cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Applications of probabilistic quorums to iterative algorithms

Presents a definition of a read-write register that sometimes returns out-of-date values, shows that the definition is implemented by the probabilistic quorum algorithm of D. Malkhi et al. (1997), and shows how to program with such registers using the framework of A. U/spl uml/resin and M. Dubois (1990). Consequently, existing iterative algorithms for an interesting class of problems (including finding shortest paths, constraint satisfaction and transitive closure) converge with high probability if executed in a system in which the shared data is implemented with registers satisfying the new definition. Furthermore, the algorithms in this framework inherit positive attributes concerning load and availability from the underlying register implementation. A monotone version of the new register definition is specified and implemented; it can provide improved expected convergence time and message complexity for iterative algorithms.
The Effect of the Trust Receipts Act

HT HE adoption of the Uniform Trust Receipts Act by New York' in I934 and by Illinois,2 Indiana,3 and Oregon4 in 1935 makes pertinent a discussion of the effect of this statute on the law of lender and borrower and sales financing. The act was prepared for the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws by Professor Karl N. Llewellyn of the Columbia University Law School during the years I925 to I933. Its growth can be traced and its theories discovered by an examination of the annual handbooks of the Conference during that period.5 That the statute is difficult to understand is shown by the memorandum of Governor Horner of Illinois which he filed with the Secretary of State when he permitted the bill to become law last July without his signature. The Governor said:
Herpes Simplex Virus Thymidine Kinase-Dependent Antiviral Agents

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-l), type 2 (HSV-2) and varicella zoster virus (VZV) are capable of inducing their specified thymidine kinase (TK) in virus-infected cells. These virus-specified thymidine kinases differ from human cytosol and mitochondrial thymidine kinases not only in their physical and immunological properties (Table 1) but also in their kinetic behaviors (1–8).
Demonstrating Advanced Oxidation Coupled with Biodegradation for Removal of Carbamazepine

Carbamazepine is an anthropogenic pharmaceutical found in wastewater effluents that is quite resistant to removal by conventional wastewater treatment processes. Hydroxyl radicalbased advanced oxidation process can transform carbamazepine into degradation products but cannot mineralize it in an economically efficient manner. This study evaluated the combination of ultraviolet plus hydrogen peroxide (UV-H2O2)-based advanced oxidation and biodegradation to enable carbamazepine removal; specifically, to determine whether the products of the advanced oxidation of carbamazepine can be further biodegraded by activated sludge microbial communities. The fate of 14C–carbamazepine was followed through benchscale advanced oxidation followed by biodegradation using liquid scintillation counting, and by liquid chromatography with either a mass spectrometric or a radiochemical detection. The results illustrate that carbamazepine oxidation products can be mineralized by activated sludge bacteria. This outcome suggests that combining advanced oxidation with a biologically active filtration treatment step can be effective for carbamazepine removal. This same treatment strategy should be evaluated for its effectiveness with other biologically recalcitrant organic micropollutants. Advanced oxidation followed by biodegradation may be a viable option for applying tertiary wastewater treatment to achieve trace contaminant removal. This title belongs to WERF Research Report Series . ISBN: 9781780400426 (eBook)
On the Process of Automation Transition in Multitask Human–Machine Systems

This paper examined the effects of different forms of automation invocation, the reconfiguration of the task display when automated, and the influence of the specific modality that warned of the manual/automation transition on operator performance. Thirty-two experienced pilots engaged in a multiple-task situation consisting of tracking, monitoring, and fuel management subtasks, representative of typical aviation demands. Automation of the tracking task could be invoked in four different ways: 1) system-initiated automation (SIA); 2) pilot command by negation (PCN); 3) pilot command by initiation (PCI); and 4) pilot-initiated automation (PIA). Pilots were warned of the mode change between manual and automated controls by either a visual, an aural, or a combined visual and aural cue. The display of the subtask while in automation was reduced in size and placed either in a central or peripheral location. Results indicated that SIA had a differential effect on tracking performance as compared to all other forms of automation invocation. The respective location of the automated display had it effects in the fuel management subtask, whereas monitoring capability remained stable across manipulations. A significant three-way interaction between invocation procedure, display location, and warning modality illustrated the selective disadvantage of the visual warning combined with the central location under the PCI procedure on tracking response. Measures of subjective response suggested that visual warning modality was slightly more taxing than either an auditory or a combined auditory and visual warning. Pilots also experienced elevated fatigue when the system initiated the automation. These results confirm that both performance and subjective perception of multitask demand are greater when the system controls the option to automate. A qualitative model is presented, which provides an approach for the integrated assessment of human performance with adaptive systems.
The Genus Pronematus Caiiestrini

The genus Pronematus is reviewed. P. vandykei Baker and P. brachytarsus Baker are removed to Pronematulus Baker. Fifteen species are discussed of which 10 are new. The new species are: Pronematus curtipilus , P. flesebneri, P. sextoni, P. elongatus, P. neoelongatus , P. mcgregori, P. biminiensis , P. curtitarsus , P. bachewingi , and P. davisi.
GEMTIP inversion of complex resistivity data using a hybrid method based on a genetic algorithm with simulated annealing and regularized conjugate gradient method

