cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Uniformity of Dose Response of Double Layer Radiochromic Films (MD-55-2). Measured at 5 Institutions.

Abstract In recent years, double-layer radiochromic films (MD-55-2) also known as new improved Gafchromic Films (NMD-55), have been used for measuring dose distributions of radiation fields. It is reported that the response of radiochromic film is affected by the scanning densitometry systems used to read the film. To quantify the response of MD-55-2 films, two sheets (12.5 cm × 12.5 cm) from different batches, were irradiated to 900 cGy and 2000 cGy, using uniform flat photon beams. The films were sent to 5 institutions for response evaluation using 5 different densitometry systems with narrow band light source centered at nominal 633 to 665 nm, which is near the major absorption peaks of the film sensitive emulsion. The dose response curve was established for each dens tometer. The one-dimensional film responses were obtained for specified directions. A set of fiducial marks, located at ∼1.5 cm from the film edges, was used for identification of scan direction and alignment. The local fluctuations were assessed by comparing the film response with the mean response and its relative (percentage) standard deviation (RSD) in the region of interest. The regional non-uniformity was measured by examining the difference between the maximum and minimum responses within the region of interest. Our data indicates that the RSD, as obtained by the 5 institutions, varied from 2.4% to 5.8% for the film irradiated at low (∼900 cGy) dose and from 1.2% to 4.3% for the film irradiated at the higher dose (∼2000 cGy). The regional non-uniformity was also improved with increased dose and was less in longitudinal direction of the film that is parallel to the direction of coating application. Data comparison for regional non-uniformity indicates that the film responses were affected not only by the wavelength of analyzing source, but also by other instrumentation factors such as step size and sampling size. High-resolution scanners may also have more noise that should not be attributed to film non-uniformity.
A population-based study of the association of prenatal diagnosis with survival rate for infants with congenital heart defects.

Prenatal diagnosis has been shown to improve preoperative morbidity in newborns with congenital heart defects (CHDs), but there are conflicting data as to the association with mortality. We performed a population-based, retrospective, cohort study of infants with prenatally versus postnatally diagnosed CHDs from 1994 to 2005 as ascertained by the Metropolitan Atlanta Congenital Defects Program. Among infants with isolated CHDs, we estimated 1-year Kaplan-Meier survival probabilities for prenatal versus postnatal diagnosis and estimated Cox proportional hazard ratios adjusted for critical CHD status, gestational age, and maternal race/ethnicity. Of 539,519 live births, 4,348 infants had CHDs (411 prenatally diagnosed). Compared with those with noncritical defects, those with critical defects were more likely to be prenatally diagnosed (58% vs 20%, respectively, p
Suppression of secondary plaque-forming cell responses by rat splenic adherent cells: evidence for dependence on prostaglandin production.

Abstract Rat spleens normally contain adherent suppressor cells with macrophage-like characteristics. This paper presents data indicating that the activity of these cells, as measured by decreased secondary in vitro PFC responses to heterologous erythrocytes, is dependent upon the production of prostaglandins. PFC can be restored in vitro by the use of indomethacin and aspirin—different drugs which both inhibit prostaglandin synthesis among other cellular functions. An experimental drug, Ro3-1314, which has as its only known function the inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis, also acts similarly. The suppression relieved by these drugs can be restored by the addition of PGE 2 .
Fault Detection in Dynamic Systems: A New Approach via Total Measurable Fault Information

This paper presents a new approach to residual-based fault detection in dynamic systems by introducing the "total measurable fault information residual", ToMFIR for short, which contains the essential fault information and remains unaffected by control actions in a closed-loop system. For linear time-invariant systems, this fault indicator is simple to calculate because it is an algebraic equation. A practical DC motor example, with a PID controller, is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the ToMFIR-based fault detection. Comparison with standard observer-based technique is also provided.
HIGH-LEVEL SCENE PERCEPTION

Three areas of high-level scene perception research are reviewed. The first concerns the role of eye movements in scene perception, focusing on the influence of ongoing cognitive processing on the position and duration of fixations in a scene. The second concerns the nature of the scene representation that is retained across a saccade and other brief time intervals during ongoing scene perception. Finally, we review research on the relationship between scene and object identification, focusing particularly on whether the meaning of a scene influences the identification of constituent objects.
Identification of nonstationary models with application to myoelectric signals for controlling electrical stimulation of paraplegics

It has been shown that the estimates of the nonstationary identifier proposed by A. Kitagawa and W. Gersch (1985) do indeed exist for all inputs because the formation is uniformly observable with probability one, and that the identifier is stable because the formulation is uniformly controllable. Some of the complicating factors concerning their nonstationary identification algorithm are clarified to establish its optimality and stability. Among these are the nonlinear and time varying nature of the formulation. It provides proofs that this nonstationary identifier's estimate exists, is stable, and is optimal for Gaussian noise inputs and is also optimal over a limited class of identifiers for non-Gaussian noise inputs and mean squared error loss function. Experimental results are included which demonstrates the superior performance of the nonstationary identifier over a piecewise stationary identifier operating on nonstationary electromyographic data. >
Functional and Structural Stability of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor in Detergent Micelles and Phospholipid Nanodiscs

