cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Accomplishing near real-time HPLC for bioprocess control

P strategies are moving toward performing large numbers of in-parallel experiments, with the collection of much real-time process and product data. Such initiatives as personalized medicine and biosimilars also drive the need to know more about entity CQA as early as possible. In PC, more near-real time CPP and even product attribute values are being considered as control parameters. This all leads to the demand for rapid and comprehensive process parameter and product attribute measurements. Modern chromatographic columns and systems now provide rapid information on aggregation by SeC, charge variants by IeX, intact mass, primary structure, many post-translational modifications by reversed-phase and cleaved glycan analysis by HIC. Finally, required HPLC validation parameters (specificity, linearity, accuracy, precision, limits of detection and quantification) are being established supporting complient, absolute quantification methods for recombinant proteins. Two recent initiatives are enabling both the development and practical application of such heightened bioprocess knowledge to process control. Commercialized validated systems support the cell-free auto sampling, flowpath and destination control of in-process bioreactor samples to any number of analytical instrumentation. And, such hardand soft-ware computer advances as Solid State Drives (SSD), cloud computing, and Big Data methods now support the processing of any number of input data through advanced statistics, mathematics or logic-enabled enterprise control algorithms.
Monochromator Designs With Aberration Corrected Gratings

A series of Seya-Namioka monochromators using concave aberration corrected holographic gratings have been designed to cover the spectrum from 180-900 nm. This broad wavelength range (4.5 octaves) severely tests the aberration correction ability of this monochromator All holographic Seya-Namioka monochromators displayed severe loss of resolution at one or both ends of the spectrum. Over this wavelength range, when compared at equal f/4, the Littrow and Czerny-Turner monochromators outperform the holographic Seya-Namioka mono-chromator for resolution specifications less than 0.6 nm.
A comparison of the new and the old BRS prices

Analyse critique de la nouvelle tarification implantee par le serveur BRS pour l'interrogation de bases de donnees
Characterization of HF Treated (100) Si Surfaces by Surface Charge Analysis (SCA)

Surface Charge Analysis (SCA), and ellipsometry have been used to study the stability over time of HF treated (100) silicon surfaces as a function of the post-HF rinse time. Using SCA, the electrical properties of the chemical terminating layer of these silicon surfaces were measured. The surfaces which remained native oxide free the longest (∼10 hours) had very low Qox and Dit values on the order of 1.0 x 1011/cm2 and 5.0 x 1010 eV-lcm-2, respectively. A good correlation was found between Dit and the native oxide thickness measured by ellipsometry. This and other results are discussed in terms of the chemical bonding on the silicon surfaces.
Resources for Teaching Discrete Mathematics: Early Writings on Graph Theory: Topological Connections

Introduction The earliest origins of graph theory can be found in puzzles and game, including Euler's Konigsberg Bridge Problem and Hamilton's Icosian Game. A second important branch of mathematics that grew out of these same humble beginnings was the study of position (“analysis situs”), known today as topology . In this project, we examine some important connections between algebra, topology and graph theory that were recognized during the years from 1845–1930. The origin of these connections lie in work done by physicist Gustav Robert Kirchhoff (1824–1887) on the flow of electricity in a network of wires. Kirchhoff showed how the current flow around a network (which may be thought of as a graph) leads to a set of linear equations, one for each circuit in the graph. Because these equations are not necessarily independent, the question of how to determine a complete set of mutually independent equations naturally arose. Following Kirchhoff's publication of his answer to this question in 1847, mathematicians slowly began to apply his mathematical techniques to problems in topology. The work done by the French mathematician Henri Poincare (1854–1912) was especially important, and laid the foundations of a new subject now known as “algebraic topology.” This project is based on excerpts from a 1922 paper in which Oswald Veblen [1880–1960] shows how Poincare formalized the ideas of Kirchhoff. An American mathematician born in Iowa, Veblen's father was also a mathematician who taught mathematics and physics at the State University of Iowa.
That’s the Sound of the Police: State-Sanctioned Violence and Resistance Among LGBT Young People Previously Incarcerated in Girls’ Juvenile Justice Facilities

Among lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender and questioning youth, queer women, transgender, and gender nonconforming youth have been particularly marginalized in social science research, social service...
Effect of Erythrocytes Immune Adhesion Function in Children with Immunoglobulin A Glomerulonephritis

