cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Finite-time consensus for second-order multi-agent networks with inherent nonlinear dynamics under an undirected fixed graph

This paper studies finite-time consensus for networked multi-agent systems with second-order dynamics in the presence of inherent nonlinear dynamics under an undirected fixed interaction graph. We propose a nonlinear distributed consensus algorithm and then present sufficient conditions such that finite-time consensus can be achieved. By employing a similar stability analysis, it is expected that finite-time consensus can be achieved with/without inherent nonlinear dynamics when the initial undirected interaction graph is connected and the difference between the Laplacian matrix for any t > 0 and the Laplacian matrix at t = 0 is small enough.
The role of water in transient plasma ignition for combustion

Pulse detonation engines offer the potential for a single, air-breathing, propulsion system that can operate from subsonic speeds (including take-off) to high Mach number flight. Critical to this technology is rapid repetition rate operation. Plasma-based ignition systems based on short pulse, high voltage pulsed power have been shown to decrease the ignition time in experimental system. The presence of water in the fuel-air mixture, however, has been shown to adversely affect the performance of these ignition systems. Herein, we report on simulations of the plasma chemistry from the application of the pulsed power (10's of ns) through the ignition time (100's of microsecond). These simulations suggest a long-lived neutral species created by the transient plasma ignition process that are strongly affected by water, and can play a role in both combustion processes. Comparison with experimental results, potential mitigation schemes for the water effects, and implications for internal combustion engines will be discussed.
The Locations of Nonprofit Organizations and Their For-Profit Counterparts: An Exploratory Analysis

This research examines the utility of spatial analysis for studying nonprofit sectors and the relations between nonprofits and for-profits. Information was obtained on nonprofit and for-profit education and human service providers in six metropolitan areas. Methods of spatial econometrics were used to examine the determinants of nonprofit locational patterns and the degree to which the locations of nonprofits were influenced by the locations of comparable nonprofits and for-profits. Similar nonprofits were found to be clustered, although the pattern differed across metropolitan areas. For the most part, a model of needs and resources explained the clustering. Exceptions were found, however, indicating clustering based on other factors over and above needs and resources. For educational support services, nonprofits were affected by comparable nonprofits in two sites. In youth services, nonprofits tend to locate near comparable for-profits. In Boston, nonprofits clustered with for-profits in a number of ser...
EXPRESSION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE CATALYTIC CORE OF TRYPTOPHAN HYDROXYLASE

Wild type rabbit tryptophan hydroxylase (TRH) and two truncated mutant proteins have been expressed inEscherichia coli. The wild type protein was only expressed at low levels, whereas the mutant protein lacking the 101 amino-terminal regulatory domain was predominantly found in inclusion bodies. The protein that also lacked the carboxyl-terminal 28 amino acids, TRH102–416, was expressed as 30% of total cell protein. Analytical ultracentrifugation showed that TRH102–416 was predominantly a monomer in solution. The enzyme exhibited an absolute requirement for iron (ferrous or ferric) for activity and did not turn over in the presence of cobalt or copper. With either phenylalanine or tryptophan as substrate, stoichiometric formation of the 4a-hydroxypterin was found. Steady state kinetic parameters were determined with both of these amino acids using both tetrahydrobiopterin and 6-methyltetrahydropterin.
Microarray platforms--comparisons and contrasts.

In the relatively few years since their inception, DNA microarrays and Affymetrix GeneChips® have gained increasing use and acceptance in the study of genetic and cellular processes. This is evident from the rising number of published literature citing microarrays each year. With time, gene chips and microarrays have matured into complex technologies as biologists have teamed with applied mathematicians and statisticians to increase the rigor of experimentation and address the problems associated with the manipulation of large data sets. Several complementary microarray technologies for measuring gene expression are now routinely employed. This review will discuss the similarities and differences among these technologies and cover recent efforts to integrate data from cross-platform comparative studies.
Antimicrobial Agent of Aged Surface Ripened Cheese.

SUMMARY Antibiotic activity in aged Liederkranz cheese was found to be produced by the aerobic microorganisms inhabiting its surface. Brevibacterium linens was the principal source of the antimicrobial agent(s). Yeast of the Candida type and, when present, some other microorganisms contributed minor antimicrobial activity. The antimicrobial agent(s) of aged Liederkranz cheese had the following properties: 1) dialysable through cellulose casing, 2) absorbed on Norit A at acid pH, 3) stable in acid and alkaline solutions ranging from pH 2.0 to 12.0 at 24° C, 4) destroyed within 20 hr in alkaline solution at pH 12 at room temperature, 5) in aqueous solution stable to heating at 121° C for 10 min at acid pH(pH<5.0) but decreased activity at pH 5.0 to 8.5, 6) in agar medium of pH 6.8–7.0 activity remained after heating at 121° C for 45 min, 7) soluble in water, methanol, ethanol, and butanol, slightly soluble in acetone and insoluble in ethyl ether, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform and ethyl acetate, 8) inhibited growth of many gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria as well as several yeasts and molds, and 9) related to antibiotic from B. linens but distinct from nisin, an antibiotic commonly associated with dairy products. In a survey of market samples of cheeses to determine whether antibiotic activity was present, only surface-ripened cheeses with a brown smear made up of bacteria were found to contain antibacterial activity. Other types of cheeses which did not develop this brown smear did not possess this activity. It may be concluded that antibiotic activity is contained in the brown bacterial surface smear that develops during ripening.
Optically controlled ligand delivery. II, Copolymers containing α-methylphenacyl bonds

