cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Discretely Observed Brownian Motion Governed by Telegraph Process: Estimation

A Brownian motion whose infinitesimal variance alternates according to a telegraph process is considered. This stochastic process can be employed to model a variety of real-word situations, such as animal movement in ecology and stochastic volatility in mathematical finance. The main goal is to develop an estimation procedure for the underlying model parameters when the process is observed at discrete, possibly irregularly spaced time points. The sequence of observations is not Markov, but the sequence of the state of the telegraph process, if observed, is Markov. The observed sequence is therefore from a hidden Markov model. Likelihood inference is developed via dynamic programming, and is demonstrated to have much higher efficiency than the composite likelihood approach that was applied in an earlier work. The model is applied to model the movement of a mountain lion.
Ulnar-sided wrist pain in the athlete (TFCC/DRUJ/ECU).

Purpose of review The goal of this manuscript is to review key historic and recent literature regarding extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU), triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) and distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) injuries, particularly in athletes.
An Objective, Empirical Ethics

Ever since the discovery of the successful empirical method of the natural sciences, the normative fields have been seriously challenged. Ethics, aesthetics and theology have felt themselves obliged to advance or retreat; and the former movement has not been as successful at the latter. The reply of ethics to the scientific method has been twofold. On the one hand, it has declared itself irrevocably normative and announced its subject-matter to be inherently incommensurable. On the other hand, it has been opened to empirical inquiry, but on a subjective basis only. We shall ignore the first claim, which can best be confuted by doing what it asserts cannot be done, and concentrate on the second.
Simulation of Draupner Freak Wave Impact Force On a Vertical Truncated Cylinder

In the authors’ previous work, a Draupner freak wave was produced in the wave tank, and the particle velocities and wave impact force on a vertical truncated cylinder were measured. This paper presents simulations of the impact forces and wave kinematics and compares them with the experimental data. In addition, high-frequency components contained in the impact force and freak wave have been examined by continuous wavelet transform. The large high-frequency components make the freak wave and impact force strongly nonlinear. The simulated impact force due to the field (Draupner) wave is slightly lower than that of the laboratory freak wave. The freak wave impact forces are nearly the same as those of the previously studied extreme transient waves.
Structural Dynamics of 15-Lipoxygenase-2 via Hydrogen–Deuterium Exchange

Eicosanoids are inflammatory signaling lipids that are biosynthesized in response to cellular injury or threat. They were originally thought to be pro-inflammatory molecules, but members of at least one subclass, the lipoxins, are able to resolve inflammation. One step in lipoxin synthesis is the oxygenation of arachidonic acid by 15-lipoxygenase (15-LOX). 15-LOX contains two domains: a Ca2+ binding PLAT domain and a catalytic domain. 15-LOX is a soluble cytosolic protein until binding of Ca2+ to the PLAT domain promotes translocation to the membrane surface. The role of 15-LOX structural dynamics in this translocation has remained unclear. We investigated the dynamics of 15-LOX isoform B (15-LOX-2) upon binding of Ca2+ and ligands, as well as upon membrane association using hydrogen–deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS). We used HDX-MS to probe the solvent accessibility and backbone flexibility of 15-LOX-2, revealing significant differences in deuterium incorporation between the PLAT and catalyti...
Cognition, quality-of-life, and symptom clusters in breast cancer: Using Bayesian networks to elucidate complex relationships.

Author(s): Xu, Selene; Thompson, Wesley; Ancoli-Israel, Sonia; Liu, Lianqi; Palmer, Barton; Natarajan, Loki | Abstract: OBJECTIVE:Breast cancer patients frequently complain of cognitive dysfunction during chemotherapy. Patients also report experiencing a cluster of sleep problems, fatigue, and depressive symptoms during chemotherapy. We aimed to understand the complex dynamic interrelationships of depression, fatigue, and sleep to ultimately elucidate their role in cognitive performance and quality of life amongst breast cancer survivors undergoing chemotherapy treatment. METHODS:Our study sample comprised 74 newly diagnosed stage I to III breast cancer patients scheduled to receive chemotherapy. An objective neuropsychological test battery and self-reported fatigue, mood, sleep quality, and quality of life were collected at 3 time points: before the start of chemotherapy (baseline: BL), at the end of cycle 4 chemotherapy (C4), and 1nyear after the start of chemotherapy (Y1). We applied novel Bayesian network methods to investigate the role of sleep/fatigue/mood on cognition and quality of life prior to, during, and after chemotherapy. RESULTS:The fitted network exhibited strong direct and indirect links between symptoms, cognitive performance, and quality of life. The only symptom directly linked to cognitive performance was C4 sleep quality; at C4, fatigue was directly linked to sleep and thus indirectly influenced cognitive performance. Mood strongly influenced concurrent quality of life at C4 and Y1. Regression estimates indicated that worse sleep quality, fatigue, and mood were negatively associated with cognitive performance or quality of life. CONCLUSIONS:The Bayesian network identified local structure (eg, fatigue-mood-QoL or sleep-cognition) and possible intervention targets (eg, a sleep intervention to reduce cognitive complaints during chemotherapy).
Laboratory Testing and Predictors of Severe Postpartum Hemorrhage

