cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Study of Emergency Department Patient Admittance Predictors

We introduce and compare two prediction systems on the task of replicating human decisions regarding patient admittance in a typical American emergency department. The data-set used describes the patient trajectories in a 65,000 patient per-year emergency department in the United States. Among the descriptive attributes those of prime importance are the severity of the patient’s condition and the time they waited to be admitted from the waiting room to the department proper. A recurrent neural network (RNN) is developed to learn the task of selecting the next patient from the waiting-room/queue to be admitted for treatment which is then compared to a heuristic-based selection algorithm currently used in industry for hospital simulation applications. We demonstrate achievable accuracies of 75.29% and 84.97% using the RNN, depending on the type of the data preprocessing used. These accuracies are only potentially and theoretically achievable, respectively. The former’s validity hinges on whether certain "anomalous cases" are outliers or not, the second is achieved with the assumed existence of a method for labeling these same cases as anomalous as part of the RNN’s input, which may or may not be achievable, pending further consultation with industry experts. Our conclusions hinge on whether or not such cases are outliers though in either case a more sophisticated data-set is desired. If they are not outliers then a more detailed data-set is likely necessary to apply machine learning, or at least our methods, meaningfully to this prediction problem for use in simulated, or real world, hospitals.
Academic Safety Planning: Intervening to Improve the Educational Outcomes of Collegiate Survivors of Interpersonal Violence.

Demonstrated impacts of intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual assault (SA) for college students include negative outcomes related to mental, physical, emotional, and academic well-being. As a ...
Achieving a Sustained Decrease in Facility-wide C. difficile Incidence in an Acute-Care Hospital in New York City

Background: Mount Sinai Beth Israel is a 350-bed, acute-care hospital located on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. In 2014, the hospital had reached a high (9.8 cases per 10,000 patient days ) hospital-onset (HO) C. difficile rate. By 2015, this rate had decreased to 5.6 cases per 10,000 patient days because of compliance with established C.difficile bundle practices performed by nursing and environmental services. Despite these interventions, HO C. difficile events continued to occur. We realized that more had to be done to gain control over our rates. To determine areas for further improvement, infection prevention held an RCA meeting for every positive hospital-onset result. We discovered from these RCAs that many C. difficile tests were ordered without a valid indication. We believed that measures could be taken to ensure that only C. difficile tests with a valid indication would be ordered. Methods: We used the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model to look at what changes could be made to reduce our rate and to sustain this reduction. Multidisciplinary meetings of leaders and frontline staff were held to determine why patients were being tested for C. difficile. The following indications were revealed: repeat tests for same patient to “catch” a positive result after the first test was negative; inclusion as part of patient “pan-culturing”; testing patients who had diarrhea after receiving laxatives; and C. difficile cultures for patients who were asymptomatic. Starting in 2016, 3 consecutive interventions were implemented in fairly rapid succession. First, a C. difficile testing algorithm was developed. Second, a C. difficile test order protocol with a “hard stop” to prevent inappropriate indications was placed in the EMR. Last, a multidisciplinary form, called the C. difficile Team Huddle Form, was created for use by all members of the patient’s team. This form gave MDs, RNs, and PCAs a framework to decide together whether the test was indicated for the patient. If the team agreed to test, the ID physician on service was called for approval. Results: These 3 interventions yielded a sustained and statistically significant decrease (P = 0.0007) in the facility-wide hospital-onset C. difficile from a preintervention rate of 5.6 cases per 10,000 patient days in 2015 to 0.4 in 2019. Conclusions: Multidisciplinary use of the C. difficile testing interventions led to further reduction of the hospital-onset C. difficile infection rate. To sustain this rate reduction over time, infection prevention specialists must work with providers and frontline staff on an ongoing basis. Funding: None Disclosures: None
A Systematic Review of The Helping Babies Breathe Training Program: From Implementation To Impact

Introduction: Developed and introduced in 2010, Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) has found great success globally as an easily-implementable neonatal resuscitation training program for healthcare providers working in resource-limited settings. As HBB approaches a decade of in-field use in over 80 countries, this systematic literature review aimed to identify challenges, knowledge gaps, and successes associated with each stage of HBB programming. Methods: A systematic …
Wearable Haptic Array of Flexible Electrostatic Transducers

We demonstrate a wearable flexible electrostatic transducer (FET) matrix that conforms to the skin and can be used to generate complex haptic signals. The transducers consist of a pair of flexible electrodes that are attracted based on electrostatic force. We designed and built a 2 by 2 matrix of transducers from a pair of flexible films, with the design optimized for indentation into the skin. A transducer with a 10 mm by 10 mm footprint and a height of 2 mm effectively generated perceptible stimulus on the skin when operated at 150 V–250 V. Three psychophysical experiments were carried out to evaluate the properties of the new device as a wearable haptic display. Experiment 1 showed that the matrix of transducers was able to linearly boost perceived intensity when compared to a single transducer. Experiment 2 indicated that it was possible to indistinguishably replicate multi-frequency signals delivered to one transducer using multiple transducers that each operated at one of the frequencies. In Experiment 3, four movement-based stimulation patterns were designed using tactile illusion, and the identification rates were significantly above chance level. Our findings demonstrate that the compact, flexible, and scalable transducer array is well suited as a new type of actuator for wearable haptics research and applications.
Modeling Environments in Literature and Literary Criticism

