cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Advanced mouse pointer control using trajectory-based gesture recognition

In this paper, a method to control the movement of a mouse pointer using simple hand gestures and a webcam is proposed. A real-time tracking algorithm is implemented based on adaptive skin detection and motion analysis. Using the history of motion, the trajectory of the movement of the hand is drawn and then used to identify a gesture. A region of interest algorithm is proposed, in order to scale the motion when the user is located far away from the point of capture. The motion of the mouse pointer is scaled accordingly. Demonstrations using our prototype clearly illustrate the benefits of our system.
Metabolism and uptake of L-pipecolic acid by brain and heart.

Abstract Metabolism and uptake of L -[1- 14 C]pipecolate was studied in the rat through tail vein injection at low (30 μg/kg) and high (30 mg/kg) doses. No radioactive compound other than L -pipecolate was detected in the brain or heart samples 0.5 to 60 min after injection. The contents of L -pipecolate in the brain dropped rapidly to reach a plateau value 2 min after injection both in the low and high dose experiments (from 0.06 to 0.05 and from 86 to 55 nmole/g brain, respectively). Similar results were observed for the heart except that the heart had L -pipecolate contents 2–3 fold higher than the brain at every time interval. The influx of L -pipecolate to the brain, as measured by the plasma/brain ratio of its contents, was 3 fold lower than the heart at each sampling point throughout the course of measurement for both dosages. The influx of L -pipecolate from the plasma to the heart reached an equilibrium, i.e., plasma/heart = 1, 60 min after injection for both dosages; the plasma to brain ratio was 3 at 60 min. These results indicate that there is a blood-brain transport barrier for L -pipecolate in the rat, which may account for the differences in neuronal effects of L -pipecolate when administered intracerebrally or intraperitoneally.
Distribution of putative neurotransmitters in the brain of the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis.

Abstract Radioautographic localization of three putative neurotransmitters in the brain of larvae of the European corn borer was studied by electron microscopy. Acetylcholine and dopamine were found to be accumulated in median neurosecretory cells. Both acetylcholine and dopamine were preferentially found in glial cells as compared to neuronal cells. This may be indicative of active participation of glial cells in a blood-brain barrier in the intact brain. Gamma-aminobutyric acid was not accumulated by any particular cell in the brain, but was apparently excluded to the periphery of the ganglion. It is suggested that dopamine, or more likely an immediate metabolite may be involved in an endogenous time measuring system and/or diapause induction-termination.
Assessment of Lumen Degradation and Remaining Life of LEDs Using Particle Filter

The development of light-emitting diode (LED) technology has resulted in widespread solid state lighting use in consumer and industrial applications. Previous researchers have shown that LEDs from the same manufacturer and operating under same use-condition may have significantly different degradation behavior. Applications of LEDs to safety critical and harsh environment applications necessitate the characterization of failure mechanisms and modes. This paper focuses on a prognostic health management (PHM) method based on the measurement of forward voltage and forward current of bare LED under harsh environment. In this paper experiments have been done on single LEDs subjected to combined temperature-humidity environment of 85°C, 85% relative humidity. Pulse width modulation (PWM) control method has been employed to drive the bare LED in order to reduce the heat effect caused by forward current and high frequency (300Hz). A data acquisition system has been used to measure the peak forward voltage and forward current. Test to failure (luminous flux drops to 70 percent) data has been measured to study the effects of high temperature and humid environment loadings on the bare LEDs. A solid state cooling method with a peltier cooler has been used to control the temperature of the LED in the integrating sphere when taking the measurement of luminous flux. The shift of forward voltage forward current curve and lumen degradation has been recorded to help build the failure model and predict the remaining useful life. Particle filter has been employed to assess the remaining useful life (RUL) of the bare LED. Model predictions of RUL have been correlated with experimental data. Results show that prediction of remaining useful life of LEDs, made by the particle filter model works with acceptable error-bounds. The presented method can be employed to predict the failure of LED caused by thermal and humid stresses.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Female sex steroid induced epithelial changes in the gallbladder of the ovariectomized Syrian hamster.

Abstract Ovariectomized Syrian hamsters treated by female sex steroids during a 1-month period show gallbladder surface epithelial changes in the fundic area consistent with apical bulging and decapitations of the epithelial cells. These events were detected in the infundibulum and the fundic or body regions of estrogen- and estrogen + progesterone-treated hamsters. In control hamsters, these events were restricted to the region in the vicinity of the bile duct. Following steroid treatment, intraluminal deposits detected resembled Ca-bilirubinate deposits described in previous studies while decapitations are similar to endometrial epithelium changes associated with hormonal physiological changes or treatments. Moreover some small electrondense deposits are comparable to those found in human cholesterol gallstones. This report indicates that, besides an alteration in bile composition, cell fragments originating from the surface epithelium of the bile duct and/or of the gallbladder mucosal epithelium could participate in gallstone nucleation.
Risk factors for mortality after surgery in patients with cirrhosis.

