cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cutoff rate for channel having precoding, continuous-phase modulation, and differential detection

The authors consider encoded M-ary continuous-phase-modulated signaling with suboptimal demodulation-decoding, a transmission scheme useful when bandwidth and power are limited. Demodulation is via differential detection, and decoding is optimal. It is assumed that additive white Gaussian noise is the only disturbance. A form of precoding that undoes, before it is done, the correlation among symbols introduced by the modulation and differential detection is developed. The duration of the frequency pulse may be one symbol time or more, and the other channel parameters are not much constrained by the analysis assumptions. The authors compute the cutoff rate R/sub 0/ for the channel, since R/sub 0/ is generally regarded as the quality measure of a channel over which coded data are to be sent. It is shown that a memoryless channel can be constructed from the original one and that R/sub 0/ is the same for both. Besides signal-to-noise ratio, R/sub 0/ is a function of only M and one other parameter and not directly of pulse type, duration, or modulation index. Examples are given of how to pick good channel parameters, good for both channel quality and narrowness of signal spectrum, for four families of frequency pulse. Finally, R/sub 0/ for the studied channel is compared with R/sub 0/ for the coherent channel with optimal demodulation-decoding. >
On Doubly Dispersive Channel Estimation for Pilot-Aided Pulse-Shaped Multi-Carrier Modulation

In this paper, we propose several methods for the pilot-aided estimation of significant ICI coefficients resulting from pulse-shaped multicarrier modulation (PS-MCM) over DD channels. Specifically, we outline Wiener and reduced-rank (RR) Wiener estimation schemes that leverage statistical channel structure, as well as deterministic least-squares (LS) schemes based on basis expansion modeling (BEM). We then report the results of a numerical study which suggests that RR Wiener estimation outperforms LS estimation based on polynomial and oversampled complex exponential BEM, even under significant statistical mismatch. In addition, the RR Wiener estimator is computationally cheaper than the LS-BEM techniques. These findings have implications on the practical design of PS-MCM channel estimation schemes.
Creating Crime: The Rise and Impact of National Juvenile Delinquency Programs in Black Urban Neighborhoods

Beginning with the Johnson administration, this article examines the development of the juvenile justice system and the subsequent criminalization of African American youth and the urban spaces the...
Oxygen distribution and consumption in the cat retina during normoxia and hypoxemia.

Oxygen tension (Po2) was measured with microelectrodes within the retina of anesthetized cats during normoxia and hypoxemia (i.e., systemic hypoxia), and photoreceptor oxygen consumption was determined by fitting Po~ measure- ments to a model of steady-state oxygen diffusion and consumption. Choroidal Po 2 fell linearly during hypoxemia, about 0.64 mmHg/mmHg decrease in arterial Po~ (Pao~). The choroidal circulation provided ~91% of the photoreceptors" oxygen supply under dark-adapted conditions during both normoxia and hypoxemia. In light adaptation the choroid supplied all of the oxygen during normoxia, but at Pao~'s <60 mmHg the retinal circulation supplied ~ 10% of the oxygen. In the dark-adapted retina the decrease in choroidal Po2 caused a large decrease in photoreceptor oxygen consumption, from ~ 5.1 ml OJ 100 g.min during normoxia to 2.6 ml Off 100 g'min at a P,o 2 of 50 mmHg. When the retina was adapted to a rod saturating background, normoxic oxygen consumption was ~ 33% of the dark- adapted value, and hypoxemia caused almost no change in oxygen consumption. This difference in metabolic effects ofhypoxemia in light and dark explains why the standing potential of the eye and retinal extracellular potassium concentration were previously found to be more affected by hypoxemia in darkness. Frequency histograms of intraretinal Po~ were used to characterize the oxygenation of the vascularized inner half of the retina, where the oxygen distribution is heterogeneous and simple diffusion models cannot be used. Inner retinal Po~ during normoxia was relatively low: 18 - 12 mmHg (mean and SD; n = 8,328 values from 36 profiles) in dark adaptation, and significantly lower, 13 -+ 6 mmHg (n -- 4,349 values from 19 profiles) in light adaptation. Even in the dark-adapted retina, 30% of the values were < 10 mmHg. The mean Po~ in the inner (i.e., proximal) half of the retina was well regulated during hypoxemia. In dark adaptation it was significantly reduced only at Pao2's < 45 mmHg, and it was reduced less at these P~o~'s in light adaptation.
A Nonparametric Multivariate Test for Monotone Trend with Pharmaceutical Applications

Abstract During a drug trial, each subject may have many blood constituents measured at regular time intervals. The traditional method of evaluating such data using normal ranges has undergone much controversy in the clinical chemistry literature. We propose a new multivariate test for monotone trend based on Kendall's τ statistic as a way to test for change in blood constituents over the course of a drug experiment. The new test avoids the unrealistic assumptions and repeated testing problem of the normal range method. An example illustrates the new procedure.
Development of Spatial-Numerical Associations

