cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Control and reduction of terminal voltage total harmonic distortion (THD) in a hybrid series active and parallel passive filter system

A simple and cost-effective solution to reduce the passive filter terminal voltage total harmonic distortion (THD) is outlined. A modified synchronous reference frame (SRF) based controller for the series active filter allows injection of a controlled percentage of the higher harmonic load currents into the supply, in compliance with the IEEE 519 harmonic current standards, thereby reducing the passive filter terminal voltage THD. This implementation retains all the desirable features of the original SRF controlled hybrid series active filter system. It reduces the rating and size of the passive filter system and allows the use of simpler passive filter system structures such as only a simple high pass passive filter or a simple power factor correction capacitor as the passive filter system. Simulation and experimental results are used to establish the functionality and performance of the SRF controller and the modified SRF controller for the hybrid series active filter system. >
Gender bias in the disposition of frozen embryos

Abstract Objective: To examine the gender differences found among couples when choosing the disposition of their frozen embryos. Design: Retrospective chart review. Setting: University affiliated in vitro fertilization (IVF) center. Patients: Couples undergoing their first cycle of assisted reproductive technology (ART). Intervention(s): None. Main Outcome Measure(s): Choice of disposition of gametes and embryos. Result(s): Gender bias is found when couples choose the dispositon of their frozen embryos, but not when they choose the disposition of their gametes. Conclusion(s): Gender bias was found in couples who made decisions regarding the disposition of their frozen embryos.
Influence of increased light on progress of molt and egg production in yearling Rhode Island Red hens.

Abstract POULTRYMEN have long recognized that egg production can be increased during the fall and winter months by artificially lengthening the daily light period. Whetham (1933) correlated the seasonal rates of egg production of hens kept in latitudes throughout the world with the seasonal variations in length of daylight for these same latitudes. It was concluded that the light supply is an important factor in the seasonal distribution of egg production. It is only within recent years that the factors responsible for the striking physiological effect of increased light have been subjected to experimental investigation. It has been quite convincingly established that light stimulates the anterior pituitary gland which in turn releases the hormones necessary for gonadal development and functions. The extensive literature pertaining to this subject has been reviewed by Rowan (1938) and Bissonnette (1936). Penquite and Thompson (1933) reported the use of continuous lights on Leghorns and emphasized the . . .
An approach for inclusion of crystal polarization in embedded cluster calculations: application to CaF2

A methodology is presented which allows for self-consistent treatment of lattice polarization effects in ab initio embedded cluster calculations of defects in insulating crystal. This approach uses molecular mechanics or shell model potentials for classical ions near the quantum cluster and a modification of the dielectric continuum method for polarization of the rest of the crystal. Anion interstitial and vacancy in CaF crystal have been considered as test cases for the proposed 2
Typed abstraction of complex network compositions

The heterogeneity and open nature of network systems make analysis of compositions of components quite challenging, making the design and implementation of robust network services largely inaccessible to the average programmer. We propose the development of a novel type system and practical type spaces which reflect simplified representations of the results and conclusions which can be derived from complex compositional theories in more accessible ways, essentially allowing the system architect or programmer to be exposed only to the inputs and output of compositional analysis without having to be familiar with the ins and outs of its internals. Toward this end, we present the TRAFFIC (typed representation and analysis of flows for interoperability checks) framework, a simple flow-composition and typing language with corresponding type system. We then discuss and demonstrate the expressive power of a type space for TRAFFIC derived from the network calculus, allowing us to reason about and infer such properties as data arrival, transit, and loss rates in large composite network applications
Locally Restricted Compositions II. General Restrictions and Infinite Matrices

We study compositions $\vec{\bf c}=(c_1,\dots,c_k)$ of the integer $n$ in which the value $c_i$ of the $i$th part is constrained based on previous parts within a fixed distance of $c_i$. The constraints may depend on $i$ modulo some fixed integer $m$. Periodic constraints arise naturally when $m$-rowed compositions are written in a single row. We show that the number of compositions of $n$ is asymptotic to $Ar^{-n}$ for some $A$ and $r$ and that many counts can be expected to have a joint normal distribution with means vector and covariance matrix asymptotically proportional to $n$. Our method of proof relies on infinite matrices and does not readily lead to methods for accurate estimation of the various parameters. We obtain information about the longest run. In many cases, we obtain almost sure asymptotic estimates for the maximum part and number of distinct parts.
Technical information flow patterns

A study of the bibliographies of a large number of articles in physics and electrical engineering indicates that definite patterns exist for the flow of technical information. Quantitative data are presented on the flow of information between countries, between cultural and functional groups, and between past and present. An analysis of the numerical data indicates that these flow patterns are deeply rooted in the dynamics and evolution of scientific thought and engineering development. The analysis also discloses that extreme asymmetry exists between journals in their capacity as carriers of scientific information.
Laser Doppler velocimetry stabilized in one dimension

