cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Joint Source and Channel Coding for Image Transmission over Time Varying Channels

In this paper, the joint source and channel coding for progressive image transmission over channels with varying SNR is considered. Since the feedback of channel status information generally lags behind the channel variation and the optimization process often causes high computational complexity, it is appropriate to optimally allocate the given bandwidth between the source and channel codes based on the statistics of the channel rather than a specific SNR. In such case, the optimization objective function is no longer in a recursive format and the computational complexity with exhaustive search for the optimal allocation is prohibitive. In this paper, we present a simple yet very effective genetic algorithm (GA) based optimization method so that the near-optimal channel rate allocation can be obtained through crossover and mutation operations over a candidate pool. Simulation shows that this GA-based method always approaches to the optimal results of the brute force search for the considered scenario, but with much lower complexity.
Hormone replacement therapy is associated with a decreased prevalence of peripheral arterial disease in postmenopausal women

Background The effect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in postmenopausal women on the development of peripheral atherosclerosis remains in question. The goal of this study was to analyze the use of HRT in a large population of postmenopausal women and to determine its association with the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Methods A prospective database of patients who underwent voluntary vascular screening was used. Identification of patients as postmenopausal, and their use of HRT, was based on patient questionnaires. PAD was defined to be present if either lower extremity ankle–brachial index was ≤0.9. Results Analysis was performed on data from 847,982 postmenopausal women; 433,178 (51.1%) reported having used HRT. HRT subjects were slightly older than patients who had not used HRT (64.5 years vs. 63.6 years). Caucasian women were significantly more likely to have used HRT than non-Caucasian women (52.4% vs. 47.6%). HRT subjects were significantly more likely to have smoked cigarettes (42.8% vs. 40.6%), to have hypertension (47.9% vs. 45.1%), and to have hypercholesterolemia (55% vs. 51.5%) than women who had not used HRT (all P P P Conclusions The use of HRT in postmenopausal women appears to be associated with a significant reduction in the prevalence of PAD in this population-based study. This association appeared to be significant even in postmenopausal women with known atherosclerotic risk factors. These observational data may suggest a relationship between HRT and the prevalence of PAD that has not been the specific subject of previous randomized prospective studies.
Trends in Emergency Department Antibiotic Prescribing for Acute Respiratory Tract Infections

BACKGROUND:Injudicious use of antibiotics is associated with the reported rise in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. With an estimated 26 million antibiotics being prescribed annually in the emergency department (ED), the ED represents an important setting for targeting interventions.OBJECTIVE:To provide national estimates of potentially inappropriate antibiotic prescribing during ED visits for acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) and examine associations between patient, provider, visit characteristics, and antibiotic prescribing patterns.METHODS:A cross-sectional study was conducted of ED visits for ARTIs, identified from pooled 1995–2000 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data. National estimates, descriptive statistics, and multivariate analyses were used to assess antibiotic prescribing patterns.RESULTS:An estimated 51.3 million ED visits for ARTIs occurred during the study period, 62% of which had an antibiotic prescribed. For a narrowly defined subset of ARTIs, where antibiotic ther...
Some morphological and ultrastructural changes in the ependyma of the amputation stump during early regeneration of the tail in the lizard, Anolis carolinensis.

Light and electron microscope studies indicate that the old ependyma just proximal to the plane of amputation in early lizard tail regenerates shows a sequence of morphological changes which suggests that it as well as the new ependyma growing into the regenerate may play an active role in the initiation and maintenance of early tail regeneration. The old ependyma close to the plane of amputation undergoes hypertrophy and/or hyperplasia causing a partial closure of the central canal and pseudostratification. Its nuclei shift from an original apical position to a basal one. The ependymal processes become more prominent and extend to the pia, a condition not found more rostrally. There is also a significant increase in the amount of Golgi substance and a moderate increase in the rough endoplasmic reticulum. These observations lead to the thought that these cellular changes may be an expression of enhanced secretion and other activities in the old and new ependyma just proximal or distal to the plane of amputation.
Integrating physics-based modeling with PDE solids for geometric design

PDE techniques, which use partial differential equations (PDEs) to model the shapes of various real-world objects, can unify their geometric attributes and functional constraints in geometric computing and graphics. This paper presents a unified dynamic approach that allows modelers to define the solid geometry of sculptured objects using the second-order or fourth-order elliptic PDEs subject to flexible boundary conditions. Founded upon the previous work on PDE solids by Bloor and Wilson (1989, 1990, 1993), as well as our recent research on the interactive sculpting of physics-based PDE surfaces, our new formulation and its associated dynamic principle permit designers to directly deform PDE solids whose behaviors are natural and intuitive subject to imposed constraints. Users can easily model and interact with solids of complicated geometry and/or arbitrary topology from locally-defined PDE primitives through trimming operations. We employ the finite-difference discretization and the multi-grid subdivision to solve the PDEs numerically. Our PDE-based modeling software offers users various sculpting toolkits for solid design, allowing them to interactively modify the physical and geometric properties of arbitrary points, curve spans, regions of interest (either in the isoparametric or nonisoparametric form) on boundary surfaces, as well as any interior parts of modeled objects.
A Multidisciplinary Model of Evaluation Capacity Building.