Summary This paper demonstrates that an ellipsoidal model of the generalized effective-medium theory of induced polarization (GEMTIP) can be used to effectively invert complex resistivity (CR) data into petrophysical parameters of rocks, including matrix resistivity, volume fraction, etc. The inversion of the CR data has proven to be very challenging due to the nonuniqueness and instability of this problem. This paper introduces a new hybrid method based on a genetic algorithm with simulated annealing and regularized conjugate gradient minimization (SAAGARCG). This fast and effective approach combines the advantages of both the SAAGA and RCG methods and converges into the global minimum. The case study presents the results of inversion of the observed CR data and their comparison with a QEMSCAN analysis for representative mineral rock samples.
Relapse among recovering addiction professionals: Prevalence and predictors

In 2013–2014, a cross-sectional, exploratory, survey design was used to obtain a conservative estimate of relapse among a sample of recovering addiction professionals in the United States and to id...
No ‘Subs’titute for Sobriety

This case discusses the pharmacodynamic interaction between buprenorphine and opioid µ-receptor agonists resulting in hypoanalgesic effect.
High performance breeding blankets for ICF facilities

Discussed are the advantages of using fusion neutrons for breeding special nuclear materials and tritium. Monte Carlo calculations were used to identify both fissionable and nonfissionable materials that multiply neutrons and increase breeding ratios. Fissionable multipliers also greatly multiply the neutron energy. A generic blanket design that utilizes /sup 238/U as a neutron multiplier is described and compared to an ideal infinitemedium blanket. Time-dependent calculations show gradual improvement of performance during the lifetime of the blanket. The blanket analyzed here is compatible with a reaction chamber that uses high velocity lithium, held on the wall by centrifugal acceleration, to protect the wall from pellet explosions.
Adapting SOYGRO V5.42 for Prediction under Climate Change Conditions

In some studies of the impacts of climate change on global crop production, crop growth models were empirically adapted to improve their response to increased CO{sub 2} concentration and air temperature. This chapter evaluates the empirical adaptations of the photosynthesis and evapotranspiration (ET) algorithms used in the soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] model, SOYGRO V5.42, by comparing it with a new model that includes mechanistic approaches for these two processes. The new evapotranspiration-photosynthesis sub-model (ETPHOT) uses a hedgerow light interception algorithm, a C{sub 3}-leaf biochemical photosynthesis submodel, and predicts canopy ET and temperatures using a three-zone energy balance. ETPHOT uses daily weather data, has an internal hourly time step, and sums hourly predictions to obtain daily gross photosynthesis and ET. The empirical ET and photosynthesis curves included in SOYGRO V5.42 for climate change prediction were similar to those predicted by the ETPHOT model. Under extreme conditions that promote high leaf temperatures, like in the humid tropics. SOYGRO V5.42 overestimated daily gross photosynthesis response to CO{sub 2} compared with the ETPHOT model. SOYGRO V5.42 also slightly overestimated daily gross photosynthesis at intermediate air temperatures and ambient CO{sub 2} concentrations. 80 refs., 12 figs.
A nonparametric two-sample hypothesis testing problem for random graphs

We consider the problem of testing whether two independent finite-dimensional random dot product graphs have generating latent positions that are drawn from the same distribution, or distributions that are related via scaling or projection. We propose a test statistic that is a kernel-based function of the estimated latent positions obtained from the adjacency spectral embedding for each graph. We show that our test statistic using the estimated latent positions converges to the test statistic obtained using the true but unknown latent positions and hence that our proposed test procedure is consistent across a broad range of alternatives. Our proof of consistency hinges upon a novel concentration inequality for the suprema of an empirical process in the estimated latent positions setting.
Temperature and rainfall interact to control carbon cycling in tropical forests.

Tropical forests dominate global terrestrial carbon (C) exchange, and recent droughts in the Amazon Basin have contributed to short-term declines in terrestrial carbon dioxide uptake and storage. However, the effects of longer-term climate variability on tropical forest carbon dynamics are still not well understood. We synthesised field data from more than 150 tropical forest sites to explore how climate regulates tropical forest aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) and organic matter decomposition, and combined those data with two existing databases to explore climate – C relationships globally. While previous analyses have focused on the effects of either temperature or rainfall on ANPP, our results highlight the importance of interactions between temperature and rainfall on the C cycle. In cool forests ( 20 °C) it consistently enhanced both ANPP and decomposition. At the global scale, our analysis showed an increase in ANPP with rainfall in relatively warm sites, inconsistent with declines in ANPP with rainfall reported previously. Overall, our results alter our understanding of climate – C cycle relationships, with high precipitation accelerating rates of C exchange with the atmosphere in the most productive biome on earth.
OP180: Mucosal malignancy with solid organ transplantation