Background & Aims: Current methods of predicting risk of postoperative mortality in patients with cirrhosis are suboptimal. The utility of the Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) in predicting mortality after surgery other than liver transplantation is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors for postoperative mortality in patients with cirrhosis. Methods: Patients with cirrhosis (N = 772) who underwent major digestive (n = 586), orthopedic (n = 107), or cardiovascular (n = 79) surgery were studied. Control groups of patients with cirrhosis included 303 undergoing minor surgical procedures and 562 ambulatory patients. Univariate and multivariable proportional hazards analyses were used to determine the relationship between risk factors and mortality. Results: Patients undergoing major surgery were at increased risk for mortality up to 90 days postoperatively. By multivariable analysis, only MELD score, American Society of Anesthesiologists class, and age predicted mortality at 30 and 90 days, 1 year, and long-term, independently of type or year of surgery. Emergency surgery was the only independent predictor of duration of hospitalization postoperatively. Thirty-day mortality ranged from 5.7% (MELD score, 20). The relationship between MELD score and mortality persisted throughout the 20-year postoperative period. Conclusions: MELD score, age, and American Society of Anesthesiologists class can quantify the risk of mortality postoperatively in patients with cirrhosis, independently of the procedure performed. These factors can be used in determining operative mortality risk and whether elective surgical procedures can be delayed until after liver transplantation.
The dcc mutation affects ciliary length in Tetrahymena thermophila.

. We have characterized ciliogenesis in a mutant Tetrahymena thermophila that both fails to regain motility following deciliation and that fails to complete cytokinesis. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) observations revealed that starved deciliated cells regenerated fewer, shorter cilia at the restrictive temperature than similarly treated cells incubated at the permissive temperature. Transmission electron microscopic evaluation of isolated, regenerated cilia revealed no structural abnormalities. Incorporation of S-35 methionine was similar during ciliary regeneration at both the restrictive and permissive temperatures, indicating the mutant phenotype was not due to a simple failure in translation or transcription. Mutant cells incubated in growth medium at the restrictive temperature arrested in cytokinesis and assembled a large number of abnormally short cilia. These cells also developed irregular surface projections that were not visible on wild-type cells. These observations suggest that ciliogenesis can be initiated in growing cells as well as in starved deciliated cells but that elongation is inhibited before cilia reach full length. The mutation was named dcc for defective in ciliogenesis and cytokinesis.
Metabolism of naphthalene by cell extracts of Cunninghamella elegans.

Abstract Microsomal preparations of Cunninghamella elegans oxidized naphthalene to trans -1,2-dihydroxy-1,2-dihydronaphthalene, 1-naphthol, and 2-naphthol. Enzymatic activity was dependent on the presence of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate and oxygen. Reduced microsomal preparations, when treated with carbon monoxide, showed absorption maxima at 450 and 420 nm. The inhibitor 1,2-epoxy-3,3,3-trichloropropane suppressed the formation of trans -1,2-dihydroxy-1,2-dihydronaphthalene and enhanced 1-naphthol formation. The results suggest that the metabolism of naphthalene by fungal microsomes may be analogous to the cytochrome P -450-dependent monooxygenase activity that is associated with mammalian liver microsomes.
Hemostatic Abnormalities in Cardiopulmonary Bypass: Pathophysiologic and Transfusion Considerations:

Cardiac surgical procedures typically use cardiopulmo nary bypass (CPB), a technique that diverts blood from the heart and lungs, where it is oxygenated and pumped back into the circulation. CPB is associated with significant pathophysiologic changes leading to an increased bleeding risk. Bleeding during CPB occurs for multiple reasons; the primary reason is the expo sure of blood to the material components of the CPB system, with intense systemic coagulation and platelet, fibrinolytic, and endothelial activation. To counteract the coagulation activation, extremely high levels of heparin anticoagulation are required to prevent sys temic thrombosis. Thrombin generation through tissue factor pathway activation is now thought to be the predominant mechanism of coagulation activation in CPB. The stimulus for tissue factor exposure to blood is thought to be a systemic activation of tissue factor on monocytes and endothelial cells caused by comple ment activation by the CPB materials and circulating inflammator...
Disjoining pressure and capillarity in the constrained vapor bubble heat transfer system

Abstract Using the disjoining pressure concept in a seminal paper, Derjaguin, Nerpin and Churaev demonstrated that isothermal liquid flow in a very thin film on the walls of a capillary tube enhances the rate of evaporation of moisture by several times. The objective of this review is to present the evolution of the use of Churaev's seminal research in the development of the Constrained Vapor Bubble (CVB) heat transfer system. In this non-isothermal “wickless heat pipe”, liquid and vapor flow results from gradients in the intermolecular force field, which depend on the disjoining pressure, capillarity and temperature. A Kelvin–Clapeyron model allowed the use of the disjoining pressure to be expanded to describe non-isothermal heat, mass and momentum transport processes. The intermolecular force field described by the convenient disjoining pressure model is the boundary condition for “suction” and stability at the leading edge of the evaporating curved flow field. As demonstrated by the non-isothermal results, applications that depend on the characteristics of the evaporating meniscus are legion.
Threshold behavior of endothermic reactions: C+(2P)+H2 → CH++H

