cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition for Machine Health Diagnosis

Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) is a new signal processing technique aimed at solving the problem of mode mixing present in the original Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) algorithm. This paper investigates its utility for machine health monitoring and defect diagnosis. The mechanism of EEMD is first introduced. Parameters that affect effectiveness of the EEMD are then discussed with the assistance of a simulated signal in which the mode mixing exists. Experimental study on bearing vibration signal analysis verified its effectiveness of EEMD for machine health monitoring and defect diagnosis.
Novel in vitro respiratory models to study lung development, physiology, pathology and toxicology

Detailed studies of lung pathology in patients during the course of development of acute lung injury or respiratory distress are limited, and in the past information related to lung-specific responses has been derived from the study of lungs from patients who died at autopsy or from animal models. Development of good in vitro human tissue models would help to bridge the gap in our current knowledge of lung responses and provide a better understanding of lung development, physiology and pathology. In vitro models of simple one-cell or two-cell culture systems as well as complex multicellular lung analogs that reproduce defined components of specific human lung responses have already been realized. A benefit of current in vitro lung models is that hypotheses generated from review of data from human or animal disease studies can be tested directly in engineered human tissue models. Results of studies done using simple in vitro lung systems or more complex three-dimensional models have already been used to examine cell-based responses, physiologic functions, pathologic changes and even drug toxicity or drug responses. In the future we will create models with specific genetic profiles to test the importance of single gene products or pathways of significance. Recent development of microfluidics-based models that support high-throughput screening will allow early-stage toxicity testing in human systems and faster development of new and innovative medical products. Model design in the future will also allow for evaluation of multiple organ systems at once, providing a more holistic or whole-body approach to understanding human physiology and responses.
Blood group antigens as tumor markers, parasitic/bacterial/viral receptors, and their association with immunologically important proteins.

Blood group antigens (BGAs) are chemical moieties on the red blood cell (RBC) membrane. Some BGAs (e.g., A, B, H, Lewis, P, I) are widely distributed throughout the body and may not be primarily erythroid antigens. Statistical correlations with ABO blood groups and disease have been made for years and have been highly controversial. It is not known if BGAs have a biological function. There are increasing reports of BGAs [e.g., Le(x) (an isomer of Le(a)), Le(y) (an isomer of Le(b)), T, Tn, "A-like"] appearing as "new" antigens on malignant tissue. Their presence and membrane density appears to correlate with the metastatic potential of the tumor. This often parallels loss of normal BGAs (e.g., ABH) from the tissue. Some of these antigens have been shown to influence the humoral and cellular response and have been used in assays to determine preclinical cancer, and in tumor immunotherapy. Interactions of some parasites and bacteria with human cells have been shown to depend on the presence of certain BGAs. P. vivax malarial parasites only enter human RBCs when the Fy6 Duffy blood group protein is present on the RBCs. Certain E. coli will only attach to the epithelial cells of the urinary tract if P or Dr BGAs are present in the epithelial cells. The P antigen is also the RBC receptor for Parvovirus B19. Leb has recently been found to be the receptor for H. pylori in the gastric tissue. The high frequency BGA, AnWj, is the RBC receptor for H. influenzae. BGAs have been shown to be associated closely with some important complement proteins. Ch/Rg BGAs have been found not to be true BGAs but are RBC-bound C4 (C4d). Knops/McCoy/York BGAs have been located on the C3b/C4b receptor (CR1). The high frequency BGAs of the Cromer (Cr) system are located on decay accelerating factor (DAF or CD55). Cartwright (Yt) BGAs are located on RBC acetylcholinesterase molecules. DAF and acetylcholinesterase are on phosphatidylinositol-glycan (PIG) linked proteins. When the PIG anchor is missing from RBCs, as in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, the affected RBCs lack all Cr, Yt, JMH, Hy/Gy, Do and Emm BGAs. The most important ligand for P, E and L selectins is sialyl-Le(x). This interaction is the tethering stage that start the leukocytes' journey from the circulation into the tissue. It appears that malignant cells may move through tissue in a similar way and may explain the close association of Le(x) with metastasis. Thus, there are increasing data suggesting a biological role for BGAs unrelated to the RBC.
Seasonal Changes in Undifilum Colonization and Swainsonine Content of Locoweeds

Locoweeds (Astragalus and Oxytropis) are leguminous plants that are toxic due to a symbiotic association with the endophytic fungus Undifilum oxytropis. The fungus produces the alkaloid swainsonine, an α-mannosidase-inhibitor that causes serious damage to mammals when consumed. A real-time PCR technique was developed to quantify the colonization extent of Undifilum in locoweeds and to compare it to the swainsonine concentration in the plants. Amplification of the endophyte nuclear ITS region allowed reliable quantification of Undifilum DNA from field plants and in vitro cultures. Swainsonine concentration was highly correlated (ρ = 0.972, P < 0.001) with the proportion of Undifilum DNA during the first 4 weeks of in vitro culture growth. Species of Astragalus and Oxytropis were sampled seasonally in New Mexico and Colorado for two years. High swainsonine concentration in plant samples was associated with high levels of endophyte DNA, except in plant reproductive tissues.
Search for ultra-high-energy neutrinos with AMANDA-II

