cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Monochromatic ultraviolet light induced damage to Photosystem II efficiency and carbon fixation in the marine diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana (3H)

Low light adapted cultures of the marine diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana (3H) were cultured and incubated for 30 min under different ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths of near monochromatic light with and without background photosynthetically active radiation (PAR, 380–700 nm). Maximum damage to the quantum yield for stable charge separations was found in the UVB (280-320 nm) wavelengths without background PAR light while the damage under PAR was 30% less. UV induced damage to carbon fixation in the cells was described by a function similar to non-linear functions of inhibiting irradiance previously published with the exception that damage was slightly higher in the UVA (320–380). Various measurements of fluorescent transients were measured and the results indicate localised damage most likely on the acceptor side of the Photosystem II reaction center. However, dark adapted measurements of fluorescence transients with and without DCMU do not result in similar functions. This is also true for the relationships between fluorescence transients and carbon fixation for this species of marine diatom. The correlation between the weightings \(\varepsilon\)H from measurements of carbon fixation and the quantum yield for stable charge separation as calculated from induction curves with DCMU and without DCMU is R2 0.44 and R2 0.78, respectively. The slopes of the two measurements are 3.8 and 1.4, respectively. The strong correlation between the weightings of the induction curves without DCMU and carbon fixation are due to a loss of electron transport from the reaction center to plastoquinone. Under these experimental conditions of constant photon flux density (PFD) this is manifested as a strong linear relationship between the decrease in the operational quantum yield of Photosystem II and carbon fixation.
New Hardware for Massive Neural Networks

Transient phenomena associated with forward biased silicon p+ - n - n+ structures at 4.2K show remarkable similarities with biological neurons. The devices play a role similar to the two-terminal switching elements in Hodgkin-Huxley equivalent circuit diagrams. The devices provide simpler and more realistic neuron emulation than transistors or op-amps. They have such low power and current requirements that they could be used in massive neural networks. Some observed properties of simple circuits containing the devices include action potentials, refractory periods, threshold behavior, excitation, inhibition, summation over synaptic inputs, synaptic weights, temporal integration, memory, network connectivity modification based on experience, pacemaker activity, firing thresholds, coupling to sensors with graded signal outputs and the dependence of firing rate on input current. Transfer functions for simple artificial neurons with spiketrain inputs and spiketrain outputs have been measured and correlated with input coupling.
Proteome of the Large Pseudomonas Myovirus 201φ2-1: DELINEATION OF PROTEOLYTICALLY PROCESSED VIRION PROTEINS*

Pseudomonas chlororaphis phage 201φ2-1 produces a large structurally complex virion, including the products of 89 phage genes. Many of these proteins are modified by proteolysis during virion maturation. To delineate the proteolytic maturation process, 46 slices from an SDS-polyacrylamide gel were subjected to tryptic digestion and then HPLC-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry analysis. The scale of the experiment allowed high sequence coverage and detection of mass spectra assigned to peptides with one end produced by trypsin and the other end derived from a maturation cleavage (semitryptic peptides). Nineteen cleavage sites were detected in this way. From these sites, a cleavage motif was defined and used to predict the remaining cleavages required to explain the gel mobility of the processed polypeptide species. Profiling the gel with spectrum counts for specific polypeptide regions was found to be helpful in deducing the patterns of proteolysis. A total of 29 cleaved polypeptides derived from 19 gene products were thus detected in the mature 201φ2-1 virion. When combined with bioinformatics analyses, these results revealed the presence of head protein-encoding gene modules. Most of the propeptides that were removed from the virion after processing were acidic, whereas the mature domain remaining in the virion was nearly charge-neutral. For four of these processed virion proteins, the portions remaining in the mature virion were mutually homologous. Spectrum counts were found to overestimate the relative quantity of minor polypeptide species in the virion. The resulting sensitivity for minor species made it possible to observe a small amount of general proteolysis that also affected the virions.
Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Downregulates Proinflammatory TLRs While Upregulating Anti-Inflammatory TLRs in the Infected Cornea

