cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MITRAL ANNULAR CALCIFICATION IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING TRANSCATHETER AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT AND ITS IMPLICATION ON OUTCOMES

Calcific aortic stenosis and mitral annular calcification (MAC) have similar etiological and pathophysiological mechanisms. However, there is limited data on the prevalence of MAC among patients with severe AS and its influence on clinical outcomes following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (
What Makes Us IT People?: Autistic Tendency and Intrinsic Interests in IT

What makes us IT people? Why are certain individuals more intrinsically interested in IT than others? The existing IS literature offers few answers about origins of such interest as most research models treat it as an exogenous variable and focus almost exclusively on its consequences in user attitudes and behavior. Building on the autism research literature, this study aims to establish autistic tendency as an antecedent of one's intrinsic interests in IT. Results of this research may have several implications. In addition to examining intrinsic interest in IT as a user trait and contributing to the adoption literature, this work also explores it as potentially a distinguishing characteristic of IT professionals, researchers and students, thus contributing to the perennial discussion of "Are IS people different?"
Developing Information Literacy Instruction for Honors Students at Oakland University

ABSTRACT Entering the university setting can be daunting for even the brightest of students, given the increased coursework and research expected of them compared to high school. To support these significant research needs and help Oakland University honors students meet their academic goals, a librarian liaison position was created to work with Honors College students and faculty, with information literacy instruction as the focus of the services the Library offers to the Honors College. This article describes the development of the information literacy instruction program for the Honors College at Oakland University and discusses plans for future growth of the information consulting relationship. doi:10.1300/J106v14n03_04
DDoS Intrusion Detection Through Machine Learning Ensemble

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks have been the prominent attacks over the last decade. A Network Intrusion Detection System (NIDS) should seamlessly configure to fight against these attackers' new approaches and patterns of DDoS attack. In this paper, we propose a NIDS which can detect existing as well as new types of DDoS attacks. The key feature of our NIDS is that it combines different classifiers using ensemble models, with the idea that each classifier can target specific aspects/types of intrusions, and in doing so provides a more robust defense mechanism against new intrusions. Further, we perform a detailed analysis of DDoS attacks, and based on this domain-knowledge verify the reduced feature set [27, 28] to significantly improve accuracy. We experiment with and analyze NSL-KDD dataset with reduced feature set and our proposed NIDS can detect 99.1% of DDoS attacks successfully. We compare our results with other existing approaches. Our NIDS approach has the learning capability to keep up with new and emerging DDoS attack patterns.
Interkingdom Genetic Mix-and-Match To Produce Novel Sunscreens.

Sunscreen-containing skincare products protect the skin from damage caused by sun exposure. However, many of them contain oxybenzone and/or octinoxate, which have been reported to be toxic to juven...
Variance reduction in Covariance Based Realization Algorithm with application to closed-loop data

Abstract The Covariance Based Realization Algorithm (CoBRA), one branch of subspace methods, enables the estimation of multivariable models using a large number of data points due to the use of finite size covariance matrices. In addition, the covariance pre-processing allows CoBRA to ignore any (high-order) noise dynamics and focus on the estimation of the low-order deterministic model. However, subspace methods and CoBRA in particular are not maximum-likelihood methods. In this paper, an in-depth study on the statistical behavior of the noise effects is conducted. An approach is provided to reduce the variance of an estimate obtained by CoBRA via the choice of optimal row and column weighting matrices. For closed-loop implementation of CoBRA, a two stage procedure is proposed with the estimate on an intermediate instrument. At the first stage, a least-length perturbation of a scalar accuracy function is used to obtain an analytic solution for the optimal weighting matrices. The resulting instruments produced by the first stage are used for the identification at the second stage to extract the plant model. Simulation examples are given to illustrate the efficiency of the proposed two stage CoBRA method on the basis of closed-loop data and compared with other subspace methods.
Classification of Trending Topics in Twitter

Twitter is an online news and network service where people can post and interact via messages, which has been proved to be the largest source of breaking news during 2016 U.S. presidential election. A novel way of real-time information filtering through text categorization of tweets is proposed to classify the trending topics, using a combination of short text aggregation and the multinomial Naive Bayes classifier
Charge Detection Mass Spectrometry Measurements of Exosomes and other Extracellular Particles Enriched from Bovine Milk

