cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analytical and experimental modeling of a push-pull self-oscillating mixer

The optical control of the distributed electronics in phased array antennas requires specialized circuits which are compatible with the T/R level data mixing architecture. This paper presents an analytical modeling of a novel circuit, a push-pull self-oscillating mixer, that can perform three important functions: 1) oscillation, 2) frequency and phase locking to a reference signal, and 3) mixing with the data signals. The expected and the measured results show that this proposed circuit performs these three functions efficiently in a low power consuming circuit. This concept was analyzed and experimentally demonstrated at 12 GHz by use of a MESFET pair with a measured conversion efficiency as high as 13dB. Efficient subharmonic injection locking was also demonstrated. This design can be easily extended to HEMT and HBT at higher frequencies.
Self-avoiding random manifolds on a Bethe D-simplex lattice: Thermal and percolation transitions

Abstract We solve analytically a model of self-avoiding random manifolds in a grand canonical ensemble on a Bethe D -simplex lattice without using any n = 0 limit. The thermal critical behavior corresponds to that of a φ 4 -field theory for all D ⩾ 1. There is also a locus of percolation transitions for D ⩾ 2, which disappears in the dilute limit. The thermal transition persists in this limit and is first order for D > 1 and continuous for D = 1.
Design study of a 120-keV,3He neutral beam injector

We describe a design for a 120-keV, 2.3-MW,3He neutral beam injector for use on a D-3He fusion reactor. The constraint that limits operating life when injecting He is its high sputtering rate. The sputtering is partly controlled by using an extra grid to prevent ion flow from the neutralizer duct to the electron suppressor grid, but a tradeoff between beam current and operating life is still required. Hollow grid wires functioning as mercury heat pipes cool the grid and enable steady state operation. Voltage holding and radiation effects on the acceleration grid structure are discussed. We also briefly describe the vacuum system and analyze use of a direct energy converter to recapture energy from unneutralized ions exiting the neutralizer. Of crucial importance to the technical feasibility of the3He-burning reactor are the injector efficiency and cost; these are 53% and $5.5 million, respectively, when power supplies are included.
Plenary Speaker 1: Wireless spectrum challenges & opportunities: Maximizing assets for growth

In an industry needing to support phenomenal growth, spectrum is key. Networks and devices must support multiple technologies and frequency bands without sacrificing performance. The industry has to come together to provide innovative and cost-effective RFIC design that utilizes all available resources. Smarter utilization of industry assets is essential, for example building small cell solutions (HetNets) that include tighter integration and interworking between cellular and WiFi. Since unlicensed spectrum is a great augment to carriers' licensed spectrum assets, it opens a myriad of opportunities for increasing network capacity. Better integration between WiFi and cellular would allow customers greater capacity and flexibility with data transmissions based on cost or desired quality level and network load. Therefore, RFIC innovation is necessary for future wireless systems.
Generation of Long Insert Pairs Using a Cre-LoxP Inverse PCR Approach

Large insert mate pair reads have a major impact on the overall success of de novo assembly and the discovery of inherited and acquired structural variants. The positional information of mate pair reads generally improves genome assembly by resolving repeat elements and/or ordering contigs. Currently available methods for building such libraries have one or more of limitations, such as relatively small insert size; unable to distinguish the junction of two ends; and/or low throughput. We developed a new approach, Cre-LoxP Inverse PCR Paired-End (CLIP-PE), which exploits the advantages of (1) Cre-LoxP recombination system to efficiently circularize large DNA fragments, (2) inverse PCR to enrich for the desired products that contain both ends of the large DNA fragments, and (3) the use of restriction enzymes to introduce a recognizable junction site between ligated fragment ends and to improve the self-ligation efficiency. We have successfully created CLIP-PE libraries up to 22 kb that are rich in informative read pairs and low in small fragment background. These libraries have demonstrated the ability to improve genome assemblies. The CLIP-PE methodology can be implemented with existing and future next-generation sequencing platforms.
Group velocity and reflection phenomena in numerical approximations of hyperbolic equations

Abstract Recent analyses of spurious phenomena near interfaces and boundaries of numerical approximations of hyperbolic equations have produced a host of interesting, concrete results which are reviewed in this paper. What characterizes these analyses is that they rely on tools of mathematical physics, in particular in the systematic use of Fourier transforms and the concept of sinusoidal wave propagation. This leads to a description of numerical inaccuracy in terms of dispersion, and a description of spurious numerical solutions in terms of wave packets and group velocities. It is in providing the mathematics needed to describe spurious reflection at numerical boundaries and at interfaces in mesh refinement that the most applied results of this theory are obtained.
35Cl NQR spectra of group 1 and silver dichloromethanesulfonates