Cellular signaling mediated by the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR or ErbB) family of receptor tyrosine kinases plays an important role in regulating normal and oncogenic cellular physiology. While structures of isolated EGFR extracellular domains and intracellular protein tyrosine kinase domains have suggested mechanisms for growth factor-mediated receptor dimerization and allosteric kinase domain activation, understanding how the transmembrane and juxtamembrane domains contribute to transmembrane signaling requires structural studies on intact receptor molecules. In this report, recombinant EGFR constructs containing the extracellular, transmembrane, juxtamembrane, and kinase domains are overexpressed and purified from human embryonic kidney 293 cell cultures. The oligomerization state, overall structure, and functional stability of the purified EGF-bound receptor are characterized in detergent micelles and phospholipid bilayers. In the presence of EGF, catalytically active EGFR dimers can be isolated by gel filtration in dodecyl maltoside. Visualization of the dimeric species by negative stain electron microscopy and single particle averaging reveals an overall structure of the extracellular domain that is similar to previously published crystal structures and is consistent with the C-termini of domain IV being juxtaposed against one another as they enter the transmembrane domain. Although detergent-soluble preparations of EGFR are stable as dimers in the presence of EGF, they exhibit differential functional stability in Triton X-100 versus dodecyl maltoside. Furthermore, the kinase activity can be significantly stabilized by reconstituting purified EGF-bound EGFR dimers in phospholipid nanodiscs or vesicles, suggesting that the environment around the hydrophobic transmembrane and amphipathic juxtamembrane domains is important for stabilizing the tyrosine kinase activity in vitro.
Logarithmic Normal Distribution for Description of Sieved Forage Materials

Abstract Samples of chopped or pelleted grass hay and resulting rumen contents and feces from feeding cattle in changeover trials were sieved, and adequacy of describing results by the log normal distribution was investigated. Geometric mean particle sizes ranged from 235μ for dissociated pellets to 4,180μ for chopped hay or log 10 means of 2.37 to 3.62. Fitting the cumulative log normal distribution to data from single sievings yielded residual standard deviations less than .311 corresponding to less than 5.1% of the sum of squares for variation in particle size not explained. Fecal samples showed no statistically significant lack of fit, but fewer data pellets and chopped forage did. Nevertheless, the log normal yielded a good practical description in all cases. Sample coefficients of variation of duplicate determinations were less than 14% for mean particle size and less than 8% for standard deviations of particle size. Experimental errors as coefficients of variation include animal variability and were based on means of quadruplicate determinations for rumen content and means of duplicate determinations for feces. These values were less than 6% for three sets of rumen means but were 34% on the fourth. The corresponding statistics for standard deviations of log particle size were less than 10%. Forage sieve data is fitted adequately by normal distributions so that log means and log standard deviations are useful in summarizing results.
Regulation of odorant receptors: one allele at a time

The odorant receptors (ORs) make up the largest gene family in mammals. Each olfactory sensory neuron chooses just one OR from the more than 1000 possibilities encoded in the genome and transcribes it from just one allele. This process generates great neuronal diversity and forms the basis for the development and logic of the olfactory circuit between the nose and the brain. The mechanism behind this monoallelic regulation has been the subject of intense speculation and increasing experimental investigation, yet remains enigmatic. Recent genetic experiments have brought the outlines of the process into sharper relief, identifying a feedback mechanism in which the first odorant receptor expressed, generates a signal that stabilizes its choice, thus maintaining singular selection. In the absence of this signal, the olfactory neuron re-enters the selection process and switches to choose an alternate OR. Irreversible genetic changes in the nuclei of olfactory neurons do not accompany OR selection, which must therefore be initiated by an epigenetic process that may involve a stochastic mechanism.
The role of gender in single vs married individuals with bipolar disorder.

Abstract Background Despite the importance of marriage as a source of social support, it has been largely neglected in studies of bipolar disorder; and differential effects on men and women have not been explored. Methods Data on episodes of depression, mania, and mixed states were collected for the previous 2 years from a sample of 282 bipolar individuals using the National Institute of Mental Health Life Chart Methodology. Results Effects unique to women included the following: Bipolar women were significantly more likely to be married. Married women had fewer episodes of depression during the past 2 years than never-married women, and the cumulative severity of depression was lower. There were no differences in diagnostic subtype or age of onset between married and never-married women. Among men, never-married men were more likely to have bipolar I disorder and had an earlier age of onset compared with married men. There were no differences between married and never-married men in frequency, duration, or severity of mood episodes. Conclusions Partner selection processes as they relate to bipolar disorder may be different for men and women. The bipolar I diagnostic subtype and early age of onset were associated with a lower likelihood of being married for men, but not for women. Marriage was associated with less depression in women during a 2-year period; but marital status was not associated with disease course differences in men, suggesting that women may be more sensitive to the positive effects of social support available within a stable marital relationship.
Educational and research challenges and opportunities related to renewable energy

