cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
L’Eleganza è frigida e L’Empire des signes: Un sogno fatto in Giappone

Troppo occidentale per l’enigma-Giappone: it is with these words (meaning “Too Western for the Japan-enigma”) that Goffredo Parise, in the Italian newspaper “Corriere della Sera” of 16th April 1984, titled his bitter review of L'Empire des signes by Roland Barthes, written more than ten years earlier but published in Italy by Einaudi only then, four years after its author’s death. Parise loved Japan, where he had stayed for over a month in 1980, and from that experience had drawn his last, great reportage: L’Eleganza e frigida. It was this Japan-enthusiast part of him who accused Barthes and his obsessive semiologic analysis of distorting the essence of Japanese culture, imbued with Zen thought and intolerant to any structural reading. Starting from a suggestive posthumous criticism, this book proposes an unprecedented comparative journey through two twentieth-century readings which are apparently irreconcilable, yet curiously converging in the collection and re-invention of the exotic literary topos of Japan, seen as poetic and existential utopia.Troppo occidentale per l’enigma-Giappone: cosi, sul «Corriere della Sera» del 16 aprile 1984, Goffredo Parise titolava la sua aspra recensione a L’Empire des signes di Roland Barthes, scritto piu di dieci anni prima ma solo allora pubblicato in Italia per Einaudi, a quattro anni dalla morte del suo autore. Il Parise innamorato del Giappone – dove aveva soggiornato per oltre un mese nel 1980, traendone il suo ultimo, grande reportage: L’Eleganza e frigida – accusa Barthes di snaturare, con la sua ossessiva analisi semiologica, l’essenza della cultura nipponica, intrisa del pensiero Zen, insofferente a ogni lettura strutturale. Muovendo dalla suggestione di una critica postuma, questo libro propone un inedito viaggio comparativo attraverso due letture novecentesche in apparenza inconciliabili, ma curiosamente convergenti nel raccogliere e reinventare il topos esotico e letterario del Giappone, assunto a utopia poetica ed esistenziale.
What Are the Molecular Mechanisms by Which Functional Bacterial Amyloids Influence Amyloid Beta Deposition and Neuroinflammation in Neurodegenerative Disorders

Despite the enormous literature documenting the importance of amyloid beta (Ab) protein in Alzheimer's disease, we do not know how Ab aggregation is initiated and why it has its unique distribution in the brain. In vivo and in vitro evidence has been developed to suggest that functional microbial amyloid proteins produced in the gut may cross-seed Ab aggregation and prime the innate immune system to have an enhanced and pathogenic response to neuronal amyloids. In this commentary, we summarize the molecular mechanisms by which the microbiota may initiate and sustain the pathogenic processes of neurodegeneration in aging.
Ascertaining neuron importance by information theoretical analysis in motor Brain―Machine Interfaces

Point process modeling of neural spike recordings has the potential to capture with high specificity the information contained in spike time occurrence. In Brain-Machine Interfaces (BMIs) the neural tuning characteristic assessed from neural spike recordings can distinguish neuron importance in terms of its modulation with the movement task. Consequently, it improves generalization and reduces significantly computation in previous decoding algorithms, where models reconstruct the kinematics from recorded activities of hundreds of neurons. We propose to apply information theoretical analysis based on an instantaneous tuning model to extract the important neuron subsets for point process decoding on BMI. The cortical distribution of extracted neuron subsets is analyzed and the statistical decoding performance using subset selection is studied with respect to different number of neurons and compared to the one by the full neuron ensemble. With much less computation, the extracted importance neurons provide comparable kinematic reconstructions compared to the full neuron ensemble. The performance of the extracted subset is compared to the random selected subset with same number of neurons to further validate the effectiveness of the subset-extraction approach.
SIDIR: Extending SIR with Detected and Isolated Populations for Pandemic Modeling

Abstract We extend the Susceptible Infected Recovered (SIR) model to include Detected (D) and Isolated (I) compartments (SIDIR). SIDIR improves COVID-19 outbreak behavior modeling by identifying infected populations as subsequently quarantined to reduce the spread of the infection (either in a hospital or self-quarantined). We present the model and provide a case study on COVID-19. The model estimates undetected cases (i.e., those infected but unconfirmed) and extrapolates when no additional undetected active (rogue) cases will remain, potentially guiding policy decisions that help control the spread of COVID-19 and future epidemics. A live demonstration of SIDIR on COVID-19 is available at: http://ir.cs.georgetown.edu/sidir.
Aggression and central neurotransmitters.

Publisher Summary This chapter explains aggression and central neurotransmitters. The term “aggression” indicates a particular oriented behavior, which leads to, or appears to an observer to lead to, the damage or destruction of some goal. Some ethologists have used the term “agonistic behavior” to describe various sorts of behavior that occur during conflict and have described several patterns of this behavior. These patterns have been thought to be the result of a process of evolution within each species, involving different physiological mechanisms. Three patterns of this behavior have been distinguished: (1) defense, (2) attack, as opposed to, and (3) flight. Aggression does not appear to be a unitary phenomenon. This behavior is evoked in response to a given stimulus and is in part genetically determined and in part influenced by learning. The chapter describes the factors that influence aggression.
Water route for proton pumping in mitochondrial complex I.