Objective To explore the role of erythrocyte immune adhesion function in pathogenesis of IgA glomerulonephritis(IgAN) in children.Methods Twenty-four children with IgAN were enrolled in this study and 30 age and sex-matched healthy children were served as healthy control group.They were gathered venous blood 1 millilitre.The erythrocyte immune adhesion function was measured in all cases by rosette tests:red blood cell C3b receptor rosette rate(RCR) and tumor red blood cell rosette rate(TRR).In addition,the genomic density polymorphism of complement receptor type 1(CR1) expressed on erythrocyte(HH type,HL type,LL type) in all patients and healthy children were determined by polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and Hind Ⅲ restriction enzyme digestion technique.Results RCR and TRR in IgAN group were significantly decreased than those in healthy control group(Pa0.05),as well as RCR was positively correlated with TRR,respectively(Pa0.05).The most of the genomic density polymorphism of CR1 expressed on erythrocyte in IgAN group was HH type.HH type percentage of patients with IgAN was decreased significantly(P0.05),and HL type percentage in IgAN group showed no significantl difference than in healthy control group.One case with LL type was measured in IgAN group.Statistical correlation existed between TRR in IgAN group and that in healthy control group with the same genotype.TRR of HH type group was higher than that in HL type group,whatever in IgAN group or in healthy control group.Conclusions The decrease of quantities and activation of erythrocytes CR1 lead to lower capacity of identifing,adhering,clearing immune complex.The decrease of the function of erythrocyte immune adhering plays an important role in the pathogenesis in the patients with IgAN.The results of examing CR1 density associated genotype on erythrocytes of patients with IgAN suggest that the ability of erythrocyte immune adhering in HH type is higher than that in HL type and LL type.It is possible that the number of CR1 on erythrocyte is genetically regulated by a mode of inheritance in a few patients with IgAN.
Identification and Analysis of Mutations in Patients with Wilson Disease

Objective: To determine mutation characters and distributions of ATP7B gene and explore significance and method of gene diagnosis in Wilson disease(WD) patients. Methods: Thirty five individuals(13 WD patients) from 12 no kinship WD families were subjected to polymerase chain reactions(PCR) for exons 5,8 and 12 of ATP7B gene. PCR products were analyzed by SSCP,DHPLC and by direct sequencing. Results: Six mutations were identified by DNA sequencing,including three missense mutations(R778L,D765N and R952K),one deletion(2790del3) and two polymorphisms(2310C→G,2850G→C). The mutation R778L occurred in 6 patients and they were all heterozygous. Conclusion: The methods of PCR-SSCP and DHPLC are dependable tool for screening ATP7B gene mutations. The 2790del3 is a novel mutation of ATP7B found in WD patients. The mutation R778L is the most common mutation of ATP7B gene in Chinese WD patients.
Surgical Treatment for Isolated Dissection of the Renal Artery

AbstractFrom 1974 to 1989, 18 patients underwent surgical treatment for isolated dissection of the renal artery causing high grade stenosis, including 2 patients with bilateral renal involvement. The causes of renal artery dissection were blunt trauma (1 patient), unsuccessful percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (5) and atherosclerosis (5) or intimai fibroplasia (7) of the renal artery. The most common presenting signs or symptoms of a dissection were hypertension (94%), an abdominal bruit (44%), headache (44%), minimal proteinuria (44%), microscopic hematuria (38%) and flank pain (38%). Renal artery dissection led to segmental or total renal infarction in 8 of 20 involved kidneys (40%). Seventeen patients underwent unilateral surgical revascularization with amelioration of hypertension and preservation of renal function. Three kidneys were lost due to irreversible ischemic damage from an occlusive dissection. Isolated renal artery dissection is an uncommon lesion that can cause hypertension and threate...
Foreland Fold and Thrust Belts

Foreland fold-and-thrust belts are found at the front of a mountain system where thick piles of sedimentary rock have been transported toward the continental interior along major thrust faults. The geometry of a thrust fault consists of a flat, which is nearly horizontal; a ramp that dips at angles between about 20 and 45 degrees; and an upper flat at the top of the ramp. The characteristic landscape is one of long linear mountains separated by linear valleys. In addition to the Valley and Ridge, this combination of rock type, rock structure, and resulting landscape is found in the Ouachita Mountains, the Marathon Basin region of West Texas, northern Montana- Idaho, and in an area known as the Idaho-Wyoming thrust belt west of the Wyoming Basin.
Gradient-index phononic crystal lens-based enhancement of elastic wave energy harvesting

We explore the enhancement of structure-borne elastic wave energy harvesting, both numerically and experimentally, by exploiting a Gradient-Index Phononic Crystal Lens (GRIN-PCL) structure. The proposed GRIN-PCL is formed by an array of blind holes with different diameters on an aluminum plate, where the blind hole distribution is tailored to obtain a hyperbolic secant gradient profile of refractive index guided by finite-element simulations of the lowest asymmetric mode Lamb wave band diagrams. Under plane wave excitation from a line source, experimentally measured wave field validates the numerical simulation of wave focusing within the GRIN-PCL domain. A piezoelectric energy harvester disk located at the first focus of the GRIN-PCL yields an order of magnitude larger power output as compared to the baseline case of energy harvesting without the GRIN-PCL on the uniform plate counterpart.
Inhibition of the purified sodium-potassium activated adenosinetriphosphatase from the rectal gland of Squalus acanthias by antibody against the glycoprotein subunit.

