cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Partnership for Senior Design Projects in Biomedical and Mechanical Engineering

A capstone design experience is considered paramount for senior engineering students, but requires a steady supply of challenging projects, advising mentors and funding to provide a quality educational experience. This paper describes a partnership that addresses these issues and has stimulated innovative research and development. A long-standing interdisciplinary collaboration between the Colleges of Engineering and Education at San Diego State University led to a unique partnership established three years ago with a group of sailors with disabilities known as Challenged America. Funded in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation, this partnership aims to develop technology solutions to allow physically challenged individuals to safely and independently participate in various aquatic recreational activities. Thus far, 34 engineering students have worked on 11 team-based design projects, producing designs, analyses and prototypes for innovative assistive technology. Both sailors and students evaluated the partnership as positive and beneficial
Adaptive trajectory control of microcantilever's tip utilised in atomic force microscopy-based manipulation

This article presents a hybrid distributed-parameters model and an adaptive control framework for microcantilevers utilised in atomic force microscope systems for controlled force manipulations. The model assumes a general nonlinear interaction force between the microcantilever's tip and the surface of the sample. This interaction force includes the sample's surface and probe's tip distance as well as the first and second derivatives of this force implicitly. Despite such detailed modelling of interaction force, there are a number of uncertainties including tip mass, damping coefficients and nature of the interaction force that would affect the response of the system and hence, an adaptive controller is needed to compensate for these unmodelled dynamics and uncertainties. Unlike the current practices that deal with the lumped-parameters model of the cantilever, a comprehensive distributed-parameters model based on the Euler–Bernoulli theory is considered here. An adaptive controller is then designed such ...
DIMENSION AND FREQUENCY PROFILES OF CONCRETE HIGHWAY BRIDGES IN NEW MADRID REGION OF SOUTHEASTERN MISSOURI

The results of a study funded by the U.S. Geological Survey as part of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program are presented. The first objective of this study was the development of a database for all 211 highway bridges along I-55 in the New Madrid region of southeastern Missouri. Profiles for five key dimension parameters (which are stored in the database) were developed, and the results for concrete highway bridges are presented. The second objective was to perform field ambient vibration analyses on 25 typical highway bridge spans along the I-55 corridor to determine the fundamental vertical and lateral frequencies of the bridge spans measured. These 25 spans included six reinforced concrete slab spans and two reinforced concrete box-girder spans. The third objective was to use these bridge frequency results in conjunction with the dimension parameters stored in the database to develop empirical formulas for estimating bridge fundamental natural frequencies. These formulas were applied to a...
TORELLI ACTIONS AND SMOOTH STRUCTURES ON FOUR MANIFOLDS

Artin presentations are discrete equivalents of planar open book decompositions of closed, orientable three manifolds. Artin presentations characterize the fundamental groups of closed, orientable three manifolds. An Artin presentation also determines a smooth, compact, simply conected four manifold that bounds the three dimensional open book. In this way, the study of three and four manifolds may be approached purely group theoretically. In the theory of Artin presentations, elements of the Torelli subgroup act on the topology and smooth structures of the three and four manifolds. We show that the Torelli action can preserve the continuous topological type of a four manifold while changing its smooth structure. This is a new, group theoretic method of altering the smooth structure on a four manifold.
Calibration of an integrating sphere for determining the absorption coefficient of scattering suspensions

Measuring the absolute absorption of suspensions of absorbing particles with unknown scattering characteristics is not possible in conventional spectrophotometers or in integrating spheres that have the sample located outside the sphere. A method for the calibration and use of an integrating sphere with a centrally located sample to measure absolute absorption coefficients of scattering suspensions is presented. Under the tested conditions the integrating sphere used in this study was insensitive to changes in the scattering coefficient of the sample but had a nonlinear response to increasing absorption of the sample, which could be corrected with an empirically derived function. This response was analyzed by using a Monte Carlo simulation, and results indicated that amplification of the absorption signal was primarily due to photons reflected from the sphere surface and the baffle reentering the cuvette. The calibration procedure described here may be generally applicable to spheres of different configuration. An example of the use of the sphere for determining the absorption and scattering coefficients of marine phytoplankton samples is presented.
PROTEIN SYNTHESIS-DEPENDENT FORMATION OF PROTEIN KINASE MZETA IN LONG-TERM POTENTIATION

The maintenance of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the CA1 region of the hippocampus has been reported to require both a persistent increase in phosphorylation and the synthesis of new proteins. The increased activity of protein kinase C (PKC) during the maintenance phase of LTP may result from the formation of PKMzeta, the constitutively active fragment of a specific PKC isozyme. To define the relationship among PKMzeta, long-term EPSP responses, and the requirement for new protein synthesis, we examined the regulation of PKMzeta after sub-threshold stimulation that produced short-term potentiation (STP) and after suprathreshold stimulation by single and multiple tetanic trains that produced LTP. We found that, although no persistent increase in PKMzeta followed STP, the degree of long-term EPSP potentiation was linearly correlated with the increase of PKMzeta. The increase was first observed 10 min after a tetanus that induced LTP and lasted for at least 2 hr, in parallel with the persistence of EPSP enhancement. Both the maintenance of LTP and the long-term increase in PKMzeta++ were blocked by the protein synthesis inhibitors anisomycin and cycloheximide. These results suggest that PKMzeta is a component of a protein synthesis-dependent mechanism for persistent phosphorylation in LTP.
Believers and disbelievers in evolution