TLRs recognize microbial pathogens and trigger an immune response, but their regulation by neuropeptides, such as vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), during Pseudomonas aeruginosa corneal infection remains unexplored. Therefore, C57BL/6 (B6) mice were injected i.p. with VIP, and mRNA, protein, and immunostaining assays were performed. After VIP treatment, PCR array and real-time RT-PCR demonstrated that proinflammatory TLRs (conserved helix-loop-helix ubiquitous kinase, IRAK1, TLR1, TLR4, TLR6, TLR8, TLR9, and TNFR-associated factor 6) were downregulated, whereas anti-inflammatory TLRs (single Ig IL-1-related receptor [SIGIRR] and ST2) were upregulated. ELISA showed that VIP modestly downregulated phosphorylated inhibitor of NF-κB kinase subunit α but upregulated ST2 ~2-fold. SIGIRR was also upregulated, whereas TLR4 immunostaining was reduced in cornea; all confirmed the mRNA data. To determine whether VIP effects were cAMP dependent, mice were injected with small interfering RNA for type 7 adenylate cyclase (AC7), with or without VIP treatment. After silencing AC7, changes in mRNA levels of TLR1, TNFR-associated factor 6, and ST2 were seen and unchanged with addition of VIP, indicating that their regulation was cAMP dependent. In contrast, changes were seen in mRNA levels of conserved helix-loop-helix ubiquitous kinase, IRAK1, 2, TLR4, 9 and SIGIRR following AC7 silencing alone; these were modified by VIP addition, indicating their cAMP independence. In vitro studies assessed the effects of VIP on TLR regulation in macrophages and Langerhans cells. VIP downregulated mRNA expression of proinflammatory TLRs while upregulating anti-inflammatory TLRs in both cell types. Collectively, the data provide evidence that VIP downregulates proinflammatory TLRs and upregulates anti-inflammatory TLRs and that this regulation is both cAMP dependent and independent and involves immune cell types found in the infected cornea.
Protein Meta-Functional Signatures from Combining Sequence, Structure, Evolution, and Amino Acid Property Information

Protein function is mediated by different amino acid residues, both their positions and types, in a protein sequence. Some amino acids are responsible for the stability or overall shape of the protein, playing an indirect role in protein function. Others play a functionally important role as part of active or binding sites of the protein. For a given protein sequence, the residues and their degree of functional importance can be thought of as a signature representing the function of the protein. We have developed a combination of knowledge- and biophysics-based function prediction approaches to elucidate the relationships between the structural and the functional roles of individual residues and positions. Such a meta-functional signature (MFS), which is a collection of continuous values representing the functional significance of each residue in a protein, may be used to study proteins of known function in greater detail and to aid in experimental characterization of proteins of unknown function. We demonstrate the superior performance of MFS in predicting protein functional sites and also present four real-world examples to apply MFS in a wide range of settings to elucidate protein sequence–structure–function relationships. Our results indicate that the MFS approach, which can combine multiple sources of information and also give biological interpretation to each component, greatly facilitates the understanding and characterization of protein function.
River of Law II: Duty of Architects to Third Parties

Abstract No doubt law and the American legal system are mysterious to those not routinely associated with it. The law and the American legal system are a process—a process whereby the law is debated and tested by different courts, eventually being hammered out after much trial and error, no pun intended. Perhaps therein lies the mystery: that law is a continually changing process, not some type of “truth” or “rule” or even some concrete thing. Like all processes, it is alive and continues to grow and develop and become more complex. It does not often stand very still for us to study. What we study today may not exist tomorrow. Law has most of the characteristics of a living system. That is, it grows, develops, and gives birth to new law. The process needed to develop a particular law may span decades, even hundreds of years. People who try to “learn” the law to use it to their advantage or to gain an understanding of the regulatory environment of business, are doomed to failure. Only people who learn the ...
Co‐adapting societal and ecological interactions following large disturbances in urban park woodlands

The responses of urban park woodlands to large disturbances provide the opportunity to identify and examine linkages in social-ecological systems in urban landscapes. We propose that the Panarchy model consisting of hierarchically nested adaptive cycles provides a useful framework to evaluate those linkages. We use two case studies as examples - Cherokee Park in Louisville, Kentucky, USA and Tijuca Forest in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In the Cherokee Park case study, the disturbance, a destructive tornado, triggered bottom-up societal responses that created new institutions that influenced park management and shifted the woodland community from a succes- sional pathway dominated by invasive exotic plants to one where native plant species are regaining importance. In the Tijuca Forest example, the disturbance, large scale land-use changes during the 18th century, triggered primarily top-down societal responses to create the world's largest urban forest through a transformative pro- gramme of intensive multispecies forest replanting and management. Currently, fine scale disturbances - primarily anthropogenically caused fire - threaten portions of Tijuca Forest through loss of forest structure and establish- ment of flammable invasive plants, and again elicited top-down societal responses to stop further destruction and promote greater native plant regeneration. These case studies illustrate that either natural or anthropogenic disturbances to natural systems can alter the direction and magnitude of interactions between social and natural domains in urban landscapes in a co-adaptive manner that alters structures and processes in both system components.
Face processing and recognition using learning and evolution

One of the most challenging tasks for visual form ('shape') analysis and object recognition is the understanding of how people process and recognize each other's faces, and the development of corresponding computational models. This paper describes the important and successful role learning and evolution plays in improved and robust face coding and classification schemes. In particular we describe how committees of connectionist networks and symbolic learning, evolutionary computation, and statistical learning theory lead to increased performance on tasks including the location of facial landmarks, gender and ethnic categorization, face recognition, and pose discrimination.
Low-Lying Exciton States Determine the Photophysics of Semiconducting Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes

A combined experimental and theoretical study of the photophysical properties and excited-state dynamics of semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) is reported. Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence data as a function of temperature are explained on the basis of a manifold of four low-lying singlet exciton states with kinetically controlled interconversion. Relaxation among these levels is slow and therefore Kasha's rule is not obeyed. Quantum chemical calculations based on time-dependent density functional theory complement the experimental findings. The temperature-dependence of the radiative and nonradiative rate constants are examined.
Use of Surgilube to minimize metal debris in removal of jammed titanium locking screws

The Less Invasive Stabilization System (LISS; Synthes, West Chester, PA, USA) is a popular implant for managing proximal tibia fractures and distal femur fractures. However, concern has been raised with difficulty in implant removal. The locked titanium screws have a propensity to become fixed to the plate. This complication and techniques for removing the jammed screws are well described. Most of the effective techniques for removing jammed or cold-welded screws involve using a metal saw to cut the plate or carbide burr to obliterate the screwhead. Both techniques generate a significant amount of metal debris. Given that there is known soft-tissue reaction to these particles, it is sensible to remove as much of the debris as possible. However, removal of the metallic debris can be quite difficult and time consuming. The purpose of this article is to describe a novel technique to manage metal debris generated during jammed locking screw removal. Although we describe this technique for titanium locking screw removal, it is likely useful anytime implant removal generates significant debris.
The relevance of the fetal and neonatal period for the development of novelty preferences, learning, habituation and hemispheric specialization

The concept of instinct has been largely based on thinking which relies on an either or approach to determining the genesis of information required for the development of behavior patterns. In part, in response to criticisms of dichotomous views by Schneirla and Lehrman adherents of the view that there exist two distinct sources of information, that is, genetic or environmental (and all of the variants of this nomenclature including its most modern and currently popular form, that is, hard or soft wired) have modified their stance by positing that all characteristics are products of both. They therefore maintain that the task for analysis is parceling out the amount contributed by each source. Gottlieb's approach to an understanding of the development of various characteristics undercut this view by pointing out the inextricable relationship between the various components at all levels of organization. His view gives prenatal and early postnatal events particular relevance for explicating the intertwined nature of developmental processes. In this essay I will present suggestions from a variety of studies which explore and instantiate some of these complex relationships with regard to, novelty preferences, learning, habituation, and cognitive functioning and its' hemispheric specialization. I will also provide examples of how the unique characteristics of early stages of development promote particular types of epigenesis.
QUANTUM 1/f NOISE AND QUANTUM 1/f PHASE NOISE RELATED TO THE UNCERTAINTY RELATIONS

Quantum 1/f noise is the manifestation of the coherent and conventional quantum 1/f effects (Q1/fE). The conventional Q1/fE is a fundamental quantum fluctuation of physical cross sections σ and process rates Γ, caused by the bremsstrahlung (recoil) energy and momentum losses of charged particles, when they are scattered, or accelerated in any way. The closely related coherent Q1/fE is present in any current carried by many particles. It is caused by the energy spread characterizing any coherent state of the electromagnetic field oscillators. According to the Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, because an approximation of the phase or position variable is known, exact knowledge of the energy is precluded. This energy spread results in nonstationary energy values, or fluctuations in the energy of the oscillators. To find the spectral density of these inescapable basic fluctuations, which are known to characterize any quantum state, which is not an energy eigenstate, we use an elementary physical derivation ...
Validation of Multisociety Combined Task Force Definitions of Abnormal Disc Morphology

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The multisociety task force descriptively defined abnormal lumbar disk morphology. We aimed to use their definitions to provide a higher level of evidence for the validation of MR imaging in the evaluation of this pathology in patients who have undergone diskectomy by retrospectively classifying their preoperative MRI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective, institutional review board–approved study included 54 of 86 consecutive patients (47 men; average age, 44 years) enrolled in an ongoing prospective trial of surgically treated lumbar disk herniation who had preoperative MRI and documented intraoperative classification of the abnormal disk as protrusion, extrusion, or sequestration by the treating surgeon. Preoperative MRI was classified by 2 blinded radiologists; discrepancies were resolved by a third reader. Statistical analysis of interobserver agreement and imaging compared with surgical findings was performed. RESULTS: The readers disagreed on only 1 of the 54 cases. The third reader resolved the disagreement. Eight protrusions and 46 extrusions were found on imaging, with no sequestrations. At surgery, there were 13 protrusions and 40 extrusions, with 2 of the extrusions also containing sequestrations; the remaining case had only sequestration. There were 16 discrepancies between imaging and surgery, resulting in 70% agreement. CONCLUSIONS: This study, which was intended to validate the multisociety combined task force definitions of abnormal disk morphology by using MR imaging with a surgical criterion standard, found 70% agreement between imaging diagnosis and surgical findings. Although reasonable, this finding highlights differences that often exist between intraoperative and preoperative imaging findings of lumbar disk herniation.
Hypermodified Nucleosides in the Anticodon of tRNALys Stabilize a Canonical U-Turn Structure