A new cryo-EM structure of mitochondrial complex I reveals ordered water molecules that connect key elements of the proton-translocating machinery. Analysis of the ubiquinone-binding site of complex I offers insights into the mechanism of catalytic turnover and the regulation of this essential metabolic enzyme.
The nurse influencer: A concept synthesis and analysis

Aim The purpose of this paper is to provide a clear definition of the concept of a nurse influencer. Background While the nursing profession is known for caring, advocacy, and trustworthiness, the nurse influencer is an emerging concept in health care. Clarification of this concept is essential to understand the necessary characteristics and potential opportunities for the nurse influencer. Methods Walker and Avant's method of concept synthesis and analysis was used. Results With time, self-efficacy, and a measurable intention, a nurse can become a nurse influencer. A nurse influencer is a nurse who has a platform to affect change through demonstrating integrity, a dedication to learning, and excellent communication of ideas and information. In addition to creating change, the nurse influencer may also disseminate knowledge and generate empowerment for themselves and others. Conclusion This concept analysis, the first focusing on the nurse influencer, provides an explanation of this concept and a concept map of the nurse influencer's attributes and contributions.
Identifying causality and contributory factors of pipeline incidents by employing natural language processing and text mining techniques

Abstract The key to learning from the past incidents is to identify the underlying causes and contributory factors of the incidents. A large amount of text data on incident narratives has been accumulated over the years and can be a good learning source, if properly utilized. However, the vast amount and unstructured nature of the text data impedes generating insights on occurring patterns of incidents. This research sets upon applying natural language processing (NLP) and text mining techniques to utilize the resource for understanding contributing factors and causations behind the incidents with pipeline industry as an illustrative example. The 3587 records of incident narratives of the ‘comment’ section in the incident database of Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) are exploited. Two methods of text analytics, K-means clustering and co-occurrence network, are employed to infer latent causality of incidents. The results demonstrate that both methods are capable of identifying contributing factors under specific failure types. The co-occurrence network approach exhibits advantages on extracting dependency among the contributory factors, while K-means clustering is only able to indicate general correlations. The workflow proposed in this paper provides new perspectives of identifying contributing factors and their causal dependency from incident text data for promising applications in risk analysis and accident modeling.
Liderazgo en enfermería: ¡Es hora de dar un paso al frente!

Dentro del informe de la Organizacion Panamericana de la Salud (OPS) titulado Orientacion estrategica para enfermeria en la Region de las Americas, una de las principales recomendaciones identificadas fue fortalecer y consolidar el liderazgo y la gestion estrategica de la enfermeria en el contexto de los sistemas de salud para la formulacion de politicas y seguimiento. ?Por que es tan importante desarrollar el liderazgo entre las enfermeras hoy en dia? Primero, debe reconocerse que las enfermeras SON lideres, ya sea en la cabecera de la cama, en la sala de juntas o en el gobierno. Los profesionales de enfermeria son expertos en valorar una situacion de manera integral, identificar el problema y los enfoques con los pacientes, las familias y las comunidades, implementar y evaluar los resultados y reajustar segun sea necesario.
Neue Formeln braucht der Mensch: Freude, Sinn, Gemeinschaft, innere Ruhe, kurz: rechten Lebensgewinn

Hier wollen wir etwas Besseres als das vorrangig Brave kennen lernen. Es macht mehr Freude und ist gleichzeitig erfolgreicher. Das ist schwer zu glauben, da das Prinzip des Braven eigentlich lehrt, dass fur jegliche Freude ein Preis zu zahlen ware. Deshalb ist dieses neue Kapitel so schwer zu entdecken gewesen.
Biochemical and genetic analysis of hydrogen metabolism in Escherichia coli: the hydB gene.

Abstract Production of active hydrogenase by Escherichia coli requires several gene products. One of the essential genes, hydB, is encoded by a DNA fragment of approximately 1.0 kilobase. The hydB gene produced a protein with an apparent molecular weight of 32,000. The hydB gene was transcribed only under anaerobic conditions. Oxygen and nitrate repressed transcription of this gene. hydB gene transcription also required sigma 60, the product of the rpoN gene.
Leading-Edge Design for improved Spin Resistance of Wings Incorporating Conventional and Advanced Airfoils

