cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical Proteome Informatics Workbench Detects Pathogenic Mutations in Hereditary Amyloidoses

Shotgun proteomics of hereditary amyloid deposits generates all the information necessary to identify pathogenic mutant peptides and proteins. However, these mutant peptides are invisible to traditional database search strategies. We developed a two-pronged informatics workflow for detecting both known and novel amyloidogenic mutations from clinical proteomics data sets. We implemented the workflow in a CAP/CLIA certified clinical laboratory dedicated for proteomic subtyping of amyloid deposits extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens. Performance of the workflow was characterized on a validation cohort of 49 hereditary amyloid samples, with confirmed mutations, and 85 controls. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the known mutation detection workflow were determined to be 92%, 100%, 100%, and 96%, respectively. For novel mutation detection workflow, these performance parameters were 82%, 99%, 99%, and 90%, respectively. Validated workflow was applied to detect amyloidogenic mutations from a clinical cohort of 150 amyloid samples. The known mutation detection workflow detected rare frame shift mutations in apolipoprotein A1 and fibrinogen alpha amyloid deposits. The novel mutation detection workflow uncovered unanticipated mutations (W22G and C71Y) of the serum amyloid A4 protein present in patient amyloid deposits. In summary, clinical amyloid proteomics data sets contain mutant peptides of clinical significance that are recoverable with improved bioinformatics.
Preaveraged Localized Orthogonal Polynomial Estimators for Surface Smoothing and Partial Differentiation

Abstract We propose a multivariate smoothing method based on products of localized orthogonal polynomial series estimators for a smooth regression surface in the fixed-design regression model. The estimation of partial derivatives is included. The proposed method provides for automatic and efficient boundary modifications near the edges of the surface, assuming that the boundary of the support of the regression function satisfies some regularity conditions. By allowing for a preaveraging step, the corresponding algorithms are speeded up considerably and are easy to implement. Computation of special boundary kernels, as required by the kernel method to avoid edge effects, is not necessary. It is shown that under sufficient smoothness assumptions, the global average mean squared error has the same optimal rate of convergence as the mean squared error at an interior point; that is, the boundary correction is asymptotically effective. The method depends on two smoothing parameters, one determining the amount ...
Electrodes for Vacuum Tubes by Photogravure

An improved method of photogravure is described which is particularly suited for making up small lots of electrode parts for vacuum tubes. Complicated designs and configurations can be cut with a minimum of effort, and frequent changes prior to final tooling involve little time and expense. Its principal utility is in the flexibility introduced by this improved process enabling precise parts to be made for new experiments in vacuum-tube structures.
Operational Departmentwide Picture Archiving Communication System Analysis Using Discrete Event-Driven Block-Oriented Network Simulation

The accurate prediction of image throughput is a critical issue in planning for and acquisition of any successful picture archiving and communication system (PACS). Simulation plays an important role in this effort. The PACS image management chain is decomposed into eight subsystems. These subsystems include network transfers over three different networks and five software programs and/or queueing structures. This decomposition is used to create a simulation model that was effectuated using commercially available block-oriented network simulation software. From the PACS database, the traffic generation patterns of the imaging modality devices are used to drive the simulation. The simulation models the image file flow through the PACS for a 24-hour period. The behavior of the simulated traffic generators agreed well with the values derived from the PACS database. The mean delay for the simulated PACS is found to be 225±59 seconds. The delay time was found to vary during the simulated 24-hour cycle in a consistent manner with observations. This simulation provides estimates on what a radiological department can expect from a PACS in terms of throughput, utilization, and delay. The block-oriented network simulator (BONeS, Comdisco Systems Inc, Foster City, CA) simulation model of the modeled PACS is highly accurate. The models for the imaging modality traffic sources are validated with a high degree of accuracy. The simulation model allows for the study of what happens to the delay time under various loads. In this simulation, the reformatting process was determined to be the bottleneck causing a large increase in delay time under heavy loads.
Electronic transport in films of colloidal CdSe nanocrystals

We present results for electronic transport measurements on large three-dimensional arrays of CdSe nanocrystals. In response to a step in the applied voltage, we observe a power-law decay of the current over five orders of magnitude in time. Furthermore, we observe no steady-state dark current for fields up to ${10}^{6} \mathrm{V}/\mathrm{c}\mathrm{m}$ and times as long as $2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{4} \mathrm{s}.$ Although the power-law form of the decay is quite general, there are quantitative variations with temperature, applied field, sample history, and the material parameters of the array. Despite evidence that the charge injected into the film during the measurement causes the decay of current, we find field scaling of the current at all times. The observation of extremely long-lived current transients suggests the importance of long-range Coulomb interactions between charges on different nanocrystals.
High spin negative parity states in doubly even Hg, Pt, and Os nuclei