The total reaction cross section for the title reaction has been measured using a new ion beam apparatus specifically designed for accurate examination of the translational energy dependence of ion–molecule reactions. Previous results show excellent agreement with the present data if corrections to the energy scale used by previous workers are ignored. Such corrections were motivated by the discrepancy observed between the endothermicity for the reaction and the apparent threshold. The reasons for this discrepency are analyzed and information concerning the true threshold behavior is obtained. It is found that a simple model for endothermic ion–molecule reactions successfully reproduces the general threshold behavior.
Formation constants of polynuclear aromatic compounds and β-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes in β-cyclodextrin modified mobile phase high performance liquid chromatography system

Abstract The effects of molecular size and shape upon the formation of inclusion complexes of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and polynuclear aromatic compounds in β-CD modified mobile phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system were studied. A correlation was established between the molecular size and shape of the probe compounds and the formation constants of the inclusion complexes. The formation constants were then used to support the elucidation of inclusion complexes formation based on the structural properties.
Using Views in a Multilevel Secure Database Management System

The use of database views in database management systems that enforce user level discretionary and nondiscretionary access control policies is discussed. This discussion involves several issues such as how should views be classified?, what types of mechanisms should be used to define views?, etc. Mapping between views, view updating, and aggregation and inference problems are also discussed.
Methodology and Information Content of the NOAA NESDIS Operational Channel Selection for the Cross-Track Infrared Sounder (CrIS)

The Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) was launched on October 28, 2011 aboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership platform and is scheduled to become operational in 2012. The purpose of this paper is to describe the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Environmental Satellite and Information Service (NOAA/NESDIS) channel selection methodology applied to the CrIS instrument and to present the main spectral characteristics of the final channel subset that will be operationally distributed to the scientific community for near-real-time data assimilation and retrieval applications. We perform an information content analysis and show that this selection, composed of 399 channels, is capable of fully representing the total atmospheric variability contained in the original 1305-channel spectrum, up to instrumental noise. These results ensure that the replacement of the full 1305-channel list in favor of the proposed 399-channel selection will have no detrimental effects on data assimilation and retrieval performance.
Nanoindentation measurements of amorphous carbon coatings

In this study, amorphous carbon coatings were deposited with thicknesses ranging from 20 nm to 100 nm on single-crystal silicon substrates by sputtering, ion beam, and cathodic arc deposition techniques. An indentation system with a three-plate transducer with electrostatic actuation and capacitive sensor has been used to make load displacement measurements and subsequently carry out in situ imaging of the indents. Indentation experiments were carried out using a three-sided pyramidal (Berkovich) diamond tip. Measurements include load-displacement curves and calculation of hardness and Young's modulus of elasticity at various indentation depths, studies of hysteresis behavior, creep behavior, and strain rate effect of various carbon coatings. The cathodic arc coating exhibited the highest hardness and elastic modulus followed by the sputtered and ion beam coatings.
Respiratory pauses and apnea during daytime sleep in normal infants during the first year of life: Longitudinal observations☆

Respiratory pauses (3-10 sec in duration), apnea (less than 10 sex in duration), and periodic respiration observed in thoracic respirograms were measured in 226 polysomnograms obtained on 17 normal infants during the first year of life. All subjects had one or more respiratory pauses in a majority of recordings; 35% had respiratory pauses in all recordings; 75% of respiratory pauses were associated with body movement. There is marked intersubject and even intrasubject variability in respiratory pause rates. The range of mean respiratory pause rates among subjects was 2.0 - 14.4/h, and for single recordings was 0.0 - 43.6/h. Their occurrence was directly related to the occurrence of periodic respiration. Rates were higher during REM and indeterminate sleep than during slow wave sleep. There was no significant trend toward increase or decrease in respiratory pause rate during the first year post term. Apnea occurred in only one of the 226 recordings (0.4%). Periodic respiration occurred in 8 of 17 subjects (47%), and in 25 of 226 recordings (11%). Its occurrence was unrelated to sleep stage. The following conclusions are considered valid on the basis of the data presented and reports in the literature: (1) Rates of respiratory interruption are higher before than after 40 weeks conceptional age. (2) There is considerable intersubject variability in rates of respiratory interruptions. (3) Respiratory pauses are common during sleep in normal human infants. (4) Respiratory pauses occur more frequently with movements than in their absence. (5) Respiratory pause rates are higher during REM sleep than during slow wave sleep. (6) Apneas of greater than 10-15 sec duration do occur in normal infants, but are rare. From the clinical viewpoint, respiratory pauses (less than 15 sec) of the central type, regardless of abundance, and periodic respiration cannot by themselves be used as evidence that a baby is at risk of anything. The occurrence of apneas (greater than 15 sec duration), especially if any are of the obstructive or mixed types (and perhaps respiratory pauses of the obstructive and mixed types), and/or if associated with bradycardia or decrease in oxygen saturation, indicate sleep apnea syndrome and suggest risk of sudden infant death.
Klotho as a regulator of oxidative stress and senescence.