With growing concerns for the environment and sustainability, renewable energy is receiving significant attention. As penetration of renewable energy increases there will be need for well qualified people for the workforce of the future to address the new challenges. Many in the current generation of students have only a passing knowledge of sustainability and few understand the fundamental technology issues related to renewable energy and emission reduction. Hence, there is need to prepare the next generation of electrical and computer engineers to meet the growing needs in alternate energy and sustainability, while revising the ECE curriculum to aid in recruitment of future students needed for this new workforce. In addition to educational issues, there are many research challenges and opportunities for wide scale integration of renewable energy into power systems. This paper discusses activities at Kansas State University to educate students on the concepts of sustainability. and renewable energy. This is followed by research challenges. related to renewable energy.
The Electronic Cocktail Napkin—a computational environment for working with design diagrams

Abstract The Electronic Cocktail Napkin is an experimental computer-based environment for sketching and diagramming in conceptual design. The project's goal is to develop a computational drawing environment to support conceptual designing in a way that leads smoothly from diagrams to more formal and structured representations of schematic design. With computational representations for conceptual designs, computer-supported editing, critquing, analysis, and simulation can be employed earlier in the design process, where it can have a greater impact on outcomes. The paper describes the Electronic Cocktail Napkin program-its recognition and parsing of diagrams and management of spatial constraints, its drawing environment, and two experimental query-by-diagram schemes for retrieving information from architectural databases.
Non-Bragg resonance in substrate integrated waveguide

Electromagnetic (EM) wave propagation in periodic structure is an interesting research topic in electronic, optical and laser systems. Conventionally, wave propagation in periodic media can be characterized by the Bragg's law where the resonance frequency can be determined by the periodicity of the media and a wave incident angle. However, there is also a kind of non-Bragg resonance which cannot be characterized by the traditional Bragg's law. A non-Bragg resonance has been observed in a rectangular waveguide with corrugated walls by the Cheng et al. [1]. The resonance frequency depends on the waveguide height (or thickness), the periods and amplitudes of the corrugations, and a phase shift between the corrugated walls. Since non-Bragg resonance only occurs under specific geometric conditions, it is also known as geometric resonance [1].
Role of intraoperative cytopathology in pediatric surgical pathology

Abstract Studies regarding the efficacy of intraoperative cytopathology (IOC) of surgical specimens in the pediatric population are almost non-existent, despite their recent popularity in adults. To determine the utility of IOC in children, we examined 58 cases from 54 pediatric patients (neonate to 18 years of age) who had cytologic smears performed in addition to or instead of forzen section (FS) examination during their surgical procedure. Knowing only the patient's age, sex, anatomic site, and any pertinent radiographic or historic data, three pathologists independently reviewed and issued a diagnosis using only the IOC smears. Subsequently, in 28 cases that also had accompanying FS examination, both IOC and FS analysis were interpreted for a composite final diagnosis. Three cases were judged unsatisfactory because of sparse cellularity of smears. Correct classification of the smears as being benign or malignant for each pathologist was 98%, 94%, and 94% using IOC alone and 98%, 94%, and 96% using combined IOC and FS examination. The most frequent anatomic sites were bone (15 cases) and lymph node (14 cases). The most common diagnoses were malignant small round cell tumor (22 cases) and benign lymphoid tissue (10 cases). The records of all 55 cases were reviewed in the second phase of our study. Twenty-seven cases (49%) were found in which IOC diagnoses were rendered without a concurrent FS examination. These were correctly interpreted in 26 of 27 cases (96%) in the determination of a benign versus malignant disease process. The tissue sample measured ⩽2 cm in 15 of 27 cases (56%) in this latter group. Intraoperative cytopathology diagnoses in this group were rendered by various faculty members on call for FS examination and, in some cases, by fifth-year residents with faculty supervision. Without minimizing the degree of difficulty in the interpretation of pediatric IOC, we conclude that it serves as a useful supplement in FS diagnosis and, in some situations (particularly when tissue is limited), can replace histologic FS examination.
Comparative evaluation of overlap strategies with study of I/O overlap in MPI-IO