N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide copolymers containing side chains terminated in a model ligand, N-tert-butyloxycarbonylglycine (Boc-Gly), bound via photocleavable α-methylphenacyl bonds were synthesized to test the possibility of developing an optically controlled ligand delivery system suitable for sensors. One of the copolymers was further covalently attached to 3-aminopropyl triethoxy silane (APS) coated porous silica beads which were modified with an excess of α,ω-diaminopoly(ethylene oxide), molecular weights 1000 or 5000. The photochemical release of ligand induced by exposure to light in solution and at the solid-liquid interface was studied. The influence of solvent and the length of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) spacers on the rate of photocleavage were determined. The hydrolytic stability of the α-methylphenacyl bond in both solution and at the solid-liquid interface were also investigated.
The Metabolism of 14C-Labeled Isatin and Anthranilate in Pisum Stem Sections

Isatin, previously shown to promote growth in green and etiolated pea stems, is converted mainly to anthranilate in those tissues; small quantities of isatate are also formed. Fed anthranilate is converted mainly to its β-d-glucoside; smaller amounts are metabolized to anthranilamide, tryptophan and kynurenine. These data provide some basis for understanding the growth promoting activity of isatin.
Optical properties of sub-wavelength hole arrays in SiC membranes

It is shown that perforated SiC membranes can be used for engineering optical properties of metamaterials in the infrared. The complex-valued frequency-dependent effective dielectric permittivityeff(ω) of a single membrane can be controlled by the size and spacing between the holes. Regions of the anomalous dispersion and strong absorption described by � eff(ω) have been identified and related to the excitation of even-parity surface phonon polaritons of a smooth SiC film. The effective permittivity description has been validated by comparing the transmittance and absorbance of the film obtained fromeff(ω) with that calculated using first principles electromagnetic simulations. Theoretical predictions of the enhanced transmission and absorption in the perforated film have been verified experimentally using FTIR micro-spectroscopy. For the first time, the dependence of enhanced transmission and absorption on the incidence plane of the incoming radiation has been studied.
International Importation of Measles Virus—United States, 1993–;2001

To determine trends in international importations of measles, data from the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System were analyzed. Of the 2632 measles cases reported between 1993 and 2001, 449 cases (17%) were internationally imported. An additional 186 cases (7%) resulted from spread of measles virus from these imported cases, and 388 cases (15%) had virological evidence of importation. The number of imported cases averaged 50 per year (range, 26-79 cases). The proportion of cases imported increased from an average of 14% in 1993-1996 to an average of 35% in 1997-2001. Imported measles cases were acquired in 63 countries, with 6 countries (Japan, Germany, China, the Philippines, Italy, and the United Kingdom) accounting for 44% of all imported cases. Further reduction of measles in the United States requires international cooperation and improved global surveillance and control of measles.
Sources of degradation of speech recognition in the telephone network

We compare speech recognition accuracy for high-quality speech recorded under controlled conditions with speech as it appears over long-distance telephone lines. In addition to comparing recognition accuracy we use telephone-channel simulation to identify the sources of degradation of speech over telephone lines that have the greatest impact on speech recognition accuracy. We first compare the performance of the CMU SPHINX-I system on the TIMIT and NTIMIT databases. We found that other factors beyond a mere decrease in bandwidth cause the observed degradation in recognition accuracy, and that the environmental compensation algorithms RASTA and CDCN fail to compensate completely for degradations introduced by the telephone network. We identify the most problematic telephone-channel impairments using a commercial telephone channel simulator and the SPHINX-II system. Of the various effects considered, additive noise and linear filtering appear to have the greatest impact on recognition accuracy. Finally, we examined the performance of three cepstral compensation algorithms in the presence of the most damaging conditions. We found the compensation algorithms to be effective except for the worst 1% of the telephone channels. >
Using Games to Teach Farm and Agribusiness Management

