extracted from serum, saliva, and semen in guanidinium thiocyanate, subjected to reverse transcription, and then amplified by a double polymerase chain reaction technique using "nested" primers from the highly conserved 5′ non-coding region of the hepatitis C virus genome. Hepatitis C viral RNA was found in the serum of all patients in titers ranging between 10 −1 and 10 −3 . The hepatitis C viral genome was not detected in any saliva or semen sample. These findings suggest that body fluids of patients with chronic hepatitis C are rarely, if ever, contaminated with the hepatitis C virus. This may help to explain the infrequent transmission of this disease by sexual or close physical contact.
Successful treatment of NMDA receptor antibody associated encephalitis using intrathecal methotrexate (P4.066)

OBJECTIVE To describe the successful treatment of a patient with nonparaneoplastic anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis using intrathecal methotrexate, rituximab and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). BACKGROUND Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis may be paraneoplastic, with the majority of cases resulting from an ovarian teratoma, or non-paraneoplastic. Treatment usually consists of tumor removal in paraneoplastic cases, and immunosuppresive therapy. Because of the rarity of the disease, treatment decisions are likely to be based on case reports and clinical experience. DESIGN/METHODS Chart review RESULTS We present the case of a 30 year old woman who presented with acute psychosis and was initially treated by psychiatrists, who later developed seizures and tested positive for anti-NMDA receptor antibodies. No tumor was found after an extensive work-up and the patient continued to worsen despite treatment with IVIg, steroids, and rituximab (1000 mg on days 1 and 15). She became minimally responsive, developed bradycardia necessitating pacemaker placement, and catatonic. Due to the continued decline, 10 days after the second rituximab infusion, treatment was begun with ECT (31 courses in total) and intrathecal methotrexate (12 mg every 12 weeks). Two weeks after the intrathecal methotrexate she started to improve. She became interactive and was able to follow simple commands after these treatments. She has been maintained on therapy with intrathecal methotrexate every 3 months and rituximab as needed to keep her CD19 count to zero. Steady improvement was noted during subsequent clinic visits. A year after her presentation, her family states that she is 90[percnt] back to baseline cognitively. CONCLUSIONS. Patients with NMDAR encephalitis are known to require aggressive therapy. As our patient had no response to IVIg and steroids, and continued to worsen after rituximab infusion, it is likely that intrathecal methotrexate and ECT mediated her improvement when added to the rituximab. Disclosure: Dr. Peng has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pawate has nothing to disclose.
A game theory approach to cooperative and non-cooperative routing problems

Previous work on multiobjective routing takes a system optimization approach to minimize some global objective function. An approach using a game-theoretic formulation is taken. The authors focus on a simple example of two classes which minimize a delay objective. Three cases are considered. The first case (baseline) does global optimization where the routing policies for the two classes are forced to be equal. The second case is where the two classes cooperate to minimize the same objective function of global average delay. In general, this team optimization approach will have a multiplicity of solutions which make it possible to use secondary objectives to select the operating point. The third case is where each class optimizes its own objective function, which corresponds to the classical noncooperative Nash game. This allows different objectives to be adopted by the different classes. >
Spatial relationship surveys of navigation and surveying instrumentation of NOAA hydrographic ships and launches

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Geodetic Survey (NGS) conducted spatial relationship surveys aboard several NOAA ships and launches, including the Nancy Foster. The purpose of the surveys was to accurately determine the spatial relationship of various navigation and survey instrumentation sensor components relative to the centerline of each vessel. Additionally, Reference Points (Bench Marks) were established as an aid to incorporate future installation or relocation of survey/navigation equipment. The surveys made use of precision measuring equipment to gather the data.
Simulation and Application of PLD in Electric Power System Circuit

Programmable Logic Device(PLD) has been widely used in hardware circuit, and it has evolved into two types: Complex Programmable Logic Device(CPLD) and Field Programmable Gate Array(FPGA). This paper takes small current grounding in electric power system as background, uses xc95144, a representative CPLD of Xilinx Company in the signal collecting circuit to collect voltage and current signals, and do some other operations to spare circuit board area. This paper also tries to translate the schematic into VHDL-described text and do simulation to the text.
Asymptotic information for parametric estimation from an equilibrium particle process