Abstract A systematic study of the level structure of 200 Hg, 198 Hg, 196 Hg, 194 Pt, 192 Pt, 190 Pt, 188 Os, 186 Os and 184 Os has been performed by means of (α, 2nγ) and (p, 2nγ) in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy. Much new information has been obtained about the individual level spectra, and arguments based on level energy and population intensity systematics have been used to trace the behaviour of interesting spectral features through this series of transitional nuclei. Of particular interest is a 5 − , 7 − , 9 − … sequence of levels which appears to be a recurring feature in the spectra of the doubly even Pt and Hg nuclei in the mass range A = 190–200. These negative parity levels are connected by enhanced E2 transitions and they are very strongly populated in the de-excitation of the residual nuclei formed in (α, 2n) reactions. It is proposed that the 5 − , 7 − , 9 − … sequences constitute rotation-aligned bands analogous to the decoupled bands identified by Stephens and co-workers in odd- A transitional nuclei. In the doubly even nuclei, the bands may arise from the coupling of an i 13 2 neutron with a low- j neutron partner (from the p 1 2 , p 3 2 and f 5 2 orbitals). Negative parity levels in the Os nuclei are populated much less strongly in the (α, 2nγ) reactions. While 5 − levels corresponding to those in the Pt and Hg nuclei appear to be fairly well established in 186 Os, 188 Os (and 190 Os), it is not yet clear whether the 5 − , 7 − , 9 − … band sequence extends into the Os nuclei.
Epidemiology, Health Literacy, and Health Education

Abstract Epidemiology, the study of the distribution and the determinants of disease, traditionally is taught in graduate school. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently advocated the integration of epidemiology teaching in grades K-12. The science of epidemiology offers students a rich arena to practice, experience, and learn the knowledge and skills that constitute health literacy and thus provides a foundation for evidence-based decision making. “Detectives in the Classroom,” a curriculum for teaching epidemiology to middle school students, is based on five essential questions, questions that epidemiologists attempt to answer as they do their work, and their enduring understandings.
Statistical analysis of energy consumption in China 1978–90

Abstract An important aspects of energy research in recent years is to provide the developing nations with policies that foster a reasonable economic growth; while energy consumption is reduced per activity units. This paper presents the results of an analysis of Chinese energy consumption in the 1978–1990 period.
Use of dextran coated charcoal to separate antibody-bound from free hormone: a critique.

The charcoal adsorption of 125IHTSH and 125I-HTSH-antibody complex was studied at low and high protein concentrations with uncoated charcoal and charcoal coated with D10, D40, or D150 dextran in varying charcoal concentrations. Both bound and free hormone adsorbed to charcoal, but the adsorption of the “bound” was low compared with that of the “free.” Regardless of the protein concentration, the uncoated charcoal was able to carry out an efficient “bound” and “free” separation. However, at low protein concentrations, dextran coating improved slightly the quality of the separation. When high protein concentrations (serum) were present, uncoated charcoal most efficiently separated bound from free hormone. These data indicated that, using the charcoal adsorption phenomenon, proteins are competitive with the hormone and the hormone-antibody complex; adsorption decreases as the protein concentration increases. Dextran coating diminishes, without inhibiting, the complex adsorption and also reduces free hormone ...
Searching distributed collections with inference networks

The use of information retrieval systems in networked environments raises a new set of issues that have received little attention. These issues include ranking document collections for relevance to a query, selecting the best set of collections from a ranked list, and merging the document rankings that are returned from a set of collections. This paper describes methods of addressing each issue in the inference network model, discusses their implementation in the INQUERY system, and presents experimental results demonstrating their effectiveness.
The use of heliox and the laryngeal mask airway in a child with an anterior mediastinal mass.

he patient with an anterior mediastinal mass and respiratory distress presents one of the most difficult problems in anesthetic management. When the mass is a malignancy, patients require an accurate tissue diagnosis to determine the optimal therapy, which may limit the preoperative administration of chemotherapy, steroids, or radiotherapy. Nonmalignant masses, such as teratomas and cystic hygromas, are not amenable to such therapy. Numerous reports in the anesthesia literature have described both the pitfalls and the optimal management of these patients. We report the use of heliox, a gas containing 20% oxygen and 80% helium, and the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) for the administration of anesthesia to a 3-yr-old boy with asthma and a large anterior mediastinal mass. Case Report A 16-kg, 31%z-yr-old boy presented to the emergency room in acute severe respiratory distress. He had a 3-yr history of asthma, treated with daily nebulized albuterol, cromalyn sodium, and intermittent steroids. On examination, he was sitting upright with biphasic stridor. Breath sounds were nearly inaudible over the entire left chest. He had no plethora of the head and neck, suggesting the absence of superior vena cava syndrome, and had a palpable right supraclavicular lymph node. A chest radiograph showed a massive mediastinal mass (Figure 11, and computed tomography demonstrated compression of the carina and left mainstem bronchus (Figure 2). He was given heliox and oxygen (FIo, = 0.30) and responded with both symptomatic improvement and an increase of his oxygen saturation from 76% to 96%. Because of his history of steroid-dependent asthma, and because of the significant symptoms from the mediastinal mass, he was given 1 mg/kg of intravenous prednisone. After premeditation with a total of 1.5 mg of midazolam (titrated in 0.25- to 0.5-mg increments to achieve a calm yet awake state), he was taken to the operating room where anesthesia was induced in a sitting position with slowly
Flexible Wings and Fins: Bending by Inertial or Fluid-Dynamic Forces?

