cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The reliability of flexible nasolaryngoscopy in the identification of vocal fold movement impairment in young infants.

Abstract Objective Flexible nasolaryngoscopy (FNL) is considered the gold standard for evaluation of vocal fold mobility but there has been no data on the reliability of interpretation in the infant population. Visualization may be limited by excessive movement, secretions, or floppy supraglottic structures that prevent accurate diagnosis of vocal fold movement impairment (VFMI). We sought to evaluate the inter- and intra-rater reliability of FNL for the evaluation of VFMI in young infants. Study type Case-control. Methods Twenty infants were identified: 10 with VFMI and 10 normal as seen on FNL. Three pediatric otolaryngologists reviewed the video without sound and rated the presence and/or degree of vocal fold mobility. Twelve videos were repeated to assess intra-rater reliability. Results There was substantial agreement between the reviewers regarding the identification normal vs. any type of VFMI (kappa = 0.67) but only moderate agreement regarding the degree of vocal fold movement (kappa = 0.49). Intra-rater reliability ranges from moderate to perfect agreement (kappa = 0.48–1). Conclusion FNL in infants is an extremely challenging procedure. Clinically, physicians frequently use the quality of the cry and the past medical and surgical history to help make a judgment of vocal fold movement when the view is suboptimal. These other factors, however, may bias the interpretation of the FNL. Without sound, there is only moderate inter-rater and variable intra-rater reliability for the identification of degree of movement on FNL. Otolaryngologists must be cognizant of the limitations of FNL when using it as a clinical tool or as a “gold standard” against which other modalities are measured.
Diagnostic utility of renal fine-needle aspirate cytology and ultrasound in the cat:

Objectives The primary objective of this study was to retrospectively assess the diagnostic utility of feline renal fine-needle aspiration cytology by assessing diagnostic yield, cytologic characteristics and diagnostic accuracy. The secondary objective was to characterize ultrasonographic features of sampled kidneys to determine if they influenced diagnostic yield. Methods Slides, images and patient data were collected from the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center database. Slides were designated as diagnostic or non-diagnostic. Non-diagnostic slides were used in calculating diagnostic yield and excluded from other analysis. Slides were evaluated for cytologic characteristics and assigned a single primary diagnosis. Ultrasound still images were evaluated for descriptive characteristics and characteristics of specific lesions were described. Cases with confirmatory testing were used to determine diagnostic sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values for detecting neoplasia. Results Of 96 cytologic submissions available for review, diagnostic yield was 68%; 48% of samples were at least moderately cellular. Of 87 cases with ultrasound data, kidneys showing subcapsular renal infiltrate, diffuse renal enlargement without pelvic dilation and infiltrative/nodular change were more likely to yield diagnostic samples. Of 12 confirmed cases, cytology was 100% sensitive and specific for the detection of neoplasia (four round-cell tumors and two carcinomas). Three cases with non-neoplastic histologic diagnoses were considered cytologically normal, two incorrectly diagnosed the pathology present, and one correctly diagnosed the pathology. While some imaging characteristics were more commonly seen in neoplastic vs non-neoplastic lesions, the sample size was insufficient for definitive correlation. Conclusions and relevance This is the first major analysis of feline ultrasound-guided renal fine-needle aspiration cytology. This technique generates adequate samples for interpretation at rates comparable to other soft tissues and is most useful in the diagnosis of neoplasia. Some imaging characteristics are indicative of the likelihood of obtaining an adequate sample for cytologic interpretation.
Overview of Venous Disorders

Venous disorders are among the most common conditions in the Western world. To understand the various venous disorders, it is important to understand the normal anatomy. Venous disorders can be divided into acute and chronic.
Flight plasma diagnostics for high-power, solar-electric deep-space spacecraft

NASA's Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM) mission concept plans included a set of plasma and space environment instruments, the Plasma Diagnostic Package (PDP), to fulfill ARRM requirements for technology extensibility to future missions. The PDP objectives were divided into the classes of 1) Plasma thruster dynamics, 2) Solar array-specific environmental effects, 3) Plasma environmental spacecraft effects, and 4) Energetic particle spacecraft environment. A reference design approach and interface requirements for ARRM's PDP was generated by the PDP team at JPL and GRC. The reference design consisted of redundant single-string avionics located on the ARRM spacecraft bus as well as solar array, driving and processing signals from multiple copies of several types of plasma, effects, and environments sensors distributed over the spacecraft and array. The reference design sensor types were derived in part from sensors previously developed for USAF Research Laboratory (AFRL) plasma effects campaigns such as those aboard TacSat-2 in 2007 and AEHF-2 in 2012. ARRM project leadership also encouraged the PDP team to convene a team of topical subject matter experts from across the country to review and confirm the reference design and to consider effective alternatives and/or enhancements to the reference design. This activity was proposed and accepted as an interactive, informal JPL “A-team” study and a cadre of 25 participants gathered in early 2017 for discussions. The outcome of the two-day A-team study was that the PDP reference design would allow the most important induced-environment unknowns to be measured in the appropriate space environment. Another outcome addressed technology developments of new or improved space plasma environmental sensors. The A-team study concluded that selected developments would lead to improved measurements that could efficiently provide important and otherwise unavailable information about plasma thruster operation in the space environment as well as the plasma induced spacecraft environment. Specifically, the A-team group recommended greater sensor diversity, by inclusion of deployed sensor capabilities in the thruster plume, or by occasional gimbaling of the thruster(s) toward the sensor arrays. The A-team also recommended developing high-speed probes, optical plasma probes, energy selective probes, and direct erosion/deposition sensors, among others; and recommended the inclusion of cameras as well as, since ARRM was to be recovered in cis-lunar orbit by a crewed mission, astronaut assessments of thruster induced environments and collection of sample coupons. Overall, the PDP A-team study provided a clear, consensus-supported validation of the reference design PDP approach and pointed out important directions for future flight plasma sensor development.
Transient myocardial thickening in a Bartonella henselae-positive cat.

