Building a high-quality sense inventory for improved abbreviation disambiguation

Motivation: The ultimate goal of abbreviation management is to disambiguate every occurrence of an abbreviation into its expanded form (concept or sense). To collect expanded forms for abbreviations, previous studies have recognized abbreviations and their expanded forms in parenthetical expressions of bio-medical texts. However, expanded forms extracted by abbreviation recognition are mixtures of concepts/senses and their term variations. Consequently, a list of expanded forms should be structured into a sense inventory, which provides possible concepts or senses for abbreviation disambiguation

Evidence for Post-Quiescent, High-Energy Emission from Gamma-Ray Burst 990104

It is well known that high-energy emission (MeV-GeV) has been observed in a number of gamma-ray bursts, and temporally-extended emission from lower energy gamma rays through radio wavelengths is well established. An important observed characteristic of some bursts at low energy is quiescence: an initial emission followed by a quiet period before a second (postquiescent) emission. Evidence for significant high-energy, postquiescent emission has been lacking. Here we present evidence for high-energy emission, coincident with lower energy emission, from the postquiescent emission episode of the very bright and long burst, GRB 990104. We show light curves and spectra that confirm emission above 50 MeV, approximately 152 seconds after the BATSE trigger and initial emission episode. Between the initial emission episode and the main peak, seen at both low and high energy, there was a quiescent period of ~100 s during which the burst was relatively quiet. This burst was found as part of an ongoing search for high-energy emission in gamma-ray bursts using the EGRET fixed interval (32 s) accumulation spectra, which provide sensitivity to later, high-energy emission that is otherwise missed by the standard EGRET BATSE-triggered burst spectra.Comment: 5 pages, including 5 figures. Missing citation added to introduction. Accepted for publication in ApJ

The Bioactivity and Ion Release of Titanium-Containing Glass Polyalkenoate Cements for Medical Applications

The ion release profiles and bioactivity of a series of Ti containing glass polyalkenoate cements. Characterization revealed each material to be amorphous with a Tg in the region of 650-660°C. The network connectivity decreased (1.83-1.35) with the addition of TiO2 which was also evident with analysis by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Ion release from cements were determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy for zinc (Zn2+), calcium (Ca2+), strontium (Sr2+), Silica (Si4+) and titanium (Ti4+). Ions such as Zn2+ (0.1-2.0 mg/l), Ca2+ (2.0-8.3 mg/l,) Sr2+ (0.1-3.9 mg/l), and Si4+ (14-90 mg/l) were tested over 1-30 days. No Ti4+ release was detected. Simulated body fluid revealed a CaP surface layer on each cement while cell culture testing of cement liquid extracts with TW-Z (5 mol% TiO2) produced the highest cell viability (161%) after 30 days. Direct contact testing of discs resulted in a decrease in cell viability of the each cement tested. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

Singing for better breathing: findings from the Lambeth & Southwark singing and COPD project.

