cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Photonic crystal fibers

A brief review of three specially designed types of photonic crystal fiber (PCF) that we recently developed for high performance devices is presented. The first is absolutely single polarization PCF (ASPF), which guides only one polarization mode, the second is dispersion-flattened polarization maintaining PCF for Supercontinuum generation, and the third is a new type of photonic bandgap fiber with a super-lattice structure.
Turbulence Modeling and Computation of Viscous Transitional Flows for Low Pressure Turbines

Variation of the flow Reynolds number between the take off and cruise conditions significantly affects the boundary layer development on a low-pressure turbine blading. A decreased Reynolds number leads to flow separation on the suction surface of the blading and increased losses. A numerical simulation has been carried out to assess the ability of the Navier-Stokes solver to predict the transitional flows in a wide range of Reynolds numbers and inlet turbulence intensities. A number of turbulence and transition models have been employed to analyze the reliability and accuracy of the numerical simulation. A comparison between the prediction and the experimental data reveals good correlation. However, the analysis shows that the artificial dissipation in the numerical solver may have a profound effect on the transition in a separated flow.
Acoustic covariants of length contrast in Japanese stops

This study explores acoustic correlates to the singleton vs. geminate stop length contrast in Japanese. The proposal examined is that multiple acoustic features covary with the stop length distinction and that these features are available in the signal as potential secondary cues. The results support the proposal, revealing the presence of several acoustic features covarying with the singleton vs. geminate contrast in both durational and non-durational domains. Specifically, the preceding vowel is longer, the following vowel is shorter, there are greater fundamental frequency and intensity changes from the preceding to the following vowel, and there is evidence of more creakiness in voice quality for geminate than singleton consonants. It is also demonstrated that the vowel durations, as well as fundamental frequency and intensity changes have fairly strong categorization power.
Feature Set Embedding for Incomplete Data

We present a new learning strategy for classification problems in which train and/or test data suffer from missing features. In previous work, instances are represented as vectors from some feature space and one is forced to impute missing values or to consider an instance-specific subspace. In contrast, our method considers instances as sets of (feature, value) pairs which naturally handle the missing value case. Building onto this framework, we propose a classification strategy for sets. Our proposal maps (feature, value) pairs into an embedding space and then non-linearly combines the set of embedded vectors. The embedding and the combination parameters are learned jointly on the final classification objective. This simple strategy allows great flexibility in encoding prior knowledge about the features in the embedding step and yields advantageous results compared to alternative solutions over several datasets.
Magnetic bubble device scaling and density limits

Scaling of magnetic bubble devices to smaller bubble sizes and higher density is considered. Drive field requirements, materials requirements, fabrication requirements, current requirements, and detector signal-to-noise ratio are all calculated as a function of bubble size and related to practical limits imposed by bubble materials, fabrication techniques, and electromigration limits. It is concluded that "conventional" bubble devices using Permalloy bars can be made practical with 1-μm bubble domains (storage density \sim6 \times 10^{6} bits/cm2). Although it may be possible to extend these Permalloy bar devices to even smaller bubbles, it seems more likely that other bubble devices such as contiguous disk devices or bubble lattice devices will in fact be used for densities greater than 6 × 106bits/cm2.
Position Paper on RDA for Protein for Children

The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) by the National Academy of Sciences are revised approximately every five years. The RDA are compromise opinions of highly qualified nutritional scientists based on interpretations of available data. As with any interpretations and opinions not founded on definitive information, they are subject to challenges. The RDA for protein for 7- to 9-year-old children have been adjusted downward from 60 g in 1958 to 36 g in 1974, a 40% reduction. Data from our laboratories have shown positive apparent nitrogen balances on intakes as low as 18 g daily when no allowances were made for integumental and other nitrogen losses, however, based on accumulative data over several years we calculate the protein requirement to be 45 g daily from a typical American diet. If a safety factor of 30% is added the allowance would become 58.5 g. Currently the RDA for protein for the 7- to 10-year-old child supplies 6% of the RDA for Calories which contrasts to 8.30 and 9.20% for adult males and females, respectively. For comparison, energy from protein as a percentage of total energy for some common foods are: white bread, 12%; corn meal 10%; white rice 7%; and wheat flour 13%.
CpxRA influences Xenorhabdus nematophila colonization initiation and outgrowth in Steinernema carpocapsae nematodes through regulation of the nil locus.