We consider asymptotic parametric estimation from a particle process of birth and death on a Brownian flow. Whether for likelihood or quasi-likelihood estimators, we treat expressions of the asymptotic information in relation to a stationary law for the process. And when that law is specifically that of a Poisson random measure, we treat a computational formula for asymptotic information including Fisher's information for the maximum-likelihood estimator.
Evolution of concept networks and implications for knowledge representation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present descriptive characteristics of the historical development of concept networks. The linguistic principles, mechanisms and motivations behind the evolution of concept networks are discussed. Implications emanating from the idea of the historical development of concept networks are discussed in relation to knowledge representation and organization schemes.Design/methodology/approach – Natural language data including both speech and text are analyzed by examining discourse contexts in which a linguistic element such as a polysemy or homonym occurs. Linguistic literature on the historical development of concept networks is reviewed and analyzed.Findings – Semantic sense relations in concept networks can be captured in a systematic and regular manner. The mechanism and impetus behind the process of concept network development suggest that semantic senses in concept networks are closely intertwined with pragmatic contexts and discourse structure. The interrelatio...
An efficient CCM KRISHNA for high contention environment and its performance comparison with WDL

Abstract Commonly known concurrency control mechanisms (CCMs) based on two-phase locking are known to be unsuitable for high contention environment. One of the main reasons for their inefficiency is the high level of wasted work, which occurs because of redundant roll-backs, and inappropriate blocking in resolving conflicts. This happens mainly because these CCMs resolve conflicts using pre-defined policies; an approach which sets a limit on their efficiency. Recently a class of CCM, called Wait Depth Limited (WDL) has appeared in the literature, which claims to overcome some of these problems. We also recognize limitations and unsuitability of commonly known locking based CCMs for high contention environment, and present a class of CCMs called KRISHNA which offers a simple heuristic based and efficient solutions to these problems. We establish our claim with a detail simulation study and show that one of the CCMs of KRISHNA class outperforms WDL class in the majority of high contention environments. We argue that our CCMs are based on a simple approach, and are easy and cheaper to implement.
Discovery of Genes Expressed in Basal Endosperm Transfer Cells in Maize Using 454 Transcriptome Sequencing

Endosperm in a developing seed of maize is a major storage tissue for starch and proteins, and is of immense economic significance for its role in food, feed, and biofuel production. Of the total four cell types in developing endosperm, basal endosperm transfer cells (BETCs) are known to perform a major role in solute acquisition from post-phloem maternal tissues of developing seeds of the plant. To identify all transcripts expressed in the BETCs, we employed here a simplified microdissection method to isolate the BETCs from developing kernels at 12 days after pollination. Total RNA was extracted from such BETCs and used for cDNA synthesis. The 5,790 reads of cDNAs with an average length of 218 nucleotides were generated through 454 sequencing of a partial (1/16) run of a picotiter plate. After trimming, a total of 4,505 reads were used for clustering and assembly that led to 682 contigs and 1,791 singletons. A select set of genes showing high abundance in the above transcript reads were tested and validated for the BETC-specific expression by qPCR and by in situ hybridization. Positive results from these tests and the undetectability of expression of the marker genes relating to the embryo surrounding region located adjacent to the BETCs suggested that our microdissection method was successful in harvesting the BETC-enriched cells. Functional annotation and categorization of the 2,473 unique sequences showed high abundance of transcripts related to mitochondrial activity, stress stimulus, alkaloid biosynthesis related to defense genes and various signaling functions essential for seed development.
An Algorithm and Properties Enabling Identification of Bifurcation Subsystems

Abstract A systematic algorithm that applies the bifurcation subsystem and geometric decoupling test conditions is given for identification of a bifurcation subsystem using the bifurcating right eigenvector information. Both bifurcation subsystem condition and geometric decoupling condition are applied to a sequence of partitioned full system models with resultant internal systems of increasing order. In order to simplify and provide more insight into the bifurcation subsystem identification procedure, a set of extensions of geometric decoupling condition are presented. More discussion on the identification algorithm reveals that obtaining the bifurcation subsystem, which experiences, produces, and causes the bifurcation in full system model, is an event of very high probability for power systems. This analysis reveals that the existence of a bifurcation subsystem requires much weaker conditions than that required for slaving, coherency reduction, and α–decomposition method. More important, the simplicity...
Preimplantation genetic screening: a survey of in vitro fertilization clinics