SYNOPSIS. Flapping flight and swimming in many organisms is accompanied by significant bending of flexible wings and fins. The instantaneous shape of wings and fins has, in turn, a profound effect on the fluid dynamic forces they can generate, with non-monotonic relationships between the pattern of deformation waves passing along the wing and the thrust developed. Many of these deformations arise, in part, from the passive mechanics of oscillating a flexible air- or hydrofoil. At the same time, however, their instantaneous shape may well emerge from details of the fluid loading. This issue—the extent to which there is feedback between the instantaneous wing shape and the fluid dynamic loading—is core to understanding flight control. We ask to what extent surface shape of wings and fins is controlled by structural mechanics versus fluid dynamic loading. To address this issue, we use a combination of computational and analytic methods to explore how bending stresses arising from inertial-elastic mechanisms compare to those stresses that arise from fluid pressure forces. Our analyses suggest that for certain combinations of wing stiffness, wing motions, and fluid density, fluid pressure stresses play a relatively minor role in determining wing shape. Nearly all of these combinations correspond to wings moving in air. The exciting feature provided by this analysis is that, for high Reynolds number motions where linear potential flow equations provide reasonable estimates of lift and thrust, we can finally examine how wing structure affects flight performance. Armed with this approach, we then show how modest levels of passive elasticity can affect thrust for a given level of energy input in the form of an inertial oscillation of a compliant foil.
When asking "why" does not hurt. Distinguishing rumination from reflective processing of negative emotions

Two experiments examined the psychological operations that enable individuals to process negative emotions and experiences without increasing negative affect. In Study 1, type of self-perspective (self-immersed vs. self-distanced) and type of emotional focus (what vs. why) were experimentally manipulated following the recall of an anger-eliciting interpersonal experience. A why focus on emotions from a self-distanced perspective (distanced-why strategy) was expected to enable "cool," reflective processing of emotions, in which individuals can focus on their experience without reactivating excessive "hot" negative affect. Findings were consistent with this hypothesis. Study 2 replicated these findings and furthermore demonstrated that (a) the degree to which individuals construe their recalled experience in abstract versus concrete terms mediates the effect of the distanced-why strategy and (b) the status of the recalled experience (resolved vs. unresolved) does not moderate the effectiveness of the distanced-why strategy. These findings help disentangle the mechanisms that may allow adaptive working through from those that lead to rumination.
The evolution of Tollmien-Schlichting waves near a leading edge. II - Numerical determination of amplitudes

In the first part of this investigation, Goldstein (1983) has shown that the amplitude of the spatially growing Tollmien-Schlichting wave generated by a time-harmonic free-stream disturbance is related to the coefficient multiplying the lowest-order asymptotic eigensolution of the unsteady boundary-layer equation. In the present study, a numerical solution of the unsteady boundary-layer equation is used to relate the amplitude of the asymptotic eigensolution, and consequently of the Tollmien-Schlichting wave, to that of the imposed free-stream disturbance for the special case of a uniformly pulsating stream. It is pointed out that the ideas of this study can be extended to other, more complex bodies and free-stream oscillations.
Party Identification, Realignment, and Party Voting: Back to the Basics

The argument is presented for defining party identification by the root question, « Generally speaking, do you usually think of yourself as a Republican, a Democrat, an independent, or what? » With this definitional base, the partisan balance between Democrats and Republicans between 1952 and 1980 shows no evidence of realignment outside the South, belying the implications of the Markus-Converse and Fiorina analyses that suggest volatility in response to short-term influences. It also appears that the correlation between party identification and voter choices for president are very constant over time in the South as well as outside the South. Party line voting by party identifiers varies by region and party but did not decrease between 1952 and 1988
Effects of sea water concentrations on germination and ion accumulation in alkaligrass (Puccinellia spp.).