Modified nucleosides in the anticodon domain of Escherichia coli tRNALys are necessary for high-affinity codon recognition and reading frame maintenance. Human tRNALys,3 is the specific primer for HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and also requires nucleoside modification for proper function. We now present NMR solution structures for the fully modified 17-nucleotide E. coli tRNALys anticodon stem-loop domain (ASL). NMR data were also collected for several partially modified ASLs, revealing the contributions each modified nucleoside (mnm5s2U34, t6A37, and ψ39) makes in transforming the disordered, unmodified tRNA ASL into the highly ordered native structure. The solution structure of the native ASL domain provides insight into longstanding questions regarding both wobble position modification and the nearly ubiquitous t6A37 found in tRNAs with an adjacent U at position 36. Native tRNALys has a U-turn structure similar to the yeast tRNAPhe crystal structure, unlike previously proposed “unconventional” anticodon ...
Norovirus P particle: a subviral nanoparticle for vaccine development against norovirus, rotavirus and influenza virus

Noroviruses (NoVs) are important pathogens causing epidemic acute gastroenteritis that affects millions of people worldwide. The protruding (P) domain of the NoV capsid protein, the surface antigen of NoV, forms a 24-mer subviral particle called the P particle that is an excellent candidate vaccine against NoVs. The P particles are easily produced in Escherichia coli, highly stable and highly immunogenic. Each P domain has three surface loops that can be used for foreign antigen presentation, making the P particles a useful platform for vaccine development against other infectious diseases. This article summarizes the discovery, structure, development and applications of the P particles as a vaccine against NoVs, as well as a vaccine platform against rotavirus, influenza virus and possibly other pathogens in the future.
Coins of the Realm in Atrioventricular Junction Development

The development of nodal and working myocardium involves a complex signaling cascade ultimately resulting in the production of fast conducting myocardium from a developmental predecessor pacemaking phenotype. Understanding this signaling network has profound implications for understanding normal cardiac development, complex congenital heart diseases, as well as development and the use of progenitor cells as disease models and regenerative therapeutics, such as biological pacemaking. Article, see p 398 The mature mammalian atrioventricular node (AVN) and junction are an anatomically complex, cellularly heterogeneous structure that normally constitutes the only communication between the atrium and ventricular myocardium.1,2 The intricate structure is commensurate with an equally complicated physiological phenotype, in part, predicted by that structural complexity and involved in many important cardiac arrhythmias.3 The embryonic atrioventricular canal (AVC) forms not only components of the AV conduction system but also working myocardium adjacent to the AV ring,4 some of these tissues such as that forming the coronary sinus ostium may themselves have pacemaking properties and be the source of clinical arrhythmias. The signaling pathways that govern AV junctional structure and function are spatially and temporally regulated, and a general consensus has emerged that includes repression by specific T-box transcription factors (Tbx2/3) that help to maintain a pacemaking phenotype4 and interact with other upstream regulators, such as Smads/Bmp2, to restrict the expression of Tbx2/3 to tissues destined to be AVC and AVN. Contemporaneously, there is migration of epicardial-derived cells that undergo epithelial to mesenchymal transition to form the electrically insulating annulus fibrosis, a process that may not be completed by birth.5,6 In addition to inducing proliferative responses in progenitor cells, Notch …
Applications of algorithmic differentiation to phase retrieval algorithms

In this paper, we generalize the techniques of reverse-mode algorithmic differentiation to include elementary operations on multidimensional arrays of complex numbers. We explore the application of the algorithmic differentiation to phase retrieval error metrics and show that reverse-mode algorithmic differentiation provides a framework for straightforward calculation of gradients of complicated error metrics without resorting to finite differences or laborious symbolic differentiation.
A perspective view of finite state binary residual VQ

A novel approach to vector quantization is examined in the context of image coding. The method can be characterized as a merger of finite state vector quantization (VQ) and a binary residual vector quantizer. Because the system is inherently predictive, the quality of representation easily exceeds that of memoryless VQ systems with comparable size vectors in the range from 4 to 64. The advantage offered is that the codebook storage requirement can be reduced dramatically without significantly impairing performance. This approach (called finite state binary residual VQ or FSBRVQ) is examined in the context of vector dimension. Still image coding based on FSBRVQ and BRVQ is studied using vectors that range in dimension from 16 to 1024. Some examples are given and some conclusions are drawn with respect to performance, memory, and VQ dimension tradeoffs. >
The effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on tissue repair: A literature review

BackgroundTranscutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) consists of a generic application of low-frequency, pulsed electrical currents transmitted by electrodes through the skin surface. It is...
An extended Kalman filter (EKF) approach on fuzzy system optimization problem

Optimizing the membership functions of a fuzzy system can be viewed as a system identification problem for a nonlinear dynamic system. Basically, we can view the optimization of fuzzy membership functions as a weighted least-squares minimization problem, where the error vector is the difference between the fuzzy system outputs and the target values for those outputs. The extended Kalman filter algorithm is a good choice to solve this system identification problem, not only because it is a derivative-based algorithm that is suitable to solve the weighted least-squares minimization problem, but also because of its appealing predictor-corrector feature for nonlinear system model. In this paper, we present an extended Kalman filter approach to optimize the membership functions of the inputs and outputs of the fuzzy controller. The effect of the measurement noise covariance R on the convergence of the fuzzy controller is also investigated. Experimental results show that the optimized fuzzy controller achieves significant improvement on performance. In addition, the smaller the measurement noise covariance R is, the faster the optimized fuzzy controller would converge.
Aye, and neoliberalism.

Ambiguity is the figurative appearance of the dialectic, the law of the dialectic at a standstill. (Benjamin, 1973, p. 171) And came down … (Delaney, 2003a, p. 91) This reflection reads Samuel R. D...
Sampling and analysis method for measuring airborne coal dust mass in mixtures with limestone (rock) dust

Airborne coal dust mass measurements in underground bituminous coal mines can be challenged by the presence of airborne limestone dust, which is an incombustible dust applied to prevent the propagation of dust explosions. To accurately measure the coal portion of this mixed airborne dust, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) developed a sampling and analysis protocol that used a stainless steel cassette adapted with an isokinetic inlet and the low temperature ashing (LTA) analytical method. The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) routinely utilizes this LTA method to quantify the incombustible content of bulk dust samples collected from the roof, floor, and ribs of mining entries. The use of the stainless steel cassette with isokinetic inlet allowed NIOSH to adopt the LTA method for the analysis of airborne dust samples. Mixtures of known coal and limestone dust masses were prepared in the laboratory, loaded into the stainless steel cassettes, and analyzed to assess the accuracy of this method. Coal dust mass measurements differed from predicted values by an average of 0.5%, 0.2%, and 0.1% for samples containing 20%, 91%, and 95% limestone dust, respectively. The ability of this method to accurately quantify the laboratory samples confirmed the validity of this method and allowed NIOSH to successfully measure the coal fraction of airborne dust samples collected in an underground coal mine.
6-Fluoro-1H-indole-2,3-dione

The title compound, C8H4FNO2, has a single, almost planar, mol­ecule in the asymmetric unit, with the non-H atoms having a mean deviation from planarity of 0.042 A. Inter­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds result in infinite chains along [100]. The mol­ecules are further linked through weak C—H⋯O and C—H⋯F inter­actions.
EPA's 'Back to the Future' Model Administrative Orders: Statutory Limits on Resolving Future CERCLA Liability

Courts should reject the ‘‘back to the future’’ interpretation of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act as embodied in the Environmental Protection Agency’s revised model settlement agreements, law professor Alfred R. Light says. The EPA cannot settle CERCLA claims for ‘‘future response costs’’ that have not been incurred, nor can EPA ‘‘resolve liability’’ triggering contribution protection and CERCLA’s statute of limitations upon the signing of an Administrative Order of Consent, the author says.
Ambulatory EEG Monitoring for 750 Cases with Epileptic Seizures and Pseudo-seizures

Aim:To explore the recording method of improving the accuracy rate of AEEG positive results,and how to distinguish the waves resulting from the epileptiform discharge or the false in ictus.Methods:From 1998 August to 2004 June 750 cases with clinical seizures were analyzed.During seizures all the patients were monitored by AEEG.Results:There were 750 cases whose seizures were recorded(25.98%).The rates of epileptiform discharge were 96.6% in epilepsy group; 21.1% in dubious epilepsy group;5.0% in non-epilepsy group.In these patients,181 cases were considered as pseudoseizures.Conclusion:The basal element for epilepsy diagnosis is that the epileptiform discharges in seizures were monitored by EEG.The standardization of AEEG operation is the key to improve the accuracy rate of AEEG positive results.
SYNTHESIS OF SCALE INHIBITOR FPM-1 AND ITS PERFORMANCE

A polymer scale inhibitor FPM-1 has been synthesized by using an anion monomer and a non-ionic monomer. The relationship of polymerization temperature, initiator dose and monomer concentration to the scale prevention percentage has been studied. The influence of the copolymer addition and the concentration of Ca 2+ ,Ba 2+ in the solution on the scale inhibition efficiency has also been investigated. Results show that FPM-1 is a good scale inhibitor for CaCO 3,CaSO 4, and has some inhibiting effect to BaSO 4. It can be used in water flood in oilfield and cooling water for industrial circulating water. The analysis of scanning electron microscope (SEM) on BaSO 4 has indicated that the scale is inhibited because of the lattice deformation which is caused by the adsorption of carboxylic groups and sulfonic acid groups on crystal surfaces or inserting the polymer into the crystal lattices.
Vision-Based Excavator Detection and Tracking Using Hybrid Kinematic Shapes and Key Nodes