Discontinuous wing leading-edge droop designs have been evaluated as a means of modifying wing autorotative characteristics and thus improving airplane spin resistance. Addition of a discontinuous outboard wing leading-edge droop to three typical light airplanes having NACA 6-series wing sections produced significant improvements in stall characteristics and spin resistance. Wind tunnel tests of two wings having advanced natural laminar flow airfoil sections indicated that a discontinuous leading-edge droop can delay the onset of autorotation at high angles of attack without adversely affecting the development of laminar flow at cruise angles of attack.
Vasopressin vascular and reflex effects--a theoretical analysis.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the role of vasopressin (AVP) in cardiovascular function and presents evidence for the (1) participation of AVP in the short-term regulation of arterial pressure by its direct vascular actions and (2) AVP interaction with the central nervous system baroreceptor reflex pathways. The chapter suggests that most of the arterial pressure regulation with AVP infusion can be explained by reflex control of venous compliance or unstressed volume. The extent to which cardiac output is altered by AVP is dependent on the relative degree of arterial vasoconstriction between the compliant and non-compliant parallel flow beds. However, not all of the observed actions of AVP are accounted for, particularly, the predicted rise in total peripheral resistance (TPR) is less than that seen in normal animals with comparable AVP concentrations. It appears that some mechanism exists, whereby the reflex buffering of arterial resistance with AVP infusion is attenuated so that TPR rises to a higher level than would be predicted if the baroreceptors are attempting to offset the rise in resistance. While, equations are found, which could predict such behavior, they differ significantly from the classical single set point control theory and go beyond the present understanding of the autonomic nervous system.
Hematocolpos Secondary to Acquired Vaginal Scarring After Radiation Therapy for Colorectal Carcinoma

Hematocolpos in a postmenopausal woman is uncommon because most cases are due to a congenital anomaly and present during the neonatal or perimenarchal period. In older women, hematocolpos results from near or complete vaginal occlusion secondary to radiation therapy for cervical carcinoma or from scarring after surgical procedures such as cone biopsy Rarely, vaginal obstruction may be due to postmenopausal atrophy, endometriosis, or vaginitis, leading to scarring or adhesions. 1―6 Hematocolpos after radiation therapy for colorectal carcinoma is a rare clinical entity. We report an unusual case of hematocolpos secondary to acquired vaginal scarring after radiation therapy for colorectal carcinoma in a postmenopausal woman who had dyspareunia and pelvic and lower back pain. Characteristics on 3-dimensional (3D) transvaginal sonography (TVS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as well as intraoperative sonographic guidance, are described, together with current management and a review of the literature. The diagnosis of vaginal scarring and associated hematocolpos was suggested by TVS and confirmed by intraoperative sonography.
Dietary Factors in Reducing Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases

Diet influences many modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Considering this, moderation of total dietary fat, particularly trans and saturated fats, as well as cholesterol is recommended. Dietary fats should come mainly from plants and fatty fish, providing monounsaturated and polyunsaturated (including omega-3) fatty acids. Carbohydrate sources to emphasize include whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, and other fiber-rich sources, rather than sugars. Although vitamins such as E, C, and some B vitamins are associated with reduced CVD risk, data do not support the use of supplements, but foods rich in these nutrients are advocated. Dietary minerals such as potassium, magnesium, and calcium may be beneficial to heart health, while reduction of dietary sodium decreases risk of hypertension. A large variety of phytonutrients are also associated with reduced CVD risk. Other dietary factors receiving research attention regarding CVD risk. Other dietary factors receiving research atte...
Development of memory for spatial context: hippocampal and cortical contributions.

Abstract The goal of the present study was to examine age-related differences in hippocampal and cortical contribution to episodic retrieval of spatial context in 3 age groups. Children ages 8–9 and 10–11 years old, and adults ages 18–25 (N=48) encoded black and white line drawings appearing either on the right side or the left side of a screen. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were acquired while participants attempted to recall where each studied drawing had originally appeared. Correct recall of spatial source indicated successful episodic retrieval of spatial context. Activity in head and body of the hippocampus was associated with episodic retrieval in adults, but not in children. In children, individual differences in hippocampal activation for recognition predicted rates of correct spatial recall. Developmental differences were also found in regions in posterior parietal cortex, anterior prefrontal cortex, and insula. Overall, these results support the view that the development of episodic memory is supported by functional changes in the hippocampus as well as cortical regions.
Identification of Compounds in Water Above a Pollutant Plume by High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry

Identification of compounds in contaminated media is essential for determining sources of pollution and for assessing risks posed by the chemicals to ecosystems or human health. Eighty-five compounds were identified or tentatively identified in a 1-L extract of water sampled above a pollutant plume containing wastes from a chemical plant. Gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry determined exact masses of apparent molecular ions and the exact masses and RIAs (relative isotopic abundances) of their +1 and +2 isotopic mass peaks, which provided their elemental compositions. Ion compositions, mass spectral libraries, the presence of related compounds, and knowledge of organic chemistry provided tentative identifications, half of which were confirmed by comparison of analyte retention times and mass spectra with those of standards.
Cholecystokinin (CCK) down regulates PGE2 and PGI2 release in inflamed Guinea pig gallbladder smooth muscle cell cultures.