Routine use of LDV for measurement of retinal hemodynamics has proven difficult. One reason is the susceptibility of the measurement to eye movement. Valid data are often distributed among data obtained while the beam is decentered or completely off the vessel. One remedy is to develop complex rejection criteria in an effort to circumvent the problem. The authors discuss a more direct solution, the stabilization of the incident laser beam on the target retinal vessel. A valid measurement of V/sub max/ corresponds to measuring the fastest component of flow; even slight decentering of the beam can bias the measurement of V/sub max/ to smaller values. Stabilization of the beam on the vessel center provides a more reliable measure of V/sub max/. >
Living with Insulin-Dependent Diabetes: Life Can Still Be Sweet

Diabetes is a chronic illness that can wreak havoc on many systems of the body. It may create secondary disabling conditions as well as acute, short-term problems. Despite this, having diabetes does not have to be viewed as the antithesis of a full and happy life. After describing the biological aspects of diabetes, this article details multiple aspects of living with diabetes and some of its implications that the author has experienced.
Dynamic channel allocation in interference-limited cellular systems with uneven traffic distribution

Most recently proposed wireless dynamic channel allocation methods have used carrier-to-interference (C/I) information to increase the system performance. Power control is viewed as essential for interference-limited systems. However, the performance of such systems under an imbalance of load among cells, as may occur often in microcells, is largely unknown. Here, we study a typical interference-limited dynamic channel allocation policy. Calls are accepted if a channel can be assigned that will provide a minimum C/I, and power control and intracell handoffs are used to maintain this level. We focus on the relationship between system performance and the amount of imbalance in load among neighboring cells. Previous studies for systems that do not use C/I information have found that dynamic channel allocation (DCA) outperforms fixed channel allocation (FCA) in all but heavily loaded systems with little load imbalance. We present two principal new results. First, we find that with use of C/I information, the difference in performance between FCA and DCA (in terms of throughput or blocking probability) is increasing with load imbalance. DCA was found to be more effective in congestion control at the cost of a slightly lower call quality. Second, we find that use of power control to maintain a minimum C/I results in two equilibrium average power levels for both DCA and FCA, with DCA using a higher average power than FCA, and that while DCA's power is increasing with load imbalance, FCA's average power is decreasing with load imbalance.
Central Administration of Neuropeptide Y Reduces α-Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone-Induced Cyclic Adenosine 5′-Monophosphate Response Element Binding Protein (CREB) Phosphorylation in Pro-Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone Neurons and Increases CREB Phosphorylation in Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Neurons in the Hypothalamic Paraventricular Nucleus

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) has a potent inhibitory effect on TRH gene expression in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and contributes to the fall in circulating thyroid hormone levels during fasting mediated by a reduction in serum leptin levels. Because alpha-MSH activates the TRH gene by increasing the phosphorylation of CREB in the nucleus of these neurons, we raised the possibility that at least one of the mechanisms by which NPY reduces TRH mRNA in hypophysiotropic neurons is by antagonizing the ability of alpha-MSH to phosphorylate CREB. As NPY increases CRH mRNA in the hypothalamus, we further determined whether intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of NPY regulates the phosphorylation of CREB in hypophysiotropic CRH neurons. NPY [10 micro g in artificial CSF (aCSF)] was administered into the lateral ventricle i.c.v. 30 min before the i.c.v. administration of aCSF or alpha-MSH (10 micro g in aCSF), the latter in a dose previously demonstrated to increase proTRH mRNA and phosphorylate CREB in TRH neurons. By double-labeling immunocytochemistry, only few TRH neurons in the PVN contained phosphoCREB (PCREB) in animals treated only with aCSF (4 +/- 0.2%) or with NPY followed by aCSF (9.7 +/- 2.5), whereas alpha-MSH-infused animals dramatically increased the percentage of TRH neurons containing PCREB (75.3 +/- 6.9%). Pretreatment with NPY before alpha-MSH infusion, however, significantly reduced the percentage of TRH neurons containing PCREB (40.8 +/- 3.5%) compared with alpha-MSH infused animals (P = 0.01). Only 12.2 +/- 0.9% of CRH neurons of the medial parvocellular neurons contained PCREB nuclei in vehicle-treated animals, whereas 30 min following NPY infusion, the number of CRH neurons containing PCREB increased dramatically to 88 +/- 2.9%. Whereas alpha-MSH infusion increased the percentage of CRH neurons that contained PCREB to 56 +/- 2.2% compared with control, animals pretreated with NPY further increased the number of CRH neurons colocalizing with PCREB to 87 +/- 2.5%. These data demonstrate a functional interaction between NPY and alpha-MSH in the regulation of proTRH neurons in the PVN, suggesting that NPY can antagonize alpha-MSH induced activation of the TRH gene by interfering with melanocortin signaling at the postreceptor level, preventing the phosphorylation of CREB. In contrast, NPY infusion increases the phosphorylation of CREB in CRH neurons, indicating that NPY has independent effects on discrete populations of neurons in the PVN, presumably mediated through different signaling mechanisms.
Klinefelter Syndrome Are We Missing Opportunities for Early Detection