Purpose 1. Measure the prevalence of mucosal head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) using a large database of solid organ transplant recipients. 2. Assess the risk of malignancies considering organ type, age at transplant and use of immunosuppressive medications. 3. Investigate the impact of on overall survival of each patient subset. Methods A database containing all solid organ transplant recipients at UMHS was used, and medical records from 4125 patients transplanted from 1996 to 2006 were queried using EMERSE (Electronic Medical Record Search Engine), with a bundle of search terms designed to screen for target malignancies. Once cases were identified, analysis of differences in incidence based on transplant site and age was performed using a generalized linear model with transplant organ and age at transplant as predictors. For all patients transplanted in the year 2002, medication usage history and survival data were gathered for subgroup analysis of these endpoints. Results The transplant recipient cohort consisted of 59% kidney, 22% liver, 8% lung, 10% heart and 5% receiving dual organ transplant. Head and neck cancer (HNSCC) was diagnosed in 0.6% of patients (n = 26). The mean age (std., range) at transplant was 44 years (17, Conclusion Transplant recipients carry an elevated risk of mucosal malignancies. Older age is correlated with increased risk of malignancy and shorter post-transplant interval. There is a trend towards worse prognosis in HNSCC patients with solid organ transplant.
Concordant clear cell “mesonephric” carcinoma of the bladder and lung adenocarcinoma with clear cell features – multiple primaries versus metastatic neoplasms: a case report

Clear cell carcinoma of the bladder is a rare variant of urinary bladder adenocarcinoma. We report a case of a patient with clear cell carcinoma of the bladder and a concordant right upper lobe pulmonary adenocarcinoma with clear cell features, and we address the role of immunohistochemistry and cytogenetic analysis in distinguishing the two primary malignancies. Our patient was a 59-year-old African American woman who presented with hematuria. Her past medical history included invasive mammary carcinoma and end-stage renal disease treated with hemodialysis. A computed tomographic urogram revealed a 3-cm polypoid bladder mass. A follow-up chest computed tomographic scan revealed a 1-cm right upper lobe nodule. The patient underwent transurethral biopsy and subsequent radical cystectomy, as well as a transthoracic core needle biopsy of the lung nodule. Histologically, the bladder tumor consisted of flat, cuboidal to columnar cells with clear or eosinophilic cytoplasm and a hobnail appearance, organized in tubulocystic and papillary patterns. The neoplastic cells were diffusely positive for α-methylacyl-coenzyme A racemase, cancer antigen 125, and cytokeratin 7; focally positive for cytokeratin 20, P53, and carcinoembryonic antigen; and negative for thyroid transcription factor 1. The lung tumor demonstrated a glandular architecture with mucin production (positive for mucin with mucicarmine and periodic acid-Schiff with diastase stain). The neoplastic cells were diffusely positive for cytokeratin 7, napsin A, and thyroid transcription factor 1, and they were negative for cytokeratin 20 and cancer antigen 125. Genetic testing of the pulmonary neoplasm demonstrated ARID2 genomic alterations. The presence of clear cell features in both neoplasms raised the possibility of lung metastasis from the primary bladder tumor. However, the glandular architecture of the lung neoplasm along with its distinctive immunohistochemical and genetic profiles confirmed the presence of two separate primaries.
Wavefront reconstruction in 3D x-ray microscopy

Advanced methods in x-ray imaging require wavefront reconstruction for determining the object under study. This enables applications ranging from sub-20 nm resolution imaging of single cells, to sub-100 nm resolution imaging of whole mouse brains.
Characterization of Y-Bias Ferrite Materials for Tunable Antenna Applications Using a Partially Filled Rectangular Waveguide

A methodology for measuring the constitutive parameters of a ferrite material is presented. This method can be used to assist the prediction of the properties of tunable antennas that use ferrite material as a substrate or tuning component. A nontraditional characterization method is required due to the general unavailability of samples of a sufficient size to fill the entire cross sections of waveguides appropriate for lower frequencies where gyromagnetic properties are most pronounced, and the difficulty of predicting or approximating the applied bias magnetic field. The proposed method overcomes the limitation of sample size by requiring only partial filling of a rectangular waveguide. It overcomes a lack of knowledge of the bias field by including the field as an unknown to be determined by the extraction process. The required theoretical reflection and transmission coefficients of the partially filled waveguide are determined using a mode-matching technique. A nonlinear least squares method is employed to extract the gyromagnetic material parameters and the bias field using optimization algorithms in MATLAB. The extracted parameters of a representative commercial ferrite obtained from multiple experimental configurations are compared with the values provided by the sample manufacturer to demonstrate the feasibility of this technique.
Interactive effects of aphid feeding and virus infection on host gene expression and volatile compounds in salt-stressed soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr.