Abstract A 3-year-old castrated male domestic shorthair presented to the Cornell University Hospital for Animals for acute onset respiratory distress. Thoracic radiographs, echocardiogram, and electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed left-sided congestive heart failure, myocardial thickening with left atrial dilation, and sinus rhythm conducted with a left bundle branch block, respectively. Cardiac troponin I was elevated and continued to increase over 36 h (1.9 ng/mL, 3.1 ng/mL, and 3.5 ng/mL, sequentially every 12 h). The cat tested positive for Bartonella henselae and was treated with azithromycin (30 mg/kg by mouth (PO) every 24 h for 30 days), along with furosemide (1 mg/kg PO every 24 h), benazepril (0.4 mg/kg PO every 24 h), pimobendan (0.23 mg/kg PO every 12 h), and clopidogrel (18.75 mg PO every 24 h). Reevaluation at 6 weeks revealed normal respiratory rate on physical examination, normal cardiac structures and function on echocardiogram, resolution of left bundle branch block on ECG, and normal cardiac troponin I levels (0.06 ng/mL). All medications were discontinued at this time, and the cat continued to do well 5 months after reevaluation. Here, we report a case of transient myocardial thickening in a cat that was also positive for B. henselae.
Serum levetiracetam concentrations and adverse events after multiple dose extended release levetiracetam administration to healthy cats

Background Multiple dose administration of antiepileptic drugs to cats presents a challenge for owners. Extended release levetiracetam (XRL) has once daily recommended dosing interval, but multiple dose administration of XRL has not been evaluated in cats. Objective Evaluate serum levetiracetam concentrations and adverse clinical effects after 11 days of once daily XRL administration to healthy cats. Animals Nine healthy privately owned cats, body weight ≥ 5 kg METHODS: Extended release levetiracetam (500 mg/cat) was administered PO q24h for 10 days. On day 11, blood was collected at trough, 4, 6, and 8 hours after tablet administration. Owners maintained records of adverse effects throughout study. Levetiracetam was quantitated in serum using immunoassay validated in cats. Results Median dose 94.3 mg/kg q24h. Median (range) trough, 4, 6, and 8 hour serum levetiracetam concentrations were 7.0 (2.3-14.1), 82.6 (7.8-125.3), 92.3 (13.3-97.3), and 72 (22.8-96.4) μg/mL, respectively. Peak was not observed in 4 cats because of missed samples (n = 2) and failure to reach maximal concentration (Cmax ) by 8 hours (n = 2). Median time of maximal concentration (Tmax ) for the remaining 5 cats 5.2 (range 4-6) hours. Adverse effects were minimal and included ataxia (n = 1), sedation (n = 1), and vomiting or regurgitation (n = 1). All signs resolved without dose adjustment or additional treatment. Conclusions and clinical importance Mean trough serum levetiracetam concentrations were ≥5 μg/mL and adverse effects were minimal throughout dosing period, indicating that the drug was well tolerated. Once daily XRL (500 mg/cat) administration may provide an easier alternative to 3 times daily dosing of intermediate-release levetiracetam for epileptic cats.
Developing a Passive Vibration Absorber to Generate Traveling Waves in a Beam

Sound waves enter the outer ear and pass into the ear canal where the waves cause the eardrum to vibrate. Those acoustics are transmitted to the middle ear, and then pass through the innermost part of the ear, called the cochlea. The basilar membrane (BM), the main structural element of the cochlea, analyzes the waves propagating through it much like a biological Fourier analyzer. The waves travel from the base of the cochlea through the BM and get absorbed at the apex of the cochlea. These latter feature of the human auditory system is the inspiration to study waves propagating from one end of a beam to the other without reflections at the boundary.
Parametric Rolling of Ships – Then and Now