Abstract The klotho gene functions as an aging-suppressor gene that extends life span when overexpressed and accelerates aging-like phenotypes when disrupted in mice. The klotho gene encodes a single-pass transmembrane protein that binds to multiple fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptors and functions as a co-receptor for FGF23, a bone-derived hormone that suppresses phosphate reabsorption and vitamin D biosynthesis in the kidney. In addition, the extracellular domain of Klotho protein is shed and secreted, potentially functioning as a humoral factor. The secreted Klotho protein can regulate multiple growth factor signaling pathways, including insulin/IGF-1 and Wnt, and the activity of multiple ion channels. Klotho protein also protects cells and tissues from oxidative stress, yet the precise mechanism underlying these activities remains to be determined. Thus, understanding of Klotho protein function is expected to provide new insights into the molecular basis for aging, phosphate/vitamin D metabolism, cancer and stem cell biology.
Determination of newly synthesized and phosphorylated nuclear proteins in mass-isolated germinal vesicle of Spisula solidissima.

Abstract The highly specialized nucleus of the oocyte, the germinal vesicle (GV), has been difficult to investigate biochemically because of the small quantities obtainable. A mass isolation procedure was therefore developed using oocytes from Spisula solidissima, which depends on gentle cell lysis and the sedimentation of the large GV by low g-force. The procedure is gentle and fast and can yield several ml of packed nuclei from a single clam. It should facilitate the investigation of the fate of the GV major proteins and RNA species during development. Nuclear proteins, synthesized in the cytoplasm, were shown to segregate immediately into the nuclear compartment. Four high molecular weight proteins were found to be strongly phosphorylated in the GV in addition to the dominant nuclear protein (approx. 47 000 D). The in vitro phosphorylation of these proteins was strongly inhibited by Ca2+.
Peroxynitrite-induced oxidation of lipids: implications for muscle foods.

Peroxynitrite (ONOO-), formed from the nearly diffusion limited reaction between nitric oxide and superoxide, could be an important prooxidant in muscle foods. The objective of this study was to determine whether peroxynitrite caused oxidation of pyrogallol red, liposomes, muscle microsomes, and skeletal muscle homogenate. Oxidation of pyrogallol red, liposomes, and microsomes initiated by peroxynitrite continuously produced by 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1, 2 mM) was time-dependent and enhanced by CO2 (1 mM). Reagent peroxynitrite (2 mM) caused concentration-dependent oxidation of pyrogallol red, liposomes, and muscle microsomes that was very rapid with no change after 5 min. Peroxynitrite-induced oxidation was suppressed by CO2 and low pH. Skeletal muscle homogenate oxidized by reagent peroxynitrite (0.5 mM) exhibited gradual oxidation with time and was suppressed by CO2, low pH, and metal chelators. These data suggest that peroxynitrite could be an important prooxidant in muscle foods. Keywords: Perox...
ARTERIAL OXYGEN TENSION |[lpar]|PaO2|[rpar]| MEASUREMENTS-SAFETY AND ACCURACY OF A NEW CATHETER SENSOR

Measuring PaO2 in newborn infants receiving oxygen therapy is routine. The most reliable method requires intermittent sampling from an umbilical artery catheter or from a peripheral artery for analysis with a micro blood gas analyzer. Methods to continuously measure PaO2 using indwelling catheters have been developed but many of them receive limited use because of inaccuracy, tissue injury, clotting and interference with the function for which catheters are intended. Oxygen measuring sensors which can be applied to the skin have been developed by others. This technique measures PaO2 indirectly and can thereby serve only as a supplement for an accurate direct measuring method. We have devised a polarographic catheter electrode which is simply designed and made of materials with minimal thrombogenic activity. It does not interfere with blood pressure measurement or blood sampling through an end hole lumen. Our sensor is easily calibrated, accurate, and requires recalibration at 6-12 hour intervals. Micro clot analysis, aortic angiography, scanning electron microscopy of sensors and vessels, and haptoglobin determinations in baboons have shown minimal thrombus formation and red cell injury. The sensor responds rapidly and accurately to changes in PaO2 in newborn infants and adults. It reveals clinically inapparent changes of PaO2 caused by manipulation of the patient or respiratory equipment. A technique for continuously measuring PaO2 has been developed which can complement and may substitute for laboratory techniques.
Optimal solder and power density for diode laser tissue soldering (LTS)