Klinefelter syndrome is a common condition that remains underdiagnosed, particularly prior to adulthood. Early detection could prevent morbidity and mortality, but the classic phenotype of small testes and tall stature may not be apparent until adolescence, and there is minimal guidance regarding whom to screen. We performed a retrospective study at Boston Children’s Hospital in patients with the ICD-9 code for “Klinefelter syndrome” diagnosed prior to age 20 years, and determined age and reason for diagnosis, karyotype, heights, and comorbid conditions. Eighty percent had a 47,XXY karyotype, of whom half were diagnosed at age 11 to 19 years. The most common comorbidities were neurocognitive, including learning disabilities (67%), psychosocial problems (33%), and attention deficit disorder (27%). Subjects were only slightly taller than average in childhood (height standard deviation score = 0.64). These data show that Klinefelter syndrome is associated with long-standing comorbidities that frequently rema...
Compression and machine learning: a new perspective on feature space vectors

The use of compression algorithms in machine learning tasks such as clustering and classification has appeared in a variety of fields, sometimes with the promise of reducing problems of explicit feature selection. The theoretical justification for such methods has been founded on an upper bound on Kolmogorov complexity and an idealized information space. An alternate view shows compression algorithms implicitly map strings into implicit feature space vectors, and compression-based similarity measures compute similarity within these feature spaces. Thus, compression-based methods are not a "parameter free" magic bullet for feature selection and data representation, but are instead concrete similarity measures within defined feature spaces, and are therefore akin to explicit feature vector models used in standard machine learning algorithms. To underscore this point, we find theoretical and empirical connections between traditional machine learning vector models and compression, encouraging cross-fertilization in future work.
The Source of “Lost Calories” from Fortified Breast Milk

MCT1 oil is frequently chosen as fortifier for human milk (HM) feeds for the very premature infant because it improves caloric density without increasing the osmotic load of the feed. In practice, however, these infants who apparently are receiving adequate calories do not demonstrate the expected growth. We have therefore investigated whether fat might be lost because of adherence to feeding sets in the prevailing methods of MCT supplementation. Forty feeding sets, collected from infants on feeds of 3 different compositions, were analyzed for amount of residual fat (measured as % of total fat in feed by gravimetry). The fatty acid composition (FA) of the fat residue was analyzed by gas chromatography.
Military Sexual Trauma and Suicide Mortality

Introduction The Veterans Health Administration health system uses a clinical reminder in the medical record to screen for military sexual trauma. For more than 6 million Veterans, this study assessed associations between military sexual trauma screen results and subsequent suicide mortality. Methods For Veterans who received Veterans Health Administration services in fiscal years 2007–2011 and were screened for military sexual trauma (5,991,080 men; 360,774 women), proportional hazards regressions evaluated associations between military sexually trauma and suicide risk. Models were adjusted for age, rural residence, medical morbidity, and psychiatric conditions, obtained from medical records at the year military sexual trauma screening occurred. Analyses were conducted in 2014. Results Military sexual trauma was reported by 1.1% of men and 21.2% of women. A total of 9,017 Veterans completed suicide during the follow-up period. Hazard ratios for military sexual trauma were 1.69 (95% CI=1.45, 1.97) among men and 2.27 (95% CI=1.76, 2.94) among women. Suicide risk associated with military sexual trauma remained significantly elevated in adjusted models. Conclusions Study results are among the first population-based investigations to document sexual trauma as a risk factor for suicide mortality. Military sexual trauma represents a clinical indicator for suicide prevention in the Veterans Health Administration. Results suggest the importance of continued assessments regarding military sexual trauma and suicide risks and of collaboration between military sexual trauma–related programs and suicide prevention efforts. Moreover, military sexual trauma should be considered in suicide prevention strategies even among individuals without documented psychiatric morbidity.
The relation between excitability and contractility in the isolated rabbit atrium.