Modern research on parametric rolling of ships was first conducted in Germany in the late 1930s. This work was initiated in an effort to explain the capsizing of some small ships such as coasters and fishing vessels in severe following seas. The work included experiments with models in open water as well as numerical and theoretical computations. The phenomenon was thought to be of concern principally in following seas and for small, low freeboard ships. In the 1990s, however, there were reports of containerships and even some cruise ships experiencing heavy rolling in head seas. These were ships having a hull form characterized by great flare forward and wide flaring stern sections, features that are known to lead to significant stability variations in waves. The APL CHINA casualty in October 1998 focused attention on parametric rolling in head seas. The investigation of this casualty included theoretical computations of GZ variations, model experiments and numerical simulations as well as meteorological studies of the wind and sea conditions prevailing at the time. Results of the investigation received wide dissemination in the technical press. Since the APL CHINA casualty and other similar incidents, much theoretical and experimental work has been focused on head seas parametric roll. IMO and many of the Class Societies now have recommendations to designers and masters for avoiding head seas parametric rolling situations.
THE STRUCTURES OF FIBRINOGEN AND FIBRIN

Publisher Summary In recent years, a major effort has been under way in several laboratories to determine the primary structure of the three nonidentical chains of human fibrinogen. The bulk of these efforts have been centered in three laboratories—Blomback's in Stockholm, Henschen's in Munich, and the one in La Jolla. All three groups have published numerous reports dealing with various portions of the structure. The most significant feature to emerge from the primary structure studies on fibrinogen so far has been the homology observed among the three nonidentical chains. Clearly, all three chains have descended from a common ancestor. This chapter describes the way such an evolutionary perspective is consistent with certain three-dimensional structures proposed for fibrinogen and is inconsistent with others. The human fibrinogen molecule contains 29–31 disulfide bridges, the ambiguity residing in the α -chains, which contain either 8 or 10 cysteine residues; β -chains and γ -chains have 11 and 10 cysteine, respectively.
A Versatile Coordinating Ligand for Coating Semiconductor, Metal and Metal-Oxide Nanocrystals

We detail the design of a new set of multicoordinating polymer ligands based on the phosphonate anchoring motif and apply them for the surface coating of luminescent quantum dots, gold nanoparticles, and iron oxide nanoparticles alike. The ligand is synthesized via a nucleophilic addition reaction between poly(isobutylene-alt-maleic anhydride) and amine-modified phosphonate derivatives and short polyethylene glycol hydrophilic blocks, which allows the flexibility to tune the architecture and stoichiometry of the final compound. We find that these phosphonate-based polymers exhibit a strong coordinating affinity for ZnS-overcoated quantum dots (QDs), Au nanoparticles, and iron oxide nanoparticles, yielding nanocrystal dispersions that exhibit good colloidal stability for all three systems. The affinity of these ligands is also preserved when additional coordinating groups are introduced, such as imidazoles. Furthermore, the resulting polymer-coated nanocrystals are easily functionalized with reactive group...
Relationship between Early Antibiotic Exposure and Short-Term Growth Velocity in Premature Neonates.

OBJECTIVE To characterize the relationship between the duration of antibiotic administration during the first week of life and subsequent growth velocity during hospitalization. STUDY DESIGN This was a retrospective study comparing the inhospital growth of infants born between 30 and 326/7 weeks' gestational age (GA) admitted to the Montefiore Weiler and Wakefield neonatal intensive care units between January 2009 and December 2015. Antibiotic duration during the first week of life was classified as no antibiotics, <5 days of antibiotics, or ≥5 days of antibiotics. Differences between discharge and birth weight Z-scores were compared between the three groups using analysis of variance. RESULTS Of the infants, 87% received antibiotics during the first week of life, with 16% of infants completing ≥5 days. Compared with infants receiving ≤5 days of antibiotics, infants treated with ≥5 days had a lower GA, lower Apgar scores, more invasive respiratory support, longer duration of total parenteral nutrition, delayed initiation of enteral feeding, and a higher weight Z-score on admission and discharge (p < 0.05). However, there was no distinction in growth between the three groups assessed by the difference between admission and discharge weight Z-scores (p = 0.64), growth velocity (gram/kilogram/day) (p = 0.104), or an exponential growth velocity outcome (p = 0.423). CONCLUSION Early antibiotic exposure was not associated with increased growth velocity between birth and discharge. Our study was limited by its retrospective nature and lack of follow-up data postdischarge.
Using neuroeducation methods to compare engineering student performance on linear and systems tasks

This Research Work-in-Progress paper investigates engineering students’ cognitive activities while completing linear and systems thinking tasks related to sustainability, which requires students to simultaneously utilize a large variety of constructs related to environmental, social, economic, and technical systems. To solve such interconnecting problems, systems thinking is necessary during decision-making rather than linear thinking modes that are more typical of solving closed-ended problem sets. This study uses an electroencephalogram (EEG) and self-report data to investigate engineering undergraduate students’ cognitive activities when completing different tasks. We hypothesize that concept maps allow individuals to organize their thoughts within a systems thinking framework, and thus result in a more complete and holistic response than a linear thinking equivalent (i.e., listing task). We also hypothesize that creating a concept map is a more complex cognitive process than writing a list of terms and thus students (at least initially) would experience greater cognitive load while completing the concept mapping tasks. EEG and self-report measures of cognitive load will allow comparisons of undergraduate engineering students’ performance on a linear or systems thinking task. Data collection is on-going so our paper will focus on methods, preliminary results, and future work.
Direct, spatially resolved observation of defect states with electromigration and degradation of single crystal SrTiO3