Abstract Background. Citizens of the United States are less likely than are citizens of Europe and several non-European nations to believe that humans evolved from an earlier species. Several theories have been proposed to explain Americans' disbelief in human evolution, but empirical investigation has been sparse. Methods. Data on belief in evolution, on scientific knowledge unrelated to evolution, on socioeconomic status, on Christian religiosity, and on political polarity were identified in the General Social Surveys (GSSs) for 1993, 1994, and 2000. These data were then analyzed in bivariate and multivariate tests of theories about evolutionary and anti-evolutionary views. Findings. Christian religiosity was the strongest correlate of disbelief in evolution. Low educational attainment was another positive, but weaker, correlate, though disbelief in evolution was not related to general measures of scientific knowledge. Political liberalism and political conservatism predicted evolutionary belief even...
Geographic analysis of urologist density and prostate cancer mortality in the United States.

Author(s): Yao, Nengliang; Foltz, Steven M; Odisho, Anobel Y; Wheeler, David C | Abstract: ContextFinancial and demographic pressures in US require an understanding of the most efficient distribution of physicians to maximize population-level health benefits. Prior work has assumed a constant negative relationship between physician supply and mortality outcomes throughout the US and has not addressed regional variation.MethodsIn this ecological analysis, geographically weighted regression was used to identify spatially varying relationships between local urologist density and prostate cancer mortality at the county level. Data from 1,492 counties in 30 eastern and southern states from 2006-2010 were analyzed.FindingsThe ordinary least squares (OLS) regression found that, on average, increasing urologist density by 1 urologist per 100,000 people resulted in an expected decrease in prostate cancer mortality of -0.499 deaths per 100,000 men (95% CI -0.709 to -0.289, p-value l 0.001), or a 1.5% decrease. Geographic weighted regression demonstrated that the addition of one urologist per 100,000 people in counties in the southern Mississippi River states of Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana, as well as parts of Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin is associated with decrease of 0.411 to 0.916 in prostate cancer mortality per 100,000 men (1.6-3.6%). In contrast, the urologist density was not significantly associated with the prostate state mortality in the new England region.ConclusionsThe strength of association between urologist density and prostate cancer mortality varied regionally. Those areas with the highest potential for effects could be targeted for increasing the supply of urologists, as it associated with the largest predicted improvement in prostate cancer mortality.
Kast Ordulari: Kuzey Ve Güney Amerika’Da Zorunlu Askerlik, Vicdani Red Ve Demokratik Yurttaşlik (Caste Armies: Military Conscription, Conscientious Objection, and Democratic Citizenship in the Americas; in Turkish)

This paper is about military conscription, conscientious objection, and democratic citizenship in the Americas, especially in the United States (U.S.) and Mexico, today and historically. In the United States there is at present no formal military draft, but when they turn eighteen all men, including those who reside illegally in the United States, must nevertheless file their names and contact information with the Selective Service System (SSS) office of the federal government. As there is no formal conscription in the United States today, only those who enlist and then have a change of heart can apply for conscientious objector (CO) status. In Mexico, all men who are born in the country or become naturalized citizens are obligated to report for possible military service, and one in three young men are chosen by lottery and must actually serve a year in the Mexican Army. Mexican law does not recognize the right to conscientious objection and for this reason there is no recorded history of young men in Mexico refusing to serve in the military for religious or moral reasons.
Alterations in Hepatic FGF21, Co-Regulated Genes, and Upstream Metabolic Genes in Response to Nutrition, Ketosis and Inflammation in Peripartal Holstein Cows

