cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Public Demand for Open Space: The Case of Connecticut Communities

Abstract At both the state and national levels, public policies are being designed to stimulate the demand for locally owned open space. Yet very little is known about the factors that influence the demand for open space and the sensitivity of demand to price and income. To fill the void, this study uses data for Connecticut cities and towns to estimate the public demand for open space. The empirical results suggest that the demand for open space is relatively insensitive to changes in price but highly responsive to changes in income. The findings also show that federal and state open space may tend to crowd out locally owned open space and that locally owned open space represents a highly congestable good. Finally, the analysis indicates that privately owned open space is not a good substitute for locally owned public open space.
Acellular Dermal Matrix Provides a Good Option for Abdominal Wall Closure Following Small Bowel Transplantation: A Case Report

Following small bowel transplantation (SBTx), approximating the midline abdominal fascia can be problematic in patients with severely retracted abdominal cavities. We first report the use of acellular dermal matrix (ADM) for abdominal closure following living related SBTx. A 44-year-old woman with ultra-short gut syndrome secondary to multiple bowel resections received a 160-cm segmental intestinal graft from her daughter. The graft ileocolic vessels were anastomosed end to side to the inferior vena cava and distal aorta. A terminal ileostomy was fashioned because the patient had previous panproctocolectomy. The graft perfused well, and the laparotomy was primarily closed. On postoperative day 1, the patient required surgical exploration for evacuation of hematoma. Due to graft edema in a significantly retracted abdominal cavity, a 12×7 cm fascia defect was evident. Leaving the abdomen open or using a mesh was not entertained as options due to the high risk of infections. Primary closure under tension would also jeopardize the transplant, increasing the risk of thrombosis. The fascia defect was closed using a segment of ADM. The patient did well and went home on the postoperative day 11. At 2-year follow-up she is well and on oral diet without fascia defect or incisional hernia. This is the first report of the use of ADM for abdominal closure in patients receiving a SBTx. ADM is considered safe when used in contaminated sites and can allow primary closure of difficult wounds often seen in SBTx patients.
Does telaprevir possess a direct antidiabetic effect

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) induces insulin resistance, which improves upon viral clearance. Telaprevir is a protease inhibitor effective against HCV genotype 1. We reported a case, whose history suggests that telaprevir may induce some antidiabetic effect independently of its suppression of HCV. A 56-year-old woman with obesity, type 2 diabetes treated with sitagliptin and metformin, and HCV-related cirrhosis was given triple therapy with pegylated interferon-alpha, ribavirin and telaprevir. After 2 weeks of treatment, HCV RNA was no longer detectable but the patient described a pronounced drop in the capillary glucose levels and episodes of hypoglycaemia that compelled her to stop all antidiabetic treatment. One month after stopping telaprevir, she had to resume her antidiabetic treatment, despite a persisting virological response. Despite reaching a sustained virological response, her diabetes progressed. Although the suppression of HCV replication may have played a role in reducing glucose intolerance, the fact that this patient resumed her prior antidiabetic treatment upon completing the telaprevir treatment, while still aviremic, suggests that telaprevir may have an additional antidiabetic effect. Further evidence about the possible role and mechanisms of telaprevir as antidiabetic agent is warranted.
Ecumenical Learning: Considering All Stakeholders.

This article introduces ecumenical learning, a comprehensive and revolutionary style of organizational learning. The article presents the factors to be considered, from the moment a deviation surfaces or an insight for a change in the status quo appears to evaluation of the ramifications of the resulting new application for all stakeholders. It also reviews prerequisites that need to be in place for ecumenical learning to work and illustrates the process through an abstract figure.
Comparison of Several Laboratory Media for Presumptive Identification of Enterococci and Group D Streptococci

Bile-esculin (Difco), modified bile-esculin (Difco), selective enterococcus (Pfizer Co.), and eosin-methylene blue agar media were evaluated for accuracy in identifying group D streptococci. The regular and modified bile-esculin media performed equally well, but the selective enterococcus and eosin-methylene blue agars did not accurately differentiate the group D from non-group D streptococci. A modified 6.5% NaCl broth was compared with unmodified 6.5% NaCl broth and Streptococcus faecalis (SF; Difco) broth for accuracy in differentiating enterococci from non-enterococci. The modified and unmodified broths worked equally well in the salt tolerance test, but the lot-to-lot variability of SF broth made this medium unusable as an indicator for enterococci. With all seven media, the number of strains giving positive tests decreased when the tests were incubated at 45 C as compared with 35 C, and the number of strains giving negative tests increased. Thus, the number of false-positive identifications decreased, but the number of false-negative identifications increased. Variability in the susceptibility of group D non-enterococcal streptococci to oxacillin and methicillin sensitivity disks limited the usefulness of these tests for presumptive identification of either enterococci or group D streptococci.
The effect of processing conditions on the properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) fibers.

