cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disease Management for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease A Clinical Strategy

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive chronic disease that is subject to acute exacerbations. Ideally, a patient with such a chronic disease should be provided with medical care that addresses these issues while empowering the patient to initiate rapid and definitive treatments to counter exacerbations. To do this, disease management for COPD must recognize that, as this disease is chronic and progressive, any intervention must be ongoing and progressive. As timely recognition of, and rapid intervention for, exacerbations is crucial, COPD disease management must be patient centered.
COMPUTATIONAL METHODS FOR EIGENVALUE PROBLEMS IN COMPOSITES

ABSTRACT In this paper we provide a review of methods applying the theory of Fredholm integral equations to obtain upper and lower bounds for the eigenvalues of differential equations with discontinuous coefficients. Such problems occur naturally in many areas of application involving mechanics of composite materials. Due to the non-smoothness of the coefficients, the eigenvalue spectrum may exhibit severe irregularities. Integral equation methods for eigenvalue estimation are effective in reflecting this behavior.
Fuzzy Logic Methods for Video Shot Boundary Detection and Classification

A fuzzy logic system for the detection and classification of shot boundaries in uncompressed video sequences is presented. It integrates multiple sources of information and knowledge of editing procedures to detect shot boundaries. Furthermore, the system classifies the editing process employed to create the shot boundary into one of the following categories: abrupt cut, fade-in, fade-out, or dissolve. This system was tested on a database containing a wide variety of video classes. It achieved combined recall and precision rates that significantly exceed those of existing threshold-based techniques, and it correctly classified a high percentage of the detected boundaries.
Ligand Binding as a Probe of Protein Dynamics

The binding of small ligands (O2,CO) to heme proteins can serve as a probe of protein dynamics. Investigations over a wide range in temperature show that protein motion is important in the migration of the ligand through the protein matrix, motion within the pocket, and binding at the heme. The results of the binding studies, together with complementary work using X-ray diffraction, Mossbauer effect, and infrared spectroscopy begin to yield detailed information on protein motions.
The Dynamic Subgrid Scale Model in Large-Eddy Simulation of the Stratified Ekman Layer

The dynamic subgrid scale model is applied to large eddy simulation (LES) of a turbulent Ekman layer, an external boundary layer that includes rotation about the vertical axis. To study buoyancy effects, both neutrally buoyant and stratified flows are considered. The presence of rotation and stratification creates a variety of complex flow conditions, including elements of three-dimensionality, in which the dynamic model has not been tested. In the neutral layer, the dynamic subgrid scale model provides accurate simulations at low and high Reynolds numbers, while the traditional Smagorinsky model produces poorer results near the wall, even with ad hoc damping functions. In the stratified layer, multiple ad hoc damping functions are required in the Smagorinsky model in order to obtain the accuracy provided by the dynamic model.
Characteristics of the electrodermal response. A model for analysis of central sympathetic reactivity.

Electrodermal responses (EDR) of the sympathetic-cholinergic sudomotor system were elicited in anaesthetized cats. Responses were evoked centrally from hypothalamic, medullary and spinal loci, by stimulation of the pre- and postganglionic peripheral nerves, and reflexly following stimulation of an afferent nerve. The response was found to be dependent upon innervation of both the median and ulnar nerves (approximately 40 and 60% respectively). Both the centrally and peripherally evoked responses were frequency-dependent when a maximal current was used. The EDR evoked peripherally or from the cervical cord reached its maximal amplitude at 10–16 Hz whereas the EDR evoked from the hypothalamus and medulla did not reach its maximal amplitude until 48–64 Hz. These responses are relatively independent of blood flow in that complete occlusion of the peripheral blood supply did not greatly alter the amplitude of centrally evoked responses. The results suggest that this sympathetic-cholinergic system may be a useful model system with which to study the actions of various adrenergic agents on the reactivity of central structures which regulate sympathetic nervous activity.
An optimization method for flexural bearing design for high-stroke high-frequency applications

Abstract A method for optimization of a high-stroke, high-frequency flexural bearing was completed. The main goal was to design a flexural bearing system as the energy restoration component of a one kW free piston linear engine alternator (LEA) operating at 90 Hz and maximum targeted displacement of 22 mm. Defined electricity output of 1 kW, with more than 30% efficiency, required engine operation under high speed and high stroke conditions. Under such challenging stroke and frequency requirements, a method of design was required to select between a wide range of parameters in flexural bearing design. A parametric CAD model was prepared and used in the optimization package of a finite element analysis (FEA) software. Four main parameters of flexural bearing geometry were identified and included the outer diameter, thickness, number of arms, and sweep angle of spiral cuts. Other design parameters including spiral gap width, shape factor and spiral start points angle were shown to be less important compared to these four main parameters in primary design and were examined separately. A neural network algorithm was used to investigate the interactions and effects of design parameters. The sensitivity of each parameter on output criteria such as maximum stress and natural frequency was examined and design charts developed. Methods for further modification of the spiral curve at end points were introduced to reduce the maximum stress level by up to 20%. Several steel alloys and a titanium-based alloy were identified as proper material candidates for high cycle applications and the final designed spring was manufactured and tested to validate the FEA results of axial stiffness and strain level throughout the flexure arms. The percent of the flexure’s moving mass was estimated to be 29% with FEA analysis and compared well with the experimental value of 31%. The stress/strain results of the FEA analysis matched with the experimental results – within ±5%.
TCT-670 Difference in Post-SAVR Inpatient Outcomes between TAVR and non-TAVR Performing Hospitals