AbstractDiastolic excitability and isometric contraction force were measured in the isolated left atrium of the rabbit. Within limits an increase in stimulation frequency resulted in increased contraction force with no essential change in excitability. After a peak response was attained a further increase in frequency resulted in a decrease in force and also in excitability. Outside the refractory period there was no relation between excitability and tension developed at various frequencies. in strength-interval determination diastolic excitability was higher in the 960 msec. cycle and diastolic contractility was greater in the 630 msec. cycle. the pattern of recovery of excitability was similar for both cycles and seemed to be governed by the duration of the refractory period. A contractile response was recorded throughout a given cycle, but the rate of recovery of contractility was faster in the shorter cycle. Diastolic contraction force was obtained only at the end of the cycle. It is concluded that in...
Matching Household Life-Cycle Characteristics to Clustered Annual Schedules of Long-Distance and Overnight Travel

Research on key aspects of long-distance and overnight travel is limited, and knowledge about the household life cycle is even more limited. This work used data from the 2013 Longitudinal Survey of Overnight Travel (conducted as part of this effort) to (a) identify groups of respondents with statistically significant differences according to their annual long-distance overnight travel schedules and (b) summarize the life-cycle characteristics of the respondents that belonged to each group. The panel was not representative of the general population but, rather, consisted of more frequent travelers of higher income who mostly worked full time; many members of the panel traveled for work. K-means clustering was used to partition the travelers into six distinct groups on the basis of their annual travel. The largest group that was formed put a heavy emphasis on longer-distance travel. One group was dominated by travel with children. The other groups formed placed approximately even levels of emphasis on the n...
MEMS-tunable silicon-integrated cavity filters

Millimeter-wave (mm-wave) frequencies (>30 GHz) are more and more occupied by new sets of applications ranging from high-data rate communication networks to security and surveillance systems. As a result, the demand for highly-versatile RF filters that are able to operate at such high frequencies and accommodate the needs of these systems is continuously increasing. A new class of mm-wave filters that are structured by silicon-integrated evanescent-mode cavity resonators and MEMS corrugated diaphragms have recently being proposed as a prospective candidate for these applications. This paper provides a general review of the attributes of this technology and its RF performance merits through various filter demonstration examples.
A Differential Equation in Group Theory

(1982). A Differential Equation in Group Theory. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 55, No. 4, pp. 220-221.
Thermodynamic behavior of boron minerals in iron concentrate during direct reduction

According to the homologous linear rule applied widely in the chemistry area, the linear equation between the formation reaction Gibbs free energy of calcium and magnesium composite compounds was fitted out. The formation reaction Gibbs free energies of Mg3(BO3)2 and Mg2B2O5 are obtained from the formation reaction of Ca3(BO3)2 and Ca2B2O5 at different temperatures. Then, the thermodynamic calculation models for the formation reaction of Mg3(BO3)2 and Mg2B2O5 were deduced based on the approximate linear rule between the reaction Gibbs free energy and temperature, and it was verified by the laboratory tests. The results of thermodynamic calculation and XRD phase identification indicate that ascharite in the iron concentrate will be transformed into suanite firstly, and then into kotoite by reacting with the serpentine decomposition product of serpentine during the roasting process.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from surfaces and personnel at a hospital laundry facility.

Aim Examine a clinical laundry facility for the presence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) on environmental surfaces and among personnel. Methods Nasal and face samples along with surface samples were collected four times in 2015. MRSA isolates were confirmed using standardized biochemical assays and molecular characterization. Results MRSA was identified in 33/120 (28%) samples from the dirty and 3/120 (3%) samples from the clean environmental areas. MRSA isolates included: (dirty) ST5 SCCmec type II, ST8 SCCmec type IV, ST231 SCCmec type II, ST239 SCCmec type III, ST239 SCCmec type IV, ST256 SCCmec type IV and (clean) ST5 SCCmec type II and ST8 SCCmec type IV. Five different employees were MRSA positive, 4/8 (50%) from the dirty: and 1/15 (6·7%) from the clean, but there was a 10-fold higher MRSA carriage 6/22 (27%) dirty vs 1/38 (2·6%) clean when all 50 human samples were combined. Conclusion MRSA prevalence was significantly higher (28 vs 3%) in dirty vs clean areas within the laundry facility suggesting a greater risk for personnel on the dirty side. Significance and Impact of the Study This is the first report of isolation and characterization of MRSA from surfaces and personnel from a clinical laundry facility.
Breaking the Codeine

This case discusses the pharmacokinetic interaction between codeine and quinidine. Codeine is a prodrug, metabolized to the active compound morphine by CYP2D6, quinidine is a 2D6 inhibitor.
MR imaging of congenital anomalies of the pediatric spine.