Abstract Rabbits have been immunized with purified shark rectal gland NaK ATPase and its glycoprotein component. Serum, globulin from this serum, and a purified antibody fraction from rabbits immunized either with holoenzyme or with glycoprotein inhibited NaK ATPase activity. These antibodies also inhibited a purified NaK ATPase from the electric organ of the electric eel, but to a lesser extent, suggesting some cross reactivity. Ouchterlony double diffusion showed precipitation bands between shark NaK ATPase and serum or globulin containing antibodies against the holoenzyme or the glycoprotein. The inhibition of the NaK ATPase by antibody directed against the purified glycoprotein provides some direct evidence that the glycoprotein is a subunit of the NaK ATPase.
Examining VR/Robotic Hand Retraining in an Acute Rehabilitation Unit: A Pilot Study

Current service delivery models limit treatment time and length of hospital stay during the period of post-ischemic heightened neuronal plasticity when intensive training may optimally affect recovery. Prioritization for rehabilitation of independence in transfers and ambulation, negatively impacts the provision of intensive hand and upper extremity therapy. Our pilot data show that we are able to integrate intensive, targeted hand therapy that uses robotics and a library of gaming activities into the routine of an acute rehabilitation setting. Our system has been specifically designed to deliver hand training when motion and strength are limited. The system uses adaptive algorithms to drive individual finger movement, gain adaptation and workspace modification, and haptic and visual feedback from mirrored movements. The data establishes a foundation for a future clinical trial to investigate the potential benefits of robot-assisted gaming during the early phase of recovery.
Electro-Explosive Switches for Helical Flux Compression Generators

Helical Flux Compression Generators coupled with an inductive energy storage system have shown promising results as a driving source for High Power Microwave (HPM) loads. The output performance of the inductive energy storage system is contingent upon the opening switch scheme, usually an electro-explosive fuse. Our previous work involving fuse parameter characterization has established a baseline for potential fuse performance. By applying this fuse characterization model to an HFCG powered system, a non-optimized fuse has produced 60 kV into an HPM equivalent load with an HFCG output of 15 kA into a 3 ?H inductor. Utilization of a non-explosive HFCG test-bed has produced 36 kV into an HPM equivalent load with an output of 15 kA into a 1.3 ?H inductor. The use of a non-explosive HFCG test bed will allow the verification of scalability of the fuse parameter model and also allow testing of exotic fuse materials. Prior analysis of fuse parameters has been accomplished with various materials including Silver (Au), Copper (Cu), and Aluminum (Al), but particular interest resides in the use of Gold (Ag) fuse material. We will discuss the a-priori calculated baseline fuse design and compare the experimental results of the gold wire material with the silver wire material baseline design. With the results presented, an accurate Pspice model applicable to our 45 kA HFCG systems will be available and allow the development of accurate modeling for higher current systems. This work was solely funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR).
Value of FDG-PET in Prediction of Splenectomy Findings in Patients with Suspected or Known Lymphoma.

Splenectomy is frequently performed for diagnostic purposes in patients with suspected or known lymphoma, including assessment for possible transformation. The ability to predict splenectomy findings (and potentially avoid associated morbidity and mortality) would be valuable. The purpose of this study was to determine whether preoperative18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) results correlate with pathologic diagnosis from splenectomy. Methods: One hundred sixty-five patients who had undergone a splenectomy at New York Presbyterian Hospital from January 2004 to July 2006 were identified from the pathology database. Records of these patients were searched and 11 with suspected or known lymphoma as an indication for splenectomy and who had a pre-splenectomy PET scan were identified. A nuclear medicine physician performed a blinded review and assigned each PET scan to one of the following categories based on splenic FDG standardized uptake values (SUV): low splenic metabolic activity (correlated with maximum SUV range 2-3.7), intermediate splenic metabolic activity (maximum SUV range 6–7), and high splenic metabolic activity (maximum SUV range 26–29). Findings were correlated with splenectomy pathologic diagnosis. Results: Subjects (n=11, 4 female, 7 male) had a median age of 48 years (range 21–72); four had suspected lymphoma pre-splenectomy, while 7 had a prior diagnosis and had splenectomy for diagnostic (to rule out transformation) or other purposes. Median time between PET and splenectomy was 1.25 months. Of 5 patients with low metabolic activity on PET; three had benign findings at splenectomy and two had splenic involvement of previously known mantle cell lymphoma. Three patients had intermediate metabolic activity on PET; all subsequently demonstrated marginal zone lymphoma at splenectomy. Three patients had high metabolic activity on PET; all were found to have diffuse large B cell lymphoma at splenectomy. Conclusions: This study to our knowledge comprises the largest series to evaluate splenic FDG-PET uptake in patients with suspected or known lymphoma, followed by subsequent pathologic confirmation. Patients with low splenic SUVs appear to be less likely to have splenic involvement of lymphoma, while intermediate and high values may correlate with lymphoma histology. Our findings support a potential role for FDG-PET as a tool for use, in conjunction with clinical and laboratory assessment, in consideration of the need for splenectomy in these settings.
Abstract 59: Platelets Have a Central Role in T Helper Cell Development and Responses

Platelets are the primary cellular mediator of thrombosis, but platelets also have important roles in immune responses. Immune roles for platelets have been primarily explored in the context of end...
Intraocular and extraocular hemorrhage associated with ligature release of non-valved glaucoma drainage implant

