cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PEGUS: An Image-Based Robust Pose Estimation Method

In this paper, a robust pose (i.e., position and orientation) estimation algorithm using two-views captured by a calibrated monocular camera is presented. A collection of pose hypotheses is obtained when more than the minimum number of feature points required to uniquely identify a pose are available in both the images. The pose hypotheses - unit quaternion and unit translation vectors - lie on the S3 and S2 manifolds in the Euclidean 4-space and 3-space, respectively. Probability density function (pdf) of the rotation and translation pose hypotheses is evaluated by gridding the unit spheres where a robust, coarse pose estimate is identified at the mode of the pdf. Further, a "refining" pdf of the geodesic distance from the coarse pose estimate is constructed for the hypotheses within a grid containing the coarse estimate. A refined pose estimate is obtained by averaging the low-noise hypotheses in the neighbourhood of the mode of refining pdf. Pose estimation results of the proposed method are compared with RANSAC and nonlinear mean-shift (NMS) algorithms using the Oxford Corridor sequence and the robustness to feature outliers, image noise rejection, and scalability to number of features is analyzed using the synthetic data experiments. Processing time comparison with the RANSAC and NMS algorithms indicate that the deterministic time requirement of the proposed and NMS algorithms is amenable to a variety of visual servo control applications.
The Church, Individual Religiosity, and Social Justice

The role of the church in contemporary issues of social justice is examined by analyzing attitudinal data from a sample of college students. While considerable support was accorded the diffuse national goal of a fully integrated society, the respondents were far from certain that the clergy and the church should be actively involved in obtaining this goal. More church members than non-members agreed with the general orientation of a fully integrated society, although more Protestants and non-members than Catholics supported the active involvement of the clergy. An analysis of the data by the degree of individual religiosity, as measured by an eight-item Guttman scale, showed that, in general a larger proportion of high as compared with low religiosity respondents supported an integrated society as a national goal, but a lower proportion of high religiosity respondents supported direct involvement by the church or the clergy.
Student Participation through the Legal News Portfolio

This short article summarizes the use of news stories in a law school classroom, to generate student engagement at the start of the hour and to provide students with practice in professional judgment and public speaking. It includes footnote material on Carnegie report and "humanizing legal education" initiatives as well as material on prior restraint in college level publications. Longer title in publication, abbreviated for SSRN purposes.
Dielectric Measurement of Soil-electrolyte Mixtures in a Modified Oedometer Cell Using 400 kHz to 20 MHz Electromagnetic Waves

The dielectric properties of soil have been shown to be a good indicator of moisture, contamination, and mineralogy and have been studied in order to gain a better insight into macroscopic soil behavior. Calibration factors for the measurement of real relative permittivity and effective conductivity are discussed and measured in this study. Based on the use of calibration factors, this article presents a convenient approach of dielectric measurement of soil-electrolyte mixtures in an oedometer-like cell using electromagnetic waves at a frequency range of 400 kHz–20 MHz to study the behavior of the mixtures. The effects of volumetric water content, chemical composition, anisotropy, and soil type are assessed based on the proposed measurement approach and the results are discussed.
Preparation and Antigenic Properties of Carbonmonoxide Hemoglobin

Preparation of more or less pure oxyhemoglobin by methods suitable for use in large scale production was early recorded by Hoppe-Seyler,1 Zinoffsky,2 Hiifner 3 and others. These were essentially as follows: red corpuscles were laked with water, ether, or ether and alcohol and from the solution so obtained oxyhemoglobin was separated by crystallization in the cold from about 259fc alcohol. Schulz4 precipitated hemoglobin from laked red corpuscles with ammonium sulphate. It was not until after the beginning of the twentieth century, however, that methods were devised for the preparation of purer material. In most methods crystallization was relied upon for the purification of the hemoglobin, the Ph being controlled and regulated. Butterfield's 5 method is a modification of Hoppe-Seyler' s. The method of Christian Bohr,6 revised by Barcroft and Roberts,7 and also by Barcroft and Hill,8 is essentially as follows : Red corpuscles obtained by whipping and centrifugating dog blood were washed three times with Ringer's solution, laked with ether and the solution filtered through a Nutsche filter (Barcroft and Roberts) and dialyzed against ice water, or the corpuscles were placed directly into the dialyzer (Barcroft and Hill). The material was then concentrated by vacuum distillation at 40 C.
Measurement of lactate extraction ratio by centrifugal analyzer to assess myocardial ischemia.