Abstract This study examines the hypothesis that cholecystitis down-regulates Guinea pig gallbladder (GPGB) smooth muscle cholecystokinin (CCK)-stimulated prostaglandin (PG) release. Guinea pig gallbladder from Control and 48 h bile duct ligated (BDL) animals were placed in cell culture and grown to confluence. The cultures underwent Western Blot analysis for smooth muscle cell content of COX-1, COX-2, Prostacyclin Synthase (PS), or were incubated with CCK at 10 −8 M or 10 −6 M with and without indomethacin for 1 h and analyzed for release of 6-keto-PGF 1 α , PGE 2 and TxB 2 by EIA. BDL increased Guinea pig gallbladder cell culture basal PGE 2 and PGI 2 release which was in part due to increased COX-2 content. CCK incubation down-regulated BDL Guinea pig gallbladder cell culture release of 6-keto-PGF 1 α and PGE 2 and down-regulated COX-2 content but did not alter the Control group. The decrease in CCK-mediated BDL cell Guinea pig gallbladder release may be an endogenous mechanism to limit physiologic derangements induced by increased endogenous gallbladder PG synthesis during early acute cholecystitis.
HSP86 and HSP84 exhibit cellular specificity of expression and co-precipitate with an HSP70 family member in the murine testis

This study extends to the protein level our previous observations, which had established the stage and cellular specificity of expression of hsp86 and hsp84 in the murine testis in the absence of exogenous stress. Immunoblot analysis was used to demonstrate that HSP86 protein was present throughout testicular development and that its levels increased with the appearance of differentiating germ cells. HSP86 was most abundant in the germ cell population and was present at significantly lower levels in the somatic cells. By contrast, the HSP84 protein was detected in the somatic cells of the testis rather than in germ cells. The steady-state levels of HSP86 and HSP84 paralleled the pattern of the expression of their respective mRNAs, suggesting that regulation at the level of translation was not a major mechanism controlling hsp90 gene expression in testicular cells. Immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that a 70-kDa protein coprecipitated with the HSP86/HSP84 proteins in testicular homogenates. This protein was identified as an HSP70 family member by immunoblot analysis, suggesting that HSP70 and HSP90 family members interact in testicular cells.
Extraction of tumor motion trajectories using PICCS-4DCBCT: a validation study.

Purpose: As a counterpart of 4DCT in the treatment planning stage of radiotherapy treatment, 4D cone beam computed tomography (4DCBCT) method has been proposed to verify tumor motion trajectories before radiation therapy treatment delivery. Besides 4DCBCT acquisition using slower gantry rotation speed or multiple rotations, a new method using the prior image constrained compressed sensing (PICCS) image reconstruction method and the standard 1-min data acquisition were proposed. In this paper, the PICCS-4DCBCT method was combined with deformable registration to validate its capability in motion trajectory extraction using physical phantom data, simulated human subject data from 4DCT and in vivo human subject data. Methods: Two methods were used to validate PICCS-4DCBCT for the purpose of respiratory motion delineation. The standard 1-min gantry rotation Cone Beam CT acquisition was used for both methods. In the first method, 4DCBCT projection data of a physical motion phantom were acquired using an on-board CBCT acquisition system (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). Using a deformable registration method, the object motion trajectories were extracted from both FBP and PICCS reconstructed 4DCBCT images, and compared against the programmed motion trajectories. In the second method, using a clinical 4DCT dataset, Cone Beam CT projections were simulated by forwardmore » projection. Using a deformable registration method, the tumor motion trajectories were extracted from the reconstructed 4DCT and PICCS-4DCBCT images. The performance of PICCS-4DCBCT is assessed against the 4DCT ground truth. The breathing period was varied in the simulation to study its effect on motion extraction. For both validation methods, the root mean square error (RMSE) and the maximum of the errors (MaxE) were used to quantify the accuracy of the extracted motion trajectories. After the validation, a clinical dataset was used to demonstrate the motion delineation capability of PICCS-4DCBCT for human subjects. Results: In both validation studies, the RMSEs of the extracted motion trajectories from PICCS-4DCBCT images are less than 0.7 mm, and their MaxEs are less than 1 mm, for all three directions. In comparison, FBP-4DCBCT shows considerably larger RMSEs in the physical phantom based validation. PICCS-4DCBCT also shows insensitivity to the breathing period in the 4DCT based validation. For the in vivo human subject study, high quality 3D motion trajectory of the tumor was obtained from PICCS-4DCBCT images and showed consistency with visual observation. Conclusions: These results demonstrate accurate delineation of tumor motion trajectory can be achieved using PICCS-4DCBCT and the standard 1-min data acquisition.« less
Maintenance of the DNA-Damage Checkpoint Requires DNA-Damage-Induced Mediator Protein Oligomerization