The gammaproteobacterium Xenorhabdus nematophila mutualistically colonizes an intestinal region of a soil-dwelling nematode and is a blood pathogen of insects. The X. nematophila CpxRA two-component regulatory system is necessary for both of these host interactions (E. Herbert et al., Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73:7826-7836, 2007). Mutualistic association of X. nematophila with its nematode host consists of two stages: initiation, where a small number of bacterial cells establish themselves in the colonization site, and outgrowth, where these cells grow to fill the space. In this study, we show that the Cpx system is necessary for both of these stages. X. nematophila ΔcpxR1 colonized fewer nematodes than its wild-type parent and did not achieve as high a density as did the wild type within a portion of the colonized nematodes. To test whether the ΔcpxR1 host interaction phenotypes are due to its overexpression of mrxA, encoding the type I pilin subunit protein, we assessed the colonization phenotype of a ΔcpxR1 ΔmrxA1 double mutant. This mutant displayed the same colonization defect as ΔcpxR1, indicating that CpxR negative regulation of mrxA does not play a detectable role in X. nematophila-host interactions. CpxR positively regulates expression of nilA, nilB, and nilC genes necessary for nematode colonization. Here we show that the nematode colonization defect of the ΔcpxR1 mutant is rescued by elevating nil gene expression through mutation of nilR, a negative regulator of nilA, nilB, and nilC. These data suggest that the nematode colonization defect previously observed in ΔcpxR1 is caused, at least in part, by altered regulation of nilA, nilB, and nilC.
CREATING INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL PORTFOLIOS IN WRITTEN LANGUAGE

With the expansion of inclusive education, the need for effective evaluation that focuses on the authentic performances of learners with special needs becomes even more critical. Creating portfolios in written language makes evaluation the tool and not the end of effective learning. As such, individual educational portfolios are a valuable complement to the individualized educational program (IEP) or other profiles of learning currently in use. The purpose of this article is to explore the portfolio process as an effective evaluation tool for authentic assessment of the basic literacy area of writing. The article discusses (a) current literature related to the use of portfolios, (6) the critical elements of the portfolio process, (c) their relationship to the authentic assessment of writing, and (d) effective ways of implementing individual educational portfolios for writers with disabilities in both general education and special education settings.
Utility of Pupillary Dilation for Detecting Leukocoria in Patients With Retinoblastoma

In the United States, 50% of all retinoblastoma cases are diagnosed after the observation of leukocoria by a family member or primary care physician. However, leukocoria produced by retinoblastoma lesions can often be missed by direct ophthalmoscopic examination through an undilated pupil. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the utility of pupillary dilation for the detection of leukocoria in suspected cases. Seven patients (10 eyes), aged 2 days to 20 months, with retinoblastoma were examined for leukocoria using a direct ophthalmoscope with the pupils first undilated and then after pharmacologic dilation with 0.5% cyclopentolate and 2.5% phenylephrine. Leukocoria was detected by direct ophthalmoscopy on undilated examination in 3 of 10 eyes (30%). In contrast, leukocoria was observed after pupillary dilation in 10 of 10 eyes (100%). The retinoblastoma lesions, from 2 to 10 mm in diameter, were located within the posterior 45° of the retina. Pupillary dilation is a safe and effective tool that can enhance the ability of the examiner to detect leukocoria. Dilation may afford early diagnosis and treatment, and therefore should be considered on patients in whom the diagnosis of retinoblastoma is entertained.
On the limits of the new and the lasting power of the mediasport interpellation.

This essay comments on the limits of new and social media to change the contemporary landscape of mediated sport in meaningful ways. The first part of the essay speaks to the “limits of the new.” Here, the forces of “monetization” and the transition of new media into mainstream are considered. Arguments are presented that the “game” of new and social media will likely draft of media logics of legacy media rather than structurally change them. The second part of the essay speaks to the “lasting power of the mediasport interpellation.” Here, theoretical strains from the work of Althusser concerning ideological state apparatuses and the nature of “hailing” are melded, on one hand, with the work of Bauman on “consumer sociality,” and on the other, with that of Wenner on the communicative powers of sports dirt in a commodified environment. Consideration is given to the constancy of sport-anchored mediated hailing to establish (1) gender identities, (2) fan identities, and (3) consumer identities in ways that a...
Misinterpretation of Functional Severity of Coronary Stenosis in the Presence of Collateral Flow

Angiography is widely used diagnostic method to find the ischemic severity. However, it is limited in its capacity in determining the functional severity of the stenosis [1]. Hence, a functional diagnostic parameter Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR), defined as the ratio of distal pressure to the proximal pressure at maximum vasodilation [2], at the site of the stenosis, was developed to assess the functional severity of the stenosis. Pijls et al [3], established a threshold value of 0.75 for FFR, based on which coronary intervention decisions are taken. If FFR is below 0.75, a percutaneous coronary intervention is recommended. FFR is calculated during cardiac catheterization by measuring the pressure values across the stenosis. However, the value of FFR measured during cardiac catheterization doesn’t account for the increase in pressure values downstream of stenosis, due to other resistances in coronary circuit, e.g., abnormal microvasculature and functional collaterals, as it cannot delineate the effect of downstream collateral flow or the presence of myocardial diseases.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Field‐induced dipole reorientation and piezoelectricity in heavily plasticized nylon 11 films

Abstract : Nylon 11 films with very low initial crystallinity were made by dissolving the nylon 11 in 2-Ethyl 1,3 Hexanedoil at 150 C. Films were cast from the solution and excessive plasticizer was removed in a vacuum oven. Films were then melt-pressed and quenched to yield heavily plasticized nylon 11 films containing 30% by weight of the plasticizer. These films were poled under vacuum to allow the plasticizer to evaporate in the presence of an electric field. A high piezoelectric response was observed for the films subjected to the maximum electric field while the sample contained a large fraction of plasticizer. Significant development of crystallinity was observed without apparent indication of orientation of the crystallites. These studies suggest that the observed piezoelectric response originates primarily from oriented hydrogen bonds in the amorphous regions of Nylon 11.
Contemporary outcomes of focal therapy in prostate cancer: what do we know so far...