Evaluation capacity building (ECB) has become a hot topic of conversation, activity, and study within the evaluation field. Seeking to enhance stakeholders' understanding of evaluation concepts and...
Using audio time scale modification for video browsing

In the IBM CueVideo project we study various aspects of fully automated video indexing, browsing and retrieval. The technical aspects include audio processing, speech recognition, image processing and information retrieval. Equally important, however, is exploring user expectations and conducting user studies. We focus on the field of video for Training and Education, including Distributed Learning, Remote Education, and Just-in-Time Learning. This paper describes the use of audio processing technology, namely audio Time Scale Modification (TSM), for the novel application of fast video browsing and efficient video-based learning. The paper provides a brief overview of the CueVideo system, technical background of TSM technology, and the way it is being used in our system. The results of our usability study on the effect of TSM on speech comprehension indicate that TSM is very useful for fast video browsing.
Medicolegal Issues Related to Cone Beam CT

The introduction of cone beam computed tomography into dentistry, and particularly into private offices, has raised a number of medicolegal issues. Among the issues raised are who may own and operate the machines, for what purposes should the machines be used, how broadly or narrowly should the field be collimated, does the full volume need to be interpreted and, if so, by whom? For images interpreted over the Internet (teleradiology), where must the interpreting radiologist be licensed? For images interpreted by a nonradiologist, may patients legally sign a waiver of liability for a dentist's interpretation of the films? This article explores these and other issues related to the use of cone beam computed tomography in dentistry.
Generating contour plots using multiple sensor platforms

We prove a convergent strategy for a group of mobile sensors to generate contour plots, i.e., to automatically detect and track level curves of a scalar field in the plane. The group can consist of as few as four mobile sensors, where each sensor can take only a single measurement at a time. The shape of the formation of mobile sensors is determined to minimize the least mean square error in the estimates of the scalar field and its gradient. The algorithm to generate a contour plot is based on feedback control laws for each sensor platform. The control laws serve two purposes: to guarantee that the center of the formation moves along one level curve at unit speed; and to stabilize the shape of the formation. We prove that both goals can be achieved asymptotically. We show simulation results that illustrate the performance of the control laws in noisy environments.
SAME-SEX EXPERIENCE AND MENTAL HEALTH DURING THE TRANSITION BETWEEN ADOLESCENCE AND YOUNG ADULTHOOD

Previous research has demonstrated that people who report same-sex experience tend to have poorer mental health than heterosexual people in adolescence and adulthood. Yet, little is known about how same-sex experience is associated with changes in mental health between the two life stages. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (n = 12,056), this study assesses patterns of same-sex experience between adolescence and young adulthood and their consequences for changes in depressive symptoms, binge drinking, and drug use. Compared to people with no same-sex experience, those who report such experience only in adolescence show greater levels of mental health problems in adolescence, but they do not show any worse mental health changes during the transition into young adulthood. People who develop their first same-sex experience in young adulthood, however, tend to show worse changes, consistent with the argument that entry into a stigmatized role is psychologically harmful. Among females, those who report same-sex experience in both life stages also show worse mental health changes, indicating that the continuity in minority status contributes to their cumulative disadvantage. However, these differences are modest, and substantial amounts of variations in mental health changes are observed within each group. Findings are used to address the dynamic aspect of mental health disparity linked to sexuality.
In-Depth Analysis of the Thylakoid Membrane Proteome of Arabidopsis thaliana Chloroplasts: New Proteins, New Functions, and a Plastid Proteome Database

An extensive analysis of the Arabidopsis thaliana peripheral and integral thylakoid membrane proteome was performed by sequential extractions with salt, detergent, and organic solvents, followed by multidimensional protein separation steps (reverse-phase HPLC and one- and two-dimensional electrophoresis gels), different enzymatic and nonenzymatic protein cleavage techniques, mass spectrometry, and bioinformatics. Altogether, 154 proteins were identified, of which 76 (49%) were α-helical integral membrane proteins. Twenty-seven new proteins without known function but with predicted chloroplast transit peptides were identified, of which 17 (63%) are integral membrane proteins. These new proteins, likely important in thylakoid biogenesis, include two rubredoxins, a potential metallochaperone, and a new DnaJ-like protein. The data were integrated with our analysis of the lumenal-enriched proteome. We identified 83 out of 100 known proteins of the thylakoid localized photosynthetic apparatus, including several new paralogues and some 20 proteins involved in protein insertion, assembly, folding, or proteolysis. An additional 16 proteins are involved in translation, demonstrating that the thylakoid membrane surface is an important site for protein synthesis. The high coverage of the photosynthetic apparatus and the identification of known hydrophobic proteins with low expression levels, such as cpSecE, Ohp1, and Ohp2, indicate an excellent dynamic resolution of the analysis. The sequential extraction process proved very helpful to validate transmembrane prediction. Our data also were cross-correlated to chloroplast subproteome analyses by other laboratories. All data are deposited in a new curated plastid proteome database (PPDB) with multiple search functions (http://cbsusrv01.tc.cornell.edu/users/ppdb/). This PPDB will serve as an expandable resource for the plant community.
Folding of the multidomain human immunodeficiency virus type-I integrase.