Links between spatial and numerical thinking are well established in studies of adult cognition. Here, we review recent research on the origins and development of these links, with an emphasis on the formative role of experience in typical development and on the theoretical insights to be gained from infant cognition. This research points to three important influences on the development of spatial-numerical associations: innate mechanisms linking space and nonsymbolic number, gross and fine motor activity that couples spatial location to both symbolic and nonsymbolic number, and culturally bound activities (e.g., reading, writing, and counting) that shape the relationship between spatial direction and symbolic number.
Caffeine (1, 3, 7-trimethylxanthine) in Foods: A Comprehensive Review on Consumption, Functionality, Safety, and Regulatory Matters

Caffeine ranks as one of the top most commonly consumed dietary ingredients throughout the world. It is naturally found in coffee beans, cacao beans, kola nuts, guarana berries, and tea leaves including yerba mate. The total daily intake, as well as the major source of caffeine varies globally; however, coffee and tea are the 2 most prominent sources. Soft drinks are also a common source of caffeine as well as energy drinks, a category of functional beverages. Moderate caffeine consumption is considered safe and its use as a food ingredient has been approved, within certain limits, by numerous regulatory agencies around the world. Performance benefits attributed to caffeine include physical endurance, reduction of fatigue, and enhancing mental alertness and concentration. Caffeine has also been recently linked to weight loss and consequent reduction of the overall risks for developing the metabolic syndrome. However, the caloric contribution of caffeine-sweetened beverages needs to be considered in the overall energy balance. Despite all these benefits the potential negative effects of excessive caffeine intake should also be considered, particularly in children and pregnant women.
An industrial Wireless Sensor Networks framework for production monitoring

This paper presents design and implementation of a spatially distributed measurement system using Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) for real-time condition and performance monitoring of industrial machines in a manufacturing system setting. Main focus in this study was given to applications in small-to-medium size metalworking industry, where most of the machinery are conventional and do not support modern digital data communication technologies common for factory networking. The general procedure and the details of implementation are presented through a prototype implementation performed in a metalworking industry. A multi-platform and multi-layer sensor platform has been utilized using ZigBee-based TelosB and SunSPOT motes for enhancing the wireless communication quality in a factory environment. A distributed decision making scheme was used in order to provide real-time reliable machine utilization information.
Cell cycle association of the retinoblastoma protein Rb and the histone demethylase LSD1 with the Epstein-Barr virus latency promoter Cp.

The Epstein-Barr virus C promoter (Cp) regulates the major multicistronic transcript encoding the EBNALP, 1, 2, and 3 genes required for B-cell proliferation during latency. The growth-transforming potential of these viral genes suggests that they must be tightly regulated with the host cell cycle and differentiation process. To better understand Cp regulation, we used DNA affinity purification to identify cellular and viral proteins that bind to Cp in latently infected cells. Several previously unknown factors were identified, including the cell cycle regulatory proteins E2F1 and Rb. E2F1 bound to a specific site in Cp located in the core Cp region 3 of the known EBNA2-responsive RBP-Jk (CSL, CBF1) binding site. The histone H3 K4 demethylase LSD1 (BCC110) was also identified by DNA affinity and was shown to form a stable complex with Rb. Coimmunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that E2F1, Rb, and LSD1 bind to Cp in a cell cycle-dependent manner. Rb and LSD1 binding to Cp increased after the S phase, corresponding to a decrease in histone H3 K4 methylation and Cp transcription. Coimmunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence assays reveal that LSD1 interacts with Rb. Surprisingly, LSD1 did not coimmunoprecipitate with E2F1, suggesting that it associates with Rb independently of E2F1. Depletion of LSD1 by small interfering RNAs inhibited Cp basal transcription levels, and overexpression of LSD1 altered the cell cycle profile in p53-positive (p53), but not p53-negative (p53), HCT cells. These findings indicate that Cp is a cell cycle-regulated promoter that is under the control of Rb and the histone demethylase LSD1 in multiple latency types.
Floristics of Piedmont Gabbro Upland Depression Forests in Jasper County, Georgia

ABSTRACT Piedmont Gabbro Upland Depression Forests are a globally imperiled (G2) association endemic to a few scattered locations in the Piedmont regions of Georgia and South Carolina. These distinctive communities occur in relatively level uplands over mafic shrink-swell clays, particularly Iredell soils, derived from gabbro bedrock, and the hydrology ranges from seasonally saturated to very dry. These sites support unusual assemblages of plants including species typically associated with wetlands, xeric areas, and the Coastal Plain. A vouchered floristic inventory was conducted of three sites (270 ha; 666 ac) in Oconee National Forest in Jasper County, Georgia. The survey documented 541 vascular plant species (and eight varieties) in 319 genera and 111 families. The 86 exotic species comprise 15.9% of the flora. According to state rankings, five rare plant species occur within the study area, including Quercus oglethorpensis (state-ranked threatened). Herein, we provide an annotated species list and map...
On the accuracy of a Stewart platform. II. Kinematic calibration and compensation