A search for diffuse neutrinos with energies in excess of 10(5) GeV is conducted with AMANDA-II data recorded between 2000 and 2002. Above 10(7) GeV, the Earth is essentially opaque to neutrinos. This fact, combined with the limited overburden of the AMANDA-II detector ( roughly 1.5 km), concentrates these ultra-high-energy neutrinos at the horizon. The primary background for this analysis is bundles of downgoing, high-energy muons from the interaction of cosmic rays in the atmosphere. No statistically significant excess above the expected background is seen in the data, and an upper limit is set on the diffuse all-flavor neutrino flux of E-2 Phi(90%CL) < 2.7x10(-7) GeV cm(-2) s(-1) sr(-1) valid over the energy range of 2x10(5) to 10(9) GeV. A number of models that predict neutrino fluxes from active galactic nuclei are excluded at the 90% confidence level.
Histopathological reactions and axonal regeneration in the transected spinal cord of hibernating squirrels

The failure of axonal regeneration in the transected spinal cord of mammals has been attributed to many factors, including an intrinsic lack of regenerative capacity of mature CNS neurons, mechanical obstruction of axonal elongation by glial-connective tissue scars, necrosis of spinal tissue resulting in cavitation, lack of trophic influences sufficient to sustain outgrowth, and contact inhibition resulting from the formation of aberrant synapses. Assessment of te relative importance of each of these factors requires animal models in which one or more of these pathological processes can be eliminated. We therefore examined the effects of spinal transection in the hibernating animal because, during hibernation, collagen formation is depressed while nerve regeneration and slow axonal transport are maintained. Midthoracic spinal transections were performed in hibernating ground squirrels and the spinal cords were examined histologically 1-6 months later. The lesion site was composed primarily of a loose accumulation of macrophages and showed minimal glial and collagenous scarring, or cavitation. There was extensive regeneration of intrinsic spinal cord and dorsal root fibers. These axons grew to the margin of the lesion where they turned abruptly and continued growing along the interface between the lesion and the spinal cord. We conclude (1) that mammalian spinal-cord neurons have considerable regenerative potential; (2) that such mechanical impediments as collagenous and glial scarring, cyst formation, and cavitation cannot provide the sole explanation of why regeneration in the mammalian CNS is abortive; and (3) that specific physical and chemical properties of the cells in the environment of the growth cone regulate the extent and orientation of regenerative axonal outgrowth.
Tintin in the Arab World and Arabic in the World of Tintin

Les aventures de Tintin d’apres Herge ont ete traduites en plus de 80 langues et dialectes, dont l’arabe. Cependant, une seule des histoires ou Tintin voyage dans le monde arabe fut traduite en arabe. Qu’est-ce-qui rend cette histoire exceptionnelle, et pourquoi les autres furent-elles jugees inaptes a etres adaptees en arabe ? Les choix editoriaux de la maison d’edition arabe des albums de Tintin, meme lorsque le choix est de ne pas traduire, relevent non seulement de questions ayant a voir avec la representation de la langue arabe dans l’œuvre de Herge, mais montrent egalement des difficultes culturelles particulieres a l’adaptation du personnage belge le plus celebre pour les audiences arabes et islamiques. Cet article se penche sur les manieres dont l’arabe et ceux qui le parlent sont representes dans les aventures se deroulant dans le monde arabe, afin de clarifier les defis qui jusque-la ont fait obstacle a une edition arabe de ces histoires. De plus, un examen de l’arabe employe par Herge dans les albums originaux en francais contribue aux etudes sur Herge et son art de maniere generale, et ses tendances realistes en particulier ; et ce a travers une evaluation de la justesse de l’arabe qu’il emploie, ainsi qu’une analyse des manieres dont les livres de Tintin peuvent etre apprecies par les lecteurs bilingues (qui connaissent l’arabe, mais lisent le livre en francais ou en anglais par exemple). Herge’s adventures of Tintin have been translated to over 80 languages and dialects, including Arabic. Yet, only one of the stories that see Tintin travel to the Arab World were translated or made available in Arabic. What is exceptional about this story, and why were the others not deemed fit for an Arabic version? The editorial choices made by the Arabic publishers of Tintin’s albums—even when this choice is to not translate them—are revealing not only of issues pertaining to the representation of the language in Herge’s works, but also of peculiar cultural challenges in exposing one of Belgium’s most recognizable characters to Islamic and Arabic-speaking audiences. This essay examines the ways in which Arabic and those who speak it are represented in the adventures set in the Arab World, in order to explain the challenges standing in the way of an Arabic edition of those albums. Moreover, its study of the Arabic that Herge included in the original Tintin books written in French contributes to scholarship about Herge and his art in general, and more specifically his realist tendencies, through an assessment of the accuracy of the Arabic he employed, and an analysis of the ways in which Tintin books can be experienced by bilingual readers (who know Arabic but read the books in French or English for example).
Benign ovarian cysts in England and Wales and in the United States.