Protein folding conditions were established for human immunodeficiency virus integrase (IN) obtained from purified bacterial inclusion bodies. IN was denatured by 6 M guanidine.HCl-5 mM dithiothreitol, purified by gel filtration, and precipitated by ammonium sulfate. The reversible solvation of precipitated IN by 6 M guanidine.HCl allowed for wide variation of protein concentration in the folding reaction. A 6-fold dilution of denatured IN by 1 M NaCl buffer followed by dialysis produced enzymatically active IN capable of 3' OH end processing, strand transfer, and disintegration using various human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) long terminal repeat DNA substrates. The specific activities of folded IN preparations for these enzymatic reactions were comparable to those of soluble IN purified directly from bacteria. The subunit composition and enzymatic activities of IN were affected by the folding conditions. Standard folding conditions were defined in which monomers and protein aggregates sedimenting as dimers and tetramers wree produced. These protein aggregates were enzymatically active, whereas monomers had reduced strand transfer activity. Temperature modifications of the folding conditions permitted formation of mainly monomers. Upon assaying, these monomers were efficient for strand transfer and disintegration, but the oligomeric state of IN under the conditions of the assay is determinate. Our results suggest that monomers of the multidomain HIV-1 IN are folded correctly for various catalytic activities, but the conditions for specific oligomerization in the absence of catalytic activity are undefined.
Taxonomic-Nomenclatural Practices in Protozoology and the New International Code of Zoological Nomenclature*

SYNOPSIS. All zoologists are affected by provisions in the very recently published International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, the first revised edition of these important rules to appear in over 50 years. Common nomenclatural practices, often malpractices, of protozoologists and parasitologists who work primarily in taxonomic fields are revealed and discussed in light of recommendations and mandatory regulations to be found in the new Code. Some errors have been due solely to carelessness; others have involved misinterpretations of various directives; still others have involved cases not adequately covered by the old Regles. Certain mistakes of the past cannot be changed; but others are to be rectified upon discovery, according to mandates in articles of the new Code. Practical applications of the rules of nomenclature are stressed, and examples are taken from actual situations found to exist throughout all major taxa of the phylum Protozoa. Because of the value of such discussion in both new and revisory work in protozoan systematics, the following major topics are given special consideration: matters of orthography, the original spelling of names and their justified or unjustified emendation; authorships and dates of names, who is responsible and when, and how such data are properly cited; mandatory dates in the new Code, and their effect on both already established names and names not yet proposed; the principles of priority and conservation or continuity, and how the rules attempt to satisfy proponents of both of these diametrically opposed “laws”; the concepts of synonymy and homonymy, and proper methods of treating names which have become involved in such situations; family-group names, and the several special nomenclatural problems they present to protozoan taxonomists; the major problem of types, and the peculiar position of protozoologists with regard to the type concept, especially type-specimens for categories in the species-group; miscellaneous considerations, several unrelated but significant topics not appropriate for inclusion in preceding sections of the paper.
Testing the Generalized Slowing Hypothesis in Specific Language Impairment

This study investigated the proposition that children with specific language impairment (SLI) show a generalized slowing of response time (RT) across tasks compared to chronological-age (CA) peers....
Mechanistic Pathways for Ligand Substitution Processes in Metal Carbonyls

Publisher Summary During the past decade, soluble transition-metal catalysts have become increasingly more important in a wide range of reactions; included in these are the “oxo process” or hydroformylation, olefin metathesis or isomerization, hydrogenation, polymerization, and oligomerization. Langford and Gray have classified the three possible intimate mechanisms for ligand substitution processes as dissociative, associative, and interchange. The dissociative mechanism that affords an intermediate of reduced coordination number is by far the most common pathway for substitution reactions involving 18-electron complexes. The associative mechanism involves addition of incoming ligand to the complex in the first step affording an intermediate of increased coordination number. Many ligand substitution processes involving 18-electron transition-metal organometallic compounds proceed through concurrent ligand-independent and ligand-dependent pathways. The use of highly enriched 13 CO and C 18 O (>90%) has contributed significantly to an understanding of the intimate mechanistic details of the ligand substitution processes of metal carbonyl derivatives. An illustration of the sorts of information accessible from labeling studies is seen in photochemical and thermal substitution reactions of the group VIB metal tetracarbonylnorbornadiene derivatives.
The Effects Of Spousal Support And Gender On Workers Stress And Job Satisfaction: A Cross National Investigation Of Dual Career Couples