The masses of particles in a bovine milk extracellular vesicle (EV) preparation enriched for exosomes were directly determined for the first time by charge detection mass spectrometry (CDMS). In CDMS, both the mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) and z are determined simultaneously for individual particles, enabling mass determinations for particles that are far beyond the mass limit (∼1.0 MDa) of conventional mass spectrometry (MS). Particle masses and charges span a wide range from m ∼ 2 to ∼90 MDa and z ∼ 50 to ∼1300 e (elementary charges) and are highly dependent upon the conditions used to extract and isolate the EVs. EV particles span a continuum of masses, reflecting the highly heterogeneous nature of these samples. However, evidence for unique populations of particles is obtained from correlation of the charges and masses. An analysis that uses a two-dimensional Gaussian model, provides evidence for six families of particles, four of which having masses in the range expected for exosomes. Complementary proteomics measurements and electron microscopy (EM) imaging are used to further characterize the EVs and confirm that these samples have been enriched in exosomes. The ability to characterize such extremely heterogeneous mixtures of large particles with rapid, sensitive, and high-resolution MS techniques is critical to ongoing analytical efforts to separate and purify exosomes and exosome subpopulations. Direct measurement of each particle's mass and charge is a new means of characterizing the physical and chemical properties of exosomes and other EVs.
Effect of the orientation of Rydberg atoms on their collisional ionization cross section

Collisional ionization between two Rydberg atoms in relative motion is examined. A classical trajectory Monte Carlo method is used to determine the cross sections associated with Penning ionization. The dependence of the ionization cross section on the magnitude and the direction of orbital angular momentum of the electrons and the direction of the Laplace-Runge-Lenz vector of the electrons is studied. For a given magnitude of angular momentum, there can exist a difference of a factor of up to $\ensuremath{\sim}2.5$ in the ionization cross section between the orientations with the highest and the lowest ionization cross section. The case of exchange ionization is examined and its dependence on the magnitude of angular momentum is studied.
More severe thoracic idiopathic scoliosis is associated with a greater three-dimensional loss of thoracic kyphosis.

Retrospective. Utilize three-dimensional (3D) measurements to assess the relationship between thoracic scoliosis severity and thoracic kyphosis in a large, multicenter cohort, and determine impact of 3D measurements on adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) curve classification. Research has demonstrated differences in two-dimensional (2D) and 3D assessment of the sagittal plane deformity in AIS. A prior smaller, single-institution study demonstrated an association between scoliosis severity and loss of 3D thoracic kyphosis. Data included retrospective compilation of prospectively enrolled bracing candidates and prospectively enrolled surgical candidates with thoracic AIS. Analysis included two groups based on thoracic curve magnitude: moderate (20–45°) and severe (> 45°). Imaging was performed using 2D radiographs. 3D thoracic kyphosis was calculated using a 2D to 3D conversion formula. Kyphosis was categorized according to the Lenke classification sagittal plane modifier. Analysis included 3032 patients. 2D kyphosis was significantly less in the moderate group (21 ± 12 vs 23 ± 14, p = 0.028). However, estimated 3D kyphosis was significantly greater in the moderate group (13 ± 10 vs 5 ± 12, p < 0.001). In the moderate group, the rate of normokyphosis was 78% with 2D measures and 61% with 3D measures of T5–T12 kyphosis. In the severe group, this rate changed from 72 to 32% with use of 2D and 3D measures, respectively. In the moderate group, 16% of patients were classified as hypokyphotic using 2D measures while this rate increased 38% with 3D measures (p < 0.001). In the severe group, this rate changed from 18 to 68% using 2D and 3D measures, respectively (p < 0.001). Increased coronal curve severity was associated with decreased thoracic kyphosis. Hypokyphosis was more pronounced in 3D. 2D radiographs increasingly underestimate kyphosis with increasing coronal severity. Assessment of sagittal alignment from 2D radiographs can be improved with a 2D–3D conversion formula. Findings indicate potential for classification system improvement with use of 3D sagittal plane measurements. IV.
Learning from Liquidation Prices

I develop a model of investor learning driven by mistaken inference from market prices. Investors have heterogeneous beliefs about the worst case return of a risky asset and take leverage to buy it. When the worst case becomes more likely, forced liquidations result in price crashes, which investors mistake for negative information about worst case returns. They therefore revise cash flow expectations downwards, henceforth requiring larger returns. The model predicts that crashes lead to persistent changes in future average returns and that larger crashes are followed by larger changes. To link the model to historical crashes, I consider two strategies associated with the Black Monday crash in 1987 and the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy in 2008. Hedged put options selling suffered severe losses around Black Monday, while arbitraging the difference in implied credit risk between the corporate bond and CDS markets was similarly negatively affected after the Lehman bankruptcy. The losses on these strategies in those crisis episodes were likely exacerbated by deleveraging, but the increased returns after the crashes have been remarkably persistent, consistent with the implications of my model.
The single train shortest route problem in a railyard

We consider the problem of moving a connected set of railcars, which we refer to as a train, from an origin layout to a destination layout in a railyard, accounting for the special structure of the railyard network and the length and orientation of the train. We propose a novel shortest path algorithm for determining a sequence of moves that minimizes the total distance (and associated time) required to move a train from its origin to destination. A railyard network consists of a set of track sections connected via switch points, which correspond to points at which three sections of track come together, such that one pair of the track segments forms an acute angle (and the other two pairs form obtuse angles). A train’s ability to traverse a switch node depends on the train’s length and whether or not its desired route involves traversing the acute angle or an obtuse angle at the switch. The shortest route problem for a train is further complicated by the fact that a train’s position on the network at any point in time may span multiple nodes in the network. We propose an easily explained solution approach that addresses the complications associated with switch points and the train’s length to determine a shortest route from origin to destination in $${\mathcal {O}}(e + n \log n)$$ operations, where n and e correspond to the number of switch nodes and edges in the network respectively.
STENCIL: A web templating engine for visualizing and sharing life science datasets

