cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Designing Compact and Maximally Permissive Deadlock Avoidance Policies for Complex Resource Allocation Systems Through Classification Theory: The Nonlinear Case

Most of the past research on the problem of deadlock avoidance for complex resource allocation systems (RAS) has acknowledged the fact that the computation of the maximally permissive deadlock avoidance policy (DAP) possesses super-polynomial complexity for most RAS classes, and therefore, it has resorted to solutions that trade off maximal permissiveness for computational tractability. In this paper, we distinguish between the off-line and the on-line computation that is required for the effective implementation of the maximally permissive DAP, and we seek to develop representations of this policy that will require minimal on-line computation. The particular representation that we adopt is that of a compact classifier that will effect the underlying dichotomy of the reachable state space into safe and unsafe subspaces. Furthermore, in this first study of the aforementioned problem, we restrict our attention to a particular RAS class that is motivated by an ongoing project of ours called Gadara, and accepts separation of the safe and unsafe subspaces of its instantiations through a set of linear inequalities. Through a series of reductions of the derived classification problem, we are also able to attain extensive reductions in the computational complexity of the off-line task of the construction of the sought classifier. We formally establish completeness and optimality properties for the proposed design procedures. We also offer heuristics that, if necessary, can alleviate the computational effort that is necessary for the construction of the sought classifier. Finally, we demonstrate the efficacy of the developed approaches through a series of computational experiments. To the best of our knowledge, these experiments also establish the ability of the proposed methodology to effectively compute tractable implementations of the maximally permissive DAP for problem instances significantly beyond the capacity of any other approach currently available in the literature.
EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION OF PRESSURE DROP ELEMENTS AND FABRICATED NUCLEATION SITES FOR STABILIZING FLOW BOILING IN MINICHANNELS AND MICROCHANNELS

The flow boiling process suffers from severe instabilities induced due to nucleation of vapor bubbles in a minichannel or a microchannel in a superheated liquid environment. In an effort to improve the flow boiling stability, several modifications are introduced and experiments are performed on 1054 x 197 µm microchannels with water as the working fluid. The cavity sizes and local liquid and wall conditions required at the onset of nucleation are analyzed. The effects of an inlet pressure restrictor and fabricated nucleation sites are evaluated as a means of stabilizing the flow boiling process and avoiding the backflow phenomena. The results are compared with the unrestricted flow configurations in smooth channels.
Is Liberalism Really the Answer

I read the first pages of Ira Katznelson's provocative essay with enthusiasm and sympathy. While acknowledging that much interesting and valuable work is being done in the field of working-class history, he accurately pointed to a crisis that is at once political, theoretical, and methodological. He rightly urged us to refuse the currently fashionable alternatives: struc ture/agency, materialism/discourse, reality/signification, economy/culture. He wisely warned against any easy elision or conflation of these alterna tives, favoring instead an exploration of their contradictions and disjunc tures. But as I read on to his diagnosis of the ills besetting the field I became uneasy, fearing that while he had recognized some symptoms, he had ignored other, very prominent ones. And when I read his prescrip tion?a labor history that centered on state-focused politics, institutions, and the law?I feared the patient might never recover. I have long been both an advocate and practioneer of a working-class history in which politics traditionally conceived?the state, high politics, institutions, the law?are important. And I am hardly alone, as numerous studies of European workers' movements and of the twentieth-century working class in America and Europe testify. Thus I see Ira's insistence on attention to politics and the state as one possible step in one valuable direction. But this should not be the exclusive focus of future work, for such a state-centered approach is neither substantively nor theoretically adequate to the complexity of writing working-class history. Nor is it the sole way to restore political immediacy and intellectual passion to the field, for the political issues raised by liberal theory are one, but not the only issue of centrality in the political agenda of the contemporary world. Before exploring where working-class history might go and how, I want to recall some commitments of the project in which we have been engaged for the last few decades and suggest what we might wish to retain from both the old and the now-aging new labor history.
Risk-sensitive control under a class of denial-of-service attack models

In this paper, we consider the problem of risk-sensitive control under a class of Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack strategies and derive a solution for the optimal control policy when the attacker jams randomly the control packets in the system. For a discrete-time partially observed stochastic system with an exponential running cost, we provide a solution in terms of finite-dimensional dynamics of the system via a measure transformation approach and dynamic programming. We use the risk-sensitive criterion rather than quadratic cost to directly highlight one's belief about system uncertainties back to the cost functional. Moreover, on the transformed measure space, the solution to the optimal control problem appears as if it depends on the average path of the DoS attacks in the system.
Synovitis and bovine syncytial virus isolation in experimentally induced malignant catarrhal fever.