While the technology available for use in classrooms has changed dramatically, the lecture continues to be the most common method of instruction. This instructional method provides a time-efficient technique of information delivery when covering several sources or points of view, provides a structure for more effective reading, and is an effective method for creating an awareness of problems or for challenging ideas taken for granted. However, it treats students as passive learners. Learning research suggests that many students improve their learning with greater involvement. Experiential teaching methods that use computer simulations or games have been used in undergraduate classes at Purdue University for a number of years. These teaching tools help provide a learning environment in which students are more active participants. Based on our experience in the undergraduate classroom, computer games are a useful complement to the lecture. The use of games improves student motivation, increases the realism of class material, provides better integration of principles, provides students with experience in dynamic analysis, and can provide a vehicle through which students can sharpen interpersonal and communication skills. While there are several strengths associated with the use of games, there are also several pitfalls. The objectives to be achieved need to be carefully defined and limited in scope to avoid the game being a source of entertainment with little learning, plans must be made for software maintenance or updating, and the students must have an appropriate background in institutional structures, theoretical concepts, and analytical skills.
The diagnostic validity of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Abstract Despite considerable research, the validity of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) remains controversial. This paper summarizes the results of a comprehensive review of the internal and external validity of ADHD as defined in the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). Results indicate that for most individuals DSM-IV ADHD is a valid disorder in the sense that it is associated with significant impairment in social, academic, and occupational functioning and increased risk of accidental injury across the life span. Additional research is needed, however, to clarify the diagnostic validity of the hyperactive-impulsive type and the discriminant validity of the combined and inattentive subtypes. Other areas in need of further study include potential modifications to the diagnostic conceptualization of the inattentive subtype, developmental trajectories of the subtypes, and methods to address cross-informant diagnostic inconsistencies. Such research is likely to benefit from an etiologically informed approach to examining heterogeneity both across and within subtypes.
Artificial Rumen Investigations. I. Variability of Dry Matter and Cellulose Digestibility and Production of Volatile Fatty Acids

Summary In vitro digestion of feedstuffs was carried out with diluted rumen liquor in glass bottles for 48 hr. Substrates used in the study were forages and a few mixed feeds. Most information was gathered on 39 samples of tall fescue ( Festuca arundinacea ), representing two to four cuttings (pasture height) per year of four genotypes over a 4-yr period. Within-trial variation of dry matter digestibility for all substrates digested was generally small. Cellulose digestibility showed a slightly higher within-trial variability, but this was no greater than those given in the literature for other in vitro procedures. Variability in digestibility between trials, estimated by including a standard alfalfa in every trial, indicated differences in the digesting capacity of rumen liquir collected from the same steer on different days. Oven-dry samples proved more suitable than fresh-frozen samples of tall fescue, based on between-trial variability. Molar percentages of acetic, propionic, butyric, and valeric acids were comparable with those reported in other studies on in vitro digestion of forages. Inoculum used influenced molar percentages of acids produced from the standard alfalfa. Frozen and oven-dried tall fescue samples produced essentially the same molar percentages and total amounts of volatile fatty acids.
A study of acoustic propagation from a large bolide in the atmosphere with a dense seismic network

[1] A large meteor entered the atmosphere above northeastern Oregon on 19 February 2008 at 530 PST. Several hundreds of broadband seismic stations in the U.S. Pacific Northwest recorded acoustic-to-seismic coupled signals from this event. The travel times of the first arriving energy are consistent with a terminal explosion source model, suggesting that the large size of the explosion masked any signals associated with a continuous line source along its supersonic trajectory. Several infrasound arrays in North America also recorded this event. Both the seismic and infrasound data have been used to locate the explosion in 3-D space and time. Climatological atmospheric velocity models predict that infrasound signals from sources that occur at mid-northern latitudes in winter are usually ducted to the east due to eastward zonal winds. In this paper, we analyze travel time picks and use 3-D ray tracing to generate synthetic travel times based on various atmospheric models to show that the seismic network data instead reveal a predominant westward propagation direction. A sudden stratospheric warming event that reversed the zonal wind flow explains this westward propagation. The seismic data illuminate in unprecedented spatial detail the range and azimuthal definition of shadow zones out to a range of 500 km, suggesting that dense seismic networks can be used to study infrasound propagation at spatial resolutions that exceed that which can be done with only a handful of globally distributed infrasound arrays.
The impact of neighborhood socioeconomic status and race on the prescribing of opioids in emergency departments throughout the United States.