The Centers for Medicare Services (CMS) has imposed restrictions on which cardiac surgery programs can offer TAVR. This is now likely impacting patient selection for SAVR based on whether a program can offer TAVR. Therefore, it is paramount to investigate if outcomes for SAVR differ at TAVR
Forward masking enhances the auditory brainstem response in the free-tailed bat, Tadarida brasiliensis, during a critical time window for sonar reception.

Forward masking is a widespread auditory phenomenon in which the response to one sound transiently reduces the response to a succeeding sound. This study used auditory brainstem responses to measure temporal masking effects in the free-tailed bat, Tadarida brasiliensis. A digital subtraction protocol was used to isolate responses to the second of a pair of pulses varying in interval, revealing a suppression phase lasting <4 ms followed by an enhancement phase lasting 4–15 ms during which the ABR waveform was amplified up to 100%. The results suggest echolocating bats possess adaptations for enhancing sonar receiver gain shortly after pulse emission.Forward masking is a widespread auditory phenomenon in which the response to one sound transiently reduces the response to a succeeding sound. This study used auditory brainstem responses to measure temporal masking effects in the free-tailed bat, Tadarida brasiliensis. A digital subtraction protocol was used to isolate responses to the second of a pair of pulses varying in interval, revealing a suppression phase lasting <4 ms followed by an enhancement phase lasting 4–15 ms during which the ABR waveform was amplified up to 100%. The results suggest echolocating bats possess adaptations for enhancing sonar receiver gain shortly after pulse emission.
Highly Specific Sewage-Derived Bacteroides Quantitative PCR Assays Target Sewage-Polluted Waters.

ABSTRACT The identification of sewage contamination in water has primarily relied on the detection of human-associated Bacteroides using markers within the V2 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Despite the establishment of multiple assays that target the HF183 cluster (i.e., Bacteroides dorei) and other Bacteroides organisms (e.g., Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron), the potential for more human-associated markers in this genus has not been explored in depth. We examined the Bacteroides population structure in sewage and animal hosts across the V4V5 and V6 hypervariable regions. Using near-full-length cloned sequences, we identified the sequences in the V4V5 and V6 hypervariable regions that are linked to the HF183 marker in the V2 region and found these sequences were present in multiple animals. In addition, the V4V5 and V6 regions contained human fecal marker sequences for organisms that were independent of the HF183 cluster. The most abundant Bacteroides in untreated sewage was not human associated but pipe derived. Two TaqMan quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays targeting the V4V5 and V6 regions of this organism were developed. Validation studies using fecal samples from seven animal hosts (n = 76) and uncontaminated water samples (n = 30) demonstrated the high specificity of the assays for sewage. Freshwater Bacteroides were also identified in uncontaminated water samples, demonstrating that measures of total Bacteroides do not reflect fecal pollution. A comparison of two previously described human Bacteroides assays (HB and HF183/BacR287) in municipal wastewater influent and sewage-contaminated urban water samples revealed identical results, illustrating the assays target the same organism. The detection of sewage-derived Bacteroides provided an independent measure of sewage-impacted waters. IMPORTANCEBacteroides are major members of the gut microbiota, and host-specific organisms within this genus have been used extensively to gain information on pollution sources. This study provides a broad view of the population structure of Bacteroides within sewage to contextualize the well-studied HF183 marker for a human-associated Bacteroides. The study also delineates host-specific sequence patterns across multiple hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene to improve our ability to use sequence data to assess water quality. Here, we demonstrate that regions downstream of the HF183 marker are nonspecific but other potential human-associated markers are present. Furthermore, we show the most abundant Bacteroides in sewage is free living, rather than host associated, and specifically found in sewage. Quantitative PCR assays that target organisms specific to sewer pipes offer measures that are independent of the human microbiome for identifying sewage pollution in water.
Real-time interactive simulations of large-scale systems on personal computers and cell phones: Toward patient-specific heart modeling and other applications

Cardiac dynamics modeling has been useful for studying and treating arrhythmias. However, it is a multiscale problem requiring the solution of billions of differential equations describing the complex electrophysiology of interconnected cells. Therefore, large-scale cardiac modeling has been limited to groups with access to supercomputers and clusters. Many areas of computational science face similar problems where computational costs are too high for personal computers so that supercomputers or clusters currently are necessary. Here, we introduce a new approach that makes high-performance simulation of cardiac dynamics and other large-scale systems like fluid flow and crystal growth accessible to virtually anyone with a modest computer. For cardiac dynamics, this approach will allow not only scientists and students but also physicians to use physiologically accurate modeling and simulation tools that are interactive in real time, thereby making diagnostics, research, and education available to a broader audience and pushing the boundaries of cardiac science.
On the predictive, quantitative properties of the amphoteric native defect model

