cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Waste Microcosms and Mesocosms

Ecosystems for waste consumption are found everywhere in wild nature and in practical use by human societies. They include the waste treatment plants of urban civilization, which are really domesticated mesocosms. Waste consumption units close the material cycle from human economic society to the biosphere’s life support system (Figure 17.1). Some units use the energy of the waste, whereas others use solar energy and/or physical stirring energy as well. Many alternative systems of waste disposal have been studied in microcosms. Food production microcosms and waste recycling microcosms are the main interfaces between the world’s environment and the economic patterns of society (Figure 17.1). Because the material output of one is the input of the other, there is cooperative symbiosis between autotrophic producing units and heterotrophic consuming units.
Rapid Changes in the Translatome during the Conversion of Growth Cones to Synaptic Terminals

A common step in the formation of neural circuits is the conversion of growth cones to presynaptic terminals. Characterizing patterns of global gene expression during this process is problematic due to the cellular diversity of the brain and the complex temporal dynamics of development. Here, we take advantage of the synchronous conversion of Drosophila photoreceptor growth cones into presynaptic terminals to explore global changes in gene expression during presynaptic differentiation. Using a tandemly tagged ribosome trap (T-TRAP) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) at multiple developmental times, we observed dramatic changes in coding and non-coding RNAs with presynaptic differentiation. Marked changes in the mRNA encoding transmembrane and secreted proteins occurred preferentially. The 3' UTRs of transcripts encoding synaptic proteins were preferentially lengthened, and these extended UTRs were preferentially enriched for sites recognized by RNA binding proteins. These data provide a rich resource for uncovering the regulatory logic underlying presynaptic differentiation.
Meeting the Challenges of Designing the Kauffman Firm Survey: Sampling Frame, Definitions, Questionnaire Development, and Respondent Burden (Presentation)

The challenges in designing the Kauffman Firm Survey (KFS) provided an opportunity to study and evaluate the methods for conducting establishment surveys. This paper highlights some of the noteworthy processes used during the design phase of the project, including setting up an advisory committee, conducting the literature review, developing the sample frame and design, developing criteria to define a "new business," and designing the questionnaire. Cognitive interviews were conducted, and pilot testing included experimenting with respondent incentives (pre- versus post-payments) and data collection mode (self-administered via the web versus telephone interviews). The KFS design process reinforced the value of spending time and resources to address key issues prior to the full-study implementation that required screening 32,500 sampled businesses to identify 4,930 eligible new businesses.
Single-Element Focused Ultrasound Transducer Method for Harmonic Motion Imaging:

The harmonic motion imaging (HMI) technique for simultaneous monitoring and generation of ultrasound therapy using two separate focused ultrasound transducer elements was previously demonstrated. In this study, a new HMI technique is described that images tissue displacement induced by a harmonic radiation force using a single focused-ultrasound element. A wave propagation simulation model first indicated that, unlike in the two-beam configuration, the amplitude-modulated beam produced a stable focal zone for the applied harmonic radiation force. The AM beam thus offered the unique advantage of sustaining the application of the spatially-invariant radiation force. Experiments were performed on gelatin phantoms and ex vivo tissues. The radiation force was generated by a 4.68 MHz focused ultrasound (FUS) transducer using a 50 Hz amplitude-modulated wave. A 7.5 MHz pulse-echo transducer was used to acquire rf echoes during the application of the harmonic radiation force. Consecutive rf echoes were acquired with a pulse repetition frequency (PRF) of 6.5 kHz and 1D cross-correlation was performed to estimate the resulting axial tissue displacement. The HMI technique was shown capable of estimating stiffness-dependent displacement amplitudes. Finally, taking advantage of the real-time capability of the HMI technique, temperature-dependent measurements enabled monitoring ofHIFU sonication in ex vivo tissues. The new HMI method may thus enable a highly-localized force and stiffness-dependent measurements as well as real-time and low-cost HIFU monitoring.
STUDY OF OFF-BORESIGHT LAUNCHING FOR INFRARED AIR-TO-AIR MISSILE

By analysing an off-boresight launch system of an advance short-range air-to-air missile,the principle of off-boresight launching for air-to-air missile is presented.On the basis of this,the mathematical model and emulator are established,the trajectory and allowable launch envelop of missile are simulated in computer for off-boresight launching.
Indistinct evaluation methods of comprehensive quality for college and University students