Brittle failure of bone cement remains a problem for the long-term stability of hip prostheses. Fibers have been developed from poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) that retain the chemistry of bone cement, but improve the mechanical properties greatly. To fabricate the fibers, a polymer melt is extruded out of a small die (spinneret) and pulled onto a take-up wheel. Varying the speed of extrusion and temperature of the melt can control the viscosity of the molten polymer. This study examines the effect of melt viscosity on the resultant properties of fibers fabricated from PMMA. The goals are to optimize fiber processing and determine processing-structure–property relationships. Resultant fibers had moderate to high levels of retained molecular orientation, and ultimate tensile strengths (UTS) ranging from 60 to 225 MPa, moduli from 1.5 to 3.5 GPa, and strain to failure from 10 to 40%. Fibers fabricated at a constant viscosity and draw velocity had identical properties, whereas decreasing the viscosity generally increased the mechanical properties and retained orientation. Linear regression models were constructed to predict how the processing variables affect the structure (orientation) of the fiber and how the structure affects the UTS. This can be used to design efficient processing methods for PMMA fibers. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res (Appl Biomater) 63: 152–160, 2002
Local moves: An efficient algorithm for simulation of protein folding

We have enhanced genetic algorithms and Monte Carlo methods for simulation of protein folding by introducing "local moves" in dihedral space. A local move consists of changes in backbone dihedral angles in a sequential window while the positions of all atoms outside the window remain unchanged. We find three advantages of local moves: (1) For some energy functions, protein conformations of lower energy are found; (2) these low energy conformations are found in fewer steps; and (3) the simulations are less sensitive to the details of the annealing protocol. To distinguish the effectiveness of local move algorithm from the complexity of the energy function, we have used several different energy functions. These energy functions include the Profile score (Bowie et al., Science 253:164-170, 1991), the knowledge-based energy function used by Bowie and Eisenberg 1994 (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 91:4434-4440, 1994), two energy terms developed as suggested by Sippl and coworkers (Hendlich et al., J. Mol. Biol. 216:167-180, 1990), and AMBER (Weiner and Kollman, J. Comp. Chem. 2:287-303, 1981). Besides these energy functions we have used three energy functions that include knowledge of the native structures: the RMSD from the native structure, the distance matrix error, and an energy term based on the distance between different residue types called DBIN. In some of these simulations the main advantage of local moves is the reduced dependence on the details of the annealing schedule. In other simulations, local moves are superior to other algorithms as structures with lower energy are found.
RORγt Recruits Steroid Receptor Coactivators to Ensure Thymocyte Survival

Thymocytes undergo apoptosis unless a functional TCR is assembled. Steroid receptor coactivators (SRCs) regulate nuclear receptor-mediated transcription by associated histone acetyltransferase activity. However, it has been a challenge to demonstrate the in vivo function of SRCs due to the overlapping functions among different members of SRCs. In this study, we show that recruitment of SRCs is required for thymic-specific retinoic acid-related orphan receptor gamma (RORgamma)t-regulated thymocyte survival in vivo. An activation function 2 domain, identified at the carboxyl terminus of RORgammat, is responsible for recruiting SRCs. A mutation in the activation function domain (Y479F) of RORgammat disrupted the interaction with SRCs and abolished RORgammat-mediated trans-activation but not its ability to inhibit transcription. Transgenes encoding the wild-type RORgammat, but not the mutant, restored thymocyte survival in RORgamma null mice. Our results thus clearly demonstrate that RORgammat recruits SRCs to impose a gene expression pattern required to expand the life span of thymocytes in vivo, which increases the opportunities for assembling a functional TCR.
Computer simulation of compliant motion control for a robotic arm

A hybrid position force control scheme was used to simulate the control of a two-degree-of-freedom robotic arm. The contact force between the end-effector and a surface was controlled while the end-effector moved parallel to the surface under position control. The end-effector was modeled as having passive compliance. Five simulations were performed using different levels of random noise in the force feedback loop. Stability was achieved and significant force control was maintained, despite high levels of noise in the force feedback. >
Maspin plays an essential role in early embryonic development