Many scientific applications use parallel I/O to meet the low latency and high bandwidth I/O requirement. Among many available parallel I/O operations, collective I/O is one of the most popular methods when the storage layouts and access patterns of data do not match. The implementation of collective I/O typically involves disk I/O operations followed by interprocessor communications. Also, in many I/O-intensive applications, parallel I/O operations are usually followed by parallel computations. This paper presents a comparative study of different overlap strategies in parallel applications. We have experimented with four different overlap strategies 1) Overlapping I/O and communication; 2) Overlapping I/O and computation; 3) Overlapping computation and communication; and 4) Overlapping I/O, communication, and computation. All experiments have been conducted on a Linux Cluster and the performance results obtained are very encouraging. On an average, we have enhanced the performance of a generic collective read call by 38%, the MxM benchmark by 26%, and the FFT benchmark by 34%.
Vapor Deposition Of Very Low K Polymer Films, Poly(Naphthalene), Poly(Fluorinated Naphthalene)

Several novel processes have been developed in our lab to synthesize and deposit polymers that have extremely low dielectric constants (below 2.5) as thin films. These reactive intermediates are condensed onto wafers in a vacuum chamber and no chemical waste is produced. Furthermore, cold traps can be used to recover uncondensed monomers through the pumping system. Because of the extremely low dielectric constant, very low moisture uptake and high temperature stability of these vapor depositable materials, these environmentally friendly polymers are very attractive for future electronic applications as interlayer dielectrics. Examples are Parylene-F(fluorinated), poly(naphthalene) (PNT-N), poly(fluorinated naphthalene) (PNT-F), and Teflon AF 1600 (amorphous). These films were deposited at substrate temperatures between −20 and 350 °C and at deposition pressure was 10−4−2.5 Torr. The film thicknesses were between 0.1–10 μ. and dielectric constants were between 1.9–2.5. The thermal stabilities of these films were between 360–590 °C. Among them, poly(fluorinated naphthalene) dissociates at about 590 °C. Poly(naphthalene) and poly(fluorinated naphthalene) are obtained as films by vaporizing monomers in vacuo and transporting the vapor to a hot surface.
Easily reconfigurable VLSI sorter

An easily reconfigurable VLSI sorter is presented and a run-time reconfiguration scheme to tolerate faults is proposed. The scheme maintains the original data flow pattern by bypassing defective cells with bypass registers. A control signal distribution technique is developed to make the sorting algorithm work even for an array containing some bypass registers. An on-line fault diagnosis algorithm for this reconfigurable sorter is presented. Reconfiguration is carried out in a distributed fashion.
Endgroups in tetrafluoroethylene polymers

The aqueous polymerization of tetrafluoroethylene initiated with ammonium persulfate in neutral or relatively weak acid solutions leads to polymer containing carboxyl end groups. The conversion of this endgroup to the sodium salt and its pyrolysis to the terminal olefin was followed, using infrared absorption technique.
The role of evolutionary processes in producing biodiversity patterns, and the interrelationships between taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic biodiversity

Patterns of biodiversity are ultimately the product of speciation and extinction. Speciation serves as the biodiversity pump while extinction serves as the agent that culls global to local levels of biodiversity. Linking these central processes to global and local patterns of biodiversity is a key challenge in both ecology and evolution. This challenge necessarily requires a simultaneous consideration of the species, phylogenetic, and functional diversity across space and the tree of life. In this review, I outline a research framework for biodiversity science that considers the evolutionary and ecological processes that generate and cull levels of biodiversity and that influence the inter-relationships between species, phylogenetic, and functional diversity. I argue that a biodiversity synthesis must begin with a consideration of the inherently ecological process of speciation and end with how global biodiversity is filtered into local-scale plant communities. The review ends with a brief outlook on future challenges for those studying biodiversity, including outstanding hypotheses that need testing and key data limitations.
Mapping the enzymatic active site of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A

Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A is a representative of a class of enzymes, the mono-ADP-ribosyl transferases, which catalyze the covalent transfer of an ADP-ribose moiety of NAD+ to a target substrate. Availability of the three-dimensional structure of exotoxin A provides the opportunity for mapping substrate binding sites and suggesting which amino acid residues may be involved in catalysis. Data from several sources have been combined to develop a proposal for the NAD+ binding site of exotoxin A: the binding of NAD+ fragments adenosine, AMP, and ADP have been delineated crystallographically to 6.0, 6.0, and 2.7 A, respectively; significant sequence homology spanning 60 residues has been found between exotoxin A and diphtheria toxin, which has the identical enzymatic activity; iodination of exotoxin A, under conditions in which only tyrosine 481 is iodinated in the enzymatic domain, abolishes ADP-ribosyl transferase activity.
The shared wireless infostation model: a new ad hoc networking paradigm (or where there is a whale, there is a way)