An effective algorithm for the identification of the kinematic parameters of a Stewart platform is presented and verified through simulations. The algorithm can be applied to both the reduced and the full models, which differ by the number of parameters to be identified. Compensation procedures for models are also presented. The algorithm was tested using simulated measurements that included realistic measurement noise, and the results showed that the platform pose error was reduced by at least one order of magnitude. The identification algorithm is computationally expensive and has to be performed on a powerful computer for practical implementation. >
Automatic thresholding of gray-level pictures using two-dimensional entropy

Abstract Automatic thresholding of the gray-level values of an image is very useful in automated analysis of morphological images, and it represents the first step in many applications in image understanding. Recently it was shown that by choosing the threshold as the value that maximizes the entropy of the 1-dimensional histogram of an image, one might be able to separate, effectively, the desired objects from the background. This approach, however, does not take into consideration the spatial correlation between the pixels in an image. Thus, the performance might degrade rapidly as the spatial interaction between pixels becomes more dominant than the gray-level values. In this case, it becomes difficult to isolate the object from the background and human interference might be required. This was observed during studies that involved images of the stomach. The objective of this report is to extend the entropy-based thresholding algorithm to the 2-dimensional histogram. In this approach, the gray-level value of each pixel as well as the average value of its immediate neighborhood is studied. Thus, the threshold is a vector and has two entries: the gray level of the pixel and the average gray level of its neighborhood. The vector that maximizes the 2-dimensional entropy is used as the 2-dimensional threshold. This method was then compared to the conventional 1-dimensional entropy-based method. Several images were synthesized and others were obtained from the hospital files that represent images of the stomach of patients. It was found that the proposed approach performs better specially when the signal to noise ratio (SNR) is decreased. Both, as expected, yielded good results when the SNR was high (more than 12 dB).
Consistent Approach to Calculating Stresses for Fatigue Design of Welded Rib-to-Web Connections in Steel Orthotropic Bridge Decks

The authors discuss fatigue strength of welded rib-to-web junctions at the deck supports with reference to redecking of the Williamsburg and the Bronx-Whitestone bridges, where low available depth necessitated the use of special details, and recommend the use of the “modified nominal stress approach” for the design of such connections. However, experience with thousands of existing orthotropic deck bridges throughout the world shows that applied live load stresses are not the only cause of fatigue cracking and that factors related to fabrication may be of equal, or possibly, greater significance. It has been reported that in many cases, cracks in orthotropic decks developed shortly after fabrication and welding, or early after the deck installation, before the live loads had been fully applied. This led to the conclusion that fatigue cracking occurs where the effects of heavy wheel loads coincide with faulty details or inappropriate fabrication procedures. PSP 2005. Therefore, consideration of the effects of live load stresses alone addresses only one aspect of the fatigue problem. The authors imply that the type of weld used for the rib-toweb connection is accounted for by Detail Category assigned to the fillet, the partial and the full penetration welds. However, many other factors related to welding such as weld size total heat input, welding method manualautomatic, welding speed and sequence, weld imperfections, weld terminations, etc. may be more important. Dimensional fabrication tolerances and the degree of constraint of the plate elements to be welded are further factors that must be considered in the assessment of fatigue resistance. Tensile forces developing at welds due to weld shrinkage upon cooling could be a direct cause of cracking. These forces are directly related to loose fabrication tolerances and the geometric
Hazards, spatial transmission and timing of outbreaks in epidemic metapopulations

Highly infectious, immunizing pathogens can cause violent local outbreaks that are followed by the agent’s extinction as it runs out of susceptible hosts. For these pathogens, regional persistence can only be secured through spatial transmission and geographically asynchronous epidemics. In this paper we develop a hazard model for the waiting time between epidemics. We use the model, first, to discuss the predictability in timing of epidemics, and, second, to estimate the strength of spatial transmission. Based on the hazard model, we conclude that highly epidemic pathogens can at times be predictable in the sense that the waiting-time distribution between outbreaks is probabilistically bounded; The greater the spatial transmission the more periodic the outbreak dynamics. When we analyze the historical records of measles outbreaks in England and Wales between 1944 and 1965, we find the waiting-time between epidemics to depend inversely on community size. This is because large communities are much more tightly coupled to the regional metapopulation. The model further help identify the most important areas for spatial transmission. We conclude that the data on absence of these pathogens is the key to understanding spatial spread.
Status Report on the Development of the ASCOP Photomultipiers

This paper describes the "ASCOP" line of photomultipliers derived from the design for Schlumberger Well Surveying Corporation which was presented at the last Scintillation Counter Symposium. High-temperature photomultipliers of various sizes are now in production and are used extensively in oil well radioactivity logging. Resolution measurements up to 165°C have been made with NaI(Tl) crystals and a CRT light pulser. A complete line of photomultipliers for the far ultraviolet is described, including tubes with LiF windows up to 2" in diameter. Cs-Sb cathodes or spectrally selective" solar-blind" Cs-Te cathodes are used. Photomultipliers for scintillation counting range from 3" to 11/4" in diameter. They combine good cathode sensitivity and uniformity, good electron collection and low dark current. Resolution data are presented. Tubes of this type have been successfully used for scintillation counting in various earth satellites.
Amphotericin B Activation of Human Genes Encoding for Cytokines

