cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Receptors for 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in gynecologic neoplasms

To determine if gynecologic malignancies are candidates for 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) therapy we measured vitamin D receptor (VDR) levels in 11 tumor specimens using a radiolabeled ligand-binding assay. VDR was demonstrated in 3 of 6 ovarian tumors and 1 of 1 uterine sarcomas, but not in endometrial tumors (2), cervical tumors (1), or Krukenberg tumors (1). Scatchard plots revealed that [3H]1,25(OH)2D3 was bound to a single class of high-affinity (Kd = 0.3 to 0.6 nM), saturable sites characteristic of authentic 1,25(OH)2D3 receptors. Specificity of binding activity for 1,25(OH)2D3, the active vitamin D3 metabolite, was demonstrated by failure of 25-hydroxy- and 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 to compete effectively against 1,25(OH)2D3 binding in total cellular tumor extracts. The ovarian carcinoma cell line NIH:OVCAR3 was shown to possess VDR (binding capacity = 137 fmol/mg protein, Kd = 0.48 nM). A 3-day incubation of NIH:OVCAR3 cells with 100 nM 1,25(OH)2D3 resulted in 49% inhibition of cell growth. The growth inhibition of an ovarian carcinoma line and the observation that 36% of gynecologic tumors assayed were shown to be VDR-positive suggest that further study is warranted to delineate the mechanism and possible therapeutic aspects of 1,25(OH)2D3 action in gynecologic tumors.
INCREMENTAL STRESS-STRAIN RELATIONSHIPS FOR REGULAR PACKINGS MADE OF MULTI-SIZED PARTICLES

Abstract The mechanical behavior of a granular system is greatly influenced by its packing geometry. In this work, the concept of “Voronoi polyhedron” is utilized to characterize granular packings and it is shown that polyhedral tessellations can be used to represent packings of multisized particles. A stress strain theory, based on micro-mechanical considerations, tor small deformations of such packings is then described. The derived stress strain relationship is compared with experimental results.
Bacteriophage P22 mutants that alter the specificity of DNA packaging.

Bacteriophage P22 cleaves and packages the mature viral chromosome from a concatemeric precursor by sequential headfuls. Generalized transducing particles are formed when occasionally host rather than phage DNA is cut and packaged. Since infected cells contain about as much bacterial DNA as P22 DNA at late times, but most P22 particles contain only viral DNA, the packaging mechanism must be able to choose phage DNA in preference to host DNA as substrate for encapsulation. The HT mutants isolated by Schmieger (1971b, 1972) appear altered in this packaging specificity, since they form transducing particles at substantially increased frequencies. The HT mutants have now been shown to have reduced specificity for pac, the site on P22 DNA at which headful packaging normally initiates. One mutant, HT 12/4, no longer packages any phage DNA at pac, but recognizes a new site on P22 DNA. The HT 12/4 mutant is shown to make a gene 3 protein of altered specificity, suggesting that the gene 3 function may be required to recognize pac. These results indicate that recognition of pac is the mechanism by which phage DNA is packaged in preference to host DNA.
On the potential of 3D integration of inductive DC-DC converter for high-performance power delivery

This paper studies the potential and challenges of integrating an inductor based DC-DC converter based voltage regulator module (VRM) as a separate die with processor for high-performance power delivery network (PDN). The frequency domain analysis of PDN considering the converter shows 3D integration of VRM improves PDN impedance but the effectiveness depends on the converter design and whether the LC filter is integrated on-board, on-package, or on-die with the die-stack. The methodologies to co-design the converter with PDN and packaging scenarios are discussed and implications on PDN impedance and power losses are studied to maximally exploit the advantage of 3D stacking.
Thermodynamic Properties of Nonideal Gases. I. Free-Energy Minimization Method

The thermodynamic properties of nonideal or interacting gases are studied using a thermodynamically consistent method which derives a state function for the gas from a separable Hamiltonian for the many-body system. The state function - the Helmholtz free energy - is a sum of translational, configurational, and internal components, and the statistical equilibrium state is calculated on a computer by minimizing the free energy in composition space at a given volume and temperature. A series of free-energy models is constructed to investigate the effects of various interactions. The effects on the equilibrium state of including Fermi-Dirac statistics in the translational free energy is shown to be small, while Coulomb and excluded-volume configurational terms produce large thermodynamic effects. The most important interaction effect, the modification of the internal partition function, is studied using a free-atom model and a confined-atom model which introduces volume- and temperature-dependent energy eigenvalues and partition-function sum terminations. The free-energy minimization method is shown to be a versatile and efficient tool for studying interacting gases, and provides quantitative estimates of the limits of validity of the various interaction models.
HYBRID REAL OPTIONS VALUATION OF RISKY PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