Abstract Weeping alkaligrass (Puccinellia distans (L.) Parl.) showed higher germination than Lennnon alkaligrass (Puccinellia lemmoni (Vasey) Scribn.) both on germination pads and in sand when watered with different concentrations of sea water. When sea water was applied at seeding, 15, 30, and 45 days after seeding, adverse effects of salt increased in both species as sea water concentration increased and as plant age at the time of sea water introduction decreased. The capacity to accumulate chloride and sodium ions in shoots increased with plant age at the time of sea water introduction.
Comparison of the space-time extent of the emission source in $d$$+$Au and Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{{NN}}}=200$ GeV

Abstract Two-pion interferometry measurements in d + Au and Au + Au collisions at s NN = 200 GeV are used to extract and compare the Gaussian source radii R out , R side and R long , which characterize the space–time extent of the emission sources. The comparisons, which are performed as a function of collision centrality and the mean transverse momentum for pion pairs, indicate strikingly similar patterns for the d + Au and Au + Au systems. They also indicate a linear dependence of R side on the initial transverse geometric size R ¯ , as well as a smaller freeze-out size for the d + Au system. These patterns point to the important role of final-state re-scattering effects in the reaction dynamics of d + Au collisions.
Traumatic Arteriovenous Fistula After Kickboxing injury: a Case Report and Review of the Literature

INTRODUCTION: A traumatic arteriovenous fistula (AVF) after repetitive blunt trauma has not been described previously. In a 34-year-old male, the first reported case of such an injury after repetitive blunt trauma is described. CASE PRESENTATION: A 34-year-old gentleman presented with a non-healing ulcer near his medial malleolus. A bone scan was performed and then treated for presumed osteomyelitis. An arteriogram confirmed an AVF, and coil embolization was performed with complete occlusion of the AVF. Subsequently, the ulcer healed rapidly with no complication. Along with the cause of AVF, this case is notable for symptom presentation. CONCLUSIONS: Arteriovenous fistula after blunt trauma can present as a non-healing venous stasis ulcer, which could be treated non-invasively. Language: en
Outage Probability and Power Allocation of Two-Way Amplify-and-Forward Relaying with Channel Estimation Errors

We consider a two-way amplify-and-forward (AF) relaying system consisting of two source nodes and a half-duplex relay. We assume that the source nodes are equipped with the linear minimum mean squared error (LMMSE) channel estimators. We investigate the effect of uncertainty due to channel estimation error on the system outage probability, considering the imposed bandwidth and energy costs of channel estimation. For a fixed transmission block length and a total transmit power constraint, we provide a compact-form expression for the system outage probability upper bound and we explore the optimal number of training symbols, the optimal power allocation between data and training, and the optimal power allotment between the two users and the relay, such that this bound is minimized. Our numerical results show that channel estimation error does not limit the performance in high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Also, the optimal power allocation between data and training and between the users and the relay provides a significant SNR improvement, compared with the suboptimal schemes, including fixed power allocation. The optimization gain increases as the relay moves away from the middle point.
A New Compensation Technique for Backlash in Position Control Systems with Elasticity

The presence of backlash causes steady state accuracy and stability problems in position and speed control systems. Switched and inverse nonlinear controllers have been suggested in the past to deal with these problems. The present paper proposes a simple linear controller to compensate for backlash in a two-mass elastic system. The efficacy of the new controller is demonstrated by simulations using the exact mathematical model of backlash recently proposed in the literature.
Influence of Lactogenic Preparations on Production of Traumatic Placentoma in the Rat.

SummaryNormally occurring or artificially induced lutein tissue in the rat does not produce progestin, as shown by the placentoma test. The only pituitary preparation which has been shown to stimulate the production of progestin by such lutein tissue is lactogenic hormone. Therefore, besides its classical mammotrophic activity and crop-sac stimulating function, the “lactogenic hormone’ is important in activation of the corpus luteum, and for this reason should be considered a part of the gonadotrophic complex.
Nicotine affects the signaling of the death pathway, reducing the response of head and neck cancer cell lines to DNA damaging agents.