A fair and just evaluation of the comprehensive quality of college students will promote their healthy physical and spiritual development and will thus equip them to fit into society.In the article the comprehensive judgment method of fuzzy mathematics is utilised for the evaluation of the comprehensive quality of college students,it provides not only the fuzzy evaluation model,which can assess the comprehensive quality of college students more objectively,but also the analysis of examples.
Mitral suture annuloplasty corrects both annular and subvalvular geometry in acute ischemic mitral regurgitation.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY Papillary muscle displacement is an important element in the pathogenesis of ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR). The effects of standard ring annuloplasty on subvalvular geometry are incompletely understood. The hypothesis was tested that annular reduction with a Panethtype suture annuloplasty would correct both annular and papillary muscle geometric abnormalities during acute left ventricular (LV) ischemia. METHODS Eight adult sheep underwent insertion of an adjustable, double-suture Paneth-type mitral annuloplasty and radiopaque markers on the left ventricle, mitral annulus, leaflet edges, and anterior (APM) and posterior (PPM) papillary muscle tips. Immediately after surgey, 3-D marker coordinates were determined during Control conditions and during proximal left circumflex occlusion before and after tightening the annuloplasty suture. RESULTS Acute IMR (MR grade 0.3 +/- 0.3 to 2.1 +/- 0.4, Control versus Ischemia) was associated with end-systolic LV dilatation (+27 +/- 16 ml, change relative to Control), greater septal-lateral (+4.6 +/- 3.1 cm) and commissure-commissure (+3.3 +/- 1.6 cm) mitral annular diameters, longer anterior (+1.5 +/- 0.9 cm) and posterior (+0.6 +/- 0.9 cm) papillary muscle tethering distances, greater distance from the APM to the anterior commissure (+0.9 +/- 0.8 cm), and shorter distance from the PPM to the poslerior commissure (-1.3 +/- 1.5 cm). Suture annuloplasty corrected the annular and subvalvular changes, and IMR returned to Control levels (0.5 +/- 0.5); only LV end-systolic volume (ESV) was different from Control (+25 +/- 18 ml) (mean +/- SD, p < 0.05 versus Control by RMANOVA and Dunnett's test). CONCLUSION Suture annuloplasty corrected ischemia-induced end-systolic distortions of the entire valvular-ventricular complex (i.e. inter-leaflet separation, mitral annular dilatation in both axes, and papillary muscle displacements), and abolished acute IMR, independent of any change in ESV. A better understanding of the effects of annular reduction on papillary muscle geometry may lead to improved subvalvular mitral repair techniques.
Subjective Social Status and Psychological Distress in Mothers of Young Children.

Introduction Perceptions of social standing have increasingly well-documented relationships with health. Higher subjective social status (SSS) is associated with better psychological well-being among women, and mothers of newborns. The relationship between SSS and psychological distress among mothers of young children, however, is largely unknown. SSS may provide insight into aspects of maternal functioning that are relevant to parenting capacity, as well as insight into future health; in addition, SSS is brief, and may be perceived as less intrusive than other measures of socioeconomic status or mental health. We evaluated the relationship between SSS and psychological distress among mothers of 5-year-old children from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Methods One hundred and sixty-two mothers of 5-year old children, who participated in a study of child self-regulation, completed surveys that assessed sociodemographics, mental health, and perceived social support. The MacArthur Scale of SSS used pictures of ten-rung ladders to assess respondents' social position in relation to the US (SES ladder) and their community (community ladder). Quantile regression models were used to assess the relationship between maternal psychological distress (perceived social support, depressive symptoms, anxiety) and the ladders (individually and together), adjusting for maternal age, race, education, and number of children. To examine whether the SSS-health relationships differed by race, the models were also stratified by race. Results Community ladder ranking was positively associated with social support (β = 1.34, SE = 0.33, p < .001), and negatively associated with depressive symptoms (β = -1.34, SE = 0.52, p < .05). SES ladder ranking was positively associated with social support (β = 1.17, SE = 0.52, p < .05). Findings in the full sample were driven by more robust relationships between psychological distress and community SSS among Black/African-American mothers. Discussion The findings suggest that perceived social standing in one's community is associated with maternal psychological well-being. Community SSS may be particularly influential for Black/African-American mothers' well-being.
Commodity Prices and Inflation Expectations in Chile

I examine whether commodity prices have been a contributor to the inflation volatility experienced by the Chilean economy in recent years. First, I show that of all commodities, oil is the most significantly correlated with future inflation and inflationary expectations. Next, I use a Gaussian affine term structure model with observable macroeconomic factors to quantitatively study how shocks to oil prices affect bond yields and inflation expectations. I find a statistically significant but economically modest effect. An increase in the price of oil of 20% raises one-year inflation expectations by 25 basis points, while five-year expectations increase only by 8 basis points. The results suggest that central banks could benefit from paying attention to commodity prices when setting monetary policy.
Overhead of deoptimization checks in the V8 javascript engine

Just-in-time compilation for dynamic languages uses type speculation to generate optimized code for frequently executed code sections. However, even the high-performance code requires checks to ensure that assumptions made during code generation are not violated. If the assumptions are violated then the program reverts to executing unoptimized code. This process is called deoptimization, and the checks are called deoptimization checks. We analyzed the frequency of conditional deoptimization checks and the performance impact of the associated conditional branch using the V8 Javascript engine running the Octane benchmarks. Over half of the benchmarks have at least 5 checks per 100 instructions, and 1 benchmark has as many as 19 checks per 100 instructions. The performance impact of the checks varies significantly depending on the microarchitecture of the CPU that is running the code. On average the conditional branch used by the checks accounts for over 6.2% of the benchmark's dynamic instructions. Removing these checks provides only a 2.2% performance improvement when running on a high performance Intel CPU, but a 4.6% performance improvement on an Intel CPU optimized for low power consumption.
Erforschung der Gene und Genome

