cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Studies in Dhāraṇī Literature I: Revisiting the Meaning of the Term Dhāraṇī

The Mahāyāna Buddhist term dhāraṇī has been understood to be problematic since the mid-nineteenth century, when it was often translated as “magical phrase” or “magical formula” and was considered to be emblematic of tantric Buddhism. The situation improved in contributions by Bernhard, Lamotte and Braarvig, and the latter two suggested the translation be “memory,” but this remained difficult in many environments. This paper argues that dhāraṇī is a function term denoting “codes/coding,” so that the category dhāraṇī is polysemic and context-sensitive. After reviewing Western scholarship, the article discusses dhāraṇī semantic values and issues of synonymy, the early applications of mantras, the sonic/graphic background of coding in India extended into Buddhist applications, and the soteriological ideology of dhāraṇīs along with some of its many varieties.
Model-based orientation-independent 3-D machine vision techniques

Orientation-dependent techniques for the identification of a three-dimensional (3-D) object by a machine vision system are represented in parts. In the first part, the data consist of intensity images of polyhedral objects obtained by a single camera, while in the second part, the data consist of range images of curved objects obtained by a laser scanner. In both cases, the attributed graph representation of the 3-D object surface is used to drive the respective algorithm. In this representation, a graph node represents a surface path and a link, the adjacency between two patches. The attributes assigned to nodes are moment invariants of the corresponding face for polyhedral objects. For range images, the Gaussian curvature is used as a segmentation criterion for providing symbolic shape attributes. Identification is achieved by an efficient graph-matching algorithm used to match the graph obtained from the data to a subgraph of one of the model graphs stored in the computer memory. >
Cow-level evaluation of a kinetics ELISA with multiple cutoff values to detect fecal shedding of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in New York State dairy cows.

Abstract In control programs for Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis ( Map ), the infection status of the cows in a herd is often obtained by testing (a sample of) the herd with an ELISA that may lack some sensitivity and specificity but that is fast and inexpensive. In New York State (NYS), an unabsorbed kinetics ELISA (KELA) has been used extensively for Map control. The objective of this study was to determine the relative sensitivity and specificity of the KELA for detection of fecal shedding of Map for the NYS dairy cow population, taking into account possible confounders such as different antigen batches and Map prevalence in a herd. The data for the study consisted of all serum samples from NYS dairy cows with concurrent fecal culture results submitted to the NY Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory (NYAHDL) between 1991 and 1996 ( n = 10,562). The data represented cows with different levels of fecal shedding from herds with different within-herd Map prevalence, including herds that were whole herd fecal culture negative on repeated testing. The cutoff values were based on the predictive value for fecal shedding obtained with a multiple logistic regression model that included variables for the three antigen batches and the Map prevalence in the herd. The KELA could not distinguish between non-shedders and low shedders (≤30 total colony forming units (TCFU)) and thus the predictive value of the KELA to detect moderate to heavy fecal shedders (>30 TCFU) was modeled. The three cutoff values of 65, 135 and 170 were based on low ( 0.95) probabilities for moderate to heavy fecal shedding. The sensitivity and specificity values relative to culture were 67% and 95.2%, 31% and 99.7%, and 11% and 99.9% for the three cutoff values, respectively. Cutoff values for the KELA decreased for herds with increasing within-herd Map prevalence. For the best positive predictive value of a KELA for moderate to heavy fecal shedding, the cutoff values should be determined based on the apparent within-herd prevalence in a herd.
Novel fuzzy entropy approach to thresholding and enhancement

Image processing has to deal with many ambiguous situations. Fuzzy set theory is a good mathematical tool for handling the ambiguity or uncertainty. In order to apply the fuzzy theory, selecting the fuzzy region of membership function is an fundamental and important task. Most researchers use a predetermined window approach which has inherent problems. There are several formulas for computing the entropy of a fuzzy set. In order to overcome the weakness of the existing entropy formulas, this paper defines a new approach to fuzzy entropy and uses it to automatically select the fuzzy region of membership function so that an image is able to be transformed into fuzzy domain with maximum fuzzy entropy. The procedure for finding the optimal combination of a, b and c is implemented by a genetic algorithm. The proposed method selects the fuzzy region according to the nature of the input image, determines the fuzzy region of membership function automatically, and the post-processes are based on the fuzzy region and membership function. We have employed the novelly proposed approach to perform image enhancement and thresholding, and obtained satisfactory results.
The effects of lymphocyte blastogenesis medium and phytohemagglutinin on the activity of PGE2 9-ketoreductase

Components of the culture medium employed in phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced lymphocyte blastogenesis were tested individually to determine their effects on the conversion of PGE2 into PGF2 alpha by the enzyme, PGE2 9-ketoreductase. PHA at concentrations up to 10 microgram/ml completely inhibited the activity of PGE2 9-ketoreductase. Heat inactivated fetal bovine serum (FBS) stimulated a greater than two-fold increase in the conversion of PGE2 into PGF2 alpha. Although the mechanism of lymphocyte activation by the lectin, PHA, remains obscure, our data suggests that in vitro exposure of lymphocytes to the tissue culture medium as well as mitogens could result in intracellular alterations in prostaglandin metabolism.
At the roots of the mammalian family tree.