Abstract Purpose To report a rare complication of non-valved glaucoma drainage device surgery. Observations An 85-year-old pseudophakic white male presented with painless vision loss and bloody tears. He was 5 weeks removed from uncomplicated non-valved glaucoma drainage device (Baerveldt 101-350, [AMO, Santa Clara, CA]). There was serosanguinous discharge without apparent source and a 25% layering hyphema in the anterior chamber. The tube was unobstructed in the anterior chamber and not abutting the iris. There was no presence of neovascularization or other abnormal vessels in the angle. After clearing of the hyphema, the patient had persistent vitreous hemorrhage necessitating pars plana vitrectomy. No source of hemorrhage was identified. Conclusions and importance This is the first report of a rare occurrence of intraocular and extraocular hemorrhage associated following spontaneous release of ligature of a non-valved glaucoma drainage implant. The presumed mechanism was sudden shallowing of the anterior chamber resulting in the tube irritating uveal vasculature. We do not have an explanation for the extraocular blood.
Improved solid-phase extraction protocol and sensitive quantification of six microcystins in water using an HPLC-orbitrap mass spectrometry system

A solid-phase extraction (SPE) protocol was developed and combined with HPLC-ESI-MS for the quantification of common cyanobacterial toxins, microcystins (MCs), in water. An HPLC binary gradient was established for the separation of MC-LR, MC-YR, MC-RR, MC-LA, MC-LW, and MC-LF, while quantification of MCs in MC-spiked HPLC-grade water, tap water, and lake water was achieved in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode using a high-resolution Orbitrap Fusion Tribrid mass spectrometer. All MC ions were detected with high mass accuracy of ≤1.61 ppm using the orbitrap mass analyzer, and MCs were quantified using external calibration based on LC-SIM-MS peak areas of the monoisotopic MC ions. The LOQs of MC-LA, MC-LW, and MC-LF in water using LC-SIM-MS were ∼25 ng L−1 while LOQs of MC-RR, MC-LR and MC-YR in water were ∼10 ng L−1. After the purification and preconcentration of MCs by SPE, LOQs of MC-LA, MC-LW and MC-LF were improved to ∼1 ng L−1 and LOQs of MC-RR, MC-LR and MC-YR were improved to ∼600 pg L−1 in tap water and lake water. The percent recoveries of MCs after SPE and sample preconcentration were in the range from 97.1% to 100.9% with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of ≤5.0%, indicating that this is one of the most efficient and reproducible SPE procedures for recovery of MCs from aqueous solutions. Additionally, a parallel LC-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) method was established for the structural identification of MCs. Overall, the MC purification and preconcentration method developed and LC-SIM-MS enable sensitive, selective, and reproducible identification and quantification of MCs in water using the MS and MS/MS capabilities of a high-mass accuracy orbitrap mass spectrometer.
Protease-Activated Receptor 3 Negatively Regulates Plasmin-Mediated Protease-Activated Receptor 4 Activation in Platelets.

Plasmin, a major extracellular protease, causes intracellular signals to mediate platelet aggregation. Previously, we reported that plasmin-mediated platelet aggregation predominantly occurs through proteolytic cleavage of protease-activated receptor 4 (Quinton et al J. Biol. Chem 2004). We showed that plasmin caused aggregation of mouse platelets more readily than human platelets. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of such a differential sensitivity of mouse platelets to plasmin, using transfected cell lines and platelets. In the platelet system, plasmin caused both human and mouse platelets to shape change and aggregate in a concentration-dependent manner with a different efficiency. Whereas 0.1 U/ml of plasmin causes full aggregation of mouse platelets, that dose only induces shape change in human platelets. In transfected COS7 cells, 1 U/ml plasmin caused a higher intracellular calcium mobilization through mouse PAR4 (mPAR4) than human PAR4 (hPAR4) activation. These results indicate that the mPAR4 is primarily more readily activated by plasmin than hPAR4, possibly due to differences in the primary sequence. Further, mouse and human platelets also differ in terms of the expression of PAR3. It is known that PAR3 acts as a co-receptor for thrombin-induced PAR4 activation. In order to evaluate the contribution of mouse PAR3 to plasmin-mediated mPAR4 activation, we co-expressed mPAR3 and mPAR4 in COS7 cells. Plasmin caused lower mobilization of intracellular calcium when mPAR3 and mPAR4 are co-expressed, compared to the expression of mPAR4 alone. These results indicate that mPAR3, instead of acting as a cofactor to potentiate mPAR4 activation, inhibits plasmin-mediated mPAR4 activation. Consistent with these results, PAR3 null mouse platelets also show a greater plasmin-induced calcium mobilization and aggregation compared to wild-type mouse platelets, which express PAR3 and PAR4. In conclusion, mouse platelets are more readily activated by plasmin than human platelets due to differences in the primary sequence of PAR4. In addition, mPAR3 acts as an inhibitory receptor to plasmin-mediated PAR4 activation, instead of acting as a co-receptor.
RESISTANCE TO THE GILDED AGE: ROBERT HERRICK'S RADICAL MIDDLE CLASS