Maspin (Mp) is a member of the serpin family with inhibitory functions against cell migration, metastasis and angiogenesis. To identify its role in embryonic development in vivo, we generated maspin knockout mice by gene targeting. In this study, we showed that homozygous loss of maspin expression was lethal at the peri-implantation stage. Maspin was specifically expressed in the visceral endoderm after implantation; deletion of maspin interfered with the formation of the endodermal cell layer, thereby disrupting the morphogenesis of the epiblast. In vitro, the ICM of the Mp(-/-) blastocysts failed to grow out appropriately. Data from embryoid body formation studies indicated that the Mp(-/-) EBs had a disorganized, endodermal cell mass and lacked a basement membrane layer. We showed that the embryonic ectoderm lineage was lost in the Mp(-/-) EBs, compared with that of the Mp(+/+) EBs. Re-expression of maspin partially rescued the defects observed in the Mp(-/-) EBs, as evidenced by the appearance of ectoderm cells and a layer of endoderm cells surrounding the ectoderm. In addition, a maspin antibody specifically blocked normal EB formation, indicating that maspin controls the process through a cell surface event. Furthermore, we showed that maspin directly increased endodermal cell adhesion to laminin matrix but not to fibronectin. Mp(+/-) endodermal cells grew significantly slower than Mp(+/+) endodermal cells on laminin substrate. We conclude that deletion of maspin affects VE function by reducing cell proliferation and adhesion, thereby controlling early embryonic development.
Strategies to minimize CNS toxicity: in vitro high-throughput assays and computational modeling

Introduction: Healthy functioning of the brain is dependent on the ability of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and other central nervous system (CNS) barriers to protect the neurocompartments from potential disruptive and damaging xenobiotic agents. In vitro high-throughput (HT) screens and computational models that assess a compound's ability to pass through or disrupt the BBB have become important tools in the identification of new well-tolerated peripheral drugs and safer chemical products such as pesticides. Leveraging these HT in vitro assays and computational BBB tools together with the current understanding of brain penetration may enable the drug discovery community to minimize access of drug candidates into the CNS compartment. Areas covered: This article reviews aspects of the most recent in vitro and computational approaches designed to provide an early assessment of a compound's ability to access the neurocompartment. This article also provides insight into using these tools to identify compounds...
Intrusion Aware System-on-a-Chip Design with Uncertainty Classification

In this paper, we have proposed a System-on-a-Chip (SoC) architectural design to avoid potential intrusion or attacks from external devices. Either using misuse detection or anomaly detection techniques to design intrusion detection systems, a large amount of traffic data is needed to be collected in advance for analysis. However, it is not feasible in the limited resources available in SoC systems. We propose to incorporate fuzzy clustering technique along with Dempster-Shafer theory into our intrusion detection design to solve uncertainty problems caused by ambiguous and limited information. Also, the k-NN technique is applied to speed up the detection process. We compare the results of our proposed approach with those of k-NN classifier, fuzzy k-NN classifier and evidence-theoretic k-NN classifier. It indicates that our approach is able to achieve higher detection rates than those from the other three classifiers, thus is more useful in the implementation of intrusion aware mechanism in SoC design.
Compiler to interpreter: experiences with a distributed programming language

One interpretive approach for handling concurrency is to provide an interpreter instance for each executing language-level process. Such an approach has mainly been applied to concurrent implementations of logic and functional languages. This paper describes the use of this approach in constructing an interpreter for an imperative, distributed programming language from an existing compiler and run-time support system (RTS). Primary design goals were to exploit the existing compiler to the extent possible as well as to have minimal impact on the RTS used to support concurrency. We have been successful in meeting these goals. Additionally, performance results show our interpreter's execution times compare favorably to the times required for compilation, linkage, and execution of small programs or programs with a significant number of calls to the RTS; on such programs, our interpreter's performance also compares favorably to that of the standard Java implementation. However, for larger programs and programs with fewer calls to the underlying RTS, the conventional compiler-based implementation outperforms the interpreter implementation. For many distributed programs in which network costs dominate, the performances of the two implementations differ little. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Proving a WS-Federation passive requestor profile

Currently, influential industrial players are in the process of realizing identity federation, in particular the authentication of browser users across administrative domains. WS-Federation is a joint protocol framework for Web Services clients and browser clients. While browser-based federation protocols, including Microsoft Passport, OASIS SAML, and Liberty besides WS-Federation, are already widely deployed, their security is still unproven and has been challenged by several analyses. One reason is a lack of cryptographically precise protocol definitions, which impedes explicit design for security as well as proofs. Another reason is that the security properties depend on the browser and even on the browser user. We rigorously formalize a strict instantiation of the current WS-Federation Passive Requestor Interop profile and make explicit assumptions for its general use. On this basis, we prove that the protocol provides authenticity and secure channel establishment in a realistic trust scenario. This constitutes the first positive security result for a browser-based identity federation protocol.
High-temperature Expansions for Learning Models of Nonnegative Data