The dichloromethanesulfonates of silver and other +1-charged cations, M +(Cl2CHSO 3 − ) (M=Ag, Tl, Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs) were synthesized and studied by 35Cl NQR. Dichloromethanesulfonic acid was prepared by the methanolysis of dichloromethanesulfonyl chloride, and was then neutralized with the carbonates of the +1-charged cations to produce the corresponding dichloromethanesulfonate salt. This NQR study completed the investigation of the chloroacetates and chloromethanesulfonates of silver, Ag+(Cl x CH3−x SO 3 − ) and Ag+(Cl x CH3−x CO 2 − ), and suggests (1) that the ability of organochlorine atoms to coordinate to silver decreases as the number of electron-withdrawing groups (Cl, SO 3 − CO 2 − ) attached to the carbon atom increases; (2) that the unusually large NQR spectral width found among M+(Cl2CHCO 2 − ) salts is not present among M+(Cl2CHS0 3 − ) salts, and therefore is not generally characteristic of the dichloromethyl group in salts.
Compartment syndrome as a complication of ileofemoral deep venous thrombosis:a case presentation ☆ ☆☆

A 22-year-old morbidly obese, nonpregnant woman presented with left ileofemoral deep vein thrombosis (DVT) presenting as low back pain and bilateral, left greater than right, leg swelling and pain for 2 days. While on heparin, she developed compartment syndrome in her left leg and had evidence of dead muscle tissue at the time of fasciotomy. Three options exist for treatment of ileofemoral DVT: catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT), CDT plus pharmacomechanical thrombolysis or percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy, and surgical thrombectomy. Catheter-directed thrombolysis alone or in conjunction with pharmacomechanical thrombolysis in patients with low risk of bleeding has shown significant lysis of occlusion in 79% of patients with ileofemoral DVT with relatively low complication rates. Surgical thrombectomy and fasciotomy have not proven to be as effective but are appropriate alternatives if CDT is not available. Standard anticoagulation alone is likely not a sufficient treatment for ileofemoral DVT. Other therapies including CDT, CDT plus pharmacomechanical thrombolysis or percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy, or surgical thrombectomy to address lysis of the clot should be attempted first or in conjunction with anticoagulation for appropriate patients. Catheter-directed thrombolysis with or without pharmacomechanical thrombolysis is the preferred initial treatment.
The comparative effectiveness of mail order pharmacy use vs. local pharmacy use on LDL-C control in new statin users.

BACKGROUND Mail order pharmacies are commonly used to deliver CVD risk factor medications. Previous studies have shown that mail order pharmacy use is associated with greater medication adherence; however, no studies have examined whether mail order pharmacy use is related to improved CVD risk factor outcomes.
Acute hemodynamic effects of the prostacyclin analog 15AU81 in severe congestive heart failure

This multicenter, open-label study provides the first assessment of the safety and acute hemodynamic effects of a short-term infusion of 15AU81, a chemically stable analog of prostacyclin, in patients with New York Heart Association class III or IV heart failure. Twelve patients underwent sequential dose escalation by increasing the rate of the infusion at 15-minute intervals until the drug was no longer tolerated. Patients then received a 90-minute infusion at their maximum tolerated dose. The infusion was then discontinued and the subjects were observed during a 90-minute washout segment. Serial hemodynamic measurements were made throughout the dose-ranging, maintenance, and washout segments. A significant decrease in systemic vascular resistance (1,935 ± 774 vs 1,243 ± 351 dynes.s.cm -5 ; p <0.001) and pulmonary vascular resistance (395 ± 335 vs 223 ± 198 dynes. s.cm -5 ; p = 0.008) occurred from the infusion of vehicle to the maximum tolerated dose. During dose titration, there was a a significant increase in cardiac index (1.9 ± 0.7 vs 2.8 ± 0.6 liters/min/m 2 ; p <0.001) and a tendency for a mild reduction in pulmonary artery wedge pressure (18 ± 7 vs 17 ± 6 ; p = 0.055) for the 8 patients with values on vehicle and maximum tolerated dose. These hemodynamic changes persisted during the maintenance infusion and disappeared rapidly during the washout segment. The most common adverse event to limit dose-ranging was headache, which occurred at a mean maximum tolerated dose of 36 ± 15 ng/kg/min. Administration of 15AU81 was associated with significant acute hemodynamic improvement in patients with severe heart failure. The stable chemical nature of this compound may permit effective administration by nonparenteral routes.
Progress towards a MEMS tunable infrared filter using porous silicon

The unique optical properties of porous silicon show it to be a promising material for imaging and spectroscopy in the mid-infrared and long-infrared wavelength ranges. A tunable MEMS filter using porous silicon as a high-reflectivity layer is proposed. Measurements on fabricated porous silicon-based distributed Bragg reflectors and Fabry-Perot etalons are presented.
Kinetics of vapor-phase electrochemical oxidative dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene

Abstract The vapor-phase electrochemical oxidative dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene to styrene was studied at 575 °C and atmospheric pressure on a polycrystalline platinum electrocatalyst in a stabilized zirconia electrochemical reactor. Electrochemical supply of oxygen to the electrocatalytic surface increases both the dehydrogenation rate and the deep oxidation rate. Carbon dioxide formation is oxygen-limited and its rate is linear in current density. The dehydrogenation rate is enhanced as much as 600% by moderate current densities; this electrocatalytic enhancement reaches an ethylbenzene-concentration-dependent asymptote at larger current densities. Addition of gas-phase hydrogen suppresses both the deep oxidation rate and the current-induced increase of the dehydrogenation rate. A two-site Langmuir-Hinshelwood type reaction mechanism is proposed which quantitatively describes these results. In this model, the electrocatalytic enhancement of the dehydrogenation rate results from a surface oxidative dehydrogenation step in which adsorbed ethylbenzene reacts with oxidized surface sites to form styrene and water.
Bonding in GaAs

Experimental measurements of structure factors in GaAs have been compared with the results of ab initio calculations by the pseudopotential method. We measure the charge in the bond from charge-density maps to be 0.071 electron, in good agreement with theory. The measurements were obtained by an electron-diffraction technique which can be applied to submicron crystals, thus greatly extending the range of materials for which structure factors can be measured, and theoretical calculations tested.
Effects of flood pre-conditioning on responses of three bottomland tree species to soil waterlogging

Summary The potential for improving the performance of seedlings of woody species under flood stress was evaluated. Seedlings of baldcypress ( Taxodium distichum ), nuttall oak ( Quercus nuttallii ), and swamp chestnut oak ( Quercus michauxii ) were subjected to a two-phase study in which soil moisture regime was controlled. During Phase I, plants were randomly assigned to either: Control, well-watered and drained conditions; or intermittent flooding, alternating flooding and drained conditions. Following completion of Phase I, seedlings in each treatment were assigned randomly to one of two treatments: well-watered but drained or continuously flooded. Thus during Phase II, plants were divided into four groups: Control (A), intermittent flooding during Phase I and draining during Phase II (B), control during Phase I and continuously flooding during Phase II (C), and intermittently flooded during Phase I and continuously flooded during Phase II (D). Stomatal conductance (gw) in baldcypress increased in flooded treatments ranging from 112 to 128 percnt; of controls. Net photosynthesis (Pn) in baldcypress was not significantly affected by flooding while in oaks, Pn and gw decreased significantly in response to flooding. In oaks, flood pre-conditioning did not affect growth or physiological responses during phase II significantly. However, stomatal conductance of flood-hardened baldcypress was increased compared to seedlings that were not hardened. The study species developed significantly higher root porosity under flooded conditions compared to controls. Flood pre-conditioning did not appear to increase root porosity although it may have accelerated the process.
Superconductivity in alkaline earth metal and Yb intercalated group VI layered dichalcogenides

Abstract Alkaline earth metals and Yb have been intercalated into Group VI layered dichalcogenides, e.g., MoS 2 , etc., by the liquid ammonia method at low temperatures. Chemical analysis and X-ray data indicate that ammonia is also intercalated along with the metal and that the c axis increases by ∼3 A in all the intercalated materials. In most cases, these compounds are only partially intercalated in that some pure unintercalated phase is present. Superconductivity has been observed in these intercalated compounds with the highest value T onset of 5.7°K for Ba x (NH 3 ) y MoS 2 ; the T onset temperatures depend on the nature of the metal and the host dichalcogenides but not on the concentration of the intercalated metal ion. Fine-particle (1–10 μm size) materials which are fully intercalated do not exhibit the superconductivity behavior as measured by the ac susceptibility method. The results are discussed in terms of the current band models for the Group VI MCh 2 materials and compared with alkali metal intercalated MoS 2 as reported by Somoano et al. ( 4 ).
Rapid Manufacturing in Minutes: The Development of a Mask Projection Stereolithography Process for High-Speed Fabrication

The purpose of this paper is to present a direct digital manufacturing (DDM) process that is an order of magnitude faster than other DDM processes currently available. The developed process is based on a mask-image-projection-based Stereolithography process (MIP-SL), during which a Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) controlled projection light cures and cross-links liquid photopolymer resin. In order to achieve high-speed fabrication, we investigated the bottom-up projection system in the MIP-SL process. A set of techniques including film coating and the combination of two-way linear motions have been developed for the quick spreading of liquid resin into uniform thin layers. The process parameters and related settings to achieve the fabrication speed of a few seconds per layer are presented. Additionally, the hardware, software, and material setups developed for fabricating given three-dimensional (3D) digital models are presented. Experimental studies using the developed testbed have been performed to verify the effectiveness and efficiency of the presented fast MIP-SL process. The test results illustrate that the newly developed process can build a moderately sized part within minutes instead of hours that are typically required.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Reactions of benzo[a]pyrene diol-epoxides with DNA and nucleosomes in aqueous solutions