Often overlooked, Robert Herrick (1868–1938) was an experimental novelist who produced a sustained and critical engagement with the economic, political, and aesthetic effects of unregulated capitalist expansion in the late nineteenth century. Focusing on The Web of Life (1900) and Together (1908), this essay argues that Herrick's novels forcefully document a radical middle-class political position and demonstrate how the middle class was capable of apprehending and resisting the functionings of capitalism—especially its fragmentation of lived experience and its foreclosure of any practical exterior to the social totality. Given how recent economic trends toward deregulation and privatization have resulted in a precarious situation for the middle class worldwide, Herrick's depiction of the emergence of the modern middle class in 1890s Chicago also presents a dynamic foil from which to view our present moment. Though his genre-bending and politically ambiguous literary and political experiments have long contributed to critical confusion and even dismissal of his work, today Herrick's novels are a powerful tool for rethinking the long-accepted understanding of the relationship between literary realism, the struggles surrounding the emergence of corporate capitalism, and the political standpoint of the professional middle class.
Contrasting Trends of Smoking Cessation Status: Insights From the Stages of Change Theory Using Repeat Data From the Global Adult Tobacco Survey, Thailand (2009 and 2011) and Turkey (2008 and 2012).

OBJECTIVE The World Health Organization recommends that smokers be offered help to quit. A better understanding of smokers' interest in and commitment to quitting could guide tobacco control efforts. We assessed temporal differences in stages of change toward quitting among smokers in Thailand and Turkey. METHODS Two waves (independent samples) of data from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey, a national household survey of adults aged 15 years or older, were assessed for Thailand (2009 and 2011) and Turkey (2008 and 2012). Current smokers were categorized into 3 stages of change based on their cessation status: precontemplation, contemplation, and preparation. Relative change in the proportion of smokers in each stage between waves 1 and 2 was computed for each country. RESULTS Between waves, overall current tobacco smoking did not change in Thailand (23.7% to 24.0%) but declined in Turkey (31.2% to 27.1%; P < .001). Between 2009 and 2011, precontemplation increased among smokers in Thailand (76.1% to 85.4%; P < .001), whereas contemplation (17.6% to 12.0%; P < .001) and preparation (6.3% to 2.6%; P < .001) declined. Between 2008 and 2012, there were declines in precontemplation among smokers in Turkey (72.2% to 64.6%; P < .001), whereas there were increases in contemplation (21.2% to 26.9%; P = .008) and no significant change in preparation (6.5% to 8.5%; P = .097). CONCLUSION Nearly two-thirds of smokers in Turkey and more than two-thirds in Thailand were in the precontemplation stage during the last survey wave assessed. The proportion of smokers in the preparation stage increased in Turkey but declined in Thailand. Identifying stages of cessation helps guide population-based targeted interventions to support smokers at varying stages of change toward quitting.
Modeling Heliospheric Flux Ropes: A Comparative Study of Physical Quantities

Large-scale heliospheric flux ropes are observed by in situ instruments onboard heliospheric observatories as magnetic structures embedded in interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs). They are known as the interplanetary counterpart of the coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and the main drivers of geomagnetic activity. These structures can be reconstructed by fitting an axial symmetric flux rope model to the data. By using a circular-cylindrical analytical flux rope model , the 3-D reconstruction provides information about the heliospheric orientation, geometry, magnetic field at the flux rope center, and force distribution along the radius. Other quantities that can be derived are the magnetic flux and helicity. This model is constrained by the current density distribution along the tube. Thus, this paper aims to evaluate how different current density profiles change the physical and geometrical quantities. We selected two Earth-directed ICME events from the Wind ICME catalog (wind.gsfc.nasa.gov) and fit the model parameters to the data using two model-cases with different current density profiles. In general, the orientation, geometry, magnetic field strength, relative helicity, and size seem well-defined quantities. However, in the case of the magnetic flux and number of turns, the reconstructions are more sensitive to the current density constraint. This comparative analysis of the variation of the quantity will allow us to constrain not only this model but also the coronal models and the dynamical evolution of ICMEs in the solar wind by comparing the physical quantities.
Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Shell-and-Tube Phase Change Material Thermal Storage Unit

A shell-and-tube phase change material (PCM) thermal energy storage (TES) unit has been analyzed numerically and experimentally. The tube bank is filled with commercial paraffin RUBITHERM RT 28 HC PCM, which melts as the heat transfer fluid (HTF) flows across the tubes. A fully-implicit one-dimensional control volume formulation that utilizes the enthalpy method for phase change has been developed to determine the transient temperature distributions in both the PCM and the tubes themselves. The energy gained by a column of tubes is used to determine the exit bulk HTF temperature from that column, ultimately leading to an exit HTF temperature from the TES unit. This paper presents a comparison of the numerical and experimental results for the transient temperature profiles of the PCM-filled tubes and HTF.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
A Mechanism for Out-of-Phase Power Instabilities in Boiling Water Reactors