Recent work has exploited boundedness of data in the unsupervised learning of new types of generative model. For nonnegative data it was recently shown that the maximum-entropy generative model is a Nonnegative Boltzmann Distribution not a Gaussian distribution, when the model is constrained to match the first and second order statistics of the data. Learning for practical sized problems is made difficult by the need to compute expectations under the model distribution. The computational cost of Markov chain Monte Carlo methods and low fidelity of naive mean field techniques has led to increasing interest in advanced mean field theories and variational methods. Here I present a second-order mean-field approximation for the Nonnegative Boltzmann Machine model, obtained using a "high-temperature" expansion. The theory is tested on learning a bimodal 2-dimensional model, a high-dimensional translationally invariant distribution, and a generative model for handwritten digits.
A computational theory of the firm

This paper proposes using computational learning theory (CLT) as a framework for analyzing the information processing behavior of firms; we argue that firms can be viewed as learning algorithms. The costs and benefits of processing information are linked to the structure of the firm and its relationship with the environment. We model the firm as a type of artificial neural network (ANN). By a simulation experiment, we show which types of networks maximize the net return to computation given different environments.
Identification of Suspected Horn from the Queen Anne's Revenge (1718), North Carolina, USA

Infrared spectroscopy can be a valuable tool for conservators and archaeologists to help identify archaeological artefacts. We present a case-study on the identification of an artefact recovered by North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources (NCDCR) Underwater Archaeology Branch from an early-18th-century shipwreck (31CR314). The wreck is assumed to be the remains of Queen Anne's Revenge, which sank off the North Carolina coast in 1718. A sample of the artefact was analysed by infrared spectroscopy to identify it. Prior to spectroscopic analysis it was speculated that the sample could be animal horn or leather. © 2011 The Authors
Angiogenesis: initiation and control.

Abstract From in vivo experiments using new methods such as the rabbit cornea, it is now becoming clear that the growth of a capillary involves an ordered sequence of events that includes lysis of the basement membrane of a parent venule, directional migration of capillary endothelial cells toward the angiogenic stimulus, lumen formation, development of branches, and anastomosis of the tip of one tube with another to form a loop. It is also clear that diffusible angiogenic stimuli can be released not only from most solid tumors, but also from at least three non-neoplastic cells. These include activated macrophages, sensitized lymphocytes, and adipocytes. Other normal tissues can also stimulate angiogenesis, but the type of cell giving rise to the angiogenic stimulus is unknown, and the period of angiogenic stimulation is brief. With the recent ability to clone capillary endothelial cells and to carry them in long-term culture, it has been possible to further delineate the mechanism of capillary growth. In vitro studies have shown that the mast cell seems to behave as a helper cell for capillary endothelial cells, in some way speeding up their rate of directional migration. At this writing, heparin appears to be the principal mast cell factor responsible for this effect on capillary endothelial cells. One theoretical possibility is that mast cells may prepare the matrix, perhaps by slow release of heparin, so that capillary sprouts can more easily move through it toward their angiogenic target. While the study of angiogenesis as a phenomenon is still in an early phase, it has become possible, by using a combination of in vitro and in vivo techniques, to more thoroughly understand the initiation and control of capillary growth.
Racial and ethnic disparities in the quality of primary care for children.

Objectives Healthy People 2010 calls for greater access to high-quality primary care as a means to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in children' health. Disparities in primary care quality have rarely been studied for children, and the few studies that have been conducted among adults are not readily applicable to children because of the different health care needs of the 2 populations. This study compared the quality of primary care experienced specifically by children of different racial and ethnic groups. Study design We used a random cross-sectional community sample of children. Parents were questioned via structured telephone interview with the Primary Care Assessment Tool about a selected child's primary care experiences. Responses were compared across racial and ethnic groups, with white children as the reference group. Population The sample consisted of parents of 413 elementary school children, ages 5 to 12 years, enrolled in 1 school district spanning 3 suburban cities in San Bernardino County, California. Outcomes measured We measured cardinal features of primary care quality including first-contact care (accessibility and utilization), longitudinality (strength of affiliation and interpersonal relationship), comprehensiveness (services offered and received), and coordination of care. Results After controlling for family demographics, socioeconomic status, and health system characteristics, minority children experienced poorer quality of primary care across most domains of care compared with white children. Asian Americans reported the lowest quality of care across most domains, but particularly in first-contact utilization, interpersonal relationship, and comprehensiveness of services received. Conclusions Racial and ethnic disparities in quality persist in many aspects of primary care delivery. The findings suggested that these disparities are not simply reflections of ability to pay, health disparities, sociodemographics, or racial variations in expectations for care. The findings in this study that parents of minority children, in particular Asian Americans, report lower quality of primary care is consistent with previous research among adults but had not been demonstrated previously for children.
Progress in high-energy-density physics and pulsed-power ICF on the refurbished Z facility