In wireless ad hoc networks, capacity can be traded for delay. This tradeoff has been the subject of a number of studies, mainly concentrating on the two extremes: either minimizing the delay or maximizing the capacity. However, in between these extremes, there are schemes that allow instantiations of various degrees of this tradeoff. Infostations, which offer geographically intermittent coverage at high speeds, are one such an example. Indeed, through the use of the Infostation networking paradigm, the capacity of a mobile network can be increased at the expense of delay. We propose to further extend the Infostation concept by integrating it with the ad hoc networking technology. We refer to this networking model as the Shared Wireless Infostation Model (SWIM). SWIM allows additional improvement in the capacity-delay tradeoff through a moderate increase in the storage requirements. To demonstrate how SWIM can be applied to solve a practical problem, we use the example of a biological information acquisition system - radio-tagged whales - as nodes in an ad hoc network. We derive an analytical formula for the distribution of end-to-end delays and calculate the storage requirements. We further extend SWIM by allowing multi-tiered operation; which in our biological information acquisition system could be realized through seabirds acting as mobile data collection nodes.
PI3K, ERK, p38 MAPK and integrins regulate CCR3-mediated secretion of mouse and human eosinophil-associated RNases.

Background Eosinophils have the capacity to secrete varied cytotoxic proteins. Among the proteins are the eosinophil-associated RNases (EARs): the human eosinophil-derived neurotoxin and eosinophilic cationic protein, and their murine ortholog EARs, which have been shown to be involved in host defense, tissue remodeling, and immunity regulation. However, the signal transduction that regulates EARs secretion in response to physiological stimuli, such as chemokines, has been little studied in human and scarcely in mouse eosinophils, the foremost animal model for eosinophil-associated human diseases. Objective In this study, we aimed to understand the signal transduction involved in the secretion of enzymatically active EARs following chemokine stimulation. Methods Fresh mouse and human eosinophils were stimulated with CCL11 and CCL24, and the secretion of enzymatically active EARs was detected using an RNase activity assay. The involvement of signaling factors or integrins was probed using specific inhibitors and blocking antibodies. Adhesion was evaluated by microscopy. Results We found that secretion of mouse EARs in response to CCL11 and CCL24 was Gαi-dependent. Both mouse and human eosinophils required the activation of PI3K, ERK, and p38 MAPK. In addition, the adhesion molecules β1 and β2 integrins were found to be crucial for EAR secretion, and we suggest a mechanism in which spreading is obligatory for EAR secretion. Conclusions Collectively, these data suggest a common CCR3-mediated signaling pathway that leads to EAR secretion in both mouse and human eosinophils. These findings are applicable for eosinophil-mediated host defense and eosinophil-associated diseases.
The Image of God of Neurotheology: Reflections of Culturally Based Religious Commitments or Evolutionarily Based Neuroscientific Theories?

In Augustinian fashion, James B. Ashbrook and Carol Rausch Albright develop a neurotheology that finds evolutionarily based correlations between the functions of the human mind-brain and the roles God plays in human life. I argue that their assumptions of anthropomorphism, that the human mind-brain must conceptualize its environment in human terms, and realism, that anthropomorphism is correct, are evolutionarily unlikely. I conclude that the image of God (imago dei) the authors find reflected in the human mind-brain appears to derive from their Christian religious commitments rather than from evolutionary theory.
Orographic Influence on the Synoptic-Scale Circulations Associated with the Genesis of Hurricane Guillermo (1991)

Abstract The early stages of tropical cyclogenesis in the eastern Pacific Ocean are investigated in this case study, which is focused on the development of the initial circulation that eventually intensified into Hurricane Guillermo (1991). The authors document the synoptic and mesoscale winds from upper-air soundings, satellite imagery, and a gridded analysis. In addition, flight-level observations taken during the Tropical Experiment in Mexico are used. These winds reveal that, prior to the formation of the tropical cyclone, an easterly wave moved over the Caribbean Sea and that the initial circulation developed while the easterly wave was located over the central Caribbean, east of the mountains in Central America. Numerical simulations with the Pennsylvania State University–National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model are used to examine the details of the structure of the flow that resulted in the formation of the eastern Pacific circulation. In these simulations, the model is initialized...
Laboratory Models Available to Study Alcohol and Nutrition

Alcohol-related diseases, including those of the brain, liver, pancreas, and the lung, result both from the direct toxic effects of alcohol and the indirect effects of nutritional deficiencies associated with drinking. Individuals who consume significant amount of alcohol (ethanol) derive most of their caloric intake from the alcoholic beverages and foods rich in unhealthy fats and added sugars. When alcohol intake replaces food, there can be numerous nutritional deficiencies caused by the lack of adequate nutrients intake [1–3]. Excessive alcohol consumption can induce deficiencies of vitamins and minerals such as riboflavin, B12, vitamin A, folate, possibly retinoic acid, Zn, and calcium. From the many studies published to date, it is evident that, in addition to the independent effects of heavy drinking, various dietary factors play a vital role in the development and progression of various diseases attributed to alcohol abuse [1, 4].
Understanding the impact of arterial stenosis on blood flow through a tissue

this article arises from the author's experience helping medical students apply core biophysical principles toward understanding cardiovascular physiology. In this domain, a clinically important question is what impact an arterial stenosis (for example, renal artery or coronary artery) due to a
Emergency Communications with Your Local Government and Community