Multidisciplinary management of obstetric hemorrhage requires rapid identification of its underlying etiology. As part of this management, laboratory assessment for coagulopathy is often performed. The following case study reviews the data on laboratory markers which predict progression to severe postpartum hemorrhage, juxtaposing the physiologic changes in obstetric hemostasis with interpreting abnormal values. Notably, fibrinogen has emerged from several studies as a marker for progression to severe postpartum hemorrhage. The case study also reviews recommendations for periodicity in laboratory testing during obstetric hemorrhage management.
Genetics of the Damage Inducible Phenotypes of ErwiniaCarotovora Subsp. Carotovora: Characterization of Tn5 Insertional Mutants Defective in Pectin Lyase and Carotovoricin

Carotovoricin (CTV) and pectin lyase (PNL) are coinduced in the soft-rot organism Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora (Ecc) by DNA damaging agents such as bleomycin, mitomycin C, nalidixic acid or ultraviolet irradiation. We have recently shown that these recA-dependent phenotypes are also expressed in potato tuber tissue. To determine the organization of ctv and pnl, a genetic analysis of Ecc strain 71 was undertaken. Development of plate assays for PNL and CTV allowed Tn5 insertion mutants defective in CTV, PNL or both to be isolated. Mutants of these three phenotypic classes contained a single copy of Tn5 located in different regions of the Ecc genome. Phenotypes of the mutants, including the wild-type levels of pectolytic enzymes, were confirmed in agar and broth cultures and in potato tuber tissue. Since Ctv- Pnl+ and Ctv+ Pnl- mutants were obtained, and Tn5 produces strong polar mutations within operons, ctv and pnl most likely are components of independent transcriptional units inducible by a common signal. The Ctv- Pnl- phenotype resembles that of a RecA strain of Ecc except that (a) this class of Tn5 mutants undergoes typical wild-type filamentation after UV irradiation or addition of mitomycin C, contrasting the RecA mutant which does not filament, and (b) the mutation could not be complemented by the cloned Ecc recA+ gene. Cloning of the Tn5 carrying fragments and their corresponding wild type alleles is underway which will facilitate further studies involving the organization and regulation of ctv and pnl.
STRUCTURE OF THE OLIGOSACCHARIDE MOIETY OF GLYCOSPHINGOLIPIDS BIOSYNTHESIZED IN VITRO. ACTIVITY AND SPECIFICITY OF GLYCOSYL TRANSFERASES

Abstract A methodology is described which permits the determination on a ultramicro-scale, of the activity and specificity of glycosyltransferases in terms of the chemical structure of the products synthesized from known labeled substrates. Its potential and limitations are discussed taking the biosynthesis of sialosylgalactosylceramide (G M4 ) and sialosyllactosylceramide (G M3 ) as examples.
Fast Line Outage Detection Using PMU Measurements in Partially Observed Networks

A method for fast line outage detection and identification in partially observed PMU networks is presented. It is suitable for application to voltage stability analysis that uses the full network topology, and its chief advantage is that it detects outages using limited PMU measurements. It relies on applying measured system states to a pre-outaged network, and detecting an outage by observing nodal injection errors. It then defines a subnetwork surrounded by observed border buses and proceeds to carry out a search within the subnetwork to identify the outaged element. The method was tested on the IEEE39-bus through simulation and yields accurate identifications with times comparable to PMU assisted topology detection in fully observed networks.
Secure Edge Computing in IoT via Online Learning

To accommodate heterogeneous tasks in Internet of Things (IoT), a new communication and computing paradigm termed mobile edge computing emerges, extending the computing service from the cloud to edge, but at the same time exposing new challenges on security. The present paper studies online security-aware edge computing under jamming attacks. Leveraging online learning tools, we develop SAVE-S algorithm that is tailored for the stochastic jamming. Without utilizing extra resources such as spectrum and transmission power to evade jamming attacks, SAVE-S can select the most reliable server to offload computing tasks with minimal privacy and security concerns. It is analytically established that without any prior knowledge of future jamming information and server security risks, the proposed scheme can achieve $\mathrm{O}(\sqrt{T})$ regret. Information sharing among devices can accelerate the security-aware computing tasks. Incorporating the information shared by other devices, SAVE-S has significant improvements on the sublinear regret, which is guaranteed by what we term value of cooperation. The effectiveness of proposed schemes are tested on both synthetic and real datasets.
Reoperative Options After Gastric Banding

Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (AGB) was a popular bariatric surgery option since FDA approval in 2001 until about 2008 when the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy emerged and joined the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass as the most popular procedures of choice for primary bariatric surgery. With a longer follow-up on banding patients, the number of band removals and of revisional surgeries has been increasing in the last decade. The choice of bariatric revision procedure and the option to have a one- or two-stage approach with band removal and the definitive bariatric procedure may vary. Intraoperatively, it is important to ensure the fundoplication is taken down completely and, when feasible, to incise and partially remove the band capsule to minimize tissue thickness for stapling. Most studies, though retrospective in nature, do not show significant differences in complications when converting an AGB to sleeve or RYGB although the latter results in greater weight loss than that of the LSG. Other revision options, namely, the one anastomosis gastric bypass and stomach intestinal pylorus-sparing revision and biliopancreatic diversion with or without duodenal switch may also have a role but are considered investigational by the ASMBS in the USA.
Urban Music Educators' Perceived Professional Growth in a Context-Specific Professional Development Program.