Background Growing evidence suggests that tobacco can affect the responsiveness of cancer cells to treatment, particularly those of head and neck cancer. This article describes the effects of nicotine on the signaling of the death pathway, resulting in a decreased cytotoxicity of various anticancer agents such as cisplatin and gamma-radiation. Methods Colony-forming assays (CFA), using the head and neck cancer cell lines UMSCC10b and UMSCC5 and DNA fragmentation assays, were used to determine the effect of nicotine on cytotoxicity of various anticancer agents, whereas PCR and a JNK activity test were used to study the effect of nicotine on message expression levels and activity of the JNK signaling pathway. Results Nicotine consistently reduced the cytotoxic effect of DNA-damaging agents, such as cisplatin, UV, and gamma radiation, in UMSCC10b cells, increasing their IC50 values by twofold, 1.7-fold, and 1.8-fold, respectively. These results were confirmed in a second squamous cell carcinoma cell line (UMSCC5), demonstrating an increase in IC50 values for cDDP by twofold and 1.9-fold in the UMSCC10b andUMSCC5, respectively. In addition, nicotine reduced the DNA fragmentation 48 h after cDDP exposure in UMSCC10b and UMSCC5 cell lines by 30% and 33%, respectively. The latter, however, was not the result of an effect of nicotine on either the uptake of cDDP or repair of the cDDP-DNA-adducts. To further substantiate the adverse effect of nicotine, the JNK and gadd153 signaling pathways were studied. JNK activity was decreased by 1.8-fold, as well as the expression of its downstream target c-jun (1.9-fold), when tumor cells were exposed to cisplatin in the presence of nicotine. In addition, the gadd153 message was affected and reduced by 1.8-fold. Conclusions Nicotine adversely affects the cytotoxicity of DNA-damaging agents. Nicotine does not interfere with the repair of the damage but directly affects the signaling of the death pathway, reducing the signaling of the JNK1 pathway. The latter results in a decrease in efficacy of the anticancer treatment in tumors exposed to nicotine. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Head Neck 23: 860–870, 2001.
How Many Grails Do We Need

In a classic mixed metaphor of Greek and more recent continental lore, restenosis has been called the Achilles’ heel of interventional cardiology and the solution to restenosis has been called the holy grail. Restenosis itself has been the target of a multiplicity of initiatives, starting with trials of established drugs in the early 1980s, then moving more broadly to trials of many newer and different classes of drugs, and then finally to the application of a large number of widgets and gadgets. After initial promising animal trials and often small positive pilot human clinical experiences, larger scale randomized clinical trials were mounted only to fail the test of scientific trial design, the problems seemingly unmanageable.1 See p 2168 The combination of drugs and devices in a single (albeit expensive) package has revolutionized the field. There are now abundant data from large scale well-designed clinical trials and even larger “real world” registries that have documented definitively that restenosis, although not completely abrogated, is dramatically improved with clinical restenosis rates in the lower to mid single digit range.2,3 This formed the basis for the exceedingly rapid implementation of a specific drug-eluting stent code in the United States. The earliest and by far most robust data set is centered around sirolimus-eluting stents, which have been documented to be very safe and extremely effective in randomized blinded multicenter trials of selected patients, as well as in broader “real world” consecutive patient series.2, 4–9 More recently, paclitaxel-eluting stents have been approved,10 and they also …
TREEGL: reverse engineering tree-evolving gene networks underlying developing biological lineages

Motivation: Estimating gene regulatory networks over biological lineages is central to a deeper understanding of how cells evolve during development and differentiation. However, one challenge in estimating such evolving networks is that their host cells not only contiguously evolve, but also branch over time. For example, a stem cell evolves into two more specialized daughter cells at each division, forming a tree of networks. Another example is in a laboratory setting: a biologist may apply several different drugs individually to malignant cancer cells to analyze the effects of each drug on the cells; the cells treated by one drug may not be intrinsically similar to those treated by another, but rather to the malignant cancer cells they were derived from. Results: We propose a novel algorithm, Treegl, an ‘1 plus total variation penalized linear regression method, to effectively estimate multiple gene networks corresponding to cell types related by a treegenealogy, based on only a few samples from each cell type. Treegl takes advantage of the similarity between related networks along the biological lineage, while at the same time exposing sharp differences between the networks. We demonstrate that our algorithm performs significantly better than existing methods via simulation. Furthermore we explore an application to a breast cancer dataset, and show that our algorithm is able to produce biologically valid results that provide insight into the progression and reversion of breast cancer cells. Availability: Software will be available at http://www.sailing.cs.cmu.edu/
Modeling Arthropod Predation: Wasteful Killing by Damselfly Naiads

A bst, act. Damselfly naiads were fed Dapliniia iniagnia in laboratory predation studies. A.lnomalagrion liastatittin predation rates were highest during the first 2 days of the penultimate instar and then declined until ecdysis. The functional response of final instar Isclinura 1rainlb)11/ii was most sensitive to changes in Daplmnia densities of 5-50/liter. Many more prey were killed than eaten in both studies; this wastefulness increased significantly as densities r-ose from 5 to 10/liter. Observations of feeding behavior revealed that damselfly naiads freqLuently strike at and capture prey and then discard them uneaten or only partially eaten. This is presumed to be the proximate cause of wasteful killing. Photographic documentation of gut contents showed that during feeding the foregut often becomes full before the midgut, leading us to hypothesize that wasteful killing occurs when hunger in the midgut motivates capture, but fullness of the foregut precludes eating. When wasteful killing is a normal component of hunger-motivated feeding behavior, it has sometimes been explained by hypothesizing the existence of a hunger threshold which is higher for eating than for capture (Holling 1966). We propose a two-gut-compartment folrmuLlation of Holling's simulation model of invertebrate predation which accounts for dynamic characteristics of wasteful killing without hypothesizing an elevated hunger threshold for eating.
Perspective relaxation of mixed integer nonlinear programs with indicator variables

