cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adherence to Appropriateness Criteria for Transthoracic Echocardiography: Comparisons Between a Regional Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System and Academic Practice and Between Physicians and Mid-Level Providers

We compared adherence to appropriateness criteria for transthoracic echocardiography in a Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC) and an academic practice and, within the VAMC, between physicians and mid-level providers. We reviewed 201 outpatient echocardiograms performed in the laboratory of an academic practice and 424 outpatient and inpatient studies performed at a VAMC. Echocardiographic examinations requested for indications addressed in the criteria were considered classified, and those for indications not addressed were considered unclassified. Classified studies were further rated as appropriate or inappropriate. Of 625 echocardiograms reviewed, 99 (16%) were unclassified. Approximately 80% of the indications for these could be assigned to 4 categories. Of the remaining 526 echocardiograms, indications were appropriate in 481 (91.4%) and inappropriate in 45 (8.6%). Among classified outpatient studies at the VAMC, mid-level providers requested significantly more studies for inappropriate indications than physicians (16.0% vs 7%, P = .024). There was no significant difference in the frequency of outpatient studies requested for inappropriate indications by VAMC and academic practice physicians (7.0% vs 9.5%, P = .558). The appropriateness criteria perform reasonably well at evaluating variations in use of echocardiography between health care systems and providers. The large majority of studies are requested for appropriate indications, although there is room for improvement.
Efficient ANN-based interconnect delay and crosstalk modeling

The dominance of system performance by interconnect delay in deep-submicron design presents many challenges to physical design tool developers. This paper presents an efficient ANN-based technique for modeling interconnect crosstalk in integrated circuits. ANN models for user-defined interconnect primitives called wirecells are trained and tested using a database created using a suitable simulation package. For fixed wirecell length and geometry, inputs to the ANN include signal frequency, input voltage amplitude, near and far end termination impedances. Outputs derived from the ANN include crosstalk voltage peak and RMS values and spectral composition. Experimental results demonstrate the ability of this approach to successfully predict coupled noise in modest cpu times compared with existing approaches.
Bioinformatics software for biologists in the genomics era

Motivation: The genome sequencing revolution is approaching a landmark figure of 1000 completely sequenced genomes. Coupled with fast-declining, per-base sequencing costs, this influx of DNA sequence data has encouraged laboratory scientists to engage large datasets in comparative sequence analyses for making evolutionary, functional and translational inferences. However, the majority of the scientists at the forefront of experimental research are not bioinformaticians, so a gap exists between the user-friendly software needed and the scripting/programming infrastructure often employed for the analysis of large numbers of genes, long genomic segments and groups of sequences. We see an urgent need for the expansion of the fundamental paradigms under which biologist-friendly software tools are designed and developed to fulfill the needs of biologists to analyze large datasets by using sophisticated computational methods. We argue that the design principles need to be sensitive to the reality that comparatively small teams of biologists have historically developed some of the most popular biological software packages in molecular evolutionary analysis. Furthermore, biological intuitiveness and investigator empowerment need to take precedence over the current supposition that biologists should re-tool and become programmers when analyzing genome scale datasets. Contact: [email protected]
Liquid encapsulated MCM package-thermal demonstration

This experimental study was undertaken to demonstrate the capability of liquid-encapsulated system in its simplest form of implementation to cool a multichip module (MCM) package. The MCM package was made of kovar (dimension: 58/spl times/35/spl times/11 mm). Two silicon thermal test chips were bonded to an FR-4 board and housed inside the metal package. Tests were performed on both dry (no liquid filled) and liquid-filled packages, In the liquid-filled situation, either a pure dielectric liquid or a dielectric liquid mixture was employed. The MCM package was externally cooled by either free-air or forced-air (1.0 to 2.54 m/s of air flow). Heat transfer history from single-phase, through nucleate boiling, to film boiling was documented. The overall improvement for the liquid-filled package was 2-4 times compared to the dry package, due to the superior thermal properties of dielectric liquids compared to air. The maximum power dissipation in the liquid-filled package at 2.54 m/s external air flow was 18 W (based on junction temperature maximum of 125/spl deg/C). In the liquid-filled package, both the single-phase and boiling heat transfer were enhanced by varying the external boundary conditions from free-air to forced-air. The total power dissipation limit in the liquid-filled package is strongly influenced by the ability to condense the vapor in the package. By changing the boundary conditions from free-air to forced-air (2.54 m/s), the condenser (top lid) efficiency is raised, thus raising the maximum power dissipation by 2.5 times. Results also indicated that for any given external boundary condition, the allowable power dissipation did not vary much under different liquid conditions: nondegassed liquid, degassed liquid at slightly above ambient pressure, and degassed liquid at ambient pressure. When the system was sealed, increasing power in the package created large liquid pressure and raised its boiling point. The dies remained in the single phase regime and no boiling occurred.
Simulation of the sedimentation of melting solid particles