Abstract Synovial membranes and fluid from joints of cattle with experimentally induced and naturally-occurring malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) were examined grossly and by histological, ultrastructural, immunological and virological means. Synovitis, characterized by focally roughened synovial membranes and cloudy synovial fluid with occasional fibrin strands, was frequently found, particularly in tibiotarsal joints. Histologically, there was variable mononuclear cell infiltration of synovial tissues with necrosis, and fibrin exudation in severe cases. Ultrastructurally, most synoviocytes were intermediate between Types A and B. Variably severe degenerative changes were observed in synoviocytes and lymphoid cells. Lymphoid vasculitis was common in severely involved joints. Synovial fluid contained markedly increased numbers of mononuclear cells and elevated total protein, but no significant elevation in serum titres of rheumatoid factor was associated with the development of MCF in the experimental disease. Bovine syncytial virus was isolated from cells of synovial fluid of 9 of 10 cattle with experimental MCF and from other tissues of 8 of 9 cattle with MCF. The significance of this finding is unclear.
Iconizer: a framework to identify and create effective representations for visual information encoding

The majority of visual communication today occurs by ways of spatial groupings, plots, graphs, data renderings, photographs and video frames. However, the degree of semantics encoded in these visual representations is still quite limited. The use of icons as a form of information encoding has been explored to a much lesser extent. In this paper we describe a framework that uses a dual domain approach involving natural language text processing and global image databases to help users identify icons suitable to visually encode abstract semantic concepts.
ON THE TRACK OF THINGS: SENSATION AND MODERNITY IN MARY ELIZABETH BRADDON'S LADY AUDLEY'S SECRET

Nineteenth-century reviewers, though they disagreed about nearly all aspects of the sensation phenomenon, were united in diagnosing the sensation novel as a symptom of modernity. In a review of novels by Mary Elizabeth Braddon and Wilkie Collins, Henry James noted that their books were typically set in “Modern England – the England of to-day's newspaper” and featured protagonists who were “English [gentlewomen] of the current year, familiar with the use of the railway and the telegraph” (593). Like Bram Stoker's Dracula some four decades later, Braddon's Lady Audley's Secret (1862) represented “nineteenth century up-to-date with a vengeance” (Stoker 67; ch. 3). But Braddon's novel was also “a sign of the times” because it betokened the rising awareness of modernity's tendency toward rapid obsoleteness (“Our Female Sensation Novelists” 485). The critical hostility directed against it at the moment of its greatest success in the 1860s also had the effect of exposing the seeds of transience that constitute the paradoxical essence of novelty.
Neoirieone, a diterpenoid of a new skeletal class from the red marine alga Laurencia cf. Irieii

Abstract Neoirieone, a dibrominated diterpenoid of a new skeletal class, related to the irieol diterpenoids, has been isolated from Laurencia cf. irieii . The structure of neoirieone was elucidated by x-ray crystallographic analysis of its corresponding reduction product, neoirieol ( 7 .
Computational method for temporal pattern discovery in biomedical genomic databases

With the rapid growth of biomedical research databases, opportunities for scientific inquiry have expanded quickly and led to a demand for computational methods that can extract biologically relevant patterns among vast amounts of data. A significant challenge is identifying temporal relationships among genotypic and clinical (phenotypic) data. Few software tools are available for such pattern matching, and they are not interoperable with existing databases. We are developing and validating a novel software method for temporal pattern discovery in biomedical genomics. In this paper, we present an efficient and flexible query algorithm (called TEMF) to extract statistical patterns from time-oriented relational databases. We show that TEMF-as an extension to our modular temporal querying application (Chronus II)-can express a wide range of complex temporal aggregations without the need for data processing in a statistical software package. We show the expressivity of TEMF using example queries from the Stanford HIV Database.
Inflammation induced loss of skeletal muscle

Inflammation is an important contributor to the pathology of diseases implicated in skeletal muscle dysfunction. A number of diseases and disorders including inflammatory myopathies and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) are characterized by chronic inflammation or elevation of the inflammatory mediators. While these disease states exhibit different pathologies, all have in common the loss of skeletal muscle mass and a deregulated skeletal muscle physiology. Pro-inflammatory cytokines are key contributors to chronic inflammation found in many of these diseases. This section of the review focuses on some of the known inflammatory disorders like COPD, Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and inflammatory myopathies that display skeletal muscle atrophy and also provides the reader an overview of the mediators of inflammation, their signaling pathways, and mechanisms of action. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Muscle Bone Interactions".
Reductions in levels of the Alzheimer’s amyloid β peptide after oral administration of ginsenosides