Die Gentechnik oder DNA-Rekombinationstechnologie hat seit ihren Anfangen in den fruhen 1970er-Jahren die Biochemie von Grund auf revolutioniert. Heute ist es moglich, die genetische Ausstattung von Organismen gezielt nach Wunsch zu verandern. Die Gentechnologie ist Ergebnis etlicher Jahrzehnte der grundlegenden Untersuchungen an DNA, RNA und Viren. Sie setzt zunachst Enzyme voraus, die DNA spalten, verknupfen, replizieren und RNA revers transkribieren konnen. Restriktionsenzyme spalten lange DNA-Molekule in spezifische Fragmente, die dann verandert werden konnen; DNA-Ligasen verknupfen die Fragmente miteinander. Es stehen zahlreiche verschiedene Restriktionsenzyme zur Verfugung. Durch geschickte Anwendung dieses Sortiments an Hilfsmitteln kann man in der Forschung nun DNA-Sequenzen als Module behandeln, die sich nach Belieben von einem DNA-Molekul auf ein anderes ubertragen lassen. Enzyme, die auf Nucleinsauren als Substrate einwirken, bilden daher die Grundlage fur die Technik der DNA-Rekombination.
The King–Devick test as a predictor of cognitive effects after chronic partial sleep restriction: a pilot study

The King–Devick test (K–D) is sensitive to the effects of acute sleep deprivation. It remains unclear whether the K–D is sensitive to the effects of chronic partial sleep restriction (SR). K–D performance was compared in a college student sample at baseline and after a week of SR. Subjects also completed measures of attention, processing speed, working memory, vocabulary and verbal reasoning. Subjects performed worse relative to their baselines on the K–D than previous test–retest reliability literature indicates, and worse on tests of attention, processing speed and working memory. Verbal reasoning and vocabulary were unaffected. An association between K–D performance and sleep duration during SR trended toward significance. These results provide initial support for the sensitivity of the K–D to SR.
Simulation modeling of pedestrian behavior in the presence of unmanned mobile robots

Abstract Interactions between pedestrians and robots are becoming more commonplace. In public areas, for example, robots may be used for information dissemination, security, or patrol tasks. Based upon existing literature in the field of human-robot interaction, the ISAPT simulation system was revised to model individual pedestrian behavior in the presence of a mobile robot. Using an agent-based modeling approach, pedestrians are statistically assigned one of six reported behaviors when a robot is encountered: interact, watch, curious, ignore, cautious, and avoid. The modeling methods for incorporating these behaviors include modifying a pedestrian's existing agenda and/or their perception of the threat represented by the non-humanoid robot, while the pedestrian continues to make navigation decisions based on their overall utility function. This paper discusses the implementation of this capability and presents results on ISAPT's ability to reproduce the different behaviors reported in the literature. Data collected in a field study are used to further validate the system by comparing measures from observed behaviors to simulation output. Validation measures included lateral distance to robot and lateral path deviation. These results illustrate this approach is an effective means for adding this capability to microsimulation modeling systems.
Design and Modeling of Blue-Enhanced and Bandwidth-Extended PN Photodiode in Standard CMOS Technology

A photodiode (PD) structure based on ${N} \times {N}$ junctions is presented to enhance the responsivity in the blue region and extend the optical bandwidth. The use of subsections or multiple junctions increase the number of generated blue photo-carriers as well as the collection speed of photo-carriers at the edges of the depletion regions. An N-well/Psub PD formed of $ {5} \times {5}$ subsections is designed and fabricated in a standard AMS 0.35- $\mu \text{m}$ CMOS technology with an OPTO process option. The PD is compared to a solid structure with a single section having the same optical window of $100~\mu \text{m} \,\, \times 100~\mu \text{m}$ . A responsivity improvement of around 10%–15% is measured between 400- and 550-nm wavelengths. The normalized ac responsivity shows a $1.7\times $ increase in bandwidth compared with the solid PD at 1-V reverse-bias voltage. S-parameter-based voltage-bias-dependent lumped-RLC models are proposed to accurately represent the optoelectrical conversion and the output impedance for both PDs as a function of the reverse-bias voltage and operating frequency range.
Increasing Availability of Prevention to Communities Disproportionately Affected by HIV.