In this chapter, I focus on applying models from a semiotic point of view for the purposes of understanding how humans represent their environments, how humans represent how plants and animals represent their environments, how writers model such representations, and how critics model how writers model such environments. Examples involving literary works are woven throughout. I use models from Peircean semiotics; models from MST (Modeling Systems Theory), as developed and extended by Sebeok and Danesi (The forms of meaning: Modeling systems theory and semiotic analysis. Mouton de Gruyter, Berlin/New York, 2000); modeling strategies as described by Maran (Green Lett Stud Ecocritic 18(3):297–311, 2014a); and seventeen Tools, from lists of principles of semiotics and biosemiotics to models of semiosis to a dichotomous key, to nested evolutionary and cognitive sign taxonomies or scaffoldings.
OLFM4-RET fusion is an oncogenic driver in small intestine adenocarcinoma

Small intestine adenocarcinoma is a rare intestinal malignancy with distinct clinical, pathological, and molecular characteristics. Recently, a fusion of the intestinal stem-cell marker olfactomedin 4 (OLFM4) and the proto-oncogene RET has been identified in a small intestine adenocarcinoma patient. Here we investigated the biological effects of OLFM4-RET fusion and whether it can initiate tumorigenesis in small intestine. OLFM4 expression was found to be frequently lost or reduced in human small intestine adenocarcinoma, and its downregulation correlated with high tumor grade and advanced tumor stage. Expression of OLFM4-RET fusion-induced cellular transformation in HEK293 cells and blocked RET-induced inhibition of colony growth in HuTu 80 small intestine adenocarcinoma cells. Further, expression of OLFM4-RET activated the RAS-RAF-MAPK and STAT3 cell signaling pathways in both HEK293 cells and HuTu 80 cells. OLFM4-RET expression in HEK293 cells upregulated multiple families of genes related to carcinogenesis, cancer progression, and metastasis. Targeted expression of OLFM4-RET in the small intestine led to the development of hyperplasia, adenoma, or adenocarcinoma in transgenic mice. Our study suggests that OLFM4-RET is an oncogenic driver of small intestine tumorigenesis. Therefore, the small intestine adenocarcinoma patients with OLFM4-RET fusion may benefit from treatment with RET kinase inhibitor.
Levamisole-induced and COVID-19-induced retiform purpura: two overlapping, emerging clinical syndromes.

Levamisole exposure in cocaine users is a well-recognized cause of retiform purpura, a distinctive net-like maculopapular patch. Prolonged exposure to levamisole can lead to a serious systemic syndrome known as levamisole-induced vasculitis, most commonly involving the kidneys and lungs. More recently, retiform purpura has been observed in patients with the novel coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19). Due to their overlapping dermatologic and systemic manifestations, levamisole-induced and COVID-19-induced retiform purpura may mimic one another in clinical presentation. The possibility that patients may present with one or both syndromes creates a diagnostic challenge. This review of levamisole-induced and COVID-19-induced retiform purpura highlights their corresponding and distinctive features. Additionally, we propose a unique staging system for levamisole-induced retiform purpura that may be valid for future classification of COVID-19-induced retiform purpura.
Optical Properties and Laser Damage Measurements of Inorganic Polymer Films

Linear phosphorus-nitrogen bases polymers have been synthesized and deposited as thin films from solution on silica or silicon substrates using dip-coating or spin-casting methods. Most materials transmit well into the ultraviolet region of the spectrum and have refractive indices (1.5 to 1.7 at 500 nm) which are controlled by the functionality of chemical substituents introduced at the phosphorus atom. Films exposed to pulsed laser irradiation (1064 nm, 8ns pulsewidth) exhibit damage morphologies ranging from severe cratering to delamination. The chloro-substituted polymer shows a spheroidal surface morphology after exposure to a 25 J/cm{sup 2} pulse suggesting melting or condensation of ablated material. The relative stability of these materials to laser irradiation will be discussed in terms of chemical bond ionicity which is influenced by atom electronegativity and the nature of substituent groups. Preliminary measurements of the non-linear optical response observed in several of these materials (SHG) will also be discussed.
Hemoglobin 3α Chains in Apes PRIMARY STRUCTURES AND THE PRESUMPTIVE NATURE OF BACK MUTATION IN A NORMALLY SILENT GENE