An exceptionally complete skeleton, dating back roughly 140-150 million years, offers our closest look yet at the last common ancestor of modern mammals.
An improved method for the quantification and recovery of rat uterine nuclear type II [3H]estradiol binding sites immobilized on a glass fiber matrix

Abstract An improved assay for measuring ligand binding to extracted nuclear type II estrogen binding sites which involves preimmobilization on glass fiber filters is described. At least two classes of specific estrogen binding sites have been demonstrated in rat uterus as well as in a variety of other tissues and species and have been designated as type I and type II. Although the endogenous ligand to the type II binding site has recently been identified as methyl p-hydroxyphenyllactate (MeHPLA), tritiated estrogens are generally used for radiolabeling this site due to the susceptibility of MeHPLA to enzymatic hydrolysis in in vitro assays. After extracting the type II site from the nuclear matrix, ligand binding and protein stability appear to be significantly enhanced by first immobilizing the site on an artificial matrix, such as hydroxylapatite, before incubating with radiolabeled ligand. Immobilization of the extracted site on glass fiber filters results in higher specific binding and lower nonspecific binding when compared to hydroxylapatite and a number of other immobilization matrices. The glass fiber ligand exchange procedure for measuring type II binding can also be performed on smaller samples and requires less time than other methods. Type II sites are significantly stabilized when immobilized on glass and exhibit sigmoidal binding curves when incubated with increasing concentrations of [3H]estradiol and [3H]estrone and display inhibition data characteristic of that observed using more traditional assays. Since the type II binding site can be readily extracted from glass, glass immobilization provides a very rapid method for the desalting and concentration of type II sites prior to subsequent characterization and purification steps and has implications for the electroblotting and postlabeling of type II preparations purified using nondenaturing electrophoresis.
Efficient occlusion reasoning for articulated tracking in monocular views

Pose estimation and tracking of articulated objects like humans is particularly difficult due to the complex occlusions among the articulated parts. Without the benefit of multiple views, resolution of occlusions becomes both increasingly valuable and challenging. We propose a method for articulated 3D pose estimation from monocular video which uses nonparametric belief propagation and employs a novel and efficient approach to occlusion reasoning. We present a human tracking application, and evaluate results using the HumanEva II data set.
Clinical Response to Hypertensive Hypervolemic Therapy and Outcome After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE: Hypertensive hypervolemic therapy is widely used to treat symptomatic vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Few data exist to support a relationship between early clinical response and mortality or functional outcome. METHODS: In a prospective cohort of 580 subarachnoid hemorrhage patients, we studied 95 patients with acute symptomatic vasospasm who received stepwise volume expansion with crystalloid and/or 5% albumin solution followed by intravenous pressors to maintain systolic blood pressure between 180 and 220 mm Hg. We separately assessed the effects of volume expansion and induced hypertension on the neurological examination during the first 2 hours of each intervention. We used multivariate logistic regression analysis to calculate adjusted odds ratios assessing the relationship between clinical response to hypertensive hypervolemic therapy and 3-month outcome, as measured by the modified Rankin Scale. RESULTS: Of 95 patients with symptomatic vasospasm, volume expansion was used in 94% (n = 89), of whom 43% had a clinical response; 85% of the patients (n = 81 ) received pressors, of whom 68% responded. Early clinical improvement attributable to either volume expansion or pressors was not related to the development of infarction on computed tomography, but response to either modality within 2 hours was independently protective against death (adjusted odds ratio, 0.03; P < 0.05) and death-or-severe-disability (modified Rankin Scale score, 4-6; adjusted odds ratio, 0.1; P <0.05) after adjusting for age, Hunt-Hess grade, angioplasty, and aneurysm size. CONCLUSION: Subarachnoid hemorrhage patients with symptomatic vasospasm who fail to demonstrate early clinical improvement in response to volume or pressor therapy are at high risk for death or disability. Urgent endovascular intervention in this high-risk patient cohort may be justified.
Modeling of permeators with two different types of polymer membranes

Mathematical models have been developed for the separation of binary gas mixtures in permeator modules housing two different types of membranes simultaneously. The membranes are selected so as to exhibit reverse selectivities toward the components of a mixture, i.e., so that one membrane is more permeable to one of the components while the second membrane is more permeable to the other component. The mathematical models describe the membrane separation process for three kinds of flow patterns of the permeated (low pressure) and unpermeated (high pressure) gas streams in the permeator, namely, “perfect mixing,” counter-current flow, and cocurrent flow. Numerical solutions of the models indicate that the extent of separation achievable in a two-membrane permeator can be much higher than in a conventional single-membrane permeator. Also, for given product compositions, the membrane area requirements of the former permeator can be lower than those of the latter. Countercurrent flow is generally the most efficient flow pattern in a two-membrane permeator, and “perfect mixing” is the least efficient one, but the opposite is true under special operating conditions.
Group Approaches to Reducing Aggression and Bullying in School