For millennia, ginseng and some of its components have been used to treat a wide variety of medical conditions, including age-related memory impairment. Because of its purported effects and apparently low rate of side effects, ginseng remains one of the top selling natural product remedies in the United States. Given its potential role for improving age-related memory impairments and its common use in China for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease-like symptoms, we analyzed the effects of commercially available preparations of ginseng on the accumulation of the Alzheimer's amyloid beta peptide (Abeta) in a cell-based model system. In this model system, ginseng treatment resulted in a significant reduction in the levels of Abeta in the conditioned medium. We next examined the effects of several compounds isolated from ginseng and found that certain ginsenosides lowered Abeta concentration in a dose-dependent manner with ginsenoside Rg3 having an approximate IC50 of under 25 microM against Abeta42. Furthermore, we found that three of these isolated components, ginsenoside Rg1, Rg3, and RE, resulted in significant reductions in the amount of Abeta detected in the brains of animals after single oral doses of these agents. The results indicate that ginseng itself, or purified ginsenosides, may have similarly useful effects in human disease.
Note-taking for self-explanation and problem solving

We explore the effects of interfaces to take notes on problem solving and learning in a scientific discovery domain. In 2 experiments (1 correlational, 1 experimental), participants solved a series of 5 scientific reasoning problems in a computer environment. We provided some participants with access to an on-line notepad and found 3 main results: (a) Using the notepad helped participants solve the problems more accurately; (b) the benefits of using the notepad persisted after participants had stopped using it; and (c) participants who used the notepad for problem solving and self-explanation learned more, regardless of the type of notepad interface that was provided. Implications for learning systems with online notepads are discussed.
A method of probabilistic risk assessment for energy performance and cost using building energy simulation

Abstract Energy efficient buildings rely on simulation to predict energy performance. However, problems associated with simulation tools can lead to surprises when discrepancies are found between actual and predicted building energy performance; this frustrates building owners, investors, and designers. A probabilistic method of risk assessment for the calculation of energy use intensity and total utility cost in energy performance has been developed. Sensitive and uncertain parameters were selected and given a probability distribution instead of one fixed value for the simulations. Latin hypercube sampling was used to generate input combinations with parameter values picked stochastically from distributions based on the Monte Carlo method. With these input combinations, 10,000 simulations on seven distributed parameters were run using a cloud processing service. The output data, energy use intensity and energy cost, were analyzed using curve-fitting techniques to find a best-fit distribution, which could be used for risk analysis of energy performance and cost. The results illustrate the probability and reliability of prediction within a specific range. Instead of relying on a single value, these curves would help designers better evaluate design alternatives, and the probability distribution of energy performance and cost would be useful in making decisions about investments for energy efficient projects.
In vitro anthelmintic efficacy of inhibitors of phosphoethanolamine Methyltransferases in Haemonchus contortus

The essential phosphobase methylation pathway for synthesis of phosphocholine is unique to nematodes, protozoa and plants, and thus an attractive antiparasitic molecular target. Herein, we screened compounds from the National Cancer Institute (Developmental Therapeutics Program Open Chemical Repository) for specific inhibitory activity against Haemonchus contortus phosphoethanolamine methyltransferases (HcPMT1 and HcPMT2), and tested candidate compounds for anthelmintic activity against adult and third-stage larvae of H. contortus. We identified compound NSC-641296 with IC50 values of 8.3 ± 1.1 μM and 5.1 ± 1.8 μM for inhibition of the catalytic activity of HcPMT1 alone and HcPMT1/HcPMT2 combination, respectively. Additionally we identified compound NSC-668394 with inhibitory IC50 values of 5.9 ± 0.9 μM and 2.8 ± 0.6 μM for HcPMT1 alone and HcPMT1/HcPMT2 combination, respectively. Of the two compounds, NSC-641296 depicted significant anthelmintic activity against third-stage larvae (IC50 = 15 ± 2.9 μM) and adult stages (IC50 = 7 ± 2.9 μM) of H. contortus, with optimal effective in vitro concentrations being 2-fold and 4-fold, respectively, lower than its cytotoxic IC50 (29 ± 2.1 μM) in a mammalian cell line. Additionally, we identified two compounds, NSC-158011 and NSC-323241, with low inhibitory activity against the combined activity of HcPMT1 and HcPMT2, but both compounds did not show any anthelmintic activity against H. contortus. The identification of NSC-641296 that specifically inhibits a unique biosynthetic pathway in H. contortus and has anthelmintic activity against both larval and adult stages of H. contortus, provides impetus for the development of urgently needed new efficacious anthelmintics to address the prevailing problem of anthelmintic-resistant H. contortus.
Robotic interactive visualization experimentation technology (RIVET): game-based simulation for human-robot interaction research