This collective case study examined the perceived impact of a context-specific professional development program, the Urban Music Education Institute, on urban music educators’ professional growth. ...
Association Between Use of Multiple Classes of Antibiotic in Infancy and Allergic Disease in Childhood.

This study examines the association between antibiotic use in the first 6 months of life and the emergence of allergies in children in the first few years of life.
Syncope in Children: Etiology, Positive and Negative Predictors, and Utilization and Utility of Diagnostic Testing (P3.204)

Objective: Evaluate the causes of syncope in the pediatric population, positive and negative etiological predictors, and examine the utilization and utility of specialist evaluations and diagnostic testing in the workup of syncope. Background: Syncope is a prevalent problem in the pediatric population. Most causes of syncope are benign, but the need to rule out more serious neurological and cardiovascular causes of syncope can result in a costly workup yielding low diagnostic value. Design/Methods: Retrospective chart review in a tertiary academic center. Results: 750 pediatric patients presenting with syncope over a 5-year period were identified. 76% of patients received electrocardiograms, 36.9% had cardiology evaluations, 23.1% had neurology evaluations, 33.7% had echocardiograms, over 20% underwent neuroimaging, 23.5% had electroencephalograms, and 73.6% had had additional testing. The majority of all testing and evaluations resulted were due to neurally mediated syncope (NMS). Over half of all patients initially presented to the Emergency Department (52%), where they were significantly more likely to get head CTs (OR: 2.49) and additional testing (OR: 3.42). Ultimately, 74% of diagnoses were identified as NMS while only 2.3% and 1.6% were attributed to cardiac and seizure diagnoses, respectively. Patients with a seizure diagnosis were significantly more likely to report shaking, abnormal movements, post-ictal confusion, and a family history of seizures; Patients with a cardiac diagnosis were significantly more likely to report symptoms with exertion, associated chest pain or palpitations, and an abnormal cardiac history; Both groups were significantly less likely to report orthostatic symptoms (alpha = 0.01). Conclusions: Our study demonstrates an opportunity to improve the variability and cost of care in pediatric patients, as majority of specialist evaluations, cardiac testing, neuroimaging, of EEGs are not helpful in determining etiology of syncope. We identified positive and negative predictors of more serious etiologies that can assist in the development of guidelines for managing pediatric syncope. Disclosure: Dr. Shenk has nothing to disclose. Dr. Anilkumar has nothing to disclose.
Algebra I Before High School as a Gatekeeper to Computer Science Participation

A complex web of factors can influence whether students participate in computer science (CS) during high school. In order to increase participation in CS for all students, we need to better understand who is currently participating and what factors might be hindering participation. This study utilized a large-scale, student-level dataset from the Texas Education Research Center to investigate factors that predict high school student participation in CS and advanced CS courses. Our dataset contained information on over 1.1 million Texas high school students from the 2017-2018 school year, allowing us visibility into CS course availability in schools, student course taking, and detailed demographic information. We used multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression models to explore predictive factors of student participation in CS and advanced CS courses, limiting our analysis to students whose schools offered CS. In both models, our results showed that students who took Algebra I before high school had more than double the odds of being enrolled in a CS course. This work supports and extends previous understanding of factors that are predictive of CS participation in high school, contributing to the existing literature by uncovering the importance of Algebra I before high school as a potential gatekeeper to participation in CS.
The natural history of a monogamous coral-reef fish, Valenciennea strigata (Gobiidae) : 2. behavior, mate fidelity and reproductive success

This study examined the behavior and reproduction of a monogamous coral-reef fish, Valenciennea strigata, to determine mate fidelity and the proximate causes of monogamy. Most fish were found in monogamous pairs that remained together over several rounds of reproduction. Pairs stayed within close proximity to each other and their burrows. Females fed at a higher rate than their mates, while males spent more time maintaining burrows. Females spawned every 13 days; males guarded eggs in the burrow for 2–3 days. Although females limited the RS of males, males did not mate polygynously under natural conditions. Reproductive success (RS) was affected primarily by survival, and secondarily by size. Both sexes enforced monogamy by guarding their mates. Three factors facilitated mate guarding: (1) all males were able to hold a nest site, (2) both sexes showed strong site fidelity, and (3) residents had an advantage in contests over mates. Thus, mates were economically defensible. Additionally, females formed a crescent of dark pigments on their abdomen that resembled a gravid condition; these marks may enhance continuation of the pair bond. Both sexes preferred large mates, and pairs were positively assorted by size. Males benefited from guarding large females because fecundity increased with size. Females may benefit from the burrowing of males, and larger males should be better burrowers.
Ethical Implications of BRAIN 2.0: Beyond Bioethics, Beyond Borders