Introduction Despite the enthusiasm for an organ preserving approach to prostate cancer treatment, studies that support the supposition that this approach will offer patients the “Trifecta” of prostate cancer therapy are lacking.
Egg white varnishes on ancient paintings: a molecular connection to amyloid proteins.

For about 400 years, egg white was used to coat and protect paintings without detailed understanding of its molecular properties. A molecular basis is provided for its advantageous properties and one of its protective properties is demonstrated with oxygen transport behavior. Compared to the native secondary structure of ovalbumin in solution of circa 33 % α-helix and β-sheet, attenuated total reflection–FTIR (ATR-FTIR) spectra showed a 73 % decrease of α-helix content and a 44 % increase of β-sheet content over eight days. The data suggest that the final coating of dissolved ovalbumin from egg white after long exposure to air, which is hydrophobic, comprises mostly β-sheet content (ca. 50 %), which is predicted to be the lowest-energy structure of proteins and close to that found in amyloid fibrils. Coating a synthetic polytetrafluoroethylene membrane with multiple layers of egg white decreased oxygen diffusion by 50 % per layer with a total decrease of almost 100 % for four layers.
Eigenspectra, a robust regression method for multiplexed Raman spectra analysis

Raman spectroscopy has been one of the most sensitive techniques widely used in chemical and pharmaceutical research. With the latest development of surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nanoparticles, the application now can be extended to bioimaging and biosensing. In this study, we demonstrate the ability of Raman spectroscopy to separate multiple spectral fingerprints using Raman nanotags after injection. The competence will further be used as functional agents for diagnostic molecular imaging applications. In this paper, a machine learning method is proposed to estimate the mixing ratios of each source signal from a mixture signal. The method first decomposes the training mixture signal matrix into a number of components and meanwhile keeps the maximum linear relationship between the new coordinate and ground truth ratio matrix. Then a regression coefficient matrix is formed by the component matrix. Traditional regression methods provide poor decomposition results due to various factors in sample preparation and machine operation that lead to the stochastic nature of Raman spectrum. The robustness of the proposed method was compared with least square and weighted least square methods.
Nrf2- and PPARα-Mediated Regulation of Hepatic Mrp Transporters after Exposure to Perfluorooctanoic Acid and Perfluorodecanoic Acid

Perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) are commonly used as emulsifiers and surfactants in fluoropolymer manufacturing and are known peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor alpha (PPARα) agonists. PPARα activation induces β- and ω-oxidation enzymes such as Cyp4a14 and acyl-CoA oxidase, which are a likely cause of subsequent oxidative stress and peroxisome proliferation. Conversely, NF-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) is a transcription factor that protects against oxidative stress and inflammation by regulating several detoxification and xenobiotic transporter genes. Because PFDA markedly induces hepatic metabolism and oxidative stress, we hypothesized that PFDA exposure would increase expression of hepatic efflux multidrug resistance–associated protein (Mrp) transporters. A single PFDA dose (80 mg/kg) administered to mice increased hepatic Mrp3 (fourfold) and Mrp4 (31-fold) mRNA expression. Upregulation of Mrp3 and Mrp4 correlated with elevated serum-conjugated bilirubin and bile acids, respectively. To determine the mechanism of Mrp3 and Mrp4 induction, PFDA was administered to Nrf2-null mice, PPARα-null mice, and mice pretreated with gadolinium chloride, a Kupffer cell–depleting chemical capable of inhibiting the inflammatory cytokine response. In both PPARα- and Nrf2-null mice, maximal induction of Mrp3 and Mrp4 mRNA after PFDA administration was attenuated. Gadolinium chloride pretreatment reduced serum and hepatic tumor necrosis factor-α levels after PFDA treatment, as well as Mrp4 mRNA expression by 30%, suggesting that Kupffer cell–derived mediators may contribute to Mrp induction. Thus, after PFDA administration, the liver mounts a compensatory hepatoprotective response via PPARα and Nrf2, markedly increasing Mrp3 and Mrp4 expression, with corresponding increases in serum of known Mrp3 and Mrp4 substrates.
Using phase behavior in scientific application to guide Linux operating system customization

In this paper, we present the design of a system that automatically generates application-specific Linux images for scientific applications that execute using batched cluster resources. Key to our approach is the use of recurring patterns in program performance, i.e., phase-behavior, that can be exploited potentially to guide automatic Linux customization and to enable significantly higher levels in program performance. We overview project and present a set of preliminary results that show the potential of our approach.
The effect of transverse stress on the critical current of Nb/sub 3/Sn cable-in-conduit superconductors