Objective To compare the rates of hospital admission for management of ovarian cysts in England and Wales and the United States between 1972 and 1974 and 1984 and 1986; and to determine whether these rates are related to rates of early diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Design Analysis of published and unpublished hospital discharge data based on national samples, the Hospital In-patient Enquiry (HIPE), a 10% hospital discharge sample for England and Wales, and the National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDs), a 5% sample for the United States. Main outcome measures Age-specific discharge rates for primary and secondary diagnoses of ovarian cyst or benign ovarian tumour. Results There was an age-adjusted increase in discharge rates of about 8% in both countries; discharge rates in the United States were approximately double those in England and Wales in both time periods. There was no difference in the rates of early diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Conclusions Ovarian cysts are a common cause of hospital admission in both countries. The higher rates in the United States are not associated with earlier diagnosis of ovarian cancer.
Angry Birds Need Not Apply: A Perspective on the Flexible form and Multifunctionality of Avian Vocal Duets

Research into avian vocal duets has revealed much about the social interactions of mated pairs, including how communication signals mediate important components of fitness such as reproductive success and resource-holding ability. Excellent reviews have been written on avian duets, but none have quantified the prevalence of different duet features and functions, or tested for potential links between structure and function. Here we have compiled a thorough list of studies at the species level and investigated whether there are trends in duet form, trends in duet function and matches between form and function. We have also provided recommendations for reporting of duet structure to help standardize future data collection and facilitate comparative analyses. We found that duet vocalizations are typically tightly coordinated (69% of 33 species), initiated by both partners (80% of 35 species), and have sex-specific contributions (73% of 48 species). Duets vary substantially in structure both across and within species, and this flexibility in duet form may contribute to their use in multiple contexts. Among the well-studied species (functions well supported by experimental evidence and studied post-1983), duets are usually multifunctional, with functions including joint resource defence, signalling commitment, maintaining contact, ensuring reproductive synchrony and mate-guarding. Levels of support for different hypotheses have changed over time as theory within the field developed, but overall, the best-supported function of duets across avian species (81% of 26 species) has been joint resource defence. In all but one of these 26 species, duets are sometimes cooperative (meaning that duet participation benefits both duetting partners), and they often produce multiple benefits. We found associations between form and function, in that duets directed to non-pair individuals have higher amplitude and are more likely to have sex-specific notes than duets directed within the pair. We see the field moving away from labelling duets as representing ‘cooperation’ or ‘conflict’ and moving towards a general multifunctionality framework within which researchers test multiple hypotheses for duet function under the assumption that both duet form and function can vary moment to moment and that such flexibility can provide multiple benefits.
Investigations of Thermal Stresses and Deformations in Laser Microwelding Processes

Laser microwelding has become a significant industrial process, because there are many outstanding advantages in using laser welding as the bonding method over other widely used bonding technologies. As an alternative to the common adhesives or solders used for the joining process, laser welding offers a number of attractive features such as high weld strength to weld size ratio, reliability, and a minimal heat-affected zone (HAZ). These provide the benefits of low heat distortion, a non-contact process, repeatability, and ability to automate. Therefore, the applications of laser microwelding have been broadened, especially in the microelectronic and packaging industry, in recent past decades. Quality of the laser microwelding, however, depends on a number of parameters such as the characteristics of the laser beam, environmental conditions, and properties of the workpiece. Furthermore, the large temperature gradients occur during laser microwelding process leads to a high stress level, and might result in many undesirable phenomena such as the high level of residual stresses in the vicinity of the heat-affected zone (HAZ) that adversely affect the life time of the component. Numerous studies have been performed on the evaluation and prediction of the thermal stresses in laser microwelding process. However, it is very difficult to measure the thermal stresses, and to predict the magnitude and direction of thermal stress/deformation. Therefore, we develop an optical methodology, based on opto-electronic holography (OEH) technique, to measure and evaluate the thermal stresses/deformations non-destructively. In this paper, the system of OEH measurement of the thermal deformation of the laser welds will be described in details, and representative results will be included. In addition, analytical and computational models will also be developed to simulate the temperature field and thermal stresses/deformations in laser microwelding. Continued work will lead to novel measurement system for monitoring the thermal stresses/deformations during the process of laser microwelding, which will help optimizing efficient and effective laser micro-machining processes for applications in microelectronics and packaging.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
A novel low thermal budget thin-film polysilicon fabrication process for large-area, high-throughput solar cell production

A novel thin-film poly-Si fabrication process has been demonstrated. This low thermal budget process transforms the multilayer amorphous silicon thin film stack into a poly-Si stack in one simple step over a very short period of time without deteriorating the underneath glass substrate. The experimental result of the unique vertical crystallization process including the mechanism is discussed. Influences of the dopant type and process parameters on crystal structure will be revealed. This new process potentially enables the economic production of large-area thin-film poly-Si solar cells at a high throughput.
NATURAL TRANSFORMATION INCREASES THE RATE OF ADAPTATION IN THE HUMAN PATHOGEN HELICOBACTER PYLORI