Laterally and depth-resolved cathodoluminescence spectroscopy (DRCLS) provided direct, nanoscale measurements of oxygen vacancy and oxygen vacancy complex distributions in undoped and Fe-doped SrTiO3 with high temperature electric field stress associated with dielectric resistance degradation. DRCLS provided direct and spatially resolved observation of oxygen vacancy migration driven by external electric fields from the anode to the cathode in undoped SrTiO3 between laterally separated electrodes, resulting in increased current leakage and lower thermal breakdown strength. DRCLS measurements through planar Pt electrodes after high temperature electric field cycling reveal pronounced oxygen vacancy depletion within the surface space region of the Pt/SrTiO3 Schottky barrier as predicted theoretically. These results provide a direct insight into the transient states impacting the conduction during the electromigration of the oxygen vacancies. The deconvolution of different peaks and their intensity variations relative to the direct bandgap provide methods to gauge the relative defect energetics of these gap states. These data are discussed in relation to providing a tool to further understand conduction in mixed ionic conductors.
Classification of breast calcifications in dual-energy FFDM using a convolutional neural network: simulation study

Based on chemical composition, two types of microcalcifications are found within the breast. Type I calcifications consist of calcium oxalate (CaOx), whereas Type II calcifications are composed of calcium phosphates, mainly hydroxyapatite (CaHa). Previous tissue analysis studies1, 2 have shown that Type I calcifications are typically found in benign lesions, and are not associated with carcinoma. Type II calcifications, on the other hand, can be found in both benign and malignant breast lesions. It was estimated1 that lesions with solely Type I calcifications represented 12-17% of benign biopsies performed. Therefore, an imaging method that could differentiate calcified lesions with solely CaOx calcifications might help in reducing unnecessary breast biopsies. Previous studies3-5 have shown that dual-energy mammography can be an effective tool in discriminating between these two classes of calcifications. In this work we investigate if a convolutional neural network (CNN) can be trained to distinguish between these two types of calcified clusters, using dual-energy x-ray mammograms. We implement a Monte Carlo mammography simulator package to model a dual-energy FFDM system and use a realistic anthropomorphic digital breast phantom model6 with embedded microcalcifications. A Resnet CNN architecture was used to classify the ROIs containing either CaOX, or CaOx clusters. We report classification accuracy results in terms ROC curve and the corresponding area under it.
Impact Loads and Containment Aspects during a Rotor Failure in Aircraft Jet Engines

In today’s jet powered aircrafts, there is a danger associated with rotor failure when some parts of the rotor break loose at very high speeds and often these parts have enormous destructive potential. These high energy fragments can penetrate through the engine casing and nacelles and and have the potential of damaging fluid lines, control systems hardware, airframes and other vulnerable parts of the aircraft. Such incidents can affect the flying performance in a number of direct and indirect ways and some can even lead to loss of airplane and hundreds of passenger fatalities. Rotor failure occurs for a number of reasons, the primary one being fatigue due to normal engine operation in a high temperature environment for a sustained period of time. Additionally, they may occur due to overheating, birdstrikes, blade detachment, material defects, etc. A high level of quality control, inspection and maintenance procedures have kept these failures to a minimum, but statistics over the last fifteen years indicate that the reliability approach has reached its limit and a certain number of rotor failures are bound to happen each year. Under such circumstances, it is necessary to develop preventive measures that will contain the high energy fragments in a manner so that all potentially dangerous situations can be averted.
Anatomy of a Recharge Magma: Hornblende Dacite Pumice from the rhyolitic Tshirege Member of the Bandelier Tuff, Valles Caldera, New Mexico, USA

The 1.26 Ma Tshirege Member of the Bandelier Tuff is the second of two major (~ 400 km3, dense rock equivalent) compositionally zoned rhyolitic eruptions from the Valles caldera. Here we analyze 25 samples of a minor component of compositionally and texturally variable silicic dacite pumice (~ 67 to 72% SiO2) that is widely distributed through the unit. The dacite has a phenocryst assemblage dominated by feldspar and hornblende and is presumed to be a recharge magma. Quenching of dacite against cooler rhyolite, melting of rhyolitic crystal mush, and mixing between dacite and rhyolite contributed to textural complexity. The dacite can be broken into three petrographic pumice types resulting from different degrees of dacite–rhyolite interaction. The earliest stage in the history of the dacite discernable from mineral chemistry, thermobarometry and hygrometry is mid-crustal storage at temperatures close to 900 °C and water content ~ 5 wt%. Plagioclase zoning suggests that the dacite was subject to more mafic recharge at this stage. The dacite was then injected into rhyolitic crystal mush at temperatures between 700 and 800 °C and pressures ~ 0.3 GPa. Consequences of mixing with mushy rhyolite include the following: (1) cooling and partial crystallization of dacite; (2) growth of large, dendritic feldspars with ternary compositions; (3) ingestion of and melting of feldspar and quartz from the rhyolitic mush; (4) enrichment in fluorine due to melting of biotite in the mush; (5) enrichment in light REE contents in some samples due to melting of chevkinite-rich domain(s) in the mush; (6) second boiling of quenched dacite rendering it buoyant and distributing dacite ‘enclaves’ through the zoned rhyolite magma column. The dacite was likely injected into the rhyolite over a protracted period and eventually triggered the Tshirege eruption.
Role of clarithromycin in ventilator-associated pneumonia care bundle in the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia

Objective The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of the addition of clarithromycin to the ventilator care bundle to help in the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Patients and methods Eighty patients of more than 18 years, on a mechanical ventilator for less than 48 h, expected length of stay in the ICU for more than 48 h, with no clinical and radiographic evidence of pneumonia were enrolled in a double-blind comparative study. The patients were randomized to one of the two groups: group A (n = 40) where the patients received clarithromycin (through the Ryle over the first 3 days after intubation); group B (n = 40) is the control group. Results As regards demographic data, length of stay in the ICU, use of vasopressor, prolongation of corrected QT interval Q wave T wave, and incidence of mortality no statistical difference was observed between the two groups, regarding the incidence of VAP in group A was significantly lower than in group B. Conclusion Administration of clarithromycin for 3 days reduce the incidence of VAP in mechanically ventilated patients.
Wearable Activity Tracking Device Use in an Adolescent Weight Management Clinic: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial.

Background The use of physical activity tracker devices has increased within the general population. However, there is limited medical literature studying the efficacy of such devices in adolescents with obesity. In this study, we explored the feasibility of using wearable activity tracking devices as an adjunct intervention on adolescents with obesity. Methods Randomized controlled pilot trial evaluated the feasibility (attrition ≤50%) of an activity tracking intervention (ATI) and its effects on weight loss in adolescents with obesity enrolled in an adolescent weight management clinic (AWMC). Outcomes included feasibility (attrition rate) and absolute change in BMI. Differences between groups at 6, 12, and 18 weeks were examined. Results Forty-eight participants were enrolled in the study. Eighteen subjects were randomly assigned to the ATI group and 30 to control. The average age was 14.5 years. Overall, the majority of participants were Hispanic (56%). Sexes were equally distributed. The average baseline BMI was 37.5 kg/m2. At the study conclusion, the overall attrition rate was 52.1%, 44.4% in the ATI group versus 56.6% in the control group, with a differential attrition of 12.2%. The ATI and control groups each showed an absolute decrease in BMI of -0.25 and -2.77, respectively, with no significant differences between the groups. Conclusion The attrition rate in our study was >50%. Participation in the AWMC by the ATI and control groups resulted in maintenance of BMI and body weight for the study duration. However, the use of an activity tracking device was not associated with greater weight loss. This trial is registered with NCT03004378.
Active learning strategy for high fidelity short-term data-driven building energy forecasting

Abstract The quality of a data-driven model is heavily dependent on the quality of data. Data from building operation often have data bias problems, which means that the data sample is collected in a way that some members of the intended data population are less likely to be included than others. Data-driven energy forecasting models built on such data hence are biased and could lead to large forecasting errors. Active learning— an effective method to defying data bias—is rarely studied or applied in the area of data-driven building energy forecasting modeling. This paper attempts to fill this gap and explores the application of active learning in data-driven building energy forecasting. The developed strategy in this paper efficiently generate informative training data within a time budget and uses block design to passively consider weather disturbances. The developed active learning strategy is applied and evaluated in both virtual and real-building testbeds against traditional data-driven methods. Via these virtual and real-building evaluation cases, we have demonstrated that the data bias problem typically exists in building operation data is resolved by applying the developed active learning strategy. Building energy forecasting models trained from data generated from the active learning strategy have shown improved performances in both model accuracy and model extendibility perspectives. The effectiveness of the block design module is also validated to effectively consider the impact of weather conditions on active learning design.
How Does Ethnic Identity Relate to Adjustment for Minoritized Students? A Two-Site Comparison of Large Public Universities:

Research suggests that achieved ethnic identity has positive implications for the adjustment of Adolescents of Color. However, researchers know very little about whether (or how) the impact of achi...
Systematic Analysis and Review of Path Optimization Techniques in WSN

Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is a centre of research owing to prevalent applications like military and scrutinizing circumstances of environment. The recent approaches showed that the mobility of sink in a controlled path can enhance the efficiency of energy in WSN, but the constraints of the path make the routing more complicated. Thus, the sink with fixed speed poses less communication time for collecting data via sensor nodes that are arbitrarily deployed. This limitation has noteworthy issues in enhancing data collected and minimizing energy consumption. Moreover, these research constraints led to the design proficient path optimization technique in WSN. This work presents a survey based on path optimization strategies. In addition, a thorough investigation is done based on various parameters. Also, we have analyzed the merits and demerits of conventional path optimization strategies. Finally, future research directions in obtaining efficient path optimization in Wireless Sensor Networks along with the mobile sink are elaborated.
A novel automatic phenology learning (APL) method of training sample selection using multiple datasets for time-series land cover mapping

Abstract The long record of Landsat imagery, which is the cornerstone of Earth observation, provides an opportunity to monitor land use and land cover (LULC) change and understand the interactions between the climate and earth system through time. A few change detection algorithms such as Continuous Change Detection and Classification (CCDC) have been developed to utilize all available Landsat images for change detection and characterization at local or global scales. However, the reliable, rapid, and reproducible collection of training samples have become a challenge for time series land cover classification at a large scale. To meet the challenge, we proposed an automatic phenology learning (APL) method with the assumption that the temporal profiles of samples within the same land cover type are the same or similar at a local scale to generate evenly distributed training samples automatically. We designed the method to build land cover patterns for each category based on consensus samples derived from multiple existing scientific datasets including LANDFIRE's (LF) Existing Vegetation Type (EVT), USGS National Land Cover Database (NLCD), National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Cropland Data Layer (CDL), and National Wetlands Inventory (NWI). Then we calculated the Time-Weighted Dynamic Time Warping (twDTW) distance between any undefined samples and land cover patterns in the same geographical region as prior knowledge. Finally, we selected the optimal land cover category for each undefined sample from the land cover products based on the designed criteria iteratively using the twDTW distance as an indicator. The method was applied in the footprint of 10 selected Landsat Analysis Ready Data (ARD) tiles in the eastern and western conterminous United States (CONUS) to produce annual land cover maps from 1985 to 2017. The accuracy assessment and visual comparison revealed that the APL method can generate reliable training samples without any manual interpretation, producing better land cover results especially for the grass/shrub and wetland land cover classes. Applying the APL method, the overall accuracy of the annual land cover maps was improved by 2% over the accuracy of Land Change Monitoring, Assessment, and Projection (LCMAP) Collection 1.0 Science Products in the research regions. Our results also indicate that the APL method provides an approach for best use of different land cover products and meets the requirement of intensive sampling for training data collection.
The disappearing data source

Abstract Growing corporate disillusionment with survey research has put a strain on the relationship between businessmen and academicians. The situation is becoming critical, and researchers may lose access to a rich data base if ways of alleviating the friction are not found. The authors look for causes (one is the sheer bulk of questionnaires received), and suggest approaches that researchers can take to elicit the support of businessmen. If the researcher is to enjoy the cooperation of practitioners, he must be aware of several points: the executive is a valuable resource; if he participates in a study he can legitimately expect that the results will be accurately reported; and his company must somehow profit from the study.
Effects of Estradiol and Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate on the Rate of Synthesis of Uterine Glucose 6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase

Abstract The levels of uterine glucose-6-P dehydrogenase (d-glucose 6-phosphate: NADP+ oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.49) in the ovariectomized mature rat are increased in response to intravenous administration of estradiol or intrauterine administration of NADP+. A highly specific rabbit antibody to this enzyme was prepared using purified rat liver glucose-6-P dehydrogenase as an antigen. Immunochemical titration of uterine glucose-6-P dehydrogenase from control and 24-hour estradiol- and NADP+-treated rats indicates that the ratio of enzyme activity to immunologically identifiable enzyme protein is unchanged by the in vivo treatments. The rate of incorporation of 14C-amino acids given by the intrauterine route into the uterine glucose-6-P dehydrogenase enzyme protein (isolated by immunoprecipitation with anti-body followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the immunoprecipitate) is linear for 4 hours in uteri from control and 12-hour estradiol-treated rats. The rate of uterine glucose-6-P dehydrogenase synthesis begins to increase after an initial lag of 4 to 8 hours after administration of estradiol and is increased 18-fold above the controls during the interval from 12 to 16 hours after the hormone treatment. The rate of synthesis begins to decrease after 20 hours and approaches the rate seen in controls by 72 hours after injection of the steroid. NADP+ treatment does not increase the rate of enzyme synthesis during the first 16 hours during which time the amount of enzyme in the uterine cytosol is increased 2-fold.
Moving tuft method for stagnation point location