An investigation has been conducted of the effects of transverse stress on the critical current of Nb/sub 3/Sn cable-in-conduit conductors (CICC). The sensitivity of the critical current (I/sub c/) to applied stress at 12 T has been determined for CICCs with helium void fractions (f/sub He/) in the range of 0.25-0.4. I/sub c/ has been found to be a function of transverse stress with good correlation with single-wire data up to stress levels of 50 MPa. At higher stress levels with the CICCs show significantly higher degradation with transverse stress. No clear correlation has been found between the stress sensitivity of I/sub c/ and f/sub He/. The results fall into a broadband, suggesting that geometric factors, such as wire position within the cable bundle, exert a strong influence on the I/sub c/ vs. stress dependence. >
Who Values the Obedient Child Now? The Religious Factor in Adult Values for Children, 1986–2002

Sociologists have documented a convergence of Protestants and Catholics in their valuation of autonomy and obedience as desirable traits for children from 1958 through 1991. By the 1980s, Alwin (1986) found that variation in such values within Protestants and Catholics was greater than that between them. Analyzing the GSS from 1986 to 2002, we test whether Evangelical Protestants, in a backlash against a climate of moral uncertainty and government intervention into matters of morality, have become more likely to value obedience in children over autonomy, while Catholics, reacting to the Second Vatican Council and to collective upward mobility, have become less likely to do so. We find no change among Catholics (and Mainline Protestants), but a shift toward increasing valuation of obedience over autonomy among Evangelicals who attend church frequently.
First-order, networked control models of swarming silkworm moths

Social insects have long served as inspiration to the multi-agent community. In this paper, we take the opposite approach and see if tools from decentralized, networked control can be used to predict observed, biological behaviors. In particular, we study the silkworm moth, the Bombyx Mori, and we model these moths as first-order networks in which the male- male interactions are defined through a proximity graph. The male-female interactions are given by a broadcast protocol in which the females that are releasing pheromones are visible to all the males. Using barrier certificates, the resulting, switched network is analyzed and it is shown that the males are attracted to and trapped in a region defined by the female moths, as is the case in actual silkworm moths as well.
The “Good Old #3 Club” Gets a New Member

It has been said that serving on the U.S. Supreme Court is like being a member of an exclusive club. Yet within this club, there are even more exclusive clubs that only a small number of Justices are permitted to join. These shadowy associations are unseen by the public, receive no publicity, and are not even known to the Justices who are excluded. The existence of these secretive organizations has recently been revealed through the release of Justice Harry Blackmun's papers at the Library of Congress. This article is the first serious attempt to research the existence, membership, and practices of these clandestine alliances. Ultimately, as with many High Court practices, these newly uncovered connections may be in need of reform, and I offer a number of solutions to define membership criteria and improve their functioning.
Measuring performance of social network-based virtual community: a balanced scorecard approach

The objectives of this research are to propose a general framework and to illustrate development process of a balanced scorecard (BSC) performance management system for a non-profit seeking social network-based virtual community. Examples are used to derive a coherent set of strategies, objectives and measures to support the mission of the selected virtual community. The proposed framework augments the traditional social network performance measures by measuring performance from four different perspectives (customer, internal business process, value creation and learning and growth) for a more comprehensive view of the virtual community and by including means for continuous improvement. The proposed BSC performance management system allows the management to track the progress with selected measures, to monitor and articulate the value of the community delivers, to assess the performance of the network and to suggest improvements.
Invariant imbedding, iterative linearization, and multistage countercurrent processes

The equations for multistage countercurrent operations are difference equations of the boundary-value type, which are generally solved by trial and error or iterative procedures. The invariant imbedding concept is used to solve these boundary-value problems as initial-value problems. It is shown that by the combined use of invariant imbedding and iterative linearization, a sequence of estimator equations for the missing terminal conditions is obtained. These estimator equations can be used to obtain the desired terminal conditions and the number of stages required to perform a specified separation.
Passive recruitment of circulating leukocytes into capillary sprouts from existing capillaries in a microfluidic system

Recent evidence implicating leukocytes in angiogenesis raises the question of whether leukocytes and other cells circulating with the blood in microvascular networks can home to capillary sprouts intraluminally. This study describes an investigation of leukocyte trafficking in sprouting capillaries fabricated using soft lithography. The leukocytes passing with whole blood through existing capillaries were able to enter microfabricated capillary sprouts of variable length and sprouting angle due to the mechanical interaction with red blood cells (RBCs) at the sprouting bifurcation, in spite of the complete absence of blood flow through the blind-ended sprouts or any chemoattractants. The RBCs formed “comet tails” (the densely packed cellular trains forming behind leukocytes as they move through narrow capillaries) and effectively pushed leukocytes into the microfabricated sprouts while bypassing them at the sprouting bifurcation. Individual sprouts filled with several leukocytes, as wells as RBCs and platelets, were observed. The results of this study suggest that (i) blood cells are likely present in capillary sprouts throughout their development, (ii) leukocytes and other circulating cells may use this mechanism to home to capillary sprouts intraluminally for direct engraftment, and (iii) tissues may use this phenomenon as another mechanism for local recruitment of leukocytes from the blood stream.
Reduction Techniques Methods for Simplifying Complex Kinetic Systems: A General Review