Gene exchange between individuals can lead to profound evolutionary effects at both the genomic and population levels. These effects have sparked widespread interest in examining the specific adaptive benefits of recombination. Although this work has primarily focused on the benefits of sex in eukaryotes, it is assumed that similar benefits of genetic exchange apply across eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Here we report a direct test of this assumption using the naturally transformable human gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori as a model organism. We show that genetic exchange accelerates adaptation to a novel laboratory environment within bacterial populations and that a general adaptive advantage exists for naturally transformable strains when transfer occurs among conspecific backgrounds. This finding demonstrates that there are generalized benefits to adaptation in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes even though the underlying processes are mechanistically different.
Enlarged squamous cell nuclei in cervical cytologic specimens from perimenopausal women ("PM Cells") : a cause of ASC overdiagnosis

We studied the appropriateness of interpreting squamous cells with enlarged, smooth, bland nuclei in perimenopausal women ("PM cells") as atypical squamous cells (ASCs). Papanicolaou smears (Paps) from 100 women (40-55 years old) with a cytologic interpretation of ASC of undetermined significance (ASCUS) and human papillomavirus (HPV) testing or a biopsy within 6 months were reviewed by 2 observers without knowledge of the biopsy diagnosis or HPV results. Cases in which both reviewers agreed that the Paps were diagnosed more properly as "negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy" were compared with cases of "true ASCUS," using histologic squamous intraepithelial lesion and/or a positive high-risk HPV test as a positive outcome (abnormal follow-up). Of 100 cases, 28 were reclassified as benign by both observers. In 15 of these, the original ASCUS interpretation was based on cells with bland nuclear enlargement (2-3 times the area of intermediate cell nuclei), smooth nuclear membranes, and fine chromatin. Abnormal follow-up was identified in 1 (7%) of 15 benign cases but in 30 (42%) of 72 true ASCUS cases (P = .023). PM cells are a significant cause of ASC overdiagnosis in women 40 to 55 years old. Cervical Paps with cells no more atypical than these can be interpreted safely as negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy.
Making Tracking Technology Accessible in a Rapid Prototyping Environment

In this paper we present an approach for exposing tracking technology in an accessible and flexible way to users of a rapid prototyping system for mixed (MR) and augmented reality (AR). Our system provides a tracking framework that alleviates the need for a high level of expertise while also presenting a model of the technology that allows for flexible modification of tracking configurations, the ability to quickly change an application from one type of tracking technology to another, and the creation of synthetic trackers for playback of prerecorded data, data fusion from multiple trackers, and wizard-of-oz applications.
Molecular characterization of a SCAR marker purportedly linked to seedlessness in grapevine ( Vitis )

Molecular markers associated with seedlessness in grapevine (Vitis vinifera) could be used for early trait selection in breeding programs and provide useful tools for elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying seed abortion. In this study, the sequence fidelity of a previously reported seedlessness-linked Sequence-Characterized Amplified Region (SCAR) marker (GenBank accession #AY327513, Yang et al. in Chinese J Agri Biotech 3:13–17, 2006) was determined by comparative sequence analysis. Using available genomics resources, the SCAR marker was mapped to an overlapping region between exon-1 and intron-1 of a putative histidine triad protein (HIT) gene corresponding to an ORF of 588 bp for a peptide of 195 residues and a gene structure with 8 exons in a 14.7 kbp genomic region. However, PCR and DNA sequence analyses revealed that both seeded and seedless phenotypes of Vitis species contained highly homologous sequences in an EcoRI-delimited region of up to 5 kbp surrounding the SCAR marker. The absence of linkage between the marker and the seedlessness trait does not support a role for the HIT gene in seedlessness development, or the potential for the use of this SCAR marker in the identification/selection of seedless progeny.
Influence of fatigue time and level on increases in postural sway

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of fatigue time and fatigue level on the increases in postural sway during quiet standing. Centre of pressure-based measures of postural sway were collected both before and after fatiguing participants using three different fatigue levels and two different fatigue times. Results showed increasing fatigue time increased sway velocity and sway area, and increasing fatigue level increased sway velocity. Fatigue time effects are important to consider when applying laboratory-based findings to the field given that the fatigue time can differ substantially between the two. Fatigue level effects imply a dose - response relationship between localized muscle fatigue and risk of falling that can have important implications in work/rest cycle scheduling for occupations at risk of injurious falls.
Pellet injector development at ORNL