The ability to aggregate experimental data analysis and results into a concise and interpretable format is a key step in evaluating the success of an experiment. This critical step determines baselines for reproducibility and is a key requirement for data dissemination. However, in practice it can be difficult to consolidate data analyses that encapsulates the broad range of datatypes available in the life sciences. We present STENCIL, a web templating engine designed to organize, visualize, and enable the sharing of interactive data visualizations. STENCIL leverages a flexible web framework for creating templates to render highly customizable visual front ends. This flexibility enables researchers to render small or large sets of experimental outcomes, producing high-quality downloadable and editable figures that retain their original relationship to the source data. REST API based back ends provide programmatic data access and supports easy data sharing. STENCIL is a lightweight tool that can stream data from Galaxy, a popular bioinformatic analysis web platform. STENCIL has been used to support the analysis and dissemination of two large scale genomic projects containing the complete data analysis for over 2,400 distinct datasets. Code and implementation details are available on GitHub: https://github.com/CEGRcode/stencil .
Cloning and expression of an Arabidopsis gene encoding a putative peroxisomal ascorbate peroxidase

An Arabidopsis 14-3-3 protein, AFT1, was used as a ‘bait’ in the two-hybrid system to identify its interacting proteins. One of the candidate proteins, APX3, was identified as a putative peroxisomal membrane-bound ascorbate peroxidase. Ascorbate peroxidases are important defense enzymes that protect plant cells from oxidative stress damage. DNA blot analysis indicates that APX3 is encoded by a single-copy gene in the Arabidopsis genome. RNA blot analyses show that APX3 transcript levels increase slightly in response to cold, UV light, and treatments with hydrogen peroxide and paraquat. The activity of APX3 in Arabidopsis may be controlled in two ways: its enzymatic activity through protein-protein interactions and its transcription by transcriptional or posttranscriptional regulation.
Asset Liquidity, Moral Hazard, and Bank Loan Rescheduling

We analyze the bank's decision to reschedule or to foreclose on a loan in default and the borrower's decision to divert lender-financed assets to personal use, i.e., to consume the assets. We show that the debt of borrowers in financial distress that have substantial intangible or highly specialized assets—i.e., illiquid assets—is likely to be rescheduled. Alternatively, banks will likely foreclose on borrowers in distress that have assets that are difficult to monitor. It is the interaction of the asset's liquidity and the borrower moral hazard that helps determine the nature of the equilibrium. When the condition of the borrower upon default is observable, we find that suboptimal foreclosures are possible but reschedulings are always optimal; when the borrower's condition is private information, however, reschedulings may also be suboptimal. Additionally, borrowers whose lenders foreclose are more impaired then those whose debt is rescheduled. Finally, we show that randomization of the rescheduling/foreclosure decision by the bank and the decision to consume by the borrower may be optimal for particular assets.
Violators amongst Us: International Regimes and the Role of Compliance, a Case Study on Official Development Assistance

This article extensively reviews and evaluates international regime theory and the importance of noncompliance. It uses international foreign aid, specifically official development assistance (ODA), to test regime theory and compliance levels. Many scholars have argued that states tend to comply fully with regime tenets based upon rationality, common values, and other reasons. The ODA case study presents a strong argument against past claims, as it demonstrates that regimes can have large-scale violations from the beginning and over the long term. This study measures the limits and effectiveness of regime theory and develops a more comprehensive and current perspective. I propose a new definition of international regimes and offer a concise description of the purposes and characteristics of regimes. This is the first major study emphasizing noncompliance as a key theoretical and real-world issue. It hopes to encourage the continued search to improve understanding of international regimes and their operations. Related Articles Nisley, Thomas. 2013. “Send in the Corps! The Peace Corps and the Popular Perception of the United States in Latin America.” Politics & Policy 41 (4): 536-562. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/polp.12027/abstract Harris, Paul G. 2008. “Bringing the In-Between Back In: Foreign Policy in Global Environmental Politics.” Politics & Policy 36 (6): 914-943. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2008.00145.x/abstract Dannehl, Charles R. and Roger Rose. 1999. “Explaining Economic Assistance by Non-Democratic Regimes: A Statistical Analysis of Authoritarian Aid to Less Developed Countries.” Southeastern Political Review 27 (3): 491-524. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.1999.tb00547.x/abstract Este articulo analiza y evalua la teoria de regimenes y la importancia del incumplimiento. Utiliza la llamada Asisitencia Oficial para el Desarrollo [AOD], una modalidad de ayuda externa para probarl a teoria de regimenes y los distintos niveles de cumplimiento. Muchos expertos han argumentado que los estados tienden a cumplir plenamente con las bases del regimen basados en la racionalidad, valores comunes, y otras razones. El estudio de caso de AOD presenta una fuerte defensa contra reclamos del pasado, demostrando que de entrada, los regimenes pueden sufrir violaciones en gran escala en el largo plazo. Este estudio mide los limites y la eficacia de la teoria de los regimenes en terminos de la AOD y desarrolla y una perspectiva de regimenes mas abarcante y actualizada. Propone una nueva definicion de regimenes internacionales—la primera intentada en 30 anos—y ofrede una descripcion concisa de los propositos y caracteristicas de los regimenes. Este es el primer estudio mayor de que enfatiza el incumplimiento como un asunto teorico y empirico clave. Espero asi impulsar la busqueda continua para mejorar el entendimiento de los regimenes internacionales y sus operaciones.
Electrical characteristics of the SSC Low Energy Booster magnet system [power system]