Oligomeric assembly of Brca1 C-terminal (BRCT) domain-containing mediator proteins occurs at sites of DNA damage. However, the functional significance and regulation of such assemblies are not well understood. In this study, we defined the molecular mechanism of DNA-damage-induced oligomerization of the S. cerevisiae BRCT protein Rad9. Our data suggest that Rad9's tandem BRCT domain mediates Rad9 oligomerization via its interaction with its own Mec1/Tel1-phosphorylated SQ/TQ cluster domain (SCD). Rad53 activation is unaffected by mutations that impair Rad9 oligomerization, but checkpoint maintenance is lost, indicating that oligomerization is required to sustain checkpoint signaling. Once activated, Rad53 phosphorylates the Rad9 BRCT domain, which attenuates the BRCT-SCD interaction. Failure to phosphorylate the Rad9 BRCT results in cytologically visible Rad9 foci. This suggests a feedback loop wherein Rad53 activity and Rad9 oligomerization are regulated to tune the DNA-damage response.
A Simulation of International Climate Regime Formation

The literature on pedagogical methods in international affairs includes a number of international politics simulations. We present the material for an in-class simulation exercise on international ...
Dosimetry of technetium-99m red blood cells labeled in vivo

Mean organ doses received from Tc-99m red blood cells labeled in vivo were calculated by the MIRD method using biodistribution data reported in the literature. The organ receiving the greatest dose was found to be the heart, followed closely by the bladder and stomach. Relatively high doses are also received by the blood, spleen, and lungs. Intermediate absorbed doses are received by the thyroid and kidneys, whereas organs with small blood concentrations and the remainder of the body receive the smallest doses. The major portion of the absorbed doses delivered to the stomach and the thyroid is due to the presence of free pertechnetate.
Informed Consent of Students: How Much Information is Enough?

Ethical bases of the informed consent doctrine are applied to how much information students need before they take a course. Such information includes content, grading policies, assignments, course ...
Sparse surface modeling with curved patches

Traditional segmentation algorithms for range images create partitions of connected and non-overlapping-but potentially irregularly shaped-regions corresponding to world surfaces. This paper presents an alternative paradigm based on regularly shaped curved patches (paraboloids) that model local contact regions potentially compatible with e.g. a robot's toe, heel, or fingertip. These patches randomly sample the environment surface but are not required to strictly partition it. They are fit to neighborhoods of the range data and then validated for fit quality and fidelity to the actual data-extrapolations (like hole-filling) which are not directly supported by data are avoided. Two different neighborhood formation methods based on k-d tree and triangle mesh data structures are compared, and results are presented for 10 datasets taken in natural rocky terrain.
The status of broadcast education in institutions of higher learning

This study explores the relationship between department administration and radio‐television‐film curricula. Its purpose is to determine if selected characteristics differ among departments of broadcasting, communication, journalism, mass communication, and speech. Characteristics compared among these five department types include philosophy, number of courses offered and required, faculty qualifications, dollar amounts invested in equipment and training facilities, student data, and availability of advanced degree offerings.
KONEKT: connecting the audience through judging at the Olympic games

Konekt is an interactive voting system that allows audience members that are physically present at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics to judge and score the athletes during the gymnastics and diving competitions. The goal of the system is to connect audience members to each other through judging to facilitate human-to-human interactions. A handheld device allows all members of the audience to score athletes performances without competing with the technical scorings done by the Olympic judges. We explain how the team gained a holistic understanding of different issues that needed to be addressed by conducting interviews with experts in the sports, attending sporting events, and various other methods of immersing ourselves in the problem. Two key findings included difficulty by audience members to notice nuances in the performance and how to seamlessly integrate this system for this particular Olympics. We explain how we generated multiple iterations of possible solutions to this problem and then consolidated those concepts into our final solution. The final design is a screen based hand held device that has an animated character derived from the existing mascot for the Athens Olympics. It guides the user through the judging process and introduces them to a giant screen in the stadium that displays the results. When the device is carried throughout the stadium it allows people to connect to other people who had similar voting patterns.
The survival, function, and hemolysis of human RBCs stored at 4 degrees C in additive solution (AS-1, AS-3, or AS-5) for 42 days and then biochemically modified, frozen, thawed, washed, and stored at 4 degrees C in sodium chloride and glucose solution for 24 hours.

Background A study was done to assess the quality of RBCs stored at 4 degrees C in AS-1, AS-3, or AS-5 for 42 days before biochemical modification and freezing. Study design and methods RBCs were stored at 4 degrees C for 42 days in AS-1, AS-3, or AS-5 and then biochemically modified with pyruvate, inosine, phosphate, and adenine solution (Rejuvesol), frozen with 40-percent (wt/vol) glycerol, and stored at -80 degrees C for at least 2 months. The RBCs were deglycerolized by the use of a cell washer (Haemonetics 115), and stored for 24 hours at 4 degrees C in a 0.9-percent sodium chloride and 0.2-percent glucose solution before the autologous transfusion. Results The mean freeze-thaw-wash recovery process produced RBC recovery values of 85 percent, with the mean 24-hour posttransfusion survival at 75 percent, and the mean index of therapeutic effectiveness at 64 percent for the RBCs stored at 4 degrees C in AS-1, AS-3, or AS-5 for 42 days before biochemical modification and freezing. All the units exhibited normal or slightly higher than normal 2,3 DPG levels after deglycerolization and postwash storage at 4 degrees C for 24 hours. Conclusion RBCs stored in AS-1, AS-3, or AS-5 at 4 degrees C for 42 days and then biochemically modified with pyruvate, inosine, phosphate, and adenine and glycerolized, frozen, washed, and stored at 4 degrees C for 24 hours before autologous transfusion had acceptable in vitro and in vivo measurements.
Estimation of synchronous machine parameters from performance relations