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has been developing pellet injection systems for plasma fueling experiments on magnetic fusion confinement devices for about 20 years. Recently, the development has focused on meeting the complex fueling needs of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) and future reactors. The proposed ITER fueling system will use a combination of deuterium- tritium (D-T) gas puffing and pellet injection to achieve and maintain ignited plasmas. The pellet injection system will have to provide D-T fueling for much longer pulse lengths (up to {approx}1000 s) than present day applications (typically limited to less than several seconds). In this paper, we describe the ongoing pellet injector development activities at ORNL, including the following three in direct support of ITER: (1) an improved pellet feed system for the centrifuge injector, (2) a steady-state extruder feed system, and (3) tritium extruder technology. In addition to the major activities, a repeating two-stage light gas gun for high-speed pellet injection ({approx}2.5 km/s) has been developed in a collaboration with ENEA Frascati; also, the production of impurity pellets (Ne, Ar, and Kr) has been demonstrated using the DIII-D and Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor pneumatic pellet injection system.
REEXAMINING THE TREATMENT OF ADVANCED LARYNGEAL CANCER

Determining the standard of care for a cancer with a diverse set of treatment variables is difficult. Advanced laryngeal cancer is one such case. The treatment for advanced laryngeal cancer is now at a point where the current standard of care—concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy with surgical salvage (ie, laryngectomy)—must be reexamined. Why? Because published studies—identified as evidence-based medicine—have set a standard of care that has resulted in major unintended consequences. The survival of patients with laryngeal cancer should not be decreasing. Unfortunately, this is happening today. The focal points of this commentary are (1) how these unintended consequences leading to decreased survival have occurred, (2) what can be done to avoid similar outcomes in the future, and (3) how the current standard of care for laryngeal cancer should be changed. STUDIES LEADING TO THE CURRENT STANDARD OF CARE
Digital optical signal processing and wavelength conversion using high-current photoreceivers and low-voltage modulators

We demonstrate simple processing of digitally encoded optical signals using a low-V, modulator driven directly by a high-current photoreceiver. In addition, we discuss extension of this technique for demultiplexing of high speed time division multiplexed data and NRZ-to-RZ and RZ-to-NRZ format conversion.
Immunology of stem cells and cancer stem cells

The capacity of pluri-potent stem cells to repair the tissues in which stem cells reside holds great promise in development of novel cell replacement therapeutics for treating chronic and degenerative diseases. However, numerous reports show that stem cell therapy, even in an autologous setting, triggers lymphocyte infiltration and inflammation. Therefore, an important question to be answered is how the host immune system responds to engrafted autologous stem cells or allogeneous stem cells. In this brief review, we summarize the progress in several related areas in this field, including some of our data, in four sections: (1) immunogenicity of stem cells; (2) strategies to inhibit immune rejection to allograft stem cells; (3) immune responses to cancer stem cells; and (4) mesenchymal stem cells in immune regulation. Improvement of our understanding on these and other aspects of immune system-stem cell interplay would greatly facilitate the development of stem cell-based therapeutics for regenerative purposes.
The biomechanical interdependence between the anterior cruciate ligament replacement graft and the medial meniscus.

To establish a quantitative biomechanical relationship between the anterior cruciate ligament graft and the medial meniscus, 10 human cadaveric knees were examined using the robotic/universal force-moment sensor testing system. In response to a combined 134-N anterior and 200-N axial compressive tibial load, the resulting kinematics of the knee and the in situ forces in the anterior cruciate ligament, the anterior cruciate ligament graft, and the medial meniscus were measured. Anterior tibial translation significantly increased after anterior cruciate ligament transection, between 6.8±2.3 mm at full extension and 12.6±3.3 mm at 30° of flexion. Consequently, the resultant forces on the medial meniscus, ranging from 52±30 N to 63±51 N between full extension and 90° of knee flexion in the intact knee, were doubled as a result of anterior cruciate ligament deficiency. However, after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, anterior tibial translations were restored to the levels of the intact knee, and thus...
Nucleon-nucleon potentials in comparison: Physics or polemics?

Abstract Guided by history, we review the major developments concerning realistic nucleon-nucleon (NN) potentials since the pioneering work by Kuo and Brown on the effective nuclear interaction. Our main emphasis is on the physics underlying various models for the NN interaction developed over the past quarter-century. We comment briefly on how to test the quantitative nature of nuclear potetials properly. A correct calculation (performed by independent researchers) of the X 2 /datum for the fit of the world NN data yields 5.1, 3.7, and 1.9 for the Nijmegen, Paris and Bonn potetial, respectively. Finally, we also discuss in detail the relevance of the on-and off-shell properties of NN potentials for microscopic nuclear structure calculations.
From POSIX Threads to Ada to Java: A Brief History of Runtime Development for Some Real-Time Programming Languages

A hidden but critical part of any real-time application is its runtime environment. If the application is coded in a high level language, the runtime environment includes a runtime system to support the programming language. That is likely to be layered over a real-time kernel, or even a full operating system. Over the past twenty years, there have been increasing governmental and market pressures for these layers to use off-the-shelf components and standard interfaces. The goal has been to enable the more rapid development of real-time applications, with a higher degree of platform independence. These pressures achieved visible results in the Ada language, the POSIX real-time operating system interfaces, and most recently the proposals for a real-time Java standard. In the roles of standards writers, implementors and users, the members of the POSIX Ada Real-Time project at the Florida State University have explored the problem of making these standard application program interfaces work for real-time systems. This has included implementation of the POSIX real-time extensions, and implementations of Ada runtime systems over both the POSIX and Java virtual machine interfaces. We have found that the degree to which the promises of these standards are kept depends very much on the ability of the real-time application developer to design within the paradigms supported by the standards, and on the quality of the implementations of the standards.
Nocardia iowensis sp. nov., an organism rich in biocatalytically important enzymes and nitric oxide synthase