Robotic Interactive Visualization and Experimentation Technology (RIVET) is a computer-based simulation system that was developed by ARL to merge game-based technologies with current and next-generation robotic development. The original design of RIVET specifically addressed engineering-related functionality. This included the capability to test critical algorithms prior to field testing a robotic system, perform rapid consecutive test scenarios to find software bugs, and conduct algorithm verification across a wide spectrum of test scenarios. While the prior listed functional test procedures have been shown to be essential, the design of this game-based platform also lends itself to human-in-the-loop (HITL) experimentation. Here we discuss the design capabilities of RIVET that make it a valuable platform for human-robot interaction (HRI) experimentation.
Leukocyturia in Cyclosporine-Treated Renai Allograft Recipients

Five hundred eighty-seven daily urine specimens were examined from 179 consecutive renal allograft recipients with the use of quantitative cytodiagnostic urinalysis. Specimens were divided between those patients receiving cyclosporine (CyA) and steroid immunotherapy (73 patients) and those receiving standard azathioprine (Aza) and steroid immunotherapy (106 patients). When patients with urinary tract infections were excluded, an increase in leukocyturia was observed in the CyA-treated patients. Ninety-three percent of the CyA-treated patients had at least one specimen with more than 1,000 neutrophils/10 high-power fields (HPFs) versus 62% of the 106 Aza-treated patients. Sixty-four percent of the specimens examined from the CyA-treated group had more than 1,000 neutrophils/10 HPFs compared with only 18% of specimens from Aza-treated patients. It appears that CyA is a cause of sterile leukocyturia in renal allograft recipients. The significance of leukocyturia in CyA nephrotoxicity needs further definition.
Teleoperation of Legged Vehicles: Unique Problems Associated with Walking and Foot Placement

Teleoperation of legged walking vehicles poses some interesting problems in display and control design. Informational needs associated with individual foot placement when traversing rough terrain are explained. Problems faced in meeting those needs and vision, display, and control system options are presented. Future research is also described.
The status of state boards of health in 2010.

OBJECTIVE The objective of the survey was to update information about state boards of health throughout the United States and, based on the results of the survey, to determine how the National Association of Local Boards of Health can serve as a resource to assist state boards in fulfilling their responsibilities and duties. DESIGN A written survey was developed to collect information about the composition, organizational structure, statutory authority, roles, responsibilities, concerns, and needs of state boards of health. SETTING Information specific to state boards of health has not been collected on a routine basis by any organization, therefore the National Association of Local Boards of Health sought to compile current information on these boards that will be maintained and updated on a routine basis. PARTICIPANTS Surveys were mailed to 31 contacts for state boards of health. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE After follow-up attempts, responses (n = 27) were received from all but four boards for a response rate of 87.1% with one indicating no board. RESULTS Consumers and physicians were most frequently reported as required members of the boards. Board members were appointed solely by the governor in 21 (80.8%) states. Nine boards (34.6%) indicated an advisory only capacity regarding statutory authority while the others were governing, policy making, or had multiple authorities. Specific responsibilities of all of the boards included, regardless of statutory authority, advising the state chief health officer (84.6%), advising the governor (42.3%), and adopting and enforcing statutes (38.5%). CONCLUSIONS State boards of health have undergone changes and likely will continue to evolve in their role in public health governance as demonstrated by this survey. This repository of current data on state boards of health could be of use to public health researchers, boards of health, and national public health organizations in strengthening public health governance.
Classification of Driver Stop/Run Behavior at the Onset of a Yellow Indication for Different Vehicles and Roadway Surface Conditions Using Historical Behavior

The ability to classify driver stop/run behavior at signalized intersections considering the vehicle type and roadway surface conditions is critical in the design of advanced driver assistance systems. Such systems can reduce intersection crashes and fatalities by predicting driver stop/run behavior. The research presented in this paper uses data collected from three controlled field experiments and one data set collected using truck simulator. The field experiments are done on the Smart Road at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) to model driver stop/run behavior at the onset of a yellow indication for different roadway surface conditions and different vehicle type. The paper offers two contributions. First, it introduces a new predictor related to driver aggressiveness and demonstrates that this measure enhances the modeling of driver stop/run behavior. Second, it applies well-known Artificial Intelligence techniques including: adaptive boosting (adaboost), artificial neural networks (ANN), and Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithms on the data in order to develop a model that can be used by traffic signal controllers to predict driver stop/run decisions in a connected vehicle environment. The research demonstrates that by adding the driver aggressiveness predictor to the model, the increase in the model accuracy is significant for all models except SVM. However, the reduction in the false alarm rate was not statistically significant when using any of the approaches.
Determining Equilibrium Fluctuations Using Temperature-Dependent 2D-IR