BACKGROUND Racial and ethnic disparities in opioid prescribing in the emergency department (ED) are well described, yet the influence of socioeconomic status (SES) remains unclear.
An Intelligent Decision Support System Based on MAS for Product Development

An intelligent decision support system based on MAS for new product development is presented for enhancing the success rate of new product development. The dialogue layer, problem decomposition layer, control layer and problem solving layer in the decision process are studied; corresponding decision support apply modules are built based on the design idea of decision support system with multi-structure through the share of resource and information; the design principles of product development decision support system and general design schemes are proposed. Decision support system for product development is divided into two levels of enterprise internal management system and external management system by the function of system, linkage mode, user's level and geographical location, and the levels are combined to be a whole on the unified hardware and software platform through communication system.
Cell Type-Specific Sexual Dimorphism in Rat Pituitary Gene Expression During Maturation

The most obvious functional differences between mammalian males and females are related to the control of reproductive physiology and include patterns of GnRH and gonadotropin release, the timing of puberty, sexual and social behavior, and the regulation of food intake and body weight. Using the rat as the best-studied mammalian model for maturation, we examined the expression of major anterior pituitary genes in five secretory cell types of developing males and females. Corticotrophs show comparable Pomc profiles in both sexes, with the highest expression occurring during the infantile period. Somatotrophs and lactotrophs also exhibit no difference in Gh1 and Prl profiles during embryonic to juvenile age but show the amplification of Prl expression in females and Gh1 expression in males during peripubertal and postpubertal ages. Gonadotrophs exhibit highly synchronized Lhb, Fshb, Cga, and Gnrhr expression in both sexes, but the peak of expression occurs during the infantile period in females and at the end of the juvenile period in males. Thyrotrophs also show different developmental Tshb profiles, which are synchronized with the expression of gonadotroph genes in males but not in females. These results indicate the lack of influence of sex on Pomc expression and the presence of two patterns of sexual dimorphism in the expression of other pituitary genes: a time shift in the peak expression during postnatal development, most likely reflecting the perinatal sex-specific brain differentiation, and modulation of the amplitude of expression during late development, which is secondary to the establishment of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal and -thyroid axes.
The innate immune response of the respiratory epithelium

The respiratory epithelium maintains an effective antimicrobial environment to prevent colonization by microorganisms in inspired air. In addition to constitutively present host defenses which include antimicrobial peptides and proteins, the epithelial cells respond to the presence of microbes by the induction two complementary parts of an innate immune response. The first response is the increased production of antimicrobial agents, and the second is the induction of a signal network to recruit phagocytic cells to contain the infection. Inflammatory mediators released by the recruited cells as well as from the epithelium itself further induce the expression of the antimicrobial agents. The result is an effective prevention of microbial colonization. The epithelial cells recognize the pathogen-associated patterns on microbes by surface receptors such as CD14 and Toll-like receptors. Subsequent signal transduction pathways have been identified which result in the increased transcription of host defense response genes. Diseases such as cystic fibrosis, or environmental exposures such as the inhalation of air pollution particles, may create an environment that impairs the expression or activity of the host defenses in the airway. This can lead to increased susceptibility to airway infections.
Nonlinear decision rules for robust noncoherent integration

New nonlinear decision rules for performing noncoherent integration (NCI) of multiple radar dwells are determined. Conventional noncoherent integration followed by CFAR can be greatly desensitized when the noise energy varies from dwell to dwell. The new rules are robust to dwell to dwell variations in noise energy, providing CFAR and minimizing detection loss. For slow fluctuation target models the locally most powerful decision rule outperforms conventional NCI even in stationary noise conditions. In addition, a composite test is provided that outperforms all individual binary integration (BI) M out of N tests independent of target fluctuation model and is suitable for distributed detection.
Structural analyses of Ca 2+ /CaM interaction with Na V channel C-termini reveal mechanisms of calcium-dependent regulation

Voltage-gated sodium (NaV) channels initiate action potentials in excitable cells and mutations at NaV loci are responsible for several human diseases. Here, Wang et al. provide novel structural insights into the regulation of NaV channel activity by calcium-bound calmodulin.
The late 1970s: a lull in the action on kuru.

The late 1970s were a relatively quiescent period in kuru history. The disease's clinical course ([Gajdusek & Zigas 1957][1]; [Zigas & Gajdusek 1957][2]; [Alpers 1964][3]; [Alpers & Rail 1971][4]; [Hornabrook 1975][5]), geographical epidemiology (Alpers [1965][6], [1979][7]) and dissemination by
Telling Women That Men Desire Women With Bodies Larger Than the Thin-Ideal Improves Women’s Body Satisfaction

One source of women’s body dissatisfaction appears to be the media’s suggestion that men desire extremely thin women. Thus, three independent experiments examined whether reversing this suggestion would improve women’s weight satisfaction. In all three studies, women viewed images of female models with bodies larger than the thin-ideal. Women who were randomly assigned to be told that men found those models attractive experienced increased weight satisfaction compared to women who were not given any information (Studies 1 and 2) and women who were told that men preferred ultra-thin women (Study 2). Study 3 (a) provided evidence for the theoretical mechanism—internalization of the thin-ideal—and (b) revealed that telling women that other women find larger models attractive does not yield similar benefits. These findings extend the tripartite influence model by demonstrating that women’s beliefs about men’s body preferences are an important moderator of the association between media influence and women’s bo...
CONTROL OF OCULAR HAZARDS