A central goal of the US BRAIN Initiative is to elucidate fundamental brain function at the level of neural circuits by “identifying and characterizing the component cells, defining their synaptic ...
A cut-cell finite element method for Poisson's equation on arbitrary planar domains

Abstract This article introduces a cut-cell finite element method for Poisson’s equation on arbitrarily shaped two-dimensional domains. The equation is solved on a Cartesian axis-aligned grid of 4-node elements which intersects the boundary of the domain in a smooth but arbitrary manner. Dirichlet boundary conditions are strongly imposed by a projection method, while Neumann boundary conditions require integration over a locally discretized boundary region. Representative numerical experiments demonstrate that the proposed method is stable and attains the asymptotic convergence rates expected of the corresponding unstructured body-fitted finite element method.
Zuber’s Person-Centered Care Clinical Governance Standards for Hospitals

Purpose: To establish the Clinical Governance standards for hospitals based on the Person-Centered Care concepts since it is crucial in improving standards of care that patients receive. Objective: To develop Person Centered Care Clinical Governance Standards for Hospitals. Method: This is a review of literature study and the data were collected with comprehensive searches in the online databases of Google Scholars and Research Gate. Conclusions: The study concluded with “Zuber’s Person-Centered Care Clinical Governance Standards for Hospitals.”
Firearm ownership and access to healthcare in the U.S.: A cross-sectional analysis of six states.

Abstract Provider-led firearm storage counseling is a form of firearm suicide prevention intervention. Little research examines whether barriers to healthcare access for at-risk individuals limit this intervention's impact. This study explores the relationship between household firearm presence/storage practices and healthcare access/utilization using a cross-sectional analysis of the 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), which included state-representative data from six states that completed the Firearm Safety and Healthcare Access Modules: California, Idaho, Kansas, Oregon, Texas, and Utah. Exposures were household firearm presence and firearm storage practices. Outcomes were lacking health insurance, not having a healthcare provider, inability to afford care, and no recent routine checkup. Logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, education, employment, children in the household, and state of residency. Our analysis included 31,888 individuals; 31.1% reported a household firearm. Compared to those in firearm-owning households, those in non-firearm-owning households had higher odds of being uninsured (aOR 1.99, 95%CI 1.60–2.48), not having a provider (aOR 1.40, 95%CI 1.18–1.67), and reporting cost as a barrier to care (aOR 1.37, 95%CI 1.13–1.67). Among firearm-owning households, those with firearms stored loaded and unlocked had higher odds of lacking a personal healthcare provider (aOR 1.52, 95%CI 1.07–2.15) compared to individuals in homes where firearms were stored unloaded. Results indicate that while individuals in firearm-owning households are more likely than non-firearm owning households to have healthcare access, those in homes with the riskiest firearm storage practices had less access. Provider-led counseling may have limited reach for individuals in homes with risky firearm storage practices.
Tensor regularization by truncated iteration: a comparison of some solution methods for large-scale linear discrete ill-posed problem with a t-product.

This paper describes and compares some structure preserving techniques for the solution of linear discrete ill-posed problems with the t-product. A new randomized tensor singular value decomposition (R-tSVD) with a t-product is presented for low tubal rank tensor approximations. Regularization of linear inverse problems by truncated tensor eigenvalue decomposition (T-tEVD), truncated tSVD (T-tSVD), randomized T-tSVD (RT-tSVD), t-product Golub-Kahan bidiagonalization (tGKB) process, and t-product Lanczos (t-Lanczos) process are considered. A solution method that is based on reusing tensor Krylov subspaces generated by the tGKB process is described. The regularization parameter is the number of iterations required by each method. The discrepancy principle is used to determine this parameter. Solution methods that are based on truncated iterations are compared with solution methods that combine Tikhonov regularization with the tGKB and t-Lanczos processes. Computed examples illustrate the performance of these methods when applied to image and gray-scale video restorations. Our new RT-tSVD method is seen to require less CPU time and yields restorations of higher quality than the T-tSVD method.
COMPARISON OF COMMERCIAL LC MS/MS COMPATIBLE DETERGENTS WITH SODIUM DEOXYCHOLATE FOR SHOTGUN PROTEOMICS

In this study, we compared the performance of sodium deoxycholate (SDC) with several commercially available LC MS/MS compatible detergents for digestion of complex proteomic mixtures. First, the parameters affecting in-solution digestion using SDC were investigated with a full factorial experimental design. Metrics explored were trypsin ratio, digestion time, and concentration of SDC. These parameters were not found to be statistically associated with total peptide identifications in the experimental space investigated. However, in terms of digestion efficiency, digestion time was highly significant (p = 0.0095) as determined by the percent of peptides identified with missed cleavages. The optimized protocol for peptide identification and throughput was used to compare the performance of SDC with various commercially available LC MS/MS compatible surfactants namely Invitrosol, RapiGest, and PPS Silent Surfactant. The detergents were found to be similar through comparisons of the total identified peptides and the hydrophobicity of recovered peptides. We found suitable recovery across a large range of SDC concentrations determined from a bicinchoninic acid (BCA) assay. In a spike down experiment, no distinct differences in total number of peptide identifications were discovered when comparing PPS (Silent Surfactant) and SDC for preparation of peptide samples derived from low protein amounts (< 20 ?g). Combined, these results indicate that SDC is a cost effective alternative to other commonly used LC MS/MS compatible surfactants. Keywords : Detergent; sodium deoxycholate; shotgun proteomics; mass spectrometry; sample preparation
A Hierarchical Estimator for Sparse Systems