An editorial is presented which addresses an effort to increase the availability of HIV prevention services to specific communities in America, and it provides a response to the article "Geography Should Not Be Destiny: Focusing HIV/AIDS Implementation Research and Programs on Microepidemics in U.S. Neighborhoods" by A. Nunn, A. Yolken, B. Cutler, et al. which appears in a 2014 issue of the journal. Health disparities and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are assessed.
National study of excellence and innovation in physical therapist education: Part 1-design, method, and results

Background The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching commissioned the Preparation for the Professions Program, a qualitative study of professional education in 5 professions: medicine, nursing, law, engineering, and clergy. These studies identified curricular structures, instructional practices, assessment approaches, and environmental characteristics that support the preparation of professionals and led to educational reforms. The physical therapy profession has not had any in-depth, national investigation of physical therapist education since the Catherine Worthingham studies conducted more than 50 years ago. Objectives This research was a Carnegie-type study, investigating elements of excellence and innovation in academic and clinical physical therapist education in the United States. Design Five physical therapist education researchers from across the United States used a qualitative multiple-case study design. Methods Six academic and 5 clinical programs were selected for the study. The academic institutions and clinical agencies studied were diverse in size, institutional setting, geography, and role in residency education. Qualitative case studies were generated from review of artifacts, field observations, and interviews (individual and focus group), and they provided the data for the study. Results A conceptual framework grounded in 3 major dimensions was generated, with 8 supporting elements: (1) culture of excellence (shared beliefs and values, leadership and vision, drive for excellence, and partnerships), (2) praxis of learning (signature pedagogy, practice-based learning, creating adaptive learners, and professional formation), and (3) organizational structures and resources. Conclusion Building on the work of the Carnegie Foundation's Preparation for the Professions Program, a conceptual model was developed, representing the dimensions and elements of excellence in physical therapist education that is centered on the foundational importance of a nexus of linked and highly valued aims of being learner centered and patient centered in all learning environments, both academic and clinical.
MODIS phenology-derived, multi-year distribution of conterminous U.S. crop types

Abstract Innovative, open, and rapid methods to map crop types over large areas are needed for long-term cropland monitoring. We developed two novel and automated decision tree classification approaches to map crop types across the conterminous United States (U.S.) using MODIS 250 m resolution data: 1) generalized, and 2) year-specific classification. The classification approaches use similarities and dissimilarities in crop type phenology derived from NDVI time-series data for the two approaches. The year-specific approach uses the training samples from one year and classifies crop types for that year only, whereas the generalized classification approach uses above-average, average, and below-average precipitation years for training to produce crop type maps for one or multiple years more robustly. We produced annual crop type maps using the generalized classification approach for 2001–2014 and the year-specific approach for 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2012. The year-specific classification had overall accuracies > 78%, while the generalized classifier had accuracies > 75% for the conterminous U.S. for 2008, 2010, 2011, and 2012. The generalized classifier enables automated and routine crop type mapping without repeated and expensive ground sample collection year after year. The resulting crop type maps for years prior to 2007 are new and especially important for long-term cropland monitoring and food security analysis because no other map products are currently available for 2001–2007.
Interspecific Hybridization in Sunflowers: an Illustration of the Importance of Wild Genetic Resources in Plant Breeding:

This article reviews past successes and future potential of the use of interspecific hybrids in the breeding of cultivated Helianthus annuus, with emphasis on the necessity for conservation of non-...
Fiscal Deficits and Interest Rates in the United States: An Empirical Analysis, 1960-84 (DÃ©ficits budgÃ©taires et taux d'intÃ©rÃªt aux Etats-Unis: analyse empirique, 1960-84) (El dÃ©ficit fiscal y las tasas de interÃ©s en Estados Unidos: Un anÃ¡lisis empÃ­rico, 1960-84)

FEW RELATIONSHIPS in economics have attracted as much attention as that between the U.S. fiscal deficit and U.S. interest rates. A large and growing number of theoretical and empirical papers have recently analyzed such a relationship, and financial analysts as well as politicians often refer to it. Some economists have attributed the historically high real interest rates since 1981 to the fiscal policy pursued by the United States in recent years. Others have denied the contribution of such a policy. This paper adds to the literature by analyzing, on a mostly empirical basis, the relationship between interest rates and several variables presumed to influence them, including fiscal variables. The paper is structured as follows. Section I discusses briefly the major theoretical arguments that have been advanced in support of the conclusion that fiscal deficits do not affect interest rates. Because the conclusion that fiscal deficits do affect interest rates is fairly orthodox, no space is allocated to the arguments behind it. The aim of this paper is to analyze empirically the relationship between interest rates and fiscal variables, and this theoretical section is consequently short and somewhat impressionistic. It is neither a survey of the vast literature nor a rigorous treatment of the issues discussed. The busy reader can skip it. Section II describes the series used in the statistical analysis so that, in Section III, the empirical results can be presented without at the same time having to discuss the data. Section II also outlines the structural equations to be tested. Section III is the empirical core of the
Development of a microcomputed tomography scoring system to characterize disease progression in the Hartley guinea pig model of spontaneous osteoarthritis.