Amphotericin B has been shown to cause release of cytokines, including interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), from monocytes and macrophages. Human and murine monocytic cell lines were used to evaluate the effects of amphotericin B on the transcription of IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, and TNF-alpha and the transcription and production of soluble IL-1 receptor antagonist (sIL-1Ra). The effects of inhibitors of transcription and translation on amphotericin B-induced IL-1beta expression in a human monocytic cell line were also evaluated. Amphotericin B markedly increased IL-1beta and TNF-alpha mRNA levels, with peak levels occurring by 4 h. Amphotericin B induced production of sIL-1Ra in a dose-dependent fashion and induced sIL-1Ra mRNA, with peak levels at 24 h. Cycloheximide and actinomycin D resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in amphotericin B-induced IL-1beta expression at 2 h. Thus, amphotericin B induces gene expression for IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, and IL-1Ra in human and murine monocytic cells.
Infant With Anomalous Left Coronary Artery Arising From the Right Pulmonary Artery and Ventricular Septal Defect

A 5-month-old female baby presented to a community hospital in acute respiratory failure for which she was intubated and treated for presumed pneumonia. Chest x-ray demonstrated cardiomegaly, and a subsequent echocardiogram described mitral valve stenosis, mitral valve regurgitation, bicuspid aortic valve, perimembranous ventricular septal defect (VSD), and subaortic membrane, leading to the diagnosis of Shone complex. After several weeks of antibiotics, diuretics, mechanical ventilation, and inotropic support failed to improve her clinical course, the patient was transferred. Repeat echocardiography confirmed the previous anatomic findings, as well as moderately depressed left ventricular systolic function. Chalk sticking of the left ventricular papillary muscles was suggestive of an ischemic insult. Because of these findings, anomalous left coronary artery arising from the right pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) was suspected, but the left coronary artery (LCA) was not seen arising from the pulmonary root. A modified parasternal short-axis view revealed that that the LCA arose anomalously from the mid right pulmonary artery (RPA; Figure 1). Flow within the anomalous LCA was bidirectional, although primarily antegrade, from the RPA toward the left ventricle (Movie I …
A typology of metamodels in collective bargaining

This paper presents an overview of the modeling process, which is then used to suggest a means of developing a typology of metamodels in collective bargaining. The typology helps to categorize existing models and it pinpoints gaps which indicate that new forms of analysis may be needed. The paper is epistemological in nature and deals with conceptual systems across several levels of abstraction. Finally, strengths and weaknesses of the current major categories of bargaining theory are presented. The paper focuses on the human activity at the group level and deals with the decider subsystem.
Adeno-Associated Virus Type 5 Utilizes Alternative Translation Initiation To Encode a Small Rep40-Like Protein

Alternative splicing of adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV2) P19-generated pre-mRNAs generates the small Rep proteins Rep52 and Rep40, which differ in their carboxyl termini. Both proteins are required for optimal packaging of AAV2 genomes. AAV5 Rep-encoding P19-generated transcripts are primarily polyadenylated within the central intron and not efficiently spliced; however, surprisingly, AAV5 was found to generate high levels of a Rep40-like protein. The AAV5 Rep40-like protein was generated by internal initiation and has the same C terminus as Rep52. Although precluded from using alternative splicing to generate multiple Rep isoforms, AAV5 ensures the production of a Rep40-like protein by utilizing a novel internal translation initiation event.
Embedded neural network for fire classification using an array of gas sensors

Fire is one of the most common hazards in US households. In 2006 alone, 2705 people were killed due to fire in building structures. 74% of the deaths result from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms while surveys report that 96% of all homes have at least one smoke alarm. This study discusses the development of a fire sensing system that is not only capable of detecting fire in its early stage but also of classifying the fire based on the smell of the smoke in the environment. By using an array of sensors along with a neural network for sensor pattern recognition, an impressive result is obtained. Instead of confining the ANN to a PC based application, this work extends the implementation of the neural network fire classifier in a general purpose microcontroller. The result is a low cost intelligent embedded fire classifier that can be used in real life situations for fire hazards minimization, for example this intelligent fire classifier can be used for the development of a smart extinguisher that detects the fire, classifies it and then uses appropriate extinguishing material required for extinguishing the particular class of fire.
Teaching Grid Computing in North Carolina: Part II

Grid computing uses geographically distributed computers connected on the Internet for high performance computing and resource sharing. It often involves computers from multiple organizations, crosses organizational boundaries, and enables the creation of distributed teams (so-called "virtual organizations"). Therefore, to teach grid computing properly, we first needed a distributed operational grid of computers for students to access. Our course uniquely combines distance-learning tools with grid computing. Students from many universities enroll and become the virtual organization together with supporting faculty from their home institutions. Integrating with this virtual organization is the physical grid of computers provided at major sites for students
Anti-biofilm Agents in Control of Device-Related Infections