The measurement of blood lactate to determine myocardial lactate extraction ratio requires a high degree of within-run precision, since small changes between arterial and coronary sinus lactate may occur. These changes in man may take place at lactate levels in the normal range, 5–18 mg/dl (0.56–2.00 mmol/l). The authors have developed a method for blood lactate determination utilizing commercially available reagents in a centrifugal analyzer (Centrifichem). Within-run precision in the low normal range, 5.4 mg/dl (0.60 inmol/l), showed a coefficient of variation of 7%. Precision extends to 50 mg/dl (5.55 mmol/l), and agreement with blood lactate values obtained with the Dupont ACA is good.
Electronic band structure, phonons, and exciton binding energies of halide perovskites CsSnCl 3 , CsSnBr 3 , and CsSnI 3

The halide perovskites CsSn${X}_{3}$, with $X=$ Cl, Br, I, are investigated using quasiparticle self-consistent $GW$ electronic structure calculations. These materials are found to have an ``inverted'' band structure from most semiconductors with a nondegenerate $s$-like valence band maximum (VBM) and triply degenerate $p$-like conduction band minimum (CBM). The small hole effective mass results in high hole mobility, in agreement with recent reports for CsSnI${}_{3}$. The relatively small band gap changes from Cl to Br to I result from the intra-atomic Sn $s$ and Sn $p$ characters of the VBM and CBM, respectively. The latter is also responsible for the high oscillator strength of the optical transition in these direct-gap semiconductors and hence a strong luminescence and absorption. The band gap change with lattice constant is also anomalous. It increases with increasing lattice constant, and this results from the decreasing valence band width due to the decreased Sn $s$ with anion $p$ interaction. It leads to an anomalous temperature dependence of the gap. The changes in band gap in different lower-symmetry crystallographic phases is studied. The exciton binding energy of the free exciton, estimated from the Wannier-Mott exciton theory and the calculated dielectric constants and effective masses, is found to be two orders of magnitude smaller than previously claimed in literature, or of the order of 0.1 meV. The photoluminescence peak previously assigned to the free exciton is instead ascribed to an acceptor bound exciton. The phonons at the $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$ point are calculated as well as the related enhancement of the dielectric constants.
Cleopatra's Pyramid

each end of two of the strips and completing octahedral surfaces with the triangles at the ends of the longer strip. This deltahedron is a pile of octahedra. On a pile of six octahedra, each strip twists through 3600. Now, the inradius of a regular octahedron is e/V6; and in FIGURE 3, OD = OA/2 = e/2V3. Hence, in a pile of k octahedra a right circular cylinder of radius e/2V3 and length 2ke/V6 can be inscribed. The HHL and LLH forms are mirror images of each other, and are bona fide deltahedra. The HHL form twists to the right; and the LLH form twists to the left. When each strip contains 12 triangles, the twist is through 3600. If each strip contains the same odd number of triangles, the model has an open face at one end which may be closed by adding an additional triangle to one strip. If each strip contains 2n triangles, the spiral deltahedron consists of a pile of (n 1) concave octahedra capped at each end with a regular tetrahedron. (A concave octahedron with equilateral triangular faces consists of three regular tetrahedra with a common edge.) It follows that the volume of a spiral deltahedron is given by (V2e'/12)[2+ 3(n 1)] or \/2e3(3n 1)/12. The dihedral angles of spiral deltahedra are variously 70?32', 141?4', and the reentrant 211?36'. These spiral deltahedra may also be considered to be a special piling of regular tetrahedra or of regular tetrahedra and triangular dipyramids. A fuller appreciation of these deltahedra can be gained by actually constructing models.
Human Rights Without Discrimination

This paper focuses on the requirement of the U. N. Charter that members shall promote human rights “without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion.” It asks: (1) whether “without distinction” means “without any differentiation” or “without discrimination”; (2) whether the naming of race, sex, language, and religion means that “distinction” on other bases remains permissible, or whether what is ruled out is discrimination of any kind that affects human rights; and (3) whether the search for equality has not been internationalized, at least in principle, and what the implications of the internationalization may be. The inquiry can be classified as legal/philosophical. The third question leads to an analysis of the “without distinction” clause of the Charter in terms of the principle of equality. Claims to nondiscrimination are negative claims to equality, and they have as their counterpart claims to affirmative action on behalf of equality—often for groups. The problem is that affirmative action promoting equality for groups entails differentiations among individuals that may be discriminatory. To resolve the dilemma, the test of reasonableness is endorsed—and the search for standards for judging it goes on—at both the domestic and international levels.
Nuclear p16 and p53 expression correlates with cisplatin sensitivity in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