In rodents, fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) has emerged as a key metabolic regulator produced by liver. To gather preliminary data on the potential importance of FGF1, co-regulated genes, and upstream metabolic genes, we examined the hepatic mRNA expression in response to nutrition and inflammation in dairy cows. In experiment 1, induction of ketosis through feed restriction on d 5 postpartum upregulated FGF21, its co-receptor KLB, and PPARA but only elicited a numerical increase in serum FGF21 concentration. In experiment 2, cows in control (CON) or receiving 50 g/d of L-carnitine (C50) from -14 through 21 d had increased FGF21, PPARA, and NFIL3 on d 10 compared with d 2 postpartum. In contrast, compared with CON and C50, 100 g/d L-carnitine (C100) resulted in lower FGF21, KLB, ANGPTL4, and ARNTL expression on d 10. In experiment 3, cows were fed during the dry period either a higher-energy (OVE; 1.62 Mcal/kg DM) or lower-energy (CON; 1.34 Mcal/kg DM) diet and received 0 (OVE:N, CON:N) or 200 μg of LPS (OVE:Y, CON:Y) into the mammary gland at d 7 postpartum. For FGF21 mRNA expression in CON, the LPS challenge (CON:Y) prevented a decrease in expression between d 7 and 14 postpartum such that cows in CON:N had a 4-fold lower expression on d 14 compared with d 7. The inflammatory stimulus induced by LPS in CON:Y resulted in upregulation of PPARA on d 14 to a similar level as cows in OVE:N. In OVE:Y, expression of PPARA was lower than CON:N on d 7 and remained unchanged on d 14. On d 7, LPS led to a 4-fold greater serum FGF21 only in OVE but not in CON cows. In fact, OVE:Y reached the same serum FGF21 concentration as CON:N, suggesting a carryover effect of dietary energy level on signaling mechanisms within liver. Overall, results indicate that nutrition, ketosis, and inflammation during the peripartal period can alter hepatic FGF21, co-regulated genes, and upstream metabolic genes to various extents. The functional outcome of these changes merits further study, and in particular the mechanisms regulating transcription in response to changes in energy balance and feed intake.
WALL STRUCTURE AND GROWTH OF FUSULINACEAN FORAMINIFERA

Scanning electron microscopy of tests of Triticites ventricosus and Schwagerina sp. shows that the microgranular wall was secreted rather than agglutinated. Grains range in size from 0.5 to 6.0 μm, but grains larger than 4 μm are rare. Evidence that grains were secreted includes tight packing, uniform size and shape, and apparently homogeneous composition. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy confirms the perforate nature of the antetheca and the nature of the keriothecal wall. Alveoli taper toward the tectum and pass through the tectum as tiny pores, enhancing communication between chambers and with the external environment. The traditional model for the addition of chambers is rejected. Three ways in which new chambers may have been added to the test that are consistent with observations made here: 1) The antetheca may have thickened differentially, creating a substrate to which the keriotheca of the new chamber was attached; 2) Part of the tectum, septum, and keriotheca of the previous chamber may have been resorbed before calcite forming the new chamber was secreted, perhaps necessary because the tectum was an unsuitable substrate on which to attach the keriotheca of the new chamber; 3) A combination of the above may have occurred wherein the antetheca thickened differentially and was resorbed locally, providing a suitable substrate on which to attach the keriotheca of the new chamber. The last model is favored here because it best explains the shape of the septa and the configuration of the keriotheca of the chambers of most specimens. Nevertheless, the other two models are consistent with the morphology of some specimens.
Keratinocyte growth factor reduces alveolar epithelial susceptibility to in vitro mechanical deformation.

Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) is a potent mitogen that prevents lung epithelial injury in vivo. We hypothesized that KGF treatment reduces ventilator-induced lung injury by increasing the alveol...
Development of resistance to 4-amino n10-methyl pteroylglutamic acid (Amethopterin) by Leuconostoc citrovorum.

Summary1. A two thousand-fold increase in resistance to amethopterin has been induced in L. citrovorum. Since growth was slow at this high concentration of amethopterin, the culture was maintained on a medium with 400 times the concentration of amethopterin tolerated by the parent culture. 2. This amethopterin-fast variant has been maintained in the above medium for more than 5 months without any observed physiological or morphological changes.
Escorting Flight and Agonistic Interactions in Wintering Northern Harriers

Many of the Northern Harriers (Circus cyaneus) that wintered on a saltwater estuary in South Carolina and on a freshwater marsh in Florida attempted to maintain areas of exclusive use. Interactions with individuals of other raptor species usually involved stooping and high-speed pursuit. Although harriers sometimes attempted to repel conspecific intruders in the same manner, most interactions with conspecifics involved escorting the bird out of the area. Harriers were robbed of their prey at both sites, and we suggest that the aggressive behavior that we observed acted to reduce the incidence ofintraand interspecific
The Importance of Body Composition to the Increase in Plasma Norepinephrine Appearance Rate in Elderly Men

Several studies have documented an increase in sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity, as reflected by either plasma norepinephrine (NE) concentration or NE appearance rate, with aging. Because similar increases have been noted in young obese persons, and because adiposity increases with age, we hypothesized that body composition might be an important determinant of heightened SNS activity. Baseline SNS activity, energy expenditure, and responses to a standard formula "meal" were compared in 11 young (31.1 +/- 5 years) (m +/- SD) and 9 old (64.9 +/- 6.3 years) persons. Both baseline NE concentration, p less than .05, and the NE appearance rate, p less than .05, were increased in the elderly group. The percentage of body fat, p = .004, and age, p less than .02, were correlated independently with NE appearance rate but not with NE concentration. Although plasma NE increased after the meal in both groups, NE appearance increased in the young group only. We conclude that NE appearance rate is a better reflection of SNS activity than NE concentration. We also found that the percentage of body fat and age are independent determinants of baseline SNS activity, which together account for 52% of the variability in SNS activity, as reflected by NE appearance rate.
Cultures of power in post-communist Russia