The amphoteric native defect model phenomenologically explains and categorizes observed background doping concentrations and accounts for the doping limitations in compound semiconductors. Here, we test and verify the model's capabilities as a quantitative, predictive tool. We demonstrate that the nature, (donor or acceptor), of non-stoichiometry related vacancy-like defects in the (Al,Ga,In)(As,Sb) system is determined by the position of the intrinsic Fermi energy, E Fi at the growth temperature relative to the Fermi level stabilization energy, E FS , a universal energy reference located at 4.9 eV below the vacuum level. We show that a dramatic and predictable conduction type-flip from n- to p-type occurs when E Fi is deliberately shifted from below to above E FS .
Hospital Volume Impacts the Outcomes of Endovascular Repair of Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysms.

Background Few centers in the United States have the expertise to manage patients with a thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA). The purpose of this study is to use a nationally representative vascular database to assess the role of hospital volume on outcomes in patients undergoing endovascular repair for TAAA. Methods All patients undergoing complex endovascular repair (cEVAR) for TAAA were identified in the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) database (2012–2018). The total mean number of cases per year was identified at each center and were used to group into three quantiles containing an equal number of patients (Low [LVH], Medium [MVH], High [HVH]). Standard univariate and multivariable (logistic regression) analyses were performed to evaluate the patient's characteristics and short-term outcomes. Results A total of 2,115 patients from 118 centers (Low – 92, Medium – 19, High – 7) were identified in VQI from 2012 to 2018. The annual mean (S.D.) number of cases at HVH, MVH, LVH were 22.7 (4.7), 9.6 (3.0), 3.6 (1.4), respectively. The repair of Type III TAAA was slightly higher in HVH versus MVH versus LVH (22.5% vs. 21.0% vs. 15.1%), while Type I was more common among LVH versus MVH versus HVH (13.7% vs. 11.5% vs. 3.7%) (Both P Conclusions Our study demonstrates significantly lower morbidity and mortality in high volume hospitals performing cEVAR for TAAA, despite operating on older patients with more complex TAAA types. This is likely due to better rescue phenomenon in addition to more experienced operators. Complex endovascular repair of TAAA can be performed safely in high volume aortic centers of excellence.
A departmental policy can reduce opioid prescribing after orthopedic surgery.

Objective: The authors hypothesized that implementation of a department-wide opioid prescribing program would reduce opioid tablets and morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) prescribed as well as prescription refills. Design: A retrospective study was conducted to determine the effects of a department wide opioid prescribing policy. Setting: A university teaching hospital Orthopaedic Surgery Department. Patients, participants: All prescriptions written by members of our department were reviewed for 3 months before and 3 months after program implementation. There were 1,445 patients in the pre-intervention and 1,209 patients in the postintervention cohort. Two thousand two hundred forty-six total prescriptions written during the pre-intervention period and 1,530 written during the post-intervention period of the study. Interventions: A departmental opioid prescribing policy was introduced through several department teaching sessions. The policy included recommendations on numbers of tablets per procedures and patient education about the dangers of narcotic medications. Main outcome measure(s): The primary study outcome measures were the number of opioid tablets prescribed, the number of MMEs prescribed, and the number of prescription refills. Results: The mean number of tablets per prescription decreased from 47.2 (95% confidence interval (CI): 46.4-47.9) tablets in the pre-intervention cohort to 39.2 (95% CI: 38.1-40.4) tablets in the post-intervention cohort (p < 0.0001). Likewise, the mean MME per prescription decreased from 354 (95% CI: 344-364) in the pre-intervention cohort to 265 (95% CI: 249-281) in the post-intervention cohort (p < 0.0001). A refill prescription was provided 949 times in the pre-intervention group and 404 times in the post-intervention group. Prior to the introduction of prescription guidelines, the average number of prescriptions was 1.76 per patient (95% CI: 1.71-1.81). This fell to 1.34 prescriptions per patient (95% CI: 1.31-1.38) after policy institution. Noncompliance with policy was not related to provider, service, or procedure size. Conclusions: Implementation of a departmental policy can successfully reduce the number of opioid tablets and MMEs prescribed per procedure. Policies also decrease the number of refill prescriptions per procedure. Standardization of prescription practices is effective in improving opioid prescription stewardship. Level of evidence: Level III, retrospective cohort study.
Long-Term Financial, Psychosocial, and Overall Health-Related Quality of Life After Living Liver Donation