Recent events including the World Trade Center attack, the anthrax scare, Ohio River flooding and the Northeast power outage clearly demonstrate the need for improved systems of communicating emergency information to the public. To explore the arena of emergency communications, the research project analyzed current emergency communication practices utilized by water utilities though literature review, survey, interviews and case study. Through a combination of literature review, survey and interview data the research team constructed a preparedness guide from observable current best management practices (BMP) used in the industry. The preparedness guide document serves as the backbone for the emergency status information management system (eSIMs) toolkit. The eSIMs is a toolkit providing end users guidance in managing information during emergency events. This title belongs to WERF Research Report Series ISBN: 9781780403687 (eBook) ISBN: 9781843397786 (Print)
Incremental, distributed single-linkage hierarchical clustering algorithm using mapreduce

Single-linkage hierarchical clustering is one of the prominent and widely-used data mining techniques for its informative representation of clustering results. However, the parallelization of this algorithm is challenging as it exhibits inherent data dependency during the hierarchical tree construction. Moreover, in many modern applications, new data is continuously added into the already huge datasets. It would be impractical to reapply the clustering algorithm on the augmented datasets from scratch.In this paper, we propose a unified algorithm which can not only cluster the large dataset, but also incorporate the newly arrived data incrementally. More specifically, we formulate the single-linkage hierarchical clustering problem as a Minimum Spanning Tree (MST) construction problem on a complete graph. The algorithm decomposes the complete graph into a set of non-overlapped subgraphs, computes the intermediate sub-MSTs for each subgraph in parallel, and merges all the sub-MSTs to achieve the final solution. In addition, the same framework can treat the incremental data insertion as a separate data subset and integrate it nicely with the existing solution. We implement the unified algorithm by employing MapReduce framework.Using both synthetic and real-world datasets containing up to millions of high-dimensional points, we show that the proposed algorithm achieves a scalable speedup up to 200 on 300 computer cores for the base dataset and a speedup up to 120 for the dataset with maximum 5% random insertion.
Continuous Oil–Water Separation Using Polydimethylsiloxane-Functionalized Melamine Sponge

The development of absorbent materials with high selectivity for oils and organic solvents is of great ecological importance for removing pollutants from contaminated water sources. We have developed a facile solution-immersion process for creating polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-functionalized sponges for oil–water separation. Sponge materials with densities ranging from 8 to 26 mg/cm3 were investigated as candidate skeletons. After functionalization, the lowest-density melamine sponge exhibits superior superhydrophobic and superoleophilic properties, absorption capacity, oil–water selectivity, and absorption recyclability. Via suction through such a functionalized sponge, we have experimentally demonstrated that various kinds of oils can be continuously separated from immiscible liquid mixtures without any water uptake. The widely available raw materials (melamine sponge and PDMS solution) and simple synthesis steps yield a cost-effective and scalable process for fabrication of absorbent materials that can ...
Exploring the possibilities: airspace disease in the postallogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant period

A 50-year-old man with a history of myelodysplastic syndrome status postallogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in July 2013 presented in January 2014 with a 6-week history of worsening shortness of breath and dry cough. Chest imaging revealed scattered groundglass opacities in the upper lobes bilaterally and two areas of focal consolidation on the left side. Bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage grew methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and the patient was treated with a prolonged course of vancomycin without improvement in symptoms or oxygenation. Image-guided core biopsy of an area of consolidation revealed histological findings of acute fibrinous and organising pneumonia. The patient was diagnosed with what appeared to be a manifestation of chronic graft-versus-host disease of the lung and started on high-dose corticosteroids with resultant improvement in symptoms. The response was short-lived and the patient expired 2 months later.
Neurologic complications of cerebral angiography.

PURPOSE To examine the incidence of neurologic complications associated with modern cerebral angiography and to assess patient characteristics associated with an increased risk of complications. METHODS One thousand consecutive cerebral angiographic procedures were evaluated prospectively. Examinations were performed using transfemoral catheterization and film-screen methods. For purposes of this trial, a neurologic complication was defined as any new focal neurologic deficit or change in mental status occurring during the angiogram or within the following 24 hours. Patients were evaluated during and at the completion of angiography. Follow-up evaluations were performed on the day of and the day after angiography. RESULTS There were a total of 10 neurologic complications within 24 hours of angiography, 5 of which were persistent. Onset of 5 of the deficits occurred during angiography, the other 5 (3 persistent) were delayed. All complications occurred in patients being evaluated for stroke/transient ischemic attack or (in one case) asymptomatic bruit. A higher average age, longer average procedure time, and greater volume of radiographic contrast was noted in these patients than in the study population. CONCLUSION Cerebral angiography was associated with a 1% overall incidence of neurologic deficit and a 0.5% incidence of persistent deficit. All complications occurred in patients presenting with a history of stroke/transient ischemic accident or carotid bruit, which may reflect the difficulty of performing angiography in this population at risk for atherosclerotic changes.
Crystal Growth Mechanisms and Kinetics