Cultures of power in post-communist Russia, Michael Urban, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2010, 228 pp., $90 (hbk), ISBN 978-0-521-19516-4 Michael Urban researches cultures of power in post...
Manipulating TLR Signaling Increases the Anti-tumor T Cell Response Induced by Viral Cancer Therapies

The immune response plays a key role in enhancing the therapeutic activity of oncolytic virotherapies. However, to date, investigators have relied on inherent interactions between the virus and the immune system, often coupled to the expression of a single cytokine transgene. Recently, the importance of TLR activation in mediating adaptive immunity has been demonstrated. We therefore sought to influence the type and level of immune response raised after oncolytic vaccinia therapy through manipulation of TLR signaling. Vaccinia naturally activates TLR2, associated with an antibody response, whereas a CTL response is associated with TLR3-TRIF-signaling pathways. We manipulated TLR signaling by vaccinia through deglycosylation of the viral particle to block TLR2 activation and expression of a TRIF transgene. The resulting vector displayed greatly reduced production of anti-viral neutralizing antibody as well as an increased anti-tumor CTL response. Delivery in both naive and pre-treated mice was enhanced and immunotherapeutic activity dramatically improved.
Investigation on Carrying with Intestinal Salmonella Among Staff from Catering Enterprises in Nantong City

Objective To study the intestinal salmonella carrying,the distribution and the bacterial resistance among staff from catering enterprises in Nantong city,and provide evidence for prevention and treatment of salmonella disease.Methods Specimens of anal swabs,which obtained from staff of catering enterprises in preventive health physical examination from 2005 to 2007,were collected and conducted isolation,identification,classification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing.Results The overall detection rate was 0.142%,and the detection rates were 0.102% in male and 0.158% in female.The detection rates in the first,second,third and forth quarter were 0.055%,0.129%,0.192% and 0.084% respectively(χ2=9.0422,P0.05).14 blood serums were detected.Salmonella was high sensitivity on cephalosporin derivatives and amikicin,and the sensitivities of salmonella to some antibiotic like gentamicin were different.Conclusion The detection rate in female was higher than that in male.Seasonal difference was significant.Salmonella derby,Salmonella agona,Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella Dublin were dominant serotypes.The strains detected were high sensitivity to common antibiotics.
US Reaction to West European Unity

US initiatives toward Moscow and Peking, and the Congressional pressures for unilateral force reductions, were not the only causes of tension within the Alliance Britain’s effort to enter the European Economic Community (EEC), Chancellor Brandt’s Ostpolitik, France’s interest in restoring its relations with the US, and the Nixon Administration’s reaction to these initiatives, also contributed to the discontent on both sides of the Atlantic.
Unified Theory for Polarization Analysis in Second Harmonic and Sum Frequency Microscopy

A unified theoretical framework for the recovery of second-order nonlinear susceptibility tensors and sample orientations from polarization-dependent second harmonic generation and sum frequency generation microscopy was developed. Jones formalism was extended to nonlinear optics and was used to bridge the experimental observables and the local-frame tensor elements. Four commonly used experimental architectures were explicitly explored, including polarization rotation with no postsample optics, polarization-in polarization-out measurement, and polarization modulation with and without postsample optics. Polarization-dependent second harmonic generation measurement was performed on Z-cut quartz and the local-frame tensor elements were calculated. The recovered tensor elements agree with the expected values dictated by symmetry.
Rhythm and Verse Study

Prosodists have never developed an adequate yet coherent definition of rhythm. The most popular definition, ‘periodic recurrence,’ is coherent but inadequate. Elaborations of this definition have b...
Differential Validity of the K-ABC for Lower Functioning Preschool Children versus Those of Higher Ability.

The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) and the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, Form L-M, were administered to 93 preschool children at risk for learning problems. Lower and higher functioning groups were determined by a Stanford-Binet IQ median split. Although the Stanford-Binet and K-ABC yielded nearly identical results in the higher group, K-ABC standard scores were significantly higher than Stanford-Binet IQ in the lower group. The Stanford-Binet and K-ABC correlated more strongly in the higher group than in the lower group. These findings question the ability of the K-ABC to discriminate among at-risk preschoolers functioning in the lower ranges of cognitive ability.
Characterization of lectin binding affinities via direct LC-MS profiling: implications for glycopeptide enrichment and separation strategies