This study is motivated by the fact that dispersed two-phase flows are often accompanied by interfacial activities such as chemical reaction and phase change. Toward an understanding of the role of interfacial transport, we numerically simulate the sedimentation of melting solid particles in a Newtonian fluid. The fluid flow and solid motion determine the fluid–solid heat transfer and hence the melting rate. The thermal convection and interfacial morphology, in return, affect the motion of both phases. The two-dimensional Navier–Stokes and energy equations are solved at moderate Reynolds numbers by a finite-element method, and the melting interface is determined from the local heat flux. The motion of each solid particle is tracked using an arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian scheme. Results show that the sedimentation of melting particles is largely governed by the competition between the upward flow of the warm upstream fluid and the downward flow of the cold melt. A single particle settling in a channel may be pushed away from the centerline toward the wall. A pair of particles interact in a complex way, separating at low Grashof number Gr and attracting each other at high Gr. These results have interesting implications for the formation of microstructures in interfacially active two-phase flows.
The Effects of Real Earnings Management on the Firm, Its Competitors and Subsequent Reporting Periods

Prior research hypothesizes that managers use a variety of „real actions‟ to manage reported earnings to meet or beat certain key benchmarks. Combining two years of new supermarket scanner data for a commodity consumer product with firm-level financial data, I find evidence consistent with the hypothesis of price discounting around the fiscal quarter-end. Firms that just beat prior year quarterly Earnings per Share or Analyst Consensus Earnings Forecasts reduce prices in the final month of the fiscal quarter to do so even when controlling for the effects of a competing hypothesis that firms adjust prices when inventory levels are unusually high.
Insights into interconnections between the shallow and deep systems from a natural CO2 reservoir near Springerville, Arizona

a b s t r a c t If carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration into deep geologic reservoirs is to be accepted by the public and environmental regulators, the possibility of upward leakage into shallow groundwater should be acknowledged and those processes well-understood. Studies of natural CO2 reservoirs and their connec- tion (or lack thereof) with the shallow subsurface is one way to explore these issues. A natural reservoir near Springerville, Arizona has leaked CO2 to the surface along a fault zone for thousands of years, creating large travertine deposits. In recent times, the CO2 leak rates have declined significantly yet the shallow aquifer is still highly enriched in CO2. In this study, using water level data and simulations we demon- strate that the fault zone likely provides hydrologic communication between the shallow aquifer and the deeper reservoir. It is reasonable to assume, therefore, that the source of the CO2 in wells completed within the fault zone is the deeper CO2 reservoir. We present water chemistry data to demonstrate the geochemical impact of this CO2 on shallow groundwater quality. Interestingly, arsenic concentrations are elevated, but other trace metals concentrations are not. Arsenic and chloride concentrations co-vary, suggesting perhaps an external source of both elements rather than an in situ release of As due to CO2 attack on shallow aquifer sediments. Observations at this site demonstrate that hydraulic communica- tions between shallow and deep layers and upward CO2 migration does not preclude long-term viability of a substantial CO2 reservoir at depth. We present multi-phase flow simulations to illustrate possible mechanisms trapping the CO2 at depth. Collectively, these analyses show that some degree of upward CO2 leakage may not be necessarily incompatible with the overarching goals of sequestering CO2 and protecting shallow groundwater. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
Percutaneous Approaches for Efficient Cardiac Gene Delivery

Gene therapy for heart failure treatment is currently being optimized and validated. The results to date are encouraging but challenges remain before it becomes a therapeutic approach in clinical cardiology. Much effort is dedicated to improve gene transduction efficiency by improving the vectors and the delivery methods. Successful translation from the benchtop to the bedside requires teams including biologists focusing on vector modification and cardiologists refining delivery methods. Two key components for translation to the clinic include safety and efficacy. Transduction efficiency is closely linked to invasiveness in most delivery methods. However, current candidates for cardiac gene therapy are patients without effective treatment option and are in advanced heart failure, thus a less invasive approach is preferred. This review focuses on injection methods of gene delivery with emphasis on percutaneous and endovascular approaches to summarize currently available percutaneous gene delivery methods and their features.
Mechanisms and clinical management of inherited channelopathies: long QT syndrome, Brugada syndrome, catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, and short QT syndrome.