This article provides a definition of and introduction to aggression and bullying as it occurs in the school environment. Following an analysis of the extent of the bullying problem in contemporary school systems, the authors present a series of interventions developed to reduce the incidence of aggression and bullying in schools. All of the programs presented have in common the utilization of a group approach, and vary in their orientation from being psychoeducationally based to having a counseling emphasis. Finally, the overall effectiveness of group work for reducing aggression in schools is examined, and based on the findings the authors provide several recommendations for school administrators, counselors, and other mental health professionals.
MAPKs are differentially modulated in arctic ground squirrels during hibernation

Hibernating animals are very tolerant of trauma to the central nervous system such that dramatic fluctuations in cerebral blood flow occur during hibernation and arousal without apparent damage. Indeed, it was demonstrated that Arctic ground squirrels (AGS) experience acute and severe systemic hypoxia along with the dramatic fluctuation in cerebral blood flow when the animals are aroused from hibernation. While initial hypotheses concerned protective mechanisms in the hibernating state, recent evidence of sustained elevation of HIF1α in euthermic AGS from our laboratory suggests that a preparatory program of protective gene expression is chronically expressed in euthermic AGS. In this study we evaluated potential neuroprotective adaptations by examining the alteration of intracellular MAPK pathways that may be modulated by hypoperfusion/reperfusion in AGS during hibernation and arousal. We found that ERK and JNK are activated in both euthermic and aroused AGS compared to the hibernating group which positively correlated with HIF1α levels. The activation of ERK and JNK associated with HIF1α may play an important role in mediating neuroprotective adaptations that is essential for successful hibernation. Interestingly, p38 is activated in euthermic AGS but not in aroused AGS, which shows strong correlation with iNOS induction. Therefore, the attenuation of p38 activation and iNOS induction in hibernating and aroused animals may contribute to the attenuation of inflammation that plays important neuroprotective roles during hibernation. Taken together, the differential modulation of the MAPK pathways may be critical for neuroprotection of AGS necessary for fluctuations in oxygen and nutrient delivery during hibernation. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Energy losses of fast electrons at crystal surfaces

The energy-loss spectra observed when an electron beam of energy 100 keV and diameter 1--2 nm traverses the face of a small crystal show features which are different from those observed for transmission through thin films. For magnesium oxide smoke crystals havingdimensions of 100--700 nm the most prominent features are strong peaks at energy losses of about 17 eV and oscillations in the energy-loss curves with periodicities of 2--5 eV, depending on the crystal dimensins. These features are attributed to energy losses associated with the emission of radiation as the electrons are channelled along the surface with an oscillatory motion and enter and leave the crystal surface region.
Comparison of Three Mark–Recapture Sampling Designs for Estimating Population Size of Largemouth Bass in Minnesota Lakes

Abstract We compared population estimates of largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides (>200 mm long) made with three different designs in 13 lakes in southcentral Minnesota. Sampling was by shoreline electrofishing, estimators were either Chapman–Petersen or modified Schnabel methods, and analysis consisted of fall marking and fall recapture (FF), fall marking and spring recapture (FS), and spring marking and spring recapture (SS) designs. Most (90%) estimates made with FS designs exceeded those made with FF designs. Although estimates made with SS designs should not exceed estimates made with FF or FS designs, 80% of those made with SS designs exceeded those made with FF designs. Conversely, few (15%) estimates made with SS designs exceeded estimates made with FS designs. Several estimates made with FF designs were negatively biased because fall-marked largemouth bass were more vulnerable to capture than unmarked largemouth bass. Therefore, FF designs should not be used to estimate population size of largem...
Effects of human activities (raking, scraping, off-road vehicles) and natural resource protections on the spatial distribution of beach vegetation and related shoreline features in New Jersey