The persistence and relative impermeability of biofilm matrices make the treatment of biofilm-producing organisms much more challenging than the treatment of their planktonic counterparts. However, the challenge is one worth rising towards, as the incidence of biofilm related infectious continues to increase, comprising up to 75 % of all bacterial infections. With the aging of the global population, the number of implanted medical devices is rising, from the seemingly innocuous temporary urinary catheter to the bridge-to-transplant ventricular assist device. Several strategies and agents are under active examination for their potential to prevent and/or treat biofilm device related infections. These strategies each focus on specific organisms known to be associated with particular devices. Skin flora such as staphylococcal species, including Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci are the most common organisms to create biofilms on central venous catheters, prosthetic joints or orthopedic hardware, and prosthetic heart valves. Genitourinary flora comprise the majority of culprit organisms for biofilm-associated urinary catheter infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonizes implanted devices in the airway, including tracheostomy tubes and bronchial stents.
Use of a human acellular dermal wound matrix in patients with complex wounds and comorbidities.

Objective: Rising prevalence of obesity and uncontrolled diabetes mellitus has resulted in an increasing number of patients with multiple comorbidities who require treatment for chronic complex wounds. Because patients with diabetes and foot ulcers may have a higher risk for amputations, techniques that facilitate complex wound healing and prevent limb amputation are desirable. Here, we investigate a limb preservation strategy that includes application of a human acellular dermal wound matrix (HADWM). Method: Medical history, physical examination and full wound assessment were completed for all patients. Systemic antibiotics and appropriate offloading were prescribed as needed. Wounds were debrided to create a bleeding bone and/or wound base for HADWM (Graftjacket regenerative tissue matrix, Wright Medical Technology, Inc., licensed by KCI, an Acelity company, San Antonio, TX). Healing progress was monitored over four weeks with weekly postoperative visits. ‘Healed’ was defined as full epithelialisation w...
Comparison of fossilized schizochroal compound eyes of phacopid trilobites with eyes of modern marine crustaceans and other arthropods

ABSTRACT We examined fossilized compound eyes of the schizochroal design from 2 species of phacopid trilobites, Phacops rana crassituberculata and Phacops rana milleri. Lens diameters and optical axis orientations were determined for all ommatidial units in both eyes of 2 individuals of each species. The results were analyzed according to the theory of optimal compound eye design developed by Snyder (1977) and Snyder et al. (1977), for comparison with the compound eyes of modern arthropods, particularly marine species inhabiting similar environments. We determined that schizochroal eyes of these species, as well as other schizochroal eyes described in the literature, apparently do not conform to this theory, which properly applies to compound eyes having a single rhabdomal light-collecting unit for each lens. Instead, schizochroal compound eyes probably acted as an assemblage of simple eyes with extended retinas and overlapping visual fields. Such a design offers unique possibilities for visual analysis of color, form, and depth, and is fundamentally different from that of any compound eye now in existence.
Why Violence SpreadsThe Contagion of International Terrorism

This study examines the spread of international terrorism from 1968 to 1974. Using Poisson and negative binomial probability models, a diffusion of international terrorism was found in the first segment of the time period (1968–1971) and contagion as a direct modeling process in the second (1973–1974). Accordingly, the theory of hierarchies in which the diplomatic status of a country predicts its degree of imitability was found to operate among Latin American countries during the second portion of the overall period, but not during the first. An inverse hierarchy is suggested as an explanation for the contagion of violence from Latin America and other third world countries to Western Europe. Autocorrelation functions were used to assess which forms of terrorism were most contagious in which regions.
The Structure of the Apparent Pheromone-Secreting Cells in Female Diabrotica virgifera,

Secretory-type epithelial cells of the adult female western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera LeConte (Chrysomelidae), apparently responsible for releasing the sex pheromone, are composed of 2 groups of cells. One group is columnar, arranged in a “U” shape, and located dorsally between tergites 7 and 8; the cells of the 2nd group are cuboidal and located ventrally between sternites 7 and 8. Individual cuticular pore openings occur on the 7th abdominal segment and correlate spatially with the epithelial secretory cells.
Influence of Cotton Irrigation Frequency on the Duration of the Prepupal and Pupal Stages of Non-diapausing Pink Bollworms

Prepupal and pupal stages of non-diapausing pink bollworms, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) were observed in cotton fields during the summer at Phoenix, AZ to determine the effect of irrigation frequency on developmental duration. The time required by these soil-inhabiting stages ranged from a minimum of 11 days during July in relatively dry plots that received water once every 3 wk (mean soil temperature = 27. 7°C) to as long as 17 days during Aug. in cotton plots where soils remained cooler (mean temperature = 22.5°C) as a result of weekly irrigations. A computer simulation of development consistently underestimated observed durations when either standard weather bureau or shelter temperatures instead of actual field soil temperatures were used as model inputs.
Simulation and Hydraulic Optimization of Lateral Inflow Forebay of Large Pumping Station

Taking Shajing drainage pumping station in Shenzhen City for an example,three-dimensional software CFD is adopted to simulate forebay rectifier and hydraulic optimization of pumping station.And it is verified by physical model test.The results show that within a certain hydraulic losses range,flow regime can be significantly improved by adding the water retaining weir to forebay distributary,which is helpful to abate or even eliminate oblique flow inertial effects of lateral deviation.Thus,it provides reference for study of lateral oblique inlet way of pumping station.
Improper affine spheres in ℝ3 and ℂ3