Managers and designers of technological systems face a common difficulty: new projects or products are inherently risky, both technologically and financially, especially given the rate of change in the high technology, deregulated economy. Consequently, they need solid methods for valuing prospective investments, so that they can justify their development strategies. Their fundamental problem is compounded by two methodological difficulties: (a) traditional net present value (discounted cash flow) evaluations are inadequate for many risky projects, and (b) the available methods for valuing these projects are limited and often impractical. This paper identifies practical solutions to this problem. Conceptually, it is crucial to focus on dynamic strategies of development, rather than on specific projects or products. Planners need to understand that they are consciously managing risk, and will do so most effectively by developing options they can exploit or abandon depending on future events. Methodologically, it is useful to combine the best of the alternative approaches to valuing risky projects, to achieve a practical and effective means of valuation. Hybrid real options valuation combines the best features of decision and options analysis. The paper describes this new approach and illustrates it with an application to a portfolio of technological developments of a major automobile company. The example demonstrates the effectiveness of the new method. Real options valuation has the further advantage that it rightfully increases the assessed value of risky projects, once we see them as options that can be abandoned in the context of a long-term development strategy. This increase is greatest for projects that are particularly risky or expensive to implement over time.
Genomic Insights into the Convergence and Pathogenicity Factors of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli Species

Whether or not bacteria form coherent evolutionary groups via means of genetic exchange and, hence, elicit distinct species boundaries remains an unsettled issue. A recent report implied that not only may the former be true but also, in fact, the clearly distinct Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli species may be converging as a consequence of increased interspecies gene flow fostered, presumably, by the recent invasion of an overlapping ecological niche (S. K. Sheppard, N. D. McCarthy, D. Falush, and M. C. Maiden, Science 320:237-239, 2008). We have reanalyzed the Campylobacter multilocus sequence typing database used in the previous study and found that the number of interspecies gene transfer events may actually be too infrequent to account, unequivocally, for species convergence. For instance, only 1 to 2% of the 4,507 Campylobacter isolates examined appeared to have imported gene alleles from another Campylobacter species. Furthermore, by analyzing the available Campylobacter genomic sequences, we show that although there seems to be a slightly higher number of exchanged genes between C. jejuni and C. coli relative to other comparable species (∼10% versus 2 to 3% of the total genes in the genome, respectively), the function and spatial distribution in the genome of the exchanged genes are far from random, and hence, inconsistent with the species convergence hypothesis. In fact, the exchanged genes appear to be limited to a few environmentally selected cellular functions. Accordingly, these genes may represent important pathogenic determinants of pathogenic Campylobacter, and convergence of (any) two bacterial species remains to be seen.
EFFECT OF ADMINISTERED ALDOSTERONE UPON ELECTROLYTE EXCRETION DURING AND AFTER PREGNANCY IN TWO WOMEN WITH ADRENAL CORTICAL INSUFFICIENCY.

Two female patients with adrenal cortical insufficiency were studied before and after delivery in order to assess the effects of pregnancy upon the sodium-retaining action of administered aldosterone. In both subjects, intravenous administration of large amounts of d-aldosterone (up to 500 μg) exerted negligible effects upon electrolyte excretion before delivery. After delivery the expected sodium-retaining and kaliuretic effects of aldosterone were restored. Although additional explanations are possible, the probable basis for the observed resistance to aldosterone effect during gestation appears to be placental secretion of progesterone, a steroid which has been shown to antagonize aldosterone action.
Spontaneous dissection of the superior mesenteric artery

Abstract A patient presented with chronic visceral ischemia caused by spontaneous dissection of the superior mesenteric artery; this was treated successfully by "intimectomy" and patch angioplasty. Operative rather than expectant management is recommended for this rare but surgically accessible lesion. (J VASC SURG 1985;2:731-4.)
Reaction of Phosphoranes with Mo(N-2,6-i-Pr2C6H3)(CHCMe3)(OCMe(CF3)2)2: Synthesis and Reactivity of an Anionic Imido Alkylidyne Complex

The reaction of Ph3PCH2 with Mo(NAr)(CHCMe3)[OCMe(CF3)2]2 (Ar = 2,6-i-Pr2C6H3) produces the anionic alkylidyne complex {Ph3PMe}{Mo(NAr)(CCMe3)[OCMe(CF3)2]2}. An X-ray structure determination of the complex reveals a bent Mo−N−C angle for the imido group, as expected when a metal−carbon triple bond is present. The anion has been shown to react with electrophiles predominantly at the imido nitrogen.
Stability analysis of the supply chain by using neural networks and genetic algorithms

Effectively managing a supply chain requires visibility to detect unexpected variations in the dynamics of the supply chain environment at an early stage. This paper proposes a methodology that captures the dynamics of the supply chain, predicts and analyzes future behavior modes, and indicates potentials for modifications in the supply chain parameters in order to avoid or mitigate possible oscillatory behaviors. Neural networks are used to capture the dynamics from the system dynamic models and analyze simulation results in order to predict changes before they take place. Optimization techniques based on genetic algorithms are applied to find the best setting of the supply chain parameters that minimize the oscillations. A case study in the electronics manufacturing industry is used to illustrate the methodology.
Family Context and Externalizing Correlates of Childhood Animal Cruelty in Adjudicated Delinquents