5093 Head and neck cancer accounts for 4-6% of all human cancers. Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) is a lethal cancer with one of the lowest five-year survival rates. Combination of the chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin and radiation therapy is commonly used as a treatment for this cancer. Analysis of four different SCCHN cell lines for cisplatin sensitivity showed CCL23, a laryngeal carcinoma cell line and CAL27, an oral cancer cell line to be sensitive. The other two oral cancer cell lines, SCC-1 and SCC14A, exhibited relative resistance to cisplatin treatment. While CCL23 showed nuclear expression of p16 and p53, CAL27 cells contained nuclear p53. Expression of p16 was absent in CAL27 cells. These two cell lines were also positive for the expression of CDK4. The resistant cell lines, SCC-1 and SCC14A, contained low level cytoplasmic expression of p16 and p53 and were negative for CDK4. Using gel shift assay and immunoprecipitation studies, we could observe inhibition of NFkB activation mediated by a direct binding of p16 to NFkB in CCL23 cells. There was also a correlation between the nuclear expression of p16 and reduced phosphorylation of the Rb tumor suppressor gene in this cell line. Further, nuclear transport of p53 resulted in an enhanced expression of p21 in CCL23 and CAL27 cell lines. These results suggest that the nuclear expression p16 and/or p53 play an important role in sensitizing the cells to chemotherapeutic agents such as cisplatin. We hypothesize therefore that this sensitivity is associated with the inhibition of CDK4 kinase activity and decreased NFkB transactivation mediated through p16 and p53 tumor suppressor genes.
Biocentric Public Administration: Just Another Wolf in Sheep's Clothing?

Biocentric public adminstration is an interesting, yet troubling idea. The notion of biocentrism and its resultant subordination of human interest and values to the intrinsic values of nature raises problematic questions for democratic public administration, the discretionary judgment of public administrators, and the role of science in the biocentric regime. The article uses several of the western wildfires of 2000 for insights, reviews the Conservation Movement, and explores the use and role of ecological science to critique and inform biocentric public adminstration.
Bio-based high performance epoxy-anhydride thermosets for structural composites: The effect of composition variables

Abstract The structure-property relationships of a designed series of anhydride-cured epoxidized sucrose soyate (ESS) thermosets were studied. Epoxidized sucrose soyate is a novel bio-based epoxy resin derived from sucrose and soybean oil fatty acids, and it contains an average of 12 epoxy functional groups per molecule. This epoxy resin was crosslinked with methyl hexahydrophthalic anhydride to form polyester thermosets with high crosslink density, and a zinc-complex catalyst was used. In this study, the impact of composition variables—anhydride-to-epoxy molar ratio and catalyst amount—on the chemical, mechanical, and thermal properties of the thermosets was examined. All of the thermoset samples had very high gel fraction, which indicated excellent network connectivity. Samples made using an equimolar ratio of anhydride-to-epoxy groups had lower conversion of functional groups as shown by the somewhat lower gel fraction and higher moisture absorption. Analysis of the thermomechanical and tensile properties of the thermosets suggests that there is a factor interaction between anhydride-to-epoxy molar ratio and catalyst amount. Furthermore, the results suggest that the molecular networks of the thermoset samples are fairly complex due to the simultaneous competing reactions between catalyst-initiated epoxy-anhydride, hydroxyl-initiated epoxy-anhydride, and epoxy homopolymerization.
Survival Benefit of Lung Transplantation in the Modern Era of Lung Allocation.

Rationale: Lung transplantation is an accepted and increasingly employed treatment for advanced lung diseases, but the anticipated survival benefit of lung transplantation is poorly understood.Objectives: To determine whether and for which patients lung transplantation confers a survival benefit in the modern era of U.S. lung allocation.Methods: Data on 13,040 adults listed for lung transplantation between May 2005 and September 2011 were obtained from the United Network for Organ Sharing. A structural nested accelerated failure time model was used to model the survival benefit of lung transplantation over time. The effects of patient, donor, and transplant center characteristics on the relative survival benefit of transplantation were examined.Measurements and Main Results: Overall, 73.8% of transplant recipients were predicted to achieve a 2-year survival benefit with lung transplantation. The survival benefit of transplantation varied by native disease group (P = 0.062), with 2-year expected benefit in...
Earth as a Wandering Star

In the first four chapters of Book I of On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres, Copernicus adhered very closely to the opinions which he inherited from the ancients regarding both the shape of the heavens and the earth and the circular motion of the planets. For example in Chap. 4 of Book I, Copernicus states that the sun, the moon and the planets must all be attached to vast heavenly spheres which are themselves rotating at a constant speed—just as Aristotle and Ptolemy had taught many centuries before. For otherwise, how could they exhibit “fixed periodic returns” according to a “constant law”? As Copernicus sees it, there is no other solution—apart from attributing to the planets some type of variable “motor virtue”, a supposition which causes the mind to shudder. The difficulty now facing Copernicus is how he might arrange this system of heavenly spheres in a configuration which is somehow superior to that laid out so convincingly by Ptolemy over a 1000 years earlier in his Almagest. So in Chap. 5 of Book I, Copernicus begins to reconsider whether the earth might spin about its own axis. On this point, his views begin to diverge from those of Ptolemy (and Aristotle). In arguing his case, does Copernicus reject Aristotle’s physics altogether—along with Ptolemy’s astronomy—or does he attempt to reconcile Aristotle with his own heliocentric world-view?
Excitation energy transfer from long-persistent phosphors for enhancing power conversion of dye-sensitized solar cells