A study of the stability of subcritical neutronic modes in boiling water reactors that can result in out-of-phase power oscillations is presented. A mechanism has been identified for this type of i...
Energy Balance, Ingestive Behavior, and Reproductive Success

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the mechanisms that influence ingestive behavior, body weight, body-fat content, body-fat distribution, energy expenditure, and fuel homeostasis. Reproductive processes are an important part of the energy balancing system because evolutionary adaptation involves not only survival, but also differential reproductive success. Mechanisms that control ingestive behavior and energy balance did not evolve specifically to ensure a set point for body weight or body composition, or to prevent clinical syndromes, such as obesity or diabetes, but rather to increase survival and optimize reproductive success. A biological perspective on this problem begins with the observation that living cells expend energy constantly, and thus, require a continuous supply of fuels for energy metabolism. A constant supply of glucose as a metabolic substrate is particularly critical for cells in the central nervous system. Food ingestion, digestion, and metabolism are the primary means by which these energetic requirements are met, but food availability and energetic demands fluctuate in most habitats, and most organisms do not eat continuously.
DD73: Konstruktion von Prozessleichen und das Fehlen von Blut und Atem (September 2008)

Die so genannten Prozesse, Reorganisationen und Rahmenrichtlinien werden wie im frankensteinschen Labor konstruiert. Die Manager und Politiker konstruieren eine schone Leiche und stellen sie dann unter die Mitarbeiter oder mitten ins Volk. Das soll dem Monster den Atem einhauchen.
Under Pressure: Examining Social Conformity With Computer and Robot Groups:

Objective:The authors investigate whether nonhuman agents, such as computers or robots, produce a social conformity effect in human operators and examine to what extent potential conformist behavio...
Supporting students in responding to disclosure of sexual violence: a systematic review of online university resources

How support providers respond to disclosure of sexual victimisation influences recovery. Scripts may be useful in preparing support providers to respond appropriately to disclosure of sexual violen...
Long-term reported outcomes of transoral incisionless fundoplication: an 8-year cohort study.

Transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) offers an endoscopic approach to the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Controlled trials have demonstrated the short-term efficacy of this procedure, but long-term follow-up studies are lacking. The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term impact of TIF on disease-specific quality of life and antisecretory medication use. We performed retrospective cohort study of all patients undergoing TIF between 2007 and 2014 in a large academic medical center. Reflux symptoms and quality of life were assessed using the gastroesophageal reflux disease health-related quality of life (GERD-HRQL) questionnaire at baseline, short-term, and long-term follow-up. Fifty-seven patients with a median age of 46 (37–59) years and an average BMI of 28.8 ± 4.9 kg/m2 underwent TIF during the study period. Sixty percent of the patients were female, and all were taking a PPI at least daily. At a median follow-up interval of 97 months, twelve patients had undergone subsequent laparoscopic antireflux surgery (LARS). Of those who had not, 23 had complete long-term follow-up data for analysis and were included in the study. Seventy-three percent reported daily acid-reducing medication use, and the median GERD-HRQL score was 10 (6–14) compared to 24 (15–28) at baseline (p < 0.01). Seventy-eight percent of these patients expressed satisfaction or neutral feelings about their GERD management. There were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics of patients who underwent LARS during the study period and those who did not. This study demonstrates that TIF can produce durable improvements in disease-specific quality of life in some patients with symptomatic GERD. The majority of patients resumed daily PPI therapy during the study period, but with significantly improved GERD-HRQL scores compared to baseline and increased satisfaction with their medical condition.
Inpatient interventions that may preclude outpatient open pyeloplasty in infants

ABSTRACT Objective: In the majority of published series, children undergoing open pyeloplasty are admitted for at least one night. We hypothesized that it would be possible in the majority of infants to perform open pyeloplasty as an outpatient procedure. Materials and Methods: All patients who underwent open pyeloplasty by a single surgeon between 2008 and 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic data (age at surgery, gender, pre- and postoperative imaging studies, laterality, type of local anesthesia), operative time, duration of hospital stay, need for narcotic analgesics, complications, readmission within 1-month after surgery and need for additional procedures were abstracted. Results: A total of 18 infants underwent open pyeloplasty by single surgeon. Mean age at time of surgery was 19 months (range 3-23 months). There were 8 girls and 10 boys. In addition to general anesthesia, all of the patients received regional anesthesia (caudal block 8, epidural block 8, subcutaneous nerve block 2). Median operative time was 135 minutes (range 81-166). Median hospital stay was 1 day (range 1 to 2). Two patients required iv narcotics for pain management. None of the patients required parenteral administration of other medications during the short hospitalization. No patients required any additional procedures or hospital readmissions within 1 month from surgery. Conclusions: In appropriately selected patients, outpatient pyeloplasty appears to be feasible with an oral postoperative analgesia plan to be administered at home.
Knots Related by Knotoids