We study mixed integer nonlinear programs (MINLP) that are driven by a collection of indicator variables where each indicator variable controls a subset of the decision variables. An indicator variable, when it is "turned off", forces some of the decision variables to assume a fixed value, and, when it is "turned on", forces them to belong to a convex set. Most of the integer variables in known MINLP problems are of this type. We first study a mixed integer set defined by a single separable quadratic constraint and a collection of variable upper and lower bound constraints. This is an interesting set that appears as a substructure in many applications. We present the convex hull description of this set. We then extend this to produce an explicit characterization of the convex hull of the union of a point and a bounded convex set defined by analytic functions. Further, we show that for many classes of problems, the convex hull can be expressed via conic quadratic constraints, and thus relaxations can be solved via second-order cone programming. Our work is closely related with the earlier work of Ceria and Soares (1996) as well as recent work by Frangioni and Gentile (2006) and, Akturk, Atamturk and Gurel (2007). Finally, we apply our results to develop tight formulations of mixed integer nonlinear programs in which the nonlinear functions are separable and convex and in which indicator variables play an important role. In particular, we present strong computational results with two applications - quadratic facility location and network design with congestion - that show the power of the reformulation technique.
Adaptive control strategies for flexible space structures

The problem of controlling flexible space structures in the presence of significant uncertainties using only position measurements is considered. Adaptive controllers, which are capable of controlling partially known dynamical systems and delivering good performance by providing a time-varying compensation on-line, are desirable for such system. We present an adaptive controller which can globally stabilize a class of flexible structures. This controller is applicable whether position measurements, rate measurements, or combinations thereof are available, as well as for colocated and noncolocated actuator-sensor pairs that are sufficiently close. The improvement in performance generated using such controllers is demonstrated using two practical structural system.
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Methodology for Conducting Systematic Reviews for the Evidence Analysis Library

VIDENCE-BASED NUTRITION practice guidelines generated from systematic reviews are imperative for registered dietitian nutritionists to provide safe and effective care. These guidelines are the foundation on which practitioners base their patient care, third party payers compensate care, and public policymakers set standards for general care. Systematic reviews are at the core of evidence-based guidelines and are a “rigorous and transparent approach of synthesizing scientific evidence that minimizes bias.” 1 The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Academy) has a commitment to evidence-based research that was fully realized in 2004 when the Evidence Analysis Library (EAL) (www. andeal.org) was launched. The EAL is a series of systematic reviews and nutrition practice guidelines for registered dietitian nutritionists and other members of health care teams. Meticulous methods are rigorously followed to ensure objectivity, transparency, and reproducibility of the process. The objective of this article is to describe the current methodology of the Academy’s systematic review process for the EAL.
A compute model for augmented reality with integrated-GPU acceleration

Augmented Reality (AR) is a live view of real-world sequences with enhanced digital information. To enable such enhancement, typical modules of an AR application can be very compute intensive, which is a factor that prevents users from having smooth user experience in low-end devices.
Comparisons of Cocaine-Only, Opioid-Only, and Users of Both Substances in the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC)

ABSTRACTBackground: Cocaine and opioid co-use is a notable public health concern, but little is known about correlates of this behavior. Most prior findings come from treatment samples and concern cocaine and heroin. Findings from a nationally representative sample involving primarily prescription opioid misuse would expand knowledge. Methods: Past-12-month cocaine and/or opioid users in Wave 1 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) formed the sample (N = 839). Cocaine-only, opioid-only, and cocaine/opioid co-users were compared regarding sociodemographics, other substance involvement, psychiatric, and medical conditions/events. Results: Opioid-only users were the largest group (n = 622), followed by cocaine-only (n = 144) and co-users (n = 73). The vast majority of opioid misuse was of prescription opioids (1.4% with past-12-month use of heroin). Notably, co-users did not differ from single drug users in frequency of use of either drug. Co-users did not have signi...
Ticks of Eastern Long Island: Notes on Host Relations and Seasonal Distribution

Ticks were collected at the eastern tip of Long Island from May through October 1971 on 11 mammal and 8 bird host species and by dragging. A total of 3845 ticks of 6 species were taken. Tabulations showing host relations and seasonal distribution are given. Amblyomma americanum (L.) was found to be established in one area. Norway rats appeared to be favorite hosts for larvae and nymphs of Dermacentor variabilis (Say). Heavy infestations of Ixodes muris Bishopp & Smith were found on white-footed mice and on a muskrat. This species also was found on 8 species of birds, including lst-time records on 5 bird species. Adults of Ixodes scapularis Say were prevalent in October and it is concluded that this is a fall-spring species.
Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: an update on the medical complications and treatments strategies seen in these patients.