The purpose of this study was to determine whether childhood animal cruelty is primarily a feature of family context or of externalizing behavior. Twenty measures of family context and proactive (fearlessness) and reactive (disinhibition) externalizing behavior were correlated with the retrospective accounts of childhood animal cruelty provided by 1,354 adjudicated delinquents. A cross-sectional analysis revealed that all 20 family context, proactive externalizing, and reactive externalizing variables correlated significantly with animal cruelty. Prospective analyses showed that when the animal cruelty variable was included in a regression equation with the 10 family context variables (parental arguing and fighting, parental drug use, parental hostility, and parental knowledge and monitoring of offspring behavior) or in a regression equation with the five reactive externalizing variables (interpersonal hostility, secondary psychopathy, weak impulse control, weak suppression of aggression, and short time h...
Nonlinear optical response of photonic bandgap structures containing PbSe quantum dots

New nanocomposite materials with large optical nonlinearity are important for the development and miniaturizing of active components and integrated circuits for all-optical signal processing and computing. To enable on-chip integration with silicon microelectronics nonlinear signal processing components compatible with silicon nanophotonics need to be developed. In this paper, we study the nonlinear optical response of silicon-based photonic bandgap (PBG) structures filled with PbSe quantum dot (QD) materials and experimentally demonstrate the feasibility of a new class of nonlinear nanophotonic devices for all-optical signal processing based on such microstructures. Active tuning is demonstrated for both out-of-plane components, with one-dimensional porous silicon PBG microcavities and in-plane components, using one-dimensional PBG waveguide-based microresonators.
BaeI, Another Unusual BcgI-Like Restriction Endonuclease

BcgI and BcgI-like restriction endonucleases have a very distinct characteristic which causes them to differ from the other classified restriction enzymes; they all cleave double-stranded DNA specifically on both sides of the recognition sequence to excise a short DNA fragment including the recognition sites. Here we report a new BcgI-like restriction endonuclease, BaeI, isolated from Bacillus sphaericus. Like BcgI, BaeI also cleaves double-stranded DNA on both strands upstream and downstream of its recognition sequence (10/15)ACNNNNGTAYC(12/7). There are two dominant polypeptides in the final preparation of BaeI with molecular masses of approximately 80 and 55 kDa. Both are slightly larger than the two BcgI subunits. BaeI requires both Mg2+ and AdoMet to cleave DNA. Accompanying bilateral cleavage activity, the heteromeric BaeI also has an N6-adenine methyltransferase activity which modifies the symmetrically located adenines within its recognition sequence.
Blind source separation approach to performance diagnosis and dependency discovery

We consider the problem of diagnosing performance problems in distributed system and networks given end-to-end performance measurements provided by test transactions, or probes. Common techniques for problem diagnosis such as, for example, codebook and network tomography usually assume a known dependency (e.g., routing) matrix that describes how each probe depends on the systems components. However, collecting full information about routing and/or probe dependencies on all systems components can be very costly, if not impossible, in large-scale, dynamic networks and distributed systems. We propose an approach to problem diagnosis and dependency discovery from end-to-end performance measurements in cases when the dependency/routing information is unknown or partially known. Our method is based on Blind Source Separation (BSS) approach that aims at reconstructing unobserved input signals and the mixing-weights matrix from the observed mixtures of signals. Particularly, we apply sparse non-negative matrix factorization techniques that appear particularly fitted to the problem of recovering network bottlenecks and dependency (routing) matrix, and show promising experimental results on several realistic network topologies.
Preventive cardiac resynchronisation therapy

Prevention of heart failure progression has become a major challenge for our healthcare system. About one out of five 40-year-old adults will develop heart failure at some point in their lifetime, the likelihood increasing with growing age.1 Due to better treatment options for coronary artery disease, valve disease or arrhythmias, the likelihood of developing some form of heart failure later in life is very high. This ‘paradox’ of decline in mortality and morbidity of one form of cardiac disease, accompanied at the same time by an increase of another form of heart disease, will impose an enormous burden on overall healthcare costs. Age adjusted heart failure hospitalisations have tripled within the last 25 years, according to US National Hospital Discharge Survey Data. In particular, the diagnosis of heart failure increased for patients hospitalised with a condition other than cardiac disease, who had heart failure listed as a second diagnosis.2 Since heart failure is a constantly progressing disease, recurrent hospitalisations with heart failure symptoms are common. Despite better treatment options, recently published data showed that about 25% of all patients who were discharged alive after hospitalisation for heart failure needed hospital readmission within the next 30 days.3 These facts indicate that an enormous effort will be necessary to improve heart failure treatment, particularly in preventing heart failure progression.4 5 Although medical treatment improves prognosis and reduces symptoms of heart failure, drugs are unable to reverse electrical or mechanical dyssynchrony. Cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) combined with medical therapy has been demonstrated to improve cardiac function and quality of life, and to reduce heart failure hospitalisations as well as overall mortality in patients with moderate or severe heart failure symptoms6–10 (figure 1). Therefore, CRT with or without defibrillator back-up has been implemented into current guidelines for heart failure treatment.11 …
Control of cooperating mobile manipulators