Abstract The amino acid sequence of an unusual adult hemoglobin chain, termed 3α, is delineated for 107 of 141 residues from gorilla. The sequence of the remainder of positions from gorilla as well as those in a similar 3α chain from chimpanzee are inferred from peptide composition and homology with the sequence of the major α chains. The eight to nine amino acid differences between 3α and the major α chains are scattered throughout the chain and similar for both gorilla and chimpanzee proteins. The extent of the differences suggests that the genesis of the 3α gene much antedated speciation among the great apes and that man, in whom 3α chains have not yet been detected, may also possess the 3α locus. Trace hemoglobins containing 3α chains were found, among 14 gorillas in only a father and son; a comparable hemoglobin was found only once among 37 chimpanzees. Electrophoretic and immunological features suggest that 3α gene products are indeed absent in most animals and not merely rendered undetectable by the mass of hemoglobin A. A clue to the inactivity of the 3α gene in most animals and its appearance in a few is the occurrence of serine/asparagine or aspartic acid heterogeneity at position 131, 133, or 138 of the 3α chain from one gorilla. Such heterogeneity suggests that two allele products are produced. Genetic and other features make it unlikely that this biallelic expression is the result of a reversion mutation in each of two 3α alleles and support the notion that 3α products are normally absent because of a nearly ubiquitous nonsense mutation which has been suppressed in a few animals by mutation at some non-hemoglobin locus.
Obviación y control en los complementos de subjuntivo e infinitivo

The controlled and obviative reference of a subject pronoun in an infinitive or subjunctive complemen t is described in terms of Binding principles A and B; respectively. Hestvik's (1992) LF-movement of pronouns and reflexives to define their binding domain; together with Lujan's (1994) analysis of CP's Case-marking and the Case locus distinction ‘SPEC vs. Head'; allow a Move-a account of Exceptional Case Marking (ECM) which uniformly characterizes control and obviation as ECM structures at LF. Control or obviation result when a CP's subject pronoun LF-moves out of its CP domain/landing in a position Case-marked 'OBJ' or ACC' by a matrix V. Its co-indexing or contra-indexing depend on whether the pronoun is identified as reflexive or irreflexive by local (null/overt) agreement. The account predicts the absence of obviation in subjunctive complements not involving ECM structures; while it also derives the Subject vs. Object control difference with double object verbs; such as promise and permit.
Glycolipid synthesis in the early prereplicative phase of isoproterenol-stimulated salivary glands of mice.

Abstract The synthesis of glycolipids, glycoproteins, and phospholipids was investigated in the isoproterenol-stimulated salivary glands of mice. The synthesis of a glycolipid present in the lower phase of the chloroform-methanol extract of salivary glands increases as early as 1 hour after stimulation with isoproterenol, reaching a peak at 2 hours and returning to control levels by 24 hours. The increased synthesis of this glycolipid, which shows characteristics suggesting that it may be a glycerol glycolipid, is related to the synthesis of DNA that occurs 20 hours later. No quantitative changes were found in the rate of synthesis of glycoproteins or phospholipids after isoproterenol stimulation that could be related to the subsequent DNA synthesis.
Perioperative management of blood glucose during open heart surgery in infants and children.

Summary The perioperative management of blood glucose has been controversial since clinical associations between hyperglycemia and adverse outcomes were first reported more than two decades ago. Despite some early evidence supporting a causal relationship between hyperglycemia and adverse outcomes, prospective trials of tight glycemic control have been inconclusive, except in selected populations, like adult diabetics. These trials have consistently reported dramatic increases in the incidence and severity of hypoglycemia, which may also have associated adverse outcomes. Bedside glucose monitors typically used to manage glucose have increasingly been found to introduce systematic inaccuracies. Relevant studies of infants and children undergoing cardiac surgery are considerably fewer in number, requiring clinicians to extrapolate from other clinical conditions and patient populations.
The Bucket and Buffett Approaches to Raising Taxes on High-Income U.S. Individuals

In the aftermath of the 2012 U.S. presidential election, while there is increasing consensus that high-income individuals’ taxes should increase, there is considerable disagreement about how this might best be done. In particular, while some favor raising upper-bracket marginal income tax rates, others prefer an approach that I call distributionally selective base-broadening. Here the idea is to restrict or deny the benefit of various tax preferences in such a way as to target the impact of the base-broadening on high-income individuals who have such items. An inevitable byproduct of such an approach is that different individuals will in effect face different tax bases.This brief article, prepared for a forthcoming tax policy forum in the Canadian Tax Journal, assesses two such approaches that have received recent attention. The first is a “bucket” approach to limiting the use of particular tax preferences, endorsed by the 2012 Romney campaign. The second is the so-called “Buffett tax,” endorsed at one point by the Obama Administration. It argues that, while either might conceivably be better than politically feasible alternatives, they have significant defects that should be kept in mind as well. Indeed, in some respects both bring to mind the much-reviled alternative minimum tax.
Mechanisms of Cross-protection by Influenza Virus M2-based Vaccines

Current influenza virus vaccines are based on strain-specific surface glycoprotein hemagglutinin (HA) antigens and effective only when the predicted vaccine strains and circulating viruses are well-matched. The current strategy of influenza vaccination does not prevent the pandemic outbreaks and protection efficacy is reduced or ineffective if mutant strains emerge. It is of high priority to develop effective vaccines and vaccination strategies conferring a broad range of cross protection. The extracellular domain of M2 (M2e) is highly conserved among human influenza A viruses and has been utilized to develop new vaccines inducing cross protection against different subtypes of influenza A virus. However, immune mechanisms of cross protection by M2e-based vaccines still remain to be fully elucidated. Here, we review immune correlates and mechanisms conferring cross protection by M2e-based vaccines. Molecular and cellular immune components that are known to be involved in M2 immune-mediated protection include antibodies, B cells, T cells, alveolar macrophages, Fc receptors, complements, and natural killer cells. Better understanding of protective mechanisms by immune responses induced by M2e vaccination will help facilitate development of broadly cross protective vaccines against influenza A virus.
Surrogate screening models for the low physical activity criterion of frailty.