The objective of this paper is to present a "piece-by-piece" design of hierarchtical Kalman estimator for sparse systems. The proposed procedure is applied to a block-triangular representation of the system obtained via a graph-theoretic decomposition algorithm. The estimator is built as a union of low-order optimal estimators, and offers a reduction of computational requirements for systems of large dimensions.
Personalization of search engine services for effective retrieval and knowledge management

The Internet and corporate intranets provide far more information than anybody can absorb. People use search engines to find the information they require. However, these systems tend to use only one fixed term weighting strategy regardless of the context to which it applies, posing serious performance problems when characteristics of different users, queries, and text collections are taken into consideration. In this paper, we argue that the term weighting strategy should be context specific, that is, different term weighting strategies should be applied to different contexts, and we propose a new systematic approach that can automatically generate term weighting strategies for different contexts based on genetic programming (GP). The new proposed framework was tested on TREC data and the results are very promising.
Comparison between Distance Methods Versus Traditional Classroom in Teaching Intelligence Analysis

Distance learning is rapidly growing across the world, both in higher learning institutions and inside the workplace, with notable increases each year. Distance learning is used very successfully to teach a variety of topics and at many varying levels, yet many in the corporate and government sectors feel distance methods should only be used to provide information on narrowly focused topics. However, by using sound design practices and interactive delivery methodologies, distance methodologies can be at least as effective, if not more effective, than traditional classroom methods.
Evidence that an approximately 50-kDa mammalian plasma membrane protein with receptor-like properties mediates the amphiphilicity of specifically bound Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin

Previous studies suggest that Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (CPE) inserts into mammalian membranes. Using Triton X-114 phase separation analysis and charge-shift electrophoresis, this study demonstrates that CPE exhibits the amphiphilicity required for membrane insertion, but this behavior develops only after exposure of CPE to membranes. This effect does not require proteolytic or covalent CPE modifications or formation of a previously reported 160-kDa CPE-containing complex. A novel 90-kDa CPE-containing complex with amphiphilic properties was detected in intestinal brush-border membranes and in CPE-sensitive, but not CPE-insensitive, cell lines using nondenaturing Triton X-100 electrophoresis. Immunoprecipitation analysis suggested that the 90-kDa complex is composed of CPE and a 45-50-kDa membrane protein. Since the 90-kDa complex is formed only in cells that bind and respond to CPE, these results are consistent with the 45-50-kDa protein mediating CPE amphiphilicity and serving as a functional CPE receptor. A four-step model for CPE action is proposed. 1) CPE binds to the 45-50-kDa protein to form a 90-kDa complex. 2) The 90-kDa complex undergoes some physical change corresponding to insertion or a conformational change. 3) The 90-kDa complex and a 70-kDa membrane protein interact to form a 160-kDa complex. 4) Formation of the 160-kDa complex leads to permeability alterations.
THE RADIAL STRUCTURE OF SUPERNOVA REMNANT N103B

We report on the results from a Chandra ACIS observation of the young, compact, supernova remnant N103B. The unprecedented spatial resolution of Chandra reveals subarcsecond structure, in both the brightness and spectral variations. Underlying these small-scale variations is a surprisingly simple radial structure in the equivalent widths of the strong Si and S emission lines. We investigate these radial variations through spatially resolved spectroscopy, using a plane-parallel, nonequilibrium ionization model with multiple components. The majority of the emission arises from components with a temperature of 1 keV: a fully ionized hydrogen component; a high ionization timescale (net > 1012 s cm-3) component containing Si, S, Ar, Ca, and Fe; and a low ionization timescale (net ~ 1011 s cm-3) O, Ne, and Mg component. To reproduce the strong Fe Kα line, it is necessary to include additional Fe in a hot (> 2 keV), low ionization timescale (net ~ 1010.8 s cm-3) component. This hot Fe might be in the form of hot Fe bubbles, formed in the radioactive decay of clumps of 56Ni. We find no radial variation in the ionization timescales or temperatures of the various components. Rather, the Si and S equivalent widths increase at large radii because these lines, as well as those of Ar and Ca, are formed in a shell occupying the outer half of the remnant. A shell of hot Fe is located interior to this, but there is a large region of overlap between these two shells. In the inner 30% of the remnant, there is a core of cooler, 1 keV Fe. We find that the distribution of the ejecta and the yields of the intermediate-mass species are consistent with model prediction for Type Ia events.
Wireless power harvesting with planar rectennas for 2.45 GHz RFIDs