We demonstrate the capability of temperature-dependent 2D-IR to characterize sources of vibrational population transfer. In a model system of iron diene tricarbonyl “piano stool” complexes, this approach reveals symmetry breaking associated with equilibrium fluctuations and differentiates these from fluxional rearrangement. Tricarbonyl(1,3-butadiene)iron and tricarbonyl(1,5-cyclooctadiene)iron are shown to undergo intramolecular vibrational redistribution (IVR) coupled to the wagging motion of their carbonyl ligands. In the case of both molecules, these equilibrium fluctuations are distinguished from chemical exchange behaviors by their temperature dependence and arguments of molecular symmetry.
The two-factor theory of nervous excitation with non-normal accommodation

By introducing a parameter which vanishes when the accommodation is normal the modifications in theoretical predictions when accommodation is non-normal are discussed, particularly in the case of stimulation by alternating currents. It is found that non-normality always has the effect of lowering the optimal amplitude of the alternating current, measured in units of the observed rheobase.
Thermal Stability of Nanocrystalline Diamond Films Grown by Microwave Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition

In this work, the open-air thermal stability of nanocrystalline diamond films grown on mirror-polished titanium alloy substrates by the Microwave Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition (MPCVD) technique was studied. The results of this investigation show that nanocrystalline diamond films are highly stable in air up to 600°C with no significant change in mechanical properties. Samples annealed between 600°C and 650°C, however, exhibit values of hardness lower by as much as 40% compared to as-grown samples. Above 650°C serious delamination effects were observed in the coatings.
Study on Sustainable Construction Model of Public Rental Housing Based on Industrialized Housing System

The construction characteristics of rental-based indemnificatory housing system were analyzed firstly,and then the connotation of the industrialized building improving the sustainability of public rental housing were analyzed from three aspects of economics sustainability,environmental sustainability and social sustainability. Finally,the sustainable construction mode suited for public rental housing construction was presented based on industrialized building construction mode.
Modeling physician practice change using the Integrated Systems Model.

the integrated Systems Model (iSM) The ISM models physician practice as a complex adaptive system (CAS4 Figure 1) with 3 major components: (1) Superstructure is the center: context, inputs, process, and products. (2) Change (top part of the inputs box) where alignment with the ongoing processes is designated by the angle theta (theta values 90 degrees are symbiotic and contribute to increasing system reserves). This loop enabling the system to adapt to changing conditions. (3) Motivators, the bottom loop, which return resources that recharge the reserve and power the entire system. The metrics and incentives boxes assay the outputs of the system and direct where resources returning to the system are expended and can yield supplemental resources to the system. The direct arrow from the process to the metrics indicates that some of the metrics and incentives are based on processes rather than outcomes. The dashed lines of these boxes refer to external sources whereas complete lines arise internal to the system. The arrows depict the manner in which the different parts functionally interact. ISM models the practice as a system, with change being a loop outside the ongoing processes because change requires diversion of resources from the normal practice flow into the reserves that sit atop the inputs box. Failure to have sufficient reserves to power this loop puts the system in crisis and can lead to failure. The costs of change (in both time and money) depend on the scope of the change, but can be divided into 2 types: startup and recurring. Startup refers to 1-time costs to make the change. Recurring costs are those incurred for maintaining change. The ISM defines each entity in the model as an agent or a microsystem in a larger system represented by the context. Individuals in the model operate from a set of simple rules (a feature of a CAS), but the exact nature of the rules differs with each microsystem. ISM proposes there is a subsystem for each individual in the system (health care professionals and patients). Financial solvency and quality care are critical aims of the physician practice microsystem. There are often multiple changes being considered at any given time, putting them in direct Darwinian competition. Generally, innovations producing a more positive theta value will win. Although the model provides a Modeling physician practice change using the Integrated Systems Model
Amelioration of problems of partial penile amputation.

Abstract Insertion of a penile prosthesis has corrected mechanical and psychological problems after partial penile amputation.
What is the role of epsilon in the Escherichia coli ATP synthase

The ATP synthase from Escherichia coli is a prototype of the ATP synthases that are found in many bacteria, in the mitochondria of eukaryotes, and in the chloroplasts of plants. It contains eight different types of subunits that have traditionally been divided into F(1), a water-soluble catalytic sector, and F(o), a membrane-bound ion transporting sector. In the current rotary model for ATP synthesis, the subunits can be divided into rotor and stator subunits. Several lines of evidence indicate that epsilon is one of the three rotor subunits, which rotate through 360 degrees. The three-dimensional structure of epsilon is known and its interactions with other subunits have been explored by several approaches. In light of recent work by our group and that of others, the role of epsilon in the ATP synthase from E. coli is discussed.
Hereditary spherocytosis. I. Clinical, hematologic and genetic features in 28 cases, with particular reference to the osmotic and mechanical fragility of incubated erythrocytes.