Abstract Background To assess the impact of living liver donation (LD) in a diverse and aging population up to 20 y after donation, particularly with regard to medical, financial, psychosocial, and overall health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Methods Patients undergoing LD between 1999 and 2009 were recruited to respond to the Short-Form 36 and a novel Donor Quality of Life Survey at two time points (2010 and 2018). Results Sixty-eight living liver donors (LLDs) completed validated surveys, with a mean follow-up of 11.5 ± 5.1 y. Per Donor Quality of Life Survey data, physical activity or strength was not impacted by LD in most patients. All respondents returned to school or employment, and 82.4% reported that LD had no impact on school or work performance. LD did not impact health insurability in 95.6% of donors, and only one patient experienced difficulty obtaining life insurance. Overall, 97.1% of respondents did not regret LD. Short-Form 36 survey–measured outcomes were similar between LLDs and the general U.S. population. LLDs who responded in both 2010 and 2018 were followed for an overall average of 15.4 ± 2.4 y and HRQOL outcomes in these donors also remained statistically equivalent to U.S. population norms. Conclusions This study represents the longest postdonation follow-up and offers unique insight related to HRQOL in a highly diverse patient population. Although LLDs continue to maintain excellent HRQOL outcomes up to 20 y after donation, continued lifetime follow-up is required to accurately provide young, healthy potential donors with an accurate description of the risks that they may incur on aging.
SyntaxGym: An Online Platform for Targeted Evaluation of Language Models.

Targeted syntactic evaluations have yielded insights into the generalizations learned by neural network language models. However, this line of research requires an uncommon confluence of skills: both the theoretical knowledge needed to design controlled psycholinguistic experiments, and the technical proficiency needed to train and deploy large-scale language models. We present SyntaxGym, an online platform designed to make targeted evaluations accessible to both experts in NLP and linguistics, reproducible across computing environments, and standardized following the norms of psycholinguistic experimental design. This paper releases two tools of independent value for the computational linguistics community: 1. A website, syntaxgym.org, which centralizes the process of targeted syntactic evaluation and provides easy tools for analysis and visualization; 2. Two command-line tools, ‘syntaxgym‘ and ‘lm-zoo‘, which allow any user to reproduce targeted syntactic evaluations and general language model inference on their own machine.
Placental and fetal characteristics of the Ohia mouse line recapitulate outcomes in human hypoplastic left heart syndrome

Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are one of the most common birth defects worldwide. The morbidity and mortality associated with these defects is compounded by increased frequency of fetal growth abnormalities in the newborns. Inappropriate placental development and function has been implicated as a contributing factor to poor fetal growth in pregnancies complicated by CHDs however, the exact mechanisms are poorly understood. In the Ohia mouse model of hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), the double homozygous genotype had previously been shown to be embryonically lethal at mid-pregnancy; a time in which optimal establishment of the placenta is crucial to fetal survival. We aimed to characterize placental and fetal growth and development in the double heterozygous genotype to determine whether the genetic mutations associated with HLHS in the Ohia mouse also affect the placenta. The frequency of fetuses with reduced weight near term was shifted in the double heterozygous genotype compared to wildtype fetuses. This shift in fetal weight distribution was associated with reduced fetal capillary density in the placentas of the double heterozygotes as well as a reduction in placental mRNA expression of angiogenic factors placenta growth factor (Pgf) and fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (Flt1) suggesting abhorrent placental angiogenesis. Positive correlations were observed between fetal weight and placenta mRNA expression of several nutrient transporters in the double heterozygous genotype but not observed in the wildtype. This data shows changes to placental angiogenesis and nutrient transport that are likely to contribute to inadequate fetal growth in the Ohia mouse model. Such differences are similar to findings in studies of human placentas from pregnancies with a fetus with HLHS and highlights the importance of this mouse model in continuing to understand the link between placental development and CHDs such as HLHS.
Self-Guiding and Coupling of Light through Suspensions of Sheep Red Blood Cells

We demonstrate nonlinear self-trapping and guiding of light through suspensions of red-blood-cells from sheep. By master/slave-type coupling, biological waveguides formed at one wavelength can effectively guide a wide spectrum of light at low power.
Modeling tissue-relevant Caenorhabditis elegans metabolism at network, pathway, reaction, and metabolite levels

Metabolism is a highly compartmentalized process that provides building blocks for biomass generation during development, homeostasis, and wound healing, and energy to support cellular and organismal processes. In metazoans, different cells and tissues specialize in different aspects of metabolism. However, studying the compartmentalization of metabolism in different cell types in a whole animal and for a particular stage of life is difficult. Here, we present MEtabolic models Reconciled with Gene Expression (MERGE), a computational pipeline that we used to predict tissue-relevant metabolic function at the network, pathway, reaction, and metabolite levels based on single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Our analysis recapitulated known tissue functions in C. elegans, captured metabolic properties that are shared with similar tissues in human, and provided predictions for novel metabolic functions. MERGE is versatile and applicable to other systems. We envision this work as a starting point for the development of metabolic network models for individual cells as scRNA-seq continues to provide higher-resolution gene expression data.
Biology of RPV barley yellow dwarf virus satellite RNA