Background and aims: Low physical activity, one of five criteria in a validated clinical phenotype of frailty, is assessed by a standardized, semiquantitative questionnaire on up to 20 leisure time activities. Because of the time demanded to collect the interview data, it has been challenging to translate to studies other than the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS), for which it was developed. Considering subsets of activities, we identified and evaluated streamlined surrogate assessment methods and compared them to one implemented in the Women’s Health and Aging Study (WHAS). Methods: Using data on men and women ages 65 and older from the CHS, we applied logistic regression models to rank activities by “relative influence” in predicting low physical activity.We considered subsets of the most influential activities as inputs to potential surrogate models (logistic regressions). We evaluated predictive accuracy and predictive validity using the area under receiver operating characteristic curves and assessed criterion validity using proportional hazards models relating frailty status (defined using the surrogate) to mortality. Results: Walking for exercise and moderately strenuous household chores were highly influential for both genders. Women required fewer activities than men for accurate classification. The WHAS model (8 CHS activities) was an effective surrogate, but a surrogate using 6 activities (walking, chores, gardening, general exercise, mowing and golfing) was also highly predictive. Conclusions: We recommend a 6 activity questionnaire to assess physical activity for men and women. If efficiency is essential and the study involves only women, fewer activities can be included.
The sll1951 Gene Encodes the Surface Layer Protein of Synechocystis sp. Strain PCC 6803

Sll1951 is the surface layer (S-layer) protein of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803. This large, hemolysin-like protein was found in the supernatant of a strain that was deficient in S-layer attachment. An sll1951 deletion mutation was introduced into Synechocystis and was easily segregated to homozygosity under laboratory conditions. By thin-section and negative-stain transmission electron microscopy, a ~30-nm-wide S-layer lattice covering the cell surface was readily visible in wild-type cells but was absent in the Δsll1951 strain. Instead, the Δsll1951 strain displayed a smooth lipopolysaccharide surface as its most peripheral layer. In the presence of chaotropic agents, the wild type released a large (>150-kDa) protein into the medium that was identified as Sll1951 by mass spectrometry of trypsin fragments; this protein was missing in the Δsll1951 strain. In addition, Sll1951 was prominent in crude extracts of the wild type, indicating that it is an abundant protein. The carotenoid composition of the cell wall fraction of the Δsll1951 strain was similar to that of the wild type, suggesting that the S-layer does not contribute to carotenoid binding. Although the photoautotrophic growth rate of the Δsll1951 strain was similar to that of the wild-type strain, the viability of the Δsll1951 strain was reduced upon exposure to lysozyme treatment and hypo-osmotic stress, indicating a contribution of the S-layer to the integrity of the Synechocystis cell wall. This work identifies the S-layer protein in Synechocystis and shows that, at least under laboratory conditions, this very abundant, large protein has a supportive but not a critical role in the function of the cyanobacterium.
Exploring the training wilderness

Exploring the student training wilderness takes courage, determination and creativity. Bring your compass and let experienced explorers from two colleges in the Midwest: Grinnell College and Valparaiso University, guide you through the training forest showing you how to provide training even if you are on the economy trek.Experience some interactive techniques that go beyond the traditional training methods, collect tools that you can add to your backpack of ideas, and also learn how to add some fun to your training sessions so that learning goals are better achieved. Learn how to identify and involve experts from the outside to enhance your training program with diverse perspectives and knowledge. Your trek into the wilderness will allow you to learn tactics to encourage participation, design ideas for sessions for all learning styles and how to get more from your training investment.The unique challenges of providing training to a staff who, by their very nature, will be moving on after few years and maintaining an even level of customer service will be covered in this journey. Providing students with the appropriate customer service skills, technical skills and knowledge will give them the survival skills they need to successfully negotiate the ever growing wilderness known as Information Technology.
Social Interactions Model and Adaptability of Human Behavior

Human social networks evolve on the fast timescale of face-to face interactions and of interactions mediated by technology such as a telephone calls or video conferences. The resulting networks have a strong dynamical component that changes significantly the properties of dynamical processes. In this paper we study a general model of pairwise human social interaction intended to model both face-to face interactions and mobile phone communication. We study the distribution of durations of social interactions in whitin the model. This distribution in one limit is a power law, for other values of the parameters of the model this distribution is given by a Weibull function. Therefore the model can be used to model both face-to-face interactions data, where the distribution of duration has been shown to be fat-tailed, and mobile phone communication data where the distribution of duration is given by a Weibull distribution. The highly adaptable social interaction model propose in this paper has a very simple algorithmic implementation and can be used to simulate dynamical processes occurring in dynamical social interaction networks.
A lumped parameter method in the nonlinear analysis of flexible multibody systems