Introduction T location of the forward stagnation point on a blunt nosed body in a flow stream is quite difficult when attempted by standard methods such as oil and lampblack on the surface, tufts attached to the surface, and static pressure measurements in the stagnation region. The source of this difficulty is the presence of very low dynamic pressures and pressure gradients in the region. As a consequence, the oil solution is affected more by gravity than by the flowfield, the surface tufts show considerable hysteresis due to the low flow velocities and differences in measured pressures are very small in the stagnation region. Of these three methods, the pressure measurement method is the most accurate and can be accomplished only with a very large number of pressure ports in a small region. The moving tuft method as described in this note is a simple, accurate procedure for the determination of a stagnation point. Although the method requires the development of some skill by the operator, based on the tests reported herein the necessary judgment can be developed in only a few hours. The moving tuft method as employed in this study involved the attachment of a single tuft to a piece of flat ribbon which was guided longitudinally around the model as shown in Fig. 1. Both ends of the ribbon were then routed outside the tunnel to an operator. By placing a surveyor's transit upstream of the open circuit tunnel inlet, the operator could view the tuft location relative to a grid attached to the model and could move the tuft in either direction by pulling on the ribbon. The transit was used for this study only because the stagnation region could not be directly observed. When the tuft is at the stagnation point it does not respond, but as it moves away, a slight movement can be detected. Then by moving the tuft away from the "dead" region in both directions until the movement was detected, the stagnation point could be bracketed and the midpoint of these two locations was taken as the actual stagnation point. Since the tuft was made of very fine thread, the region over which it did not respond was rather small. Also, after one or two hours of observation, it was found that an operator could obtain very consistent data and that different operators would produce quite consistent results.
Eastern Europe's Unwanted: Exiled Athletes and the Olympic Games, 1948-1964

During the post Second World War years, a number of athletes defected from the newly established Communist regimes of Eastern Europe. Many of these exiled athletes wanted to compete in the Olympic games, but the rules of the Olympic Charter stipulated that they could not. As such, this study examines how the International Olympic Committee negotiated the persistent efforts of exiles to change the organization's eligibility rules. This campaign eventually achieved some success in 1964, when the International Olympic Committee enacted changes to its Charter that allowed individuals to compete at the games for a second country of citizenship after a period of naturalization. Crucially, this issue also casts further light on the complicated role of sport in the Soviet bloc and the challenges it posed for the Olympic Movement.
Optimizing Real-Time Ordered-Data Broadcasts in Pervasive Environments Using Evolution Strategy

We consider the problem of real-time data broadcast scheduling in pervasive systems with soft deadlines and constraints on the order in which data items should be broadcast to be useful. The broadcast schedule needs to be generated to provide a certain level of quality of service. Thus, the real-time scheduler has to effectively trade-off between its running time and the quality of schedules generated. We use an evolution strategy to solve the problem. The variants tested includes 1+λ-ES, 1,λ-ES, and a 2+1-ES with a modified Syswerda recombination operator, as well as a genetic algorithm.
Posted versus effective spreads: Good prices or bad quotes?

Abstract When trades are executed inside the posted bid-ask spread, the posted spread is no longer an accurate measure of transactions costs faced by investors. Using two samples of market orders, one based on orders submitted by retail brokers and one based on orders submitted electronically to the NYSE, we document a significant difference between the posted spread and the effective spread paid by investors. For most orders, the effective spread averages half the posted spread. In addition, when the posted spread widens, only 10 to 22% of the increase appears in the effective spread. These results have significant implications for any empirical work that uses the posted spread as a measure of the cost of trading. Our findings also document a significant difference in the expected execution price across exchanges. This finding is robust to controls for the type of order, and implies that U.S. equity markets are not completely integrated.
CT colonography of the normal appendix: detection and characterization

Abstract To determine the ability of CT colonography to detect and characterize the normal appendix in adults. A total of 55 patients with CT colonography examinations are analyzed. Each observer detected an appendix in 48 cases (87%), with high interobserver concordance (kappa=0.679). The appendiceal diameter varied from 3 to 12 mm (mean 6.2 mm) with wall thickness uniformly 1 mm or less. Gas filled at least part of the appendiceal lumen in 37 cases (67%), more frequently in the prone position. Appendicoliths and periappendiceal stranding were seen in 2 and 1% of cases, respectively. An appendix can be reliably identified in approximately 87% of normal adults using CO2-insufflation CT colonography.
Interaction of Coronal Material with Magnetic Fields

The optical resolution in recent eclipse photographs is now sufficient to illustrate clearly many qualitative features of gas-magnetic field interactions in the solar corona. Close to the Sun where the field is strong, the coronal gas over certain regions of the solar surface can be contained within closed loop structures. However, since the field strength in these regions declines outward rapidly, the pressure and inertial forces of the solar wind eventually dominate and distend the field outward into interplanetary space. The overall configuration is determined by a complex interplay of inertial, pressure, gravitational, and magnetic forces. The present work is oriented toward the understanding of this interaction.
Monolayer passivation of silicon(0 0 1) surface by selenium

Monolayer passivation of the silicon(0 0 1) surface by selenium is investigated in an ultrahigh vacuum environment with a solid selenium source by reflection high-energy electron diffraction and residual gas analysis. It is found that precisely one monolayer of selenium is deposited on silicon(0 0 1) when the silicon substrate temperature is set slightly above the selenium source temperature and the passivation time ensures a little overdose of selenium above one monolayer. The temperature settings prevent selenium condensation on silicon(0 0 1), which makes selenium deposition on silicon(0 0 1) a thermodynamically self-limited process to exactly one monolayer.
Lactoperoxidase-Catalyzed Iodination of Plasmamembrane Lipids and Proteins in Arabidopsis Protoplasts

L'iodation catalysee par la lactoperoxydase est evaluee en tant que technique d'identification des composants de la membrane plasmique des protoplastes isoles des tissus foliaires d'A. thaliana
ProEx C as an adjunct marker to improve cytological detection of urothelial carcinoma in urinary specimens.