CHAPTER I. GENERAL INTRODUCTION Dissertation Organization Introduction Research Goals CHAPTER! LITERATURE REVIEW Luteoviruses Qassification Virion properties Symptoms Cytopathological effects Tissue specificity Host range Serological relationships Luteovirus transmission Genome organization and replication RNA agents associated with luteoviruses Satellites Classification Requirements for replication of plant satellites Helper virus specificity and host range of plant virus satellites B type mRNA satellites C ty^ linear satRNAs D type circular satRNAs Effects of satellites on disease symptoms Possible mechanisms Satellite viruses B type mRNA satellites C ty^ linear satRNAs D ty^ circular satRNAs CHAPTER 3. SATELLITE RNA OF BARLEY YELLOW DWARF-RPV VIRUS REDUCES ACCUMULATION OF RPV HELPER VIRUS RNA AND ATTENUATES RPV SYMPTOMS IN OATS Abstract Introduction Results Lack of mechanical transmission of satRPV RNA Aphid transmission of satRPV RNA-containing virus from protoplasts to plants SatRPV RNA affects helper virus RNA accumulation in oats but has no effect on symptoms caused by mixed infection of RPV andPAV SatRPV RNA attenuates symptoms and decreases helper virus RNA accumulation in oats infected with pure RPV SatRPV RNA decreases helper virus RNA accumulation in oat protoplasts Discussion Lack of mechanical transmission of satRPV RNA v
Development of a Real‐time RT‐PCR Assay for Squash Mosaic Virus Useful for Broad Spectrum Detection of Various Serotypes and its Incorporation into a Multiplex Seed Health Assay

Seed-borne pathogens pose a serious threat to modern agricultural cropping systems, as they can be disseminated to many geographical regions around the world. With trends of increasing global seed production and trade, seed-health testing is an important quality control step to prevent the introduction of harmful pathogens into agricultural production systems. An effective seed-health assay depends on a test that can provide timely, sensitive and broad-spectrum detection of all genetic variants of a pathogen, or in some cases, of several different pathogens. Previously, we developed a real-time PCR (qPCR) assay that would permit the simultaneous detection of two major seed-borne pathogens of cucurbits, the bacterium Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli (AAC, the causal agent of bacterial fruit blotch) and a fungus Didymella bryoniae (DB, the causal agent of gummy stem blight). The objective of the present study was to develop a sensitive, reverse transcriptase (RT)-based, qRT-PCR for broad spectrum detection of both serotypes of Squash mosaic virus (SqMV), that could be incorporated into a simultaneous detection of three pathogen types in a single PCR reaction. Converting SqMV RNA to cDNA prior to multiplexing stabilized the viral template that was then mixed with two other DNA templates (AAC and DB). To facilitate seed health testing, a generic plant nucleic acid extraction method was developed for cucurbit seeds. Using this method, nucleic acids extracted from seeds yielded strong signals for each target pathogen in multiplex qPCR. The ability to use a general nucleic acid extraction technique with subsequent PCR to detect bacterial, fungal and viral plant pathogens lends itself to a universal system for cucurbit seed health testing.
Microbial Cells as Biosorbents for Heavy Metals: Accumulation of Uranium by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Uranium accumulated extracellularly on the surfaces of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. The rate and extent of accumulation were subject to environmental parameters, such as pH, temperature, and interference by certain anions and cations. Uranium accumulation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa occurred intracellularly and was extremely rapid (<10 s), and no response to environmental parameters could be detected. Metabolism was not required for metal uptake by either organism. Cell-bound uranium reached a concentration of 10 to 15% of the dry cell weight, but only 32% of the S. cerevisiae cells and 44% of the P. aeruginosa cells within a given population possessed visible uranium deposits when examined by electron microscopy. Rates of uranium uptake by S. cerevisiae were increased by chemical pretreatment of the cells. Uranium could be removed chemically from S. cerevisiae cells, and the cells could then be reused as a biosorbent.
Stem cell repopulation efficiency but not pool size is governed by p27(kip1).

Sustained blood cell production requires preservation of a quiescent, multipotential stem cell pool that intermittently gives rise to progenitors with robust proliferative potential. The ability of cells to shift from a highly constrained to a vigorously active proliferative state is critical for maintaining stem cells while providing the responsiveness necessary for host defense. The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CDKI), p21cip1/waf1 (p21) dominates stem cell kinetics. Here we report that another CDKI, p27kip1 (p27), does not affect stem cell number, cell cycling, or self-renewal, but markedly alters progenitor proliferation and pool size. Therefore, distinct CDKIs govern the highly divergent stem and progenitor cell populations. When competitively transplanted, p27-deficient stem cells generate progenitors that eventually dominate blood cell production. Modulating p27 expression in a small number of stem cells may translate into effects on the majority of mature cells, thereby providing a strategy for potentiating the impact of transduced cells in stem cell gene therapy.
Efficient data structures for piecewise-smooth video processing