We describe a framework and control algorithms for coordinating multiple mobile robots with manipulators focusing on tasks that require grasping, manipulation and transporting large and possibly flexible objects without special purpose fixtures. Because each robot has an independent controller and is autonomous, the coordination and synergy are realized through sensing and communication. The robots can cooperatively transport objects and march in a tightly controlled formation, while also having the capability to navigate autonomously. We describe the key aspects of the overall hierarchy and the basic algorithms, with specific applications to our experimental testbed consisting of three robots. We describe results from many experiments that demonstrate the ability of the system to carry flexible boards and large boxes as well as the system's robustness to alignment and odometry errors.
Agonist and chemopreventative ligands induce differential transcriptional cofactor recruitment by aryl hydrocarbon receptor.

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a transcription factor whose activity is regulated by environmental agents, including several carcinogenic agonists. We measured recruitment of AHR and associated proteins to the human cytochrome P4501A1 gene promoter in vivo. Upon treatment with the agonist -naphthoflavone, AHR is rapidly associated with the promoter and recruits the three members of the p160 family of coactivators as well as the p300 histone acetyltransferase, leading to recruitment of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) and induction of gene transcription. AHR, coactivators, and Pol II cycle on and off the promoter, with a period of 60 min. In contrast, the chemopreventative AHR ligand 3,3-diindolylmethane promotes AHR nuclear translocation and p160 coactivator recruitment but, remarkably, fails to recruit Pol II or cause histone acetylation. This novel mechanism of receptor antagonism may account for the antitumor properties of chemopreventative compounds targeting the AHR. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor belonging to the basic helix-loop-helix/PerARNT-Sim family of proteins (12). The AHR mediates the toxic effects of several chemical carcinogens, including polycyclic and halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons. These are but examples of the diverse ligands for the AHR, which include dietary compounds, natural and synthetic flavonoids, natural products, and pharmaceuticals (6). Prior to ligand binding, AHR exists in the cytoplasm in a complex with heat shock protein 90 (24), the cochaperone p23 (14), and the immunophilin homolog XAP2 (3). Following ligand binding, AHR moves to the nucleus, dissociates from the chaperone complex, and forms a heterodimer with the basic helix-loop-helix/PerARNT-Sim protein ARNT. This heterodimer binds to xenobiotic response elements (XREs) in the promoter and enhancer regions of target genes to regulate their transcription. Induction of cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1) expression has been studied extensively as a model of AHR action (35). Although structurally unrelated, AHR activity shares several features with members of the nuclear receptor superfamily. These transcription factors recruit a host of cofactor proteins to gene promoters in order to regulate transcription. Several nuclear receptor coactivators also interact with the AHR, including ERAP140 (22), RIP140 (20), p300, CBP (16), BRG-1 (34), and the three members of the p160 family of coactivators: NCoA1 (SRC-1), NCoA2 (GRIP-1 and TIF-2), and NCoA3 (AIB-1, p/CIP, and ACTR) (1). AHR interacts with these factors via its C-terminal transactivation domain (19), and ARNT may also be involved in recruiting cofactors to the promoter. The cofactors are involved in recruiting of additional proteins, ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling, and acetylation of promoter histones. The net effect of these activities is to relax chromatin, reposition nucleosomes, and facilitate recruitment of RNA polymerase II (Pol II).
Composite Analysis of the Effects of ENSO Events on Antarctica

AbstractPrevious investigations of the relationship between El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Antarctic climate have focused on regions that are impacted by both El Nino and La Nina, which favors analysis over the Amundsen and Bellingshausen Seas (ABS). Here, 35 yr (1979–2013) of European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts interim reanalysis (ERA-Interim) data are analyzed to investigate the relationship between ENSO and Antarctica for each season using a compositing method that includes nine El Nino and nine La Nina periods. Composites of 2-m temperature (T2m), sea level pressure (SLP), 500-hPa geopotential height, sea surface temperatures (SST), and 300-hPa geopotential height anomalies were calculated separately for El Nino minus neutral and La Nina minus neutral conditions, to provide an analysis of features associated with each phase of ENSO. These anomaly patterns can differ in important ways from El Nino minus La Nina composites, which may be expected from the geographical shift in...
Race and Money in Politics