BACKGROUND ProEx C is an antibody cocktail targeting the expression of topoisomerase IIα and minichromosome maintenance protein-2. ProEx C staining is being used to assist in diagnoses of the gynecological specimens. This study was designed to determine the utility of ProEx C in urine cytology samples for improving the detection of urothelial carcinomas where a significant number of urine cytology specimens are diagnosed as “atypia.” METHODS Sixty urinary specimens (12 negative, 13 positive, and 35 atypical cases) were stained with ProEx C, and ProEx C results were recorded as positive when nuclear staining was only seen in at least one morphologically atypical urothelial cell. RESULTS All 12 benign cytology samples showed negative staining with ProEx C. Twelve of 13 cases that had a malignant cytologic diagnosis showed a positive nuclear staining of the malignant cells. Eighteen of 35 cases with atypical cytologic diagnoses showed positive nuclear staining. Of the 35 cases with “atypia,” 17 had a malignant histopathologic follow-up. In this study, ProEx C stain had an overall sensitivity of 78.4%, specificity of 95.7%%, positive predictive value of 96.7%, and negative predictive value of 73.3% for the detection of urothelial carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS ProEx C stain is a useful adjunct test to urine cytologic analysis, even in specimens with limited cellularity. In urinary smears, this test is most useful in stratification of the “atypical” diagnoses into benign and malignant subsets. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study of ProEx C application in urine cytology as an adjunct marker for detection of urothelial carcinoma. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2013;121:320–8. © 2013 American Cancer Society.
Studies on ethanol production by Cryptococcus neoformans

Several strains of Cryptococcus neoformans were found to produce small amounts of ethanol (C2H5OH) in glucose-containing media as detected by an enzymatic (alcohol dehydrogenase) and a gas chromatographic method. In glucose yeast extract broth, in which Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans produced greater than half the theoretical yield, C. neoformans produced less than 1% of the theoretical yield. Detection of ethanol in the spinal fluid for diagnosis of cryptococcal meningitis appears to be of limited value, unless there is routine determination of ethanol by one of the 2 methods applied, and because of differing yields of ethanol by differing strains.
Daily acute intermittent hypoxia elicits functional recovery of diaphragm and inspiratory intercostal muscle activity after acute cervical spinal injury

A major cause of mortality after spinal cord injury is respiratory failure. In normal rats, acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH) induces respiratory motor plasticity, expressed as diaphragm (Dia) and second external intercostal (T2 EIC) long-term facilitation (LTF). Dia (not T2 EIC) LTF is enhanced by systemic adenosine 2A (A2A) receptor inhibition in normal rats. We investigated the respective contributions of Dia and T2 EIC to daily AIH-induced functional recovery of breathing capacity with/without A2A receptor antagonist (KW6002, i.p.) following C2 hemisection (C2HS). Rats received daily AIH (dAIH: 10, 5-min episodes, 10.5% O2; 5-min normoxic intervals; 7 successive days beginning 7 days post-C2HS) or daily normoxia (dNx) with/without KW6002, followed by weekly (reminder) presentations for 8 weeks. Ventilation and EMGs from bilateral diaphragm and T2 EIC muscles were measured with room air breathing (21% O2) and maximum chemoreceptor stimulation (MCS: 7% CO2, 10.5% O2). dAIH increased tidal volume (VT) in C2HS rats breathing room air (dAIH + vehicle: 0.47 ± 0.02, dNx + vehicle: 0.40 ± 0.01 ml/100 g; p < 0.05) and MCS (dAIH + vehicle: 0.83 ± 0.01, dNx + vehicle: 0.73 ± 0.01 ml/100 g; p < 0.001); KW6002 had no significant effect. dAIH enhanced contralateral (uninjured) diaphragm EMG activity, an effect attenuated by KW6002, during room air breathing and MCS (p < 0.05). Although dAIH enhanced contralateral T2 EIC EMG activity during room air breathing, KW6002 had no effect. dAIH had no statistically significant effects on diaphragm or T2 EIC EMG activity ipsilateral to injury. Thus, two weeks post-C2HS: 1) dAIH enhances breathing capacity by effects on contralateral diaphragm and T2 EIC activity; and 2) dAIH-induced recovery is A2A dependent in diaphragm, but not T2 EIC. Daily AIH may be a useful in promoting functional recovery of breathing capacity after cervical spinal injury, but A2A receptor antagonists (e.g. caffeine) may undermine its effectiveness shortly after injury.