Saline soils are becoming an important limiting factor in production agriculture. Soybean cultivars [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] differ in their ability to tolerate salt stress with those that cannot limit ion uptake into leaves being salt sensitive. Those that can partially limit ion uptake into leaves are generally more salt tolerant. Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) is an important viral pathogen of soybean worldwide and is commonly transmitted by the soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura. In this study, we investigate the interaction of salt stress in soybean with SMV infection and infestation by the soybean aphid by measuring aphid populations in a no-choice assay, gene expression levels, and the induction of volatile organic compounds using static headspace GC–MS analysis. Salt stress and SMV infection both reduced total aphid populations, though SMV did not reduce the total number of aphids per gram of fresh weight. Aphid suppression of a calcium EF hand gene and OPR1 was lost when salt-sensitive soybean plants were salt stressed and when salt-tolerant plants were subjected to all three stressors. The relative levels of SMV in aphid-infested soybeans were increased by salt stress in the salt-sensitive cultivar, whereas SMV levels decreased in the salt-tolerant cultivar. Static headspace collection of volatile organic compounds revealed that salt stress and SMV infection had suppressive activities on aphid-induced terpenes. These results suggest that although salt stress has a negative impact on aphid population size, the changes in volatiles and SMV levels could alter the incidence of SMV in salt-stressed fields.
Alkali-Activated Natural Pozzolan/Slag Mortars: A Parametric Study

Abstract This study was devoted to assess the influence of binder' aluminosilicate precursor combination (natural pozzolan/slag combinations), activator combination (sodium silicate/sodium hydroxide combinations), sodium hydroxide concentration, and alkaline activator solution-to-binder ratio (S/B) on properties of alkali-activated natural pozzolan/slag mortars. The evaluated properties included flow, setting time, hydration heat, compressive strength, absorption, rapid chloride permeability, and drying shrinkage. The performance of alkali-activated natural pozzolan/slag mortars were also compared with the performance of Portland cement mortars. The results of this study revealed that in comparison with the Portland cement mortars, alkali-activated natural pozzolan/slag mortars generated significantly lower heat, thus offering a great benefit to mass concreting. Their hydration activity accelerated and setting time shortened with increases in sodium hydroxide concentration and dosage within the studied ranges, increases in slag portion of binder, and decreases in S/B. The compressive strengths of alkali-activated mortars were lower than those of the Portland cement mortars. It was shown, however, doable to produce alkali-activated natural pozzolan/slag mortars reaching the strength of portland cement mortars. The compressive strength improved with increases in sodium silicate dosage and reduction in S/B. Regarding compressive strength, the optimum binder combination and sodium hydroxide concentration were found to be interdependent of one another. While absorption of alkali-activated mortars was slightly higher than that of the portland cement mortars, their chloride penetration depths were significantly lower than those of the portland cement mortars. The chloride penetration depth reduced with decreases in natural pozzolan portion of binder, sodium silicate dosage, NaOH concentration, and solution-to-binder ratio. A similar trend was seen for the drying shrinkage as reduction of these variables also decreased the drying shrinkage. The drying shrinkage of the studied alkali-activated natural pozzolan/slag mortars was considerably higher than those of the portland cement mortars.
Die Röntgen- und Radiumbehandlung der Neubildungen des Larynx und Pharynx

Die Behandlung der malignen Erkrankungen des Larynx und Pharynx ist besonders wegen der zahlreichen moglichen Komplikationen so schwierig.
Agreement between analytical values and label declarations of sodium content of processed packaged foods

As part of the Food Labeling and Product Surveillance Program of the Food and Drug Administration, samples from 1982, 1984, and 1986 surveys of processed packaged foods (canned, frozen, and dry packaged) were analyzed to determine how closely the foods' actual sodium content matched their label claims for sodium. Samples were classified into three groups: "sodium-free" products (less than 5 mg sodium per serving), and "very-low-sodium" products (5 to 35 mg per serving), and a larger group of products that were labeled as containing more than 35 mg sodium per serving. In the third group, the distribution of actual sodium content fell around 100% of label claims for sodium. For the three survey years, analyzed sodium averaged 101% of label claim (standard deviation [SD] = 25%) for 1982 samples (20 products), 99% of label claim (SD = 28%) for 1984 samples (108 products), and 94% of label claim (SD = 21%) for 1986 samples (265 products). Products labeled "very low sodium" were treated separately because sodium analyses varied widely from the label declarations. However, most "very-low-sodium" products were well under 35 mg sodium per serving. Results indicated that consumers receive reasonably accurate information about the sodium content of processed packaged foods from label claims.
Balance of Commensal Bacteria-Specific Th17 and RORγt+ Treg Cells in Intestinal Homeostasis and Inflammation