Determining the affinity between a lectin and its target glycans is an important goal, both for understanding the biological functions of a given lectin as well as enabling the use of that lectin for targeted enrichment of glycosylated species from complex samples. While the overall selectivities of many lectins have been characterized, such studies generally require individually purified lectins and glycans. From these analyses, it is clear that a given lectin does not bind all of its target glycans with the same affinity. Rather, lectins display a continuum of affinities for the range of glycan structures they may encounter. Because of this continuum, it is not straightforward in practice to determine which set of structures will be enriched using a lectin as an affinity reagent. Here we describe the development of glycan affinity chromatography coupled directly to electrospray mass spectrometry, which enables direct analysis of interactions of lectins with both glycans and glycoconjugates from complex mixtures. By observing the elution behavior of individual species, we are able to determine exactly which set of glycoconjugates would be enriched for a given lectin. Furthermore, this approach allows for the direct assessment of affinity constants between an individual lectin and a large number of glycans in a single experiment, which can be conducted using a complex mixture of unpurified glycans of varying concentrations.
Stimulated Brillouin laser microcavity gyroscope

A monolithic micro cavity is used to detect rotations as low as 22 degrees/hour using counter-propagating laser fields. The proof-of-concept gyroscope features an 18mm silica-on-silicon disk resonator with an intrinsic Q factor over 200 million. Cascaded stimulated Brillouin lasing action produces the laser fields.
Efficient Algorithms for the Three Locus Problem in Genome-Wide Association Study

Using the recent advances in sequencing technology thousands of genomes have been sequenced. This sequence data can be fruitfully employed in diagnosis, drug design, etc. Genome-wide Association Study (GWAS) focuses on this important problem of extracting useful information from genomic data. As an example, a comparison of different genomes could throw light on causes for different diseases. Human variabilities happen due to single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Thus it might suffice to focus on these SNPs while comparing different genomes. One of the important problems in GWAS is that of identifying the correlation between genotypes (SNPs for example) and phenotypes (i.e., different characteristics such as addiction, the presence of cancer, etc.) Different approaches exist for addressing this problem. One important approach is via modeling this problem as the k-locus problem (k being any integer). The case of k = 1 has been studied widely. Some algorithms also exist for solving the case of k = 2. The real cause for a disease could be more than two SNPs. The case of k > 2 has not been studied in the literature. For the first time, in this paper we present an efficient algorithm for solving the 3-locus problem that is several orders of magnitude faster than the brute force algorithm. All the software can be obtained from: engr.uconn.edu/~rajasek/ThreeLocus.
“Was it worth it?” A pilot study of advanced cancer patients’ retrospective perceptions of benefit from phase I trial participation

19670 Background: Subjects who enroll in phase I cancer trials generally are those with advanced and terminal disease. Although all such patients (pts) undergo an informed consent process, there is evidence that these pts may not appreciate the primary aims of a phase I trial and have unrealistic expectations of therapeutic benefit. However, these perceptions of benefit have not been described in pts after trial enrollment. Methods: As a pilot study, pts previously enrolled on Phase I trials were interviewed regarding their retrospective perceptions of benefit. A total of 9 pts have been interviewed to date: median age: 72 yr (range: 59–82 yr); 55% male; 77% Caucasian. The interview included open-ended questions assessing patient experiences with the trial, including reasons for enrollment, impressions of quality of life, costs incurred, and other benefits. Pts’ qualitative responses were recorded and analyzed for content and themes. Results: Reasons for enrollment included hope, prior treatment failure, ...
What Drives the Consumer Credit Spread? An Explanation Based on Rare Event Risk and Belief Dispersion

What drives consumers borrowing/lending and the credit spread over their debt? This paper offers a novel explanation based on rare event risk and belief dispersion in a dynamic general equilibrium model. Heterogeneous beliefs drive consumers to borrow, but the market is incomplete and subject to rare event risk and thus default endogenously occurs in equilibrium. The paper derives the credit spread in closed form and yields a credit spread similar to real data when the model is calibrated. The model also well captures the relationship between belief dispersion, risk-free rate and credit spread. It shows that belief dispersion, rare event risk and wealth distribution together drive both credit spread and risk-free rate. An increase in either rare event risk or belief dispersion leads to a higher credit spread and a lower risk-free rate. However, the underlying mechanisms are quite different, as the former (rare event risk) is due to substitution effect while the latter (belief dispersion) is due to wealth effect. The paper also makes a contribution to the literature on rare disaster by endogenizing default and clarifies Barro(2006)'s argument on the countervailing effects of rare disasters on interest rates.
20.3 A 100nA-to-2mA successive-approximation digital LDO with PD compensation and sub-LSB duty control achieving a 15.1ns response time at 0.5V