Nocardia strain NRRL 5646, isolated from a garden soil sample in Osceola, Iowa, USA, was initially of interest as an antibiotic producer. It contained biocatalytically important enzymes and represented the first described nitric oxide synthase enzyme system in bacteria. The present polyphasic taxonomic study was undertaken to differentiate strain NRRL 5646(T) from related species of the genus Nocardia. Chemotaxonomic analyses included determinations of the fatty acid methyl ester profile (C(16 : 1)omega6c/C(16 : 1)omega7c, C(16 : 0), C(18 : 1)omega9c and C(18 : 0) 10-methyl as major components), quinone [cyclo MK-8(H(4)) as the major component], polar lipid (diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol mannoside as major components) and mycolic acid. These results supported its placement within the genus Nocardia. Biochemical testing and 16S rRNA, 65-kDa heat-shock protein (hsp65) and preprotein translocase (secA1) gene sequence analyses differentiated strain NRRL 5646(T) from recognized Nocardia species. Previous studies have demonstrated that other genetic sequences (carboxylic acid reductase, Nocardia phosphopantetheinyl transferase and GTP cyclohydrolase I) from strain NRRL 5646(T) can also be used to substantiate its uniqueness. The level of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity between strain NRRL 5646(T) and the type strains of Nocardia tenerifensis and Nocardia brasiliensis was 98.8 %. However, strain NRRL 5646(T) could be clearly distinguished from these Nocardia species based on DNA-DNA hybridization data. Consequently, strain NRRL 5646(T) is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Nocardia, for which the name Nocardia iowensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NRRL 5646(T) (=UI 122540(T)=NRRL B-24671(T)=DSM 45197(T)).
Development of a novel bacteriophage based biomagnetic separation method as an aid for sensitive detection of viable Escherichia coli

The application of bacteriophage combined with the use of magnetic separation techniques has emerged as a valuable tool for the sensitive identification and detection of bacteria. In this study, bacteriophage T7 labelled magnetic beads were developed for the detection of viable bacterial cells. Fusion of the biotin acceptor peptide (BAP) with the phage capsid protein gene and the insertion of the biotin ligase (BirA) gene enabled the display of the BAP ligand and the expression protein BirA during the replication cycle of phage infection. The replicated Escherichia coli specific bacteriophage was biotinylated in vivo and coated on magnetic beads via streptavidin–biotin interaction. Immobilization efficiency of the recombinant phage was investigated on magnetic beads and the phage-bead complex was evaluated by detecting E. coli from inoculated broth. When compared to the wild type phage, the recombinant phage T7birA–bap had a high immobilization density on streptavidin-coated magnetic beads and could capture 86.2% of E. coli cells from broth within 20 min. As this phage-based biomagnetic detection approach provided a low detection limit of 102 CFU mL−1 without pre-enrichment, we believe this assay could be further developed to detect other bacteria of interest by applying host-specific phages. This would be of particular use in detecting bacteria which are difficult to grow or replicate slowly in culture.
Characterization of glycosaminoglycans associated with Rauscher murine leukemia virions.

Host-derived sulfated components that copurify and are physically associated with the envelope of Rauscher murine leukemia virions grown in JLS-V9 cells were characterized by digestion with chondroitinase ABC and chondroitinase AC II, as well as nitrous acid degradation. A dermatan-sulfate-chondroitin-sulfate copolymer and heparin or heparan sulfate were shown to be associated with the virions. Competitive binding studies indicated a specificity of the virions for association with heparan sulfate. The physiological importance of the association is discussed.
Effect of Technique Variation on Sensory Nerve Conduction Characteristics

The impact of technique variation on the wave-form characteristics of the evoked sensory potential was determined from the median and ulnar nerves of healthy subjects. The conduction characteristics of latency, amplitude, and duration were determined for orthodromic and antidromic techniques of stimulation as measured under each of three recording modes: 1) single evoked response, 2) superimposition, and 3) electronic averaging. Variation in the technique of stimulation significantly affected each of the three wave-form characteristics. Peak latency and duration of the evoked sensory potential were longer in antidromic stimulation. The amplitude of the sensory potential varied significantly with both recording and stimulating techniques. The amplitude of the sensory response was larger in antidromic stimulation than in orthodromic stimulation and also was found to be smaller with electronic averaging than with the other recording modes in both antidromic and orthodromic conduction techniques. This degree of variation requires that standardized techniques of methodology be established with the development of normal values for the particular laboratory.
Soft-Tissue Surgery for Camptodactyly Corrects Skeletal Changes.