A number of useful image and video processing techniques, ranging from low level operations such as denoising and detail enhancement to higher level methods such as object manipulation and special effects, rely on piecewise-smooth functions computed from the input data. In this thesis, we present two computationally efficient data structures for representing piecewise-smooth visual information and demonstrate how they can dramatically simplify and accelerate a variety of video processing algorithms. We start by introducing the bilateral grid, an image representation that explicitly accounts for intensity edges. By interpreting brightness values as Euclidean coordinates, the bilateral grid enables simple expressions for edge-aware filters. Smooth functions defined on the bilateral grid are piecewise-smooth in image space. Within this framework, we derive efficient reinterpretations of a number of edge-aware filters commonly used in computational photography as operations on the bilateral grid, including the bilateral filter, edge-aware scattered data interpolation, and local histogram equalization. We also show how these techniques can be easily parallelized onto modern graphics hardware for real-time processing of high definition video. The second data structure we introduce is the video mesh, designed as a flexible central data structure for general-purpose video editing. It represents objects in a video sequence as 2.5D "paper cutouts" and allows interactive editing of moving objects and modeling of depth, which enables 3D effects and post-exposure camera control. In our representation, we assume that motion and depth are piecewise-smooth, and encode them sparsely as a set of points tracked over time. The video mesh is a triangulation over this point set and per-pixel information is obtained by interpolation. To handle occlusions and detailed object boundaries, we rely on the user to rotoscope the scene at a sparse set of frames using spline curves. We introduce an algorithm to robustly and automatically cut the mesh into local layers with proper occlusion topology, and propagate the splines to the remaining frames. Object boundaries are refined with per-pixel alpha mattes. At its core, the video mesh is a collection of texture-mapped triangles, which we can edit and render interactively using graphics hardware. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our representation with special effects such as 3D viewpoint changes, object insertion, depthof-field manipulation, and 2D to 3D video conversion. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
GAMInG – A Framework for Generalization of Association Mining via Information Granulation

Rather than finding new association-mining types one at a time, in this paper, we propose a framework, which is called Generalization of Association Mining via Information Granulation (GAMInG), based on which new association-mining types capable of discovering new patterns hidden in data can be systematically defined.
Alternative splicing: a perspective of the nematode model-Caenorhabditis elegans.

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is an important, well-studied organism used in biomedical research as a model for human development, genetics, ageing, and disease. This paper reviews some basic information, recent progress and future challenges for functional genomics and bioinformatics in the area of alternative splicing. It also highlights the unique methodology adopted by us to study and to detect novel alternatively spliced transcripst from C. elegans genome.
Aristotle’s Early and Late Ontologies

There is a very deep tension that exists at the heart of Aristotle’s metaphysical system in virtue of the fact that his works seem to contain two distinct and not obviously commensurate ontologies: an early ontology that Aristotle outlines in the Categories and a later ontology that he develops in his physical–metaphysical treatises. In this paper I briefly describe the two ontologies, discuss the sources of conflict and outline different scholarly speculations about the relationship between the two.
Yield responses of crops to changes in environment and management practices: Model sensitivity analysis. II. Rice, wheat, and potato

This paper is a continuation of our prior examination of yield responses of maize (Terjung et al., 1984b). The analysis of the response of the model YIELD to changes in a variety of basic environmental and decision-making inputs was continued for paddy rice, winter wheat, and early potato. As before, temperature, solar radiation, and relative humidity regimes were analyzed during a growing season along with different water application strategies, irrigation frequencies, soil types, and wind regimes. Among the results, yield decreased on the average by 4.9% (rice) and 6.0% (wheat) per 1‡ (C) increase in air temperature. A 1% change in solar radiation resulted in an average of 1% (wheat) and 0.4% (rice) change in yield. Analogous changes in relative humidity caused yield changes of about 0.8% and nothing for wheat and rice, respectively. For all crops, the relationship between irrigation frequency and yield increase was near-linear for large irrigation intervals. This linearity vanished under high frequency waterings. With respect to irrigation amounts, 1 mm/ha of applied water was related, on the average, to 75 (potato), 19 (grain corn), 8 (rice), and 6 kg/ha (wheat) of harvestable yield.
Effects of tumor necrosis factor-alpha on human trophoblast cell adhesion and motility.

PROBLEM : Adhesive interaction between trophoblast cells and uterine endometrial basement membrane is one of the critical processes in embryo implantation. This interaction is directly or indirectly regulated by hormones, growth factors, and cytokines. Since tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is synthesized by both decidual and trophoblast cells, we hypothesized that TNF-α may play a regulatory role in trophoblast cell invasion. To test this hypothesis, we have used in vitro models to determine the effect of TNF-α on human trophoblast cell adhesion and motility, two major steps in trophoblast invasion. METHODS : The effect of TNF-α on the motility of extended-lifespan first trimester trophoblasts (HTR) and JEG-3 choriocarcinoma cells was tested using the phagokinetic track motility assay. An in vitro adhesion assay was used to determine the effect of TNF-α on the adhesion of HTR and JEG-3 cells to laminin, a major basement membrane component. In addition, the effect of TNF-α on the surface expression of the laminin receptor β 1 integrin subunit was examined using flow cytometry. RESULTS : HTR or JEG-3 cells were strongly adherent to laminin which was not significantly altered by TNF-α treatment. We also measured the effect of TNF-α on the surface expression of β 1 integrin on HTR and JEG-3 cells ; no difference was observed between control and treatment groups. Interestingly, the motility of both HTR and choriocarcinoma JEG-3 cells was significantly inhibited by TNF-α. CONCLUSIONS : The role of TNF-α in human embryo implantation is currently unknown. Our data demonstrate that TNF-α does not alter trophoblast cell adhesion to laminin, but significantly inhibits trophoblast cell motility in vitro, suggesting that TNF-α may play a regulatory role in trophoblast cell invasion.
Differential Impact of Obesity on Glucose Metabolism in Black and White American Adolescents