This study examined the relative impacts of different human activities and natural resource protections on the spatial distribution of beach vegetation and related habitat features (wrack, dune succession) in New Jersey (USA). Field surveys of the 209-km shoreline categorized beach segments according to vegetation cover classes, human activities, protection measures (exclosures, beach management plans, access restrictions) and ownership status (federal, state, etc.). A partition model (classification tree) was used to confirm the relative dominance hierarchy of human actions on the distribution of beach vegetation observed, and quantitative comparisons of dominant activities were conducted using vegetation data collected on 218 transects. The spatial extent of beach vegetation was found to be severely restricted by human activities when unconstrained by resource protections. The greatest reductions were found to result from mechanical raking (−99 %), scraping (−91 %) and all-year recreational ORV use (−86 %), which were dominant on nearly 70 % of the state shoreline. Beaches containing larger areas of vegetation (>5 m) were concentrated in areas with resource protections of various kinds (99 %), and on federal or other public parklands (68 %). Exclosures resulted in the greatest coverage of vegetation (48 % of beach surface) compared to public access restricted areas (41 %), beach management plans (31 %), government-only ORV use (31 %), and off-season recreational ORVs (15 %). Greater protection and recovery of beach vegetation and habitat is needed for species conservation and erosion protection in New Jersey and other coastal environments where these activities occur.
Kinetic analysis of the gas-phase pyrolysis of carbohydrates

Cellulose-derived pyrolysis products and selected primary products, 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (5-HMF), levoglucosan and hydroxyacetaldehyde (HAA) were used as starting materials for kinetic studies of gas-phase pyrolysis by using flow tube reactors and product detection with molecular beam mass spectrometry (MBMS). Multivariate data analysis was used to identify major product classes for lumped product kinetic analysis. The methodology employed in this work was verified using ethyl allyl ether (EAE) pyrolysis. Two-step sequential models based on lumped primary, secondary and tertiary products were developed for levoglucosan, 5-HMF and cellulose derived pyrolysis products. A one-step model was developed for HAA. Reaction rates and Arrhenius parameters are presented based on these empirical models.
Oxidative Stress in Glaucomatous Neurodegeneration: Mechanisms and Consequences

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated as by-products of cellular metabolism, primarily in the mitochondria. Although ROS are essential participants in cell signaling and regulation, when their cellular production overwhelms the intrinsic antioxidant capacity, damage to cellular macromolecules such as DNA, proteins, and lipids ensues. Such a state of "oxidative stress" is thought to contribute to the pathogenesis of a number of neurodegenerative diseases. Growing evidence supports the involvement of oxidative stress as a common component of glaucomatous neurodegeneration in different subcellular compartments of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Besides the evidence of direct cytotoxic consequences leading to RGC death, it also seems highly possible that ROS are involved in signaling RGC death by acting as a second messenger and/or modulating protein function by redox modifications of downstream effectors through enzymatic oxidation of specific amino acid residues. Different studies provide cumulating evidence, which supports the association of ROS with different aspects of the neurodegenerative process. Oxidative protein modifications during glaucomatous neurodegeneration increase neuronal susceptibility to damage and also lead to glial dysfunction. Oxidative stress-induced dysfunction of glial cells may contribute to spreading neuronal damage by secondary degeneration. Oxidative stress also promotes the accumulation of advanced glycation end products in glaucomatous tissues. In addition, oxidative stress takes part in the activation of immune response during glaucomatous neurodegeneration, as ROS stimulate the antigen presenting ability of glial cells and also function as co-stimulatory molecules during antigen presentation. By discussing current evidence, this review provides a broad perspective on cellular mechanisms and potential consequences of oxidative stress in glaucoma.
Automatic Solar Filament Detection Using Image Processing Techniques

We present an automatic solar filament detection algorithm based on image enhancement, segmentation, pattern recognition, and mathematical morphology methods. This algorithm cannot only detect filaments, but can also identify spines, footpoints, and filament disappearances. It consists of five steps: (1) The stabilized inverse diffusion equation (SIDE) is used to enhance and sharpen filament contours. (2) A new method for automatic threshold selection is proposed to extract filaments from local background. (3) The support vector machine (SVM) is used to differentiate between sunspots and filaments. (4) Once a filament is identified, morphological thinning, pruning, and adaptive edge linking methods are used to determine the filament properties. (5) Finally, we propose a filament matching method to detect filament disappearances. We have successfully applied the algorithm to Hα full-disk images obtained at Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO). It has the potential to become the foundation of an automatic solar filament detection system, which will enhance our capabilities of forecasting and predicting geo-effective events and space weather.
Rediscovery of Gratings: Novel Properties and Applications in VCSELs and Integrated Optoelectronics

We review recent advances in subwavelength high-index-contrast gratings (HCGs) and a wealth of applications in optoelectronic devices, including vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), tunable VCSELs, high-Q optical resonators, low loss hollow-core waveguides, and biosensors. I will discuss theory, simulation and experimental results, and future prospects of HCG as a universal platform for photonic integrated circuits. Article not available.
Postoperative intussusception: a diagnostic dilemma