AbstractEnhancing workplace safety continues to be a major task in the construction industry. Approximately 75% of struck-by fatalities are caused by inappropriate spatial-temporal relationships between construction workers and heavy equipment. Construction safety can be improved if the location and movement of heavy equipment are tracked in real time. However, detecting and tracking heavy equipment with kinematic joints and changing poses, such as excavators, is still a challenge for vision-based sensing methods. This study proposes to detect and track excavators using stereo cameras based on hybrid kinematic shape and key node features. Specifically, templates of excavator components are synthesized for detection following kinematic constraints of each component. Thereafter, a fast directional chamfer matching algorithm is used to detect the excavator components, and the detected components are articulated at the key nodes. Finally, the three-dimensional positions of the key nodes are tracked through tr...
Frank H. Knight Before He Entered Economics (1885-1914)

Frank Knight's early life, including his family history, brothers in economics, early education, education at American University (Harriman, TN) and Milligan College, experience at the Jamestown Exposition, graduate study at Tennessee and Cornell. Clarifies his religious background, educational background, and his entrance into economics.
Resources for a Democratic Catholic Church

This article explores sources in the Christian tradition that can be helpful for re-shaping present Roman Catholic ecclesial polity. The underlying theme is that the Catholic Church, in order to enhance efforts at church reform, needs to re-structure itself from a monarchical polity to a democratic one. A theological subtheme argues that the monarchical polity is not mandated by the gospel, but is rather a creature of history. Furthermore, the monarchical polity is a root cause obstructing reform in specific areas. By selecting loci from early church history to the present time, democratic movements and ideas are highlighted as constituting an important part of Catholic history. Certain of these loci have not yet been examined for their democratic potential. This democratic tradition can be a springboard for moving toward a democratic church in the twenty-first century.
Abstract 50: Elevated Serum Cobalamin associated Increased Mortality in Advanced Heart Failure

Introduction: Elevated serum cobalamin (B12) has been associated with liver dysfunction in decompensated heart failure. We hypothesize that elevated B12 is associated with worse outcomes in advanced heart failure. Methods: We examined 115 consecutive patients with advanced heart failure undergoing evaluation for advanced therapies. Patients receiving B12 injections were excluded. Our lab considers B12 >900pg/mL as elevated. Linear regression was performed to determine significant predictors. Survival was assessed by Kaplan Meier curves. Results: Mean and median serum B12: 843± 362pg/mL, 795 pg/mL (IQR 551-1046). Patients with elevated values were more likely to be have diabetes, dyslipidemia, COPD, CAD, and CKD. Less likely to be on spironolactone or be transplanted. Patients had higher total bilirubin and RDW; lower MVO2 and cardiac index. Hepatic, cholestatic, inflammatory and renal biomarkers were not found to be predictive of elevated B12, but MVO2 (OR: 0.93, [95%CI 0.87,0.99]) was. At 2-yr, transplanted patients with increased B12 had higher mortality (logrank p=0.006). Conclusions: Serum B12 is elevated in patients with advanced heart failure. Decreased MVO2 and markers of chronic inflammation are predictive of higher B12 levels. Elevated B12 is a significant predictor of mortality. Mechanistic studies of B12 in heart failure could provide key insights into the complexity of heart failure pathophysiology. Figure 1: Survival Analysis of Elevated versus normal Serum B12 levels ![Graphic][1] [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif
Asymptotic Expansion of Quantiles Computed from Mixed Samples 1

This article describes an Edgeworth type expansion as n→∞ for the distribution of a quantile computed from a mixed sample of size nk, representing a finite number k of populations, a sample of size n being drawn from the jth population (l⩽j⩽k). If the sth (s ≧ 3) derivative of each of the underlying k distribution functions exists in the neighbourhood of a suitably defined population quantile, then the error of this asymptotic expansion is of order smaller than n-(8-2)|2.
The Ethics of Neuromarketing in Sports