The development of kinetic models to describe the time evolution of chemically reacting systems is a fundamental objective of chemical kinetics. Ideally, the most accurate approach to this problem is to include all possible species and reactions of any importance to predict, within the specified uncertainty, a wide variety of experimental data. The complexity of these detailed models grows with an increase in the number of fuel components. When the detailed kinetic model is to be coupled to transport equations, the computational tasks often become formidable due to the intrinsic presence of a wide range of time and length scales, which result in the well-known stiffness problem. Such difficulties have motivated the development of numerous model order reduction techniques during the past three decades. In this paper, the most used reduction techniques for detailed kinetic models are presented and the advantages and disadvantages of each are explained.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Vitrectomy in the Management of Infectious Endophthalmitis

Infectious endophthalmitis remains a devastating ocular complication, often resulting in complete loss of vision. The use of topical, periocular, and systemic antibiotics is well established in the treatment of endophthalmitis (1–3) and intraocular antibiotics have also been commonly used in recent years (4–6). Vitrectomy has been employed in selected cases, both to obtain a vitreous specimen and to remove infectious material from the vitreous cavity (7–12). The use of vitrectomy instruments in this disease has remained controversial and is not indicated in all cases. This review will summarize the clinical features of endophthalmitis, the decision making process regarding treatment approaches, preparation for and technique of vitreous surgery, culture techniques, recommended antibiotics, and overall visual results in endophthalmitis.
Kinetics of interfacial reaction between eutectic Sn-Pb solder and Cu/Ni/Pd metallizations

The interfacial microstructure and the kinetics of interfacial reaction between the eutectic Sn-Pb solder and electroplated Ni/Pd on Cu substrate (Cu/Ni/NiPd/Ni/Pd) were studied both in the liquid- and solid-state of the solder. The liquidstate reaction was carried out at 200°C, 225°C, and 250°C for 30 s, 60 s, 150 s, and 300 s at each temperature. The solid-state aging was carried out at 125°C for up to 43 days. The interfacial microstructure was characterized by imaging and energy dispersive x-ray analysis in scanning electron microscope. Depending on the thickness of the Pd-layer, both PdSn4 and PdSn3 phases were observed near the solder-substrate interface. These results were correlated with the initial thickness of the Pd-layer and the diffusion path in the calculated Pd-Pb-Sn isothermal sections. For the aforementioned isothermal reactions, only one Ni-bearing intermetallic (Ni3Sn4) was observed at the solder-substrate interface. The presence of Ni3Sn4 intermetallic was consistent with the expected diffusion path based on the calculated Ni-Pb-Sn isothermal sections. Selective etching of solder revealed that PdSn4 and PdSn3 had a faceted rod morphology, and Ni3Sn4 had a faceted scallop morphology which gave rise to rugged Ni3Sn4-solder interface. Segregation of Pb on the facets of PdSn4 and PdSn3 was also observed. The growth kinetics of the Ni3Sn4 intermetallic layer at the solder-substrate interface was analyzed using an Arrhenius-type of equation. In the thickness regime of 0.16 to 1.2 µm, the growth kinetics yielded a time exponent n=3.1, an apparent activation energy of 9260 J/mol both in the liquid- and solid-state of the solder, and a temperature dependent pre-exponential factor. The latter was attributed to the presence of one or more phases ahead of the growing layer.
China and International Order: The Limits of Integration

What does the rise of China mean for the international order, especially the liberal institutional order? Despite of the enormous scholarly attention paid to this important question, there has been no systematic effort to map out this order and how China relates to it. We examine the international institutional order using an original dataset, the Multilateral Agreements and Protocols (MAP). We further develop a new metric of a country’s embeddedness in the international institutional order. Our analysis leads us to reconsider prominent conjectures about China’s evolving relationship to the current international liberal order. We find that, relative to the global average, China is less inclined towards deep commitment to the current international institutional order. Indeed, China’s wariness about this order seems in contrast to the growing global appetite for deep commitment. Furthermore, China seems less embedded in some issue areas that are central to the international liberal order. These findings suggest that the integration of China into the current Western liberal order may not be as automatic as some have suggested and reinforce concerns over the future of global governance.
Isolation and Purification of β-Carotene from Rhodotorula mucilaginosa by Macroporous Resin Adsorption

The β-carotene produced by Rhodotorula mucilaginosa RM-1 was purified by macroporous adsorption resin and its optimal adsorption and desorption conditions were achieved in this paper.The results showed that X-5 resin was the optimal adsorbent and ether was the optimal eluent.The optimum static adsorption and desoprtion conditions were sample concentration of 111.82μg/mL,flow rate for adsorption of 1 mL/min,and flow rate for desorption of 0.5 mL/min.Under these optimal conditions,the purity of β-carotene was up to33.29% and the purification fold was 6.87.
Parallel EBCOT encoding based on single-window scanning