SUMMARY Congenital anomalies of the pediatric spine are ideally evaluated with MR imaging. The wide spectrum of pathology in this category of disease is dramatically displaced for both diagnosis and treatment planning for the neurosurgeon. An understanding of embryology and knowledge of the clinical presentation combined with the MR imaging findings allows the radiologist to play a key role in the evaluation of these complex anomalies.
Water and the Opium Economy in Afghanistan

Illicit cultivation of opium poppies in Afghanistan has been increasing at high rates in recent years, especially in the Southwest in Hilmand (Helmand) Province, and a number of other provinces in the West of the country. As the climate of Afghanistan changes and droughts increase, the drought-tolerant poppy is an attractive crop to extremely poor people with little other recourse. Various ideas have been put forth to curtail the illegal activity, including ground eradication, aerial spraying, interdiction of precursor chemicals, stopping drugs at border crossings, arrest of drug lords, and other mechanisms, but all to little avail, except for some minor advances made from time to time. Close to US $7 billion has been outlaid to crush the trade, but it continues to do better than ever, with a record 6400 tons produced in 2014. New ideas of legalizing opium production to make inexpensive pharmaceuticals for poor developing countries have been shown to be economically not viable, especially in the face of resistance from Turkey, India, and Australia, and a few other countries that are licensed already to grow licit opium. Given on-going climate change and most probable ever-drier conditions in Afghanistan, the likelihood for continued increase in opium production is expected unless a most unlikely, complete reorganization of the government of Afghanistan and concomitant drastic diminution of corruption occurs under new President Ashraf Ghani.
Critical Care Nursing Informatics: Promoting the Quality of Life During Crisis

The need to meet the technical challenges for the future of Critical Care Medicine and Nursing Practice is upon us. Never before has the complexity of clinical problems presenting in patients been greater, as well as the crucial need for high levels of nursing productivity, intervention and resource allocation. When acutely ill patients’ clinical management become the driving force of the expert clinician, a strong support system must be available. This system must produce speed and accuracy, be convenient, show a reduction of repetitious tasks and produce a superior quality product. This system must be an electronic chart thus computerization of the medical record. The future must be a totally automated environment in critical care areas.
Comparison studies of different regularizers for spectral computed tomography

The development of energy-resolving photon-counting detectors makes it possible to collect data in different energy bins. These detectors lead to emerging spectral computed tomography (CT), which is also called multi-energy CT, energy-selective CT, color CT, etc. Spectral CT can provide additional information in comparison with conventional CT in which energy integrating detectors are used to form polychromatic projection of an object being investigated. The photon counting detectors in spectral CT can acquire projections of the object in different energy levels as they are able to reliably distinguish the received photon energies. In recent years, different methods have been developed to acquire additional information hidden in different energy levels of spectral CT images. Different regularization methods have been adopted for reconstructing the noisy image in the last decade. In this work, we numerically evaluate the performance of different regularizers such as total variation, Huber, non-local means and anisotropic diffusion regularization in spectral CT. The goal is to provide some practical guidance to accurately reconstruct the attenuation distribution of each energy channel of the spectral CT data.
Electric stimulus response of chitosan microbeads embedded with magnetic nanoparticles for controlled drug delivery

Drug Delivery Systems (DDS) are suitable for drug delivery over direct pharmaceutical administration of drug due to enhanced bioavailability, precision targeting and localization, and defined characteristics of drug release. It is envisioned that controllable DDS could facilitate maintaining drug concentration within prescribed therapeutic limits over desired duration or provide a burst release of drug when needed. Majority of DDS suffer from an uncontrollable diffusion profile, leading to passive drug release over time, or poor control of external or internal stimuli. In this paper, we demonstrate a novel DDS platform based on chitosan microbeads embedded with magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) that is responsive to electric stimulation. The DDS was fabricated by embedding Fe 3 O 4 MNP (φ = 12 nm) within biocompatible chitosan microbeads cross-linked with glyoxal. Various types of electric stimulations (e.g. bipolar rectangular, sinusoidal) were applied with the sample suspended on interdigitated electrodes on a Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) resonator chip. The spectrophotometric analysis of the absorbance post-stimuli shows statistically significant drug release compared to control samples. The highest drug elution recoded is 6.6 times to control for 20 V pp , 100 Hz, bipolar rectangular pulse for 30 seconds. These results indicate the possibility of controllable DDS development using electrical stimulus.
A SAS macro for the joint modeling of longitudinal outcomes and multiple competing risk dropouts

Abstract Background and objectives The joint modeling of longitudinal and survival data to assess effects of multiple informative dropout mechanisms on longitudinal outcomes inference has received considerable attention during recent years; related statistical programs to apply these methods have been lacking. This paper provides a SAS macro implementation of a shared parameter model to accommodate the analysis of longitudinal outcomes in the presence of multiple competing survival/dropout events. Methods In this macro, we assumed that the associations between the survival and the longitudinal submodels are linked through a set of shared random effects. The submodel for the longitudinal outcome takes the form of a linear mixed effects model, with specifications for the random intercept and/or random slope. The survival submodel allows up to three different competing causes for dropout, each allowing either an exponential or Weibull parametric baseline hazard function. In addition, information criterion fit statistics AIC and BIC are provided to assist with parametric baseline hazard function selection. Results We illustrate the SAS Macro in a cognitive decline study sensitivity analysis using data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Neurocognitive Study (ARIC-NCS). In addition, we also conduct a simulation study to show that the joint model provides unbiased parameter estimates when informative dropout exists compared against separate model approach which assumes missing at random dropout mechanisms. Conclusions We have presented a SAS macro to implement a shared parameter model for a longitudinal outcome and multiple cause-specific dropouts and made the macro code freely available for download.
An analytical framework for transmit beamforming with peak power constraint