In this paper we determined all polynomial improper affine spheres in ℝ3 and ℂ3 without any curvature conditions. We have gotten the following result: A polynomial improper affine sphere in ℝ3 or ℂ3 is either a quadric or the ruled surface z = xy +ϕ(x).
Blake after Blake: A Nation Discovers Genius

The letter above, heretofore unpublished (British Library, shelf no. RP6421), is dated 28 November 1859 and is from Thomas Carlyle to Edward Chapman, of Chapman and Hall, his (and Dickens’s) publisher. Chapman, the literary mind of the firm, passed on Gilchrist’s manuscript, perhaps finding the subject insufficiently literary to ‘sell… a fair extent,’ or, like Carlyle, not quite sure what he was selling, a book about a ‘Painter, or Engraver.’ Macmillan published the biography, Life of Blake, in two volumes with 121 illustrations in 1863, marking the beginning of modern Blake studies. Its subtitle, Pictor Ignotus, or unknown painter, appears to acknowledge Carlyle’s uncertainty (the letter was sent via Gilchrist), and yet from another perspective it is misleading, as modern scholarship has revealed a Blake relatively well known during his life and shortly after his death.1 He merited 24 pages in Benjamin Heath Malkin’s A Father’s Memoirs of his Son (1806); a review, albeit nasty, by Robert Hunt in the Examiner (1809) and another, albeit in German, by Henry Crabb Robinson (1811); at least seven obituary notices; 34 pages in Joseph Smith’s Nollekens and His Times (1828; 2nd edition 1829); 46 pages in Allan Cunningham’s Lives of British Artists (1830; republished 1831, 1837, 1839, 1842, 1844, 1846); reviews of Smith and Cunningham, including The Inventions of William Blake, Painter and Poet,’ in the London University Magazine (1830); and entries in various biographical dictionaries and encyclopaedias, including Matthew Pilkington’s A General Dictionary of Painters (1840; also 1852 and 1858) and Charles Knight’s The English Cyclopaedia (1856).2
TRPA1 mediates changes in heart rate variability and cardiac mechanical function in mice exposed to acrolein

Short-term exposure to ambient air pollution is linked with adverse cardiovascular effects. While previous research focused primarily on particulate matter-induced responses, gaseous air pollutants also contribute to cause short-term cardiovascular effects. Mechanisms underlying such effects have not been adequately described, however the immediate nature of the response suggests involvement of irritant neural activation and downstream autonomic dysfunction. Thus, this study examines the role of TRPA1, an irritant sensory receptor found in the airways, in the cardiac response of mice to acrolein and ozone. Conscious unrestrained wild-type C57BL/6 (WT) and TRPA1 knockout (KO) mice implanted with radiotelemeters were exposed once to 3ppm acrolein, 0.3ppm ozone, or filtered air. Heart rate (HR) and electrocardiogram (ECG) were recorded continuously before, during and after exposure. Analysis of ECG morphology, incidence of arrhythmia and heart rate variability (HRV) were performed. Cardiac mechanical function was assessed using a Langendorff perfusion preparation 24h post-exposure. Acrolein exposure increased HRV independent of HR, as well as incidence of arrhythmia. Acrolein also increased left ventricular developed pressure in WT mice at 24h post-exposure. Ozone did not produce any changes in cardiac function. Neither gas produced ECG effects, changes in HRV, arrhythmogenesis, or mechanical function in KO mice. These data demonstrate that a single exposure to acrolein causes cardiac dysfunction through TRPA1 activation and autonomic imbalance characterized by a shift toward parasympathetic modulation. Furthermore, it is clear from the lack of ozone effects that although gaseous irritants are capable of eliciting immediate cardiac changes, gas concentration and properties play important roles.
Evaluation of stochastic particle dispersion modeling in turbulent round jets

Abstract ODT (one-dimensional turbulence) simulations of particle-carrier gas interactions are performed in the jet flow configuration. Particles with different diameters are injected onto the centerline of a turbulent air jet. The particles are passive and do not impact the fluid phase. Their radial dispersion and axial velocities are obtained as functions of axial position. The time and length scales of the jet are varied through control of the jet exit velocity and nozzle diameter. Dispersion data at long times of flight for the nozzle diameter (7 mm), particle diameters (60 and 90 µm), and Reynolds numbers (10, 000–30, 000) are analyzed to obtain the Lagrangian particle dispersivity. Flow statistics of the ODT particle model are compared to experimental measurements. It is shown that the particle tracking method is capable of yielding Lagrangian prediction of the dispersive transport of particles in a round jet. In this paper, three particle-eddy interaction models (Type-I, -C, and -IC) are presented to examine the details of particle dispersion and particle-eddy interaction in jet flow.
Hypothermia Associated with Clobazam Use in Adult Epilepsy (P6.351)