Background The authors have previously demonstrated abnormalities in glucose and insulin metabolism in nondiabetic black American (BA) adults versus white American (WA) adults. Whether similar glucoregulatory alterations extend to BA adolescents remain unknown. In addition, obesity, a known risk factor for insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia, occurs in a greater proportion of BA adults and children when compared to WA. The objective of the present study was to examine the differential effects of obesity on glucose homeostasis in BA and WA adolescents.
Ionized hypocalcemia in critically ill dogs.

Background: Ionized hypocalcemia (iHCa) is a common electrolyte disturbance in critically ill people, especially those with sepsis. The cause of the iHCa is not entirely understood and is likely multifactorial. Critically ill people with iHCa have longer hospital stays and higher mortality rates compared to people with normocalcemia. There are no published clinical studies evaluating the incidence and impact of iHCa in critically ill dogs. Hypothesis: iHCa occurs in critically ill dogs, is more prevalent in dogs with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) or sepsis, and is associated with longer hospital stays and higher mortality. Animals: One hundred and forty-one client-owned dogs admitted to a companion animal intensive care unit (ICU) in a veterinary teaching hospital. Methods: Prospective observational study of sequentially enrolled dogs. Blood was collected and analyzed within an hour of admission from all dogs presented to the ICU that met study inclusion criteria. Results: The incidence of iHCa (iCa < 1.11 mmol/L) was 16%. The presence of iHCa was associated with longer ICU (P= .038) and hospital (P= .012) stays but not with decreased survival (P= .60). Dogs with sepsis as defined by ≥3 SIRS criteria and a positive culture were more likely to have iHCa (P= .050). Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: In dogs not previously treated with fluids or blood products intravenously, the finding of iHCa upon admission to the ICU predicted a longer duration of ICU and hospital stay. Septic dogs with positive cultures were more likely to have iHCa.
Soundings in Atlantic History, Latent Structures and Intellectual Currents 1500-1830

Soundings in Atlantic History, Latent Structures and Intellectual Currents 1500–1830 Edited by Bernard Bailyn and Patricia L. Denault Harvard, Harvard University Press, 2009 x + 622 pp., ISBN: 978-...
Reactions of matrix isolated fron atoms with nitric oxide

Abstract The matrix isolated binary nitrosyls, Fe(NO)x, x ⩽ 4, formed upon co-condensation of iron with nitric oxide have been studied by infrared and Mossbauer spectroscopies. Infrared data suggest that the unsaturated complexes (x = 1, 2) contain linear NO ligands. The isomer shifts of all four complexes are consistent with covalently bonded Fe(0). In 100% NO, Fe(NO)4 is the major product and gives the identical Mossbauer spectrum as Fe(NO)4 made from the high pressure reaction of Fe(CO)5 with NO. In addition, a second product, probably Fe(NO)3 is detected in the Mossbauer spectmm of Fe(NO)4 made by both procedures. Evidence is seen for a partially reversible temperature dependent equilibrium between Fe(NO)3 and Fe(NO)4, with Fe(NO)4 favored at low temperatures. The unusal reactivity of NO with iron atoms is discussed.
TH-C-144-04: Robust Optimization in Intensity-Modulated Proton Therapy for Base-Of-Skull Cancers

Purpose: Intensity‐modulated proton therapy (IMPT) is highly sensitive to uncertainties in beam range and patient setup. Here we evaluated plan robustness and optimality generated by a robust optimization method for a population of base‐of‐skull cases. The method incorporates uncertainties directly in optimization algorithm to ensure clinical target volume (CTV) coverage to uncertainties. Methods: Two IMPT plans were generated for each of 10 base‐of‐skull cases, one PTV‐based conventionally optimized and the other CTV‐based robustly optimized. For the conventionally optimized plans, uncertainties are considered with PTV margins, while delivering the prescribed dose to PTV. For the robustly optimized plans, optimization was guided to minimize deviation from the prescribed dose under extreme setup and range uncertainties, while delivering the prescribed dose to CTV. For each of these plans, we calculated dose distributions under various uncertainty scenarios. The root‐mean‐square‐deviation‐dose (RMSD) for each voxel was computed and the area under the RMSD‐volume histogram (RVH) curves (AUC) was used to compare relative plan robustness. Data derived from the dose volume histogram (DVH) in the worst‐case and nominal doses were used to evaluate plan optimality. Then the plan evaluation metrics were averaged and compared with paired t tests. Results: Compared with the conventional optimization, robust optimization led to more robust dose distributions (smaller AUCs) for both targets and organs‐at‐risks (OARs). In the nominal dose, robust optimization resulted in similar D95% doses (D95% CTV: 63.3 versus 64.8 Gy[RBE] [p<0.01]) and D5% minus D95% (D5% – D95% CTV: 8.0 versus 7.1 Gy[RBE] [p<0.01) for targets and irradiation of OARs was less with robust optimization (brainstem V60: 0.076 versus 0.26 cm3 [p<0.01]). Results in the worst‐case dose were consistent. Conclusions: CTV‐based robustly optimized IMPT for base‐of‐skull cancer provides a significantly more robust dose distribution to targets and OARs and better or equivalent sparing of OARs than PTV‐based conventionally optimized IMPT. Supported by National Cancer Institute Program Grant P01CA021239, by the University Cancer Foundation via the Institutional Research Grant program at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Career Award Number K25CA168984
How Much Is Trust Worth? Evidence from the International Online Textbook Market