This paper presents a rectenna (rectifier + antenna) design to harvest electrical energy for powering RFIDs from ambient electromagnetic radiation at the 2.45 GHz ISM band (WiFi, Bluetooth, RFID, etc.). The rectenna structure is formed by a miniaturize 2nd iteration Koch fractal patch antenna and two stage Dickson charge pump voltage-doubler rectifier circuit. The proposed rectenna achieves a small size with relatively high realized gain (4 dBi) and good RF to DC conversion efficiency (up to 70%). As a result, the proposed rectenna harvests enough energy from a commercial RFID interrogator 3.1 meters away (4W EIRP at 2.45 GHz ISM band) to power up a 1.6 V LED, enough voltage to enable some RFID chips.
Contributions of familiarity and recollection rejection to recognition: Evidence from the time course of false recognition for semantic and conjunction lures

It has been suggested that both familiarity and recollection contribute to the recognition decision process. In this paper we leverage the form of false alarm rate functions—in which false alarm rates describe an inverted U-shaped function as the time between study and test increases—to assess how these processes support retention of semantic and surface form information from previously studied words. We directly compare the maxima of these functions for lures that are semantically related and lures that are related by surface form to previously studied material. This analysis reveals a more rapid loss of access to surface form than to semantic information. To separate the contributions of item familiarity and reminding-induced recollection rejection to this effect, we use a simple multinomial process model; this analysis reveals that this loss of access reflects both a more rapid loss of familiarity and lower rates of recollection for surface form information.
Influence of In-Isolation Properties of Geogrids on Their Pullout Performance in a Dense Graded Aggregate

A series of in-isolation and pullout tests was carried out on selected extruded (EGG) and non-extruded (NEGG) geogrid products that are available for base reinforcement and subgrade stabilization applications. The objective of the study was to examine the influence of selected geogrids index properties on their in-aggregate performance in roadway applications. The pullout tests were carried out in Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) Type-A aggregate, which is a dense-graded aggregate most commonly used in ODOT projects. Pullout tests provide useful information on the in-aggregate performance of geogrids outside the stress bulb directly beneath the tire pressure. The in-isolation properties studied included the geogrids low-strain (i.e. 2 and 5 % strain) rib strength, and ultimate rib strength and junction strength in both machine and cross-machine directions. Results of the study indicated that for both EGG and NEGG categories of geogrids examined, greater rib and junction strength properties overall resulted in greater pullout resistance. Geogrids junction strength and low-strain rib strength showed a reasonably strong correlation with their pullout performance regardless of the geogrid category examined. The rib strength at 2 % strain showed a stronger correlation than the 5 %-strain strength with the geogrid pullout performance. However, ultimate rib strength of geogrid showed convincing correlations with their pullout performance only when they were examined in separate categories with respect to their manufacturing technique (i.e. when the EGG and NEGG geogrids were examined as separate categories). The findings of this study are expected to be beneficial in relating the in-isolation properties of geogrids to their in-aggregate performance.
Integrated assembly line loading, design, and labor planning

Abstract Often multiple production lines (or machines, cells, or departments) produce a group of related products. In these environments, the following interrelated planning decisions must be made: 1. 1. Choosing the speed at which each line will run, 2. 2. Determining which products to produce on which lines, and 3. 3. Determining the number of workers assigned to each line. These decisions directly affect a plant's labor and capacity utilization and are quite complex if the number of products and lines is large. For the purposes of cost estimating to bid on new work, labor negotiations, and training, these planning decisions must be made before precise demand information is available. Yet in many industries, such as the US automotive industry, restrictive labor agreements force the plant to live with these planning decisions for long periods of time. This paper enunciates this production planning problem actually facing industry, formulates it mathematically, and provides a practical solution approach.
Metabolism and disposition of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in rainbow trout☆

Accumulation, tissue distribution, and depuration of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-derived 3H were studied in fingerling rainbow trout fed a diet containing 494 ppt [3H]TCDD for 13 weeks followed by the same diet without TCDD for 13 weeks. This exposure did not cause fin rot, cutaneous hemorrhage, reduced growth rate, or an increase in relative lethality in TCDD-exposed fish. Visceral fat, carcass, skin, and pyloric caeca and all fatty tissues, accounted for greater than 90% of the TCDD-derived 3H in the fish after the 13-week exposure period. The remaining TCDD-derived radioactivity was distributed to skeletal muscle, gill, gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidney, heart, and spleen. High-pressure liquid chromatographic analysis of 3H in skeletal muscle, liver, kidney, carcass, and visceral fat showed that it was primarily due to TCDD (greater than or equal to 98%) and not metabolites (less than or equal to 2%). The t1/2 for whole-body depuration of TCDD-derived 3H was 15 weeks, and individual organ t1/2 values ranged from 8 to 19 weeks. To determine if rainbow trout metabolize TCDD, adult fish were injected with [14C]TCDD (60 micrograms/kg, ip), and gallbladder bile, liver, skeletal muscle, and kidney were analyzed 1 week later. While only the parent compound was found in the tissues, bile contained at least three TCDD metabolites and the parent compound. beta-Glucuronidase treatment of the bile suggested that at least one TCDD metabolite was a glucuronide conjugate.
A rural vision of a healthy community