Incorporation of inorganic phosphors to improve the spectral absorption range of a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is a promising strategy to enhance efficiency beyond 15%. However, only marginal improvements have been achieved so far, which is mainly due to the use of nonoptimized device architecture and the lack of understanding of the energy transfer mechanism. Here we report results of DSSCs employing long-persistence phosphor coupled to the sensitizing dye. Detailed time-resolved photoluminescence measurements suggest that excitation energy is transferred radiatively as opposed to F\"orster resonance energy transfer. As a result of efficient energy transfer, large-area solar cells show a 63% increase in the photocurrent density along with a 54% increase in power conversion efficiency. In addition, the device works as a ``nighttime solar cell'' with generation of $52\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{W}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ power density in the dark. Under short-circuit conditions, the device can output 300 mV for 30 h in the dark.
Introducing Decision Making in a World of Comparative Effectiveness Research

Although comparative effectiveness research (CER) is now a widely-established discipline, less attention has been paid to how it has been used in practice by decision makers in the life sciences industry and the extent to which it has satisfied the needs of stakeholders. While CER often provides important insights, valuable information sought by the ultimate “consumers” of this research often is not available to support the decisions they must make. This Introduction sets the context for the remaining chapters in Decision Making in a World of Comparative Effectiveness. Contributions by senior industry executives, key opinion leaders, accomplished researchers, and leading attorneys involved in dispute resolution consider issues important to life sciences industry decision makers both in the US and globally.
Effect of process parameters on process efficiency and inertia friction welding behavior of the superalloys LSHR and Mar-M247

Abstract The relationships between the inertia friction welding process parameters (initial angular velocity, ωₒ, and moment of inertia, I, of the flywheel and the axial compression force, P) and welding behavior (welding time, sample upset and flash formation, efficiency and kinetics of friction-induced sample heating) of dissimilar superalloys were determined. The results showed that the initial kinetic energy of the flywheel, Eo = Iωₒ2/2, should not be considered as a key parameter for the design of the IFW process. Only a fraction of this energy (denoted as ‘sample energy’, ES), which is process-parameters dependent, is used to heat the workpieces at the weld interface. Together with I and P, ES controls the upset length, the duration of the welding process, temperature profiles near the weld interface and the weld quality. Optimization of the inertia friction welding for better quality, reduced energy consumption and materials saving requires information about the process efficiency η = ES/Eo and its dependence on the process parameters. Critical sample energy per unit surface area (≈ 79 MJ/m2) was identified above which good quality metallurgical bonds were produced between LSHR and Mar-M247 alloys.
Pressure shift of the Cr levels in Al2O3

Abstract The pressure coefficient of the ruby R lines was measured to have the constant value of −0.9 ± 0.05 cm −1 kbar up to 10 kbar. Some previously determined Ruby level shifts are combined with this result to find the pressure coefficients of the crystal field parameter D q , and of the Racah B and C parameters for Cr 3+ in Al 2 O 3 .
Highlighting Some Key Concepts and Issues in International-Business Research

Are you sure of the meanings of such key IB concepts as “nonmarket,” “public and private ordering,” “political influence” and “precipitating circumstances?” Besides, do you know when research is tr...
Variational Analysis of Nash Equilibrium

Tools of variational analysis are employed in studying the local stability of Nash equilibrium in a game-like framework of multi-agent optimization that emphasizes first- and second-order conditions for local optimality. The equilibrium is tied to a parameterized variational inequality for which properties of metric regularity can be derived.
Immunologic studies of Caddis fly: III. Physical and chemical characterization of the major antigen

Abstract 1.1. A purified fraction of Caddis fly extract has been shown to consist of two components, which can be separated in electrophoresis, but not in the ultracentrifuge. The electrophoretic mobilities are −7.7 and −6.1 × 10 −5 cm. 2 sec. −1 volt −1 . The sedimentation coefficient is 0.72 S. 2.2. The estimated molecular weight for each component is 3000, assuming the particles to be spherical and unhydrated. 3.3. Extinction coefficients were determined for this preparation and found to be 35.2 by ultraviolet (280 mμ) and 1.3 by biuret (540 mμ). 4.4. From the nitrogen content, spectral properties, hexose determination, and other data, it is concluded that the allergen is a peptide or glycopeptide.
Network carriers' strategic decisions: does low cost carrier entry matter?