A number of Helicobacter species, including Helicobacter hepaticus , have been isolated as the etiological agents of ulcerative inflammatory bowel disease and cancer in their respective hosts. H. hepaticus induces severe Th17-Th1 mediated colitis in a number of immuno-compromised mouse strains, but does not usually cause disease in most wild-type mouse strains. However, how the inflammatory response is carefully contained to be harmless under homeostatic conditions and how perturbations lead to pathogenicity remain elusive questions. To understand this, we developed new research tools, including TCR transgenic mice, as well as MHCII tetramers to interrogate the regulation of H. hepaticus -specific CD4 + T cell function. Interestingly, in contrast to Segmented Filamentous Bacteria (SFB), which induces Th17 cells in the small intestinal lamina propria (SILP) of both IL10 +/− and IL-10 −/− mice, H. hepaticus mainly induces RORgt + Treg cells in the large intestinal lamina propria (LILP) of IL-10-sufficient mice, but induces a Th17-Th1 response in the absence of IL-10. We propose that the balance between self/commensal antigen-induced RORgt + Treg and Th17 cells may be a general strategy to control autoimmune inflammation.
How housing market responds to greenbelt relaxation: Case of Seoul Metropolitan Area, South Korea

Abstract Since 2000, South Korea has implemented greenbelt policy reform and released greenbelt land that had been subject to land development restriction for three decades in order to promote an increase in housing supply and mitigate housing price inflation. While several studies have examined the impact of the greenbelt relaxation on land use change and development patterns, few have examined whether released greenbelt land sufficiently leads to housing price stabilization. This paper relies on longitudinal data of the Seoul Metropolitan Area from 2001 to 2010 to explore the impact of the greenbelt relaxation on the dynamics of the SMA housing market. I find that an increase in land available for development through the policy reform tends to increase housing sale prices in the suburbs, while the influence of the greenbelt relaxation in the central city is negative or insignificant. These findings provide implications for a re-evaluation of the greenbelt policy with regular assessment of the relaxation plan.
MRI of carotid atherosclerosis.

OBJECTIVE. Although MRI is widely used to observe atherosclerosis impacts on the vessel lumen, MRI also depicts the size of the plaque itself, its composition, and plaque inflammation, providing information beyond simple stenosis. This article summarizes the state of evidence for a clinical role for MRI of carotid atherosclerosis. CONCLUSION. MRI of carotid atherosclerosis has a proven role in pharmaceutical trials and may improve patient management once large-scale clinical trials have been completed.
Design transcription: Deep learning based design feature representation

Abstract The task of design feature transcription, or encoding the functional requirements and design parameters of a design, requires representing design data such that a machine can comprehend. Natural language processing, powered by deep neural networks trained on massive corpora of textual data, can map language into distributed vector representation space that machines can understand and retrieve. This work outlines how language models can be used to enhance early-stage design by separating the functional and physical domains, abstracting key functional requirements, and analysing systems to provide metrics for good design decision making, to facilitate a framework for hybrid intelligence.
Seasonal patterns of melatonin alter aggressive phenotypes of female Siberian hamsters

Many animal species exhibit year-round aggression, a behaviour that allows individuals to compete for limited resources in their environment (eg, food and mates). Interestingly, this high degree of territoriality persists during the non-breeding season, despite low levels of circulating gonadal steroids (ie, testosterone [T] and oestradiol [E2 ]). Our previous work suggests that the pineal hormone melatonin mediates a 'seasonal switch' from gonadal to adrenal regulation of aggression in Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus); solitary, seasonally breeding mammals that display increased aggression during the short, 'winter-like' days (SDs) of the non-breeding season. To test the hypothesis that melatonin elevates non-breeding aggression by increasing circulating and neural steroid metabolism, we housed female hamsters in long days (LDs) or SDs, administered them timed or mis-timed melatonin injections (mimic or do not mimic a SD-like signal, respectively), and measured aggression, circulating hormone profiles and aromatase (ARO) immunoreactivity in brain regions associated with aggressive or reproductive behaviours (paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus [PVN], periaqueductal gray [PAG] and ventral tegmental area [VTA]). Females that were responsive to SD photoperiods (SD-R) and LD females given timed melatonin injections (Mel-T) exhibited gonadal regression and reduced circulating E2 , but increased aggression and circulating dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Furthermore, aggressive challenges differentially altered circulating hormone profiles across seasonal phenotypes; reproductively inactive females (ie, SD-R and Mel-T females) reduced circulating DHEA and T, but increased E2 after an aggressive interaction, whereas reproductively active females (ie, LD females, SD non-responder females and LD females given mis-timed melatonin injections) solely increased circulating E2 . Although no differences in neural ARO abundance were observed, LD and SD-R females showed distinct associations between ARO cell density and aggressive behaviour in the PVN, PAG and VTA. Taken together, these results suggest that melatonin increases non-breeding aggression by elevating circulating steroid metabolism after an aggressive encounter and by regulating behaviourally relevant neural circuits in a region-specific manner.
Plume analysis from field evaluations of a portable air quality monitoring system

Near-road measurements in Rochester, NY with a Portable Air Quality Monitoring System indicate a significant plume control of PM2.5 black carbon (BC) concentrations. This study evaluates the perfor...
A Hybrid Modular Multilevel Converter Family With Higher Power Density and Efficiency