Clinical, hematologic and genetic data on 28 cases of hereditary spherocytosis are presented for the purpose of characterizing this disorder as completely as possible. On the basis of this experience it is recommended that the following typical laboratory findings be sought in establishing a diagnosis in suspected cases: (1) Presence of spherocytes or abnormally thick red cells in peripheral blood; (2) greater than normal osmotic fragility of the red cells; in cases in which the fragility of fresh cells is not significantly increased, determinations should be made after sterile incubation of the blood at body temperature for 24 hours; (3) greater than normal mechanical fragility of freshly drawn red cells; (4) negative antiglobulin (Coombs) test; (5) greater than normal lysis of the red cells during sterile incubation at body temperature for 48 hours; and (6) presence of similar abnormalities in relatives. Abnormality of the erythrocyte persisted in all of the 11 patients in this series followed one or more years after splenectomy. An unusual case of chronic hemolytic anemia is described but not included in the numbered series because (1) both parents were hematologically normal and (2) spherocytosis and abnormally great osmotic and mechanical fragility and autohemolysis could not be demonstrated after the fifth postoperative month. Classification of this case is deferred pending further experience. Demonstration in a parent, sibling or offspring of red cells showing the afore-mentioned abnormalities is necessary for an unequivocal diagnosis, but this requirement cannot always be met because relatives may not be available for examination. Moreover, when parents and/or several siblings are examined without positive findings, low gene expressivity, gene mutation and illegitimacy may be considered as explanations. Evidence is cited to suggest the possibility of a low degree of penetrance or expression in some cases and to illustrate the need for still more sensitive laboratory tests that might aid in diagnosis of the mildest forms of this disease. The lower incidence of spherocytosis in siblings of propositi than in offspring of propositi is cited as evidence bearing on the theory of gene mutation in some propositi. A simplified "qualitative" test of osmotic fragility of incubated red cells is described.
ConceptNet 5: A Large Semantic Network for Relational Knowledge

ConceptNet is a knowledge representation project, providing a large semantic graph that describes general human knowledge and how it is expressed in natural language. Here we present the latest iteration, ConceptNet 5, with a focus on its fundamental design decisions and ways to interoperate with it.
Analysis of Heritability Using Genome-Wide Data

Most analyses of genome-wide association data consider each variant independently without considering or adjusting for the genetic background present in the rest of the genome. New approaches to genome analysis use representations of genomic sharing to better account for confounding factors like population stratification or to directly approximate heritability through the estimated sharing of individuals in a dataset. These approaches use mixed linear models, which relate genotypic sharing to phenotypic sharing, and rely on the efficient computation of genetic sharing among individuals in a dataset. This unit describes the principles and practical application of mixed models for the analysis of genome-wide association study data. © 2016 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Technical Facets of Radioaerosol Delivery

A new high-frequency ultrasonic nebulizer system for radioaerosol delivery is described. Since the successful use of this equipment is dependent upon technical proficiency, the technical facets of radioaerosol delivery have been listed in detail.
Unstable Antistatism: The Left, the Right, and The Outlaw Josey Wales

This essay is an examination of the diverse origins of modern conservative antistatism in the United States through an analysis of the 1976 film The Outlaw Josey Wales, and the book on which it was based. The consolidation of a conservative politics in the 1970s was achieved in part by the Right's appropriation of New Left antistatism via older forms of racial discourse. This emphasis on New Left influence helps explain the rise of the New Right in a way that is missed in conventional accounts, while demonstrating more generally that political discourse is always contingent and unstable, and open to unintended articulations.
BK virus as a predictor of chronic kidney disease in hematopoietic stem cell recipients.

7016 Background: Nephropathy from BK virus (BKV) infection is an evolving challenge in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients. In contrast to kidney transplantation, where there are screening protocols for early detection and prevention of symptomatic BKV nephropathy, there is no such guideline in HSCT. We hypothesized that BKV infection is a marker of poor renal outcomes in the HSCT survivor population. Methods: We analyzed all engrafted patients undergoing first allogeneic HSCT at MD Anderson Cancer Center between January 2004 and December 2012, with normal kidney function at the time of HSCT. We evaluated the renal outcome and factors impacting poor renal outcome in these patients. BKV positivity was defined as BKV detection in urine by PCR testing. Renal outcome was determined as the time between HSCT to chronic kidney disease (CKD), defined by constant decrease of 25% or more in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) compare to the baseline at the time of transplant. Results: ...
Numerical experiments on the convergence properties of state-based peridynamic laws and influence functions in two-dimensional problems