Pulsed power provides efficient and low cost compression of energy in space and time. A five-year upgrade of the 18 MA Z pulsed-power facility was completed in September of 2007. This upgrade has doubled the stored electrical energy of the facility to 22 MJ and has already enabled peak currents of up to 26 MA in some experiments. In particular, the facility design enables current pulse shaping out to drive pulse-lengths of 300 to 600 ns for flyer plate and isentropic compression experiments on the dynamic properties of materials at high pressures. A vigorous high energy density physics program was pursued in parallel with facility and diagnostic commissioning over the last 20 months. Experiments were routinely executed over a broad range of applications including dynamic materials, z-pinch instability physics, x-ray source optimization for soft x-ray and K-shell x-ray sources, and spectroscopic measurements of photo-ionized neon plasmas, and iron opacity. Recent results, demonstrated at facility charging voltages of up to 82 kV, include the re-establishment of a dynamic hohlraum opacity platform at peak currents of nearly 24 MA generating higher electron temperatures and densities than previously, demonstration of peak currents of 26 MA into loads at short (120 ns) and long pulses (300 ns), peak soft x-ray powers of 250 TW produced by a z-pinch, isentropic compression of Ta up to pressures of nearly 4 Mbar, and measurements of the strength of Be at pressures of up to 1 Mbar. Significant advances have also been made in diagnostics. Routine two-frame and two-color radiography using the Z-Beamlet laser with bent crystal imaging at spatial resolutions of 20 µm has been demonstrated. Load currents measurements have been performed close to the load by inferring magnetic pressures from VISAR velocity measurements. Spectroscopy has been used to measure z-pinch implosion and stagnation dynamics in detail. Recent work on new concepts for pulsed power driven Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) will be shown. Finally, advances in pulsed power technology and implications for a next-generation z-pinch facility will also be discussed.
Managing the long head of the biceps tendon in TSA: A thorn in my side

Abstract The functional role of the long head of biceps in shoulder is controversial but it is well accepted as a pain generating structure. The long head of biceps can result in anterior shoulder pain after shoulder arthroplasty. Tenodesis of the long head of the biceps during shoulder arthroplasty is a safe and easy procedure, which minimizes the risk of postoperative "Popeye" deformity and anterior shoulder pain.
Self Assembly in Biologically Synthesized Electrospun Electroactive Polymers

The processing parameters of polyaniline (PANI) dictate the desired morphology and overall structural stability of the deposited polymer for biological and chemical sensor applications. Electrospun composites of leucoemeraldine based PANI (LEB-PANI) has exhibited effective separation of aggregates inherent in LEB-PANI powder as a result of charge separation induced on the composite matrix during electrospinning. However it appears the encapsulation of biological (enzyme-Urease E.C.3.5.1.5) in the electrospun matrix intensifies the self assembly process. An investigation of the changes in morphology as an effect of electrospinning and enzyme immobilization is discussed.
Efficacy and safety of roflumilast in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background:Roflumilast, a phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor, has been shown to improve lung function and reduce exacerbation rates, but is associated with adverse events (AEs). The purpose of this stud...
Model-based matching using a hybrid genetic algorithm

This paper describes a hybrid genetic algorithm (HGA) for model-based matching of observed scenes that are noisy, where only a small fraction of the scene features are expected to correspond to the model features. The problem of finding the match is framed within a hypothesize-and-test paradigm and the HGA, with a representation size minimum description length evaluation function, is formulated as the method to search for the match. Unlike most genetic algorithms, the HGA introduced is based on an integer representation with a position based recombination operator. An assignment operator, also used as a reproduction operator, introduces domain-specific constraints and defines the hybrid nature of the algorithm. Results for models and scenes derived from images of occluded and cluttered environments are described. The results show the HGA to be an efficient search technique and the related matching technique to be robust in a variety of cases. >
Prevalence and incidence of endocrine and metabolic disorders in the united states: A comprehensive review

Context: There has not been a comprehensive compilation of data regarding the epidemiology of all endocrine and metabolic disorders in the United States. Evidence Acquisition: We included 54 disorders with clinical and public health significance. We identified population-based studies that provided U.S. prevalence and/or incidence data by searching PubMed in December 2007 for English-language reports, hand-searching reference lists of six textbooks of endocrinology, obtaining additional resources from identified experts in each subspecialty, and searching epidemiological databases and web sites of relevant organizations. When available, we selected articles with data from 1998 or later. Otherwise, we selected the article with the most recent data, broadest geographical coverage, and most stratifications by sex, ethnicity, and/or age. Ultimately, we abstracted data from 70 articles and 40 cohorts. Evidence Synthesis: Endocrine disorders with U.S. prevalence estimates of at least 5% in adults included diabe...
Effects of pressure differentials on the viability and infectivity of entomopathogenic nematodes