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine which US in vitro fertilization clinics provide preimplantation genetic screening for aneuploidy in treating infertility, and to explore clinic directors' attitudes toward this technique. Methods: Online survey included 415 US assisted reproductive technology clinics. The survey had a valid response rate of 45% or 186 clinics. Results: Nearly 68% of US in vitro fertilization clinics responding to the survey provided preimplantation genetic screening in an effort to increase success rates of fertility treatment. More than half of these in vitro fertilization clinics (56%) provided preimplantation genetic screening for advanced maternal age and the same percentage provided preimplantation genetic screening to treat repeated in vitro fertilization failure, whereas 66% provided preimplantation genetic screening to treat women with repeated miscarriage. Opinions of the effectiveness of preimplantation genetic screening for these indications varied widely, even among those providing it. Most directors (85%) of clinics providing preimplantation genetic screening believed that more data are needed to determine whether and to whom it should be offered. Conclusions: Despite the lack of data supporting the use of preimplantation genetic screening for recurrent pregnancy loss, in vitro fertilization failure, and advanced maternal age, a majority of in vitro fertilization clinics in the United States offer preimplantation genetic screening for these purposes. There is significant support among clinic directors for more research into the effectiveness of preimplantation genetic screening and for professional guidelines in this area.
The land-locked and geographically disadvantaged states and the Law of the Sea

Abstract Among the groups attempting to maximize their interests at UNCLOS III was the Group of Land-locked and Geographically Disadvantaged States, countries with no seacoast at all or a coast that for some reason did not enable them to benefit from an exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Over 50 such countries, quite diverse in most other respects, tried to enhance their limited bargaining strength through group action. While the land-locked states alone had had some successes at the first United Nations Conference on Transit Trade of Land-locked Countries, conditions were different at UNCLOS III, and even in coalition with ‘geographically disadvantaged’ countries their successes were more limited. This was due at least partly to the inability of the Group at any time to constitute a realistic ‘blocking third’ of Conference participants in order to prevent adoption of Treaty articles by a two-thirds vote, and also because the Group primarily comprised states with very little political power or influence. As a result, the modest concessions made to them in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea may in the future give them some leverage when bargaining with other countries for access to the sea and its resources, but they will still have to rely primarily on good relations in general with their coastal neighbors.
Performance comparison for NRZ, RZ and CSRZ modulation formats in ultralong-haul DWDM system

Transmission performances of 10Gbps DWDM NRZ, RZ and CSRZ system are compared by both theoretical simulation and experiment. Simulation shows the NRZ, RZ and CSRZ have different duty cycle, spectrum and chirp characteristics, which are the main reasons for different transmission performances. Simulation also shows that NRZ has the largest dispersion tolerance. The chirp of RZ brings out more jitter than the other two modulation formats do during transmission. CSRZ has less pulse distortion induced from dispersion due to its chirp characteristics. Our simulation is verified by experiments with a multi-channel 10Gbps ultra long haul system. The experiments of our transmission system show that both NRZ and RZ system can transmit above 3200km, and CSRZ can transmit as far as 5490km.
High-order determinantal equation-of-motion coupled-cluster calculations for ionized and electron-attached states

Abstract General-order equation-of-motion coupled-cluster methods for ionization potentials and electron affinities (IP-EOM-CC and EA-EOM-CC) are developed by employing a determinantal algorithm. With these, principal ionization potentials or electron affinities of diatomic molecules and the excitation energies of their ionized or electron-attached counterparts are computed across different approximations of the cluster operator and the ionization (electron-attachment) operator. IP-EOM-CC(2,2h-1p)=IP-EOM-CCSD and EA-EOM-CC(2,1h-2p)=EA-EOM-CCSD or EA-EOM-CC(2,2h-3p) prove to be well-balanced models for principal ionization potentials and electron affinities, whereas for the quantitative descriptions of non-Koopmans ionization or electron-attachment processes IP-EOM-CC(3,3h-2p)=IP-EOM-CCSDT and EA-EOM-CC(2,2h-3p) appear to be the minimal levels.
Method for Solving the Sine-Gordon Equation