Modular multilevel converter (MMC) has many advantages of scalability, reliability and easy implementation, but suffers from large number of switching devices and capacitors. To improve the power density and efficiency for medium voltage applications, this article introduces a hybrid modular multilevel converter (HMMC) family through the combination of active neutral-point-clamped converter and chain-link arm. Three topologies in HMMC family can effectively reduce chain-link voltage by half compared with traditional MMC. Single- and three-phase operation principles are presented to highlight this important features. Several critical metrics, such as component number, capacitor sizes, and semiconductor losses, are compared between the conventional MMC and HMMC topologies at three different medium voltage levels. The result indicates the best topology from the HMMC family can save around 30% devices, 50% total capacitor and 32% power losses compared with traditional MMC. A simple single-phase control method is also mentioned to balance capacitor voltage. Finally, a single-phase HMMC experimental prototype is built to verify the effectiveness of three topologies.
IVC Filter Placement and Removal

The number of inferior vena cava (IVC) filters placed to prevent pulmonary embolism has dramatically increased since their inception. This chapter covers the general principles for IVC filter placement and removal including a discussion on standard approaches, imaging, and supplies needed. Advanced techniques to use in cases of complex removal, including balloon repositioning, wire loops, and the use of forceps or laser extractors are outlined.
Hip osteoarthritis signs and symptoms are associated with increased fall risk among community-dwelling older adults with chronic low back pain: a prospective study

Older adults with concurrent low back and hip pain are predisposed to reductions in physical performance and health-related quality of life. Yet no study to date has assessed whether or not coexisting hip impairments increase fall risk in older adults with chronic low back pain (CLBP). The objective of this study was to determine if hip osteoarthritis (OA) signs and symptoms per American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria are associated with fall risk over a 1-year span. Falls were prospectively monitored for 1 year via fall calendars. Age, sex, body mass index (BMI), anxiolytic use, balance confidence, LBP-related disability, and prior fall history were identified as covariates. Hip pain, pain with hip internal rotation (IR), hip IR range of motion (ROM) ≥ 15°, and morning stiffness lasting ≤ 60 min were evaluated at baseline and summed to represent hip OA impairment burden. A generalized linear model with a Poisson distribution and log link function assessed the association between ACR criteria and fall risk beyond established covariates. As a secondary analysis, binary logistic regression assessed ACR criteria and the odds of falling two or more times within a year. Data from two-hundred and ten participants were analyzed. Hip OA signs and symptoms were present in 97.1% of the participants, and hip OA impairment burden was significantly greater (p < 0.050) in participants who fell ≥ 2 times compared to single and non-fallers. Higher hip OA impairment burden was associated with significantly increased fall risk (p = 0.001, risk ratio = 1.23, 95% CI 1.09–1.38) and odds of falling multiple times (p < 0.05, odds ratio = 1.41, 95% CI 1.01–1.95) after adjustment for covariates. Older adults with CLBP and concomitant hip impairments are an at-risk group for falling. Healthcare professionals should employ falls screening and preventive measures to avoid negative sequelae in this vulnerable population.
One Hundred Years After Keynes Published His a Treatise on Probability in 1921, Edgeworth’s Two Reviews Still Stand Out As Being Vastly Superior to the Assessments Made by Any Other Economist: All Heterodox Economists Reject the Unanimous Conclusion, Made by All Philosophers, That Keynes Hinted at or Suggested or Had a Notion About an Interval Valued Theory of Probability in Chapter III of the A Treatise on Probability

F Y Edgeworth made the only correct assessment of Keynes’s Logical Theory of Probability, as presented in his A Treatise on Probability, among economists in the 100 years between 1921 and 2020. The reason is that he actually read the entire book with the exception of Part II, which he was able to assess through his very careful reading of Part I. The major problem confronting any economist, who wants to take into consideration the various different aspects of Keynes’s A Treatise on Probability ,is the unfortunate fact that there is no economist, with the one exception of Edgeworth, who has read beyond chapters 1-4, plus some parts of chapter 6 of the A Treatise on Probability. This includes practically every heterodox economist who has written on Keynes’s A Treatise on Probability, such as R. Skidelsky, D. Moggridge, R.O’Donnell, A. Carabelli , V. Chick, S.Dow, G.Meeks, J.B.Davis, A. Fitzgibbons, E.R Weintraub, J . Runde, T. Winslow, C. McCann, Jr., T .Lawson ,G. Fioretti, P. Davidson, D. Dequech,and many more. The conclusion reached is that after 100 years there is only one path currently available to economists who want to know what it was that Keynes actually accomplished in the A Treatise on Probability-read and reread the two reviews made by Edgeworth. Such a reader is then in a good position to grasp what it was that Keynes had erected in 1921-the first mathematically and technically advanced interval valued approach to probability in history. The economists’ claim that Keynes’s discussions in chapter III of the A Treatise on Probability were only about Keynes’s alleged ordinal theory of probability directly clash with the conclusions of every philosopher who has written on the A Treatise on Probability, since all philosophers support the conclusion that Keynes was suggesting or hinting at the use of an interval theory of probability in Chapter III of the A Treatise on Probability.
Improving the In-Hospital Mortality Prediction of Diabetes ICU Patients Using a Process Mining/Deep Learning Architecture.