Modern subthreshold SoC designs feature multiple power domains to dynamically track the maximum energy-efficiency point (0.32–0.45V [1]) in response to application demands. While analog low-drop-out (LDO) regulators have shown rapid response times (e.g. T R = 0.65ns [2]) and excellent steady-state performance, they fail to operate at the low input voltages, V IN , typically supplied to such SoCs via either a high-efficiency switching DC-DC converter or an external harvesting source (e.g., V IN = 0.5V). On the other hand, digital LDOs (DLDOs) are becoming popular in low-voltage SoC designs where they can operate reliably from supplies down to 0.5V. However, conventional DLDOs respond slowly to large current steps, especially at low voltages (e.g., T R = ∼44ns, 57.1ns, and 4µs at V IN =1V [3–5], and 20µs at V IN =0.5V [1]). Furthermore, they suffer from limited dynamic range over which the load is regulated and stable (e.g. s , this comes at increased power consumption and, importantly, reduced loop stability. To address these issues, this paper presents a 0.5V 0.0023mm2 recursive all-digital LDO (RLDO) in 65nm with hybrid PD-SAR and PWM duty control that achieves 15.1ns and 100ns response and settling times, respectively, while maintaining 5.6mV/mA load regulation and loop stability across a 20,000× dynamic load range, eclipsing state-of-the-art active area, response time, settling time, and dynamic range metrics across prior-art digital LDOs by over an order of magnitude.
Longitudinal Quantification of Eye-Movement Impairments after Pontine Hemorrhage.

INTRODUCTION: We report a case of hypertrophic olivary degeneration due to pontine hemorrhage. A 59-year-old male with untreated hypertension suffered a primary pontine hemorrhage which caused horizontal eye movement limitation. Progressive neurological deterioration with involuntary eye and palatal movements began months after hemorrhage. This was accompanied by MRI evidence of hypertrophic olivary degeneration at 4.5 months. BACKGROUND: Primary pontine hemorrhage often leads to impairment of eye movements, and diplopia. Hypertrophic olivary degeneration can also emerge months after hemorrhage, producing involuntary pendular eye movements. Neither the natural history of voluntary eye movements nor the emergence of involuntary eye movements after pontine hemorrhage has been previously quantified. METHODS: We used an optokinetic task that enabled measurement of eye movements. It provided real-time feedback on the ability to track continuously and saccade quickly in a pursuit task. The feedback motivated the patient to use the system repeatedly in his home. From three months after hemorrhage, the patient used the system for nine months, allowing us to quantify changes in his eye movements. RESULTS: Horizontal gaze impairments were manifest in our task as limitation in horizontal range of motion, as well as delay in initiation of the right eye’s movement during left-to-right pursuit. Improvement in these impairments was measured over the course of months 3-7 post hemorrhage. In addition, the emergence of vertical pendular nystagmus was identified in the subject at 4.0 months. Analysis of the eye-movement records revealed pre-symptomatic oscillatory eye movements whose amplitude had grown steadily over the course of three weeks, prior to a sharp increase in amplitude that coincided with the patient's first report of oscillopsia. Horizontal pendular nystagmus emerged 7.4 months after the hemorrhage, primarily in the left eye. CONCLUSION: An eye-tracking system deployed in a patient’s home enabled prospective longitudinal quantification of the natural history and improvement in voluntary eye movement impairments after pontine hemorrhage. It also characterized prospectively for the first time, the emergence of involuntary eye movements resulting from the rare complication of hypertrophic olivary degeneration. Results suggest that brief weekly measurements with an eye-tracker may allow early detection of this complication.
3.3-Å resolution cryo-EM structure of human ribonucleotide reductase with substrate and allosteric regulators bound.

Cells often need to make more DNA, for example when they are about to divide or need to repair their genetic information. The building blocks of DNA – also called deoxyribonucleotides – are created through a series of biochemical reactions. Among the enzymes that accomplish these reactions, ribonucleotide reductases (or RNRs, for short) perform a key irreversible step. One prominent class of RNR contains two basic units, named alpha and beta. The active form of these RNRs is made up of a pair of alpha units (α2), which associates with a pair of beta units (β2) to create an α2β2 structure. α2 captures molecules called ribonucleotides and, with the help of β2, converts them to deoxyribonucleotides that after futher processing will be used to create DNA. As RNR produces deoxyribonucleotides, levels of DNA building blocks in the cell rise. To avoid overstocking the cell, RNR contains an ‘off switch’ that is triggered when levels of one of the DNA building blocks, dATP, is high enough to occupy a particular site on the alpha unit. Binding of dATP to this site results in three pairs of alpha units getting together to form a stable ring of six units (called α6). How the formation of this stable α6 ring actually turns off RNR was an open question. Here, Brignole, Tsai et al. use a microscopy method called cryo-EM to reveal the three-dimensional structure of the inactive human RNR almost down to the level of individual atoms. When the alpha pairs form an α6 ring, the hole in the center of this circle is smaller than β2, keeping β2 away from α2. This inaccessibility leads to RNR being switched off. If RNR is inactive, DNA synthesis is impaired and cells cannot divide. In turn, controlling whether or not cells proliferate is key to fighting diseases like cancer (where ‘rogue’ cells keep replicating) or bacterial infections. Certain cancer treatments already target RNR, and create the inactive α6 ring structure. In addition, in bacteria, the inactive form of RNR is different from the human one and forms an α4β4 ring,rather than an α6 ring. Understanding the structure of the human inactive RNR could help scientists to find both new anticancer and antibacterial drugs.
A Guarded Hot Plate Apparatus for Effective Thermal Conductivity of Insulations at 80–360 K