Abstract The rate of solvolysis of benzo[ a ]pyrene diol-epoxide in aqueous solutions can be followed by fluorescence spectroscopy. When DNA was present the rat of breakdown of benzo[ a ]pyrene diol-epoxide was substantially enhanced, while at the same time fluorescence intensity was decreased. This decrease, however, was due to noncovalently bound tetraols and does not seem to be a function of the covalent adducts formed. Nucleosomal core particles, reacted under identical conditions, showed very little quenching of the pyrene-like chromophore. When increasing amounts of cysteine were present the covalent binding could be prevented in both free DNA and nucleosomal DNA. Analysis of the distribution of the carcinogen to nucleosomal DNA showed that the covalently bound carcinogen was located at or within 10 bases of the 5′-OH region of the nucleosomal DNA.
Functional analysis of human hematopoietic stem cell gene expression using zebrafish.

Although several reports have characterized the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transcriptome, the roles of HSC-specific genes in hematopoiesis remain elusive. To identify candidate regulators of HSC fate decisions, we compared the transcriptome of human umbilical cord blood and bone marrow CD34+CD33−CD38−Rholoc-kit+ cells, enriched for hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells with CD34+CD33−CD38−Rhohi cells, enriched in committed progenitors. We identified 277 differentially expressed transcripts conserved in these ontogenically distinct cell sources. We next performed a morpholino antisense oligonucleotide (MO)-based functional screen in zebrafish to determine the hematopoietic function of 61 genes that had no previously known function in HSC biology and for which a likely zebrafish ortholog could be identified. MO knock down of 14/61 (23%) of the differentially expressed transcripts resulted in hematopoietic defects in developing zebrafish embryos, as demonstrated by altered levels of circulating blood cells at 30 and 48 h postfertilization and subsequently confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR for erythroid-specific hbae1 and myeloid-specific lcp1 transcripts. Recapitulating the knockdown phenotype using a second MO of independent sequence, absence of the phenotype using a mismatched MO sequence, and rescue of the phenotype by cDNA-based overexpression of the targeted transcript for zebrafish spry4 confirmed the specificity of MO targeting in this system. Further characterization of the spry4-deficient zebrafish embryos demonstrated that hematopoietic defects were not due to more widespread defects in the mesodermal development, and therefore represented primary defects in HSC specification, proliferation, and/or differentiation. Overall, this high-throughput screen for the functional validation of differentially expressed genes using a zebrafish model of hematopoiesis represents a major step toward obtaining meaningful information from global gene profiling of HSCs.
Distribution of 14 elements from two solutions simulating Hanford HLW Tank 102-SY (acid-dissolved sludge and acidified supernate) on four cation exchange resins and five anion exchange resins having different functional groups

As part of the Tank Waste Remediation System program at Los Alamos, we evaluated a series of cation exchange and anion exchange resins for their ability to remove hazardous components from radioactive high-level waste (HLW). The anion exchangers were ReillexTM HPQ, a polyvinylpyridine resin, and four strong-base polystyrene resins having trimethyl, triethyl, tripropyl, and tributyl amine as their respective functional groups. The cation exchange resins included AmberlystTM 15 and AmberlystTM XN-1010 with sulfonic acid functionality, DuoliteTM C-467 with phosphonic acid functionality, and polyfunctional DiphonixTM with diphosphonic acid, sulfonic acid, and carboxylic acid functionalities. We measured the distributions of 14 elements on these resins from solutions simulating acid-dissolved sludge (pH 0.6) and acidified supernate (pH 3.5) from underground storage tank 102-SY at the Hanford Reservation near Richland, Washington, USA. To these simulants, we added the appropriate radionuclides and used gamma spectrometry to measure fission products (Ce, Cs, Sr, Tc, and Y), actinides (U, Pu, and Am), and matrix elements (Cr, Co, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Zr). For each of the 252 element/resin/solution combinations, distribution coefficients (Kds) were measured for dynamic contact periods of 30 minutes, 2 hours, and 6 hours to obtain information about sorption kinetics from these complex media. Because we measured the sorption of many different elements, the tabulated results indicate which unwanted elements are most likely to interfere with the sorption of elements of special interest. On the basis of these 756 measured Kd values, we conclude that some of the tested resins appear suitable for partitioning hazardous components from Hanford HLW.
Forecasting State and Local Population Growth with Limited Data: The Use of Employment—Migration Relationships and Trends in Vital Rates:

Long-term forecasts of state and local population are required for a variety of reasons, but frequently these forecasts or projections are not tied to economic activity, and the migration component of population change is commonly treated in an unsatisfactory fashion. In this paper, growth of state and local population is related to the area's net natural increase and to its net migration, which must be inferred because of lack of data. In turn, net migration is related to the growth of national employment and to the growth of regional civilian and military employment. The model is estimated for two regions, the El Paso, TX, standard metropolitan statistical area (SMSA) and the State of New Mexico. Several statistical problems arise because of the limited number of available time-series observations. Fully dynamic historical simulations track the population quite closely, in one case never differing from the actual value by more than 1.17% and in the other never differing by more than 1.36%.
Indeterminacy and Interview Research: Co-constructing Ambiguity and Clarity in Interviews with an Adult Immigrant Learner of English