Good decisions require that each decision-maker accurately predicts the strategic moves of the other parties. Dealing with prospective low-cost carrier (LCC) entrants is critical for global network airlines. This research focused on two main issues. First, it investigates competitive reaction by established US airlines when they face an LCC entrant in the less congested, small-sized US regional airports. Second, it examines which of the market indicators are most likely to influence airline fares out of small regional airports with the LCC entry. While the first stage of research demonstrated mixed results and did not discover any patterns in airline behaviour with LCC entry due to a large number of other variables influencing airline revenue management. The second stage confirmed that the stage length, number of passengers, number of competitors, number of stops and the oil price do have an impact on airfares.
Healthcare Utilization and Statin Re‐Initiation Among Medicare Beneficiaries With a History of Myocardial Infarction

Background Contact with the healthcare system represents an opportunity for individuals who discontinue statins to re‐initiate treatment. To help identify opportunities for healthcare providers to emphasize the risk‐lowering benefits accrued through restarting statins, we determined the types of healthcare utilization associated with statin re‐initiation among patients with history of a myocardial infarction. Methods and Results Medicare beneficiaries with a statin pharmacy fill claim within 30 days of hospital discharge for a myocardial infarction in 2007 to 2012 (n=158 795) were followed for 182 days postdischarge to identify treatment discontinuation, defined as 60 continuous days without statins (n=24 461). Re‐initiation was defined as a statin fill within 365 days of the discontinuation date (n=13 136). Using a case‐crossover study design and each beneficiary as their own control, healthcare utilization during 0 to 14 days before statin re‐initiation (case period) was compared with healthcare utilization 30 to 44 days before statin re‐initiation (control period). The mean age of beneficiaries was 75.4 years; 52.8% were women and 81.9% were white. For routine healthcare utilization, the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for statin re‐initiation associated with lipid panel testing was 2.65 (1.93–3.65), outpatient primary care was 1.31 (1.23–1.40), and outpatient cardiologist care was 1.38 (1.28–1.50). For acute healthcare utilization, the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for statin re‐initiation associated with emergency department visits was 1.77 (1.31–2.40), coronary heart disease (CHD) hospitalizations was 3.16 (2.41–4.14) and non–coronary heart disease hospitalizations was 1.73 (1.49–2.01). Conclusions The weaker association of routine versus acute healthcare utilization with statin re‐initiation suggests missed opportunities to reinforce the importance of statin therapy for secondary prevention.
Metaphern, Metanarrative und Verbindlichkeitsnarrationen: Narrative in der Politischen Theorie

Narrative Elemente finden sich in verschiedenen Bereichen der Politikwissenschaft und der dazu gehorigen Theoriebildung, von der Ideengeschichte bis zur policy-Analyse. In dieser Abhandlung wird unter Ruckgriff auf die klassische Rhetorik gezeigt, dass insbesondere die politische Sprache nicht vom Vorgang des Argumentierens getrennt werden kann, sondern im Kontext konkreter Entscheidungsprozesse und ihrer Beratung steht. Narrative Elemente bearbeiten den zu beratenden Gegenstand auf eine spezifische Weise fur die politische Entscheidung vor. Die Narration erzeugt einen Zusammenhang zwischen dem Erzahler, dem Publikum und den Argumenten, was die Zustimmungsfahigkeit der Argumente erzeugt. Am Beispiel der narrativen Konstruktion politischer Kollektivsubjekte werden Aspekte des Vorgangs narrativer Erzeugung von politischer Verbindlichkeit aufgezeigt.
Juvenile Offenders and the Legal System: What We Have Learned from Victim-Offender Mediation

The aim of this book was to document the state of the art concerning VOM practice within the European juvenile justice systems. Although there are differences in the extent and ways in which VOM is implemented, the similarity among different experiences is striking. A natural interpretation of this similarity is that restorative practice principles are so deeply rooted in individuals’ sense of justice, that they emerge in relatively similar fashion across countries and legal traditions. This would also explain why practices inspired by restorative principles have been carried out all over the world, sometimes to recompose such dramatic societal fractures as those produced by Apartheid in South Africa. Overall then, though aware that there are inherent constraints to generalized restorative practice (e.g., voluntariness of participation), and that it would be both naive and inappropriate to expect such generalized practice, it seems safe to assume that in the coming years Europe will witness further promotion and development of VOM and RJ practices.
Economic Defenses for Rational Behavior in Economics