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to determine the optimal indocyanine green dye (ICG) concentration and laser power density (PD) for tissue soldering using an 808-nm diode laser. Methods: Temperature profiles in vitro and in vivo were obtained using the ICG/albumin solder. [ICG] ranged from 0.31 mg/mL to 20 mg/mL while PD ranged from 3.2 to 63.7 W/cm2. Solder color and textural changes were noted. Eighteen rats were subjected to 1.5 cm incisions (N equals 128) created on the dorsal skin followed by closure with LTS at varying PD and [ICG]. Tensile strength profiles using rat skin were taken immediately and 10 days postoperatively. Histological examination was performed at the time of sacrifice. Results: Temperature profiles of the ICG/albumin solder did not differ with varying [ICG], but showed statistically significant variability at different laser PD. Using solder color change as a subjective endpoint, average peak solder temperature ranged from 69 degrees Celsius at a PD of 8.0 W/cm2, 105 degrees Celsius to 120 degrees Celsius at PD 15.9 to 31.8 W/cm2, and greater than 200 degrees Celsius at PD greater than or equal to 47.7 W/cm2. Peak intradermal temperatures remained below 50 degrees Celsius at all PD. The broadest range of color change in the solder was observed at [ICG] of 2.5 mg/mL. Immediate tensile strength data showed a trend towards greater strength at higher [ICG]. The greatest immediate tensile strength was reached at a PD of greater than or equal to 31.8 W/cm2 for all [ICG]. At 10 days an inverse trend existed only between PD (not ICG) and tensile strength, however this was not statically significant. Histologic analysis showed poorer healing and thermal injury to tissue soldered at a PD greater than or equal to 23.9 W/cm2. Conclusions: Based on these findings, optimal laser tissue soldering occurs with an [ICG] of 2.5 mg/ml and a PD of 15.9 W/cm2.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Varicella zoster virus infection in inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: The risk of viral infection is increased in immunosuppressed inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Varicella zoster virus (VZV) is of particular interest in IBD because of a number of reports of severe, disseminated, and occasionally fatal varicella infection in immunosuppressed IBD patients. Methods: We reviewed publications describing VZV infection in IBD patients and combined these data with a review of the current literature relating to both primary and secondary varicella in IBD. Results: Twenty cases of primary varicella infection and 32 cases of herpes zoster infection have been reported in IBD. Additional cases are reported in clinical trials. The risk of VZV infection is increased with all immunosuppressants used in IBD, but corticosteroids and combination immunosuppression appear to be a particular risk. Conclusions: Healthcare providers need to be aware of the various manifestations of primary and secondary VZV infection in immunosuppressed IBD patients. Patients should be screened for VZV immunity and vaccinated prior to commencing immunosuppression. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2012;)
Jane Jacobs und die Zukunft der Stadt. Diskurse – Perspektiven – Paradigmenwechsel

To introduce Jane Jacobs to a North American audience means to carry coal to Newcastle. In the USA and in Canada, Mrs Jacobs ‘enjoys the status of an icon' as Dirk Schubert observes in the opening ...
Coronary Collaterals Predict Improved Survival and Allograft Function in Patients with Coronary Allograft Vasculopathy

Purpose Coronary allograft vasculopathy (CAV) remains the most prevalent cause of late allograft failure following transplantation. To date there are few proven therapies for this disease. The presence of coronary collaterals has been demonstrated to impart a favorable prognosis in patients with native ischemic heart disease, however the importance of coronary collaterals in CAV is unknown. Methods and Materials To determine whether the development of coronary collaterals is associated with improved outcomes in patients with CAV, we performed a retrospective analysis of patients followed at Barnes Jewish Hospital between 1994 and 2008. The primary endpoints included all cause mortality and the composite of all cause mortality, retransplantation, and inotrope dependence. Results We screened 493 patients and identified 59 (12%) subjects with moderate to severe CAV as defined by ISHLT guidelines. Angiographically visible coronary collaterals were present in 34 (57%) subjects. Kaplan-Meier and Cox multivariable analyses revealed that patients with collaterals were protected from death and allograft failure (all cause mortality HR 0.12, 95%CI 0.05-0.29, p Conclusions Together, these data demonstrate that the presence of coronary collaterals predicts a favorable prognosis in patients with CAV and suggests that interventions aimed at promoting collateral growth may serve as effective therapies for this disease. [ figure 1 ]
Early Holocene Fishing Strategies on the California Coast: Evidence from CA-SBA-2057

Limited excavations at CA-SBA-2057, an 8300 year old shell midden located on the Santa Barbara Coast, yielded over 3000 fish bones. Fish remains from this buried, single component site indicate that the occupants fished primarily in the sandy, calm water environments of a nearby bay or estuary. The assemblage is dominated by clupeids (sardine or herring), small elasmobranchs, and surfperch, suggesting that net fishing was important, and occurred primarily during late spring and summer. Although fish were probably a supplemental food resource, Early Holocene peoples of the Santa Barbara Channel clearly had the ability to capture a diverse array of marine fish using a variety of techniques. The focus on small fish, shellfish, and seeds—long before population pressures and intensification became significant issues—raises questions about aspects of recent intensification models that assume large animals are always optimal subsistence choices. 2000 Academic Press
Outlier detection and least trimmed squares approximation using semi-definite programming