The following briefly reviews features and management of long QT syndrome (LQTS), Brugada Syndrome, catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT), and short QT syndrome (SQTS). LQTS is marked by QT prolongation, syncope and sudden death due to torsades de pointes. Risk stratification is based on age, gender, history of symptoms, QT interval, and genetic subtype of LQTS. In addition to avoidance QT-prolonging drugs and high intensity sports, standard treatment for LQTS involves anti-adrenergic therapy, with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) use in high risk subgroups. Brugada Syndrome is associated with right ventricular conduction delay and ST elevation in the right precordial leads, syncope, and sudden death from ventricular fibrillation. The electrocardiographic abnormality can be accentuated by sodium channel blocker, vagal stimulation or fever. Patients with aborted cardiac arrest and those with syncope and a spontaneous or sodium channel blocker-inducible type I Brugada ECG pattern are at high risk and should receive an ICD. The role of electrophysiologic testing is controversial. Although there is no reliable drug therapy for Brugada Syndrome, quinidine, which suppresses I to current, can reduce the incidence of arrhythmias. Patients with CPVT present with exercise-induced syncope and sudden cardiac death but normal resting electrocardiograms. Exercise or isoproterenol infusion may cause increased ventricular ectopy or bidirectional ventricular tachycardia. Treatment modalities include anti-adrenergic therapy and ICD implantation. Congenital SQTS is a relatively recently described disorder characterized by a very short QT interval and by susceptibility to atrial and ventricular fibrillation. ICD implantation is the primary therapy; quinidine may be a useful adjunctive therapy.
Fighting the Elephant in the Room: Ethical Reflections on White Privilege and Other Systems of Advantage in the Teaching of Religion

This article contends that teaching more effectively for diversity requires a radical re-envisioning of pedagogical practice. Drawing on qualitative interviews with religion and theology professors of color throughout the United States, it explores how faculty can re-imagine their teaching by engaging students where they are, acknowledging the reality of oppression, and dealing with resistance. Stressing mindfulness of social location, it provides examples of liberating teaching activities and competences and shows how literary and visual “texts” from the margins and personal metaphors of embodiment can challenge captivities to hegemonic paradigms in the classroom. The article concludes with responses from colleagues who have worked closely with the author. Ethicist Melanie Harris brings Hill's method into dialogue with Womanist pedagogy, and historian of religion Hjamil Martinez-Vazquez reflects on the role of suffering in building a revolutionary/critical pedagogy.
The Career Beliefs Inventory

The Career Beliefs Inventory (CBI) is designed to help a counselor identify assumptions blocking a client's career progress. It measures domains untapped by other career assessment instruments and legitimizes discussions of important assumptions that are often overlooked and seldom examined. The 25 scales describe categories of beliefs found by prior research to have interfered with career decision making. Lower scores on a scale alert the counselor to explore specific beliefs in that category with the client and to examine their consequences.
Epothilones in breast cancer: review of clinical experience

ABSTRACT Background Drugs that target microtubules, including paclitaxel (Taxol) and docetaxel (Taxotere), are among the most commonly prescribed anticancer therapies. However, the utility of taxane-based therapies is limited by difficulties with formulation, administration, and resistance induced by P-glycoprotein. The epothilones are a novel class of antimicrotubule agents that have demonstrated antitumor activity in the setting of resistance. Design This review summarizes clinical studies of epothilones in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Data were identified by searches of PubMed and the Proceedings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meetings from 2000 to 2006. Results The epothilones have demonstrated promising antitumor activity and manageable toxicity in phase II studies of heavily pretreated patients with metastatic breast cancer, including patients with resistance to taxanes and other cytotoxic agents. Neuropathy associated with ixabepilone appears to be schedule dependent and comparable to that observed with paclitaxel. Ixabepilone appears to be active in combination with capecitabine. Conclusions Ongoing and planned trials promise to elucidate the benefits of ixabepilone in combination with other agents including capecitabine, bevacizumab, and trastuzumab in patients with metastatic breast cancer as well as those receiving neo-adjuvant therapy.
Performing Factorial Multivariate Analysis of Variance Using Canonical Correlation Analysis

The equivalence of one-way multivariate analysis of variance and canonical correlation is well known. The usefulness of canonical correlation analysis in performing factorial multivariate analysis of variance will be demonstrated.
A Computer Program Demonstrating the Effect of the Payoff Matrix on the Signal Detection Measure, Beta

The computer program described in this article demonstrates the basic concepts of signal detection theory and illustrates the effect of changes in the payoff matrix on beta, a measure of response bias. Observers attempt to identify the trials on which there was a signal in a noisy visual display. They earn or lose points for correct or incorrect answers. After three sets of 100 trials, with a different payoff matrix for each set, the program provides observers with their hit rates, false alarm rates, d' scores, and beta scores for the three sets of trials, as well as the total points they have earned for the 300 trials. The program runs on MS-DOS machines and does not require a computer with graphics capabilities.
Excavations at Jujah, Shibam, Wadi Hadhramawt

The Institute of Fine Arts of New York University excavated at Jujah in the Wadi Hadhramawt for two brief seasons in 1994 and 1995. This report deals with the architectural remains, the pottery and other dating materials. A report of the small finds will appear in a second article.
An interactive 4D visualization system for air traffic concept analysis