This paper investigates the relationships between the level of spousal support that a dual career marriage participant receives and the individuals job satisfaction and work stress. Results indicate that a high level of spousal support leads to higher levels of job satisfaction. Data analysis also suggests that gender moderates the relationship between spousal support and work stress. At a low level of spousal support, but men and women reported approximately equal stress. However, data show that a high level of spousal support reduces mens work stress, but does not significantly decrease womens stress level.
Respiration and Oxidative Phosphorylation in Treponema pallidum

Exogenous and endogenously generated reduced pyridine nucleotides caused marked stimulation of O(2) uptake when added to treponemal cell-free extracts, which indicated that terminal electron transport was coupled to the consumption of O(2). Oxidation of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) was shown to correlate stoichiometrically with O(2) reduction, suggesting that NADH was being oxidized through a mainstream respiratory chain dehydrogenase. Oxygen evolution in treponemal extracts was observed after the completion of O(2) uptake which was stimulated by exogenous NADH and endogenously generated reduced NAD phosphate. Oxygen evolution was inhibited by both cyanide and pyruvate, which was consistent with O(2) release from H(2)O(2) by catalase. The addition of exogenous H(2)O(2) to treponemal extracts caused rapid O(2) evolution characteristic of a catalase reaction. A spectrophotometric assay was used to measure ATP formation in T. pallidum cell-free extracts that were stimulated with NADH. P/O ratios from 0.5 to 1.1 were calculated from the amounts of ATP formed versus NADH oxidized. Phosphorylating activity was dependent on P(i) concentration and was sensitive to cyanide, N, N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, and carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone. Adenine nucleotide pools of T. pallidum were measured by the firefly luciferin-luciferase assay. Shifts in adenine nucleotide levels upon the addition of NADH to cell-free extracts were impossible to evaluate due to the presence of NAD(+) nucleosidase. However, when whole cells, previously incubated under an atmosphere of 95% N(2)-5% CO(2), were sparged with air, ATP and ADP levels increased, while AMP levels decreased. The shift was attributed to both oxidative phosphorylation and to the presence of an adenylate kinase activity. T. pallidum was also found to possess an Mg(2+) - and Ca(2+) -stimulated ATPase activity which was sensitive to N, N' -dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. These data indicated a capability for oxidative phosphorylation by T. pallidum.
GM(1,1) model-based epidemiologic analysis of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Gansu province of China from 1993 to 2011 and its application for epidemic prediction

Objective To analyze the epidemiologic characteristics of the hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome(HFRS) in Gansu province of China from 1993 to 2011 by using the GM(1,1) model and evaluate its application in prediction of future epidemics of this disease.Methods The analysis was based on the GM(1,1) model which was established with the HFRS incidence of Gansu province from China information system for diseases control and prevention from 1999 to 2011.The HFRS incidence of Gansu province in 2012 and 2013 were also predicted using this model.Results The c-value and p-value of GM(1,1) model for Gansu province were 0.343 2 and 0.944 4,respectively.It showed a slow decline in morbidity rates of HFRS in Gansu province during the past 19 years.The predicted incidence rates for 2012 and 2013 are 0.003 5/100 000 and 0.002 4/100 000,respectively.Conclusions Reasonable and close-to-fact results were obtained when using the GM(1,1) model to analyze the epidemiologic data in Gansu province from 1993 to 2011 in China.This model can be easily applied in the prediction of the HFRS incidence in this high epidemic area and thus provide basis for the development of measures in the prevention and control of HFRS.
Researching the Identification of "ZuJia、ZuYi and BiGeng" in H3 Oracle Bones

ZuJia、ZuYi and BiGeng are the three main ancestors of master(子) of H3 oracle bones of Eastern locus at Huayuanzhuan in the Yin Ruins.There have been two chief points of view since oracle bones inscriptions were unearthed. The identification of ZuJia、ZuYi and BiGeng hase an importment role and meaning in studying about duration and the identification of ZI(子) of H3. I confirmed ZuJia、ZuYi and BiGeng be the father of Wuding with Yong(彡) and the order and converse sequence of "ZuJia" and "ZuYi".
Expanding HIV Testing: Overcoming Physician Barriers

In a recent AIDS Reader editorial, Joel E. Gallant called for clinicians who treat persons with HIV/AIDS to “become vocal advocates for routine HIV screening,
Influence of anaesthesia on blood loss in transurethral prostatectomy.