The purpose of this paper is to review the electrical design of the magnet power system for the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) Low-Energy Booster (LEB). The primary operating mode of the LEB is as a 10 Hz rapid-cycling proton synchrotron. In this mode, capacitor banks are used to make the entire magnet circuit resonant at 10 Hz. This resonant system thus eliminates the requirement of having to provide (and recover) a large amount of reactive power. The primary focus of this paper is to analyze the electrical properties of the magnet system. In addition to the 10 Hz mode, the magnet system is capable of operating as a 1 Hz ramped proton synchrotron, with flat "front porches" and "flattops" for injection and extraction. This mode is initiated through bypassing the choke-capacitor system and exciting the magnet system with a SCR power supply using predetermined waveforms. Both these operating modes (10 Hz and 1 Hz) are analyzed using SPICE (Version 3E). >
Clones, hermaphrodites and pregnancies: nature's oddities offer evolutionary lessons on reproduction

I love the term ‘natural history’ because it encapsulates the sentiment that nature's operations have evolutionary etiologies. Charles Darwin was a natural historian par excellence and his elucidation of natural selection, artificial selection, and sexual selection fundamentally changed how scientists interpret the origins of biological features previously ascribed to sentient craftsmanship by supernatural agents. Darwin's insights on evolutionary forces grew from his exceptional knowledge of natural history, yet two key topics steeped in natural history – sex and reproductive genetics – remained poorly understood (and probably even shunned) in Darwin's Victorian era. That situation changed dramatically in the latter half of the 20th century with societal awakenings about sexuality that also happened to coincide with the introduction of molecular parentage analyses that unveiled a plethora of formerly hidden ‘sexcapades’ throughout the biological world. Here I summarize some of the evolutionary revelations that have emerged from selection theory as applied to genetic and phylogenetic information on clonality, hermaphroditism, and pregnancy, three procreative phenomena that are relatively rare in vertebrate animals and thus offer alternative evolutionary perspectives on standard reproductive modes. Collectively, these three peculiarities of nature illustrate how the abnormal in biology can enlighten evolutionary thought about the norm.
Vacuum Erection Devices Revisited: Its Emerging Role in the Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction and Early Penile Rehabilitation Following Prostate Cancer Therapy

ABSTRACT Introduction Vacuum erection devices (VEDs) are becoming first‐line therapies for the treatment of erectile dysfunction and preservation (rehabilitation) of erectile function following treatment for prostate cancer. Currently, there is limited efficacy of the use of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors in elderly patients, or patients with moderate to severe diabetes, hypertension, and coronary artery disease. Aim The article aims to study the role of VED in patients following prostate cancer therapy. Results Alternative therapies such as VED have emerged as one of the primary options for patients refractory to oral therapy. VED has also been successfully used in combination treatment with oral therapy and penile injections. More recently, there has been interest in the use of VED in early intervention protocols to encourage corporeal rehabilitation and prevention of postradical prostatectomy veno‐occlusive dysfunction. This is evident by the preservation of penile length and girth that is seen with early use of the VED following radical prostatectomy. There are ongoing studies to help preserve penile length and girth with early use of VED following prostate brachytherapy and external beam radiation for prostate cancer. Recently, there has also been interest in the use of VED to help maintain penile length following surgical correction of Peyronie's disease and to increase penile size prior to implantation of the penile prosthesis. Conclusion VEDs can be one of the options for penile rehabilitation after prostate cancer therapy. Pahlajani G, Raina R, Jones S, Ali M, and Zippe C. Vacuum erection devices revisited: Its emerging role in the treatment of erectile dysfunction and early penile rehabilitation following prostate cancer therapy. J Sex Med 2012;9:1182–1189.
A study of Lyα quasar absorbers in the nearby universe