Intussusception as a cause of intestinal obstruction in the postoperative period is still a perplexing problem to most surgeons. From 1980 to 1988, four cases of postoperative intussusception (POI) were seen at the Kobe Children's Hospital, representing 5.4% of all intussusceptions managed during this period. There were two females and two males, ages ranging from 1 to 18 months. In two, the initial operation was nephrectomy; one had operative reduction of an ileocolic intussusception (postoperative intussusception was ileo-ileal); and the fourth had a laparotomy performed for suspected pyloric stenosis. All four presented with bilious vomiting, abdominal distension, and increasing bile-stained aspirate via a nasogastric tube during the 1st week following surgery. Radiological and laboratory parameters were not helpful in arriving at a correct diagnosis. Ileo-ileal intussusception was found at operation in all four, with no evidence of a pathological lead point. In all cases manual reduction was carried out successfully and the convalescence was unevenful. In view of the difficulty in establishing the diagnosis of POI, a literature review has been made that enables a common pattern of symptomatology to be identified. It is hoped that this will serve as a guide permitting earlier recognition of this postoperative complication.
Patent reform through the courts

Although some reforms can happen only through legislation, some key reforms may be achievable through the courts.
Self-appraisal of stress level and related psychopathology

Abstract Recent stress research has focused on individual response patterns to both laboratory and real world stressors. Several studies have suggested that dispositional or “personality” variables influence individuals' reactions to stressors. The present study investigated utility of the dispositional model proposed by Derogatis that postulates three types of individual coping styles: accurate stress appraising, stress augmenting, and stress denying. Results from the present study indicate that there are no differences on measures of psychopathology between stress deniers, stress augmenters, and accurate stress appraisers. However, as one might expect, individuals with higher levels of subjective stress evince higher levels of psychopathology. Interestingly, there is a negative relationship between age and subjective level of stress. Discussion focuses on implications of this study and methodological flaws of stress research.
Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Carvedilol Versus Metoprolol on All-Cause Mortality and Hospitalizations in Patients With Heart Failure

Long-term treatment with appropriate doses of carvedilol or metoprolol is currently recommended for patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) to decrease the risk of death, hospitalizations, and patients' symptoms. It remains unclear if the β blockers used in patients with HFrEF are equal or carvedilol is superior to metoprolol types. We performed a meta-analysis of the comparative effects of carvedilol versus metoprolol tartrate and succinate on all-cause mortality and/or hospitalization. We conducted an Embase and MEDLINE search for prospective controlled trials and cohort studies of patients with HFrEF who were received to treatment with carvedilol versus metoprolol. We identified 4 prospective controlled and 6 cohort studies with 30,943 patients who received carvedilol and 69,925 patients on metoprolol types (tartrate and succinate) with an average follow-up duration of 36.4 months. All-cause mortality was reduced in prospective studies with carvedilol versus metoprolol tartrate. Neither all-cause mortality nor hospitalizations were significantly different between carvedilol and metoprolol succinate in the cohort studies. In conclusion, in patients with HFrEF, carvedilol and metoprolol succinate have similar effects in reducing all-cause mortality.
Nonuniversal soft parameters in the brane world and the flavor problem in supergravity

We consider gravity mediated supersymmetry (SUSY) breaking in 5D spacetime with two 4D branes B1 and B2 separated in the extra dimension. Using an off-shell 5D supergravity (SUGRA) formalism, we argue that the SUSY breaking scales could be nonuniversal even at the fundamental scale in a brane world setting, since SUSY breaking effects could be effectively localized. As an application, we suggest a model in which the two light chiral minimal supersymmetric standard model generations reside on B1, while the third generation is located on B2, and the Higgs multiplets as well as gravity and gauge multiplets reside in the bulk. For SUSY breaking of the order of 10\char21{}20 TeV caused by a hidden sector localized at B1, the scalars belonging to the first two generations can become sufficiently heavy to overcome the SUSY flavor problem. SUSY breaking on B2 from a different localized hidden sector gives rise to the third generation soft scalar masses of the order of 1 TeV. Gaugino masses are also of the order of 1 TeV if the size of the extra dimension is $\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}16}{\mathrm{GeV}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}.$ As in 4D effective supersymmetric theory, an adjustment of TeV scale parameters is needed to realize the 100 GeV electroweak symmetry breaking scale.
Rapid haplotype inference for nuclear families

Hapi is a new dynamic programming algorithm that ignores uninformative states and state transitions in order to efficiently compute minimum-recombinant and maximum likelihood haplotypes. When applied to a dataset containing 103 families, Hapi performs 3.8 and 320 times faster than state-of-the-art algorithms. Because Hapi infers both minimum-recombinant and maximum likelihood haplotypes and applies to related individuals, the haplotypes it infers are highly accurate over extended genomic distances.
Management Strategies for Severe Closed Head Injuries in Children

Brain injuries represent the most common cause of mortality and long-term morbidity from trauma in children. The management of closed head injuries focuses on prevention of secondary injury by optimizing the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the injured brain while minimizing neuronal metabolic demand. Despite the known differences between the immature and mature brain, treatments used in head-injured children are mainly extrapolated from those employed in adults due to the paucity of class one and two studies focused on the pediatric age group. Therapies intended to minimize secondary brain injury, such as cerebrospinal fluid drainage, hypertonic saline infusion, barbiturate coma induction, brain cooling, and decompressive craniectomy, vary widely in their clinical application among practitioners and trauma centers and have unclear indications, benefits, and long-term consequences. Prospective studies on brain injury management in children are needed to develop treatment strategies that optimize outcomes.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis: role of mucC in the regulation of alginate production and stress sensitivity.