Robust linear regression is one of the most popular problems in the robust statistics community. It is often conducted via least trimmed squares, which minimizes the sum of the k smallest squared residuals. Least trimmed squares has desirable properties and forms the basis on which several recent robust methods are built, but is very computationally expensive due to its combinatorial nature. It is proven that the least trimmed squares problem is equivalent to a concave minimization problem under a simple linear constraint set. The ''maximum trimmed squares'', an ''almost complementary'' problem which maximizes the sum of the q smallest squared residuals, in direct pursuit of the set of outliers rather than the set of clean points, is introduced. Maximum trimmed squares (MTS) can be formulated as a semi-definite programming problem, which can be solved efficiently in polynomial time using interior point methods. In addition, under reasonable assumptions, the maximum trimmed squares problem is guaranteed to identify outliers, no mater how extreme they are.
Absence of Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus in Adult Sockeye Salmon

Abstract Adult sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka, captured as they exited saltwater during their spawning migration and subsequently held in pathogen-free water until sexual maturation, were assayed for the presence of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV). The virus was not isolated from any of the test fish. Sockeye salmon allowed to migrate naturally to spawning grounds on the Cedar River, Washington, had IHNV prevalences of 90 to 100%. Our data suggest that the high prevalence if IHNV in the natural spawners is primarily the result of horizontal virus transmission in the Cedar River and not of the reappearance of virus in fish harboring a life-long latent infection.
Anecdotes on Leadership Computing

Here, Steven Gottlieb recounts the origin of the term leadership computing, and shares stories from his computing experiences predating the introduction of the term. No names have been changed to protect the innocent, but several have been omitted to protect both the innocent and the guilty.
Obstetrical Nursing Experience Simulation

Teaching nurses to care for the woman and fetus during the intrapartal period presents unique challenges for educators in both the academic and clinical setting. Understanding nursing care needs and developing the professional judgment needed to provide safe care don't happen in a single moment or through the discrete event of hearing, reading or watching. Responding to a complex phenomenon requires learning opportunities that are cumulative, integrative and multifaceted.
Quantitation of potency of antisera to placental alkaline phosphatase by an automated immunoenzyme technique.

Abstract Conditions have been established for estimating antibody potency by conducting an antigen-antibody reaction whose product is soluble and where the antigen is an enzyme whose activity is reduced on combination with antibody. The antigen preparations were made from placental alkaline phosphatase, and antisera from rabbits were collected. A description is included of a simplified method for preparing the antigen using a zinc treatment step. Using a fixed Ag concentration, mixtures are made with Ab in increasing dilutions, and the alkaline phosphatase is measured in an AutoAnalyzer under conditions favorable for assaying the placental isoenzyme. From a plot of enzyme loss versus log dilution of antisera, one can define the value of the dilution at 50% loss of activity as the relative potency. This value divided by the protein content at the dilution so defined then becomes the specific potency. Although there is the expected variability in the potency of antisera from one rabbit to another, the coefficient of variation in replicate determinations of a single antiserum was 5.8%. Good agreement was usually obtained in the results reported from two different laboratories on four different rabbit antisera. Finally, there is a linear relationship between the logarithm of the initial antigen activity and the logarithm of the relative potency of a given antiserum, a fact which makes it important to fix the initial Ag activity within strict limits in order to insure reproducibility of the potency assay.
Patients’ Opinions About Suicide Screening in a Pediatric Emergency Department

Youth suicide is a global public health problem and the third leading cause of death among 10- to 24-year-olds in the United States.1 According to the most recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 13.8% of high school students seriously thought about suicide in the past year, and 6.3% made an actual suicide attempt.2 Routine screening of pediatric patients in medical settings has been suggested as a way to identify youth with undetected mental health needs.3 As a result, universal suicide screening has been proposed in both primary care settings and emergency departments (EDs).4 For millions of children and adolescents, the ED is their only contact with health care providers.5 As such, the ED may be uniquely situated to rapidly detect children and adolescents with unmet mental health needs presenting to the ED for both psychiatric and nonpsychiatric chief complaints.4 The onus of assessing suicide risk in a pediatric ED, regardless of chief complaint, falls mainly on nonpsychiatric clinicians because most pediatric EDs are not staffed with mental health professionals.6 Unfortunately, brief instruments assessing suicidality in pediatric nonmental health patients are lacking. Although a large, multisite study aiming to develop such a tool to detect suicidality in nonpsychiatric patients is underway, it is essential to understand how children and adolescents will react to being questioned about suicide during an ED visit before implementing universal screening efforts. Whereas limited data suggest that pediatric patients are supportive of mental health screening7 and there is no evidence that asking about suicide increases thoughts of suicidal ideation8 or negative mood states,9 there is little qualitative research assessing adolescent patients’ opinions about suicide screening in the ED. Data on how pediatric patients respond and react to suicide screening in the ED are necessary to create the most effective, appropriate, and realistic strategies for intervention. Specifically, these data have the potential to inform screening practices and to provide assurance to nonpsychiatric clinicians that suicide assessments will be acceptable to patients. Therefore, the aim of this qualitative analysis was to describe the opinions of psychiatric and nonpsychiatric patients, aged 10 to 21 years, regarding universal suicide screening in the ED.
Evaluating the exposure and disease relationship with adjustment for different types of exposure misclassification: a regression approach.