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and supporting organizations are developing new concepts to improve efficiency and safety of the National Airspace System (NAS). Some of these concepts change current restrictions, introduce new maneuvers, or provide better decision support to air traffic controllers. Each of these concepts requires extensive research and validation before it can be integrated into the NAS. Many different analysis tools are used to determine benefits, limitations, and requirements of these concepts. Some of these tools provide statistical metrics of the concepts, while others show the concepts visually. However, many of these are specialized tools built specifically for analyzing one concept or a small subset of concepts in a specific region of the NAS. When a new concept is introduced, it is often difficult to find a tool that can easily be adapted to help analyze it. The Concept Analysis Branch at the FAA is tasked with analyzing many of these concepts for feasibility and benefits determination before requirements development occurs. In order to assist in this task, the Concept Analysis Branch has developed a flexible, extensible, interactive 4D visualization tool for analysis of virtually any aviation concept. Flexible Flight Traffic Exploration Visualization 4D (FliteViz4D) was created as a unique development platform specifically directed at visualizing air traffic concepts in three-dimensional space, with two additional temporal dimensions for current time and future time. It allows concepts such as 4D Trajectory Based Operations, National Convective Weather Forecast, and 3D Path Arrival Management to be visualized in all their dimensions. This was accomplished by using object-oriented design concepts in the development of FliteViz4D to provide unparalleled flexibility and extensibility. New concepts can be added into the visualization using plugins with no changes to the existing platform. The user can decide which plugins to use, determining exactly how Flite-Viz4D runs and what is visualized. The result is a powerful visualization and analysis system, scalable from a single airport to the entire world, which can be used to analyze any concept that could possibly be visualized abstractly or physically. This paper will provide an overview of the system, providing several examples of how it has been used in recent studies, how it will be used in future studies, and how it can be utilized by other organizations in the aviation industry.
Steps Toward Resolving Cultural Conflict in a Pediatric Hospital

A serious and potentially life-threatening disease in a young child was identified and resolved through medical intervention. However, in the course of hospitalization, a conflict arose between the mother and the health care providers that required legal constraints on the mother. A ret rospective account of this conflict between Western health care providers and a family from a Caribbean culture lends itself to an examination of the role of cultural considerations in pediatric hospital care. Suggestions for resolving cultural conflict in clinical practice are discussed.
The optimal tax on antebellum US cotton exports

Abstract The US produced about 80% of the world’s cotton in the decades prior to the Civil War. How much monopoly power did the US possess in the world cotton market and what would have been the effect of an optimal export tax? This paper estimates the elasticity of foreign demand for US cotton exports and uses the elasticity in a simple partial equilibrium model to calculate the optimal export tax and its effect on prices, trade, and welfare. The results indicate that the export demand elasticity for US cotton was about −1.7 and that the optimal export tax of about 50% would have raised US welfare by about $10 million, about 0.3% of US GDP or about 1% of the South’s GDP.
Effect of direct culture versus selective enrichment on the isolation of thermophilic campylobacter from feces of mature cattle at harvest.

Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli are leading bacterial causes of human gastroenteritis in the United States and other industrialized nations. These organisms frequently colonize avian hosts, including commercial poultry, but are also found in the gastrointestinal tract of other warm-blooded animals, including swine, sheep, and cattle. This study investigated the effect of direct culture versus selective enrichment on the isolation of thermophilic Campylobacter from the colon of 610 cattle. Fecal samples were taken from the colon of mature cattle (older than 30 months of age) immediately after slaughter in a commercial abattoir over a period of 17 months. Campylobacter was isolated from 23.4% of the animals. Most (93%) of the culture-confirmed Campylobacter isolates were C. jejuni, with the remaining 7% being C. coli. Additionally, of the 143 samples from which pure cultures of Campylobacter could be isolated, 72 (50.3%) were positive only with selective enrichment, 18 (12.6%) were positive only...
Knowledge, Behavior, and Opinions Regarding Online Privacy