In this study operative blood loss was measured in 177 transurethral prostatectomies performed over a six-year period in one hospital by the author. A comparison was made relative to type of anaesthesia used i.e. general inhalation versus spinal anaesthesia. The two groups were similar in age and physical condition. Their prostates were almost the same size and there was negligible difference in the rate of resection between the two groups. Mean loss and median loss in 113 patients given general anaesthesia were 66.6 and 29.9 ml. In 64 patients who had spinal anaesthesia these losses were 35.6 and 22.2 ml respectively. The findings are in agreement with two of the three previous studies devoted to the relationship between operative blood loss during transurethral prostatectomy and the type of anaesthesia used.
Maximal proton secretory rate of rat distal tubules is higher during chronic metabolic alkalosis

In vivo microperfusion studies show augmented proton secretion in the distal tubule of rats with chronic metabolic alkalosis. The present studies used the same technique to determine whether this augmented proton secretion is due predominantly to an increase in substrate affinity or alternatively to a predominant increase in the maximal proton secretory rate. Surface distal tubules of alkalotic and control rats were microperfused in vivo with solutions containing increasing concentrations of HCO3. Proton secretion was determined as the difference between measured net HCO3 reabsorption and passive HCO3 transport calculated by use of the permeability derived from perfusing with a HCO3-free solution. Proton secretion was expressed as a function of the initial luminal HCO3 concentration and was assumed to follow saturable Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Alkalotic animals had a significantly higher Km (33.9 vs. 21.6 mM, P less than 0.03) and Vmax (223.8 vs. 99.1 pmol.mm-1.min-1, P less than 0.001) compared with control. These data are consistent with the augmented proton secretion in the distal tubule of alkalotic animals as predominantly due to an increased maximal proton secretory rate rather than to increased substrate affinity.
A transfer learning approach for integrating biological data across platforms

Transfer learning refers to situations where a classifier is trained on one set of data and tested on another set of data that may have an entirely different probability distribution. Biological data derived from diverse platforms, and possibly using diverse technologies, is a natural candidate for applying transfer learning methodologies. In this paper, we adapt the l1-norm SVM to fit into the paradigm of Transfer Learning, by using the importance weighting approach. Our aim is to integrate biological data from diverse platforms. To validate our approach, we applied the proposed algorithm to the problem of classifying breast cancer tumors as Estrogen- Receptor-positive (ER-positive) or Estrogen-Receptor-negative (ER-negative), which is the first step in personalizing therapy to the patient. The standard approach used in Biology is to convert data to Z-scores, that is, to subtract the mean and divide by the standard deviation. The algorithm proposed here shows better performance than using Z-scores to account for platform variations.
She Got Herself There: Narrative Resistance in the Drug Discourse of Strippers

ABSTRACTThere has been ample literature on strip clubs regarding interactions between strippers and patrons, power and social control, and how dancers manage their identities as stigmatized workers. Few studies have explored how dancers grapple with their doubly deviant identities as dancers and as drug and alcohol users. Through interviews and fieldwork, I explore how dancers frame their drug use. At times, dancers stigmatize other dancers by using damaging stereotypes to “other” sister workers for drug abuse. At other times, strippers do not malign other dancers for drug and alcohol use. Instrumental or recreational drug use is relatively unstigmatized.
Eddy viscosity and complete log-law for turbulent pipe flow at high Reynolds numbers

ABSTRACTTurbulent pipe flow velocity distribution at high Reynolds numbers is described by Coles' log-wake law for which the wake component is purely empirical. This research innovates Coles' wake law with another log-function, and thus combines the log- and the wake-laws into a single (complete) log-law, for which the von Karman constant (0.39) is the only fit parameter. Specifically, the symmetrical velocity distribution about the centreline requires a symmetrical eddy viscosity model which is approximated by a quartic polynomial, leading to a complete log-law including the effects of the bottom and top walls as well as their interactions. The complete log-law is confirmed with data from both smooth and rough pipes; it also results in an accurate and explicit friction law for smooth pipe flow. Furthermore, the complete log-law is preliminarily tested with data from channels and boundary layers; the quartic eddy viscosity may be extended for ice-covered river flow in future studies.
Porous extraction paddle: a solid-phase extraction technique for studying the urine metabolome.

Rationale A method was needed to accomplish solid-phase extraction of a large urine volume in a convenient way where resources are limited, towards a goal of metabolome and xenobiotic exposome analysis at another, distant location. Methods A porous extraction paddle (PEP) was set up, comprising a porous nylon bag containing extraction particles that is flattened and immobilized between two stainless steel meshes. Stirring the PEP after attachment to a shaft of a motor mounted on the lid of the jar containing the urine accomplishes extraction. The bag contained a mixture of nonpolar and partly nonpolar particles to extract a diversity of corresponding compounds. Results Elution of a urine-exposed, water-washed PEP with aqueous methanol containing triethylammonium acetate (conditions intended to give a complete elution), followed by MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS, demonstrated that a diversity of compounds had been extracted ranging from uric acid to peptides. Conclusions The PEP allows the user to extract a large liquid sample in a jar simply by turning on a motor. The technique will be helpful in conducting metabolomics and xenobiotic exposome studies of urine, encouraging the extraction of large volumes to set up a convenient repository sample (e.g. 2 g of exposed adsorbent in a cryovial) for shipment and re-analysis in various ways in the future, including scaled-up isolation of unknown chemicals for identification. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Laryngealization and features for Chinese tonal recognition.