The scientific contributions by David Turnbull and his co-workers toward understanding crystal growth span over 35 years from the late 1940’s to the present. Turnbull’s early attempt (1950) to correlate interfacial energies derived from droplet supercooling measurements with other thermochemical data still provides a significant data base for estimating such energies in a variety of materials. His work with Hillig in 1956 on quantification of the screw dislocation mechanism for interfacial molecular attachment remains as a predictive theory for defect-assisted growth of faceted, and therefore kinetically hindered, interfaces. The Hillig-Turnbull screw dislocation mechanism is now ranked among such notable kinetic models for crystal growth as the Wilson-Frenkel random attachment theory and the nucleation-limited layer spreading models of Burton, Cabrera, and Frank. Turnbull’s contributions and interest in elucidating crystal growth kinetics have continued throughout his long and productive career, as evidenced by his recent work with Coriell (1982) on estimates of collision limited rapid crystal growth in highly supercooled transition metals. Progress in unraveling the kinetic contributions of interfacial attachment from those of heat and solute transport will also be reviewed to provide a current context of Professor Turnbuli’s contributions to the field of rapid crystallization.
Complete analytic solution to vortex beam diffraction through a triangular aperture

This paper lays out a rigorous analytical solution to on and off axis propagation for a vortex beam diffracting through a triangular aperture, with possible application in vortex-based communications.
Rate Constant Models cannot Describe Movement of Charged Atoms or Molecules

Rate constant models built on laws of mass action are used widely to describe movement of ions and electric current through channels, and chemical reactions of charged substrates. But mass action laws are derived from conservation of mass and say nothing about electric charge. Laws of electricity (Maxwell's equations: a generalization of Kirchoff's current law) are about conservation of charge, not mass. In classical rate models, flows of ions are not correlated by laws of electricity. But Maxwell's equations strongly correlate flows of charge (including displacement current), without known exception, within one part in 1018 or so. Correlation coefficients (describing correlated flows of charges in rate models) should then be nearly one, something like 0.999 999 999 999 999 999. Correlations of charge movement are ignored in classical rate models, so classical rate models cannot describe movements of charged atoms or molecules with one set of rate constants over a range of conditions.A proof goes like this:Consider the spatial series of reactionsX Y ZCurrents in a series of reactions analyzed by mass action are not (in general) equal:IXY/F = zX kXY [X]-zYkYX [Y]; IYZ/F = zYkYZ[Y]-zZkZY[Z]Kirchoff's current law requires IXY = IYZ under all circumstances and conditions.Details can be found at http://arxiv.org/abs/1409.0243 on the physics archive.The artifactual difference IXY - IYZ can have large effects. It can produce net charge and electric fields strong enough to break down membranes, proteins, chemical bonds, and even ionize atoms, because of the enormous strength of the electric field, as described unforgettably in p.1-1, of “Feynman's Lectures on Physics, Vol. 2, Mainly Electromagnetism…” http://www.feynmanlectures.caltech.edu/II_toc.html.
Social Justice Now: Counternarrative of the Miseducation/Undereducation of Black Boys

A review by Erica R. Meiners Northeastern Illinois UniversityC. T. Laura. (2010). Being Bad: My Baby Brother and the School-to-Prison Pipeline. New York, NY: Teachers College Press. 130 pages, $26....
Rupture of the Long Head of the Biceps Tendon in a Pediatric Athlete: A Case Report.

Case: We report a case of an adolescent athlete who sustained an isolated rupture of the long head of the biceps tendon and was subsequently treated with subpectoral biceps tenodesis. Conclusion: Provided that there is no damage to the rotator cuff, an open biceps tenodesis may be performed in this young patient population with good short-term outcomes and return to full activity.
A Prelimiinary Report on Comparative Test of Spring Wheat Varieties in Dryland of Huining County

Comparative test on ten spring wheat varieties in dryland of Huining County was carried out. The results indicated that the growth stage of spring wheat 05052-14-6-7 and 05044-12-8 were both 115 days. They were mature in advance compared with CK and their emergence rate were 86% and 89%,respectively. The Equivalent yields were 2 702.25 kg/hm2and 2 828.50 kg/hm2,which higher 10.45% and 5.54% than CK,respectively. Two spring wheat varieties have good comprehensive characters, high drought resistance,lodging resistance, good ripening and color. Therefore,they can grow in the regional test field. The growth stage and emergence rate of 05152-6-1-8 were 117 days and 84%,respectively. It has better comprehensive characters and high grain yield,so it will be planted in the further experiment.
Common Physiologic Patterns in General Surgical Patients: Hemodynamic and Oxygen Transport Changes during and after Operation in Patients with and without Associated Medical Problems