Background This study demonstrates the potential for radiographic and clinical improvement with surgical correction of camptodactyly. Although historically these radiographic changes have been held to be permanent, the authors encourage surgical intervention for digits with severe flexion contracture or progressive radiographic changes before skeletal maturity is reached. Methods The authors assessed 18 consecutively operated fingers in nine skeletally immature patients in whom advanced radiographic articular changes had occurred. Mean preoperative flexion contracture was 63 degrees (range, 35 to 105 degrees). The average age of the patients was 11 years (range, 4 to 15 years) at the time of surgery. Clinical response to surgery was studied, but radiographic articular changes were followed postoperatively as a primary outcome. Results Each patient demonstrated the classic preoperative radiographic joint changes on radiographic films at the affected proximal interphalangeal or distal interphalangeal joint. All patients had substantial clinical improvement postoperatively. Two digits had extensive radiographic damage, requiring proximal interphalangeal joint arthrodesis. Fifteen of the remaining 16 digits (94 percent) had substantial improvement or full restoration of radiographic articular congruency at average follow-up of 9 months (range, 3 to 18 months). The only joint that did not remodel fully was the one that did not have complete clinical correction. Conclusions Even in patients with severe radiographic changes from camptodactyly, surgery can effectively improve range of motion. Once radiographic articular changes become apparent, surgical correction should be undertaken not only to prevent further joint damage but also to reverse these radiographic changes before skeletal maturity is reached. Clinical question/level of evidence Therapeutic, IV.
Gendered Expectations for “Agreeableness” in Response to Requests and Opinions

To address the need for more direct assessment of gendered expectations for communication behaviors, we devised a novel experimental approach that tests whether expectations for “agreeableness” are more salient when evaluating male or female speakers in their affirmative responses to a friend’s request or expression of opinion. Briefly, as lag times are introduced, it appears that females are expected to be more agreeable (or male delay is more tolerated), particularly when alignment with opinion is at stake or when a female is responding to another female. Findings are discussed in the context of Expectation Violations Theory.
Laboratory Propagation of Muscidifurax raptor on Face Fly Pupae

Muscidifurax raptor Girault and Sanders, a pteromalid wasp, was recovered in low numbers from pupae of the face fly, Musca autumnalis De Geer, during 1966 field studies in Virginia. It has been successfully propagated in the laboratory on face fly pupae by mechanically cracking the fly puparia to aid parasite emergence. Parasitization is accomplished by penetration of the ovipositor through the posterior spiracles of the host. Less than 5% of the adult parasites emerge unaided from the host puparia.
Global Simulations of Dynamo and Magnetorotational Instability in Madison Plasma Experiments and Astrophysical Disks

Large-scale magnetic fields have been observed in widely different types of astrophysical objects. These magnetic fields are believed to be caused by the so-called dynamo effect. Could a large-scale magnetic field grow out of turbulence (i.e. the alpha dynamo effect)? How could the topological properties and the complexity of magnetic field as a global quantity, the so called magnetic helicity, be important in the dynamo effect? In addition to understanding the dynamo mechanism in astrophysical accretion disks, anomalous angular momentum transport has also been a longstanding problem in accretion disks and laboratory plasmas. To investigate both dynamo and momentum transport, we have performed both numerical modeling of laboratory experiments that are intended to simulate nature and modeling of configurations with direct relevance to astrophysical disks. Our simulations use fluid approximations (Magnetohydrodynamics - MHD model), where plasma is treated as a single fluid, or two fluids, in the presence of electromagnetic forces. Our major physics objective is to study the possibility of magnetic field generation (so called MRI small-scale and large-scale dynamos) and its role in Magneto-rotational Instability (MRI) saturation through nonlinear simulations in both MHD and Hall regimes.
Slx5/Slx8 Promotes Replication Stress Tolerance by Facilitating Mitotic Progression

Loss of minichromosome maintenance protein 10 (Mcm10) causes replication stress. We uncovered that S. cerevisiae mcm10-1 mutants rely on the E3 SUMO ligase Mms21 and the SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligase complex Slx5/8 for survival. Using quantitative mass spectrometry, we identified changes in the SUMO proteome of mcm10-1 mutants and revealed candidates regulated by Slx5/8. Such candidates included subunits of the chromosome passenger complex (CPC), Bir1 and Sli15, known to facilitate spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) activation. We show here that Slx5 counteracts SAC activation in mcm10-1 mutants under conditions of moderate replication stress. This coincides with the proteasomal degradation of sumoylated Bir1. Importantly, Slx5-dependent mitotic relief was triggered not only by Mcm10 deficiency but also by treatment with low doses of the alkylating drug methyl methanesulfonate. Based on these findings, we propose a model in which Slx5/8 allows for passage through mitosis when replication stress is tolerable.
Effects of atorvastain on transcription levels of TGF-β_1 and IL-1βin rats post myocardial infarction