During passage through the different components of a spray application system, a nematode suspension will undergo pressure changes. The extent of damage to three species of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) (Steinernema carpocapsae, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, and Heterorhabditis megidis) in suspension due to the effects of a pressure differential was studied. A French pressure cell and press was used to subject the newly emerged EPN suspensions to a series of pressure differentials ranging from 1283 kPa (186 psi) to 10,690 kPa (1550 psi). Aged suspensions (3 weeks) of H. bacteriophora and H. megidis were also evaluated. Damage was quantified by counting living and dead (whole and pieces) EPNs and by bioassay techniques. As the pressure differential increased, the relative viability of the EPNs decreased. Entomopathogenic nematodes that survived the pressure differential were, in general, able to survive for at least 1 week and maintain infectivity to Galleria mellonella at rates equivalent to EPNs that had not been pressure treated. In general, the relative viabilities of fresh and aged EPNs were equivalent after pressure differential treatments. The relative viability of the treated EPNs remained above 85% for pressure differentials less than or equal to 1283 kPa for H. megidis and 2138 kPa (310 psi) for S. carpocapsae and H. bacteriophora, but decreased rapidly for higher pressure differentials. Greater reductions in relative viability were experienced by Heterorhabditis spp. than S. carpocapsae, indicating that nematode species is an important factor to consider when defining spray operating conditions. We recommend a maximum operating pressure of 1380 kPa (200 psi) for H. megidis and 2000 kPa (290 psi) for S. carpocapsae and H. bacteriophora.
MoodRhythm: tracking and supporting daily rhythms

Rhythms guide our lives. Our biological clocks tell us when we need to sleep, eat and wake. But our use of technology can interrupt and obstruct these rhythms, making it difficult for our bodies to get what they need to stay healthy and balanced. Our MoodRhythm app helps individuals to live a more naturally rhythmic day. The key goals of MoodRhythm are to use patients' smartphones to actively and passively track daily rhythms and to provide affective feedback that can help patients to maintain a regular daily rhythm, while feeding this clinically valuable information back to their physicians.
What Are You Working On? Status Message Q&A in an Enterprise SNS

Social networking services (SNS) have been deployed within enterprises to encourage informal social interactions and information sharing. As such, users have turned to the status message functionality in a SNS for social information seeking by employing it as a medium for question asking. In this paper, we present the results of a qualitative study observing emergent question and answer (Q&A) behaviors in an enterprise SNS and then describe user motivations in employing this medium for social information seeking. We report data describing the types and topics of questions asked within the workplace and the prevalence of questions and responses within this system. Results suggest that users choose status message Q&A for non-urgent information seeking needs and perceive question asking as a way to elicit social support from their professional networks.
Halley's comet mission

Halley's comet will cross the earth's orbit and will remain within reasonable distance for spacecraft observation during the period November 1985 through March 1986. The European Space Agency (ESA) will be sending the Giotto spacecraft to study Halley. There is about a 70/40 proportion of European to American scientists on the mission team. Out of 10 instruments to observe the coma on board Giotto as it passes through Halley's cometary dust at a relative velocity of 244,800 km/hour, two mass spectrometers will sample and analyze cometary gases. One of these spectrometers is being built in part by the Lockheed Missiles and Spacecraft Company's Research Laboratory, and the other one is being built by the Max Planck Institute in Landau, Federal Republic of Germany. If the system survives bombardment by particles, the gas composition of a comet will be known for the first time.
New Three-Phase Multicomponent Compositional Model for Asphaltene Precipitation during CO2 Injection Using CPA-EOS

Numerical modeling of asphaltene precipitation in petroleum reservoirs is important in relation to possible precipitation around the wellbore in the producing well. Production from some reservoirs results in asphaltene precipitation in the wellbore region, leading to productivity loss and need for cleanup. Fluid injection even when there is asphaltene precipitation may not lead to injectivity loss. There are desirable processes in which precipitation of asphaltenes can lead to “in situ” upgrading of heavy oil recovery. Reservoir compositional models that are currently in use rely on cubic equations of state for asphaltene precipitation. The cubic equations, despite their relative reliability in describing reservoir fluids’ phase behavior, become unreliable in asphaltene-rich phase description. A number of noncubic equations of state have been introduced to overcome the shortcomings of cubic equations. The cubic-plus-association equation of state (CPA-EOS) is perhaps the method of choice in representing as...
Boundary Layer Characteristics over a High Altitude Station, Mauna Loa Observatory