The initial value problem for the sine-Gordon equation is solved by the inverse-scattering method.
Genetic Background Modulates lncRNA-Coordinated Tissue Response to Low Dose Ionizing Radiation

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as key regulators of diverse cell functions and processes. However, the relevance of lncRNAs in the cell and tissue response to ionizing radiation has not yet been characterized. Here we used microarray profiling to determine lncRNA and mRNA expression in mammary glands of BALB/c and SPRET/EiJ mice after low-dose ionizing radiation (LDIR) exposure. We found that unirradiated mammary tissues of these strains differed significantly in baseline expressions of 290 lncRNAs. LDIR exposure (10 cGy) induced a significant change in the expression of many lncRNAs. The vast majority of lncRNAs identified to be differentially expressed after LDIR in either BALB/c or SPRET/EiJ had a significantly correlated expression pattern with at least one LDIR responsive mRNA. Functional analysis revealed that the response to LDIR in BALB/c mice is highly dynamic with enrichment for genes involved in tissue injury, inflammatory responses, and mammary gland development at 2, 4, and 8 weeks after LDIR, respectively. Our study demonstrates that genetic background strongly influences the expression of lncRNAs and their response to radiation and that lncRNAs may coordinate the tissue response to LDIR exposure via regulation of coding mRNAs.
Asparagine surrogates for the assembly of N-linked glycopeptide mimetics by chemoselective ligation

Abstract Alanine-β-hydroxylamine (Aβx) and alanine-β-hydrazide (Aβz) have been developed as asparagine surrogates for the assembly of N -linked glycopeptide mimetics by chemoselective ligation. The utility of these residues is illustrated with the synthesis of the oligosaccharyl transferase substrate mimetics 1 and 2 , and conjugation thereof with GlcNAc to obtain the N -glycopeptide mimetics 3 and 4 .
A Hybrid Media Transmission Scheme for Wireless VoIP

In this paper, we propose an optimization framework for real-time voice transmission overwireless tandem channels prone to both bit errors and packet erasures. Utilizing a hybrid mediadependent and media independent error correction scheme, our proposed framework is capable ofprotecting voice packets against both types of errors. For each group of frames associated with onespeech spurt, the framework finds the optimal parity assignment of each voice frame according toits perceptual importance such that the quality of the received group of frames is maximized. Ourperformance evaluation results show that the proposed scheme outperforms a number of alternativeschemes and has a low computational complexity.
Development of a multidisciplinary design optimization test simulator

Many of the method development efforts in the field of multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) attempt to simplify the design of a large, complex system by dividing the system into a series of smaller, simpler, and coupled subsystems. A representative and efficient means of determining the feasibility and robustness of MDO methods is crucial. This paper describes the construct and applications of a test simulator, CASCADE (Complex Application Simulator for the Creation of Analytical Design Equations), that is capable of randomly generating and then converging a system of coupled analytical equations, of user-specified size (Hulme and bloebaum 1996). CASCADE-generated systems can be used for test sequencing and system reduction strategies, convergence strategies, optimization techniques, MDO methods, and distributed computing techniques (via Parallel Virtual Machine), among others.
Digitized Spark Chamber for Space Science Experiments

A digitized spark chamber has been developed for gamma-ray and charged particle experiments on balloons and satellites. The spark chamber is assembled from modular units, which are stacked to the desired number of levels. Each module consists of parallel spark planes formed from two orthogonal wire grids. Ferrite memory cores, strung on the wires of both grids, record the X-Y coordinate of the spark. Factors affecting the operating characteristics of these modules are discussed. A gamma-ray detector of 32 module levels has been assembled and balloon-flown in a search for cosmic gamma-ray point sources. The construction of this detector is described and its performance briefly discussed.
Morphologic Risk Factors for Local Recurrence in Patients with Invasive Breast Cancer Treated with Conservative Surgery and Radiation Therapy

Abstract: The combination of conservative surgery and radiation therapy (CS and RT) is now the local treatment of choice for many women with invasive breast cancer. A number of patient factors, treatment factors, and pathologic factors must be taken into consideration in determining the suitability of this approach for an individual patient. The purpose of this article is to review the morphologic features of the tumor that are important to consider in selecting patients for CS and RT and in assessing their risk of local recurrence.