Alginate production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the associated mucoid phenotype of isolates from cystic fibrosis patients are under the control of the algU mucABCD cluster. This group of genes encodes AlgU, the P. aeruginosa equivalent of the extreme heat shock σ factor σE in Gram-negative bacteria, the AlgU-cognate anti-σ factor MucA, the periplasmic protein MucB and a serine protease homologue, MucD. While mucA, mucB or mucD act as negative regulators of AlgU, the function of mucC is not known. In this study the role of mucC in P. aeruginosa physiology and alginate production has been addressed. Insertional inactivation of mucC in the wild-type P. aeruginosa strain PAO1 did not cause any overt effects on alginate synthesis. However, it affected growth of P. aeruginosa under conditions of combined elevated temperature and increased ionic strength or osmolarity. inactivation of mucC in mucA or mucB mutant backgrounds resulted in a mucoid phenotype when the cells were grown under combined stress conditions of elevated temperature and osmolarity. Each of the stress factors tested separately did not cause comparable effects. The combined stress factors were not sufficient to cause phenotypically appreciable enhancement of alginate production in mucA or mucB mutants unless mucC was also inactivated. These findings support a negative regulatory role of mucC in alginate production by P. aeruginosa, indicate additive effects of muc genes in the regulation of mucoidy in this organism and suggest that multiple stress signals and recognition systems participate in the regulation of algu-dependent functions.
Adaptive robust control of tracking and synchronization for multi-axis motion system

This paper investigates on motion synchronization of a multiple axes system. An adaptive robust control scheme was used to synthesize the synchronization compensator with cross-coupling dynamics among axes. By using the adaptive robust strategies, the asymptotic convergence of both tracking and synchronization errors are achieved. The robust control scheme also guarantees the satisfaction of transient performance, tracking errors, and synchronization errors. Experimental results of a three-axis motion system that include system uncertainties are also illustrated to verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The results indicate the excellent transient and both tracking and synchronization accuracies.
Convergence behavior and N-roots of stack filters

The convergence behavior of two types of stack filters is investigated. Both types are shown to possess the convergence property and to exhibit nontrivial behavior. The first type of stack filter has the erosive property; it erodes any input signal to a root after a sufficient number of passes. The second type of stack filter has the dilative property; it dilates any input signal to a root after a sufficient number of passes. For each type of stack filter, an algorithm is presented which can determine a filter that has any specific signal or set of signals as roots. These two algorithms are efficient in that their execution time is a linear function of the length of the input signal, the width of the filter window, and the number of signals to be preserved. Since some stack filters have the phenomenon of oscillations when they filter some input signals successively, a partial ordering is defined over the set of stack filters which makes it possible to determine upper and lower bounds for these oscillations. >
Leptospirosis mimicking acute cholecystitis among athletes participating in a triathlon

Leptospirosis, a disease acquired by exposure to contaminated water, is characterized by fever accompanied by various symptoms, including abdominal pain. An acute febrile illness occurred in athletes who participated in an Illinois triathlon in which the swimming event took place in a freshwater lake. Of 876 athletes, 120 sought medical care and 22 were hospitalized. Two of the athletes had their gallbladders removed because of abdominal pain and clinical suspicion of acute cholecystitis. We applied an immunohistochemical test for leptospirosis to these gallbladders and demonstrated bacterial antigens staining (granular and filamentous patterns) around blood vessels of the serosa and muscle layer. Rare intact bacteria were seen in 1 case. These results show that leptospirosis can mimic the clinical symptoms of acute cholecystitis. If a cholecystectomy is performed in febrile patients with suspicious environmental or animal exposure, pathologic studies for leptospirosis on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues may be of great value.
Quantifying accumulation or exclusion of H+, HO-, and Hofmeister salt ions near interfaces.