The unique boundary layer at Mauna Loa Observatory (3396 meters) is examined with a combination of radiosondes launched from the observatory and a novel aerosol profiling technique called CLidar or camera lidar. This boundary layer is influenced by a combination of radiation winds, due to the heating and cooling of the surrounding lava, and off-island winds. Typically an upslope surface wind forms after sunrise as the ground heats up. The reverse occurs after sunset as the ground cools and a temperature inversion, tens of meters thick forms. Aerosol increases for the first 90 to 160 meters and then decreases to free tropospheric levels. The 90 to 160 m aerosol peak indicates the vicinity of the upslope/downslope interface in the air flow. An upper transition is seen in the aerosol gradient at about 600 meters above the observatory (4000 m Above Sea Level). This transition is also seen in radiosonde potential temperature data. The sondes indicate that the air above the nighttime downslope surface region usually has an upslope component. Some of this counter-flowing air can be entrained in the downslope air, possibly influencing the sampling of aerosols and trace gases at the observatory.
Presence of Campylobacter inthe respiratory tract of broiler carcasses before and after commercial scalding

Campylobacter could be detected in the thoraco-abdominal cavity of broiler carcasses even if they were carefully eviscerated by hand with no evidence of intestinal rupture or leakage. If Campylobacter is present in the air sacs, which are unavoidably torn during evisceration, it could contaminate the thoraco-abdominal cavity of the eviscerated carcass. This study was done to determine if Campylobacter contamination is present in the respiratory tract of broilers prior to evisceration. Whole carcass rinses and respiratory tract washes were done on broiler carcasses collected at a commercial processing plant just before and just after scalding. Samples were cultured for presence and numbers of Campylobacter, Escherichia coli, coliforms, and total aerobic bacteria. Campylobacter isolates were subtyped by sequencing the short variable region of the flaA gene. The same subtypes of Campylobacter were detected in whole carcass rinse samples as in respiratory tract wash samples from individual broilers. Furthermore, the same numbers and subtypes of Campylobacter were recovered from respiratory tracts of carcasses collected before scalding and those collected after scalding. However, respiratory tracts of carcasses after scalding had higher numbers of E. coli, coliforms, and total aerobic bacteria than those tested before scalding. Although some bacterial counts were higher in the respiratory tracts of carcasses after scalding, Campylobacter counts were not. It appears that Campylobacter is present in the respiratory tracts of broilers as they enter processing, and contamination may be due to airborne bacteria during production or transport.
Image Fusion and Enhancement via Empirical Mode Decomposition

In this paper, we describe a novel technique for image fusion and enhancement, using Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD). EMD is a non-parametric data-driven analysis tool that decomposes non-linear non-stationary signals into Intrinsic Mode Functions (IMFs). In this method, we decompose images, rather than signals, from different imaging modalities into their IMFs. Fusion is performed at the decomposition level and the fused IMFs are reconstructed to realize the fused image. We have devised weighting schemes which emphasize features from both modalities by decreasing the mutual information between IMFs, thereby increasing the information and visual content of the fused image. We demonstrate how the proposed method improves the interpretive information of the input images, by comparing it with widely used fusion schemes. Apart from comparing our method with some advanced techniques, we have also evaluated our method against pixelby-pixel averaging, a comparison, which incidentally, is not common in the literature.
TdT-positive acute leukemia with monocytoid characteristics: clinical, cytochemical, cytogenetic, and immunologic findings

Thirteen patients with acute leukemias that were difficult to classify by the use of cytochemical staining and terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase (TdT) activity are reported. The phenotype of the leukemic cells was characterized by the presence of mature or early monocyte lineage antigens and intense Ia antigen expression detected by monoclonal antibodies, terminal deoxytransferase activity, and cytochemical features, including both Sudan black B and periodic acid-Schiff activity. The mean age of this group of patients was 60 years. Five patients had leukemia occurring after chemotherapy or radiotherapy of a prior malignant disease, and two patients had a refractory anemia prior to development of acute leukemia. These patients had a low response rate to chemotherapy. This series of leukemia appears to form a distinct nosologic entity, representing a leukemic transformation among early cells of the monocyte lineage, resulting in a predominant neoplastic cell that is less mature than either the French-American-British M4 acute myelomonocytic leukemia or M5 acute monoblastic leukemia. The presence of terminal deoxytransferase activity was interpreted as indicating the primitive state of the cells in the differentiation sequence, rather than as implying any significance with respect to lineage.
The Importance of the Interstitium in Peritoneal Transport

The peritoneal capillary exchange vessels are located within all the tissues which surround the peritoneal cavity and are separated from the peritoneal dialysis fluid by the tissue interstitium. The interstitium adds an additional barrier to transcapillary transport resistance and slows the diffusion of solutes from the blood to the dialysis fluid. The interstitium also alters the pressure environment of the blood capillary and has profound effects on water transport, causing fluid loss from the cavity to the body during dialysis.
Learning Associations Construction of TCFL and International Chinese Teachers' Training