Abstract The parameters of synchronous machines are required in system analysis, fault calculations, sizing of cables, circuit breaker selection, power factor correction, and voltage drop calculations. One of the major stumbling blocks is the general lack of design and application data. The design information is generally restricted and not commonly available to all users. Furthermore, the parameters are difficult to obtain through field measurements. In this paper, a mathematical model is presented to estimate the parameters of a synchronous machine from name-plate details. The data used in the estimation include output kVA, voltage, current, speed, rated power factor, field voltage, field current, and short-circuit ratio. The equations are derived from a well-known performance model and solved using a spreadsheet program available on any personal computer. Two case studies are presented in this paper. There is reasonable agreement between the estimated and available parameter values. Finally, the usefulness of this procedure and some of the limitations are outlined.
A fast first order model of a rough annular shear cell using cellular automata

The motivation of the current work is to simulate granular phenomena in a rough annular shear cell without load using a physics-based cellular automata (CA) modeling approach. A simple yet powerful two-dimensional (2D) cellular automata model was developed to model granular flows inside a 2D annular shear cell from a tribological perspective. Physics-based equations developed from first-principles to model collisions have been adopted to form the cellular automata local rules of interaction. This combines the computational efficiency of CA modeling with the accuracy and generalization of first-principle physics modeling. The local flow properties—solid fraction, velocity and granular temperature profiles- were predicted from the CA simulation and compared to the granular shear cell experiments. The resulting steady-state CA model profiles show good agreement with the experimental results. The ability of the CA model to probe the effect of each granular flow property is demonstrated by performing parametric studies of the particle–particle coefficient of restitution and roughness factor.
Toll-like receptors stimulate human neutrophil function

The first immune cell to arrive at the site of infection is the neutrophil. Upon arrival, neutrophils quickly initiate microbicidal functions, including the production of antimicrobial products and proinflammatory cytokines that serve to contain infection. This allows the acquired immune system enough time to generate sterilizing immunity and memory. Neutrophils detect the presence of a pathogen through germ line-encoded receptors that recognize microbe-associated molecular patterns. In vertebrates, the best characterized of these receptors are Toll-like receptors (TLRs). We have determined the expression and function of TLRs in freshly isolated human neutrophils. Neutrophils expressed TLR1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10-all the TLRs except TLR3. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) treatment increased TLR2 and TLR9 expression levels. The agonists of all TLRs expressed in neutrophils triggered or primed cytokine release, superoxide generation, and L-selectin shedding, while inhibiting chemotaxis to interleukin-8 (IL-8) and increasing phagocytosis of opsonized latex beads. The response to the TLR9 agonist nonmethylated CpG-motif-containing DNA (CpG DNA) required GM-CSF pretreatment, which also enhanced the response to the other TLR agonists. Finally, using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR), we demonstrate a chemokine expression profile that suggests that TLR-stimulated neutrophils recruit innate, but not acquired, immune cells to sites of infection.
A Comparison of Alternative Indicators for the Risk of Nonresponse Bias

The response rate has played a key role in measuring the risk of nonresponse bias. However, recent empirical evidence has called into question the utility of the response rate for predicting nonresponse bias. The search for alternatives to the response rate has begun. The present article offers a typology for these indicators, briefly describes the strengths and weaknesses of each type, and suggests directions for future research. New standards for reporting on the risk of nonresponse bias may be needed. Certainly, any analysis into the risk of nonresponse bias will need to be multifaceted and include sensitivity analyses designed to test the impact of key assumptions about the data that are missing due to nonresponse.
Exploring variability-aware execution for testing plugin-based web applications

In plugin-based systems, plugin conflicts may occur when two or more plugins interfere with one another, changing their expected behaviors. It is highly challenging to detect plugin conflicts due to the exponential explosion of the combinations of plugins (i.e., configurations). In this paper, we address the challenge of executing a test case over many configurations. Leveraging the fact that many executions of a test are similar, our variability-aware execution runs common code once. Only when encountering values that are different depending on specific configurations will the execution split to run for each of them. To evaluate the scalability of variability-aware execution on a large real-world setting, we built a prototype PHP interpreter called Varex and ran it on the popular WordPress blogging Web application. The results show that while plugin interactions exist, there is a significant amount of sharing that allows variability-aware execution to scale to 2^50 configurations within seven minutes of running time. During our study, with Varex, we were able to detect two plugin conflicts: one was recently reported on WordPress forum and another one was not previously discovered.
Operator trigonometry of statistics and econometrics