Aimed at the multi-scanning in the process of context generation in EBCOT algorithm of JPEG2000,a parallel EBCOT encoding algorithm based on single-window scanning was proposed. Through saving row-status in advance to eliminate the correlation between strips,encoding the logic contexts based on single window and computing the bit-plane status with priority,the algorithm can achieve the parallel encoding of bit-plane and three passes in the bit-plane by a single scanning. The experimental results prove that the parallelism of JPEG2000 system is improved effectively and the encoding time is reduced greatly.
Overvoltage Mitigation and Insulation Coordination of ±1000 kV and Above DC Transmission Project

Overvoltage suppression and insulation coordination for converter station equipment are key techniques in ±1 000 kV ultra-high voltage direct current(UHVDC)transmission projects,and they are very important for lowering the insulation level and manufacture difficulty of equipment.Thus,means for equipment overvoltage suppression in ±1 000 kV UHVDC converter stations and for the parameter selection of high-performance metal oxide arrester(MOA) were discussed.It is indicated that increasing charge rate and reducing residual voltage ratio is an important means to lower the protection level of MOA.Moreover,the feasibility of lowering equipment insulation level by adopting high-performance MOA was introduced in detail.The definitiveness method,as the insulation coordination method for equipment in ±1 000 kV and above UHVDC transmission projects,was proposed.Based on simulations,the method can offer reasonable coordination currents and current waveforms which make the insulation coordination accurate.By using the method,recommended values of surge insulation level for ±1 000 kV and above UHVDC equipment can be given: the switching/lightning impulse insulation levels of ±1 000 kV and ±1 100 kV DC pole line are 1 900 kV/2 250 kV and 2 050 kV/2 400 kV,respectively;the witching impulse insulation levels of ±1 000 kV and ±1 100 kV Y winding terminal blocks/D winding terminal blocks on valve side of high voltage converter transformers are 1 950 kV/1 500 kV and 2 050 kV/1 600 kV,respectively.Meanwhile,according to the overvoltage distribution along transmission lines,insulation configurations of towers along a line are advised to be determined by comprehensively analyzing the amplitude and distribution characteristics of the line overvoltage and the altitude along the line,and using principle of subsection design is also suggested for making towers cost more economic and more reasonable.
Service: the next frontier.

There is a revolution taking place in the U.S. economy, a service revolution. Today, over 70 percent of the gross national product and 75 percent of all jobs can be attributed to the service sector. This monumental change is affecting not only service firms but also manufacturers. It is estimated that anywhere from 30 to 70 percent of the value added by a typical manufacturer is due to the service component. This article discusses the increased importance of services in our economy and on our shop floors. If manufacturers are to prosper in the coming decade, they will need to embrace this change and put services and service operations at the forefront of their strategic plans.
The management of phalangeal and metacarpal fractures.

Special attention is given to hand injuries which cause great difficulty for both patient and physician–those fractures which are unrecognized or ignored by either patient or physician or in which improper treatment has been given.
3 – Non-Fickian diffusion in systems with complex interfaces

Publisher Summary The transport process of small molecules through polymeric materials is a very complex process that can be influenced by many factors, such as temperature, chemical nature of the diffusing molecules, the physical properties of the polymer, the interaction of the solvent molecules with the polymer, the external mechanical deformation, the complex internal structure of the polymer. A fundamental understanding of membrane transport phenomena in terms of membrane morphology, chemical nature of the penetrating molecules, external factors, such as mechanical deformation, contamination, temperature, and the polymer's complex internal structure, is essential in order to produce materials with improved barrier properties. With the ever-increasing applications involving polymeric materials, investigations on mass transport remain an important aspect of scientific investigation. The current flurry of activities involving polymer-based nanocomposite systems suggest the need for more intense investigations of the non-Fickian diffusion process through systems with complex interfaces.
Chapter 3 – Overview of Epidemiology, Pathology, and Treatment of Metastatic Brain Tumors

Metastatic brain tumors (MBT) are the most common complication of systemic cancer and affect between 20% and 40% of all adult cancer patients. Tumor cells usually reach the brain via hematogenous spread and often grow near the gray-white junction. Histologically, MBT resemble the parent tumor, with the potential for more undifferentiated features. Surgical resection is appropriate for solitary, accessible MBT in patients with high performance status and well-controlled systemic disease. In carefully selected patients with multifocal MBT, surgery may be appropriate for accessible, symptomatic, dominant lesions. Whole-brain external beam irradiation is the most common form of treatment for MBT, typically a total dose of 30 Gy delivered in 10 daily fractions of 300 cGy each. Radiosurgical boosting after whole-brain irradiation should also be considered for patients with one to four MBT. Chemotherapy can be of benefit in selected patients, especially those with MBT from cancers of the breast, lung (small cell and non-small cell), ovaries, and germ cell tumors. The most active agents include carboplatin, cisplatin, etoposide, cyclophosphamide, temozolomide, capecitabine, and topotecan. “Targeted” molecular agents are also under development that may have activity against MBT.
Effects of environmentally-relevant antibiotic mixtures on marine microalgal growth.