Diabetes intensive care unit (ICU) patients are at increased risk of complications leading to in-hospital mortality. Assessing the likelihood of death is a challenging and time consuming task due to a large number of influencing factors. Healthcare providers are interested in the detection of ICU patients at higher risk, such that risk factors can possibly be mitigated. While such severity scoring methods exist, they are commonly based on a snapshot of the health conditions of a patient during the ICU stay and do not specifically consider a patient's prior medical history. In this paper, a process mining/deep learning architecture is proposed to improve established severity scoring methods by incorporating the medical history of diabetes patients. First, health records of past hospital encounters are converted to event logs suitable for process mining. The event logs are then used to discover a process model that describes the past hospital encounters of patients. An adaptation of Decay Replay Mining is proposed to combine medical and demographic information with established severity scores to predict the in hospital mortality of diabetes ICU patients. Significant performance improvements are demonstrated compared to established risk severity scoring methods and machine learning approaches using the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III dataset.
In-situ tube burst testing and high-temperature deformation behavior of candidate materials for accident tolerant fuel cladding

Abstract One of the most essential properties of accident tolerant fuel (ATF) for maintaining structural integrity during a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) is high resistance of the cladding to plastic deformation and burst failure, since the deformation and burst behavior governs the cooling efficiency of flow channels and the process of fission product release. To simulate and evaluate the deformation and burst process of thin-walled cladding, an in-situ testing and evaluation method has been developed on the basis of visual imaging and image analysis techniques. The method uses a specialized optics system consisting of a high-resolution video camera, a light filtering unit, and monochromatic light sources. The in-situ testing is performed using a 50 mm long pressurized thin-walled tubular specimen set in a programmable furnace. As the first application, ten (10) candidate cladding materials for ATF, i.e., five FeCrAl alloys and five nanostructured steels, were tested using the newly developed method, and the time-dependent images were analyzed to produce detailed deformation and burst data such as true hoop stress, strain (creep) rate, and failure stress. Relatively soft FeCrAl alloys deformed and burst below 800 °C, while negligible strain rates were measured for higher strength alloys.
A candidate gene association study of cryptorchidism and scrotal hernia using canine and porcine models

Cryptorchidism and scrotal hernia, both being sex-limited complex defects, are the most common congenital defects observed in humans, dogs and pigs. It is believed that these two defects are controlled by multiple genes as well as affected by environmental factors. In this thesis, 22 or 14 functional and positional candidate genes, respectively, have been evaluated to identify the possible associations for crytorchidism in Siberian Huskies and scrotal hernia in pigs. In the canine cryptorchidism study, 76 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were found and 51 out of 76 were genotyped by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method or directly sequencing in 156 Siberian Huskies. A Sibling-Transmission Disequilibrium Test (sib-TDT) was first applied to the discordant sib sets (n=38), and then to all 156 dogs including 47 families and 15 individuals. Sib-set analyses showed six SNPs distributed in the collagen type II α 1 (COL2A1) gene were significantly associated with cryptorchidism (P < 0.05). Using a sib-TDT analysis on all 156 dogs, SNP rs23389020 in COL2A1 was suggestively significant (P < 0.06), but not significant after permutation tests (n=1000). Neither of the two haplotypes formed by the five SNPs in COL2A1 was significantly associated with cryptorchidism. In the porcine scrotal hernia study, a total of 1,534 pigs were used including a data set of 692 individuals from 298 pig nuclear families and another data set of 340 unaffected and 502 affected male pigs. The SNPs of all candidate genes were analyzed by using PCR and genotyped by using Sequenom MassArrayTM technology. Statistical analyses were performed on the family-trio and the case-control data, respectively. Two genes involved in collagen
Stability analysis of some fully developed mixed convection flows in a vertical channel

Stability of fully developed mixed convection flows, with significant viscous dissipation, in a vertical channel bounded by isothermal plane walls having the same temperature and subject to pressure gradient is investigated. It is shown that one of the dual solutions is always unstable and that both are unstable when the total flow rate is big enough. The completely passive natural convection flow is shown to be unstable.
Optimum signaling for MIMO-OFDM systems with interference

Optimum signaling is studied for multiple-input multiple-output orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (MIMO-OFDM) systems with multiple links which mutually interfere. Numerical results show that using the optimum approach for cases without interference does not always achieve system capacity. In some cases, the overall system performance is improved by forcing users to use different subcarriers or to transmit using less antennas or both.
Toward low‐noise synthetic turbulent inflow conditions for aeroacoustic calculations