The basic approach to the control of ocular hazards must be consistent with standard safety engineering techniques used in controlling any other specific hazards. Eye hazards, as they exist in the plant, must be identified and then eliminated wherever possible by an alternative non-hazardous process or controlled by the installation of engineering devices. For any residual eye hazards an appropriate eye protector must be selected and provided for the operators concerned. Australian Standards CZ7, 27 and Z45 — 1967 Industrial Eye Protection is a comprehensive document and a most valuable source of information on all aspects of eye protection. Table 1 of CZ 7 itemises the hazards by group and type, the typical processes giving rise to such hazards, typical methods of controlling the hazards and the suitable types of eye protectors with notes on their usage. Eye hazards will vary considerably both in extent and severity depending on the nature of the industry. In general however, the hazard of flying fragments, particles and objects is the most extensive found in industry and the related eye protector in the form of safely spectacles accordingly assumes major significance in an eye protection program.
Fate of the upper urinary tract in multiple sclerosis.

Urologic problems arc a major source of morbidity for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Fifty-four to 78% of patients experience bladder symptoms which are due to spinal lesions interrupting neural pathways that control micturition. MS patients could have upper or lower motor neuron lesion type bladders. Both obstructive and irritative symptoms may be present. Although lower urinary tract dysfunction has been well described in MS, few studies have investigated the fate of the upper urinary tract. Thirty-two patients with MS were referred for urodynamic evaluation. Twenty-six of the 32 patients had upper urinary tract studies performed. Only I of the 26 patients had evidence of upper urinary tract deterioration It is our impression that upper tract deterioration occurs infrequently in these patients. We discuss clinical clues that may predict deterioration. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
VARIATION IN HUMAN DISTURBANCE DIFFERENTIALLY AFFECTS PREDATION RISK ASSESSMENT IN WESTERN GULLS

Abstract Many studies have demonstrated that birds behave differently in areas with different levels of human disturbance. Studies frequently characterize sites as having an overall level of human disturbance, and compare how birds respond at sites with high and low levels of disturbance. Doing so assumes that disturbance has a fairly constant effect on animals throughout a site. We measured the distance at which individual Western Gulls (Larus occidentalis) moved away from an approaching observer along a stretch of beach on both sides of the Santa Monica Pier, a heavily visited tourist attraction in southern California. We found that these flight initiation distances decreased in areas where more people visited the beach, and specifically in a small area near the pier. We found that flight initiation distance changed very rapidly within a short distance from the pier. Our results indicate that anthropogenic features may leave a “behavioral footprint.” Identifying the scale of such behavioral footprints s...
Ketoacidosis and Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar State

A review of the two classical acute hyperglycemic syndromes in type 1 and type 2 diabetes, ketoacidosis and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state, with particular emphasis on cerebral complications.
Bäcklund Transformations and Hodge-Theoretic Methods

This chapter mainly reviews Backlund transformations which arise in connection with elliptic–hyperbolic models. A recent application to optics is discussed in detail. Topics include a systematic method for producing Backlund transformations via the Hodge duality operator. The method is useful for the frequent cases in which the model equations can be expressed as nonlinear Hodge–Frobenius equations. A hierarchy of constraints for geometric variational problems is presented, in which the harshest constraint is that the field be conservative; the mildest weakening of that constraint is that the field be completely integrable; the weakest constraint produces maximally nonintegrable fields.
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF ACTION SPECTRA

This chapter describes practical applications of action spectra. In photobiology, the classical use of action spectra is to identify the photochemical compound that causes the observed biological response. In most cases, only the shape of the action spectrum is used, although for a truly quantitative analysis the absolute magnitude of the response must be known. In plant ecology, action spectra can be used for the practical purpose of predicting the biological response to be expected in a given situation. Also, as most biological responses are nonlinear, the action spectrum must be determined over the full range of natural irradiances and not only at the low end of the range. Another complication is that the biological effects at different wavelengths may not be strictly additive, because more than one mechanism is involved. Finally, as the irradiance at the surface of the organism is used in the calculations, the action spectrum must be related to the irradiance at that surface and not at some internal point. The spectral irradiance at the photoreceptor itself will usually be different from that at the surface. For example, an action spectrum of a chloroplast suspension cannot be used to calculate leaf responses.
Aniseikonic perception by women of their own breasts.