Nurses can take a leadership role in the process of helping rural Americans to recognize and implement their vision of a healthy community. This necessitates an understanding of rural communities' perceptions of health and health care and allows nurses to more appropriately provide primary health care. As defined by the World Health Organization, primary health care is comprised of concepts of essentiality, community participation, intersectorial collaboration, access, and empowerment (Barnes et al., 1995). A focused ethnography involving 150 residents was conducted in a midwestern rural community and included 56 personal and 8 focus group interviews. A qualitative analysis of responses to the question, "What is your vision of a healthy community?" was conducted using Leininger's (1985) categories of economics, social-kinship, cultural, political-legal, religion, technology, and education. An eighth category of environmental concern emerged from the data. Responses were further assimilated into descriptive statements reflecting the community's vision of a healthy community, including issues of accessible and technologically adequate healthcare, job availability, strong community support by schools and churches, a caring community membership, and an attractive, pollution-free environment. This analysis demonstrates the need for application of primary health care at the level of community in designing services to achieve healthy rural communities.
Passing the Baton: Using Simulation to Develop Student Collaboration

Abstract Background There is scant research about the effectiveness of teaching collaborative handoff strategies. Method Following a collaborative simulation, this pilot project used a quasi-experimental, 2-group, posttest design to (a) identify differences between nursing and paramedic students' perceptions of collaboration, (b) determine satisfaction and intention-to-act, and (c) compare communication preferences. Results Responses were positive for collaboration, satisfaction, and intention-to-act. Nursing students showed increased preference for structured formats. Qualitative themes included interaction, experience, uncertainty, realism, and mental models. Conclusions Collaborative simulation is potentially useful as a teaching–learning strategy to improve handoff communication.
Ambulatory blood pressure status in children: comparing alternate limit sources

The American Heart Association has included alternate ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) limits for children published by Wuhl in 2002. These updated limits employ the same pediatric cohort data as the previous ABP limits published by Soergel in 1997 but differ in analysis technique. The implications of changing ABP limit source on the diagnosis of hypertension has yet to be examined in a large pediatric cohort. We reviewed 741 ABP monitorings performed in children referred to our hypertension clinic between 1991–2007. Hypertension was defined as 24-h mean blood pressure ≥ 95th percentile or 24-h blood pressure load ≥25%, by Soergel and Wuhl limits separately. Six hundred seventy-three (91%) children were classified the same by both limit sources. Wuhl limits were more likely than Soergel to classify a child as hypertensive (443 vs. 409, respectively). There was an increased classification of prehypertension and decreased white-coat hypertension by the Wuhl method, whereas ambulatory and severe hypertension counts remained relatively the same by both limits sources. The use of either limit source will not significantly affect most clinical outcomes but should remain consistent over long-term research projects. Collection of new normative data from a larger, multiethnic population is needed for better measurement of ABP in children.
First results from a prototype dynamic attenuator system

The dynamic, piecewise-linear attenuator has been proposed as a concept which can shape the radiation flux incident on the patient. By reducing the signal to photon-rich measurements and increasing the signal to photon-starved measurements, the piecewise-linear attenuator has been shown to improve dynamic range, scatter, and variance and dose metrics in simulation. The piecewise-linear nature of the proposed attenuator has been hypothesized to mitigate artifacts at transitions by eliminating jump discontinuities in attenuator thickness at these points. We report the results of a prototype implementation of this concept. The attenuator was constructed using rapid prototyping technologies and was affixed to a tabletop x-ray system. Images of several sections of an anthropormophic pediatric phantom were produced and compared to those of the same system with uniform illumination. The thickness of the illuminated slab was limited by beam collimation and an analytic water beam hardening correction was used for both systems. Initial results are encouraging and show improved image quality, reduced dose and low artifact levels.
Escherichia coli cell-division gene ftsZ encodes a novel GTP-binding protein

ESCHERICHIA COLI divides by forming a septum across the middle of the cell. The biochemical mechanism underlying this process is unknown. Genetic evidence suggests that of all the fts (filamentation temperature sensitive) genes1,2 involved in E. coli cell division, ftsZ plays a central role at the earliest known step of septation3–5. Here we show that FtsZ protein binds GTP in vitro using unusual sequence elements6–8. In contrast, such binding to the product of the conditional-lethal ftsZ84 allele is impaired. Purified FtsZ displays a Mg2+-dependent GTPase activity which is markedly reduced in the FtsZ84 protein. FtsZ copurifies with near stoichiometric amounts of noncovalently-bound GDP, implying the presence of a GTPase cycle in vivo, similar to that known for signal-transducing GTP-binding proteins8,9. We also show that a small fraction of FtsZ exists as a distinct membrane-associated species that binds GTP. The membrane association of FtsZ and the known ability of GTPases to act as molecular switches8,9 implicate FtsZ in a GTP-activated signal transduction pathway that may regulate the start of septation in E. coli.
Thermally induced changes in amphiphilicity drive reversible restructuring of assemblies of ABC triblock copolymers with statistical polyether blocks.