This article adopts a social constructionist approach in maintaining that indeterminacy of meaning is an unavoidable aspect of interview research. It uses positioning analysis to examine how subject positions and contingently constructed meanings are produced in interview interactions. The analysis focuses on excerpts from a series of three interviews with a Chinese-born immigrant to the US in which the interviewee responds to questions asking whether he has experienced discrimination. The interviewee produces accounts that are seemingly ambiguous at times and seemingly clear on another occasion. Rather than determining exactly what he means across these three accounts, the article uses fine-grained micro-analysis to examine the linguistic constructs and interactional strategies used to construct such ambiguity and clarity. It also examines the role of the researcher in contributing to such interpretations given her projection of the ‘imagined subject’ who is producing these accounts. The article concludes with a discussion of the agentive subjectivity constituted for interviewees through the interview process, which contributes to the indeterminacy of meaning true for all interview research.
Congenital Central Alveolar Hypoventilation Syndrome (Ondine's Curse) With Survival Into Adulthood:

Ondine's curse or central alveolar hypoventilation (CCAH) syndrome is a disorder of the autonomic nervous system resulting in respiratory dysregulation. The clinical outcome is typically poor, with few individuals living into adulthood and even fewer surviving to adulthood with normal neurological function. Our patient initially presented following an uncomplicated delivery with hypotonia, poor respiratory effort, and hypoxemia that required ventilatory support. Laboratory workup, radiographic evaluation, and ancillary testing ruled out brain stem lesions, neuromuscular diseases, cardiovascular and pulmonary disease, and metabolic disorders, resulting in a diagnosis of CCAH syndrome. The patient underwent tracheotomy and chronic ventilatory support. Close long-term management and appropriate treatment modifications have provided for an excellent outcome and good quality of life. The patient is currently 22 years old and is earning her teaching degree for K-12 art education. A combination of early recognit...
Detection of contrary chromatic change

In visual search experiments we examined whether targets that are distinguished from distracting items solely by a contrary change in color can be sought spatially in parallel. Targets under time-varying illumination pop out if they present a contrary luminance signal; targets under space-varying illumination can be detected in parallel when they are isoluminant. The results suggest that neurons with spatially and chromatically opposed receptive fields are active across the central visual field.
AVIS: AJAX viewer of interactive signaling networks.

Motivation Increasing complexity of cell signaling network maps requires sophisticated visualization technologies. Simple web-based visualization tools can allow for improved data presentation and collaboration. Researchers studying cell signaling would benefit from having the ability to embed dynamic cell signaling maps in web pages.
Mass transportation: a Portland area case study

Mass transportation has been growing over time, but it is not being utilised to its full potential. Using Portland as the case study we would try to develop a system that would help increase the ridership of the existing transport system. The main problem we are addressing is that the train or bus is not able to serve the passengers who live or work far away from the light rail stations. There could be many reasons why someone would not want to use public transportation, including rush at the peak hours, safety and other problems. So, in this paper we have developed a framework to design a system that relies on what the customer needs are, and applied Quality Function Deployment.
Comparative validity of seven scoring systems for the instrumental activities of daily living scale in rural elders

Lawton and Brody's eight-item Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scale is used often with elderly patients but scored in several different ways. We scored the IADL with seven popular procedures ranging from relatively simple to complex (Guttman scores, summed and Rasch scores from dichotomous, trichotomous, and polytomous items) in a sample of rural elders (N = 231). We compared the IADL scales' prediction of concurrent cognitive functioning, depressive symptoms, psychosocial functioning, and health care use (medications, outpatient visits, inpatient days). Validity coefficients ranged from small to large among outcome variables but were highly consistent across IADL scoring procedures. Consequently, researchers and clinicians may prefer to use simpler IADL scoring procedures with this population.
Assay of heparin. III. Measurement of the end point by physical means. Influence of surface on clotting

In the assay of heparin using beef or sheep plasma die degree of dotting has been estimated by visual inspection. This estimate, visual density, has been correlated with light transmission as measured photoelectrically and with the weights of dried clots. Good agreement was obtained. At times die surface of thoroughly cleaned and stored Pyrex tubes interfered with die action of heparin in some unknown manner so that very irregular end-point responses were obtained. Concentration-response clotting curves obtained using freshly cleaned Pyrex glass tubes were similar to those obtained using silicone-coated glass tubes or cellulose nitrate tubes.
The Minds of Marginalized Black Men: Making Sense of Mobility, Opportunity, and Future Life Chances, Edited by Alford A. Young, Jr. American Paradox: Young Black Men, Edited by Renford Reese

Alford A. Young, Jr., The Minds of Marginalized Black Men: Making Sense of Mobility, Opportunity, and Future Life Chances (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2004).Renford Reese, American P...
Semantic B2B Integration: Is Modeling the Superior Approach over Programming?