Abstract Recently, surface spectroscopies and simulations have begun to characterize the non-uniform distributions of salt ions near macroscopic and molecular surfaces. The thermodynamic consequences of these non-uniform distributions determine the often-large ion-specific effects of Hofmeister salts on a very wide range of processes in water. For uncharged surfaces, where these non-uniform ion distributions are confined to the first few layers of water at the surface, a two-state approximation to the distributions of water and ions, called the salt ion partitioning model (SPM) has both molecular and thermodynamic significance. Here, we summarize SPM results quantifying the local accumulation of H+, exclusion of HO−, and range of partitioning behavior of Hofmeister anions and cations near macroscopic and molecular interfaces. These results provide a database to interpret or predict Hofmeister salt effects on aqueous processes in terms of structural information regarding amount and composition of the surface exposed or buried in these processes.
Phase contrast movies of cell migration by multi-wavelength digital holography

Quantitative phase unwrapped movies of cell migration are generated by multi-wavelength phase imaging digital holography. Two or more wavelengths are used for simultaneous illumination of the cells in the holographic system.
Understanding the Complex Influence of Religiosity on the Race Gap in Support for Proposition 8

We provide evidence from several surveys showing that religiosity can not only explain (mediate) but also influence (moderate) the relationship between a voter’s race and/or ethnicity and her attitudes about Proposition 8 (California’s Proposal to amend the state’s constitution and ban same-sex marriage in 2008) and related issues. These findings advance our understanding of the complex and enduring role of the Black church as a socializing institution in African-American communities, and they speak to the need among proponents of same-sex unions to inform churchgoers about the socio-political implications of anti-gay and exclusionary policies.
A sheet impedance approximation for electrically thick multilayered shields

This paper describes an extension of the sheet impedance concept to treat inhomogeneous or multilayered shields that may be thick in terms of material shield wavelengths. For shields with magnetic materials, a simple relation between the equivalent electric and magnetic currents representing the shield is obtained. This allows the magnetic current to be treated as a dependent unknown and the electric current to be found as the solution of a single surface integral equation shown to be a perturbation of that for a perfect electric conducting (PEC) surface. By using the proper interior equivalent problem, it is shown that the method produces accurate and stable results for shielding by a rectangular box.
Night Sweats: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Background: Much of primary care involves helping patients manage symptoms. Nighttime sweating is a symptom linked to menopause, malignancies, autoimmune diseases, and infections. However, in primary care settings, night sweats are commonly reported by persons without these conditions. Methods: We conducted a literature review, focusing on questions about definition, mechanisms, incidence/prevalence, measurement, clinical causes, evaluation, treatment, and prognosis. We limited our search to English language studies of adult humans published since 1966. Because studies of estrogen and androgen deficiency states had been reviewed by others, we excluded them. Search criteria were developed for each question. Publications meeting criteria were reviewed by the first 2 authors and consensus was reached through discussion. Results: Prevalence estimates ranged from 10% among older primary care patients to 60% among women on an obstetrics inpatient unit. Life expectancy of primary care patients reporting night sweats did not appear to be reduced. Although many clinical causes have been suggested, most are not well supported. Algorithmic approaches to evaluation are not evidence-based. Alpha adrenergic blockers may reduce night sweats in patients taking serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Thalidomide and thioridazine may benefit some terminal cancer patients with night sweats. Conclusions: The symptom, night sweats, appears to be nonspecific. Many questions about causation, evaluation, and management remain unanswered.
Effect of Different Cleaning Regimens on Recovery of Clostridium perfringens on Poultry Live Haul Containers

Clostridium perfringens is important to both poultry producers and humans. The excretion rate of pathogenic foodborne bacteria increases after live haul; however, the majority of research into flock cross-contamination has been performed on Salmonella and Campylobacter. Research into the sources of C. perfringens in poultry operations have implied that dirty transport containers do harbor this organism and, therefore, can potentially contaminate subsequent flocks. The objectives of this study were to examine both small plastic crates and large dump coops to determine which cleaning regimens were most effective in reducing C. perfringens contamination. Additionally, 2 different holding periods for small crates were compared to determine whether holding time influences C. perfringens recovery before and after cleaning. Two experiments were performed. One involved small plastic crates; the other involved large dump coops. Four small crate cleaning and disinfection treatments consisted of pressure washing, pressure washing and sun-drying, pressure washing with a (5%, vol/vol) sodium hypochlorite dip, and pressure washing with a quaternary ammonium dip. The second experiment involved dump coops. The 5 dump coop cleaning and disinfection treatments consisted of pressure washing, pressure washing with a (5%, vol/vol) sodium hypochlorite spray, pressure washing with a quaternary ammonium spray, 48-h drying after the sodium hypochlorite spray, and 48-h drying after the quaternary ammonium spray. The recovery of C. perfringens from small and large dirty transport containers averaged 1.94 and 4.43 log10 cfu/mL, respectively. There was no significant difference in C. perfringens recovery based on holding time for small crates. With small crates, pressure washing provided a significant decrease in the amount of C. perfringens recovered. The greatest bacterial reduction in dump coops, 2 to 3 log10 cfu/mL, was observed after 48 h of drying. This information provides solutions to poultry operations to reduce the cross-contamination of this food safety pathogen via transport containers.
Posttraumatic Balance Disorders