The relationship between race and money in American politics is not obvious but is captured quite succinctly by the above quotes. Jamilah Nasheed was entangled in Missouri’s 2011 race-infused redistrict- ing in which the state lost one of its congressional seats. Republicans controlled both bodies of the state legislature and decided to eliminate the seat of Democrat Russ Carnahan, whose district was located in the St. Louis metropolitan area, as was that of William Lacy Clay, Jr., a black Democrat. Governor Jay Nixon, a Democrat, vetoed the remapping. To override, the Republicans in the assembly needed four Democrats. Four black Democrats supplied their votes for a plan designed to save two of the state’s three Democratic congressional seats, both occupied by African Americans. Nasheed’s statements underscore the dual role of blacks in the American political process as both the two-party system’s most loyal partisans and a racial minority with interests distinct from either political party. As I demonstrate in this chapter, the United States Supreme Court has usually typecast blacks as merely a racial group and in so doing has treated them as outliers in a political process that it has heavily policed in order to ensure illusory colorblindness.
Explaining Racial Disparities in Obesity Among Men Does Place Matter

National data indicate that Black men have higher rates of obesity than White men. Black men also experience earlier onset of many chronic conditions and premature mortality linked to obesity. Explanations for these disparities have been underexplored, and existing national-level studies may be limited in their ability to explicate these long-standing patterns. National data generally do not account for race differences in risk exposures resulting from racial segregation or the confounding between race and socioeconomic status. Therefore, these differences in obesity may be a function of social environment rather than race. This study examined disparities in obesity among Black and White men living in the same social and environmental conditions, who have similar education levels and incomes using data from the Exploring Health Disparities in Integrated Communities-SWB (EHDIC-SWB) study. The findings were compared with the 2003 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Logistic regression was used to examine the association between race and obesity adjusting for demographics, socioeconomic status, and health conditions. In the NHIS, Black men had a higher odds of obesity (odds ratio=1.29, 95% confidence interval=1.12-1.49) than White men. However in the EHDIC-SWB, which accounts for social and environmental conditions of where these men live, Black men had similar odds of obesity (odds ratio=1.06, 95% confidence interval=0.70-1.62) compared with White men. These data highlight the importance of the role that setting plays in understanding race disparities in obesity among men. Social environment may be a key determinant of health when seeking to understand race disparities in obesity among Black and White men.
Role of percutaneous needle biopsy for renal masses.

The role of percutaneous renal mass biopsy has expanded considerably in the past 10 years. The incidence of incidentally detected small ( 90%).
An Overwintering Site of the Gypsy Moth Parasite, Brachymeria intermedia

Several overwintering adult Brachymeria intermedia (Nees) were found in wood borer tunnels inside a dead chestnut oak ( Quercus prinus L.) in Centre County, PA.
Stochastic Optimization of Renewable-Based Microgrid Operation Incorporating Battery Operating Cost

Integration of renewable energy resources in microgrids has been increasing in recent decades. Due to the randomness in renewable resources such as solar and wind, the power generated can deviate from forecasted values. This variation may cause increased operating costs for committing costly reserve units or penalty costs for shedding load. In addition, it is often desired to charge/discharge and coordinate the energy storage units in an efficient and economical way. To address these problems, a novel battery operation cost model is proposed which considers a battery as an equivalent fuel-run generator to enable it to be incorporated into a unit commitment problem. A probabilistic constrained approach is used to incorporate the uncertainties of the renewable sources and load demands into the unit commitment (UC) and economic dispatch problems.
Evaluation of brachial plexus anesthesia for upper extremity surgery.

Background and Objectives. Brachial plexus anesthesia is the preferred anesthetic at the authors’ institution for upper extremity surgery. The article is a prospective observational evaluation of brachial plexus anesthesia for surgical success of the block and immediate and postoperative complications. Methods. Patients for upper extremity surgery (n = 508) received either an interscalene block (n = 266) or an axillary block (n = 242). Surgical anesthesia was achieved in 97% of the patients receiving an interscalene block and 93% receiving an axillary block. Results. For the interscalene block, a proximal paresthesia (shoulder) was as reliable as a more distal paresthesia (forearm, hand) for shoulder surgery. For performance of the axillary block, the transarterial approach was more successful than a single paresthesia for surgical anesthesia (96% versus 80%). Major immediate complications were infrequent, with only one mild seizure in the axillary block group and evidence of intravascular injection in only two of the patients in the interscalene block group. Many of the patients had mild paresthesias on the first day after the operation, 9% for the interscalene block and 19% for the axillary block. The incidence of postoperative neuropraxias decreased significantly by 2 weeks (interscalene block 3%, axillary block 5%), with only one patient in each group still experiencing symptoms beyond 4 weeks. In the interscalene block group, postoperative neuropraxias were associated with the site of paresthesia used for performance of the block and the use of bupivacaine. Conclusion. Both interscalene and axillary blocks are safe and effective techniques for upper extremity surgery.
Improving Modeller -User Interaction

perational researchers must actively interact with a variety of people, particularly the user who may be involved in the premodelling, modelling and implementation activities. This article proposes the use of the nominal group as a method of accomplishing the multiple objectives related to these varied and required interactions better.
Technology of Computer Aided Interior Design Based on Sketch