An examination of perioperative cardiorespiratory parameters in surviving and nonsurviving patients has identified several physiologic responses to the stress of surgical trauma, namely enhancement of circulatory performance and oxygen transport. When specific subsets of surgical illness are examined, it was found that these responses often began from different plateaus of baseline function. Because these responses are greater in survivors than nonsurvivors and this relationship is fairly consistent among a variety of surgical illnesses, it would seem that duplicating or augmenting these responses would be a rational goal for therapeutic intervention that would lead to improved patient outcome.
A density functional theory study of ethylene epoxidation catalyzed by niobium-doped silica

Abstract A mechanistic study of ethylene epoxidation by hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by niobium doped in a silica mesopore is reported. Density functional theory calculations at the M06-L/aug-cc-pVDZ level were used to investigate the catalytic pathway. A five-step cycle is proposed. The initial steps are the adsorption of H2O2 to the Nb center followed by coordination of ethylene to the hydrogen peroxide. The rate-limiting step is the subsequent epoxidation of ethylene via transfer of an oxygen atom, which has a calculated enthalpic barrier of 11.6 kcal/mol relative to the preceding intermediate. This is followed by desorption of the ethylene oxide product and dehydration to regenerate the catalyst. The reaction barrier is lower than reported for other catalysts in the literature, consistent with recent experimental reports of the efficacy of Nb-doped mesoporous silica catalysts [Catal. Sci. Technol., 2014, 4, 4433–4439]. The mechanistic details elucidated in the present calculations may aid in the rational design of new epoxidation catalysts and thus the factors influencing the reaction, e.g., geometry and charge changes, are discussed.
Exposure Stress Induces Reversible Corneal Graft Opacity in Recipients With Herpes Simplex Virus-1 Infections.

Purpose Most of the inflammation in murine herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1)-induced stromal keratitis (HSK) is due to exposure stress resulting from loss of corneal nerves and blink reflex. Corneal grafts often fail when placed on corneal beds with a history of HSK. We asked if corneal exposure contributes to the severe pathology of corneal grafts on HSV-1-infected corneal beds. Methods Herpes simplex virus type 1-infected corneas were tested for blink reflex. Opacity and vascularization were monitored in allogeneic and syngeneic corneal grafts that were transplanted to corneal beds with no blink reflex or to those that retained blink reflex in at least one quadrant following infection. Results Retention of any level of blink reflex significantly reduced inflammation in HSV-1-infected corneas. Corneal allografts placed on HSV-1-infected beds lacking corneal blink reflex developed opacity faster and more frequently than those placed on infected beds that partially or completely retained blink reflex. Corneal grafts placed on infected corneal beds with no blink reflex rapidly became opaque to a level that would be considered rejection. However, protecting these grafts from exposure by tarsorrhaphy prevented or reversed the opacity in both syngeneic and allogenic grafts. Conclusions Exposure due to HSV-1-engendered hypoesthesia causes rapid, severe, persistent, but reversible opacification of both allogeneic and syngeneic corneal grafts. This opacity should not be interpreted as immunologic rejection. Exposure stress may contribute to the high rate of corneal graft pathology in patients with recurrent HSK.
Distributed queries without distributed state.

Traditionally, distributed queries have been optimized centrally and executed synchronously. We outline a framework that relaxes both of these constraints using mutant query plans: XML representations of query plans that can also include verbatim XML data, references to resource locations (URLs), or abstract resource names (URNs). Servers work using local, possibly incomplete knowledge, partially evaluate as much of the query plan as they can, incorporate the partial results into a new, mutated query plan and transfer it to some other server that can continue processing. We present preliminary performance results, and discuss issues and strategies for mutant query optimization.
Addressing the challenges of sleeve gastrectomy in end-stage renal disease: Analysis of 100 consecutive renal failure patients

Background While previous studies have demonstrated short-term efficacy of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in candidates awaiting renal transplantation, the combination of morbid obesity and end-stage renal disease presents unique challenges to perioperative care. We demonstrate how increasing experience and the development of postoperative care guidelines can improve outcomes in this high-risk population. Methods Single-center medical records were reviewed for renal transplantation candidates undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy between 2011 and 2015 by a single surgeon. Postoperative care protocols were established and continually refined throughout the study period, including a multidisciplinary approach to inpatient management and hospital discharge planning. The first 100 laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy patients were included and divided into 4 equal cohorts based on case sequence. Results Compared with the first 25 patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, the last 25 patients had shorter operative times (97.8 ± 27.9 min vs 124.2 ± 33.6 min), lower estimated blood loss (6.6 ± 20.8 mL vs 34.0 ± 38.1 mL), and shorter hospital duration of stay (1.7 ± 2.1 days vs 2.9 ± 0.7 days) (P Conclusion Increasing experience and the development of clinical care guidelines in this high-risk population is associated with reduced health care resource utilization and improved perioperative outcomes.