Training qualified teachers for international Chinese teaching is the main objective of talent education for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language(TCFL).The personnel training program includes the professional course teaching system and professional three-dimensional practical teaching system.The structure of this three-dimensional teaching practice system and the operation practice in these independent and interrelated eight layers are the practice teaching platform based on theoretical basis knowledge and practice ability training,second language application ability,international awareness and intercultural communicative competence,foreign project design,organization and implementation ability.Learning and practice in students' learning associations is practicable for international Chinese teachers' training.
Subnivean and Emergent Microclimate, Photosynthesis, and Growth in Erythronium grandiflorum Pursh, a Snowbank Geophyte

In alpine/subalpine zones of the central Rocky Mountains, U.S.A., snowbank geophytes commonly sprout and even flower while still buried beneath late-lying snowbanks that can persist well into summer. Photosynthesis and growth in the snowbank geophyte Erythronium grandiflorum Pursh (glacier lily) was investigated before and after emergence from snowbanks at locations with early or late snowmelt. Although subnivean plant heights were not related to snowbank depth, heights at emergence were significantly greater in snowbanks with early melt dates. Also, there were no plants emerging from snowbanks that persisted until late June. Net photosynthesis in the subnivean and on the initial day of emergence was negative and photochemical development negligible (indicated by low chlorophyll fluorescence), despite pre-emergent light levels of over 500 jimol m-2 s-' at snow depths of <5 cm. Increases in photosynthetic capabilities after emergence were rapid, as indicated by substantial shifts in photosynthetic light response curves over the subsequent 5 d. Photochemical development appeared to reach a steady state first (2 d), considerably ahead of stomatal conductance (6 d). Despite this lack of synchrony between stomatal and nonstomatal limitations to photosynthesis, steady states in the internal CO2 concentration and the ratio of photosynthesis to stomatal conductance occurred within 2 to 3 d following emergence. Thus, the ecophysiology of this snowbank species appears to be most strongly influenced by the total time of emergence during summer, not its photosynthetic capabilities in the subnivean environment. These characteristics of subnivean growth and rapid photosynthetic acclimation following emergence probably minimize interspecific competition and maximize annual carbon gain in an extremely short, cold-limited growth season.
Arthroscopic ankle debridement and fusion: indications, techniques, and results.

Abstract The use of the arthroscope in arthritis of the ankle has been well described and there is no question that it is a significant part of the armamentarium for the orthopaedic surgeon dealing with these patients. Unfortunately, those patients with advanced arthritis and loss of joint space do not respond well to traditional arthroscopic debridement, removal of loose bodies, debridement and drilling of osteochondral lesions, and removal of anterior osteophytes. These procedures should only be used on those patients with minimal to no degenerative arthritis. Arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis is becoming more of the accepted primary procedure for most cases of arthritis of the ankle, in my opinion. Some varus or valgus tilting of the tibial talar joint can be accepted if clinical alignment is relatively normal. Significant malalignments cannot be corrected with arthroscopic fusion.
Cloud forensics-Tool development studies & future outlook

In this work, we describe our experiences in developing cloud forensics tools and use them to support three main points:First, we make the argument that cloud forensics is a qualitatively different problem. In the context of SaaS, it is incompatible with long-established acquisition and analysis techniques, and requires a new approach and forensic toolset. We show that client-side techniques, which are an extension of methods used over the last three decades, have inherent limitations that can only be overcome by working directly with the interfaces provided by cloud service providers.Second, we present our results in building forensic tools in the form of three case studies: kumodd-a tool for cloud drive acquisition, kumodocs-a tool for Google Docs acquisition and analysis, and kumofs-a tool for remote preview and screening of cloud drive data. We show that these tools, which work with the public and private APIs of the respective services, provide new capabilities that cannot be achieved by examining client-side artifacts.Finally, we use current IT trends, and our lessons learned, to outline the emerging new forensic landscape, and the most likely course of tool development over the next five years.
Assembly of Nanoparticles

Assembly of nanoparticles in an ordered fashion can create advanced superstructures. The controlled dimensions of these nanostructures into 1D and 2D morphologies allow them to be applied in the field of optics, magnetism, and electronics. The chapter will discuss different unique approaches to bring the inorganic nanoparticles (metallic, semiconductor, and magnetic) together and understand the mechanisms in detail for creating such well-defined morphologies. The methods include noncovalent interactions between nanoparticle -nanoparticle, nanoparticle -polymer, nanoparticle -biomolecules, and so on to generate nanorods, nanowires, nanoplates, and nanosheets. Once the nanostructures are formed the physical responses of the material are modulated compared to the individual nanoparticles. The tuning of the optical, magnetic, and electronic behavior due to their geometrical change in the assembled structures holds a great promise to design new materials with specific applications in the field of biology and material science. The physical properties of nanoparticles combined with the functional attributes of polyelectrolytes and biomolecules also provide a new route for the creation of hybrid materials. The key challenge for the assembly of nanoparticles is not only to create complex structures, but also to create 1D or 2D structures for designing circuits, sensors, and drug-delivery agents.