Multi-antenna transmit beamforming is a well-adopted technique at base stations to reduce interference and improve communication quality. The radiation pattern in beamforming is determined by both the weights and configurations of antenna array. In base stations, orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) signals and multi-carrier wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) signals exhibit high peak-to-average-power ratios (PAPRs), causing them to be susceptible to non-linear distortions of power amplifiers (PAs). The beam patterns may be impaired as well. Due to the beamforming weights, the transmitted signals on multiple chains can have different average and peak powers. In addition, the PAs on different chains can exhibit different non-linear characteristics. Therefore, multi-antenna transmit beamforming with non-linearity is more complicated than that for single chain transmission. In this paper, we will study transmit beamforming systems with peak power constraints by assuming that the PA follows a soft limiter model. We will establish a framework for analyzing clipping effects in transmit beamforming systems. Three metrics will be adopted to characterize the impairments: (i) the power gain pattern; (ii) the beamforming error pattern; and (iii) the signal-to-distortion power ratio (SDR) pattern. Both numerical derivations and simulations will be provided to assess the proposed metrics.
Maximum Entropy Approximation for Kernel Machines

Kernel machines are widely used in pattern recognition, exploratory data analysis, and statistical signal processing, due to their effectiveness of modeling nonlinear dependencies in the data. The computational burden in evaluating forward functions in testing is the main drawback for kernel machines, especially in high dimensional large training set situations. We present a separable maximum entropy approximation for kernel machines that reduce the computational load for forward function evaluation. The performance of the approximation is demonstrated on kernel-based discriminative nonlinear projections on benchmark datasets.
Necessary and sufficient conditions for sketched subspace clustering

This paper is about an interesting phenomenon: two r-dimensional subspaces, even if they are orthogonal to one an other, can appear identical if they are only observed on a subset of coordinates. Understanding this phenomenon is of particular importance for many modern applications of subspace clustering where one would like to subsample in order to improve computational efficiency. Examples include real-time video surveillance and datasets so large that cannot even be stored in memory. In this paper we introduce a new metric between subspaces, which we call partial coordinate discrepancy. This metric captures a notion of similarity between subsampled subspaces that is not captured by other distance measures between subspaces. With this, we are able to show that subspace clustering is theoretically possible in lieu of coherence assumptions using only r + 1 rows of the dataset at hand. This gives precise information-theoretic necessary and sufficient conditions for sketched subspace clustering. This can greatly improve computational efficiency without compromising performance. We complement our theoretical analysis with synthetic and real data experiments.
Prevention of Colorectal Cancer in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Using Advanced Technologies

The risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been well described. The increased risk has been attributed to chronic mucosal inflammation, associated with early disease onset, increased disease duration, extensive mucosal involvement, and concomitant primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Because of this risk, prevention strategies have been recommended and the primary approach to such prevention has been colonoscopic assessment of the mucosa in search of precancerous or early-stage cancerous lesions. Recent developments of advanced visualization techniques such as high-definition colonoscopes and dye-spray chromoendoscopy have provided new options for our approach to prevention. Due to the fact that we now have better visualization techniques, the approach has shifted away from random nontargeted sampling biopsies toward targeted biopsies, active surveillance, and segmental or subtotal resections. In this chapter, we describe the evolving evidence related to cancer prevention in chronic colitis, with an emphasis on newer technologies and how they have changed the approach to detection and follow-up of neoplasia. We propose a rational approach to the incorporation of selective chromoendoscopy and outline the evidence gaps for future study and guideline development.
Computing the best grasp in a discrete point set

This paper solves the problem of computing the best grasp in a discrete point set based on a popular grasp quality measure, namely the largest origin-centered ball contained in the grasp wrench set. So far, the solution to this problem is very limited. Noticing that the quality measure for a grasp is equal to the minimum value of the support function of its grasp wrench set over all directions and its computation together with force closure test can be fulfilled by evaluating the support function in a sequence of directions, we can quickly determine that a new grasp is worse whenever its support function in the sequence of directions or any other specific direction is less than the quality value of the current best grasp and avoid further computation. Furthermore, we enumerate candidate grasps in the point set in an adaptive way such that grasps that are more likely to outperform the current best grasp will be checked first, which helps find the best grasp earlier and significantly reduce the number of candidate grasps to be fully examined. With the aid of the adaptive enumeration and the quick comparison of grasps, the proposed algorithm takes tens of seconds to several hours on a normal PC to compute the best grasp in tens to hundreds of points on 3-D objects and it is two to several orders of magnitude faster than the brute-force search.
Torque ripple reduction and mechanical tolerance analysis of a novel dual-stator 6/4 flux-switching permanent magnet machine