This report describes modifications made to a guarded hot plate apparatus located at NBS/Boulder and used to measure materials having very low thermal conductivity, such as glass-fiber insulations. Measurements can be performed at temperatures from 80 K to 360 K, and from atmospheric pressure to a vacuum of 10−4 Pa. Various fill gasses (air, nitrogen, argon or helium) can be used. Overall uncertainties in thermal conductivity at atmospheric pressure are estimated to be 1% at the higher temperatures and 5% at the lower temperatures.
Functional Analysis of Photosystem II

The structural and functional analysis of the Photosystem II complex has been facilitated by the use of model organisms which are amenable to experimental manipulation. The unicellular alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, was initially chosen as a model organism based on the relative ease with which Photosystem II mutants could be generated and characterized. Furthermore, cells grown in the dark (heterotrophically) were demonstrated to synthesize chlorophyll, and assemble Photosystem II complexes which were competent for charge separation and photoactivation of the water splitting complex. These traits proved to be particularly useful for the phenotypic characterization of mutants susceptible to photoinhibition.
Functional Anatomy of Dopamine Receptors

The selective degeneration of pigmented dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra which results in striatal dopamine (DA) depletion is the critical pathologic process in Parkinson’s disease (PD) (1). The administration of dopaminergic drugs that have access to the central nervous system results in amelioration of the clinical syndrome characteristic of PD (bradykinesia, rigidity and tremor) (2). Dopaminergic drugs reverse the symptoms of PD by interacting with DA receptors principally localized in the striatum. Biochemical studies of brain DA receptors suggest the existence of at least two types. The DA receptor is positively linked to adenylate cyclase while the D2 DA receptor is negatively linked (3). Current evidence suggests that the anti-Parkinson efficacy of dopaminergic drugs is mediated primarily by the D2 receptor (4).
Study of Instabilities and Degradation due to Moisture Ingress in the Molybdenum back contact of Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 Solar Cells

Preliminary studies of instabilities and degradation due to moisture ingress into the molybdenum (Mo) back contact and its impact on the performance of Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 solar cells are presented. The samples along with reference devices were characterized to obtain an outline of the deteriorating effect. Overall, the resistivity and surface roughness of the Mo layer increased with exposure to humidity and has a significant impact on the device performance.
Sub-threshold nanosecond laser (SNL) treatment in intermediate AMD (IAMD).

The Laser intervention in early stages of age-related macular degeneration (LEAD) study (1) is a 36-month, multicenter, randomized, sham-controlled trial conducted from 2012–2015 of 292 participants with bilateral soft drusen, aka intermediate AMD (iAMD), who underwent q 6-month treatment with sub-threshold nanosecond laser (SNL) or sham treatment to the study eye.
Functional Constipation in Children

Childhood constipation is a common pediatric healthcare problem. The diagnosis is based on history and physical examination, in accordance with the pediatric diagnostic Rome III criteria. Additional investigations are only indicated if the diagnosis is not clear or in order to rule out an underlying organic disease. Non-pharmacological management involves education, demystification, a toilet program with reward system, and a daily bowel diary. Pharmacological treatment with laxatives consists of disimpaction, maintenance treatment, and weaning of medication. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is the treatment of first choice for both disimpaction and maintenance treatment. If PEG is not available or poorly tolerated, lactulose is recommended. Other laxatives are available as second-line or additional treatment if treatment with PEG is insufficient. In children with intractable symptoms surgery can be considered, but there are no clear guidelines for surgical management due to a lack of evidence.
Integrated multiscale mathematical modeling of insulin secretion reveals the role of islet network integrity for proper oscillatory glucose-dose response

The integrated multiscale mathematical model we present in this paper is built on two of our previous ones: a model of electrical oscillation in β-cells connected to neighboring cells within a three-dimensional (3D) network, and a model of glucose-induced β-cell intracellular insulin granule trafficking and insulin secretion. In order to couple these two models, we assume that the rate at which primed and release-ready insulin granules fuse at the cell membrane increases with the intracellular calcium concentration. Moreover, by assuming that the fraction of free KATP-channels decreases with increasing glucose concentration, we take into account the effect of glucose dose on membrane potential and, indirectly via the effect on the potential, on intracellular calcium. Numerical analysis of our new model shows that a single step increase in glucose concentration yields the experimentally observed characteristic biphasic insulin release. We find that the biphasic response is typically oscillatory in nature for low and moderate glucose concentrations. The plateau fraction (the time that the β-cells spend in their active firing phase) increases with increasing glucose dose, as does the total insulin secretion. At high glucose concentrations, the oscillations tend to vanish due to a constantly elevated membrane potential of the β-cells. Our results also demonstrate how insulin secretion characteristics in various glucose protocols depend on the degree of β-cell loss, highlighting the potential impact from disease. In particular, both the secretory capacity (average insulin secretion rate per β-cell) and the oscillatory response diminish as the islet cell network becomes compromised.
Scaffolds for intestinal tissue engineering