Business-to-business (B2B) integration can be achieved by programming using a programming language or by modeling in a modeling and execution environment that provides semantic B2B integration concepts. This panel will discuss if semantic B2B integration by modeling is superior to integration by programming.
Dynamics and control for Constrained Multibody Systems modeled with Maggi's equation: Application to Differential Mobile Robots Partll

Quasivelocity techniques were applied to derive the dynamics of a Differential Wheeled Mobile Robot (DWMR) in the companion paper. The present paper formulates a control system design for trajectory tracking of this class of robots. The method develops a feedback linearization technique for the nonlinear system using dynamic extension algorithm. The effectiveness of the nonlinear controller is illustrated with simulation example.
Value Orientation and Forest Management: The Forest Health Debate

Among both forest practitioners and the general public, “forest health” has become an issue of contention. Whereas the debate over which treatments will best achieve healthy forests has been framed largely by the popular media and politicians as a struggle between industry and environmentalists, the views of the general public remain unexplored. Survey results from Oregon and Washington residents were used to assess the relationships between respondents’ self-described environmental or economic priorities and the following two variables: (1) acceptability of forest management practices and (2) perceived threats to forest health. Findings indicate that active management was generally accepted by a majority of respondents regardless of their environmental or economic orientation. Disagreement emerged, however, when the appropriateness of specific management practices within specific forest conditions was examined. Additionally, strong evidence was found for a relationship between self-described environmental or economic orientation and perceived threats to forest health. Those with an environmentally oriented viewpoint tended to perceive human-caused factors as the largest threats, whereas those with an economic orientation saw naturally occurring processes as the greatest threats. These findings suggest that the issue of contention is not active management per se. Rather, the major divisions in the forest health debate are defined by specific contexts and circumstances, as well as the management practices used.
Optimization of a Chemiluminescent Dot-Blot Immunoassay for Detection of Potato Viruses

Vegetative propagation of potato leads to virus accumulation, resulting in significant yield losses and reduced quality. Virus identification is critical for developing disease management strategies and measuring seed lot health. The most widely used method of virus diagnosis in seed potatoes is a post-harvest test, for which the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is often used. ELISA was previously modified by substituting microtiter plates with membranes to develop a more flexible and inexpensive assay. We optimized a dot-blot immunoassay with viral proteins bound to a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane and detection of the proteins with alkaline phosphatase-labeled antibodies and a chemiluminescence reagent. The assay was tested for detection of viruses of seven genera. We have also altered the assay by spotting an antibody array onto a PVDF membrane and tested it for its potential uses as a diagnostic tool for Potato virus Y, Hosta virus X, and Potato leafroll virus.
Detection of questions in Chinese conversational speech

What features are helpful for Chinese question detection? Which of them are more important? What are the differences between Chinese and English regarding feature importance? We study these questions by building question detectors for Chinese and English conversational speech, and performing analytic studies and feature selection experiments. As in English, we find that both textual and prosodic features are helpful for Chinese question detection. Among textual features, word identities, especially the utterance-final word, are more useful than the global (N-gram) sentence likelihood. Unlike in English, where final pitch rise is a good cue for questions, we find in Chinese that utterance final pitch behavior is not a good feature. Instead, the most useful prosodic feature is the spectral balance, i.e., the distribution of energy over the frequency spectrum, of the final syllable. We also find effects of tone, e.g., that treating interjection words as having a special tone is helpful. Our final classifier achieves an error rate of 14.9% with respect to a 50% chance-level rate
Transanal total mesorectal excision (taTME) for rectal cancer: a training pathway.

Background With increasing interest in natural orifice surgery, there has been a dramatic evolution of transanal and endoluminal surgical techniques. These techniques began with transanal endoluminal surgical removal of rectal masses and have progressed to transanal radical proctectomy for rectal cancer. The first transanal total mesorectal excision (taTME) was performed in 2009 by Sylla, Rattner, Delgado, and Lacy. The improved visibility and working space associated with the taTME technique is intriguing. This video manuscript outlines the training pathway followed by pioneers in the taTME technique, the process of implementation into clinical practice, and initial case report.
Risk management in the original extreme sporting event: the pole vault.