The various historical and disciplinary analyses of rational behavior in this book lead inextricably to an overarching conclusion: Perfect rational behavior, the type widely presumed in neoclassical economics – a decision making process in which people flawlessly (with impeccable consistency and transitivity) make choices among known alternatives with known resources at their disposable – is not, and cannot be, descriptive of the full scope of the human predicament. Frank Knight’s observations regarding “scientific economics” is key to understanding the limits of rational behavior for people and the limits of economics as a means of understanding human behavior: “The first question in regard to scientific economics is the question of how far life is rational, how far its problems reduce to the form of using given means to achieve given ends.....[L]ife is at bottom an exploration in the field of values, an attempt to discover values, rather than on the knowledge of them to produce and enjoy them to the greatest possible extent” (1935, p. 105). Nevertheless, there can be a rationality of a sort – and an economics of a sort – so far as wants are determined and to the extent that people can and do contemplate the relative merits of alternative courses of production and consumption. Behavioral psychologists and economists have more recently documented many imperfections in human rationality, and its derivatives, decision making, and behaviors (see Chap. 6), but neoclassical economists should neither consider such findings unexpected nor deny them. Oddly, as will be seen in Chaps. 10 and 11, the behaviorals’ findings should even be welcomed as a reason d’etre for the economics as a course of study and method for thinking and deducing insights about real-world human behavior.
Preconfigured patterns are the primary driver of offline multi-neuronal sequence replay.

Spontaneous neuronal ensemble activity in the hippocampus is believed to result from a combination of preconfigured internally generated dynamics and the unique patterns of activity driven by recent experience. Previous research has established that preconfigured sequential neuronal patterns (i.e., preplay) contribute to the expression of future place cell sequences, which in turn contribute to the sequential neuronal patterns expressed post-experience (i.e., replay). The relative contribution of preconfigured and of experience-related factors to replay and to overall sequential activity during post-run sleep is believed to be highly biased toward the recent run experience, despite never being tested directly. Here, we use multi-neuronal sequence analysis unbiased by firing rate to compute and directly compare the contributions of internally generated and of recent experience-driven factors to the sequential neuronal activity in post-run sleep in naive adult rats. We find that multi-neuronal sequences during post-run sleep are dominantly contributed by the pre-run preconfigured patterns and to a much smaller extent by the place cell sequences and associated awake rest multi-neuronal sequences experienced during de novo run session, which are weakly and similarly correlated with pre- and post-run sleep multi-neuronal sequences. These findings indicate a robust default internal organization of the hippocampal network into sequential neuronal ensembles that withstands a de novo spatial experience and suggest that integration of novel information during de novo experience leading to lasting changes in sequential network patterns is much more subtle than previously assumed.
A three-phase decision making approach for self-adaptive systems using web services

A self-adaptive system adapts itself to changes in a dynamic environment. The core in self-adaptive systems is making an adaptation decision. The current practice focuses on a single layer of decision making using either a local knowledge base or a shared knowledge base shared by multiple units through a network. While the use of a local knowledge base is efficient, it suffers from its limited maturity. A shared knowledge base can address the maturity problem, but it is inefficient in adaptation due to communication overheads. In this work, we present a three-phase decision making approach for self-adaptive systems to improve precision while being competitive for efficiency. The approach consists of three phases for making a decision. The first phase uses the local knowledge base of the self-adaptive unit to identify an object. If the object cannot be identified locally, the unit sends a request to shared knowledge bases through web services in the second and third phases. The approach makes use of B-kNN for object identification and web services for accessing shared knowledge bases. We conducted quantitative validation in terms of accuracy, precision, recall, and F-measure using a set of scenarios. The results show that 99.58% of accuracy, 94.01% of recall, 94.04% of precision, and 94.01% of F-measure can be achieved. We also conducted comparative analysis by comparing the presented approach with the traditional approach and the cloud-based approach. The results show that the presented approach improves 45% in object identification with an increase of 0.66 s over the traditional approach and the same performance in object identification with a decrease of 0.95 s over the cloud-based approach.
The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Pilot Project

LB-247 The Cancer Genome Atlas Pilot Project (TCGA), sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), is a 3-year program designed to test the feasibility of a long-term, comprehensive cancer genomics program that will produce an ‘atlas’ of genomic and epigenomic somatic alterations that occur in cancers. Specifically, TCGA will determine if it is feasible to efficiently identify comprehensive genomic changes in three cancers: glioblastoma multiforme, squamous carcinoma of the lung and serous cystadenocarcinoma of the ovary. There are four components of TCGA that work in an integrated fashion: a Biospecimen Core Resource (BCR), Cancer Genome Characterization Centers (CGCCs), Genome Sequencing Centers (GSCs) and a Data Coordinating Center (DCC). The BCR will utilize standard operating procedures for the collection, storage and processing of tumors and will extract DNA and RNA from the samples. The BCR will distribute the biomolecules to the CGCCs and the GSCs for genomic and epigenomic analyses. The CGCCs will use a variety of advanced technology platforms to analyze chromosomal copy number alterations, loss of heterozygosity, expression profiles, and epigenomic changes in tumors from 500 patients for each cancer type. The GSCs will use high-throughput sequencing to generate millions of reads per year. The targets to sequence will be specific for each cancer and will be selected based upon the data generated by the CGCCs, as well published literature. The targets include candidate genes (the transcribed unit, the promoter regions and splicing signals), as well as genomic regions identified by the CGCCs to be altered. This unprecedented amount of comprehensive cancer genomic information will be placed into public databases, including one developed specifically for TCGA, the DCC. Certain types of data will be available only through controlled access to protect the privacy and confidentiality of participants. The data analysis will require development of improved tools and algorithms to ensure the most efficient integration of the experimental generated and the clinical data available. The long-term goals of TCGA are the identification of new cancer-associated genes which would be used to develop new therapies, new genomic markers for patient stratification, treatment targeting, improved patient risk assessment and to innovate medical and research technologies. More information about TCGA, including the list of participant laboratories, can be found at http://cancergenome.nih.gov.
A Reduced-Order Model for Predicting the Performance of a Liquid-Ring Vacuum Pump