The purpose of this paper is to investigate both the torque ripple reduction technique and influences of mechanical tolerance on the performances of a novel dual-stator 6/4 flux-switching permanent magnet machine. To minimize the torque ripple, step skew designs are studied to determine the optimal step number and step skew span angle. In addition, three common rotor mechanical tolerance deviation cases are analyzed to investigate their influences to the machine performance. These cases include the deviation of offset angle between the front and rear rotor poles, rotor static eccentricity, and rotor dynamic eccentricity. 3-D finite element analysis reveals that the most practical design is the optimal two-step skew design, which significantly reduces the torque ripple while maintaining a sufficiently large average torque compared to the initial design without step skew. It is found out that the mechanical tolerance variation of offset angle significantly impacts on the harmonics of back-EMF. The torque ripple and rotor unbalanced magnetic forces are substantially influenced by the tolerance of the rotor static or dynamic eccentricities.
Why monkeys do not get multiple sclerosis (spontaneously)An evolutionary approach

The goal of this review is to apply an evolutionary lens to understanding the origins of multiple sclerosis (MS), integrating three broad observations. First, only humans are known to develop MS spontaneously. Second, humans have evolved large brains, with characteristically large amounts of metabolically costly myelin. This myelin is generated over long periods of neurologic development-and peak MS onset coincides with the end of myelination. Third, over the past century there has been a disproportionate increase in the rate of MS in young women of childbearing age, paralleling increasing westernization and urbanization, indicating sexually specific susceptibility in response to changing exposures. From these three observations about MS, a life history approach leads us to hypothesize that MS arises in humans from disruption of the normal homeostatic mechanisms of myelin production and maintenance, during our uniquely long myelination period. This review will highlight under-explored areas of homeostasis in brain development, that are likely to shed new light on the origins of MS and to raise further questions about the interactions between our ancestral genes and modern environments.
Independence in Administrative Adjudications: When and Why Agency Judges Are Subject to Deference and Influence:

Are administrative adjudicators subject to external influence and pressures? We present the results from a nationwide survey of agency adjudicators, focusing on immigration judges (IJs) and adminis...
From the self to the screen: a journey guide for auto-netnography in online communities

ABSTRACTSupported by the previous literature, the author explores the method of auto-netnography, delimiting and differentiating its scope and boundaries. This article contributes to the literature with a Journey Guide for Auto-Netnography that can be used in online communities in social media by practitioners, organisations and scholars. That guide is constituted by six elements: (1) the traveller, (2) the map, (3) the routes, (4) the learning, (5) the telling and (6) the safety of the trip. The article also advances the literature by identifying and discussing the novel concept of brand auto-netnography. For illustrative purposes, the author uses an example of his own efforts to perform an auto-netnographic study in the context of a presidential candidate’s Facebook community; the author was the candidate’s campaign manager.
Enhanced sine wave speech with an added cue for pitch improves tone perception in Cantonese

Cantonese has six lexical tones (four level and two rising) that distinguish otherwise identical syllables. Although it is known that other acoustic cues besides f0 (e.g., voice quality) enter into tone perception, it is unknown whether f0 alone provides a sufficient cue. To test this, modified Sinewave Speech (SWS) replicas of Cantonese sentences were presented to listeners. SWS replaces vocal tract formants with frequency-modulated sinusoids, and has been shown to support perception of phonemic content of speech. However, because formant trajectories alone lack information about f0 and voice quality, standard SWS is unsuitable for studying tone perception (Feng et al., 2012, JASA131/EL133; Rosen & Hui, 2015, JASA138). To create the stimuli, the lowest sinusoid of the SWS replica (representing F1) was replaced with a complex tone constructed using a bandpass with the same center frequency as F1, just wide enough at any timepoint for two harmonics of an independently specified f0 contour. This two-component tone implies a missing fundamental, allowing simultaneous impression of harmonic direction and F1 direction. Modified and unmodified SWS replicas of Cantonese words were presented to native Cantonese speakers to ascertain whether implied f0 improves tone perception; preliminary results support an effect of modified SWS.
The Prognostic Value of the Glycerol Test: A Review of 60 Ears with Unidirectional Inner Ear Valve Implants