Aim: There is potential discrepancy between human and laboratory animal studies of osteoarthritis (OA), as radiographic assessment is the hallmark of the former and histopathology the standard for ...
Co-optimized Reliability and Parasitic inductance in Small Footprint Vertical Silicon Carbide MOSFET

Abstract Increasing power density in power electronics is driving a need for improved packaging methods for co-optimized high frequency performance, thermal dissipation and reliable operation, especially at high temperatures. Silicon Carbide (SiC) devices offer great opportunity as wide bandgap semiconductor devices, which maintain stability over wide temperature ranges, especially when compared to Silicon (Si) based devices. A novel flip-chip packaging technique for SiC power devices was developed at the University of Arkansas. This new package re-orients a bare die from a lateral device to a vertical device by utilizing a copper connector that routes the drain connection to the top side of the die. This study involves an investigation of achieving a co-optimized packaging configuration for thermomechanical reliability and low parasitic inductance. By orienting this SiC switch vertically, the unique 3D drain connector dramatically reduces the ringing at aggressive switching speeds used in power electroni...
Rolling Rightward: The African American Religious Right

This chapter examines the rise of black conservative Christian religious leaders and their advocacy of prosperity gospel theology and various social conservative positions. Under the auspices of such doctrines as the prosperity gospel, black conservative ministers are perhaps doing more than the figures in the three other realms to promote within the black American population a more common sense support for capitalism, and other values that leave unchallenged and help maintain ideologies of whiteness in American society.
Transplantation of spermatogonial stem cells

Over the centuries, scientists have attempted to replace damaged or diseased tissues and organs with grafts from other individuals or from lower animal species. The early history of organ transplantation dates back to the second century before Christ [1]. Transplantation experiments involving the testis have been of two types, those in which the testis was the tissue to be transplanted and those in which the testis was the recipient site. The first successful transplantation experiments recorded are those by John Hunter, who transplanted the testis of a cock into the belly of a hen [2]. The next important series of transplantation experiments were those carried out by Berthold (see Setchell, 1984 for a review) [3]. However, very little attention was paid to these studies at the time. It was only at the end of the nineteenth century that a number of transplant studies were again reported [4–6]. In these early studies, transplantation of the testes of mammals appeared to be quite difficult and it was only with the work of Cevelotto [7], Steinach [8], and Sand [9] that successful results were reported.
Reduction of Aggressive Episodes After Repeated Transdermal Nicotine Administration in a Hospitalized Adolescent with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Aggression remains a major cause of morbidity in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Current pharmacotherapy for aggression is not always effective and is often associated with morbidity. Nicotinic acetylcholinergic neurotransmission may play a prominent role in ASD pathophysiology based on human and animal studies, and preclinical studies show nicotine administration can reduce aggression-related behaviors. Transdermal nicotine has been used to treat agitation in neuropsychiatric conditions with cholinergic dysfunction. Here we report the use of transdermal nicotine as an adjunctive medication to treat aggression in a hospitalized adolescent with ASD. Nicotine patch was recurrently well tolerated, and reduced the need for emergency medication and restraint. These findings suggest further study of transdermal nicotine for aggression comorbid with ASD is warranted.
Impact of cascode GaN power devices on a bidirectional DC-DC buck/boost converter in DC Microgrids

DC microgrids are gaining significant attention for smart distributed power systems, particularly in commer- cial and residential sectors, because of their increased energy efficiency, improved power quality, and reduced generation cost. In DC microgrids, distributed renewable energy sources, such as wind turbines, photovoltaic (PV) arrays, and fuel cells, along with energy storage systems–batteries and ultracapacitors–are increasingly implemented as a method of sustainable and clean power generation. Power electronic converters, especially bidirectional buck/boost topologies, play a major role in interfacing these renewable energy sources and energy storage systems with the utility network. However, most existing bidirectional converters face serious conduction and switching losses caused by conventional silicon (Si) devices, which are reaching their theoretical and oper- ational limits. Wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor devices, such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN), are not only exceed the current Si devices’ limitations but also provide great potential for improving power converters. This paper presents the impact of cascode GaN power devices on a bidirectional DC–DC buck/boost converter in DC microgrids. The results reveal that cascode GaN power devices considerably im- prove the converter performance and efficiency at various switching frequencies, junction temperatures, and output power levels.
Exposure to e-cigarette marketing and product use among Mexican American young adults on the US-Mexico border: A pilot study.