Using data from international markets for college textbooks, the value of trust that customers place on domestic retailers over foreign retailers has been explored. It is found that the value of trust, as revealed by customer choice, is economically significant. Being a foreign retailer has a negative impact on customer purchase decision. Foreign retailers have to offer a discount of $7.69 to compete with U.S. dealers, which is 10.5% of the average list price in our sample. Results on price differences reveal that UK book dealers offer lower prices to U.S. customers than U.S. dealers, suggesting that retailers are well aware of customers’ home bias and they incorporate it into the pricing strategy. Our results suggest that global e-retailers can benefit from investing in developing trust of foreign customers, but their investment costs should be bounded by the business value of trust.
Vertical Coordinate Transformation of Vertically-Discretized Atmospheric Fields

Abstract The problem of transforming fields of atmospheric variables from one vertical coordinate system to another without altering their dynamic balance is discussed. A curve fitting scheme applied to the data points in each grid column is proposed which reduces the onset of barotropic imbalances during the transform process.
Migrating in the Era of Human Trafficking

Since the year 2000, a global 'anti-trafficking' discourse has emerged that has taken centre stage in conversations about migration and migrants' lives. In particular, 'human trafficking' as a framework for understanding migration has eclipsed the complexities and realities of challenges and opportunities experienced by migrants living and working abroad.1 The human trafficking discourse and its attendant responses seek to categorise migrants not as people but as products of their labour or circumstances, functioning to erase migrant subjectivity. In so doing, this flattening of migrants' lives also functions to legitimate unwanted 'rescue' campaigns wherein migrant women in particular are removed from their employment locales, presumed to be 'trafficked', and taken to 'safe houses'. After they are 'rescued' they are often cut off from their family members, made to work long hours without pay, and forced to reside in locales against their will. These unwanted gifts of rescue create situations of precarity for migrants as well as their families. This is due in part to the fact that transnational families' livelihoods depend on the 'rescued'--but now without income-generating possibilities--migrant women. Furthermore, the human-trafficking discourse, particularly as it pertains to the Middle East, is raced, gendered and classed, creating racialised and gendered victims and villains requiring outside 'surveillance' which can come in many problematic forms. Migrating in an era of panic around human trafficking is complicated for migrants not necessarily because of an increased risk of being trafficked, but because of the violence of the human trafficking discourse and resulting outreach and policy strategies. Conversations about sex work, human trafficking, labour, and migration in the Middle East have been on a collision course over the last two decades. Policy makers, academics and activists working within these fields of concern, have conflated these issues within tropes of race, class, and gender in ways that have served to marginalise the populations most affected by policies and portraits painted about their lives. Language: en
Absolute and convective instability of a viscous liquid jet surrounded by a viscous gas in a vertical pipe

The absolute and convective instability of a viscous liquid jet emanating into a viscous gas in a vertical pipe is analyzed in a parameter space spanned by the Reynolds number, the Froude number, the Weber number, the viscosity ratio, the density ratio, and the diameter ratio. The numerical results of the analysis are used to demonstrate that reduction in gravity tends to enhance the Rayleigh mode of convective instability which leads to the breakup of a liquid jet into drops of diameters comparable with the jet diameter. On the contrary, the Taylor mode of convective instability that leads to atomization is retarded at reduced gravity. The Rayleigh mode becomes absolutely unstable when the Reynolds number exceeds a critical value for a given set of the rest of the relevant parameters. The domain of absolute instability is significantly enlarged when the effect of gas viscosity is not neglected.
The impact of reform on socialist enterprises in transition: Structure, conduct, and performance in Chinese industry

Abstract This paper investigates the degree to which socialist enterprises in transition mimic the behavior of the canonical neoclassical firm. Using enterprise survey data, we find evidence that Chinese factory managers economize on factor inputs in response to increases in managerial autonomy and market orientation. In addition, we find evidence of increasing allocative efficiency as measured by patterns of factor return equalization and rapid capacity growth among the most profitable enterprises and that some combination of regulation and market discipline is causing price and wage-setting behavior to be more efficient than most analysts have anticipated.