When it comes to online privacy, what do people know, what do people do, and what do people want? To find out, we conducted a two-part online survey, eventually collecting complete surveys from about 500 respondents on each part. One part of the survey focused on opinions relating to privacy and the Internet, and the second part of the survey focused on the knowledge of the respondents. Topics ranged from targeted advertising, to online security, to constitutional privacy protections. Finding out what people know, do, and want online will help us to suggest ways to ensure that consumer decisions online are guided by informed consent. For us, informed consent must include awareness of the ways that service providers use consumer data, which is often covered in terms of service and privacy policies. We believe that informed consent will strengthen the market for cloud services and increase how much consumers trust these services. However, comprehension is essential for informed consent, so obtaining informed consent online will be difficult if comprehension of agreements with providers is low. Our survey results indicate that very few people read terms of service or privacy policies, and it is difficult to have comprehension of documents that you do not read. The results of our survey suggest that there are specific areas that policy makers and industry members can emphasize to increase trust of the government on privacy matters, increase consumer engagement, enhance the presence of informed consent online, and support further development of the market for cloud services. To facilitate the achievement of these goals, the current deficiencies in consumer knowledge should be addressed. We recommend the development of an electronic privacy agent that would consider not only what people want in terms of privacy online, but also what they know. Our proposal, termed Knowledge-based Individualized Privacy Plans (KIPPs), is in the beginning stages of development, but we believe that it has the potential to mitigate the informational asymmetry that currently exists between consumers and businesses online.
Asymptotic Analysis of Forced Nonlinear Sturm‐Liouville Systems

A generalized WKB method is used to construct formal asymptotic approximations of solutions of certain forced nonlinear Sturm-Liouville systems. By means of three connected expansions it is possible to obtain a fairly complete picture of the global behavior of the small-norm solution branches. Results are presented for both slowly varying and rapidly varying forcing functions.
Interactive Navigation System for the Visually Impaired with Auditory and Haptic Cues in Crosswalks, Indoors and Urban Areas

This Federal Highway sponsored study is aimed at creating an integrated human-computer system that the visually impaired could use to navigate through chaotic urban areas, indoors environment, as well as complex crosswalks. The system incorporates several redundant positioning systems in order to provide a robust solution to way finding. The main system components include global positioning system (GPS), visual odometry, pedometry, iPhone, Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) radios, and tactile belt. The user will wear a laptop that contains a data processing program that collects data real-time from the devices and provides navigational feedback to the user’s iPhone app and tactile belt.
Synthetic Analgesics I: N-(2-Dialkylaminoethyl)-2-phenylacetanilides

A series of 24 N -(2-dialkylaminoethyl)-2-phenylacetanilides was prepared for testing as potential analgesics. The structure of these compounds can be related to certain nitrobenzimidazole and propionanilide analgesics. The compounds were prepared by treating N , N -dialkyl- N '-phenyl- or N , N -dialkyl- N '-( p -nitrophenyl)-ethylenediamine hydrochlorides with various phenylacetyl chlorides. The products were obtained as the hydrochloride or perchlorate salts. The previously unknown intermediates— p -ethoxyphenylacetyl chloride, N , N -dimethyl- N '-( p -nitrophenyl)-ethylenediamine hydrochloride, and 1-[( p -nitroanilino)-ethyl]-piperidine hydrochloride—also are described.
Information science: Properties of infinite covariance matrices and stability of optimum predictors

The least-squares predictor for a random process which is generated by linear difference equations is known to obey similar linear difference equations. A stability theory is developed for such equations. Conditions under which the infinite covariance matrix of the process, considered as a bounded operator: l"2 -> l"2, has a bounded inverse are shown to be both necessary and sufficient conditions for the stability of the optimum predictor. The same conditions also ensure the convergence of an algorithm for factoring recursively the infinite covariance matrix as a product of upper and lower triangular factors. Finally, it is shown that the stability obtained in this fashion is equivalent to uniform asymptotic stability.
G49 Skeletal surveys in patients <2 yo presenting with fractures to the ed department: when are they appropriate?

Aims To audit current practice and develop guidelines on the ordering of skeletal surveys in patients Methods We used the guideline published in Paediatrics: “Development of Guidelines for Skeletal Survey in Young Children with Fractures”. 1 Using our online server we reviewed data over two years (2012–2013). Patients Results 59 patients were identified over the two year period (range 22 days–23 months). 20.3% (n = 12) were between 0–11 ms, 79.7% (n = 47) were between 12–23 ms. 1 patient (1.7%) aged 9 ms had a skeletal survey. If the above guideline had been applied, 40.7% of this patient cohort would have warranted a skeletal survey, and 75% (n = 9) of our 0–11 agegroup and 31.9% (n = 15) of our 12–23 agegroup would have qualified for a skeletal survey. Conclusion In a busy ED department with short physician-patient interaction a systematic approach to child protection is of paramount importance. This data suggests that our centre is under-utilising skeletal surveys in the management of children under the age of 2 presenting with fractures to our ED department. Significant cultural differences may impact on the relevance of this guideline for our patient population. We are developing a new protocol to help ED doctors decide when a skeletal survey is appropriate in vulnerable children. Reference Wood JN, Fakeye O, Feudtner C, et al . Development of guidelines for skeletal survey in young children with fractures. Pediatrics . Originally published online June 16 2014, DOI: 10: 10.1542/peds.2013-3242.
Hiding in Plain Sight—A New Look at HLA Epitopes: A Case Report