Misclassification of exposure can lead to biased results in the epidemiologic research. Available methods accounting for misclassification often require the use of a gold standard or assume non-differential misclassification of exposure. We present a regression approach which can detect and account for different types of misclassification when estimating the exposure and disease relationship. This approach uses two imperfect measures of a dichotomous exposure and does not require a gold standard. Standard statistical packages with a logistic regression module can be used for estimation of parameters through the EM algorithm process. Two examples are used to illustrate the methodology.
National trends in pelvic inflammatory disease among adolescents in the emergency department.

Abstract Purpose In 2002, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) broadened the pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) diagnostic criteria to increase detection and prevent serious sequelae of untreated PID. The impact of this change on PID detection is unknown. Our objectives were to estimate trends in PID diagnosis among adolescent emergency department (ED) patients before and after the revised CDC definition and to identify factors associated with PID diagnoses. Methods We performed a retrospective repeated cross-sectional study using the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey from 2000 to 2009 of ED visits by 14- to 21-year-old females. We calculated national estimates of PID rates and performed multivariable logistic regression analyses and tests of trends. Results During 2000–2009, of the 77 million female adolescent ED visits, there were an estimated 704,882 (95% confidence interval [CI], 571,807–837,957) cases of PID. After the revised criteria, PID diagnosis declined from 5.4 cases per 1,000 United States adolescent females to 3.9 cases per 1,000 ( p = .03). In a multivariable model, age ≥17 years (odds ratio, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.25–3.64) and black race (odds ratio, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.36–3.07) were associated with PID diagnosis. Conclusions Despite broadened CDC diagnostic criteria, PID diagnoses did not increase over time. This raises concern about awareness and incorporation of the new guidelines into clinical practice.
A simple room-temperature preparation of colloidal ZnO quantum dots from homogenous polar aprotic solutions

A simple, versatile, and scalable procedure for synthesizing high-quality colloidal ZnO quantum dots from homogeneous polar aprotic solutions has been developed. TEM and x-ray diffraction data show that the nanocrystals synthesized by this procedure are highly crystalline, pseudo-spherical, and have a narrow size distribution. This procedure allows large quantities of homogeneous ZnO quantum dots to be prepared with relative ease, and is also conducive to the introduction of dopants.
Disulfide and secondary structures of recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor.

Abstract Molecular characteristics and secondary structures of recombinant methionyl human granulocyte colony stimulating factor produced by genetically engineered Escherichia coli are described. Limited radiolabeling of the protein with tritiated iodoacetate and determination of the labeled residue revealed that this recombinant protein contains only one free cysteine at position 17 which is not essential for activity. The free cysteine is inaccessible to modification unless the molecule is unfolded under denaturing conditions. The molecule forms two disulfide bridges which were assigned as Cys(36)-Cys(42) and Cys(64)-Cys(74) based on the results of isolation and characterization of disulfide-containing peptides obtained from a subtilisin digest of the intact protein. CD analyses and secondary structure prediction suggest that the molecule is abundant in α-helical structures.
The speeds of coronal mass ejection events

The outward speeds of mass ejection events observed with the white light coronagraph experiment on Skylab varied over a range extending from less than 100 km s−1 to greater than 1200 km s−1. For all events the average speed within the field of view of the experiment (1.75 to 6 solar radii) was 470 km s−1. Typically, flare associated events (Importance 1 or greater) traveled faster (775 km s−1) than events associated with eruptive prominences (330 km s−1); no flare associated event had a speed less than 360 km s−1, and only one eruptive prominence associated event had a speed greater than 600 km s−1. Speeds versus height profiles for a limited number of events indicate that the leading edges of the ejecta move outward with constant or increasing speeds. Metric wavelength type II and IV radio bursts are associated only with events moving faster than about 400 km s−1; all but two events moving faster than 500 km −1 produced either a type II or IV radio burst or both. This suggests that the characteristic speed with which MHD signals propagate in the lower (1.1 to 3 solar radii) corona, where metric wavelength bursts are generated, is about 400 to 500 km s−1. The fact that the fastest mass ejection events are almost always associated with flares and with metric wavelength type II and IV radio bursts explains why major shock wave disturbances in the solar wind at 1 AU are most often associated with these forms of solar activity rather than with eruptive prominences.
Non-battle craniomaxillofacial injuries from U.S. military operations