The global sports industry, currently valued at USD1.5 trillion, is both sizeable and unique as one of the last in-the-moment branded experiences. Perhaps the most highly impassioned and engaged brand evangelists, sports fans spend disproportionately large sums of money on branded merchandise to reinforce identity-based affiliation as well as tribal connection to team. While classical economists would suggest that sports fans are rational actors relying on sophisticated mental accounting to evaluate all branded experiences through the lens of acquisition utility, the relationship that binds sports fans and sports brands is decidedly irrational, aspirational, and emotionally driven. Recognizing that traditional approaches to consumer research remain flawed by a host of biases that inhibit consumers’ ability to tell you how they feel, sports brands are increasingly utilizing neuroscience technology to analyze (1) how sports fans process sensory-rich stimuli and (2) the various emotional triggers of sport consumption and brand choice. Sports brands are investing in sensory-rich, next generation stadiums that are meant to serve as mixed-use spaces and community data-hubs anchoring urban development and community revitalization initiatives. Utilizing customer data platforms (CDPs), sports brands and marketers therein will aggregate and analyze both fan-specific and resident data to inform more personalized targeted offerings that better appeal to the emotional, behavioral, identity, and social drivers of choice. While there is little evidence that neuroscience technology is currently capable of informing marketers seeking to manipulate consumer choice through the identification of a “buy button” in the brain, data collected in CDPs represents a real a profound ethical concern for sports fans and all residents of communities built with sacred sports stadiums as a centerpiece.
Risk Management Strategies in Transportation Capacity Decisions: An Analytical Approach

In recent years, access to freight transportation capacity has become a constant issue in the minds of logistics managers due to capacity shortages. In a buyer–seller relationship, reliable, timely, and cost-effective access to transportation is critical to the success of such partnerships. Given this, guaranteed capacity contracts with third-party logistics providers (3PLs) may be appealing to shippers to increase their access to capacity and respond effectively to customer requirements. With this new opportunity, 3PLs must focus on approaches that can assist them in analyzing their options as they promise guaranteed capacity to shippers when faced with uncertain demand and related risks in transportation. In this paper, we analytically analyze three capacity-based risk mitigation strategies and the mixed use of these individual strategies using industry-based data to provide insights on which strategy is preferable to the 3PL and under what conditions. We posit that the selection of a strategy is contingent on several conditions faced by both the shipper and the carrier. Although our approach is analytical in nature, it has a high degree of practical utility in that a 3PL can utilize our decision models to effectively analyze and visualize the trade-offs between the different strategies by considering appropriate cost and demand data.
Issues of Identification of Giftedness in Turkey

The purpose of the study, giving rise to this article is to highlight factors that play a role in the identification of gifted students through analysis of literature and current issues in Turkey. ...
Beyond Ageist Attitudes: Researchers Call for NIH Action to Limit Funding for Older Academics

Purpose This article explores manifestations of ageism in response to a proposed National Institutes of Health (NIH) Emeritus Grant initiative aimed at funding older investigators. Design and Methods Comments were requested by NIH in 2015, through a Request for Information (RFI) as well as a public blog regarding the merits of a proposed grant mechanism that would help older researchers transfer their labs to junior scientists and transition into retirement. This article reports content analysis of comments from 134 respondents to the blog. Results We found consistent patterns of disapproval of the proposed NIH initiative, which was viewed by most respondents as an undeserved benefit for older scientists. Negative attitudes were also expressed toward senior investigators by a large majority of commenters. In addition to broad opposition to new grant funding for senior investigators, many commenters also advocated for other punitive actions toward older investigators, including forced retirement. These opinions were generally justified by negative appraisals of senior investigators' competence, productivity, and even their character. Ageist comments were not limited to younger researchers, suggesting potential internalized ageism by older investigators. Implications We discuss manifestations of ageism and advocacy for age discrimination in the broader social context of modernization theory, intergenerational conflict and social closure. Our findings raise important questions about the limited value of higher education in counteracting prejudice toward older people. We propose potential remedies to reduce ageism in academia.
Two unusual variants of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor and their potential pitfalls on fine-needle aspiration cytology

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration is increasingly utilized for the diagnosis of pancreatic lesions. Although operator dependent, the procedure has good overall performance characteristics and is minimally invasive; however, accuracy and sensitivity are reportedly lower for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PanNET) compared with the more common pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (pACA). The underperformance is further exacerbated by the unusual cases of PanNET presenting with variant cytomorphology. We report two separate diagnostically challenging cases: a pigmented PanNET and a clear cell PanNET. We briefly review the literature and emphasize the importance of recognizing these uncommon variants when encountered in aspirate material. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2017;45:371-378. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Design of efficient error resilience in signal processing and control systems: From algorithms to circuits

The proliferation of cyber physical systems in society, from the smart grid to sensor networks and robots has raised the importance of error resilience in signal processing and control systems to unprecedented levels. Resilience to errors in sensing and control algorithm execution in processors all the way down to circuits for sensing and actuation is of critical importance in safety-critical applications where undetected errors can have disastrous consequences. In this presentation, we describe how ideas in the domain of algorithm-based fault tolerance developed in the mid-80s for signal processing and matrix computations can be applied to a vast domain of circuits and systems in electrical engineering; from digital and analog filters to complex nonlinear autonomous control systems. The key insight is that electrical systems can be fundamentally represented by linear and nonlinear differential equations with equivalent matrix representations. These representations can be encoded with extra check states that bear a known relationship with all the observable states of the system independent of the system driving inputs. By checking for the validity of this relationship, errors can be detected and mitigated in real-time with near-zero latency with minimal hardware overhead. The broad vision of the proposed methodology is illustrated with examples from different electrical engineering domains.
How Low Can You Go? An Investigation into Matching Gifts in Fundraising