Abstract Peridynamics is widely used as the theoretical basis for numerical studies of fracture evolution, propagation, and behavior. While the theory has been shown to converge to continuum mechanics in the theoretical limit, its behavior as a discrete numerical approximation with respect to classic problems has not been shown. In this study, we use standard analytical solutions to thoroughly test the numerical accuracy and rate of convergence of the spatial discretization obtained by peridynamics. We analyze the accuracy and rate of convergence of three different peridynamic constitutive responses: of these, two involve a state-based dilation, and the third is based on the estimation of the deformation gradient. Additionally, we study the choice of the peridynamic influence function in each of the constitutive responses. The peridynamic materials are solved in the linear elastic regime by solving a linear system of equations obtained by symbolically differentiating the force states. We test the methods against standard constant-strain solutions for uniaxial compression, isotropic compression, and simple shear. We also apply the methods to a finite material with a pressurized thin crack, using the Westergaard’s solution method to obtain an analytical displacement field for comparison. The two dilation-based peridynamic constitutive responses are found to only converge to one of the constant strain solutions, while the deformation gradient-based law converges in all cases with an appropriate choice of the influence functions. We show that a cubic influence function is the best choice of those considered in all methods. Only the deformation gradient-based model converges for all three linear deformation problems, but is less accurate than the dilation-based models for the thin crack problem because of instabilities. We demonstrate an ad hoc smoothing technique based on the influence function that is able to alleviate these instabilities and improve the accuracy of the deformation gradient-based model.
Mapping the diurnal thermal response of the urban heat island with Landsat TIRS

Since its launch in February 2013, the Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) on Landsat 8 has provided two channel thermal imagery of urban environments worldwide. The 100 m resolution of TIRS combined with the 30 m resolution of the Operational Land Imager (OLI) makes it possible to distinguish spatial variations in aggregate brightness temperature and subpixel land cover fractions estimated using linear spectral mixture models. In the summer of 2015, Landsat 8 began collecting nocturnal thermal imagery of 150 cities worldwide. We use day-night acquisitions of TIRS thermal imagery in conjunction with subpixel land cover fractions to investigate the relationship between land cover and diurnal variations in surface temperature in a variety of human-modified landscapes. Using two sets of diurnal thermal acquisitions and coincident land cover fraction maps in six diverse environments and climatic zones, we quantify the relationships between diurnal thermal response and land cover in different seasons for different urban typologies along a variety of urban-rural gradients. Representing land cover as subpixel fractions of soil and impervious Substrate, Vegetation and Dark (SVD) surfaces distinguishes the most functionally and physically distinct components of the land cover mosaic and provides a physical basis for quantifying the effects of vegetation, water, shadow and impervious surface on aggregate brightness temperature and diurnal thermal response. Using multi-season composites of SVD fractions provides additional constraints in the form of spectral stability because it allows spectrally stable impervious surfaces to be distinguished from temporally variable soil reflectance. In all six environments, daytime and nighttime brightness temperatures show varying degrees of correlation, depending on season, atmosphere, and land cover diversity. Although nighttime brightness temperature distributions span smaller ranges than corresponding daytime temperature distributions, nighttime temperature maps show much greater diversity and stronger correlations to land cover than daytime temperature maps. Specifically, the inverse relationship between vegetation abundance and temperature is considerably reduced at night while the retrograde cooling effect of high albedo substrates persists. On the basis of these preliminary observations, we expect that ongoing collection of nocturnal thermal imagery by Landsat 8 could contribute significantly to our understanding of the thermal environment of urban areas worldwide.
Chapter 4 – Mathematical Models and Numerical Solutions for Thermal Storage Processes

This chapter presents information on mathematical models for thermal storage, covering the establishing of proper governing equations to mathematically follow the energy conservation principles for “control volumes” in a thermal storage tank when heat is charged or withdrawn; deciding the boundary condition requirements for the governing equations; and discovering the most efficient mathematical method to solve the governing equations with accuracy, so that the temperatures of fluid and solid media can be determined at any location in the tank at any time. The models address several configurations of thermal storage systems, including single fluid thermal storage, dual media (fluid and packed bed) sensible thermal storage, and dual-media PCM-based latent heat thermal storage. In the dual-media sensible thermal storage, both configurations of solid particle packed bed and integrated solid with fluid pipes passing through are considered and discussed. The transient heat transfer in a packed bed is typically assumed uniform in the radial direction in a storage tank and thus one- or two-dimensional governing equations are sufficient to describe the problems. For convenient design analysis, the models described in the following paragraphs start from a one-dimensional model which has been proven to have no sacrifice of accuracy. Models in three dimensions considering nonuniform flow are briefly introduced at the end of the chapter.
Compensated Central Vein Occlusion