It is well known that the lowest tone in Mandarin, a language without contrastive phonation, often co-occurs with laryngealization/creaky voice quality, and we provide evidence that this is also the case for the lowest tone in Cantonese. However, the effects of laryngealization on f0 feature extraction for tonal recognition, as well as the potential of laryngealization as a feature for improving tonal recognition, have not been well-discussed in the literature. We give evidence from a corpora of tonal production data for Cantonese and Mandarin that laryngealization is prevalent and significantly disturbs the extraction of f0 features, and suggest that laryngealization may in fact be a feature that could improve tonal recognition.
What we know after twelve years developing and deploying test data analytics solutions

Since 2004, Texas Instruments and Portland State University have collaborated to develop and deploy test data analytical methods for use in a variety of applications, including quality screening, burn-in minimization, high cost test replacement and/or removal, and operations monitoring. In this paper, key findings amassed during this time are summarized.
Adsorption of metal radionuclides on plastics and the effect on absorbed dose estimates using phantoms

1814 Objectives: We have previously described a method for validating calculations of radiation absorbed dose in phantoms using several radionuclides. We have observed, however, that some of these, e.g., Y-90 and In-111, can preferentially adhere to the walls of plastic phantoms due to hydrolysis reactions and oxide formation in solutions at neutral pH. The purposes of this study were to estimate changes in absorbed dose attributable to increased radioactivity adhering to plastic walls, and to determine the degree of chelation required for minimizing adsorption of these isotopes in order to yield more reliable dose estimation in phantom experiments for image based patient-specific dosimetry. Methods: We prepared Y-90, In-111, and I-131 solutions with three different EDTA concentrations, 0.25μM, 2.5μM, and 25μM. Solutions of known activity concentration were transferred to hollow-sphere phantoms made of PMMA. After 24 hours, we imaged the In-111 and I-131 spheres on a micro-SPECT system. We then withdrew the solution from each sphere and measured the final activity concentration of each solution. The self-absorbed dose to each sphere was calculated using the DOSXYZnrc Monte Carlo program, assuming, first, a uniform activity distribution and, second, the observed non-uniform distribution. Results: The reconstructed images and measurements of I-131 activity showed that it was uniformly distributed within all spheres. However, the image of In-111 in 0.25μM-EDTA indicated that the activity concentration along the wall was much higher than that in the middle of the sphere. The activity in the liquid was 54% of the total activity computed from the SPECT image, and 58% from the activity measurement; this implies that more than 40% of the activity adhered to the plastic walls and thus, the activity concentration on the wall was five times higher than that in the liquid. Y-90 in 0.25μM-EDTA behaved similarly; the final activity concentration of Y-90 in the liquid decreased by 46%. The self-absorbed dose fraction from Y-90, calculated assuming a uniform activity distribution within a 2.6cm-diameter water sphere, was 0.85, i.e., 15% of the dose was delivered to the region outside the sphere. This ‘normal tissue’ dose fraction increased to 27% when 40% of the total activity was assumed to be concentrated on the spherical shell. Conclusions: 2.5μM EDTA concentration was needed to maintain a uniform activity distribution inside plastic spheres containing 20-30µCi/mL Y-90 or In-111. These results emphasize the importance of correcting for heterogeneous distribution and adsorption of radioactivity in phantom dose estimation studies.
JPMorgan - A Trifecta of Off-the-Rails FCPA Enforcement

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has specific elements that must be met in order for there to be a violation. However, with increasing frequency it appears that the Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission have transformed FCPA enforcement into a free-for-all corporate ethics statute in which any conduct the enforcement agencies find objectionable is fair game to extract a multi-million dollar settlement from a risk-averse corporation. An example is the $202.6 million FCPA enforcement action against JPMorgan Chase & Co. based on alleged improper hiring and internship practices in the Asia-Pacific region. After discussing the main features of the problematic enforcement action, this article highlights why the SEC’s enforcement action finding violations of the FCPA’s anti-bribery, books and records and internal controls provisions represents a trifecta of off-the-rails FCPA enforcement and why anyone who values the rule of law should be alarmed.
Conscientious Objection for Catholic Healthcare Professionals