Abstract A lumped parameter method is presented in this paper. The method can be used in the nonlinear dynamic analysis of a flexible multibody system. The geometrical nonlinearity of a flexible body is shown to be automatically included in the governing dynamic equations. This lumped parameter method is called the finite segment method. The elastic parameters between two adjacent segments are evaluated. For straight and tapered segments, these parameters are listed in tables in the Appendix for quick and easy reference. To describe the topology of a multibody system a configuration matrix is introduced. The matrix can be generated from lower body array automatically by a FORTRAN subroutine presented in this paper in order to avoid the tedious manual derivation of the configuration matrix. To show the validation of the method an example is presented. The numerical results are favorably compared with analytical results. Since the geometrical nonlinearity of the flexible body is shown to be automatically included, the dynamic stiffening due to the overall nonlinear dynamic motion is automatically captured.
Emotional Encounters in Sacred Spaces: The Case of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Individual experience and emotion are critical to a complete understanding of the transformative effect of sacred spaces on people's lives. We implement an in-depth qualitative examination of the spiritual experiences from members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were allowed the opportunity to freely articulate their emotions when attending meetinghouses and temples as well as discuss the spiritual significance of these sites. We found that these spaces transcended the “everyday,” had a considerable capacity to inspire emotio-spiritual encounters, particularly feelings of peace, and further served as evidence of a deeper individual gradation of sacred space.
Preparation of Peptide p-Nitroanilides Using an Aryl Hydrazine Resin

Peptide p-nitroanilides are useful compounds for studying protease activity; however, the poor nucleophilicity of p-nitroaniline makes their preparation difficult. We describe a new efficient approach for the Fmoc-based synthesis of peptide p-nitroanilides using an aryl hydrazine resin. Mild oxidation of the peptide hydrazide resin yields a highly reactive acyl diazene that efficiently reacts with weak nucleophiles. We have prepared several peptide p-nitroanilides, including substrates for the Lethal Factor protease from B. anthracis.
A Modeling Framework for Coordinating Promotion and Production Decisions within a Firm

This paper presents a modeling framework for evaluating the benefits of coordinating promotion and production decisions over a finite planning horizon within a firm. These decisions include the timing and level of promotion, and the level of production. The modeling framework consists of the development of a baseline model and an integrated model. In the baseline integrated model, the firm would consider those promotion and production decisions separately jointly. For each of the models, we formulate the problem that determines the optimal promotion and production decisions so that the total net profit is maximized as a mixed integer program. By exploiting the structure of the problem, we show that each problem can be reformulated as a "longest path" problem over a network. Hence, each problem can be solved efficiently. This solution approach enables us to evaluate the benefits of coordinating promotion and production decisions by comparing the total net profit generated by the baseline model to that of the integrated model.
Current management options for latent tuberculosis: a review

Tuberculosis remains the world’s second leading infectious cause of death, with nearly one-third of the global population latently infected. Treatment of latent tuberculosis infection is a mainstay of tuberculosis-control efforts in low-to medium-incidence countries. Isoniazid monotherapy has been the standard of care for decades, but its utility is impaired by poor completion rates. However, new, shorter-course regimens using rifamycins improve completion rates and are cost-saving compared with standard isoniazid monotherapy. We review the currently available therapies for latent tuberculosis infection and their toxicities and include a brief economic comparison of the different regimens.
Contracting with uncertain level of trust

The paper investigates the impact of trust on market efficiency and bilateral contracts. We prove that a market in which agents are trusted to the degree they deserve to be trusted is as efficient as a market with complete trustworthiness. In other words, complete trustworthiness is not a necessary condition for market efficiency. We prove that distrust could significantly reduce market efficiency, and we show how to solve the problem by using appropriately designed multiagent contracts. The problem of trust is studied in the context of a bilateral negotiation game between a buyer and a seller. It is shown that if the seller’s trust equals the buyer’s trustworthiness, then the social welfare, the amount of trade, and the agents’ utility functions are maximized. The paper also studies the efficiency of advance payment contracts as a tool for improving trustworthiness. It is proved that advance payment contracts maximize the social welfare and the amount of trade. Finally, the paper studies the problem of how to make agents truthfully reveal their level of trustworthiness. An incentive-compatible contract is defined, in which agents do not benefit from lying about their trustworthiness. The analysis and the solutions proposed in this paper could help agent designers avoid many market failures and produce efficient interaction mechanisms.
Handling Out-of-Grammar Commands in Mobile Speech Interaction Using Backoff Filler Models

In command and control (C&C) speech interaction, users interact by speaking commands or asking questions typically specified in a context-free grammar (CFG). Unfortunately, users often produce out-of-grammar (OOG) commands, which can result in misunderstanding or nonunderstanding. We explore a simple approach to handling OOG commands that involves generating a backoff grammar from any CFG using filler models, and utilizing that grammar for recognition whenever the CFG fails. Working within the memory footprint requirements of a mobile C&C product, applying the approach yielded a 35% relative reduction in semantic error rate for OOG commands. It also improved partial recognitions for enabling clarification dialogue.
High-intensity ultrasound treatment of blunt abdominal solid organ injury: an animal model.