"Epitope matching" has become a buzz word in solid organ transplantation. Its goal is to improve matching between donor and recipient, to minimize risk for antibody-mediated rejection and to reduce sensitization associated with graft failure. Current software allows identification and enumeration of amino acid sequence mismatches in the form of HLA eplets; however, "eplets" and "epitopes" are not interchangeable terms, and the understanding of what contributes to the antigenicity and immunogenicity of HLA B cell epitopes is still very limited and inadequate. In fact, we still do not know what constitutes an HLA epitope or how to define it in a clinically useful way. To allow for judicious implementation of epitope matching, it is critical to explore the full spectrum of factors that affect allorecognition. In exploring antibody-binding patterns, we have uncovered a potential tool-currently hidden in plain sight-that may shed light on some aspects of epitope characteristics.
Component Synthesis of Multi-Case, Rotating Machinery Trains by the Generalized Receptance Approach

A method is presented for computing the eigenvalues of multicase, coupled, rotating machinery trains. The method is based on a synthesis technique which utilizes generalized receptance formulas, previously derived by the authors. These formulas improve the accuracy of the computed receptances when only an incomplete set of modes is available. A nonsynchronous, gyroscopic, two rotor example is examined to illustrate the synthesis procedure.Copyright © 1983 by ASME
Temperature Effects on the Molecular Properties of Liquid Lignin Recovered from Kraft Black Liquor

The effect of temperature on the molecular properties of a “liquid-lignin” phase recovered from Kraft black liquor via CO2 acidification at elevated temperatures was investigated. For softwood black liquors, up to a 4-fold increase in the molecular weight (mol wt) of the recovered liquid-lignin phase was observed as the acidification temperature was increased from 100 to 150 °C. Thus, experiments were carried out in which the CO2-acidification steps of preheating, acidification, and phase separation were decoupled from each other in order to elucidate the mechanisms for the observed changes in molecular weight. Results indicate that some lignin cleavage and a corresponding decrease in molecular weight occur during the black-liquor preheating step. However, a significant net increase in molecular weight occurs after the lignin has phase-separated from the black liquor in the form of a new, denser liquid phase, pointing to condensation reactions as the most likely cause. Minimal changes in lignin aromatic c...
Perceptually Layered Scalable Codec

Fine-grain scalable audio coding approaches, such as PLEAC [2], are flexible, can scale from low rates to lossless, and can allow the perceptual model to be updated in the decoder as additional bits are provided. They provide good perceptual quality at mid to high perceptual rates; however, they can not establish the perceptual model rapidly enough to provide good quality at very low bit rates. In this work, we combine a fine grain scalable audio codec with a good base layer audio codec. We use Windows Media Audio 10 Professional (WMA 10 Pro) [1] as the base layer coder, and use the PLEAC codec as the fine grain enhancement codec. The key to this method is to use a base layer codec that provides a very good approximation to the necessary perceptual codec, and then allows the fine grain scalable audio coder to use a simple loudness model on the difference signal. The combined codec can provide continuous scalability from the base layer codec rate all the way to lossless.
Dependence of surface electron dynamics on beam current density and energy in electron-beam experiments

In this paper, we examine some effects of electron transport and dynamics in Kapton and Teflon thin films irradiated with an electron beam. In these experiments, a thin, metal-backed dielectric film such as those used for thermal control on spacecraft is exposed to a mono-energetic electron beam.1, 2 Currents to the chamber walls and through the sample are measured. The current measured to the metalized back of the sample is made up of the displacement current as charge builds up in the sample and of the leakage current through the sample. When equilibrium is established, the current to the metalized back of the sample is just the leakage through the sample. (The leakage current in a material that obeys Ohm's law will depend linearly on the electric field in the dielectric.) Electrons trapped on or near the surface of the sample and the charges they induce on the metalized back of the sample produce an electric field through the sample. The potential on the surface of the sample is measured with a noncontacting voltage probe.
DIGITAL SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS AS A STRATEGY FOR UNDERSTANDING VARIATION IN THE PARTICIPATION OF PATIENTS IN HEALTHCARE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