As of 2008, approximately 48% of Americans use prescription drugs within any given 30-day period. Many pharmaceutical compounds are not fully metabolized by the human body, nor fully removed by wastewater treatment systems, before release into the environment. As a result, a vast array of pharmaceuticals has been detected in marine and freshwater organisms, sediments, and waters, with unintended effects on non-target organisms, and limited studies of environmental effects. The antibiotics sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and trimethoprim (TRI), often prescribed together to treat bacterial infections, have been detected worldwide in marine and estuarine environments at concentrations up to 765–870 ng/L each. Little research has examined sub-lethal effects of antibiotic mixtures at environmentally-relevant concentrations on marine organisms. We examined the effects of mixtures of these two antibiotics on three marine microalgal species with wide geographic ranges: Isochrysis galbana, Chaetoceros neogracile, and Nannochloropsis oculata. In separate simulations using a temperature/light-controlled set-up, we measured the growth response for each species to environmentally-relevant levels of SMX and TRI. N. oculata growth was significantly reduced by mixture treatments of both drugs (p < 0.05), by TRI (p < 0.001), and by SMX (p < 0.001), whereas only aggregated SMX levels significantly reduced growth for the other two species (p < 0.005). The exposure time at which growth rates were affected varied across species, with significant reduction in growth focused in the latter half of the experimental period for C. neogracile and N. oculata (Days 15 and 6 respectively), and midway through the experimental period for I. galbana (by Day 3). This study finds that important marine primary producers respond to the presence of SMX and TRI in the water, offering an understanding of environmental consequences of anthropogenic pharmaceuticals contaminants, and specifically the suite of antibiotics, that are released into marine ecosystems at an ever-growing rate, and highlighting potential cascading effects through trophic levels.
Measurement of Kinetic Parameters for Biotransformation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons by Trout Liver S9 Fractions: Implications for Bioaccumulation Assessment

Abstract In vitro substrate depletion methods developed by the pharmaceutical industry are being used with increasing frequency to support chemical bioaccumulation assessments for fish. However, the application of these methods to high log Kow chemicals poses special challenges. Biotransformation of three polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was measured using trout liver S9 fractions. Measured activity declined with incubation time and was reduced by acetone (used as a spiking solvent) at concentrations >0.5%. Addition of alamethicin, a pore-forming peptide used to support UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activity, also reduced activity in a concentration-dependent manner. The substrate concentration dependence of activity was evaluated to estimate KM and Vmax values for each compound. Derived kinetic constants suggested that all three PAHs are transformed by the same reaction pathway and indicated an inverse correlation between KM and chemical log Kow. Binding effects on activity were evaluated by measuri...
Understanding Hearing and Hearing Loss in Children With Down Syndrome

Purpose This study evaluated the prevalence of permanent and transient hearing loss, the use of hearing aids as a recommendation, and middle ear dysfunction in children with Down syndrome (DS) thro...
Business model innovation: a marketing ecosystem view

Innovation in marketing has focused on products and services and paid scant attention to business models. Yet there is an argument that business model innovation can sometimes have greater long run success than product innovation and that it is harder for competitors to emulate. In this review we examine the extant literature on business model innovation—primarily in adjacent academic fields—and suggest that marketing variables and methods play an essential role in conceptualizing the field. In order to stimulate further thinking in marketing, we propose an ecosystem of business model innovation and offer a set of research questions.
Managers at Work: Choosing an Alliance Manager

(1997). Managers at Work: Choosing an Alliance Manager. Research-Technology Management: Vol. 40, No. 5, pp. 12-14.
A data fusion system for accurate precipitation estimation using satellite and ground radar observations: Urban scale application in Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex

The space-based precipitation products are commonly used for regional and/or global hydrologic modelling and climate studies. However, the accuracy of onboard satellite measurements is limited due to the spatial-temporal sampling limitations, especially for extreme events such as very heavy or light rain. On the other hand, ground-based radar is more mature science for quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE). Nowadays, ground radars are critical for providing local scale rainfall estimation for operational forecasters to issue watches and warnings, as well as validation of various space measurements and products. This paper introduces a neural network based data fusion mechanism to improve satellite-based precipitation retrievals by incorporating dual-polarization measurements from ground-based dense radar network. The prototype architecture of this fusion system is detailed. Results from urban scale application in Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Metroplex are presented.
Relapse of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis-Associated Uveitis after Discontinuation of Immunomodulatory Therapy.