Spectroscopy of 10 quasars obtained with the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS) of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is presented. In the 10 sight lines, we detect 357 absorption lines above a significance level of 3 σ and 272 lines above a significance level of 4.5 σ. Automated software is used to detect and identify the lines, almost all of which are unresolved at the GHRS G140L resolution of 200 km s-1. After identifying Galactic lines, intervening metal lines, and higher order Lyman lines, we are left with 139 Lyα absorbers in the redshift range 0 < z < 0.22 (lines within 900 km s-1 of geocoronal Lyα are not selected). These diffuse hydrogen absorbers have column densities that are mostly in the range 1013-1015 cm-2 for an assumed Doppler parameter of 30 km s-1. The number density of lines above a rest equivalent width of 0.24 A, dN/dz = 38.3 ± 5.3, agrees well with the measurement from the Quasar Absorption-Line Key Project. There is marginal evidence for cosmic variance in the number of absorbers detected among the 10 sight lines. A clustering analysis reveals an excess of nearest-neighbor line pairs on velocity scales of 250-750 km s-1 at a 95%-98% confidence level. The hypothesis that the absorbers are randomly distributed in velocity space can be ruled out at the 99.8% confidence level. No two-point correlation power is detected (ξ < 1 with 95% confidence). Lyα absorbers have correlation amplitudes on scales of 250-500 km s-1, at least 4-5 times smaller than the correlation amplitude of bright galaxies. A detailed comparison between absorbers in nearby galaxies is carried out on a limited subset of 11 Lyα absorbers where the galaxy sample in a large contiguous volume is complete to MB = -16. Absorbers lie preferentially in regions of intermediate galaxy density, but it is often not possible to assign a unique galaxy counterpart to an absorber. This sample provides no explicit support for the hypothesis that absorbers are preferentially associated with the halos of luminous galaxies. We have made a preliminary comparison of the absorption-line properties and environments with the results of hydrodynamic simulations. The results suggest that the Lyα absorbers represent diffuse or shocked gas in the intergalactic medium that traces the cosmic web of large-scale structure.
Application of numerical optimization to the design of supercritical airfoils without drag-creep

Recent applications of numerical optimization to the design of advanced airfoils for transonic aircraft have shown that low-drag sections can be developed for a given design Mach number without an accompanying drag increase at lower Mach numbers. This is achieved by imposing a constraint on the drag coefficient at an off-design Mach number while the drag at the design Mach number is the objective function. Such a procedure doubles the computation time over that for single design-point problems, but the final result is worth the increased cost of computation. The ability to treat such multiple design-point problems by numerical optimization has been enhanced by the development of improved airfoil shape functions. Such functions permit a considerable increase in the range of profiles attainable during the optimization process.
Prostitution and sexology

Often referred to as the “oldest profession,” prostitution has been the subject of centuries, if not millennia, of scrutiny, moralization, derision, sanction, and legislation, and yet men (and to a much lesser degree women) persist in regularly exchanging money for sex with men and women around the world. This entry gives an overview of the past two centuries of Euro-American studies of sex on the topic of prostitution. Beginning in the nineteenth century, the entry focuses on the questions that those people who studied sex—later referred to as sexologists—asked, the studies they conducted, and the findings they made about the women and men who sell sex. Continuing into the twentieth century, as the social purity and municipal vice campaigns of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries subsided, the entry reviews the methods and findings of the Kinsey reports of the mid-twentieth century and ends on a study conducted in the late twentieth century. Ultimately, as the entry shows, although the social, economic, and political context within which each study was conducted may have been different, many of the studies asked similar questions with similar results. Keywords: prostitution; sexology; sexologist; sex work; social evil; social purity; vice
Structural Characterization of Homoepitaxial SrTiO3 Films Grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition

We report the structural characterization of homoepitaxial (001) SrTiO3 films grown by pulsed laser deposition on single crystal (001) SrTiO3 substrates. X-ray diffraction θ−2θ scan and φ scan were used to study the lattice constants and crystal quality of the SrTiO3 films. Lattice expansion in the c-axis from the bulk SrTiO3 was found in many films, which is related to the off-stoichiometry in the films. We create a contour map for both the lattice expansion and cation composition as functions of laser energy density and oxygen pressure, which shows a broad range of growth conditions to achieve stoichiometry in SrTiO3 films.
Control of a one-mode model on the minimum-time of a flexible structure

In a previous article, a set of five conditions were given to describe the switching hypersurface of the minimum-time, single-axis controller for an undamped, one-mode model of a flexible slewing structure. The purpose of this paper is to show that the five conditions have been found to be reducible to three. This oversight is amended and a new plot of the three conditions in a two-dimensional plane is isolated. This characterization of the switching structure depends only on the rigid-body states, and can be easily used in real-time.
Legal, Social, and Ethical Issues