AbstractHistorically, the tobacco industry has marketed directly to minority groups, which is associated with increased product use; the advent of e-cigarettes poses a new risk. The purpose of this study is to examine associations between exposure to tobacco marketing via traditional and digital marketing channels and ever use of e-cigarettes among Mexican-American young adults. Ninety-two Mexican-American young adults between 18 and 29 years of age (61% female) were recruited from the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort, a well-characterized population-based cohort on the U.S.–Mexico border. Participants reported their use of e-cigarettes and exposure to pro- and anti-media messages about these products in traditional and digital venues. Nearly one third reported ever using e-cigarettes and exposure to media overall was low. However, exposure to pro e-cigarette messages via digital sources was associated with increased odds of ever using e-cigarettes (OR: 2.86; 95% CI: 1.11–7.38). Results suggest that regulat...
Comparison of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and contrast-enhanced ultrasound for evaluation of the effects of sorafenib in a rat model of hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract Objectives To compare the accuracy of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and Dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the assessment of changes in tissue vascularization as result of sorafenib treatment in a rat model of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Male Buffalo rats with orthotopic liver tumors treated daily with 7.5 mg/kg sorafenib via oral gavage for 2 weeks (n = 9) were subject to DCE-MRI and CEUS 2 weeks after tumor implantation - right before treatment initiation - and also after treatment completion - right before tumor harvest. Untreated animals (n = 10) were used as control. Tumor tissue sections were stained for hematoxylin-eosin, pimonidazole, and CD34 for quantitative assessment of necrosis, hypoxia, and microvessel density (MVD), respectively. Results Of all the DCE-MRI parameters that were evaluated, only volume transfer constant (Ktrans) measurements were significantly lower in sorafenib-treated tumors (0.18 vs 0.33 min−1, p 0.05). Conclusions Sorafenib-induced reduction in vascular permeability in this preclinical model of HCC is detected more accurately through DCE-MRI than CEUS, and DCE-MRI parameters strongly correlate with histopathological changes in tissue vascularization and tissue necrosis.
Relative preservation of facial expression recognition in posterior cortical atrophy

Objective To compare recognition of facial expression (FE) vs recognition of facial identity (FI) in posterior cortical atrophy (PCA), with the hypothesis that FE recognition would be relatively preserved in PCA. Methods In this observational study, FI and expression recognition tasks were performed by 194 participants in 4 groups, including 39 with Alzheimer disease (AD) (non-PCA), 49 with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), 15 with PCA, and 91 healthy controls. Between-group differences in test scores were compared. Results Patients with PCA performed worse than healthy controls in FI and emotion recognition tasks ( p Conclusions Patients with PCA have relatively preserved FE recognition compared to FI recognition, as seen in affective blindsight.
Development Strategies of Open Economies: Cases from Emerging East and Southeast Asia

In an open economy, basic development strategies include promoting foreign exports, attracting foreign direct investment, and stimulating economic growth. Using time-series and panel data analyses, the first part of this book studies the causality and significance of these three strategies, individually or collectively, empirically and theoretically, during the catch-up growth and development phases of emerging East and Southeast Asian economies.
Trends and regional variation of end-of-life cancer care in the Medicare program.

9526 Background: Although there has been substantial concern of aggressiveness of cancer care near the end-of-life (EOL) in the United States, little is known about recent trends in EOL cancer care...
Component-and module-level measurements

Regardless of the different transceiver architectures that an RFIC module can have, this Chapter aims to outline common measures and test setups used in the characterization of RF modules, large and small signal measurements. Different characterization techniques are available to test the individual performance of passive and active components in an RF module as well as the performance of the full RF chain. RF and microwave measurements can be classified under several categories: time and frequency domain, small and large signal, discrete component and system level, receiver and transmitter-related measurements, etc.
Modeling Methodology for Determining Energy Collection Potential of Photovoltaics Applied To Curved Surfaces

Advancements in photovoltaic (PV) materials have now enabled the ability to create PV systems capable of conforming to an arbitrary surface instead of being limited to flat and ridged modules. However, the non-planar arrangement of PV cells produce effects similar to that of partial shading. Therefore, the role geometry plays on energy collection must be investigated for practical applications. A mathematical model of non-planar PV surfaces that calculates the diurnal energy harvest potential and power profile is presented to give insight on the potential benefits of curved PV and how the characteristics of the curvature affect collection. The results show the potential for substantial increase in total diurnal energy of with respect to a flat module. In addition, the non-planar geometry of the PV surface creates unique power profile characteristics that can be used beneficially to shape the time-of-day and seasonal generation profile.
Plant size, breeding system, and limits to reproductive success in two sister species of Ferocactus (Cactaceae)

Plant reproductive output can be limited by a variety of factors, bothintrinsic and extrinsic. I investigated the reproductive biologies of twospecies of unbranched short-columnar cacti, Ferocactuscylindraceus and F. wislizeni. I recordedfemalereproductive output (flowers produced, fruit set, seeds per fruit and seedmass), plant size and growth, and used hand-pollination experiments todeterminebreeding systems and pollen limitation. In both species, the ability to selfvaried among individuals, but self-pollination resulted in very few seeds,suggesting strong inbreeding depression. Neither species was pollen-limited.Numbers of flowers produced increases with plant size for both species, andseeds per fruit may also be related to plant size, although the relationship isunclear. Seed mass is not correlated with plant size. Flower production wassimilar in both species, but F. cylindraceus producedfewerseeds per fruit than F. wislizeni, and its seeds weighedless. Fruit set by F. cylindraceus was heavily impacted bya florivorous lepidopteran. Fruit set was very high (94 to 96%) inF. wislizeni, suggesting that architectural constraints(e.g., meristem limitation) are more limiting than resource levels or the levelof pollinator services. In F. cylindraceus, numbers ofseeds per fruit was positively correlated with seed mass, whereas inF. wislizeni, the relationship was negative (tradeoff).Thegrowth rates of F. wislizeni are affected by rainfall theprevious season, and growth rates increase as the plant ages.Ferocactus cylindraceus and F.wislizeni are thought to be sister species, meaning that observeddifferences between them are more likely to be the result of recentevolutionaryprocesses in their lineages rather than differing phylogenetic histories.
The Rate of Incidental Atypical and Malignant Breast Lesions in Reduction Mammoplasty Specimens