This article maintains the legitimacy of religiously-based conscientious objection to putatively medical interventions [RCO]. In particular, it considers the RCO status of Catholic medical professionals. It begins with a consideration of the aptness of speaking in terms of “conscientious objection”—a contested usage—rather than “refusal of medical care.” It argues on behalf of “conscientious objection” as the appropriate terminology. It places the debate concerning RCO within the larger context of professional medical autonomy. Thereby, it normalizes RCO. Noting the co-incidence of professional, ethical, and religious conscientiousness, it proposes that justifiable objection principally concerns interventions, not individuals. The article establishes that RCO extends to referrals, not only to the objectionable intervention. Relying on the traditional distinction between material and formal cooperation, the article argues that RCO does not extend to all acts that implicate one in the relevant objectionable act. For example, while forwarding medical records to a fellow professional who acquiesces to the patient’s objectionable request may further that goal, one who objects may in good conscience forward the materials. The article concludes noting that RCO imposes obligations upon the professional to notify relevant parties concerning the objection, disclose RCO status to patients, not to abandon the same, and to preserve patient-confidentiality.
Abstract 5672: Quantitative cell-based assays for characterization of antibodies targeting co-stimulatory immune checkpoint receptors

The human immune system is regulated by a broad network of co-inhibitory and co-stimulatory receptors that control the type, scale, and duration of immune responses. These receptors are now recognized as promising immunotherapy targets for the treatment of many cancers and autoimmune diseases. Immunotherapies that block co-inhibitory receptors such as PD-1 and CTLA-4 are showing unprecedented efficacy in the treatment of some tumors, and have generated interest in the characterization of additional immunotherapy targets that may broaden the number of patients who can be helped by these drugs. Immunotherapy research programs are now exploring a wide range of both co-inhibitory (e.g. LAG-3, TIGIT, Tim-3) and co-stimulatory (e.g. GITR, 4-1BB, OX40) receptors, individually and in combination. Quantitative and reproducible functional bioassays are essential tools in the development of biologics for cancer immunotherapy. Most existing assays rely on primary cells and suffer from lengthy protocols and high day-to-day and donor-to-donor variability. These approaches are cumbersome, error-prone, and do not produce data of the quality required for drug development in a quality control environment. To address this, we have developed a suite of cell line-based reporter bioassays for co-stimulatory immune checkpoint targets including GITR, 4-1BB, OX40, and CD40. In these assays, stable cell lines express luciferase reporters driven by response elements under the precise control of intracellular signals mediated by each co-stimulatory receptor. These bioassays reflect mechanisms of action for drug candidates designed for each co-stimulatory receptor and demonstrate high specificity, sensitivity and reproducibility. Reporter-based bioassays can serve as powerful tools in immunotherapy drug development for antibody screening, potency testing and stability studies. Citation Format: Julia K. Gilden, Jun Wang, Michael Beck, Jamison Grailer, Jim Hartnett, Frank Fan, Mei Cong, Zhe-jie Jey Cheng. Quantitative cell-based assays for characterization of antibodies targeting co-stimulatory immune checkpoint receptors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5672. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-5672
Exploring the dynamics of ‘2P’ wakes with reflective symmetry using point vortices

Wakes formed behind bluff bodies frequently reveal complex patterns of coherent vortical structures, with emergence of streamwise spatial periodicity particularly in the mid-wake region. In some cases, the vortex positions also maintain symmetry about the wake centreline. For the case in which two pairs of vortices are generated per shedding cycle, thereby constituting the so-called ‘2P’ mode wake, assumptions of spatial periodicity and symmetry allow for development of a mathematically tractable model using the point-vortex approximation. Our previous work (Basu & Stremler, Phys. Fluids, vol. 27 (10), 2015, 103603) considered staggered 2P wake configurations with two glide-reflective pairs of vortices shed in each period. Here we investigate the dynamics of a spatially periodic point-vortex street consisting of two pairs of vortices arranged with reflective symmetry about the streamwise centreline. Because of the symmetry, it is possible to model the spatially periodic point-vortex dynamics as an integrable Hamiltonian system. For a particular choice of initial condition, the topological structure of the Hamiltonian level curves is determined by location in a circulation–impulse parameter space. These Hamiltonian level curves delineate multiple regimes of motion, with all vortex motions within one regime being qualitatively identical. This approach thus enables identification and a full classification of all possible vortex motions in this constrained system. There also exist a limited number of equilibrium configurations with no relative vortex motion; some of these relative equilibria are neutrally stable to (appropriate) perturbations. Only one such neutrally stable equilibrium configuration continues to preserve the distinct four-vortex array, and numerical experiments indicate that these configurations are also neutrally stable to small perturbations that break the spatial symmetry. We apply this analysis to identify the parameter values necessary for co-existence of two closely spaced, neutrally stable Karman vortex streets that preserve the assumed symmetry. Finally, comparison of the model dynamics to a wake pattern reported in the literature suggests that the classification of exotic wakes should be based on more details than just the number of vortices periodically shed by the body.
Reconstructing dynamic magnification CBCT scans with optimization-based reconstruction