While the creation of the online world and associated information technologies have produced many benefits to individuals and communities, they have also created novel legal, social, and ethical problems that lack obvious precedents. The World Wide Web, for example, not only makes it possible for individuals to share valuable information, but also affords terrorists around the world a convenient way to communicate with one another. This chapter provides an overview of some of the most important legal, social, and ethical problems that have arisen in connection with use of the Internet. Keywords: filtering; information privacy; information security; intellectual property; online hate speech; pornography on the web; spam
Performance testing of a high frequency link converter for space station power distribution system

The testing of a brassboard version of a 20 kHz high-frequency AC voltage link prototype converter dynamics for space station application is presented. The converter is based on a three-phase six-pulse bridge concept. The testing includes details of the operation of the converter when it is driving an induction machine source/load. By adapting a field orientation controller (FOC) to the converter, four-quadrant operation of the induction machine from the converter has been achieved. Circuit modifications carried out to improve the performance of the converter are described. The performance of two 400 Hz induction machines powered by the converter with simple V/f regulation mode is reported. The testing and performance results for the converter utilizing the FOC, which provides the capability for rapid torque changes, speed reversal, and four-quadrant operation, are reported. >
Minimally invasive aortic valve surgery: Cleveland Clinic experience.

Background: Minimally invasive surgery has become a routine approach for aortic valve disease over the last 18 years at the Cleveland Clinic. It is conducted in isolation or in combination with other procedures. The objectives of this study are to review trends and outcomes in these patients. Methods: Cleveland Clinic Cardiovascular Information Registry (CVIR) was searched for aortic valve procedures from 1996 to 2013. All patients undergoing isolated or combined aortic valve operations were included for analysis. The incision type and procedure type were reviewed and trends were evaluated over time. Cleveland Clinic outcomes with minimally invasive approaches to the aortic valve are reviewed. Results: A total of 22,766 aortic valve surgical procedures were performed in this 18-year timeframe. Of these, 3,385 (14.9%) were minimally invasive procedures (MIPs) and 2,379 (10.5%) were isolated minimally invasive aortic valves. MIPs increased from 12.4% to 29.6% of the total aortic valve volume over the period of the study. Combined procedures, including concomitant surgery on the aorta, mitral valve, tricuspid valve, and arrhythmia surgery increased over time as well. Overall mortality for primary and reoperative aortic valve operations continues to decline and has consistently been less than 1% for several years. Conclusions: A programmatic approach to minimally invasive aortic valve surgery (MIAVS) with careful patient selection, appropriate use of preoperative imaging, and selective conversion to sternotomy when necessary, allows for aortic valve replacement (AVR) and a wide range of concomitant procedures to be performed safely in a large number of patients.
Tokamak power systems studies at ANL

A number of advances in plasma physics and engineering promise to greatly improve the reactor prospects of tokamaks. The following features, in particular, are examined: (a) large aspect ratio (A approx. = 6), which may ease maintenance; (b) high beta (..beta.. greater than or equal to 0.20) without indentation, which brings the maximum toroidal field down to about 7 T; (c) low toroidal current (I approx. = 5MA), which reduces the cost of the current drive and equilibrium field system; and (d) steady state operation with current density control via fast and slow wave current drive. The key to high beta operation with low toroidal current lies in utilizing second stability regime equilibria with the required current distributions produced by an appropriate selection of wave driver frequencies and power spectra. The ray tracing and current drive calculation is self-consistent with the actual magnetic fields produced in the plasma. In addition to matching desirable high-beta equilibria, this method is capable of producing a large variety of new equilibria, many of which look attractive. The impurity control activities in TPSS have emphasized the self-pumping concept as applied to using the entire first wall or ''slot'' limiters. The blanket design effort has emphasizedmore » liquid metal and Flibe concepts. The reference concept is a liquid lithium/vanadium, self-cooled configuration. Overall, there exists a number of major design improvements which will substantially improve the attractiveness of tokamak reactors.« less
A flexible and extensible approach to automated CAD/CAM format classification

There are hundreds of distinct 3D, CAD and engineering file formats. As engineering design and analysis has become increasingly digital, the proliferation of file formats has created many problems for data preservation, data exchange, and interoperability. In some situations, physical file objects exist on legacy media and must be identified and interpreted for reuse. In other cases, file objects may have varying representational expressiveness.We introduce the problem of automated file recognition and classification in emerging digital engineering environments, where all design, manufacturing and production activities are "born digital." The result is that massive quantities and varieties of data objects are created during the product lifecycle.This paper presents an approach to automated identification of engineering file formats. This work operates independent of any modeling tools and can identify families of related file objects as well as variations in versions. This problem is challenging as it cannot assume any a priori knowledge about the nature of the physical file object. Applications for these methods include support for a number of emerging applications in areas such as forensic analysis, data translation, as well as digital curation and long-term data management. Graphical abstractDisplay Omitted HighlightsProvides support for emerging applications in long-term data management.Compression-based classification enables specification-free format identification.Classification accuracy best when NCD distance and the first 16KB of files used.Classifier is highly effective at distinguishing among very similar formats.Computational time is comparable or better than approaches based on known signatures.
Practical applications of high-affinity, albumin-binding proteins from a group G streptococcal isolate.