AIMS Reduction mammoplasty (RM) is one of the most common plastic surgeries in the United States. We aimed to demonstrate the rate of incidental atypical and malignant breast lesions (AMBL) found in RM specimens and the impact of the number of submitted tissue sections on the rate of AMBL. METHODS AND RESULTS We analysed our database for patients who had undergone reduction mammoplasty between 2000 and 2018. Patients with a history of breast cancer were excluded from the study. All pathology reports were analysed for AMBL (ALH, LCIS, FEA, ADH, DCIS, invasive carcinoma). The grossing protocol was to submit 10 sections from each breast between 2000 and 2013 and six sections between 2014 and 2018. One hundred and sixty-nine of 5208 patients (3.3%) and 216 of 10 340 RM specimens (2.1%) showed at least one AMBL. Nineteen (0.36%) patients had incidental cancer. The median age of patients with AMBL was significantly higher than patients without ABL (aged 59 years versus 45 years). There was no cancer in patients aged 30 years and two sections from each breast for patients aged <30 years would be sufficient.
Threshold for interpretation of p16 immunostaining in fine-needle aspirate specimens of metastatic oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Introduction Human papilloma virus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV-OPSCC) has been recognized to have an excellent response to treatment and has a distinct pathologic staging. For this reason, HPV testing is recommended in cytology specimens of metastatic OPSCC, although the guidelines for testing are not clearly defined. The aim of the current study was to establish a threshold for interpretation of p16 in aspirates from metastatic OPSCC. Materials and methods Cases diagnosed as metastatic SCC by cytology in neck lymph nodes with concurrent p16 on cytology and on paired surgical specimen or an in situ hybridization (ISH) for HPV were included in the study. Stain intensity and percentage positive cells for p16 was compared with p16 on paired surgical pathology specimens and/or ISH RNA for HPV on cytology specimens. Results Of the 52 cases diagnosed as metastatic SCC on neck aspirates, paired surgical pathology specimens and/or ISH HPV was available in 17 cases. A p16 expression in ≥10%-15% cells resulted in a sensitivity and negative predictive value of 66% and 37%, respectively. However, when even minimal expression in tumor fragments is considered positive, the negative predictive value increases to 100%. Conclusions We recommend that even minimal nuclear expression for p16 in viable tumor fragments must be considered as positive in cytology specimens. Expression limited to only background single tumor cells or in a necrotic specimen must be interpreted with caution.
The role of concomitant chemoradiotherapy in AJCC 7th edition T1-2N1 oropharyngeal carcinoma in the human papillomavirus era.

Abstract Background Radiotherapy (RT) without chemotherapy is considered a standard of care for the management of American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 7th edition (7E) T1-2N1 oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). Recent data suggests concurrent chemoradiation (CCRT) may benefit these patients but did not include human papillomavirus (HPV) status. Given the radiosensitivity differences between HPV-positive versus HPV-negative OPSCC, the effect of chemotherapy may differ in these patients. Methods We analyzed patients in the National Cancer Database diagnosed between 2010 and 2015 with AJCC 7E stage cT1-2N1M0 OPSCC and known HPV status undergoing definitive RT or CCRT. Results Overall, 1964 patients were included, including 1297 (66%) HPV-positive and 667 (34%) HPV-negative patients. 66% received CCRT and 34% received RT alone. In multivariate analysis, CCRT was associated with improved survival compared with RT alone (hazard ratio [HR], 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.57–0.87; P = 0.001). In propensity score-matched cohorts, 4-year overall survival was 87.4% vs 78.4% in HPV-positive patients receiving CCRT and RT alone, respectively (P = 0.002), and 65.5% vs 58.9% in HPV-negative patients, respectively (P = 0.2). There was no evidence that HPV-positivity diminished the association between CCRT and longer survival (HR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.42–0.81) versus what was observed in HPV-negative patients (HR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.64–1.16) (interaction P = 0.06). Conclusions CCRT is associated with improved survival in AJCC 7E T1-2N1 OPSCC. Despite the radiosensitivity of HPV-positive OPSCC, the association of CCRT with improved survival for T1-2N1 HPV-positive OPSCC was at least as strong, if not stronger, than what was observed in HPV-negative patients.
Influenza A Virus in Swine: Epidemiology, Challenges and Vaccination Strategies