AbstractTuraev recently introduced the concept of a knotoid as a particular sort of knotted arc. There are several maps from knotoids to ordinary knots, or knotted circles. The two most natural way...
Modeling of flange-mounted force sensor frequency response function for inverse filtering of forces in robotic milling

Abstract Force/torque sensors have great potential for use in industrial robotic applications. However, the Frequency Response Function (FRF) of the robot flange-mounted sensor is influenced by the dynamics of the robot arm, which distorts the force sensor measurements. The sensor FRF is required for developing an inverse filter to compensate for the distortion. However, the sensor FRF changes as a function of the robot end effector position, and therefore must be accurately modeled. This paper proposes a Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) model-based approach to predict the FRF of a force sensor mounted on the end effector of a six degree-of-freedom (6-dof) industrial robot. The force sensor FRF as a function of the robot position in the workspace is characterized using impact hammer experiments. GPR models that predict the magnitude of a specific frequency bin are developed using the impact hammer results. The GPR modeling approach is evaluated using cross evaluation metrics. The predicted sensor FRFs are used for inverse filtering the milling forces measured by the flange force sensor during robotic milling tests. The filtered forces are shown to be in good agreement with forces measured by a ground-mounted quartz-based piezoelectric force dynamometer; specifically, the inverse filter lowers the maximum peak-to-peak error in the force measured by the flange sensor from 146 N to 25.4 N. Hence, the proposed methodology is shown to be valid for improving the accuracy of robot end effector-mounted force/torque sensors.
A library based on deep neural networks for modeling the degradation of FinFET SRAM performance metrics due to aging

Abstract FinFET SRAM cells suffer from front-end wearout mechanisms, such as bias temperature instability and hot carrier injection. In this paper, we built a library based on deep neural networks (DNNs) to speed up the process of simulating FinFET SRAM cells' degradation. This library consists of two parts. The first part calculates circuit configuration parameters, wearout parameters, and the other input variables for the DNN. The second part calls for the DNN to determine the shifted circuit performance metrics. A DNN with more than 99% accuracy is achieved with training data from standard Hspice simulations. The correctness of the DNN is also validated in the presence of input variations. With this library, the simulation speed is one hundred times faster than Hspice simulations. We can display the cell's degradation under various configurations easily and quickly. Also, the DNN-based library can help protect intellectual property without showing users the circuit's details.
Rise of trade protectionism: the case of US-Sino trade war

In recent decades, China experienced the fastest economic growth by opening its economy and focussing on trade and is now the second largest economy surpassing Japan. The widening of the US trade d...
Parallel Affine Image Warping

Several methods for parallel affine image warping on a linear processor array are considered. The methods were implemented on the Carnegie Mellon Warp machine and the Carnegie Mellon-Intel Corporation iWarp computer. Performance figures are provided. Methods studied included systolic, which feed one of the images in a stream; data partitioned, which partition images across the processor array; scanline-transpose, which perform affine image warps as two skew operations, and sweep-based, which move computation across the stored image. We articulate three characteristics that affect the design of parallel image warping algorithms: affine warping is easily invertible, the mapping is known at the start of execution, and nearby input pixels usually map to nearby output pixels. The methods are evaluated with respect to efficiency, capability, and memory use. Data partitioned methods are relatively easy to implement but do not scale well. The best method overall is sweep-based, which efficiently pipelines the computation and uses load balancing to achieve excellent scaling.
MODELING MESO-MAMMAL CAVE USE IN CENTRAL TEXAS

Scat of meso-mammals provides nutrients to cave-obligate species. If there are too few nutrient inputs, cave-obligate species have no resources, but too much and caves are invaded by terrestrial species. Our goal for this project was to determine what combination of variables most influence meso-mammal cave use by building a multinomial regression model using data collected from cave entrances in central Texas. Variables of importance in our model relate to cave accessibility, including the raccoons' (Procyon lotor) and Virginia opossums' (Didelphis virginiana) greater dexterity, and the added bulk from the North American porcupine's (Erethizon dorsatum) quills. Our model can be used to predict and manage meso-mammal cave use in central Texas. This will be especially useful in this region because North American porcupine have only recently expanded their range into central Texas and their prolific nutrient inputs, previously absent from the ecosystem, could endanger cave-obligate species.
Ceftolozane-tazobactam- and ceftazidime-avibactam-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa mastoiditis.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important bacterial cause of a variety of infections and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Infections caused by this bacterium are becoming more difficult to treat due to increasing resistance to many of the available antibiotics. Ceftolozane–tazobactam and ceftazidime–avibactam are two new cephalosporin/β-lactamase inhibitor combination antimicrobials that have demonstrated excellent in vitro activity against several multi-drug-resistant pathogens, including multi-drug-resistant P. aeruginosa . Cases of infections with isolates of multi-drug-resistant P. aeruginosa that are resistant to both of these antimicrobials have rarely been reported. We report a case of mastoiditis caused by P. aeruginosa that was resistant to both ceftolozane–tazobactam and ceftazidime–avibactam.
Multimodal pair‐bond maintenance: A review of signaling across modalities in pair‐bonded nonhuman primates