INTRODUCTION: Non-battle injuries (NBIs) can be a source of significant resource utilization for the armed forces in a deployed setting. While the incidence and severity of craniomaxillofacial (CMF) battle injuries (BIs) have reportedly increased in the ongoing U.S. military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, the prevalence and the nature of NBIs are not well described. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The Joint Theater Trauma Registry was queried from October 2001 to February 2011, covering Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, for both NBIs and BIs to the CMF region. Patient demographics, injury severity score, mechanism and type of injury were included in the query. Using ICD-9 diagnosis codes, CMF injuries were classified according to type (wounds, fractures, burns, vascular injuries, and nerve injuries). Statistical analysis was performed for comparative analysis. RESULTS: NBIs constituted 24.3% of all patients with CMF injuries evacuated to a regional combat support hospital (CMF BIs 75.4%). These injuries were characterized by blunt trauma, most commonly motor vehicle collisions (37%), and falls (20%). As compared to CMF BIs, CMF NBIs resulted in less mortality (1.3% vs. 3.1%, p Language: en
Gross fluxes of methyl chloride and methyl bromide in a California oak-savanna woodland

Temperate woodland ecosystems are believed to be both a source and sink for atmospheric methyl bromide and methyl chloride. To separate the gross production and consumption fluxes in this ecosystem, we applied a stable isotope tracer technique in field and laboratory-based experiments. Flux measurements were conducted in a California oak-savanna woodland ecosystem at several intervals throughout the day during the wet and dry seasons to observe the diurnal and seasonal variability of fluxes. While gross production was small and variable, gross consumption showed a clear difference between seasons, with much larger rates during the wet season and negligible rates during the dry season. Laboratory incubations confirmed that fluxes were strongly affected by soil moisture. Consumption rates of methyl bromide, however, are less than half of the previous estimates of temperate woodland soil uptake rates during the growing season. Nevertheless, woodlands cover a significant portion of the world's land surface area and may still be an important component of the soil sink for these methyl halides.
Lifting Capacity of Horned Passalus Beetles During Passive and Stressed States

Many beetle species engage in territorial behaviors or male-male contests involving lifting or flipping their opponents, although this type of strength has never been empirically quantified. This study examined the lifting capacity of a medium-sized (1–2 g) saprolytic beetle native to the United States (horned passalus beetle, Odontotaenius disjunctus), and strength was measured during passive and stressed states. Twenty beetles were individually placed in a ‘push-up’ position with a force sensor on their backs and allowed to lift continuously for 2 min without manipulation, and then for another 2 min with a mild stress stimulus applied (tapping the elytra with a probe). The unmanipulated peak force readings during the first half were surprisingly high (up to 5 N, or 500 g), based on prior experiments examining the pulling strength of this species (indicating they can pull up to 100 g), but in nearly all beetles their peak lifting power in the stressed state increased by an average of 87 %. There was a positive relationship between strength measurements in both passive and stressed states. This appears to be the first empirical demonstration of the lifting capacity of a beetle, and these results also have considerable implications for the study of physical performance in beetles and other animals, especially in cases where maximum exertion data are of interest.
A Template for Design for Manufacture Guidelines

DFM is often viewed as a body of useful information for improving the manufacturability of a part but without a step-by-step method. DFM guidelines are a primary resource providing guidance on how to improve the manufacturability of a part for the particular manufacturing process being used. One major problem with these guidelines is that there is not a consistent format for organizing them and understanding specifically what they are trying to accomplish. A standard DFM guideline structure would provide a consistent context for better understanding them. To this end we built a template, in the form of a taxonomy, based on variable cost of the part. We define the variable cost of the part to be comprised of its material, labor, and utility costs and for each of these, we defined factors that influence these costs. We claim that this template can provide a framework for organizing and presenting DFM guidelines in a context that the engineer can use in a more useful way. To provide more confidence in our template, we pursued a validation process based on the Content Analysis technique which is a way for making quantitative inferences about qualitative data, such as DFM guidelines. We used this technique to refine and validate the template which is presented in this paper. To provide further evidence and demonstrate the template’s usefulness, we provide two examples: the guidelines for electromechanical machining and guidelines for plastic injection molding.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Impact of out-of-focus blur on face recognition performance based on modular transfer function

It is well recognized that face recognition performance is impacted by the image quality. As face recognition is increasingly used in semi-cooperative or unconstrained applications, quantifying the impact of degraded image quality can provide the basis for improving recognition performance. This study uses a range of real out-of-focus blur obtained by controlled changes of the focal plane across face video sequences during acquisition from the Q-FIRE dataset. The modulation transfer function (MTF) method for measuring sharpness is presented and compared with other sharpness measurements with a reference of the co-located optical chart. Face recognition performance is then examined at eleven sharpness levels based on the MTF quality metrics. Experimental results show the MTF quality metrics better quantify a range of blur compared to the optical chart and offer a useful range of interest for face recognition performance. This paper demonstrates the applicability of an image blur quality metric as auxiliary information to supplement face recognition systems through the analysis of a unique database.