ABC triblock copolymers in which a block with stimulus-dependent solvophilicity resides between solvophilic and solvophobic end blocks can undergo reversible transitions between different thermodynamically stable assemblies in the presence or absence of stimulus. As a new example of such a copolymer system, thermoresponsive poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide-stat-butylene oxide)-b-poly(isoprene) (E−BE−I) triblock copolymers with narrow molecular weight distributions (Mw/Mn: 1.05−1.18) were prepared by sequential living anionic and nitroxide-mediated radical polymerizations. The specific copolymers examined (9.0 ≤ Mn ≤ 14.4 kg/mol, 14% ≤ wt % isoprene ≤35%) form near-spherical aggregates with narrow size distributions at 25 °C. The thermoresponsive behavior of these polymers was studied by applying cloud point, DLS, and TEM measurements to a representative polymer, E2.3BE5.3I2.3. The transformation of polymer aggregates from spherical micelles to vesicles (polymersomes) at elevated temperatures was...
Evaluation of coagulation tests as predictors of angiographic bleeding complications

PURPOSE: To determine whether prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), and platelet count are useful predictors of postangiographic hematoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors prospectively studied 1,000 consecutive patients who underwent femoral arterial puncture for a diagnostic or therapeutic vascular procedure. Demographic and procedural variables were recorded, including patient age and sex, history of medications and bleeding, procedure type and length, catheter size, and experience level of radiologist applying compression for hemostasis. RESULTS: Abnormal results of coagulation tests were not correlated with an increased occurrence of hemorrhagic complications, but bleeding complications did occur more often in patients with thrombocytopenia. Hematomas occurred in 8.1% (10 of 123) of patients with any abnormal coagulation test results and 9.7% (85 of 877) of patients with normal test results. A platelet count of less than 100 X 10(9)/L was correlated with a higher occurrence of h...
How should hyperuricemia be treated in a patient with allopurinol hypersensitivity

If other methods of lowering uric acid fail, desensitization to allopurinol is an option but poses serious risks.
Large Eddy Simulation of Turbulent Heat Transfer in a Square Duct

Large eddy simulations of turbulent convective heat transfer in a square duct are presented. A finite volume LU decomposition scheme is used to simulate compressible three-dimensional turbulent flow at low Mach numbers in a heated duct. Time derivative preconditioning is used to deal with the low Mach number situation. A localized dynamic subgrid-scale (SGS) model is used to evaluate the unresolved stresses. The calculation domain is divided into two parts. In the first part periodic boundary conditions are used and this provides the fully developed inlet flow for the second part in which the heat transfer conditions are imposed. Characteristic out-flow conditions are applied in the second part. This allows the flow to develop further as it responds to the heating condition. The Reynolds number varied from the order of 1,000 to the order of 10,000. Heated duct cases under constant wall temperature and constant wall heat flux were simulated. Good agreement between the present results with available numerical and experimental data has been obtained.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Spline-Based Airfoil Curvature Smoothing and Its Applications

The performance of a transonic airfoil is directly related to the airfoil curvature profile and its smoothness. Whereas univariate data smoothing has been studied extensively, very little research has been conducted on curvature smoothing. Consequently, airfoil smoothing in design environments is largely based on heuristic methods, and there is an art to the generation of an unbiased smooth fit of the airfoil’s curvature profile by the modification of its geometry. In this paper, the sum of squares of the third derivative jumps is used as a curvature smoothness measure for the development of a spline-based airfoil smoothing method, called constrained fitting for airfoil curvature smoothing (CFACS). CFACS can take out dramatic curvature oscillations with extremely small geometry changes and smooth an airfoil segment without creating curvature oscillations near the endpoints. Visually, CFACS generates an unbiased smooth fit of the curvature profile. Examples demonstrating the utility of CFACS show how the smoothing can be tailored to promote desirable characteristics in performance trade studies. Nomenclature A = matrix representing smoothness measure c = chord length of airfoil cd = drag coefficient cl = lift coefficient c p = pressure coefficient f (t) = function of t for 0 ≤ t ≤ 1 f (r) (t) = r th derivative of f (t) f¯(t) = cubic spline interpolation of vector ¯ f ( 3) ¯ (t) = third derivative of f¯(t) M = freestream Mach number n = number of data points S(¯) = smoothness measure of vector ¯ t = column vector of t1, t2 ,..., tn ti = knot location of spline functions wi = positive weight in smoothness measure x = column vector of x coordinates of airfoil data xi, yi = coordinates of point on the plane y, ¯ = column vectors of y coordinates of airfoil data β, δ = parameters for choosing leading-edge segment � = percentage error tolerance for smoothing θ = control parameter (0 ≤ θ ≤ 1) for smoothing τi = positive weight for least-squares fitting �� = 2-norm of any vector