A new and useful geometric point of view for the understanding and analysis of certain matrix methods as they are used in statistics and econometrics is presented. Applications to statistical efficiency, parameter estimation, and correlation theory are given. In particular we show that worst case relative least squares efficiency, although achieved by maximally inefficient regressors, is also achieved by maximal covariance matrix turning vectors. Also we elaborate geometrically a commutator trace efficiency result of P. Bloomfield and G.S. Watson [Biometrika 62 (1975) 121]. Well-established Lagrange multiplier methods for constrained optimizations are compared to use of an Euler equation from the new geometric theory.
Why do some employees support welfare states more than others? Skill profiles and social policy preferences in the United States

Abstract Hypotheses based on skill asset arguments and Weberian perspectives of social closure emphasize the role of asset specificity and skill standards in accounting for American employees’ social policy preferences. The evidence from three waves of General Social Surveys shows that employees with high asset specificity are more likely to support higher social spending, which is consistent with Iversen and Soksice’ argument. The evidence also supports the skill asset specificity thesis at the occupational level: employees with a high level of specific skill standards compared to general skill standards have stronger incentives to support higher social spending. However, controlling for the denominator effects, the individual asset specificity measure loses its explanatory power, while the effects of occupational asset specificity and general skill standards are robust. The findings suggest that the level and composition of skill assets at the occupational level are critical for understanding of employees’ social policy preferences in the era of industrial restructuring.
The effect of surgical site infections on outcomes and resource utilization after liver transplantation

Abstract Background. Although postoperative infections have a significant impact on morbidity and mortality after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), less is known about their economic implications. In this study, we sought to identify risk factors and estimate the impact of surgical site infections on 1-year mortality, graft survival, and resource utilization after OLT. Methods. We studied 777 first, single-organ liver transplant recipients from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Liver Transplantation Database. Surgical site infections (n = 292, 37.8%) were defined as bacterial or fungal infections of the liver, intestine, biliary tract, surgical wound, or peritoneum within 1 year of transplantation. A subset of these (n = 159) occurred during the transplant hospitalization and were used to estimate excess charges associated with surgical site infections. Results. Leaks in the choledochojejunostomy (odds ratio [OR] = 7.1, P =.001) and choledochocholedochostomy (OR = 2.5, P =.002), extended operation duration in hours (OR = 1.2, P =.002), serum albumin levels in grams per liters (OR = 0.71, P =.009), ascites (OR = 1.43, P =.037), and administration of OKT3 within 7 days (OR = 1.49, P =.039) significantly increased risk of infection. Surgical site infections did not significantly increase 1-year mortality (88.5% vs 91.5%, P =.19) but significantly increased 1-year graft loss (79.8% vs 86.5%, P =.022). Patients with surgical site infections incurred approximately 24 extra hospital days and $159,967 in excess charges ( P =.0001). Multivariate analysis reduced the estimate of excess charges to $131,276 ( P =.0001). Conclusions. Liver transplant recipients who develop surgical site infection have significantly higher resource utilization requirements than those who do not. These results imply substantial returns to preventative efforts directed at surgical site infections in patients undergoing OLT. (Surgery 2001;130:388-95.)
Depth map estimation from motion for 2D to 3D conversion

The conversion of existing 2D videos to 3D videos is an important process for 3D video production. Generating an accurate depth map is the key starting pointfor this 2D to 3D conversion. This paper presents a novel method for generating the depth map of 2D image sequences from motion information. Different from the typical multi-view stereo method, this approach calculates the motion information directly from two sequential images which are captured by only a single moving camera. Classical constrained optical flow is known to be inaccurate for textureless regions and complicated areas. Our new approach uses mean shift segmentation algorithm and optical flow together to compute the depth map. The motion-based depth map and the segmented map are integrated into one depth map using breadth-first search methods. We find improved results compared to the optical flow method.
Discrepancies between arbitrary and true hinge axes.

Abstract Four-hundred forty-four true hinge axis locations were made and compared to various arbitrary locations. Statistical determinations of probability were made from the population sample. It was found that any chosen artibrary location would not reliably represent the true anatomic hinge axis.
Long-tube gastrostomy with internal intestinal splinting in inflammatory disease of the small intestines.