Vacuum and low pressures are needed in many applications, and the liquid-ring vacuum pump, which does not have any solid-solid contacts between moving and stationary parts, is widely used because of its low operational cost and long service life. Though progress has been made in advancing this pump, industry still has aggressive goals on improving its efficiency and performance.In this study, a reduced-order model was developed to predict the ability of liquid-ring pumps to ingest air and thereby create lower pressure as a function of pump design and operating parameters. The model developed is semi-empirical — constructed by first analyzing available experimental data to extract features and trends and then encapsulating them into a model through appropriate dimensionless parameters. This model by being in closed form shows the functional relationship between the pump’s design and operating parameters and its ability to ingest air and create a vacuum. To make predictions, this model only requires the following inputs: suction pressure, impeller’s rotational speed, and a few dimensions of the pump.The model developed was assessed by using it to predict the ability of the pump to ingest air for a wide range of suction pressures (cavitation pressure to 760 torr), rotor speeds (up to 1,750 rpm), and dimensions of the pump (radius and span of the impeller blade, hub radius) and then comparing predictions with experimental data not used in the creation of the model. The model developed was found to be accurate within 11% of the experimental data.Copyright © 2018 by ASME
3D multiscale modeling of fracture in metal matrix composites

Metal matrix composites (MMCs) have great potential to replace monolithic metals in many engineering applications due to their enhanced properties, such as higher strength and stiffness, higher operating temperature, and better wear resistance. Despite their attractive mechanical properties, the application of MMCs has been limited primarily due to their high cost and relative low fracture toughness and reliability. Microstructure determines material fracture toughness through activation of different failure mechanisms. In this paper, a 3D multiscale modeling technique is introduced to resolve different failure mechanisms in MMCs. This approach includes 3D microstructure generation, meshing, and cohesive finite element method based failure analysis. Calculations carried out here concern Al/SiC MMCs and focus on primary fracture mechanisms which are correlated with microstructure characteristics, constituent properties, and deformation behaviors. Simulation results indicate that interface debonding not only creates tortuous crack paths via crack deflection and coalescence of microcracks but also leads to more pronounced plastic deformation, which largely contributes to the toughening of composite materials. Promotion of interface debonding through microstructure design can effectively improve the fracture toughness of MMCs.
Cyp1b1-deficient retinal astrocytes are more proliferative and migratory and are protected from oxidative stress and inflammation

Astrocytes (ACs) are the most abundant cells in the central nervous system. Retinal ACs play an important role in maintaining the integrity of retinal neurovascular function, and their dysfunction ...
Risk as a First Derivative: Using Intensive Repeated Measures and Molecular Approaches to Studying Families

This chapter highlights developments in using intensive repeated measures of family environments through daily diaries to shed light on neuroendocrine and immune processes linking family functioning and health. I review data from the UCLA Families and Health Study, which included a 2-month daily diary, 8 days of diurnal cortisol sampling, and blood drawn to obtain DNA and RNA in immune cells. Frequent sampling of family conflict and warmth over weeks to months allowed for examining how changes over time were related to changes in multiple indicators of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function. Multiple daily measures of child-reported parent–parent and parent–child interactions, as well as negative and positive mood, allowed for computing individual differences in children’s mood “reactivity” to parent–parent and parent–child interactions over 2 months. Greater child negative mood reactivity to parent–parent conflict was related to shorter leukocyte (immune cell) telomere length. Finally, for both parents and children, greater family conflict (combined across parent- and child reports) was related to greater expression of genes regulated by nuclear factor kappa B, a transcription factor that plays a key role in promoting inflammation in immune cells that are first responders to infection and injury. Using intensive repeated measures can shed light on the kinds of outcomes that may be responsive to family-based interventions, and potential treatment targets (e.g., emotional reactivity to family conflict). Combined with cutting-edge biomarker assessment, such approaches to exposures may also help identify markers of risk and resilience with high translational potential.
Clinical application of NGS-based SNP haplotyping for the preimplantation genetic diagnosis of primary open angle glaucoma

The current study describes a successful case of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and verifies the efficiency of next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based ...
Expanding Collective Efficacy Theory to Reduce Violence Among African American Adolescents.