Binding proteins that have high affinities for mammalian plasma proteins that are expressed on the surface of bacteria have proven valuable for the purification and detection of several biologically important molecules from human and animal plasma or serum. In this study, we have isolated a high affinity albumin-binding molecule from a group G streptococcal isolate of bovine origin and have demonstrated that the isolated protein can be biotinylated without loss of binding activity and can be used as a tracer for quantification of human serum albumin (HSA). The binding protein can be immobilized and used as a selective capture reagent in a competitive ELISA format using a biotinylated HSA tracer. In this assay format, the sensitivity of detection for 50% inhibition of binding of HSA was less than 1 μg/ml. When attached to the bacterial surface, this binding protein can be used to deplete albumin from human plasma, as analyzed by surface-enhanced laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry.
Immunoglobulin, protein and nucleic acid synthesis in cultured myeloma cells

Summary The growth in culture of an immunoglobulin secreting strain of mouse myeloma (MOPC21) was studied with particular reference to immunoglobulin synthesis, and synthesis of RNA, in an attempt to define the time best suited for study of the immunoglobulin coding messenger RNA molecules. The rate of immunoglobulin synthesis when compared to the rate of total protein synthesis is highest in cultures in which net cell growth has stopped, amounting to 30% of total protein synthesis. In these cells, however, total protein synthesis is quite low, probably due to inefficient translation in these cells. The synthesis, content, and transport of RNA remains constant at all times. This indicates that in the non-growing cells there must be very high turnover of RNA. An apparent stationary phase can be maintained by supplying small amounts of fresh medium to the cultures on a continuing basis. However, turnover of cells in the culture markedly increases with this treatment. During the late exponential phase of growth the rate of total protein synthesis is similar to that of cells in exponential growth, while the differential rate of immunoglobulin synthesis is high (10–20%) and is increasing. Newly synthesized heterodisperse RNA is found associated with polyribosomes in these cells. The suggestion from these data is that the amounts and the rate of synthesis of the immunoglobulin coding mRNA molecules must be nearly maximal at this stage of the culture cycle.
Solution structure of a two-base DNA bulge complexed with an enediyne cleaving analog.

Nucleic acid bulges have been implicated in a number of biological processes and are specific cleavage targets for the enediyne antitumor antibiotic neocarzinostatin chromophore in a base-catalyzed, radical-mediated reaction. The solution structure of the complex between an analog of the bulge-specific cleaving species and an oligodeoxynucleotide containing a two-base bulge was elucidated by nuclear magnetic resonance. An unusual binding mode involves major groove recognition by the drug carbohydrate unit and tight fitting of the wedge-shaped drug in the triangular prism pocket formed by the two looped-out bulge bases and the neighboring base pairs. The two drug rings mimic helical DNA bases, complementing the bent DNA structure. The putative abstracting drug radical is 2.2 ± 0.1 angstroms from the pro- S H5′ of the target bulge nucleotide. This structure clarifies the mechanism of bulge recognition and cleavage by a drug and provides insight into the design of bulge-specific nucleic acid binding molecules.
Insomnia Severity is an Indicator of Suicidal Ideation During a Depression Clinical Trial

Objective Insomnia has been linked to suicidal ideas and suicide death in cross-sectional and longitudinal population-based studies. A link between insomnia and suicide has not been previously examined in the setting of a clinical trial. Herein we describe the relationship between insomnia and suicidal thinking during the course of a clinical trial for depression with insomnia.
Assessing an integrated government documents collection

Purpose – This paper proposes describing the collection assessment process adapted to fit the integrated government documents collection at Jacksonville State University's Houston Cole Library.Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on the Library's experience conducting an assessment of its integrated government documents collection using an adaptation of the WLN conspectus method.Findings – The author describes the adaptations made, obstacles overcome, results of the assessment, and conclusions drawn from it.Practical implications – As a result of this assessment, procedures were established for future assessments of the collection, and the results of the assessment were used to aid in the selection process.Originality/value – This paper provides a model for conducting an assessment of an integrated government documents collection that other libraries can follow and fills a gap in the literature of government documents collection management.
Searching for a dynamic theory of the multinational enterprise: A transaction cost model

This paper constructs a transaction cost model that provides an explanation for the transition between two distinct governance modes for serving a foreign market; a wholly owned subsidiary and licensing. The paper initially outlines a single-period model of the factors that influence a firm's choice of governance mode. The model is then extended, first to incorporate a temporal perspective and then a dynamic perspective. The completed model identifies organizational and environmental contingencies that shape dynamic multi-period decision-making for the choice of governance mode.
Screening and surveillance colonoscopy in chronic Crohn's colitis: results of a surveillance program spanning 25 years.