Objective: To report a case of hypothermia associated with clobazam in an adult epileptic patient. Background: Benzodiazepines usually have only mild side effects, but they have been occasionally associated with hypothermia especially in the elderly or very young. Clobazam, a 1,5-benzodiazepine FDA approved in 2011, has never been associated with this adverse effect until very recently, in a case report involving two pediatric epileptic patients. Methods: Case history was obtained through clinical record review. Results: The patient is a 58-year-old male with a history of developmental delay, left hemiparesis, dysphagia, hypertension, cyclothymia, urinary retention, and a convulsive seizure disorder since he was 3 years old suggestive of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. His seizures occur a few times per month, often in clusters. His medications include phenytoin (200 mg/day), levetiracetam (3000 mg/day), clonazepam (1 mg/day), fluoxetine (30 mg/day), quetiapine (100 mg/day), amlodipine (10 mg/day), and aspirin (81 mg/day). Clobazam was initiated at 5 mg/day and increased to 10 mg bid after a month. Seizures were initially controlled well. A couple months after starting clobazam, the patient began developing episodes of hypothermia every several weeks, with temperatures ranging from 90 °F - 95 °F. Normothermia was achieved with Bair Hugger therapy. TSH and cortisol levels were normal, and there was no evidence of infection in most instances. After 10 episodes of hypothermia, clobazam was tapered to 5 mg bid for a week because its benefit was unclear. The patient experienced 1 more episode of hypothermia during this time. Ever since clobazam was completely discontinued 7 months ago, there have been no more episodes of hypothermia. Conclusions: This case report describes several episodes of hypothermia associated with clobazam use in an adult patient, which stopped after the drug was discontinued. Future studies of hypothermia with correlated drug levels are warranted to further explore this association. Disclosure: Dr. Gauthier has nothing to disclose. Dr. Quraishi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mattson has nothing to disclose.
A Small Bowel Transplant for a Patient with Scleroderma: Once Again on the Slippery Slope Both Clinically and Ethically

A 55-year-old gentleman with a 30-year history of diffuse scleroderma presents for a small bowel transplant. His rapidly progressive autoimmune disease includes his entire gastrointestinal tract, liver, lungs, skin, and joints. He is brought to the holding area, and the chart includes the following preoperative assessment by organ system.
The evaluation of bulbar dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: survey of clinical practice patterns in the United States.

AbstractObjective: Speech and swallowing impairments are highly prevalent in individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and contribute to reduced quality of life, malnutrition, aspiration, pneumonia and death. Established practice parameters for bulbar dysfunction in ALS do not currently exist. The aim of this study was to identify current practice patterns for the evaluation of speech and swallowing function within participating Northeast ALS clinics in the United States. Methods and results: A 15-item survey was emailed to all registered NEALS centres. Thirty-eight sites completed the survey. The majority (92%) offered Speech-Language Pathology, augmentative and alternative communication (71%), and dietician (92%) health care services. The ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised and body weight represented the only parameters routinely collected in greater then 90% of responding sites. Referral for modified barium swallow study was routinely utilised in only 27% of sites and the use of percutaneou...
Provider and Consumer Behaviors and their Interaction for Measuring Person-Centered Care.

Background Current research has found that higher rates of person-centered care (PCC) are associated with greater treatment adherence and positive treatment outcomes. However, the instruments used to access PCC primarily collect data on provider behavior, rather than consumer participation in PCC, despite the necessary co-equal and collaborative nature of PCC interactions. Objectives The objective of the current study was to test the hypotheses that: (1) the Perceived Involvement in Care Scale (PICS) consumer information subscale and the consumer decision making subscale are not correlated with the PPPC subscales and, (2) consumer perceptions of person-centeredness and of consumer involvement in care are significant independent explanatory variables for the theoretically or quantitatively grounded outcomes of therapeutic alliance, treatment adherence, and mental health care system mistrust. Methods Cross-sectional survey data was collected from 82 mental health care consumers receiving services at two Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities. Participants completed surveys on perceptions of PCC, consumer involvement in care, therapeutic alliance, medication adherence, and mental health care system mistrust. Results Significant correlation between the consumer participation and PCC subscales was mixed. Higher levels of PCC were associated with greater therapeutic alliance, less suspicion of mental health care systems, less perception of lack of support from providers, and less beliefs about group disparities in care. Consumer involvement was only significantly related to suspicion of mental health care systems. Discussion and conclusions These findings may be a function of the locus of each outcome variable. When conducting PCC research investigators should consider how the outcomes they are examining inform the method through which they measure patient-centeredness.
Phytosterols Synergize With Endotoxin to Augment Inflammation in Kupffer Cells but Alone Have Limited Direct Effect on Hepatocytes