Community violence is a complex phenomenon, and many theories have been put forth to explain the causes of community violence and disparities in community violence across neighborhoods. One notable...
TrueNorth: Accelerating From Zero to 64 Million Neurons in 10 Years

IBM's brain-inspired processor is a massively parallel neural network inference engine containing 1 million spiking neurons and 256 million low-precision synapses. Now, after a decade of fundamental research spanning neuroscience, architecture, chips, systems, software, and algorithms, IBM has delivered the largest neurosynaptic computer ever built.
CALL beliefs in context: a study of US high school foreign language learners

Recent calls from applied linguistics and from CALL have emphasized the importance of situating the understanding and use of digital tools for language learning within layered contexts. An importan...
Outcomes After Bowel Resection for Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the Era of Surgical Care Bundles and Enhanced Recovery.

To compare 30-day postoperative complications in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) undergoing colorectal resection before and after implementation of a hospital-wide surgical care bundle (SCB) to prevent surgical site infection (SSI) followed by enhanced recovery protocol (ERP). Perioperative SCBs to prevent SSI after colectomy have evolved to include ERPs demonstrating reduced rates of SSI, ileus, and length of stay in colorectal surgical patients. IBD patients often present with more risk factors for postoperative complication like malnutrition or immunosuppression, and the impact of SCBs and ERPs in this population is understudied. Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis patients undergoing elective bowel resection at a tertiary-level referral center from 2013 to 2018 were retrospectively evaluated. Postoperative complications at 30 days including SSI, ileus, and anastomotic leak were compared between pre-SCB/ERP, post-SCB, and post-SCB + ERP time periods using institutional ACS-NSQIP data. Pediatric (age < 18 years) and emergent cases were excluded. Out of 977 patients, 224 were pre-SCB/ERP, 517 post-SCB, and 236 post-SCB + ERP. Gender (P = 0.01), race (P = 0.02), body mass index (P = 0.04), immunosuppressant use (P = 0.01), wound classification (P < 0.001), malnutrition (P < 0.001), duration of procedure (P = 0.04), and procedure performed (P = 0.01) were significantly different between the three cohorts. A significant decrease in the rates of SSI (14.7% to 5.5%), ileus (20.1% to 8.9%), and anastomotic leak (4.7% to 0.0%) was demonstrated after implementation of SCB and ERP (P ≤ 0.01). On multivariable regression, the risk for postoperative SSI and ileus decreased significantly post-SCB + ERP (OR 0.39, CI 0.19–0.82 and OR 0.45, CI 0.24–0.84, respectively). SCB and ERP implementation was associated with decreased rates of postoperative SSI, ileus, and anastomotic leak for IBD patients undergoing elective bowel resection.
An INDSCAL analysis of vowels excerpted from four phonetic contexts

Abstract: The purpose of this study was twofold: first, to investigate the dimensions underlying 10 monophthongal English vowels, /i, I, e, ae, Λ, ɣ, a, u, U, ɔ /, from four consonantal contexts; second, to examine the relative importance of the different dimensions for each context. The INDSCAL program was used to analyze the perceptual confusions of vowels excerpted from a neutral /h _ d/, nasal /N _ N/, initial /l/, /l _ C/ and initial /r/, /r _ C/ context. In a three dimensional analysis of nine vowels in four contexts, the dimensions were interpreted as “tongue height”, “low front-back” and “tongue advancement”. A fourth dimension was interpreted as “retroflexion” in an analysis of 10 vowels in three contexts. The saliency of the tongue height and advancement dimensions was primarily affected by the nasal, initial /l/ and /r/ contexts.
Efficacy of a Urinary Bladder Matrix for Treating Wound Dehiscence With Hardware Exposure in a Patient With Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective This case report explores an effective treatment modality in a medically complicated patient, with considerable wound dehiscence refractory to treatment with negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT). Case report A 35-year-old woman with a past medical history of hypothyroidism, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis treated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha inhibitors and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs presented to the clinic following right great toe arthrodesis, metatarsal neck osteotomies, extensor tendon lengthening, and capsulotomy of the second, third, fourth, and fifth toes 2 weeks prior, with wound dehiscence of the right great toe and subsequent exposure of surgical hardware, complicated by infection. At the 2-week postop, a urinary bladder matrix was placed on the wound following failed NPWT, which was in place for 10 days. At the 3-month follow-up, the wound was closed and without any drainage. Patient reported a significant reduction in pain (visual analogue scale: 3) with adherence to weight-bearing restrictions. Conclusions Wound healing was accomplished without removal of the exposed deep hardware in a patient with comorbidities and post-surgical wound dehiscence.