BACKGROUND High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is effective in producing hemostasis in injuries from organ lacerations and punctures in animals but has not been evaluated in impact injuries. METHOD High-energy blows were applied to 11 heparinized and anesthetized pigs, resulting in solid organ injury. HIFU was applied to injuries via laparotomy. The animals were closed, administered saline, observed under general anesthesia for 3.6 +/- 0.4 hours, reopened, and inspected, and abdominal free fluid was aspirated. RESULTS Organ hemostasis was achieved (mean +/- SD) with 15 +/- 6 minutes of HIFU treatment and 54 +/- 3 minutes of operating time, and 18.8 +/- 13.1 mL/kg of blood was recovered from the abdomen. One animal died from an untreated occult injury to a large vein. HIFU-treated sites were hemostatic at relaparotomy, with 8.6 +/- 6.2 mL/kg abdominal serosanguinous fluid recovered. CONCLUSION HIFU is effective in producing hemostasis by direct treatment of injured parenchyma in blunt trauma.
Characterization of haemolymph protyrosinase and a cuticular activator from Manduca sexta (L.)

Abstract A protyrosinase has been isolated from fifth instar larval haemolymph of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta (L.) by ammonium sulphate fractionation, hydroxylapatite chromatography and gel filtration. It exhibited a single band after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at pH 8.5 and two bands in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate with apparent molecular weights of 7.7 × 10 4 and 7.1 × 10 4 . The proenzyme is a metalloprotein containing 0.18% copper. The activating enzyme was partially purified from pharate pupal cuticle by ammonium sulphate precipitation and hydroxylapatite chromatography. The activation was inhibited by diisopropylphosphorofluoridate and had a pH optimum of 8.8. Chymotrypsin also activated the proenzyme. The cuticular activator is probably a serine protease. Activated protyrosinase exhibited physical, chemical and kinetic properties very similar to those of tyrosinase extracted from pharate pupal cuticle. Haemolymph protyrosinase may serve as a precursor for both haemolymph and cuticular tyrosinases that synthesize catecholamines and quinones used for wound healing, parasite encapsulation as well as for cuticular stabilization and pigmentation.
Histomorphometric Assessment of Bone Mass, Structure, and Remodeling: A Comparison Between Healthy Black and White Premenopausal Women

While noninvasive studies of bone mass and turnover in blacks and whites abound, histologic evaluations are very rare. We have performed a comparative bone histomorphometric study of iliac biopsies from 55 healthy, premenopausal women including 21 blacks (mean age 33.4 + 1.2 years) and 34 whites (mean age 32.5 + 0.8 years) of comparable age, weight, body composition, education, and lifestyle. Biochemical indices of mineral metabolism: parathyroid hormone, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, serum ionized calcium, serum phosphorus, and urinary calcium/creatinine were measured in the fasting state. Blacks had lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D (315 +/- 3.36 vs. 63.21 +/- 3.79 nmol/l, p = 0.0001). Histomorphometric indices of bone volume, structure, and connectivity were not different between groups. The following indices of bone remodeling were also similar in both groups: eroded perimeter, osteoid width, mineralizing perimeter, tissue-based bone formation rate, osteoid maturation time, active formation period, and activation frequency. However, osteoid perimeter (black [B] = 15.85 +/- 1.30 vs. white [W] = 9.49 +/- 0.70%, p = 0.0002), osteoid area (B = 2.55 +/- 0.32 vs. W = 1.39 +/- 0.12%, p = 0.003), single-labeled perimeter (B = 5.46 +/- 0.54 vs. W = 4.04 +/- 0.33%, p = 0.03), mineralization lag time (B = 38.18 +/- 4.04 vs. W = 21.83 +/- 1.60 days, p < 0.009), and total formation period (B = 148.15 +/- 19.70 vs. W = 84.04 +/- 7.62 days, p = 0.0056) were higher in blacks than in whites. The quiescent perimeter (B = 76.91 +/- 1.40 vs. W = 84.25 +/- 0.91%, p = 0.0001), mineral apposition rate (B = 0.70 +/- 0.02 vs. W = 0.75 +/- 0.02 micron/day, p = 0.066), mineralizing osteoid perimeter (B = 0.49 +/- 0.04 vs. W = 0.75 +/- 0.04%, p = 0.0001) and adjusted apposition rate (B = 0.35 +/- 0.04 vs. W = 0.58 +/- 0.04 micron3/micron2/day, p = 0.0001) were all lower in blacks than in whites. These results indicate that there are no differences in bone volume, microstructure, or turnover between black and white premenopausal women. However, there are significant differences in the mechanism of bone formation between the two groups, with a lower rate of mineralized matrix apposition within each remodeling unit and a longer total formation period in blacks than in whites. The differences appear to the result of more frequent and/or longer inactive periods in the life span of the bone formation units in blacks. These differences may allow a greater overall deposition of bone mineral in black women and therefore help explain a higher bone mass and perhaps better bone quality in black than white women.
SEX AND WILLINGNESS TO MOVE FOR OCCUPATIONAL ADVANCEMENT: SOME NATIONAL SAMPLE RESULTS