Purpose: To assess treatment outcomes in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)-associated uveitis and relapse rates upon discontinuation of immunomodulatory therapy (IMT). Methods: Medical records of...
Production and Composition of Pyrogenic Dissolved Organic Matter From a Logical Series of Laboratory-Generated Chars

Though pyrogenic carbon (pyC) has been assumed to be predominantly stable, degradation and transfers of pyC between various pools have been found to influence its cycling and longevity in the environment. Dissolution via leaching may be the main control on loss processes such as microbial or abiotic oxidation, mineral sorption, or export to aquatic systems. Yet, little is known of the controls on pyrogenic dissolved organic matter (pyDOM) generation or composition. Here, the yield and composition of pyDOM generated through batch leaching of a thermal series of oak and grass biochars, as well as several non-pyrogenic reference materials, was compared to that of their parent solids. Over 17 daily leaching cycles, biochars made from oak at 250 to 650° C released decreasing amounts of C on both a weight (16.9 to 0.3%, respectively) and C yield basis (7.4 to 0.2% C, respectively). Aryl-C represented an estimated 32 to 82% of C in the parent solids (identified by 13C-NMR), but only 7 to 38% in the leachates (identified by 1H-NMR), though both increased with pyrolysis temperature. PyC, often operationally defined as condensed aromatic carbon (ConAC), was quantified using the benzenepolycarboxylic acid (BPCA) method. Tri- and tetra-carboxylated BPCAs were formed from non-pyrogenic reference materials, thus, only penta- and hexa-carboxylated BPCAs were used to derive a BPCA-C to ConAC conversion factor of 7.04. ConAC made up 24 to 57% of the pyrogenic solid C (excluding the 250 °C biochar), but only about 9 to 23% of their respective leachates’ DOC, though both proportions generally increased with pyrolysis temperature. Weighted BPCA compound distributions, or the BPCA Aromatic Condensation (BACon) Index, indicate that ConAC cluster size increased in pyrogenic solids but not in leachates. Additional evidence presented suggests that both aromatic cluster size and O-containing functional group contents in the pyrogenic solid control pyC solubility. Overall, pyDOM was found to be compositionally dissimilar from its parent chars and contained a complex mixture of organic compound groups. Thus, it is expected that estimates of dissolved pyC production and export, made only by detection of ConAC, are too low by factors of 4 to 11.
Idiopathic Renal Infarct as a Rare Cause of Acute Abdominal Pain: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Renal infarction is a very rare disease. Due to the non-specific clinical presentation, diagnosis is often missed or delayed. As the result, a prolonged period of ischemia and irreversible renal damage is common. The broad availability of high-quality computed tomography (CT) imaging has made it possible to identify the cases early and initiate prompt treatment. We report a case of renal infarction that presented with acute abdomen. A 56-year-old man with the medical history of hypertension and diabetes mellitus presented to emergency department with a complaint of sudden onset of severe right lower abdominal pain for 1 day. CT scan of abdomen with contrast showed the striated appearance of the right kidney with hypoperfusion and wedge-shaped hypodensities throughout the kidney. After an extensive workup, no apparent cause of renal infarct was found. Due to the absence of underlying cause of atrial fibrillation or hypercoagulable disorder, no anticoagulation was started and he was discharged home on aspirin. Although the incidence of renal infarction is uncommon, it should always be suspected in the patient presenting with flank pain with nausea, vomiting, and fever, especially in presence of risk factor like atrial fibrillation and elevation of lactose dehydrogenase (LDH) with normal or mildly elevated aminotransferases. Early diagnosis and management of renal infarction is important to prevent a prolonged period of ischemia and irreversible damage. World J Nephrol Urol. 2018;7(2):53-55 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/wjnu338e
A New Rare-Earth Impurity Model Exhibiting Mixed-Valence Behaviour

Presented here as an attempt to identify the simplest model showing mixed-valence (MV) behaviour, is an extension of the Anderson model of a magnetic impurity1 to include a term representing screening of charge fluctuations. Mean-field theory (MFT) suggests that, unlike the original model, this model exhibits anomalous slow valence fluctuations in the inconfigurational fluctuation regime, which may be identified with the MV effect. A preliminary study of the model in MFT is presented, and some Kondo-like problems arising in a more exact treatment are briefly mentioned.
Detectors for fluorescence microscopy.

The field of fluorescence microscopy has developed from one dependent on film to one in which electronic images are the typical output. One of the critical components in fluorescence microscopy is the imaging device because it determines whether the fluorescence may be detected, the relevant structures resolved, or the dynamics of a process visualized (Aikens et al., 1988; Becker, 1996; Bookman, 1990; Bright and Taylor, 1986; Herman, 1998; Periasamy and Herman, 1994). The range of light detection methods and the wide variety of imaging devices currently available make the selection process a difficult and confusing one. This chapter is intended to aid the microscopist in understanding the basics of light detection and the process of selecting a suitable detector for an application.
Rapid Variations of Hα in Be Stars

Photoelectric spectrum scans of Be stars were analysed to study the short-term variations of Hα emission strengths. In ζ Tau, α Col, PP Car, and δ Cen, definite variations of a few percent with time scales of 1 to 3 minutes were found. These variations do not exhibit any periodicity.