By analyzing the characters of present interior software, this paper proposes the technology of computer aided interior sketch design, and one interior system is developed based on this technology to satisfy the users’requests and designers’customs.
Properties of III–V Nitrides Substrates and Homoepitaxial Layers

The unique combination of extreme values of fundamental physical and chemical properties rank the III-V nitride semiconductor system as one of the most promising material systems for the fabrication of a variety of optical and electronic devices capable of performing at extreme conditions of power, frequency, temperature, and in harsh environments. Despite the remarkable improvement in the quality of thin heteroepitaxial gallium nitride (GaN) and aluminum nitride (AIN) films achieved in the past decade, their properties are still seriously limiting the performance of devices demanding higher material yields, such as laser diodes and high frequency/power devices. The high growth temperature usually required for producing these wide bandgap materials exacerbates fundamental material problems such as residual stress, difference in thermal expansion coefficient, low energy defect formation, and impurity incorporation. In addition, doping activation and self-compensation are difficult to control at the typically high deposition temperatures. Overcoming these limitations will require the use of native substrates for growing electronic grade homoepitaxial layers.
Data Mining of Bridge Concrete Deck Parameters in the National Bridge Inventory by Two-Step Cluster Analysis

AbstractData mining is a discovery procedure to explore and visualize useful but less-than-obvious information or patterns in large collections of data. Given the amount and varying parameter types in a large data set such as that of the National Bridge Inventory (NBI), using traditional clustering techniques for discovery is impractical. As a consequence, the authors have applied a novel data discovery tool, called Two-step cluster analysis, to visualize associations between concrete bridge deck design parameters and bridge deck condition ratings. Two-step cluster analysis is a powerful knowledge discovery tool that can handle categorical and interval data simultaneously and is capable of reducing dimensions for large data sets. The analysis, of a total of 9,809 concrete highway bridge decks in the Northeast climatic region, found that bridges with cast-in-place decks that have a bituminous wearing surface, a preformed fabric membrane, and epoxy-coated reinforcement protection are strongly associated wit...
Switching away from pipotiazine palmitate: a naturalistic study:

Background:In March 2015, pipotiazine palmitate depot antipsychotic was globally withdrawn due to the shortage of its active ingredient. Thus, all patients receiving this medication had to be switc...
Decentralized voltage/VAR control based on PV inverters

This paper proposes a decentralized fast-response voltage/VAR control (VVC) using inverters in a distribution grid with a high penetration of photovoltaic (PV) generation. The reactive power compensation/absorption of PV inverters are controlled and coordinated by the proposed VVC strategy with an adaptive time delay to maintain the system voltage within a desired range. The convergence and stability of the proposed decentralized control is ensured by a self-adjusting time delay. Mathematical proof and comprehensive simulations based on PSCAD are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed control method. Compared to traditional inverter-based VVC, the proposed decentralized VVC with time delay can cope with the voltage rise/drop issues in a faster and more accurate way for a distribution system with a high penetration level of PVs.
Awake extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in a neonatal patient with respiratory failure

Background: Awake extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in conscious, extubated patients has been used successfully in adults and children, primarily as a bridge to lung or heart–lung transplantation and recovery from refractory cardiogenic shock. 1,2 However, this strategy has been reported only as an exceptional measure in neonatal patients. We present a case of neonatal respiratory failure where an infant was extubated while on ECMO and managed without invasive ventilation. Methods: The clinical details, laboratory investigations, management, and outcome of the patient were reviewed from the electronic health record. This single-patient case report was exempt from the IRB at our institution. The photograph was used with parental consent. Results: The patient was a 2950 g product of an uncomplicated term pregnancy, whose postnatal course was complicated by neonatal acute respiratory failure, pulmonary hypertension, and bilateral pneumothoraces. The infant was managed on veno-arterial (VA) ECMO. Des...
Beyond ASD: Evidence for the Effectiveness of Social Narratives:

Social narratives (e.g., Social Stories™) are common antecedent-based interventions promoted for the purposes of improving prosocial behaviors and reducing challenging behavior for children with an...
Development of a Monte Carlo multiple source model for inclusion in a dose calculation auditing tool