This chapter discusses the case of a patient who had been on hemodialysis for several years. During this period of time, he had had a number of central venous catheters that had been in place for prolonged periods. He also received several upper extremity arteriovenous accesses that had failed. Approximately 4 months earlier, a successful brachial-basilic fistula was created in his left arm and had been used effectively for dialysis treatments. After the fistula was placed, the patient developed marked swelling of his arm. Over the next few months, however, the swelling had become less and recently has completely disappeared without any intervention.
Conserved RNA-binding specificity of polycomb repressive complex 2 is achieved by dispersed amino acid patches in EZH2

Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is a key chromatin modifier responsible for methylation of lysine 27 in histone H3. PRC2 has been shown to interact with thousands of RNA species in vivo, but understanding the physiological function of RNA binding has been hampered by the lack of separation-of-function mutants. Here, we use comprehensive mutagenesis and hydrogen deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) to identify critical residues for RNA interaction in PRC2 core complexes from Homo sapiens and Chaetomium thermophilum, for which crystal structures are known. Preferential binding of G-quadruplex RNA is conserved, surprisingly using different protein elements. Key RNA-binding residues are spread out along the surface of EZH2, with other subunits including EED also contributing, and missense mutations of some of these residues have been found in cancer patients. The unusual nature of this protein-RNA interaction provides a paradigm for other epigenetic modifiers that bind RNA without canonical RNA-binding motifs.
Influence of physical inactivity on arterial compliance during a glucose challenge.

NEW FINDINGS What is the central question of this study? To understand better the effects of acute hyperglycaemia on arterial stiffness in healthy young individuals, we assessed arterial stiffness in physically active men before and after reduced ambulatory physical activity to decrease insulin sensitivity. What is the main finding and its importance? During an oral glucose tolerance test, we identified an increase in leg arterial stiffness (i.e. reduced femoral artery compliance) only when subjects were inactive for 5 days ( 10,000 steps day-1 ). These results demonstrate the deleterious consequence of acute reductions in daily physical activity on the response of the peripheral vasculature to acute hyperglycaemia. ABSTRACT Acute hyperglycaemia has been shown to augment indices of arterial stiffness in patients with insulin resistance and other co-morbidities; however, conflicting results exist in healthy young individuals. We examined whether acute hyperglycaemia after an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) increases arterial stiffness in healthy active men before and after reduced ambulatory physical activity to decrease insulin sensitivity. High-resolution arterial diameter traces acquired from Doppler ultrasound allowed an arterial blood pressure (BP) waveform to be obtained from the diameter trace within a cardiac cycle. In 24 subjects, this method demonstrated sufficient agreement with the traditional approach for assessing arterial compliance using applanation tonometry. In 10 men, continuous recordings of femoral and brachial artery diameter and beat-to-beat BP (Finometer) were acquired at rest, 60 and 120 min of an OGTT before and after 5 days of reduced activity (from >10,000 to <5000 steps day-1 ). Compliance and β-stiffness were quantified. Before the reduction in activity, the OGTT had no effect on arterial compliance or β-stiffness. However, after the reduction in activity, femoral compliance was decreased (rest, 0.10 ± 0.03 mm2 mmHg-1 versus 120 min OGTT, 0.06 ± 0.02 mm2 mmHg-1 ; P < 0.001) and femoral β-stiffness increased (rest, 8.7 ± 2.7 a.u. versus 120 min OGTT, 15.3 ± 6.5 a.u.; P < 0.001) during OGTT, whereas no changes occurred in brachial artery compliance (P = 0.182) or stiffness (P = 0.892). Insulin sensitivity (Matsuda index) was decreased after the reduction in activity (P = 0.002). In summary, in young healthy men the femoral artery becomes susceptible to acute hyperglycaemia after 5 days of reduced activity and the resultant decrease in insulin sensitivity, highlighting the strong influence of daily physical activity levels on vascular physiology.
National disparities in treatment package time for resected locally advanced head and neck cancer and impact on overall survival

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to determine national disparities in head and neck cancer treatment package time (the time interval from surgery through the completion of radiation) and the associated impact on survival. METHODS We conducted an observational cohort study using the National Cancer Database of 15 234 patients with resected head and neck cancer who underwent adjuvant radiotherapy from 2004-2012. Predictors of prolonged package time were identified by multivariable linear regression. Survival outcomes were assessed using a multivariable Cox model. RESULTS Mean package time was 100 days (SD 23). Package time was 7.52 days (95% confidence interval [CI] 6.23-8.81; P < .001) longer with Medicaid versus commercial insurance. Low income and African American race also predicted for longer package times. All-cause mortality increased an average of 4% with each 1 week increase in treatment package time (hazard ratio [HR] 1.04; 95% CI 1.03-1.05; P < .001). CONCLUSION Significant national socioeconomic disparities exist in treatment package time. Treatment delays in this setting may contribute to worse survival outcomes.