The following are our conclusions in regard to glycerol test interpretation based on 60 valve implants: Negative Tests 1. A negative glycerol test result and no audiometric evidence of significant hearing fluctuations indicate that a patient is unlikely to have postoperative hearing that is better than his best preoperative hearing. 2. The patient with a negative test can still have an excellent chance (greater than 80 per cent) to be relieved of vertigo. 3. A negative test and no audiometric evidence of significant hearing fluctuations in a patient with cochlear Meniere's disease would contraindicate valve surgery. Positive Tests 1. A positive glycerol test, done under appropriate conditions with adequate audiometric controls, clinically confirms the histopathologic diagnosis of endolymphatic hydrops. 2. The patient will have a 30 to 40 per cent chance of having better postoperative hearing than his best preoperative hearing. 3. The patient will have an 80 to 90 per cent chance to be free of vertigo. 3. The patient will have an 80 to 90 per cent chance to be free of vertigo. 4. A positive glycerol test would be a contraindication for labyrinthectomy, since the patient has the potential for some hearing improvement as well as absence of vertigo.
Enhancing Recovery in Coronary Heart Disease (ENRICHD) study intervention: rationale and design.

Objective Depression and low social support are risk factors for medical morbidity and mortality after acute MI. The ENRICHD study is a multicenter, randomized, controlled clinical trial of a cognitive-behavioral treatment for depression and low social support in post-MI patients. A total of 2481 patients were recruited (26% with low social support, 39% with depression, and 34% with low social support and depression). Our objective is to describe the rationale, design, and delivery of the ENRICHD intervention. Methods Key features of the intervention include the integration of cognitive-behavioral and social learning approaches to the treatment of depression and a diverse set of problems that can contribute to low social support; rapid initiation of treatment after MI; a combination of individual and group modalities; adjunctive pharmacotherapy for severe or intractable depression; training, certification, and supervision of therapists; and quality assurance procedures. Results The trial's psychosocial and medical outcomes will be presented in future reports. Conclusions The ENRICHD protocol targets two complex psychosocial risk factors with a multifaceted intervention, which is delivered in an individualized manner to accommodate a demographically, medically, and psychiatrically diverse patient population. Additional research will be needed to identify optimal matches between patient characteristics and specific components of the intervention.
Trends in Medical Imaging Technology

Medical imaging technologies have, to a varying extent, experienced significant recent progress. From the introduction of a new imaging modality to its adoption to routine clinical practice, many years of development and testing are needed. Recently, the focus of medical imaging research shifted toward detail optimization and the development of new disease-specific protocols, although several striking new developments need to be highlighted. For example, the adaptation of phase and darkfield contrast, well-known from microscope imaging, to X-ray imaging, provides a new and astonishing level of contrast in X-ray imaging and CT. Another example is the development of new, ultra-portable ultrasound devices, which make ultrasound even more attractive as a fast and low-cost imaging modality. Laser-based optical imaging that uses visible or near-infrared light deserves special attention as some methods have been adopted in clinical practice. Last but not least, improved image processing—both in terms of new algorithms and of improved computing power—have continually improved image quality and opened new avenues of image processing, with many new functions available to aid the radiologist in providing a diagnosis.
Does early tonsillectomy decrease the risk of infection with JC virus. (P5.379)

Objective: To evaluate the correlation between early tonsillectomy and the presence of JC antibodies. Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating autoimmune disorder of the Central Nervous System. Disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) are widely used in MS, but may lower the ability to fight infections. Some DMTs have even been associated with developing Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML), an opportunistic infection caused by JC polyomavirus (JCV) leading to debilitating morbidity and mortality in the immunocompromised. Prior studies have shown the presence of JCV in human tonsillar tissue, including hematopoietic precursor cells, B lymphocytes, and tonsillar stromal cells. Such findings suggest that tonsils may provide the initial site of JCV infection and can serve as a potential reservoir for JCV reactivation, thereby predisposing immunocompromised individuals to PML. Design/Methods: This is an ongoing IRB-approved retrospective cohort study of established MS patients with available JC antibody and titer values. History and age of tonsillectomy were verbally confirmed in each patient. Surgery prior age of 5 was considered “early tonsillectomy”. Pearson’s chi-squared and Fisher’s exact test was performed on data. Results: Preliminary results on 44 patients showed that 31.8% (n=14) had a tonsillectomy. Of those fourteen, 50% (n=7) had an early tonsillectomy, with only 14.2% showing JC positive (n=1) versus 85.7% being JC negative (n=6). Having a late tonsillectomy (n=7) showed 71.4% were JC positive (n=5) versus 28.5% who were JC negative (n=2). By contrast, patients with no history of tonsillectomy (n=30) were 66.7% JC positive (n=20). Results are presented in grafts and tables. Conclusions: Our preliminary data suggests a correlation between early tonsillectomy and negative JC antibodies. This relationship may offer important clinical implications arguing that tonsillectomy may diminish the risk of JC virus infection. Disclosure: Dr. Avila has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Teva, Genzyme, Biogen, Bayer. Dr. Suady has nothing to disclose. Dr. Trevino has nothing to disclose.