Purpose The Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core Houston (IROC-H) (formerly the Radiological Physics Center) has reported varying levels of agreement in their anthropomorphic phantom audits. There is reason to believe one source of error in this observed disagreement is the accuracy of the dose calculation algorithms and heterogeneity corrections used. To audit this component of the radiotherapy treatment process an independent dose calculation tool is needed. Methods Monte Carlo multiple source models for Elekta 6MV and 10MV therapeutic x-ray beams were commissioned based on measurement of central axis depth dose data for a 10 x 10 cm2 field size and dose profiles for a 40 x 40 cm2 field size. The models were validated against open field measurements consisting of depth dose data and dose profiles for field sizes ranging from 3 x 3 cm2 to 30 x 30 cm2. The models were then benchmarked against measurements in IROC-H's anthropomorphic head and neck and lung phantoms. Results Validation results showed 97.9% and 96.8% of depth dose data passed a ±2% Van Dyk criterion for 6MV and 10MV models, respectively. Dose profile comparisons showed an average agreement using a ±2%/2mm criterion of 98.0% and 99.0% for 6MV and 10MV models, respectively. Phantom plan comparisons were evaluated using ±3%/2mm gamma criterion, and averaged passing rates between Monte Carlo and measurements were 87.4% and 89.9% for 6MV and 10MV models, respectively. Conclusions Accurate multiple source models for Elekta 6MV and 10MV x-ray beams have been developed for inclusion in an independent dose calculation tool for use in clinical trial audits. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Measurement of the Charge Asymmetry in the Decay η → π + π − π 0

We have measured the charge asymmetry in the decay $\ensuremath{\eta}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$. $\ensuremath{\eta}'\mathrm{s}$ were produced in the reaction ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\eta}n$ at 730 and 810 $\frac{\mathrm{MeV}}{c}$ incident pion momentum. We obtain an asymmetry of -0.0005 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.0022 for 220 659 events. We see no evidence for $C$-invariance violation in this decay.
Neural Stimulator Design

Neural stimulation is a widely used technique in neuroscience research and clinical therapies. An electrical stimulator needs to meet high-level requirements for safety, reliability, programmability, with a minimum heat dissipation. This work first gives an overview of neural stimulator design, including the physicochemical background, design requirements, system topologies, and circuit techniques. Methods for stimulus generation, stimulation waveforms, electrode configuration, and charge balancing techniques are reviewed and analyzed in detail. Then, the design and testing of a fully programmable multi-functional stimulator are presented. In addition, a novel stimulation strategy is proposed to achieve charge balancing in existence of irreversible electrochemical processes and unrecoverable charge injection. A high-efficiency net-zero charge neural stimulator is designed using the proposed strategy. The fabricated chip has been successfully verified in both bench testing and animal experiments.
Survival after second primary lung cancer following non-Hodgkin lymphoma: A U.S. population-based study.

1536 Background: Cancer survivors are known to have a higher risk of developing second primary cancer (SPC). While Hodgkin lymphoma attracts more attention, non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) survivors acc...
Cabazitaxel regimens inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells and enhances the anti-tumor properties of PEDF with various efficacy and toxicity.

Background Taxanes chemotherapies represent the major therapeutic alternative for symptomatic mCRPC. While docetaxel is the most commonly prescribed Taxane for mCRPC; cabazitaxel has been approved for patients unresponsive to docetaxel. Still mCRPC remains incurable and patients often experience severe side effects. Recently, the FIRSTANA trial first demonstrated the absence of superiority in overall survival between cabazitaxel and docetaxel in mCRPC patients. Inversely, different toxicity were reported suggesting that cabazitaxel may provide a first line treatment option for some patients urging for a deeper characterization of cabazitaxel mechanisms of action as well as a re-evaluation of cabazitaxel conventional dose and schedule. In this study, our goal was therefore to evaluate the anti-tumor efficacy of various cabazitaxel regimens delivered as monotherapy or in combination with PEDF, a known anti-angiogenic and anti-neoplastic agent. Methods CRPC cells undergoing Taxane treatment were evaluated for cell proliferation, migration and death, and apoptosis using crystal violet staining, chemotaxis, cell cycle, and TUNEL assays. In vitro data were corroborated in CL1 CRPC xenografts where mice received intermittent or metronomic low-doses cabazitaxel ± PEDF. Results We found that cabazitaxel inhibits the proliferation of CRPC cells with a higher efficacy than docetaxel in vitro. As expected, high-doses of Taxanes blocked the cells in mitosis. Surprisingly, low-doses of cabazitaxel induced more cell death than docetaxel mainly through apoptosis. In vivo, intermittent cabazitaxel lead to disease stabilization when combined with PEDF. Unexpectedly, low-doses of cabazitaxel delayed tumor growth with severe toxicity for some of the doses tested. Other results showed that PEDF and low-doses of cabazitaxel combination inhibited the migration of tumor cell and increased the tumoricidal activity of macrophages toward prostate tumor cells. Conclusions Our findings highlight the great promise of cabazitaxel drug and predict a possible move of cabazitaxel forward within the therapeutic sequence of prostate cancer.
Domain Adaptation of Rule-Based Annotators for Named-Entity Recognition Tasks