(2010). Risk Management in the Original Extreme Sporting Event. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 81, No. 2, pp. 23-28.
A high throughput assay for the TNF converting enzyme

Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) has been implicated in cancer and inflammatory diseases since it was first characterized and eventually identified by researchers in several laboratories in the mid-1980s [1-5]. However, only recently has the patho-logical role of TNF in arthritis and Crohn’s disease been demonstrated in the clinic with the FDA’s approval of Enbrel and Remicade [6-8]. The recent success of these biological agents that neutralize TNF has led to intense efforts to find small molecule TNF antagonists that will mimic the consequences, if not the mechanism, of these agents. Because TNF interacts at multiple contact points with either of its two receptors, researchers have struggled to find small molecular weight inhibitors that antagonize this interaction. Therefore, most efforts have focused on targets upstream of TNF synthesis or secretion and downstream of TNF receptor engagement since these targets appear more amenable to modulation by small molecular weight inhibitors [9].
Testing Reclaimed Rubber

Abstract 1. A new test formula for reclaimed rubber based on the percentage of rubber hydrocarbon in the reclaim has been in use since 1942. 2. Details of the mixing and a simplified program for testing a large number of reclaims have been outlined. 3. The test formula gives consistent results in the hands of experienced technicians.
Climate Change, the Global Food Crisis and Food Sovereignty

Strategies to prevent catastrophic climate change appear to conflict with solutions to the global food crisis. In the wake of financial turmoil, commodity speculation, the agro-fuel boom, and related food-price spikes in 2007-08, more than a billion people now face chronic hunger (FAO). Meanwhile, programs sponsored or proposed by the World Bank and international agencies would pay governments, landowners and farmers, especially in the tropics, to conserve and extend forests instead of planting food crops. Assumptions supporting this approach are that increased international food trade will supply hungry regions, that sales of the environmental service of carbon sequestration by forests will raise revenues for food imports and economic development, and that the intensification and spread of large-scale, modern agriculture will supplant peasant farming and produce more food. However, about a third of global greenhouse-gas emissions arise from agriculture itself and from related land-use changes. Large-scale, high-external-input crop and livestock operations and long-distance food transport are fossil-fuel dependent and contribute the greatest share of atmospheric and water pollution from agriculture. A growing body of evidence points to a more promising alternative. Diversity-based, low-external-input agriculture, drawing on agro-ecological science and local farmer knowledge, is often equally or more food-productive and nutritious than industrial monocrop agriculture. Diversity-based smallholder agriculture and silviculture can be much less environmentally destructive and have at least equal ability, compared to industrial farming, to sequester carbon in vegetation and soils. This approach, combined with policies to strengthen food production for local, national, and regional needs, has the additional advantages of supporting local cultures and livelihoods and reducing vulnerability to externally-caused food-price shocks and shortages. The concept of food sovereignty provides the principles and policy guidelines for promoting this strategy.
Sampling, cooking, and coring effects on Warner-Bratzler shear force values in beef

A series of experiments was conducted to determine the effects of various factors on Warner-Bratzler shear force measurement of cooked beef. As the extent of thawing of frozen steaks before cooking for shear force evaluation increases (-2 vs 12 degrees C), shear force decreases (P .05) shear force (5.21, 5.15, or 5.26 kg, respectively) or any sensory trait. Mean shear force of longissimus steaks cooked to either a constant temperature of 70 degrees C (6.97 kg) or for a constant time of 30 min (6.38 kg) was not different (P = .06), but shear force repeatability was higher for steaks cooked to constant temperature (.79 vs .53). Mean shear force (6.20 vs 6.33 kg) and shear force repeatability (.74 vs .68) of longissimus steaks cooked by either electric broiler or convection oven broiler, respectively, were not different (P > .05). Meat cores obtained perpendicular to the steak surface, from one location within the muscle, had lower (P < .05) mean shear force (3.41 vs 4.17 kg) and much less repeatable shear force (.12 vs .66) than cores obtained parallel to muscle fiber orientation. Use of more than five cores per animal did not significantly increase repeatability of mean shear force. Numerous factors must be carefully controlled to ensure measurement of shear force is as accurate and repeatable as possible.
Short Bowel Syndrome: Pharmacotherapy

Short bowel syndrome (SBS) refers to a malabsorptive state resulting from loss of intestinal structure and/or function due to congenitally absent, extensively resected, and/or diseased bowel. SBS is typically defined by the presence of <200 cm of functional small intestine. Clinical implications of SBS are influenced by the extent and location of resected bowel, viable length and absorptive capacity of remnant bowel, and small intestinal continuity with the colon. Primary management objectives include establishing adequate fluid and electrolyte balance, promoting intestinal adaptation, and providing adequate hydration and nutritional (macro- and micronutrient) support. Pharmacotherapy is generally required in SBS and tailored to mitigate clinical symptoms. Unique facets of medication management in SBS include prescribing higher drug doses and/or alternate drug delivery routes to achieve adequate clinical response in the face of malabsorption. Medication efficacy is further influenced by available absorptive surface area, remnant anatomy, intestinal transit and mucosal contact time, and acid/alkaline environment, among others. The etiology of diarrhea in SBS may be complex and multifactorial; targeted therapeutic strategies addressing rapid intestinal transit, gastric acid hypersecretion, fat malabsorption, and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth must be considered. Two pharmacologic options available for short-term SBS treatment in patients receiving parenteral nutrition and/or intravenous support are: Somatropin (a recombinant form of human growth hormone) and Teduglutide (a glucagon-like peptide-2 analog). These intestinotrophic hormones are progressive pharmacologic extensions of tailored fluid, nutritional, and standard medication management strategies in SBS. Overall, a comprehensive and multidisciplinary treatment approach is paramount, and various regimens may be required. Medication optimization with frequent reassessments over time can moderate clinical consequences and maximize intestinal rehabilitation potential. Surgical management options may be considered in select SBS cases and are briefly discussed.
NMR Studies of Membrane Proteins

Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of membrane proteins yield valuable insights into their structure and topology. For example, the tilt angle and rotation of the helices in an ion channel can be determined by solid-state NMR spectroscopy in aligned lipid bilayers. Details about the structure of the protein in aligned phospholipids environments are immediately apparent from inspection of the SAMMY spectrum and the data can be further used for the determination of atomic resolution three-dimensional structures. SAR by NMR is a technique that is well suited for the field of membrane transporter proteins. The experiments on protein/phospholipid samples provide a unique insight into the interaction of drugs and the functional proteins.The advances required to transform solid-state NMR from a spectroscopic technique to a generally applicable method for determining molecular structures included multiple-pulse sequences, double-resonance methods, and separated local field spectroscopy. It also required improvements in instrumentation, especially the use of high-field magnets and efficient probes capable of high-power radio-frequency irradiations at high frequencies. The pace of development is accelerating and the local field is being utilized in an increasing number of ways in spectroscopic investigations of molecular structure and dynamics. Applications to many helical membrane proteins are underway and promise to add to our understanding of membrane proteins in health and disease.
Discovering Coherent Topics with Entity Topic Models

Probabilistic topic models are powerful techniques which are widely used for discovering topics or semantic content from a large collection of documents. However, because topic models are entirely unsupervised, they may lead to topics that are not understandable in applications. Recently, several knowledge-based topic models have been proposed which primarily use word-level domain knowledge in the model to enhance the topic coherence and ignore the rich information carried by entities (e.g persons, location, organizations, etc.) associated with the documents. Additionally, there exists a vast amount of prior knowledge (background knowledge) represented as ontologies and Linked Open Data (LOD), which can be incorporated into the topic models to produce coherent topics. In this paper, we introduce a novel entity-based topic model, called EntLDA, to effectively integrate an ontology with an entity topic model to improve the topic modeling process. Furthermore, to increase the coherence of the identified topics, we introduce a novel ontology-based regularization framework, which is then integrated with the EntLDA model. Our experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model in improving the coherence of the topics.
Adherence Rates Between Once and Twice Daily Direct Oral Anticoagulants - Results of a Single University Pharmacy Cohort Study

INTRODUCTION Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have been shown to have equal or superior efficacy and safety when compared to Vitamin K antagonists, and have become first line therapy for many disease processes. While both the once daily drug rivaroxaban and the twice daily drug apixaban have been shown to be highly effective anticoagulants, it is unknown if differences in their dosing frequency affects patient compliance and, consequently, the likelihood of anticoagulant failure. In this study, we retrospectively evaluated the medication adherence rates of all individuals prescribed therapeutic rivaroxaban or apixaban over a one year period in our pharmacy. METHODS In this retrospective cohort study, we obtained a list of all patients prescribed treatment dose rivaroxaban or apixaban from July 2015 to July 2016 (including the initial loading and maintenance dose) at our university-affiliated pharmacy. We excluded patients who received less than three separate refills or patients on prophylactic or decreased doses. Medication possession ratio for each individual was calculated based on refill dates and means were compared using an unpaired t-test. RESULTS During the study period, there were 756 therapeutically-dosed rivaroxaban or apixaban prescriptions. After excluding individuals who received fewer than three separate refills at our pharmacy (49.3%), 105 rivaroxaban refills and 278 apixaban refills were included (mean prescription size of 32.2 tabs for rivaroxaban and 65.7 tabs for apixaban). In the rivaroxaban group, the mean medication possession ratio across the cohort was 0.9321 (SD=0.1057). In the apixaban group, the mean medication possession ratio across the cohort was 0.9051 (SD=0.1467). The mean difference of the possession ratios was 0.0269 (95% confidence interval -0.0433 to 0.0971, p = 0.4472), thus there was no statistically significant difference in possession ratios between the study drugs. CONCLUSIONS Analyzing our internal pharmacy data, we found that among individuals who filled at least three times, medication adherence was high and not dissimilar between the two groups. Thus, the likelihood of compliance does not appear to be dependent on dosing frequency. However, it should be noted that nearly half of patients filled fewer than three times at our pharmacy and were thus excluded. It is unclear whether these patients completed their prescribed course, discontinued the drug all together or elected to refill at an alternative location, but it is likely that this may have caused an overestimation of drug adherence. While larger studies are needed to further assess adherence between the two drugs, these findings are reassuring that medication compliance between rivaroxaban and apixaban are similar in those who continue the drug. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.