Introduction Phytosterols are implicated in the development of parenteral nutrition-associated liver disease. A newly proposed mechanism for phytosterol-mediated parenteral nutrition-associated liver disease is through phytosterol-facilitated hepatic proinflammatory cytokine release following exposure to intestinally derived bacteria. Whether the proinflammatory effects are liver cell specific is not known. Aim To determine if phytosterols cause inflammation in hepatocytes or Kupffer cells independently or require costimulation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Methods In an in vivo study, neonatal piglets on parenteral nutrition for 11 days received an 8-hour infusion of LPS. In the in vitro studies, neonatal piglet Kupffer cells and hepatocytes were treated with media, media + 1% soy oil, or media + 1% soy oil + 100µM phytosterols. After 24-hour incubation, cells were treated with farnesoid X receptor (FXR) agonist obeticholic acid or liver X receptor (LXR) agonist GW3965 and challenged with LPS or interleukin 1β. Results LPS administration in piglets led to transient increases in proinflammatory cytokines and suppression of the transporters bile salt export pump and ATP-binding cassette transporter G5. In hepatocytes, phytosterols did not activate inflammation. Phytosterol treatment alone did not activate inflammation in Kupffer cells but, combined with LPS, synergistically increased interleukin 1β production. FXR and LXR agonists increased transporter expression in hepatocytes. GW3965 suppressed proinflammatory cytokine production in Kupffer cells, but obeticholic acid did not. Conclusions LPS suppresses transporters that control bile acid and phytosterol clearance. Phytosterols alone do not cause inflammatory response. However, with costimulation by LPS, phytosterols synergistically maximize the inflammatory response in Kupffer cells.
Time to share the load: gender differences in household responsibilities and business profitability

This paper uses data from 2408 micro and small businesses in Ecuador to study business profit differentials by gender. The results point to unpaid work—time devoted to household chores, child care, and care for the elderly—as the largest single factor explaining 33% of the difference in profits observed between male- and female-run businesses. When comparing male and female business owners with similar business and personal characteristics, the difference in business profits disappears. The results point to initial endowments, rather than returns on those endowments, as the reason why female-run businesses are less profitable. Also, they indicate that male and female entrepreneurs are equally effective as managers provided they have access to the same resources, including time.
Applications of the lichnerowicz Laplacian to stress energy tensors

A generalization of the Laplacian for p-forms to arbitrary tensors due to Lichnerowicz will be applied to a 2-tensor which has physical applications. It is natural to associate a divergencefree symmetric 2-tensor to a critical point of a specific variational problem and it is this 2-tensor that is studied. Numerous results are obtained for the stress-energy tensor, such as its divergence and Laplacian. A remarkable integral formula involving a symmetric 2-tensor and a conformal vector field is obtained as well.
Wisdom of Crowds: Cross-Sectional Variation in the Informativeness of Third-Party-Generated Product Information on Twitter: WISDOM OF CROWDS

This paper examines whether third-party-generated product information on Twitter, once aggregated at the firm level, is predictive of firm-level sales, and if so, what factors determine the cross-sectional variation in the predictive power. First, the predictive power of Twitter comments increases with the extent to which they fairly represent the broad customer response to products and brands. The predictive power is greater for firms whose major customers are consumers rather than businesses. Second, the word-of-mouth effect of Twitter comments is greater when advertising is limited. Third, a detailed analysis of the identity of the tweet handles provides the additional insights that the predictive power of the volume of Twitter comments is dominated by “the wisdom of crowds,” whereas the predictive power of the valence of Twitter comments is largely attributable to expert comments. Furthermore, Twitter comments not only reflect upcoming sales, but also capture an unexpected component of sales growth. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Scientist Diplomats or Diplomat Scientists: Who Makes Science Diplomacy Effective?

Successful science‐based policies build upon the pillar of sound science, while meeting the needs of diverse societies in an economically and politically feasible manner. How do scientists and diplomats interact most productively too achieve a successful outcome?
Microsurgical anatomy of the posterior choroidal arteries.

Abstract In this study, we analysed the microanatomy of the medial and lateral posterior choroidal arteries, which supply vital central nervous system structures to the brainstem and choroids plexus. We traced the anatomical course of the medial and lateral posterior choroid arteries, their origin, diameter, number of branches, length, and anatomical variations. Twenty-six human unfixed brains were injected through the vertebral and carotid arteries with silicon rubber. Fifty-one out of a total of 129 vessels were medial posterior, and 78 were lateral posterior choroidal arteries. We divided the medial posterior choroidal artery into three segments: around the brainstem, quadrigeminal-pineal, and choroidal. The mean length of the medial posterior choroidal artery was 77.6 +/- 15 mm on the right side, and 77.1 +/- 15 mm on the left; the mean outer diameter observed was 0.8 +/- 0.5 mm on the right side, and 0.8 +/- 0.4 mm on the left. The number of branches arising from the medial posterior choroidal arteries averaged 25 +/- 9. In the lateral posterior group, the mean length observed was 49.5 +/- 26 mm on the right, and 58.0 +/- 23 mm on the left. There were instances of duplication and triplication of the lateral posterior choroidal vessels. The outer diameter averaged 0.72 mm on the right, and 0.6 mm on the left. The posterior choroidal arteries are clearly an important vascular component. A comprehensive knowledge of their anatomy will aid the neurosurgeon during surgery of the brainstem, pineal region, and third ventricle, and will limit complications resulting from injury to these arteries.