Named-entity recognition (NER) is an important task required in a wide variety of applications. While rule-based systems are appealing due to their well-known "explainability," most, if not all, state-of-the-art results for NER tasks are based on machine learning techniques. Motivated by these results, we explore the following natural question in this paper: Are rule-based systems still a viable approach to named-entity recognition? Specifically, we have designed and implemented a high-level language NERL on top of SystemT, a general-purpose algebraic information extraction system. NERL is tuned to the needs of NER tasks and simplifies the process of building, understanding, and customizing complex rule-based named-entity annotators. We show that these customized annotators match or outperform the best published results achieved with machine learning techniques. These results confirm that we can reap the benefits of rule-based extractors' explainability without sacrificing accuracy. We conclude by discussing lessons learned while building and customizing complex rule-based annotators and outlining several research directions towards facilitating rule development.
Inter-device differences in monitoring for goal-directed fluid therapy

Purpose Goal-directed fluid therapy is an integral component of many Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols currently in use. The perioperative clinician is faced with a myriad of devices promising to deliver relevant physiologic data to better guide fluid therapy. The goal of this review is to provide concise information to enable the clinician to make an informed decision when choosing a device to guide goal-directed fluid therapy.
Moving Beyond Alpha: A Primer on Alternative Sources of Single-Administration Reliability Evidence for Quantitative Chemistry Education Research

This methodological paper examines current conceptions of reliability in chemistry education research (CER) and provides recommendations for moving beyond the current reliance on reporting coefficient alpha (α) as reliability evidence without regard to its appropriateness for the research context. To help foster a better understanding of reliability and the assumptions that underlie reliability coefficients, reliability is first described from a conceptual framework, drawing on examples from measurement in the physical sciences; then classical test theory is used to frame a discussion of how reliability evidence for psychometric measurements is commonly examined in CER, primarily in the form of single-administration reliability coefficients. Following this more conceptual introduction to reliability, the paper transitions to a more mathematical treatment of reliability using a factor analysis framework with emphasis on the assumptions underlying coefficient alpha and other single-administration reliabilit...
The Revolution Will Be Televised: Popular Culture and the American Criminal Justice Narrative

This article considers the role that popular culture must play in helping to transform a criminal justice culture that is inconsistent with our noblest democratic ideals. It examines the film Gideon's Army and the work of the organization behind the film, Gideon's Promise. It points out the valuable contribution Gideon's Army makes in raising awareness about the important role of public defenders in our criminal justice system and how far short we have fallen from fulfilling the constitutional right to counsel. It suggests, however, that there is much more to be done and that there is an important role to be played by filmmakers and storytellers who are interested in helping realize equal justice.
Evaluation of Coherent Scatterers in High-Resolution Polarimetric SAR Imagery

Pixels in SAR imagery can be grouped as those of coherent scatterers and those of distributed scatterers. Identifying coherent scatterers from distributed scatterers is of a general interest because the former are often associated with man-made targets whereas the latter are often associated with natural clutter. An ideal coherent scatter would exhibit scattering stability with respect to time, frequency, aperture angle, and polarization state. At high resolution, coherent scatterer returns may not satisfy the premise of circularly complex speckle. In this paper, we compare and evaluate the coherent scatterer detection methods based on the spectral stability among multiple sub-bands and one based on the non-circularity metric. It shows evaluating non-circularity offers a favorable option for identifying coherent scatters and accordingly demonstrates the need to be cautious on the circular speckle premise in high resolution images.
Flow Cross K-function: A Bivariate Flow Analytical Method

ABSTRACTSpatial flow data represent meaningful interaction activities between pairs of corresponding locations, such as daily commuting, animal migration, and merchandise shipping. Despite recent a...
Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial of Disability Education Module During Clinical Clerkship

The effect of a randomized disability education program on medical student knowledge and attitudes concerning disability was performed. Intervention group received bedside teaching of physical examination/interview skills and case-based discussion. Twenty-three participants completed the study (control group n = 11; intervention group n = 12). Pre-clerkship, 39% of all participants reported no personal experience and 43% reported no professional experience with people with disabilities. Post-clerkship knowledge was higher for both groups; the test of group-by-time interaction was not significant. Qualitative analysis of post-clerkship attitude responses demonstrated that intervention group gave more detailed answers. Intervention group used terms representing functional aspects of disability twice as frequently as control group. Intervention group responses described long-term experience of a disability within community and family; control group responses focused on acute medical management. Participation in disability education resulted in changed attitude toward disability and better understanding of aspects of disability.
Neurogenesis: Silencing the alternative

The transcription factor ztf-11 promotes neuronal differentiation by repressing other cell fates in the nematode worm C. elegans.