Background & Aims: Since 1980, we have followed 259 patients with chronic Crohn's colitis in a prospective colonoscopic surveillance program. Our initial results through August 1998 showed a 22% chance of developing definite dysplasia or cancer by the fourth surveillance examination. We now update the results of all examinations since September 1998 until April 2005. Methods: All patients had at least 7 years of Crohn's colitis affecting at least one third of the colon. Patients were recalled every 1 to 2 years or sooner if dysplasia was found. Pathology was classified as normal, dysplasia (indefinite, low-grade [LGD], or high-grade [HGD]), or carcinoma. Lesions were classified as flat, polyp, or mass. Results: A total of 1424 examinations were performed on 259 patients. Ninety percent had extensive colitis. The median age at diagnosis was 22 years (range, 2–61 y), and the median disease duration was 18 years (range, 7–49 y). On screening examination, definite dysplasia or cancer was found in 18 patients (7%). Thirteen had LGD, 2 had HGD, and 3 had cancer. On surveillance examinations, a first finding of definite dysplasia or cancer was found in an additional 30 patients (14%). Twenty-two had LGD, 4 had HGD, and 4 had cancer. The cumulative risk of detecting an initial finding of any definite dysplasia or cancer after a negative screening colonoscopy was 25% by the 10th surveillance examination. The cumulative risk of detecting an initial finding of flat HGD or cancer after a negative screening colonoscopy was 7% by the ninth surveillance examination. Conclusions: Periodic surveillance colonoscopy should be part of the routine management of chronic extensive Crohn's colitis.
LEARNING TO WALK BEFORE WE CAN PRICE: THE COSTS AND BENEFITS OF ROAD PRICING POLICIES

The introduction of widespread road pricing is being considered in the UK and abroad as a means to allocate scarce road space. By looking at the economic costs and benefits of both national and local road pricing schemes, this paper seeks to examine how widely charging should be implemented.
Fundamental limits in fiber Bragg grating peak wavelength measurements

We discuss the fundamental limits of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) wavelength metrology. High-accuracy wavelength measurements are critical for FBG strain sensors because a wavelength measurement uncertainty as small as 1 pm leads to an uncertainty of nearly 1 microstrain. We compare the measurement uncertainties for several common wavelength measurement systems, including tunable laser, optical spectrum analyzer (OSA), and interferometric. We show that when using an OSA it is difficult to achieve a measurement uncertainty better than 10 pm, and if the OSA is not accurately calibrated to a known wavelength reference, then the wavelength measurement uncertainty can be as large as 1 nm. We describe the uncertainties involved in determining peak and/or centroid wavelength from a measured data set. We also discuss calibration references for FBG sensor interrogation units. Wavelength references that are based on molecular absorption lines are often an excellent choice for FBG sensor calibration. However, some interrogation units require a wavelength reference unit based on narrow reflection lines rather than absorption lines. We investigated the application of athermally packaged FBGs as wavelength references, but we found that their wavelengths will drift with time and can undergo large jumps. We concluded that it is difficult to achieve stability better than 4 pm/year in athermally packaged FBGs.
Lateral-sided bony procedures.

Flat foot, or pes planus, is a generalized term that is used to describe a spectrum of pathology that results in a fallen medial arch. When this condition is ‘‘pathologic,’’ the preferred term is pes plano abductovalgus (PPAV), which more accurately describes the deformity. The cause of adult acquired flat foot deformity includes posterior tibial tendon (PTT) dysfunction (rupture, attenuation, or laceration), midfoot laxity, external rotation of the hindfoot, tight heel cord, abduction of the forefoot, subluxation of the talus, Lisfranc, talonavicular joint or calcaneus injuries, arthroses, Charcot foot, and neuromuscular imbalance [1]. PTT dysfunction is the most common cause of flat foot in the adult. A dysfunctional PTT results in an imbalance with its antagonist, the peroneus brevis. The imbalance eventually results in forefoot abduction, a dorsiflexion at the transverse tarsal joint, and an increase in hindfoot valgus. This deformity puts even more stress on the PTT, and decreases the inversion strength of the gastrocnemius–soleus complex at heel-off. Indeed, the triceps surae, which normally has a strong hindfoot inversion vector, becomes a strong valgus deforming force. Eventually, these foot deformities can become rigid [2]. Staging of PTT dysfunction is based on the degree of deformity and amount of motion in the hindfoot [3]. Stage I is tenosynovitis of the PTT. There is swelling and tenderness along the tendon. The patient is able to perform a single heel rise and hindfoot inversion is strong, but painful. No deformity is present. In stage II disease, the tendon is nonfunctional, whether or not it actually ruptures. As a result, the arch flattens, the forefoot abducts, and the hindfoot is in valgus. On physical examination, the ‘‘too many toes sign’’ is present. Lateral hindfoot pain results from impingement of the lateral process of the talus into the calcaneus in the floor of the sinus tarsi. Subfibular impingement with the calcaneus can result