In image guided radiation therapy (IGRT), certain patient treatment positions can lead to collisions of the patient with the linac gantry. When such collisions arise, it prevents the gantry from rotating around the patient and acquiring sufficient projection information for current analytic-based reconstruction methods such as FDK. One way to alleviate such a collision would be to move the patient or imaging arms at the offending gantry position changing the magnification. In this work, we investigate if optimization-based reconstruction methods can reconstruct from data acquired from such dynamic-magnification trajectories. Using real data from Varian's TrueBeam 2.0 kV imaging system, we found that these methods can reconstruct from trajectories where different magnifications are used in a single scan. This suggests these optimization-based reconstruction methods have the potential to enable collision avoiding imaging trajectories, improving patient comfort and reducing the costly clinical delays that currently arise from these collisions.
A review of methods to study hydration effects on cartilage friction

The mechanical and tribological responses of cartilage depend strongly on its hydration state, which is a function of the mechanical and tribological conditions of the contact. The interdependencie...
Bibliometric Analysis of Scholarly Publications on the Zika Virus, 1952–2016

The 2015–2016 epidemic in the Americas caused by the Zika Virus (ZIKV) triggered a dramatic increase in the number of scholarly publications on this topic. In an effort to understand and characteri...
Y luego se pintan patrás…: Metaphorical extension and the grammaticalization of patrás in Nuevomexicano Spanish

The expanded use of patras is among the most salient features of US Spanish and commonly attributed to English influence. For Lipski (1986) , it constitutes a syntactic calque from English constructions with back; Otheguy (1999) maintains it shows cultural but not linguistic influence; Villa ( 2005 , 2010 ) ascribes patras to grammaticalization processes internal to Spanish. Previous studies lack a detailed account of the semantics of the spatial adverbial in its historical and contemporary usage. Applying Talmy’s (1983) typology of motion events to corpus data, this paper traces a grammaticalization path for patras from its historical use to its contemporary use in Nuevomexicano Spanish. Patras has shifted from primarily atelic backwards motion meanings to primarily telic return meanings. This shift is evident across Germanic languages for adverbs deriving from the noun back and in the Romance prefix re- from Latin adverb retro. This study proposes contact with English led to an increased frequency of satellite-framed constructions in Nuevomexicano Spanish, creating the frequency conditions for innovations in the form and meaning of para atras to conventionalize and lead to systematic linguistic change.
Glycemic Factors Related to Depression in Adults with Type 1 Diabetes

Objective: To compare glycemic factors (home glucose monitoring, glucose variability, A1c) in adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) with probable depression to those without depression in a real world setting. Methods: Adults with T1D at our diabetes center are routinely screened for depression with the PHQ2. If the PHQ2 score is >3, PHQ9 is completed. Medical records were reviewed including device downloads for adults with PHQ9 scores =10 (“depressed”) and age-matched “not depressed” controls (PHQ2 scores =3). Patients with T1D duration 2 , hemoglobinopathy or dementia were excluded. Results: Of 1292 adults screened, 83 (6.4%) were depressed, and compared to an age-selected group of 171 non-depressed T1D adults (age range 18-72 years, 86% white, 8% black, 99% non-Hispanic, 42% Medicaid). Depressed [mean (SD) PHQ9 score 16.8 (4.3)] did not differ from non-depressed on age [41.7 (15.6) vs. 41.8 (15.7) years], BMI [29.3 (8.8) vs. 28.9 (6.2) kg/m 2 ], T1D duration [21.2 (13.4) vs. 22.0 (15.0) years], or % male [42.2 vs. 40.9]. Meter downloads were available for 215/254 patients (74% of depressed, 90% of non-depressed). The depressed group had higher A1c [9.6% (2.3) vs. 8.6% (1.8) p Conclusion: Adults with T1D and probable depression had higher A1c, less meter use, fewer glucose readings/day, but no difference in glucose variability (% CV) or hypoglycemia ( Disclosure I. Egbuonu: None. P.M. Trief: Research Support; Self; National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. C.A. Roe: None. R.S. Weinstock: Research Support; Self; Medtronic MiniMed, Inc., Mylan, Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc., Diasome Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Calibra Medical, Dexcom, Inc., Ultradian Diagnostics LLC., JAEB Center For Health Research, JDRF, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Improvements in Calculating Neutron Transmission Probabilities in Unit-Cell Interface-Current Codes

A standard assumption used in unit-cell interface-current codes is that neutrons enter each spatial region with an isotropic angular distribution. The physical interpretation of this assumption is discussed, and the magnitude of the error introduced by it is shown for a range of practical unitcell geometries. An improvement on the calculation of first-flight transmission probabilities for onedimensional unit cells based on limiting the neutron source angular distribution to physically possible neutron flight directions is then presented. For three-region problems, one additional calculation of a revised outer region transmission probability is sufficient for determining all the revised transmission probabilities of interest. Calculation of the revised transmission probabilities requires only minor coding changes and eliminates the improper angular redistribution of neutrons at the region boundaries.