Background Healthcare improvement work benefits from diverse stakeholder participation. Great strides are being made towards formal collaborative relationships with patients and their caregivers. But how will we know if these overtures evolve into true partnerships? Reliable methods for tracking participation are needed to understand and enumerate how contributions of patients and families may impact costs, care, and outcomes. Objectives We share an innovative approach to evaluating participation in healthcare improvement initiatives. Social network analysis (SNA) offers insight around the extent to which patient involvement on improvement teams is authentic and comparable to that of conventional contributors (e.g., clinicians and professional researchers). Methods Using digital archives of email correspondence from 24 participants in a design project for pediatric chronic illness care, we generated email-network graphs over 19 months (January 2013–July 2014) to visually identify collaborators, measure communication behaviors, and quantify their prominence within the group network. We used scatterplots and Shewhart charts to compare network-based measures for patients and parents over time and relative to other participants. Results Longitudinal email-based SNA provided evidence of a qualitative trend of increased patient and parent participation throughout the project. X-bar charts showed common cause variation in centrality measures for patients/parents alongside clinicians and researchers, evidence of similar positioning within the group network as well as comparable levels of communication. Conclusions SNA is a reliable and relatively unobtrusive method to detect and monitor participation in collaborative work groups. Next, we explore how this approach could inform design and management of improvement efforts that meaningfully involve more patients and their caregivers.
Experimental investigation on the accessing to equalpotential working method on 1000kV UHV compact transmission line

The safety operation of UHV transmission lines is important to the power grid and live working technology is a key method to cope with line components defects or fault without outage plan. In order to ensure the safety of live line workers and electrical equipment, the workers entering into equal-potential must select proper accessing path and satisfy the requirement of minimum complex gaps. Live line maintenance is difficult to conduct on the compact UHV transmission lines due to high tower, heavy line components and compact air gaps of tower windows. Several general methods of entering into equalpotential to work on a suspension tower of EHV/UHV transmission line were introduced in this paper. The safety of access into the tower windows were evaluated through a test at 1:1 ratio scale simulated tower and a mannequin simulating the workers at typical work position. And the discharge characteristics of live working complex gap were determined by the up and down methods of switching impulse voltage discharge. Test results show that the accessing to equal-potential method for suspension tower from the side of tower window and parallel to the line was recommended. It's minimum complex gap is 7.0 m. Meanwhile, the method of striding no more than two insulators along the tension string is adopted to enter into potential working on strain tower. It's minimum complex gap is 6.6 m.
Modulating the wnt signaling pathway with small molecules

Wnt signaling is a critical component during embryonic development and also plays an important role in regulating adult tissue homeostasis. Abnormal activation of Wnt signaling has been implicated in many cancers, while reduced activity of Wnt signaling leads to poor wound healing and structural formations. Thus, extensive efforts have been focused on developing small molecules that have potential to either inhibit or activate the pathway, hoping these molecules can offer leads for novel approaches in treating different human diseases. Many small-molecule inhibitors specifically target various elements, such as Frizzled, Disheveled, Porcupine, or Tankyrase, within the Wnt signaling pathways. These small molecules not only have the potential to be further developed as therapeutic reagents, but they may also be used as chemical probes to dissect the underlying mechanism of the Wnt signaling pathways. Therefore, their respective mechanisms and effective dosages are highly pertinent. Aiming to provide an overview of those molecules in a concise, easy-to-use manner, we summarize and organize the current research on them so that it may be helpful for utilization in different studies.
Self-Management Decision Making of Cuban Americans With Type 2 Diabetes.

Purpose: Although researchers have studied how individuals manage type 2 diabetes, none have examined how Cuban Americans do so. This article explores how Cuban Americans make self-management choices and examines whether an empowerment framework is viable for informing interventions. Design: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted (n = 20) with Cuban Americans with type 2 diabetes. Individual interviews were analyzed with content analysis. Results: Motivation and temporal factors, such as knowledge of symptoms and the ability to plan ahead, positively affect self-management. Cultural factors, such as access to cultural foods, negatively affect self-management. Empowerment formed a comprehensive lens through which self-management decisions were acted on. Conclusion: Given the cultural context, empowerment and unique barriers and facilitators can affect diabetes self-management in this population. Strategies to promote healthy decisions must take into account the strengths of this community as well as...
Machine learning algorithm to detect unknown malicious codes

Modern computer and communication infrastructures are highly vulnerable to malicious codes and activities. There are many different ways malicious codes such as viruses, worms, Trojan horses etc. can damage a multitude of services, computers, financial structures, cyber infrastructure and data privacy. Signature based detection are more prevalent in preventing these types of attacks than machine learning detection. Anti-virus vendors are facing huge quantities (thousands) of suspicious files every day. These files are collected from various sources including dedicated honeypots, third party providers and files reported by customers either automatically or explicitly. The large number of files makes efficient and effective inspection of codes particularly challenging. In this paper, we propose a two part hybrid detection system that is in two parts. One part is a misuse detection system and the second part is an anomaly detection system. Misuse dependent detection is based on a random forest classifier and anomaly based detection is based on a single class SVM with bagging technique. We depart from the usual approach by using Correlation Feature Selection algorithm (CFS) for feature selection. Our experiment shows that our hybrid detection system outperforms the existing hybrid systems with other machine learning algorithms.
Estimating Legal Document Structure by Considering Style Information and Table of Contents