AIM:To investigate the effects of atorv- astain on transcription levels of cytokines of TGF-β_1 and IL-1βpost acute myocardial infarction in rats.METH- ODS:Rats with acute myocardial infarction were random- ly divided into myocardial infarction group and atorvastain treatment group(21 in each group).13 normal rats were used as non-infarction controls(sham group).In treat- ment group,atorvastain was intragastrically administra- tered at the 2 nd day after myocardial infarction.After 1 week,TGF-β_1 and IL-1βmRNA were determined in each group.After 6 weeks,the cardiac function,related ven- tricular remodeling parameters and TGF-β_1 and IL-1βmR- NA were determined as well.RESULTS:Compared with myocardial infarction group,atorvastain significantly de- creased LV end-diastolic dimension(LVEDD).However, the ventricular remodeling parameters,ejection fraction (EF)and fractional shortening(FS)were significantly increased in atorvastain treatment group,compared with myocardial infarction group(P0.05).The mRNA transcription levels of TGF-β_1 and IL-1βin both myocardi- al infarction and atorvastain treatment groups were signifi- candy higher than those in the sham group(P0.05). After 6 weeks,IL-1βand TGF-βmRNA levels were in- creased in myocardial infarction group.After treatment with atorvastain for 6 weeks,the mRNA levels of IL-1βand TGF-βwere decreased compared with myocardial in- farction group(P0.05).CONCLUSION:Atorvastain can downregulate TGF-β_1 and IL-1βtranscription and may be effective in preventing ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction in rats.
Photodissociation dynamics of OCS near 214 nm using ion imaging

The OCS photodissociation dynamics of the dominant S(1D2) channel near 214 nm have been studied using velocity map ion imaging. We report a CO vibrational branching ratio of 0.79:0.21 for v = 0:v = 1, indicating substantially higher vibrational excitation than that observed at slightly longer wavelengths. The CO rotational distribution is bimodal for both v = 0 and v = 1, although the bimodality is less pronounced than at longer wavelengths. Vector correlations, including rotational alignment, indicate that absorption to both the 21A′ (A) and 11A″ (B) states is important in the lower-j part of the rotational distribution, while only 21A′ state absorption contributes to the upper part; this conclusion is consistent with work at longer wavelengths. Classical trajectory calculations including surface hopping reproduce the measured CO rotational distributions and their dependence on wavelength well, though they underestimate the v = 1 population. The calculations indicate that the higher-j peak in the rotatio...
RIO-40C: A Low-Cost Wearable Sunlight Exposure Monitor for Skincare: Demo Abstract

During summer season, or all year long in tropical regions, the intense sunlight can be an invitingly trap for your health. While outdoor activities are usually more enjoyable under a bright sun, it can hide a silent and deadly villain. Unlike extreme heat or dehydration, the effects of excessive UV exposure is not immediately perceived by your body. Nevertheless it has long-term and extremely dangerous consequences, such as skin cancer. In this demonstration we present RIO-40C, a smart sunburn monitor. RIO-40C is a low-cost, wearable, IoT solution that provides personalized UV monitoring. It is aimed to aware the user about possible treats and help him plan his schedule to avoid health issues. It also provides a behavior database to guide decision makers to develop UV aware urban infrastructure.
Audience involvement: The role of social media in web usability

This paper shares preliminary findings from a case study involving the intersection of social media, web usability, and the rhetorical concept of audience. Specifically, this case study examines social media responses to a high-stakes public library website launch to gain insights about audience user characteristics. The case demonstrated ways that social media can serve as another feedback channel to inform usability evaluations of websites. In addition, social media responses demonstrated audience in an active, participatory fashion, signaling a shift in how audience has been traditionally depicted in rhetorical scholarship.
Phytase in animal feed

Abstract Phytic acid is a compound found in plants that stores phosphorus (P) in a highly stable form and also binds with various nutrients including minerals, proteins, starches, and lipids. Many plant-based ingredients commonly added in the diets of terrestrial and aquatic animal feeds are high in phytic acid. For nonruminant animals, phytic acid is largely indigestible and therefore can reduce nutrient utilization leading to reduced growth and bone mineralization as well as excessive phytic-P discharge to the environment. Some secondary effects to the host animal can include suppressing appetite, digestive enzymes, or irritating the gut. The enzyme phytase degrades phytic acid and can be used as an effective pretreatment to ingredients or directly included as a safe supplement in animal feeds to reduce these harmful effects. Generally, phytase greatly improves mineral digestibility in animals, but its effects as a growth promoter are highly variable. The efficiency of this enzyme depends on pH, presence of P and calcium (Ca), phytase type/level as well as interactions with other ingredients or nonphytase enzymes. To optimize phytase activity, diets should be deficient in P and Ca, while dietary acidifiers such as some organic acids may exert synergistic effects to digestibility and/or growth. Moreover, nonphytase enzymes, particularly carbohydrate-degrading enzymes, may allow more sites for phytase activity in plant-based ingredients. These interactions are receiving increasing attention, with indications that the gastrointestinal health of animals can also be improved. Indeed, rather than phytase being viewed as a means to substitute for additional P supplementations, and thus being more environmentally friendly, the inclusion of phytase with other natural supplements has the potential to act as a prophylactic to disease.