Only a handful of primate species exhibit the social relationship of pair-bonding. Efficient communication is critical for behavioral coordination within pair-bonds to maintain proximity and respond appropriately to extra-pair individuals, and possibly coordinate infant care. The use of complex signaling across modalities may help individuals improve communicative outcomes. We review many ways that pair-bonded species use signals to communicate and maintain bonds, though little previous research has taken a truly multimodal approach within a single species. We make a call for further investigation into pair-bonded communication using a multimodal approach to better understand how these species use all their senses to build, maintain, and advertise their bonds.
Water in Mongolia: Sources, Uses and Issues, with Special Emphasis on Mining

Mongolia is a land locked country, with two powerful neighbors, Russia and China. Mongolia still has adequate water resources for its population. Waters from the Khangai and Khentii mountains are the source for a majority of the water runoff from the country. Despite sufficient water, a generic population shift from rural to urban locations is stressing water resources in some parts of the country. Ulaanbaatar, now home to almost half the country and located at the Tuul river, is expected to run out of water in the next few years. Like other parts of the country, it also suffers due to a lack of adequate wastewater treatment facilities, contamination from a large number of livestock and legacy industries. There are also concerns about water in the South Gobi region, that has been the hub of large scale mining. Almost 40% of the runoff ends in the Gobi desert. Mining, a major part of the economy in Mongolia, and not limited to the Gobi, impacts water resources. While newer mines use modern technologies to conserve water and minimize environmental impact, older mines and artisanal mines significantly impact local water resources.
Crohn's disease of the ileoanal pouch

Abstract Crohn's disease of the ileoanal pouch is a known albeit infrequent outcome of restorative proctocolectomy with ileoanal reservoir for inflammatory bowel disease colitides. Although an adverse outcome, many patients will benefit from a combined medical-surgical multidisciplinary approach to pouch retention. In this review article, we will discuss inflammatory disorders of the body of the pouch and the rectal cuff which lay on a spectrum, including pouchitis, cuffitis and Crohn's disease of the ileoanal pouch. It is imperative that readers fully understand conditions on both sides of the spectrum as treatments often overlap and it is necessary to undergo many of the mentioned treatments, or at least consider them, before undergoing what can be complex, re-operative abdominopelvic surgery with permanent re-diversion with the pouch left in situ, pouch excision or rarely pouch revision. We will also discuss outcomes of intentional ileoanal pouch for isolated Crohn's colitis.
What Really is the American Dream

This paper takes a closer look at the Constitution of the United States of America (USA) and its role in shaping the American aspiration which is generally referred to as the ‘American Dream.’ Essentially, this paper reviews key contributions by noted scholars with reference to the American Dream. For the purposes of this research, two definitions of the American Dream are proposed; both of which are traced back to the pre-colonial American spirit. The working definitions are: 1. The American Dream is ‘an indigenous belief in the unbridled freedom and unique heritage of a people’ and 2. The American is ‘the belief in self-actualization of the good fortunes, guaranteed by American liberties, opportunities and freedom.’ Those definitions are examined in line with the scholarly works which were reviewed for this research. Above all, this paper can be seen as a continuation of the discussion on the American Dream.
Generalized cardassian expansion: a model in which the universe is flat, matter dominated, and accelerating

Abstract The Cardassian universe is a proposed modification to the Friedmann Robertson Walker equation (FRW) in which the universe is flat, matter dominated, and accelerating. In this presentation, we generalize the original Cardassian proposal to include additional variants on the FRW equation, specific examples are presented. In the ordinary FRW equation, the right hand side is a linear function of the energy density, H2 ∼ ϱ. Here, instead, the right hand side of the FRW equation is a different function of the energy density, H2 ∼ g(ϱ). This function returns to ordinary FRW at early times, but modifies the expansion at a late epoch of the universe. The only ingredients in this universe are matter and radiation: in particular, there is NO vacuum contribution. Currently the modification of the FRW equation is such that the universe accelerates; we call this period of acceleration the Cardassian era. The universe can be flat and yet consist of only matter and radiation, and still be compatible with observations. The energy density required to close the universe is much smaller than in a standard cosmology, so that matter can be sufficient to provide a flat geometry. The new term required may arise, e.g., as a consequence of our observable universe living as a 3-dimensional brane in a higher dimensional universe. The Cardassian model survives several observational tests, including the cosmic background radiation, the age of the universe, the cluster baryon fraction, and structure formation. As will be shown in future work, he predictions for observational tests of the generalized Cardassian models can be very different from generic quintessence models, whether the equation of state is constant or time dependent.
Complete Genome Sequence of Rhizobium phaseoli Podophage Palo.

ABSTRACT Here, we present the genome of Palo, a T7-like podophage of Rhizobium phaseoli. The genome is 46.3 kb and contains 58 predicted protein-coding genes, including a novel signal-anchor-release (SAR) endolysin, a homolog of the T5 A1 protein required for DNA transfer, and a dual-start holin/antiholin pair.