A method of long-intestinal-tube gastrostomy with internal splinting of the small intestine is presented. Indications and advantages are described. The method has been successful in a six-year experience. Its simplicity, efficiency and freedom from complications are emphasized. Inflation of the bowel by a soft ballon, facilitating dissection in navigating the bowel, is also stressed.
Interpretation of the Gas-Phase Solvent Deuterium Kinetic Isotope Effects in the SN2 Reaction Mechanism: Comparison of Theoretical and Experimental Results in the Reaction of Microsolvated Fluoride Ions with Methyl Halides

We carried out a comprehensive ab initio calculation and transition-state theory analysis of the solvent and secondary deuterium kinetic isotope effects in the S N 2 reactions of microsolvated fluoride ions with methyl halides. Water, methanol, and hydrogen fluoride were used as solvents, and the results are compared with recent experiments. Kinetic isotope effects were dissected into contributions from translations, rotations, and different vibration modes, and the validity of such analysis is also discussed. Excellent agreement was found for some reactions, whereas the agreement was poor for other reactions. We showed that the deviation between theory and experiments is related to the reaction kinetics; a faster reaction produced a kinetic isotope effect that was systematically larger (less inverse) than the calculated value. In addition, we also found that the magnitude of the deviation is proportional to the reaction efficiency. We rationalize the disagreement as a failure of the transition-state theory to model barrierless reactions, and we propose a very simple scheme to interpret these findings and predict the deviation between experimental and theoretical values in those reactions.
Permafrost distribution in the southern circumpolar region and its relation to the environment: A review and recommendations for further research

Because of basal melting beneath the massive Antarctic ice sheet, permafrost probably comprises less than 25% of the Southern Circumpolar Region (c. ≥ 50°S latitude). Permafrost is pervasive in ice-free areas of Antarctica and its offshore islands but is lacking in the sub-Antarctic islands, except possibly at the higher elevations. Based on limited data, the thickness of permafrost ranges from 100 to 1000m in ice-free areas of Antarctica. The thickness of the active layer ranges between 50 and 150 cm in the Antarctic islands and maritime East Antarctica and 15 and 50 cm in interior Antarctica. Ground ice is restricted to rock glaciers and ice wedges; the rock glaciers, palsa and thermokarst reported in some areas originate from ice-cored drift and not permafrost. Active and inactive patterned ground occurs throughout the region. Whereas sorted circles, nets, and stripes are common in the Antarctic islands and in maritime East Antarctica, ice- and sand-wedge polygons are prevalent in ice-free valleys of Antarctica. Altiplanation terraces may exist in the Antarctic islands and in maritime East Antarctica; however, landforms in interior Antarctica are controlled more by salt weathering than by cryogenic processes. Based-on the presence of inactive rock glaciers, gelifluction lobes, and large-scale patterned-ground features, permafrost was probably present in the sub-Antarctic islands during the last glaciation. Recommendations are made for future work in the region. Comme la base de la calotte glaciaire antarctique se trouve au point de fusion, le pergelisol occupe probablement moins de 25% de la region circumpolaire antarctique en entendant par la, la zone qui se trouve a une latitude superieure a 50°S. Le pergelisol est continu dans les regions libres de glace de l'Antarctique et dans les ǐles voisines; il est absent dans les ǐles subantarctiques, sauf peut-ětre en altitude. Sur la base de donnees limitees, l'epaisseur du pergelisol varie entre 100 et 1.000 m dans les regions libres des glace de l'Antarctique. L'epaisseur de la couche active varie entre 50 et 150cm dans les ǐles et dans l'Est maritime de l'Antarctique et entre 15 et 50cm a l'interieur de l'Antarctique. La glace de sol est limitee aux glaciers rocheux et aux coins de glace; les glaciers rocheus, les palses et le thermokarst mentionnes dans quelques regions troubent leur origine dans la presence de glace glaciaire enfouie et non dans celle de glace apparue dans le sol. Des sols polygonaux actifs et non actifs existent dans toute la region.
Rate-specific synchrony: Using noisy oscillations to detect equally active neurons

Although gamma frequency oscillations are common in the brain, their functional contributions to neural computation are not understood. Here we report in vitro electrophysiological recordings to evaluate how noisy gamma frequency oscillatory input interacts with the overall activation level of a neuron to determine the precise timing of its action potentials. The experiments were designed to evaluate spike synchrony in a neural circuit architecture in which a population of neurons receives a common noisy gamma oscillatory synaptic drive while the firing rate of each individual neuron is determined by a slowly varying independent input. We demonstrate that similarity of firing rate is a major determinant of synchrony under common noisy oscillatory input: Near coincidence of spikes at similar rates gives way to substantial desynchronization at larger firing rate differences. Analysis of this rate-specific synchrony phenomenon reveals distinct spike timing “fingerprints” at different firing rates that emerge through a combination of phase shifting and abrupt changes in spike patterns. We further demonstrate that rate-specific synchrony permits robust detection of rate similarity in a population of neurons through synchronous activation of a postsynaptic neuron, supporting the biological plausibility of a Many Are Equal computation. Our results reveal that spatially coherent noisy oscillations, which are common throughout the brain, can generate previously unknown relationships among neural rate codes, noisy interspike intervals, and precise spike synchrony codes. All of these can coexist in a self-consistent manner because of rate-specific synchrony.