Purpose of reviewAneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) remains a devastating condition with high mortality and poor outcome among survivors. Early surgical or endovascular securing of the aneurysm is the norm, and management of these patients is precarious due to their unstable intracranial physi
Applying the Principles of Lean Manufacturing to Optimize Conduit Installation Process

To meet the ever-increasing demand for concrete shelters that house telecommunication equipment, the construction company under study has hired several new employees and grouped them to work in teams; however, the expected increase in production has not been achieved consistently. The objective of this study is to apply the principles of lean manufacturing to identify root causes for productivity variations in their conduit installation process and suggesting ways of improvement. By observing the conduit installation process on-site and timing each task, non-value-added activities that prohibit productivity were recognized, including rework, talking, employee interference, and gathering materials and tools. Based on the findings, we suggested the company to implement training modules to help standardize work methods, prepare assembly kits, move supply carts closer to the work sites, and optimize team size. These suggestions help reduce the non-value-added procedures and add time to productive work.
Electrical properties of ML and A.I.220 insulations on 2 mil and 5 mil cupron and tophel wires

A program was conducted to find an insulation suitable for 2 mil diameter cupron and tophel wire f that could operate at ∼ 470°F for a minimum of 5 years in an argon gas environment. The applied voltage on the insulation is 6 volts. The cupron and tophel wires are used as the respective “P” and “N” legs in a radioisotope powered thermoelectric generator designated SNAP-15A.‡
The Learning Process

The British have succeeded in counterinsurgency where others have failed because history has given them the kind of military establishment and colonial administrative experience necessary to defeat revolutionary movements. By 1960, Britain had been conducting internal-security operations for half a century. Long before international Communism focused Western attention on ‘wars of national liberation’, the British had worked out practical methods for dealing with such challenges. Imperial policing and later counterinsurgency were based on the three broad principles of minimum force, civil-military co-operation, and tactical flexibility. These three principles evolved unevenly, and in no campaign prior to Malaya were all three effectively combined into a single coherent strategy. They were passed on as traditional wisdom from one generation of officers and civil servants to the next with almost no effort made to formulate doctrine, and little attention paid to preserving past experience in an organized fashion.
Abstract B087: Revealing antibody repertoires and RAG tracking by linear amplification mediated-high-throughput genome-wide translocation sequencing

B lymphocytes generate antibodies to neutralize numerous antigens via RAG endonuclease-initiated V(D)J recombination which joins diverse V and D segments into several J segments. High-throughput genome-wide translocation sequencing (HTGTS) was developed to identify genomic fragments that translocate to a distinct “bait” fragment associated with DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs). With a single bait primer to linearly amplify across bait-prey junctions for “prey” sequence identification, the linear amplification-mediated HTGTS (LAM-HTGTS) could sensitively detect genome-wide DSBs or translocation in an unbiased way independent of prey sequences. Employing the J-segment-associated coding ends cleaved by RAG as bait fragments, we can capture all the Vs and Ds joined to the bait J segments and thus reveal antibody repertoires in B lymphocyte populations. Such LAM-HTGTS adapted repertoire sequencing (HTGTS-Rep-seq) can easily uncover the productive and non-productive V(D)J joins and complementary determining region 3 (CDR3) information that is important for antigen contact, as well as D usage and RAG “off-targets” that are inviable to previous assays. HTGTS-Rep-seq analysis on the Igk repertoires showed that Vks were widely utilized in spite of their transcription orientations convergent or tandem to those of Jks. However, deletion of the four CTCF-binding elements (CBEs) in the Vk-Jk intervening region greatly increased the usage of Vks proximal to Jks. Strikingly, the usage of Vks transcriptionally convergent to Jks was far more elevated than those in the same transcriptional orientation to Jks, which strongly suggested a role of RAG tracking in mediating increased proximal Vk usage in the absence of Vk-Jk intervening CBEs. Citation Format: Jiazhi Hu, Sherry G. Lin, Zhaoqing Ba, Zhou Du, Yu Zhang, Frederick W. Alt. Revealing antibody repertoires and RAG tracking by linear amplification mediated-high-throughput genome-wide translocation sequencing [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Second CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; 2016 Sept 25-28; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2016;4(11 Suppl):Abstract nr B087.
Our Genome's "Dark Matter" Is the Next Frontier in Molecular Diagnostics.

The completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003 heralded a new era in medicine. Sequence variants causing aberrant protein function can now be identified and associated with specific disease states at unprecedented rates as sequencing technology continues to evolve. Numerous examples exist of how our growing understanding of the human genome has improved our ability to diagnose genetic diseases and facilitated the development of targeted therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and other pathogenic conditions. However, these success stories are the result of work that has focused primarily on the approximately 19000 protein-coding gene sequences, which constitute a minuscule 1%–2% of our genome. Often overlooked regions of the genome may be just as important in transforming medicine as we move further into the 21st century. In a recent article in Nature (1), Chi describes the substantial research efforts currently being devoted to exploring the remaining 99% of the genome—the “dark matter” responsible for controlling the expression of protein-coding genes. …
A Novel Teaching Tool Combined With Active-Learning to Teach Antimicrobial Spectrum Activity

Objective. To design instructional methods that would promote long-term retention of knowledge of antimicrobial pharmacology, particularly the spectrum of activity for antimicrobial agents, in pharmacy students. Design. An active-learning approach was used to teach selected sessions in a required antimicrobial pharmacology course. Students were expected to review key concepts from the course reader prior to the in-class sessions. During class, brief concept reviews were followed by active-learning exercises, including a novel schematic method for learning antimicrobial spectrum of activity ("flower diagrams"). Assessment. At the beginning of the next quarter (approximately 10 weeks after the in-class sessions), 360 students (three yearly cohorts) completed a low-stakes multiple-choice examination on the concepts in antimicrobial spectrum of activity. When data for students was pooled across years, the mean number of correct items was 75.3% for the items that tested content delivered with the active-learning method vs 70.4% for items that tested content delivered via traditional lecture (mean difference 4.9%). Instructor ratings on student evaluations of the active-learning approach were high (mean scores 4.5-4.8 on a 5-point scale) and student comments were positive about the active-learning approach and flower diagrams. Conclusion. An active-learning approach led to modestly higher scores in a test of long-term retention of pharmacology knowledge and was well-received by students.
A 1.02nW PMOS-only, trim-free current reference with 282ppm/°C from −40°C to 120°C and 1.6% within-wafer inaccuracy

A 1.02nW current reference is designed with only PMOS transistors, thereby providing inherently low process variation and enabling trim-free operation. Thirty-two measured chips from 5 corner wafers in 180nm CMOS technology show an untrimmed within-wafer spread (σ/μ) of 1.6% and across-corner wafer-to-wafer spread of ±4.7%. The measured average temperature coefficient is 282ppm/°C from −40°C to 120°C while generating a 35nA reference current. Total untrimmed uncertainty due to variations of process, voltage, and temperature is about 8.8%.
Disparities in Insurance Type among Minorities for Congestive Heart Failure Diagnosis in the Ambulatory Care Setting

Background: Lack of access to healthcare, health insurance and health providers and access to quality healthcare is strongly related to socioeconomic inequalities. These inequities are thought to reflect social and economic disparities more than biological differences associated with the race of the individuals. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the associations between ethnicity/race and method of payment with the diagnosis of new onset heart failure in the ambulatory care setting. Health care disparities have been well documented to exist in various demographics and socioeconomic statuses. Specifically, there are differences in access to and quality of healthcare between ethnic and racial groups; and additionally, the quantity and quality of care that a patient receives is dependent on the patients’ insurance status. Methods: Data sets for this study were retrieved from the 2010 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC’s] National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) - as this is the most recent data available for analysis. The IBM SPSS Version 20.0 statistical software was used to conduct the analysis of the data. Cross-tabulation of the dependent and independent variables was completed to examine the prevalence of CHF diagnosis by insurance type and ethnicity/race. Correlation tests were run to determine if any significant correlations between the variable existed in the target population. Lastly, Chi-Square tests were analyzed on the independent variable to determine if there was a statistically significant association with the dependent variable. Result: The results supported past research which found that racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities exist in health care. The data demonstrates the number of respondents’ self-identified ethnicity/race cross referenced with the corresponding method of payment. In addition, the number of respondents’ self-identified ethnicity/race was cross referenced with the number of new diagnosis of CHF. Conclusion: Disparities in the diagnosis of CHF are significantly associated with ethnicity, race, and insurance status. The results demonstrate that substantial differences exist between ethnicities and race in the diagnosis of CHF. Further, substantial differences were discovered in the diagnosis of CHF between the privately insured, publically insured, and the uninsured.
Testing Richardson's Law: A (Cautionary) Note on Power Laws in Violence Data

Richardson’s Law says that the relationship between the size of violent wartime events and their frequency is characterized by a simple probability distribution called a power law. Power law distributions have been found in both civil war violence and terrorist attacks and have recently served as the foundation for novel theories of conflict, solutions to missing data problems, and prediction models. This note revisits Richardson’s Law in light of recent data collection efforts, looking at all relevant micro-level conflict event data publicly available in the world today (685,000 events across 16 data sets). I find substantially less support for Richardson’s Law than past research, suggesting serious caveats to claims about its universal nature. By identifying new stylized facts about the heavy-tailed nature of violence, this note lays the groundwork for more nuanced analyses of conflict severity.