Introduction Over the last eight years there has been a growth of interest in the potential value of participation in singing groups for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (CODP) and other respiratory illnesses. This is shown by the increasing number of singing for breathing groups established across the UK over this period. The British Lung Foundation have taken a leading role in promoting this activity through their ‘Singing for Lung Health’ programme. A limited number of small-scale research studies have assessed the benefits of singing for people with COPD and other lung conditions. These include three randomised controlled trials, one in Brazil, and two conducted at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London. Further studies have been carried out in Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the USA. There is limited evidence that singing improves lung function and exercise capacity, but qualitative feedback from participants has been highly positive. Testimonies point to singing having substantial subjective benefits for physical, psychological and social wellbeing, and in enabling people with COPD to better manage their lung condition. The current study in Lambeth and Southwark, South London, was based on earlier research conducted in East Kent, UK. Morrison et al. (2013) established and evaluated a network of six community singing groups for people with COPD which ran over the course of ten months. Seventy-two people with COPD were followed up over this time and assessed using validated questionnaires, with St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) as the primary outcome measure. Spirometry was also used to assess lung function. Significant improvements were found on the total and impact scores from the SGRQ, and participants also improved in their lung function. Project and evaluation. The aim of the current study was to further test the feasibility of setting up a network of community singing groups for people with COPD to run over the course of ten months from end of September 2015 to end of July 2016. Recruitment took place over the period April-September 2015. The study involved two cohorts, assessed in September 2015 and January 2016. The two groups were comparable on all baseline measures, and were combined for the purpose of the evaluation. A total of 60 participants with breathing difficulties were recruited into the study. Assessment included a battery of validated questionnaires, with the SGRQ as the primary outcome measure. Questions were also included on use of health and social care services and medication, including the use of inhalers. Participants underwent a comprehensive assessment to measure lung function. The principal measures were the amount of air expelled forcibly from the lungs in one second (FEV1); the total volume of air forcibly expelled from the lungs (FVC), and distance walked in six minutes – the Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT). Singing groups met weekly over the course of the project in four venues, led by two experienced and skilled facilitators. Three groups started in late September/early October 2015 and ran for 38-40 sessions and a fourth group, commenced in January 2016, and ran for 25 sessions. At follow-up, 44 participants completed the questionnaires again and 42 completed the lung and exercise assessments (attrition rate 27-30% due to health issues and family commitments). In addition, 37 participants took part in a structured interview in April/May 2016 to gather feedback on their experiences of the singing groups and their perceptions of any benefits gained. Average level of attendance was 26 sessions, with approximately 82% participants attending at least 20 sessions. Filming and photography was also used throughout to provide a documentary record of the project, and the final film giving an account of the whole project is included with this report. Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health Findings from the Lambeth and Southwark Singing and COPD Project 3 Among the participants followed-up, 31 were shown to have COPD from the lung function tests at baseline (FEV1/ FVC <0.7) - six mild, 15 moderate, nine severe, and one very severe. Findings for the total sample and for those with COPD are presented, but particular attention is given to the changes seen for participants with COPD. Findings The principal quantitative findings for the COPD group were as follows: • A significant improvement on the SGRQ symptom scale • Participants with COPD reported ‘fewer bad days’ and ‘more good days’ • No change on FEV1 • A small but statistically significant decline in FVC • A small but statistically significant increase in FEV1/FVC • No change in distance walked on the 6MWT • No change in breathlessness after the 6MWT • No change in reported health service use The accounts provided in the interviews were consistently and highly positive. Participants claimed that regular singing helped them in managing their respiratory symptoms, and reported improvements in mental wellbeing, attributing this to the singing group. Social benefits were also described, extending to participants meeting outside of the singing sessions, and group members providing each other with support and advice. Reflections Our study shows that COPD patients who took part in singing groups experienced a reduction in symptoms, as measured by the St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire. Detailed structured interviews also revealed a wide range of physical, psychological and social benefits, which together substantially improved the wellbeing of participants. In addition, lung function and functional exercise capacity was maintained throughout the course of the 6 – 10 month singing intervention. The findings add to the previous body of research in supporting the value of regular singing for people with COPD, and other respiratory conditions. We agree with the conclusions reached in a recent systematic review (Lewis, et al., 2016) that further, larger-scale controlled trials are needed to establish benefits and address a range of outstanding questions on effective delivery. Confounding factors of weather and background air pollution may have had some impact on the participants in this study. Such factors can only be controlled for through multi-centre trials in which an intervention is run over a wide geographical area including inner-city and rural locations. Our experience of difficulties with recruitment indicates the need for greater resources, time and effort to ensure sufficient numbers for any future studies on singing for people with lung disease

Observations of the Optical Counterpart to XTE J1118+480 During Outburst by the ROTSE-I Telescope

The X-ray nova XTE J1118+480 exhibited two outbursts in the early part of 2000. As detected by the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE), the first outburst began in early January and the second began in early March. Routine imaging of the northern sky by the Robotic Optical Transient Search Experiment (ROTSE) shows the optical counterpart to XTE J1118+480 during both outbursts. These data include over 60 epochs from January to June 2000. A search of the ROTSE data archives reveal no previous optical outbursts of this source in selected data between April 1998 and January 2000. While the X-ray to optical flux ratio of XTE J1118+480 was low during both outbursts, we suggest that they were full X-ray novae and not mini-outbursts based on comparison with similar sources. The ROTSE measurements taken during the March 2000 outburst also indicate a rapid rise in the optical flux that preceded the X-ray emission measured by the RXTE by approximately 10 days. Using these results, we estimate a pre-outburst accretion disk inner truncation radius of 1.2 x 10^4 Schwarzschild radii.Comment: 9 pages, 1 table, 2 figure

The Dark Side of ROTSE-III Prompt GRB Observations

We present several cases of optical observations during gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) which resulted in prompt limits but no detection of optical emission. These limits constrain the prompt optical flux densities and the optical brightness relative to the gamma-ray emission. The derived constraints fall within the range of properties observed in GRBs with prompt optical detections, though at the faint end of optical/gamma flux ratios. The presently accessible prompt optical limits do not require a different set of intrinsic or environmental GRB properties, relative to the events with prompt optical detections.Comment: ApJ accepted. 20 pages in draft manuscript form, which includes 6 pages of tables and 2 figure

Status of the ROTSE-III telescope network

ROTSE-III is a homogeneous worldwide array of 4 robotic telescopes. They were designed to provide optical observations of γ-ray burst (GRB) afterglows as close as possible to the start of γ-ray emission. ROTSE-III is fulfilling its potential for GRB science, and provides optical observations for a variety of astrophysical sources in the interim between GRB events

Prompt Optical Detection of GRB 050401 with ROTSE-IIIa

The ROTSE-IIIa telescope at Siding Spring Observatory, Australia, detected prompt optical emission from Swift GRB 050401. In this letter, we present observations of the early optical afterglow, first detected by the ROTSE-IIIa telescope 33 s after the start of gamma-ray emission, contemporaneous with the brightest peak of this emission. This GRB was neither exceptionally long nor bright. This is the first prompt optical detection of a GRB of typical duration and luminosity. We find that the early afterglow decay does not deviate significantly from the power-law decay observable at later times, and is uncorrelated with the prompt gamma-ray emission. We compare this detection with the other two GRBs with prompt observations, GRB 990123 and GRB 041219a. All three bursts exhibit quite different behavior at early times.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ Letter