The comparative willingness of men and women to be geographically mobile for occupational advancement and the contributions of various factors to this relationship are explored using national survey-data. Variables identified by past theory and research as mediating the association between sex and willingness to move did explain a substantial amount of variance in willingness to relocate in the entire sample and subsamples of married respondents and respondents in dual-earner couples. However, in each case, sex continued to explain significant additional variance in willingness to move Reasons for this finding and implications for further research are explored.
WAVE: Interactive Wave-based Sound Propagation for Virtual Environments

We present an interactive wave-based sound propagation system that generates accurate, realistic sound in virtual environments for dynamic (moving) sources and listeners. We propose a novel algorithm to accurately solve the wave equation for dynamic sources and listeners using a combination of precomputation techniques and GPU-based runtime evaluation. Our system can handle large environments typically used in VR applications, compute spatial sound corresponding to listener's motion (including head tracking) and handle both omnidirectional and directional sources, all at interactive rates. As compared to prior wave-based techniques applied to large scenes with moving sources, we observe significant improvement in runtime memory. The overall sound-propagation and rendering system has been integrated with the Half-Life 2 game engine, Oculus-Rift head-mounted display, and the Xbox game controller to enable users to experience high-quality acoustic effects (e.g., amplification, diffraction low-passing, high-order scattering) and spatial audio, based on their interactions in the VR application. We provide the results of preliminary user evaluations, conducted to study the impact of wave-based acoustic effects and spatial audio on users' navigation performance in virtual environments.
Differential regulation of glucose transporter 1 and 2 mRNA expression by epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor-beta in rat hepatocytes.

We have examined by Northern blot analysis the expression of two members of the glucose transporter family of genes (GLUT-1 and GLUT-2) in regenerating liver and in hepatocytes cultured under various conditions. GLUT-1, although thought to be a growth-associated gene, is not expressed in normal or regenerating liver, whereas GLUT-2, a liver-specific gene, is abundant in normal liver and gradually up-regulated during liver regeneration. Conversely, in hepatocytes cultured conventionally on dried rat tail collagen (RTC) in the presence of EGF and insulin, which potentiate proliferation, GLUT-1 mRNA is rapidly and abundantly expressed, whereas GLUT-2 is depressed. To investigate the causes of this “switch” in glucose transporter expression seen when hepatocytes are removed from the liver and cultured under the conventional proliferative conditions, we examined the effects of specific growth factors and extracellular matrices on cultured hepatocytes. EGF, a potent liver mitogen, although causing a threefold induction of GLUT-1, was found to have no effect on GLUT-2 expression, suggesting that the increase in GLUT-2 seen in regenerating liver is not due to EGF. Inhibition of protein synthesis by cycloheximide in cultured hepatocytes does not prevent the induction of GLUT-1 mRNA. In addition, treatment of cells with cycloheximide appears to stabilize the GLUT-2 mRNA, preventing the usual down-regulation of this gene in cultured hepatocvtes. The expression of the two glucose transporter mRNAs also differed when the hepatocytes were adherent to particular cell matrices. Culture of hepatocytes on a reconstituted basement membrane gel matrix (EHS) is known to restrain their growth and mediate high levels of differentiated hepatocytic functions that are lost under conventional culture conditions. Unlike cells on RTC, hepatocytes on EHS expressed low levels of GLUT-1 mRNA, and decreased GLUT-2 mRNA. TGF-β, an attenuator of DNA synthesis, when added to cultures on RTC, substantially down-regulated GLUT-2 but had no effect on GLUT-1. We propose that the effectors, EGF, TGF-β and basement membrane components, play a significant role in the regulation of expression of GLUT-1 and GLUT-2 in hepatocytes. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Efficient aggregation over objects with extent

We examine the problem of efficiently computing sum/count/avg aggregates over objects with non-zero extent. Recent work on computing multi-dimensional aggregates has concentrated on objects with zero extent (points) on a multi-dimensional grid, or one-dimensional intervals. However, in many spatial and/or spatio-temporal applications objects have extent in various dimensions, while they can be located anywhere in the application space. The aggregation predicate is typically described by a multi-dimensional box (box-sum aggregation). We examine two variations of the problem. In the simple case an object's value contributes to the aggregation result as a whole as long as the object intersects the query box. More complex is the functional box-sum aggregation introduced in this paper, where objects participate in the aggregation proportionally to the size of their intersection with the query box. We first show that both problems can he reduced to dominance-sum queries. Traditionally dominance-sum queries are addressed in main memory by a static structure, the ECDF-tree. We then propose two extensions, namely the ECDF-B-trees, that make this structure disk-based and dynamic. Finally, we introduce the DA-tree that combines the advantages from each ECDF-B-tree. We run experiments comparing the performance of the ECDF-B-trees, the BA-tree and a traditional R*-tree (which has been augmented to include aggregation information on its index nodes) over spatial datasets. Our evaluation reaffirms that the BA-tree has more robust performance. Compared against the augmented R*-tree, the BA-tree offers drastic improvement in query performance at the expense of some limited extra space.
Coding SNPs as intrinsic markers for sample tracking in large-scale transcriptome studies