Influenza A viruses cause acute respiratory infections in swine that result in significant economic losses for global pig production. Currently, three different subtypes of influenza A viruses of swine (IAV-S) co-circulate worldwide: H1N1, H3N2, and H1N2. However, the origin, genetic background and antigenic properties of those IAV-S vary considerably from region to region. Pigs could also have a role in the adaptation of avian influenza A viruses to humans and other mammalian hosts, either as intermediate hosts in which avian influenza viruses may adapt to humans, or as a "mixing vessel" in which influenza viruses from various origins may reassort, generating novel progeny viruses capable of replicating and spreading among humans. These potential roles highlight the importance of controlling influenza A viruses in pigs. Vaccination is currently the main tool to control IAV-S. Vaccines containing whole inactivated virus (WIV) with adjuvant have been traditionally used to generate highly specific antibodies against hemagglutinin (HA), the main antigenic protein. WIV vaccines are safe and protect against antigenically identical or very similar strains in the absence of maternally derived antibodies (MDAs). Yet, their efficacy is reduced against heterologous strains, or in presence of MDAs. Moreover, vaccine-associated enhanced respiratory disease (VAERD) has been described in pigs vaccinated with WIV vaccines and challenged with heterologous strains in the US. This, together with the increasingly complex epidemiology of SIVs, illustrates the need to explore new vaccination technologies and strategies. Currently, there are two different non-inactivated vaccines commercialized for swine in the US: an RNA vector vaccine expressing the HA of a H3N2 cluster IV, and a bivalent modified live vaccine (MLV) containing H1N2 γ-clade and H3N2 cluster IV. In addition, recombinant-protein vaccines, DNA vector vaccines and alternative attenuation technologies are being explored, but none of these new technologies has yet reached the market. The aim of this article is to provide a thorough review of the current epidemiological scenario of IAV-S, the challenges faced in the control of IAV-S infection and the tools being explored to overcome those challenges.
Modula-2 software components

Reusable Software Components. Reusable Software Components in Modula-2. Data Structure Components. Modula-2 Reusable Software Tools. Interface to Data Structure Software Components. Interface to Utility Software Components. Appendixes. Index.
Spoofing Resilient State Estimation for the Power Grid Using an Extended Kalman Filter

Real-time monitoring of a wide-area power grid network has become feasible with time-synchronized Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs). PMUs use GPS signals for time synchronization and are susceptible to GPS Spoofing Attacks (GSAs) since civilian GPS signals are unencrypted and have low signal power of 10−16 Watts. We propose a novel Spoofing-Resilient State Estimator (SR-SE) that fuses time-varying GPS and PMU measurements using an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF). We design our measurement model that relates the coupling between GPS and PMU measurements to improve the performance of SR-SE. We perform software as well as Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) simulations to validate SR-SE against GSAs. We conduct 100 Monte Carlo (MC) simulations with IEEE 14, IEEE 39, and Illinois 200-bus test systems in software simulations. In HIL simulation, we simulate and generate GPS-PMU integrated datasets for the IEEE 14-bus test system using Real-Time Digital Simulator, PMUs, and GPS clock.
Moving purchasing & supply management beyond a cost-focused identity

Abstract Practitioners and researchers recognize that purchasing and supply management (PSM) contributes value to business performance beyond reported cost reductions, though capturing and evaluating such contributions is often challenging. The goal of this research is to understand roadblocks impeding the recognition of PSM's contributions beyond cost reduction, and suggest potential solutions to these challenges. Social identity theory offers a conceptual framework to study PSM's self-identity and how it is perceived by others in the organization. Gaining acceptance for value-added metrics is critical to move perceptions of PSM's contribution beyond cost reduction and achieve its full potential. Social identity theory is used as a lens to assess the data and develop propositions. Using a qualitative interview method, the researchers identified important roadblocks hindering PSM's attainment of a broader value-based perception. PSM's identity is closely linked to cost-savings by itself, other functions and upper management. These perceptions are further reinforced by PSM through excessive cost reporting metrics. We provide two suggested solutions for PSM to expand its recognition beyond cost savings: 1) PSM must change its narrative and associated self-identity; and 2) PSM needs to develop metrics that are meaningful across multiple areas of the business.
Augmenting Molecular Deep Generative Models with Topological Data Analysis Representations.

Deep generative models have emerged as a powerful tool for learning informative molecular representations and designing novel molecules with desired properties, with applications in drug discovery and material design. Deep generative auto-encoders defined over molecular SMILES strings have been a popular choice for that purpose. However, capturing salient molecular properties like quantum-chemical energies remains challenging and requires sophisticated neural net models of molecular graphs or geometry-based information. As a simpler and more efficient alternative, we present a SMILES Variational Auto-Encoder (VAE) augmented with topological data analysis (TDA) representations of molecules, known as persistence images. Our experiments show that this TDA augmentation enables a SMILES VAE to capture the complex relation between 3D geometry and electronic properties, and allows generation of novel, diverse, and valid molecules with geometric features consistent with the training data, which exhibit a varying range of global electronic structural properties, such as a small HOMO-LUMO gap - a critical property for designing organic solar cells. We demonstrate that our TDA augmentation yields better success in downstream tasks compared to models trained without these representations and can assist in targeted molecule discovery.