The hypothesis was tested that the smaller a woman's breasts the less she will perceive them as altered when viewing them aniseikonically. The results for 42 married women (Mdnage = 22 yr.) supported the hypothesis and suggested the usefulness of aniseikonic perception for measuring the localization of anxiety about the body.
Clinical Research in the ICU: A Program for Success in Challenging Times

In times of shrinking departmental budgets, physician attrition, restricted house staff work hours, and reductions in grant funding, there has been a trend towards migration of physicians away from academic medicine. Creative solutions to maintain clinical research programs are frequently necessary. At the University of California Irvine Medical Center, a clinical research program has been created that has allowed research to both survive and thrive in challenging times. The MICU Research Associates Program (MICU-RAP) provides a longitudinal experience for select undergraduate students to facilitate research as part of the MICU team while receiving academic credit and valuable experience. The MICU-RAP student coordinator and faculty advisor work together to recruit research associates, organize weekly meetings, create and implement research protocols, and mentor students and future physician-scientists. Student research associates are trained to develop and maintain a secure database, assist in the author...
Analysis of TORCH infections in newborn in Ningbo

Objective:To investigate the condition and clinic feature of TORCH infection in newborn in Ningbo.Methods: Serum samples from 1720 newborn from Jan 2008 to Oct 2009 were tested for TORCH-IgM by the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),the newborn were divided into 3 groups: premature,mature but low weight,term infant,and the relationship between this 3 groups were analyzed.Results: The total IgM positive rates of TORCH were 6%.The positive rates of CMV-IgM was highest,the positive rates of TORCH-IgM in non-term infant group were significantly higher than that of term infant group.Conclusion: TORCH infection in newborn can not be ignored.Blood screening for TORCH in early period is important for preventing and treating in newborn infection.
Spatially adaptive augmented reality

One of the most important problems faced when creating real-time, mobile augmented reality systems is registration error---the misalignment between the computer generated graphics and the physical world the application is trying to augment. Such misalignment may either cause the information presented by the application to be misleading to the user or make the augmentation meaningless. In this work, we question the implied assumption that registration error must be eliminated for AR to be useful. Instead, we take the position that registration error will never be eliminated and that application developers can build useful AR applications if they have an estimate of registration error. We present a novel approach to AR application design: Spatially Adaptive Augmented Reality (i.e., applications that change their displays based on the quality of the alignment between the physical and virtual world). The computations used to change the display are based on real-time estimates of the registration error. The application developer uses these estimates to build applications that function under a variety of conditions independent of specific tracking technologies. In order to support Spatially Adaptive AR, this research establishes a theoretical model for AR that accounts for the uncertainty in the system. We call this subset of Spatially Adaptive AR, Uncertainty Aware AR. The reification of these theoretical contributions is a toolkit that supports the design of Uncertainty Aware AR applications: OSGAR. This work describes OSGAR in detail and presents examples that demonstrate how to use this novel approach to create adaptable augmentations as well as how to support user interaction in the presence of uncertainty.
Cultures-of-use and morphologies of communicative action

In this article I revisit the cultures-of-use conceptual framework-that technologies, as forms and processes comprising human culture, mediate and assume variable meanings, values, and conventionalized functions for different communities (Thorne, 2003). I trace the antecedent arc of investigation and serendipitous encounters that led to the 2003 publication and conclude by proposing that digital environments and the human experience of activity form unified ecologies with agency distributed through the system.
A 5.6 nV/ $\surd $ Hz Chopper Operational Amplifier Achieving a 0.5 $\mu$ V Maximum Offset Over Rail-to-Rail Input Range With Adaptive Clock Boosting Technique

This paper presents a standalone 5.6 nV/ $\surd $ Hz chopper op-amp that operates from a 2.1–5.5 V supply. Frequency compensation is achieved in a power- and area-efficient manner by using a current attenuator and a dummy differential output. As a result, the overall op-amp only consumes 1.4 mA supply current and 1.26 mm2 die area. Up-modulated chopper ripple is suppressed by a local feedback technique, called auto correction feedback (ACFB). The charge injection of the input chopping switches can cause residual offset voltages, especially with the wider switches needed to reduce thermal noise. By employing an adaptive clock boosting technique with NMOS input switches, the amount of charge injection is minimized and kept constant as the input common-mode voltage changes. This results in a $0.5~\mu \text {V}$ maximum offset and $0.015~\mu \text {V}$ /°C maximum drift over the amplifier’s entire rail-to-rail input common-mode range and from −40 °C to 125 °C. The design is implemented in a 0.35 $\mu \text {m}$ CMOS process augmented by 5 V CMOS transistors.
Etoposide Therapy for Recurrent Gliomas

The efficacy and toxicity of long-term salvage chemotherapy with oral etoposide was studied in 14 children with recurrent supratentorial gliomas at the Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego.
Complications of Botulinum Toxin and Facial Fillers