Large-scale transcriptome profiling in clinical studies often involves assaying multiple samples of a patient to monitor disease progression, treatment effect, and host response in multiple tissues. Such profiling is prone to human error, which often results in mislabeled samples. Here, we present a method to detect mislabeled sample outliers using coding single nucleotide polymorphisms (cSNPs) specifically designed on the microarray and demonstrate that the mislabeled samples can be efficiently identified by either simple clustering of allele-specific expression scores or Mahalanobis distance-based outlier detection method. Based on our results, we recommend the incorporation of cSNPs into future transcriptome array designs as intrinsic markers for sample tracking.
Small group dynamics and survival on chronic hemodialysis.

Two groups of patients undergoing hemodialysis for chronic renal failure were prospectively studied for twenty-four months. Group A patients (n=12) were dialyzed on Mondays and Thursdays; Group B patients (n=9) on Tuesdays and Fridays. Although patients were supposedly assigned to dialysis groups on a random basis, over a twenty-four month period Group A had significantly more deaths (7 patients) than did Group B (none). This phenomenon is interpreted in the framework of an ongoing intergroup interaction among patients and between patients and staff, as conceptualized in the Tavistock Model propounded by Bion. It is hypothesized that in the dialysis unit, unconscious splitting by the staff led to a bias in patient-group assignment, such that those patients with more severe personality disruption, and “bad” in that sense, were assigned to Group A. Since patients in Groups A and B did not differ significantly in biological or demographic parameters at time of entry into the study, it is suggested that the i...
EFFECT OF ACTIVITY SCHEDULINGS AND INVENTORY CONTROL: AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION FOR PC ASSEMBLY

ABSTRACT This paper investigates three scheduling algorithms and three inventory control policies to evaluate their effect on the system performance measures using computer simulation. The model chosen is a flow-shop type, computer assembly plant. Analysis is conducted on two scheduling measures (summation of process time and tardiness) and two inventory control measures (ordering cost and holding cost). The scheduling algorithms used are Shortest Processing Time, Genetic Algorithm and Simulated Annealing. The aim of the applied algorithms was to minimize the sum of flow times. Since it is known that SPT minimizes sum of flow times, it provides a benchmark for comparing the efficiency of genetic algorithm and simulated annealing search methods. EOQ, MRP and JIT are used as inventory control methods. An experimental design for the comparison is presented to evaluate which combination of control methods produces the best results under the designed scenario.
Gated transport in nanofluidic devices

The surface property of the nanochannel plays an important role in controlling the ion transport through the nanochannel. Embedding electrodes outside the nanochannel (referred to as gated nanochannels) is a simple way to control the surface charge density of the nanochannel. Based on the numerical simulations using coupled Poisson–Nernst–Planck and Stokes equations, we show that a relative difference between the applied voltage and the gate voltage would alter the space charge density along the nanochannel. Thus, the gate voltage can tune the nanochannel into a p- or n-type field effect transistor, enabling the control of fluid flow in the nanochannel. The ionic currents reveal that the ionic flux can be controlled by the gate voltage. Analytical expressions are derived to estimate the effective space charge density and the fluid flow in the nanochannels for a fixed gate voltage. We also suggest potential applications of the gated nanochannels.
In-vitro interferometric characterization of dynamic fluid layers on contact lenses

The anterior refracting surface of the eye when wearing a contact lens is the thin fluid layer that forms on the surface of the contact lens. Under normal conditions, this fluid layer is less than 10 microns thick. The fluid layer thickness and topography change over time and are affected by the material properties of the contact lens, and may affect vision quality and comfort. An in vitro method of characterizing dynamic fluid layers applied to contact lenses mounted on mechanical substrates has been developed using a phase-shifting Twyman-Green interferometer. This interferometer continuously measures light reflected from the surface of the fluid layer, allowing precision analysis of the dynamic fluid layer. Movies showing this fluid layer behavior can be generated. The fluid behavior on the contact lens surface is measured, allowing quantitative analysis beyond what typical contact angle or visual inspection methods provide. The interferometer system has measured the formation and break up of fluid layers. Different fluid and contact lens material combinations have been used, and significant fluid layer properties have been observed in some cases. The interferometer is capable of identifying features in the fluid layer less than a micron in depth with a spatial resolution of about ten microns. An area on the contact lens approximately 6 mm wide can be measured with the system. This paper will discuss the interferometer design and analysis methods used. Measurement results of different material and fluid combinations are presented.