Head trauma is being more frequently recognized as a causative agent in balance disorders. Most of the published literature examining traumatic brain injury (TBI) after head trauma has focused on short-term prognostic indicators and neurocognitive disorders. Few data are available to guide those individuals who see patients with balance disorders secondary to TBI. Our group has previously examined balance disorders after mild head trauma. In this study, we study all classes of head trauma. We provide a classification system that is useful in the diagnosis and management of balance disorders after head trauma and we examine treatment outcomes. As dizziness is one of the most common outcomes of TBI, it is essential that those who study and treat dizziness be familiar with this subject.
A model-based SI engine air fuel ratio controller

A novel linear state-space model predictive controller for SI engine air fuel ratio control is presented and demonstrated over a range of engine operation. The linear model-based controller is an analytical controller that does not require online optimization. Time-varying delay compensation is adapted based on the measured engine speed. A Kalman filter is used to estimate the model and unmeasured disturbance states.
Learning from failure in health care: frequent opportunities, pervasive barriers

The notion that hospitals and medical practices should learn from failures, both their own and others', has obvious appeal. Yet, healthcare organisations that systematically and effectively learn from the failures that occur in the care delivery process, especially from small mistakes and problems rather than from consequential adverse events, are rare. This article explores pervasive barriers embedded in healthcare's organisational systems that make shared or organisational learning from failure difficult and then recommends strategies for overcoming these barriers to learning from failure, emphasising the critical role of leadership. Firstly, leaders must create a compelling vision that motivates and communicates urgency for change; secondly, leaders must work to create an environment of psychological safety that fosters open reporting, active questioning, and frequent sharing of insights and concerns; and thirdly, case study research on one hospital's organisational learning initiative suggests that leaders can empower and support team learning throughout their organisations as a way of identifying, analysing, and removing hazards that threaten patient safety.
VIIQ: auto-suggestion enabled visual interface for interactive graph query formulation

We present VIIQ (pronounced as wick), an interactive and iterative visual query formulation interface that helps users construct query graphs specifying their exact query intent. Heterogeneous graphs are increasingly used to represent complex relationships in schemaless data, which are usually queried using query graphs. Existing graph query systems offer little help to users in easily choosing the exact labels of the edges and vertices in the query graph. VIIQ helps users easily specify their exact query intent by providing a visual interface that lets them graphically add various query graph components, backed by an edge suggestion mechanism that suggests edges relevant to the user's query intent. In this demo we present: 1) a detailed description of the various features and user-friendly graphical interface of VIIQ, 2) a brief description of the edge suggestion algorithm, and 3) a demonstration scenario that we intend to show the audience.
Aging Behavior and Performance Projections for a Polysulfide Elastomer

The accelerated aging behavior and aging state of a 30 year old field retrieved polysulfide elastomer was examined. The material is used as an environmental thread sealant for a stainless steel bolt in a steel threaded insert in an aluminum assembly. It is a two component curable polysulfide elastomer that is commercially available in a similar formulation as was applied 30 years ago. The primary goal of this study was to establish if aging over 30 years under moderate aging conditions (mostly ambient temperature and humidity) resulted in significant property changes, or if accelerated aging could identify developing aging pathways which would prevent the extended use of this material. The aging behavior of this material was examined in three ways: A traditional accelerated thermo-oxidative aging study between 95 to 140 °C which focused on physical and chemical properties changes, an evaluation of the underlying oxidation rates between RT and 125 °C, and an assessment of the aging state of a small 30 year old sample. All three data sets were used to establish aging characteristics, their time evolution, and to extrapolate the observed behavior to predict performance limits at RT. The accelerated aging study revealed a relatively high average activation energy of ~130 kJ/mol which gives overconfident performance predictions. Oxidation rates showed a decreasing behavior with aging time and a lower Ea of ~84 kJ/mol from time-temperature superposition, but also predicted sufficient additional performance at RT. Consistent with these projections for extended RT performance, only small changes were observed for the 30 year old material. Extrapolations using this partially aged material also predict ongoing use as a viable option. Unexpected RT degradation could only develop into a concern should the oxidation rate not trend lower over time as was observed at elevated temperature. Considering all data acquired in this limited aging study, there are no immediately apparent concerns with this material for ongoing use.
Mean Field Equilibria of Pricing Games in Internet Marketplaces

We model an Internet marketplace using a set of servers that choose prices for performing jobs. Each server has a queue of unfinished jobs, and is penalized for delay by the market maker via a holding cost. A server completes jobs with a low or high "quality", and jobs truthfully report the quality with which they were completed. The best estimate of quality based on these reports is the "reputation" of the server. A server bases its pricing decision on the distribution of its competitors offered prices and reputations. An entering job is given a random sample of servers, and chooses the best one based on a linear combination of price and reputation. We seek to understand how prices would be determined in such a marketplace using the theory of Mean Field Games. We show the existence of a Mean Field Equilibrium and show how reputation plays a role in allowing servers to declare larger prices than their competitors. We illustrate our results by a numerical study of the system via simulation with parameters chosen from data gathered from existing Internet marketplaces.