There is a rich existing economic literature that considers the impact of matching offers on the behavior of donors to nonprofit organizations, both in the laboratory and in the field. We evaluate the impact of matching gift offers included in a nonpartisan nonprofit organizationâ€™s holiday mail fundraising drive. We add to the existing literature in two ways. First, our use of a nonpartisan nonprofit is uncommon. Second, prior literature establishes that more generous matches (beyond $1:$1) generally do not increase donations in a cost-effective way. However, few studies consider less generous offers. We evaluate the impact of a $1:$10 matching offer. Our results suggest that the nonprofit organizationâ€™s donors are not generally susceptible to matching offers, but that the $1:$1 match led to a higher response rate and larger gift than the $1:$10 match for legacy donors. We also find that donors more closely tied to the organization through prior giving are more likely to give in response to an ask without matching offers than donors without past giving. Our results suggest that low matching offers are not worth pursuing for many nonprofit organizations, and that the response to offers differs across regular donors to the organization compared to other donor types.
Risk Stratification forSsudden Death in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

For many years it has been recognized that some persons who survive acute myocardial infarction (MI) remain at considerable risk of mortality, in some cases for years.1 It has also been recognized that approximately 50% of deaths in survivors of MI occur suddenly and unexpectedly. Since the advent of telemetric electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring for patients with acute MI in the 1960s, ventricular tachycardia (VT) and fibrillation have been understood to precipitate most cardiac arrests after MI. These events usually occur without any apparent precipitating factor. While we have effective treatment for survivors of cardiac arrest, a minority (2–30%) of arrest victims survive the acute event.2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Thus, there is considerable rationale to attempt primary prevention of cardiac arrest if we are to improve the overall survival of patients with coronary disease.
Barriers to the clinical implementation of compositionality.

BACKGROUND: Compositional mechanisms for the entry of clinically relevant controlled vocabularies have been suggested as a possible solution to providing adequate descriptive precision while keeping term vocabulary redundancy under control. As of yet, there are no widely accepted term navigators that allow physicians to enter problem lists utilizing controlled vocabularies with compositionality. METHODS: We report on the results of a usability trial of 5 physicians using our most recent attempt at developing the Mayo Problem List Manager. We tested the implementation of an automated term composition, and hierarchical term dissection. RESULTS: Participants found acceptable terms 96% of the time and found automated term composition helpful in 85% of the case scenarios. There was significant confusion about the terminology used to describe compositional elements (kernel concepts, modifiers, and qualifiers) however participants used the functions appropriately. Speed of entry was universally stated as the limiting factor. CONCLUSIONS: The variety of methods that our participants used to enter terms highlights the need for multiple ways to accomplish the task of data entry. Successful implementation of user directed compositionality could be accomplished with further improvement of the user interface and the underlying terminology.
Definition der Innovationsdynamik

Der Begriff „innovatio” taucht bei Apuleius und Tertullian am Ende des 2. Jh. n. Chr. auf. Er kommt bei Kirchenschriftstellern vor und bezeichnet in seiner hauptsachlichen Gebrauchsweise die „Erneuerung”; vorwiegend ist damit im positiven Sinne die Erneuerung des Menschen etwa durch die Taufe, den Glauben usw. gemeint.1
Thermal conductivity of plasma deposited amorphous hydrogenated boron and carbon rich thin films

Abstract Owing to a unique combination of low density, high mechanical stiffness, and high neutron capture cross section, boron rich solids are of interest for a number of applications ranging from fusion shielding and neutron absorbing materials to solid state neutron detection. In many of these applications, the boron containing materials may be exposed to extreme temperatures and thermal gradients where heat dissipation is a significant concern. While there have been several reports of the thermal conductivity for crystalline boron solids, comparitively little is known regarding the thermal conductivity for amorphous boron thin films used in many nuclear applications. In this investigation, we report time-domain thermoreflectance (TDTR) measurements for a series of plasma deposited boron rich thin films with nominal compositions of a-B:H and a-BP:H. The results were compared to additional measurements performed on a-C:H films with similar mass density and which are also utilized as fusion plasma shielding materials. The values of thermal conductivity determined by TDTR for the a-B:H and a-BP:H films ranged from 1 to 2 W/mK. These values are reduced relative to those reported for crystalline boron (4–400 W/mK) but compare well to those obtained for a-C:H (0.5–1.5 W/mK).