Text analytics is used to analyze diverse documents. For example, legal documents (such as contracts, ordinances, regulations, and global standards) must be analyzed for corporations to manage their business risk and meet compliance requirements. However, since documents are often stored or published as documents without a common structure, they need to be preprocessed to analyze them in subsequent text analytics. In particular, the following two forms of preprocessing are useful for text analytics: (1) extracting text, and (2) estimating document structure (such as chapters, sections, and subsections), which is used to define the range of topics or articles in a document. This paper presents a preprocessing method to estimate document structure from documents without a common structure. The proposed method follows rule-based approach, and consists of three algorithms: (1) one is based on style information, such as bold font; (2) another is based on numbered objects, such as sections; and (3) the other is based on a document’s Table of Contents, which summarizes the document’s structure. The accuracy of the proposed method is also evaluated by using 102 documents. The proposed method was found to be able to estimate document structure with 96.6% accuracy.
Diagnosis and surgical correction of the pediatric varicocele.

AbstractWe reviewed our experience with the diagnosis and management of varicoceles in 40 patients 9 to 18 years old. Of the patients 29 underwent varicocelectomy and 11 are being managed conservatively with periodic followup. The results of therapy and criteria for surgical intervention are discussed.
Distributed information-based guidance of multiple mobile sensors for urban target search

We present a framework for distributed mobile sensor guidance to locate and track a target inside an urban environment. Our approach leverages the communications between robots when a link is available, but it also allows them to act independently. Each robot actively seeks the target using information maximization. The robots are assumed to be capable of communicating with their peers within some distance radius, and the sensor payload of each robot is a camera modeled to have target detection errors of types I and II. Our contributions include an optimal information fusion algorithm for discrete distributions which allows each agent to combine its local information with that of its neighbors, and a path planner that uses the fused estimate and a recent coverage result for information maximization to guide the agents. We include simulations and laboratory experiments involving multiple robots searching for a moving target within model cities of different sizes.
Evolving a More Nurturing Society to Prevent Adverse Childhood Experiences.

Abstract This article presents a framework for evolving a society that nurtures the health and well-being of its population. We review evidence that adverse social conditions, including poverty, conflict, discrimination, and other forms of social rejection, contribute immensely to our most ubiquitous psychological, behavioral, and health problems. We then enumerate the ways that effective family and school prevention programs could ameliorate much of the social adversity leading to these problems. The widespread and effective implementation of these programs—in primary care, social services, and education—must be a high priority. Beyond the implementation of specific programs, however, we must also make a more concerted effort to promote prosocial values that support nurturing families and schools. Our society's priorities must be to generate specific policies that reduce poverty and discrimination and, in so doing, reduce the risk for negative health-related outcomes.
Reactive Oxygen Species in COPD-Related Vascular Remodeling

The pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a multifaceted process involving the alteration of pulmonary vasculature. Such vascular remodeling can be associated with inflammation, shear stress, and hypoxia-conditions commonly seen in patients with lung diseases. Particularly, the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the diseased lungs contributes greatly to pulmonary vascular remodeling. ROS play an important role in vascular homeostasis, yet excessive ROS can alter pulmonary vasculature and impair lung function, as implicated in COPD at all stages. Increased inflammatory cell infiltration and endothelial dysfunction both correspond to the severity of COPD. As a byproduct of vascular remodeling, pulmonary hypertension negatively affects the long-term survival rate of COPD patients. While there is currently no cure for COPD, several treatment options have focused on alleviating COPD symptoms. Interventions such as long-term oxygen therapy, endothelium-targeted treatment, and pharmacological therapies show promising results in improving the life span of COPD patients and attenuating the progression of pulmonary hypertension. In this chapter, we aim to discuss the contributing factors of pulmonary vascular remodeling in COPD with an emphasis on the ROS, as well as potential redox treatments for COPD-related vascular remodeling.
Mode of Surgical Injury Influences the Source of Urothelial Progenitors during Bladder Defect Repair

The bladder urothelium functions as a urine-blood barrier and consists of basal, intermediate, and superficial cell populations. Reconstructive procedures such as augmentation cystoplasty and focal mucosal resection involve localized surgical damage to the bladder wall whereby focal segments of the urothelium and underlying submucosa are respectively removed or replaced and regeneration ensues. We demonstrate using lineage-tracing systems that urothelial regeneration following augmentation cystoplasty with acellular grafts exclusively depends on host keratin 5-expressing basal cells to repopulate all lineages of the de novo urothelium at implant sites. Conversely, repair of focal mucosal defects not only employs this mechanism, but in parallel host intermediate cell daughters expressing uroplakin 2 give rise to themselves and are also contributors to superficial cells in neotissues. These results highlight the diversity of urothelial regenerative responses to surgical injury and may lead to advancements in bladder tissue engineering approaches.