SUMMARY The accuracy of boundary conditions for computational aeroacoustics is a well-known challenge, due in part to the necessity of truncating the flow domain and replacing the analytical boundary conditions at infinity with numerical boundary conditions. In particular, the inflow boundary condition involving turbulent velocity or scalar fields is likely to introduce spurious waves into the domain, therefore degrading the flow behavior and deteriorating the physical acoustic waves. In this work, a method to generate low-noise, divergence-free, synthetic turbulence for inflow boundary conditions is proposed. It relies on the classical view of turbulence as a superposition of random eddies convected with the mean flow. Within the proposed model, the vector potential and the requirement that the individual eddies must satisfy the linearized momentum equations about the mean flow are used. The model is tested using isolated eddies convected through the inflow boundary and an experimental benchmark data for spatially decaying isotropic turbulence. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Structuring PPP toll-road contracts to achieve public pricing objectives

Although the success of public–private partnership (PPP) contracts is often evaluated on financial terms, an even more fundamental question is whether these contracts achieve the public objectives for which they were designed. The state's responsibility as contracting agency for public infrastructure gives it a crucial role in defining these goals, which fall into multiple categories and can vary for each procurement. For toll-road PPPs, the category of pricing objectives is a significant component of these broader public goals. Such pricing objectives often include (1) achieving an affordable toll rate, (2) managing congestion and (3) minimizing state subsidy/maximizing up-front payment from concessionaires. To identify the specific PPP contract elements which support these pricing-related objectives, the method of qualitative comparative analysis was applied. Through this recently developed approach for evaluating qualitative data quantitatively, patterns of PPP contract strategies which correspond to t...
Case Studies: Profiles of Women Recovering from Drug Addiction.

These case studies profile two women who abused alcohol and other drugs while pregnant and describes their recovery from the addiction. They examine from an ecological framework the women's experience with drug addiction, treatment, and recovery and recounts their situations through each [1]. This research uses in-depth interviews as its data source. Further, these studies contain direct quotes from the women orally sharing their thoughts. Their quotes are not edited or changed by any kind of systems for the purpose of capturing the thoughts of the women.
Performance characteristics of the Cavidi ExaVir viral load assay and the ultra-sensitive P24 assay relative to the Roche Monitor HIV-1 RNA assay

Abstract Background The Cavidi viral load assay and the ultra-sensitive p24 antigen assay (Up24 Ag) have been suggested as more feasible alternatives to PCR-based HIV viral load assays for use in monitoring patients infected with HIV-1 in resource-limited settings. Objectives To describe the performance of the Cavidi ExaVir Load™ assay (version 2.0) and two versions of the Up24 antigen assay and to characterize their agreement with the Roche Monitor HIV-1 RNA assay (version 1.5). Study design Observational study using a convenience sample of 342 plasma specimens from 108 patients enrolled in two ACTG clinical trials to evaluate the performance characteristics of the Up24 Ag assay using two different lysis buffers and the Cavidi ExaVir Load™ assay. Results In analysis of agreement with the Roche assay, the Cavidi assay demonstrated superiority to the Up24 Ag assays in accuracy and precision, as well as sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for HIV-1 RNA ≥400, ≥1000 and ≥5000 copies/mL. Logistic performance curves indicated that the Cavidi assay was superior to the Up24 assays for viral loads greater than 650 copies/mL. Conclusions The results suggest that the Cavidi ExaVir Load assay could be used for monitoring HIV-1 viral load in resource-limited settings.
Conscious Factors Entering Into Decisions of Women to Study Medicine.

The data presented discuss the motivations and personality of the female medical school student from the University of California, San Francisco campus. Inductive analyses of conscious reasons for entering medical school reveal the importance of encouragement from others, long-standing interest, self-development motives, and altruism. In contrast to studies reported on male subjects, economic and prestige factors as well as the unreachable aspect of other occupations are seldom mentioned by women.
Effect of Season and High Environmental Temperature on Fertility of Holstein Cattle

Abstract The breeding records and meteorological data for cows with first services between July 1, 1979, and June 30, 1980, in a large Florida herd were analyzed to determine the relationship between temperature and breeding efficiency. Seasonal high environmental temperatures were associated with low breeding efficiency. Increased maximum temperature from 29.7°C during April to 33.9°C during July was associated with a decrease in conception rate on first service from 25 to 7%. Also, the average number of inseminations per conception, based on pregnancy diagnosis 6 to 8 wk after breeding, was higher from May to August (4.5 to 5.3) than from September to April (2.3 to 3.5). Days open were longer for the cows first inseminated during May, June, and July (173, 171, and 167 days, respectively) than during other months (99 to 149 days). Temperature decreases of any magnitude for 1 to 3 days before or after the day of breeding, when maximum temperatures on the day of breeding were ≥27°C, were associated with higher pregnancy rates. Also, similar temperature decreases around the time of breeding, below the previously mentioned high maximum temperatures for 20 days before the day of breeding, were accompanied by higher conception rates. Fertility was consistently lower under all temperature changes when maximum temperatures on the day of breeding were ≥33°C.