In 2013, 13.4 million minimally invasive cosmetic procedures were performed in the USA, over 60 % of which were injectables such as botulinum toxin (BTX) and dermal fillers [1]. Botulinum toxin procedures alone accounted for almost 1.5 billion dollars spent on cosmetic procedures [2]. These types of aesthetic procedures are gaining popularity because of their relatively quick effects but shorter procedure and recovery time compared to incisional surgery. The overall complication rate of such procedures is low; however, knowledge of both complications and treatments are vital to a safe and successful cosmetic practice.
Daesh: Riches and Self-Alienation in a Fledging Pseudo-State

Daesh, or Islamic State, holds captive the fears of populations the world over. However, with the advent of this new type of terror organization functioning as a pseudo-state, the approach to eliminating it must also be adapted, but in order to eliminate such a threat, it must first be understood. As of now, the understanding of Daesh widely varies depending upon the source. They are likened to other terror organizations, insurrections, unrecognized states, and caliphates of antiquity. To make the concept and understanding of Daesh more comprehensible to members of the private sector, the author utilizes a framework common for consultancies and management teams, the S.W.O.T. Analysis, to depict the organization’s assets, shortcomings, potentials for growth, and hazards. Following this analysis, the author paints Daesh as a product of its environment. With instability in the Middle East, a large population of disgruntled, young men, and globalization via social media, Daesh has become not only a pseudo-state to destroy, but an ideology that permeates inexistent cyber borders. As a result, implications for policy revision and reflection are vital for preventative measures. The author suggests leaders’ future approaches involve less armed intervention to preserve governments and greater investment in aid. These two methods create a stable environment in which the populace can focus on economic and personal development, as opposed to ideological conflict.
Minimally invasive “separation surgery” plus adjuvant stereotactic radiotherapy in the management of spinal epidural metastases

Aim: This study aimed to describe the application of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) in separation surgery combined with postoperative stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in patients with symptomatic metastatic epidural spinal disease. Methods: Three techniques are described: (1) MIS posterior separation surgery alone, (2) MIS posterolateral separation surgery with percutaneous pedicle screw placement, and (3) MIS lateral corpectomy with percutaneous pedicle screw placement. Seven representative cases are presented in which the above techniques were applied and after which postoperative SBRT was performed. Results: The seven representative patients (3 male, 4 female) had a mean age of 54 years (range, 46–62 years). Two patients had a primary diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma and in one patient each a diagnosis of breast, renal, lung adenocarcinoma, melanoma, and urothelial squamous cell carcinoma as their primary tumor. All patients had additional multiorgan disease apart from the metastatic spine involvement. Three patients underwent operations in the lumbar spine, two in the thoracic spine, and one in each of the thoraco-lumbar and lumbo-sacral spine. The average operating time was 149 ± 60.3 min (range, 90–240 min). The mean estimated blood loss was 188.8 cc. The mean length of stay in the hospital was 4 days (range, 3–7 days). There were no surgical complications. All patients received postoperative SBRT (typically 24 Gy in 3 fractions) at a mean of 43.2 days after surgery (range, 30–83). Conclusions: Early reports such as this suggest that MIS techniques can be successfully and safely applied in accomplishing “separation surgery” with adjuvant SBRT in the management of metastatic spinal disease. The potential advantages conferred by MIS techniques such as shortened hospital stay, decreased blood loss, reduced perioperative complications, and earlier initiation of adjuvant radiation are highly desirable in the treatment of this challenging patient population.
Tracking the Output of a Poorly Known Linear System

Abstract Tracking the output of Linear Stochastic Systems whose parameters are unknown is considered. For long term discounted quadratic cost, the optimal control is shown to depend on estimates of the state of the linear system considered as if the parameters were known and the conditional density of the unknown parameters.
California’s Three Strikes Law Revisited: Assessing the Long-Term Effects of the Law

Previous studies on the three strikes legislation in California draw conclusions based on data immediately following the passage of the law, which cannot account for the full deterrent effect of the law. Moreover, they do not account for the incapacitation effect. Distinguishing between deterrence and incapacitation is important for determining the efficacy of the law. Using data from 1991 to 2009, this paper is the first to examine the long-run effects. Our results show that the law had a significant deterrent effect on all crimes, including non-triggering offenses. Overall, the incapacitation effect is less significant. Further, enhanced penalties cause some felons to substitute between violent crimes and property crimes which carry a lower sentence. However, there is little evidence of substitution within crime categories. Surprisingly however, the added deterrent effect of the third strike is significantly smaller than for the second strike. The small marginal deterrence from the third strike also raises questions about the justification for such extreme severity of punishment.
Instruction in District-Designed Intensive Summer Reading Programs:

This study reports on the instruction provided in district-designed intensive summer reading programs. The Tier 3 intervention was provided to 374 students from 24 school districts who were not mee...
The RSI: Body and Soul

The RSI regime consisted of moderates in an uneasy relationship with zealots. Mussolini undertook a transformation from duce of Italian Fascism based on the notion of Italianita to a revised Fascism lodged in a Nazi Deutschtum: Hitler’s continental racist state. Mussolini gave birth to the concept of nazifascista, which in the death throes of the RSI became the dominating ideology.
Moving Toward an Ecologically Oriented Capitalism (“Eco-Capitalism”)

The Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping the cumulative temperature increase below 2 °C implies steadily reducing greenhouse gas emissions to a point where the world achieves zero net carbon emissions by 2060. We are nowhere near such a transition to a carbon-neutral economy. To get there we have to phase out fossil fuels and replace these energy sources with renewables, improve energy efficiency greatly, move toward less polluting means of transportation, change many industrial processes, retrofit buildings, make cities more sustainable, transform the way we grow and consume food, and expand our planet’s carbon sinks (e.g., forests). These changes are tantamount to a different type of capitalism. But when looking at the long-term evolution of capitalism, we see that such systemic transformations follow a certain identifiable pattern which makes the transition to eco-capitalism conceivable.
A conditional scheduling approach to designing real-time systems

We present an approach to designing real-time systems based on dynamically sequencing condition-specific task-execution schedules. A system that dynamically alters its real-time execution component provides flexibility in the face of changing on-line conditions. For domains in which real-time response and safety must be guaranteed at design time, achieving this flexibility requires the introduction of new modeling and analysis tools. We provide; analytical techniques for validating the behavior of a real-time system designed under our conditional scheduling approach. We demonstrate the approach through the detailed design and analysis of a real-time avionics scheduling solution. This solution involves architectural changes to existing avionics system hardware and makes use of predictive models of in-flight dynamics to provide real-time behavior guarantees at design time. The approach described in this paper is an example of the use of a general framework that we have developed for analyzing tradeoffs when designing systems in which an agent with limited computational resources is required to respond in a timely manner to situations arising in a dynamic environment.
Defensive Styles of Thinking to Prevent Dreaded States of Mind

Among the most overwhelming or unpleasant human experiences are ­undermodulated states: mortal terror, darkest despair, towering hostility, and ­searing shame and guilt. A shift into states that avoid such experiences is ­accomplished by defensive control processes. The most common of these are inhibition of potential ideas, blunting of representations of emotionality, and distortions of meanings. These defensive maneuvers can be observed in short, medium, and long orders of attunement to the mind of another. This chapter focuses on short order observations, as witnessed in communications with another and as modeled intrapsychically by empathy for the mind of another. By understanding what is happening, here and now in a therapy hour, a clinician may realize how to act to reduce not only short order control processes that are ­maladaptive, but by so doing gradually modify longer order patterns of ­characterologically-based defensiveness.
Outcomes From a Minority-Based Lung Cancer Screening Program vs the National Lung Screening Trial.

This population-based study assesses demographic characteristics, CT scan findings, and lung cancer detection in minority populations compared with outcomes from the National Lung Screening Trial.
A Review of 2016-2017 Agricultural Youth Injuries Involving Skid Steers and a Call for Intervention and Translational Research.

Skid steers or loaders are becoming prolific in U.S. agriculture – as are the injuries and fatalities related to their use. A review of incidents as queried in AgInjuryNews from 2016 to 2017 reveal...
Smoking detection based on regularity analysis of hand to mouth gestures

Abstract A number of studies have been introduced for the detection of smoking via a variety of features extracted from the wrist IMU data. However, none of the previous studies investigated gesture regularity as a way to detect smoking events. This study describes a novel method to detect smoking events by monitoring the regularity of hand gestures. Here, the regularity of hand gestures was estimated from a one axis accelerometer worn on the wrist of the dominant hand. To quantify the regularity score, this paper applied a novel approach of unbiased autocorrelation to process the temporal sequence of hand gestures. The comparison of regularity score of smoking events with other activities substantiated that hand-to-mouth gestures are highly regular during smoking events and have the potential to detect smoking from among a plethora of daily activities. This hypothesis was validated on a dataset of 140 cigarette smoking events generated by 35 regular smokers in a controlled setting. The regularity of gestures detected smoking events with an F1-score of 0.81. However, the accuracy dropped to 0.49 in the free-living study of same 35 smokers smoking 295 cigarettes. Nevertheless, regularity of gestures may be useful as a supportive tool for other detection methods. To validate that proposition, this paper further incorporated the regularity of gestures in an instrumented lighter based smoking detection algorithm and achieved an improvement in F1-score from 0.89 (lighter only) to 0.91 (lighter and regularity of hand gestures).