Abstract Intestinal diseases affect roughly 60–70 million people and annually cost over $100 billion in direct medical expenses in the United States alone. Intestinal disorders directly and significantly affect a patient's quality of life due to the vital role the intestines play in digestion of food and absorption of nutrients. These disorders can stem from autoimmune, metabolic, or vascular diseases, bacterial or viral infections, inflammatory immune responses, or cancerous growth. Current treatment options for these diseases focus primarily on symptom management and surgery, resulting in poor quality of life for the patient, posttreatment. This chapter considers the scientific advances made toward regeneration of a functional intestine through tissue engineering. This chapter starts off with the anatomy and physiology of the intestines, to illustrate the complex nature and function of the organs. Section 57.3 discusses the diseases affecting the intestines, current therapeutic options, and the need for a tissue engineering solution. Section 57.4 focuses on the general requirements for a scaffold and specific considerations to be made in case of the intestine. Finally, Section 57.5 discusses the recent work done in the field and the results obtained.
Infection dynamics of Theileria equi and Theileria haneyi, a newly discovered apicomplexan of the horse.

Theileria equi infection, exotic to the United States has reemerged through intravenous (iatrogenic) and tick-borne transmission. Surveillance at the US-Mexico border identified a new species, Theileria haneyi, (T. haneyiEP) (EP = Eagle Pass, Texas) which warranted additional investigation due to inability to detect by PCR targeting of T. equi ema-1 and EMA-1-cELISA validated for T. equi. Infection dynamics of T. haneyiEP were evaluated, including ability to superinfect in the presence of T. equi-Texas (T. equiTX), the isolate responsible for the reemergence of T. equi in the U S. Experimental infection with T. equiTX or T. haneyiEP revealed minimal clinical disease however, T. equiTX infection led to significantly greater neutropenia. Comparison of time to antibody detection following inoculation revealed significantly greater time to detectable anti-T. haneyiEP antibody (26.67 days post-inoculation (DPI)) than T. equiTX (11.67 DPI). Regardless of initial infection with either T. equiTX or T. haneyiEP, superinfection was established. Comparative analysis of antibody responses from a splenectomized horse infected with T. haneyiEP to that of a spleen intact horse infected with T. equiFL revealed a different antibody binding profile to T. haneyiEP, T. equiTX and T. equiFL merozoite antigen and limited shared antigen/cross-reactive antibody(s). Affinity purified T. equi EMA-1 and EMA-2 from T. equiFL were shown as targets for horse antibodies against T. haneyi. Data presented here show (1) T. haneyiEP can superinfect in the presence of T. equiTX infection and co-persists for minimally 25 months, (2) intravenous challenge with T. haneyi is subclinical, and (3) limited cross-reactive antibody between T. haneyiEP and T. equi includes reactivity to EMA-1 and EMA-2.
Effects of Volumetric Augmented Reality Displays on Human Depth Judgments: Implications for Heads-Up Displays in Transportation

Many driving scenarios involve correctly perceiving road elements in depth and manually responding as appropriate. Of late, augmented reality (AR) head-up displays (HUDs) have been explored to assist drivers in identifying road elements, by using a myriad of AR interface designs that include world-fixed graphics perceptually placed in the forward driving scene. Volumetric AR HUDs purportedly offer increased accuracy of distance perception through natural presentation of oculomotor cues as compared to traditional HUDs. In this article, the authors quantify participant performance matching virtual objects to real-world counterparts at egocentric distances of 7-12 meters while using both volumetric and fixed-focal plane AR HUDs. The authors found the volumetric HUD to be associated with faster and more accurate depth judgements at far distance, and that participants performed depth judgements more quickly as the experiment progressed. The authors observed no differences between the two displays in terms of reported simulator sickness or eye strain.
PURITY VERSUS LOG CANONICITY FOR POLYNOMIALS

In this article, we consider the conjectured relationship between -purity and log canonicity for polynomials over . In particular, we show that log canonicity corresponds to dense -pure type for all polynomials whose supporting monomials satisfy a certain nondegeneracy condition. We also show that log canonicity corresponds to dense -pure type for very general polynomials over . Our methods rely on showing that the -pure and log canonical thresholds agree for infinitely many primes, and we accomplish this by comparing these thresholds with the thresholds associated to their monomial term ideals.
Abstract WP440: Stay at Home With Home Care: The Evidence for Readmission Reduction With Home Visits After Ischemic Stroke

Background: Following hospitalization due to ischemic stroke (IS), 14.4% of Medicare recipients are readmitted within 30 days. Readmission after IS is associated with increased mortality, disabilit...
Symmetric spin liquids on the stuffed honeycomb lattice

We use a projective symmetry group analysis to determine all symmetric spin liquids on the stuffed honeycomb lattice Heisenberg model. This lattice interpolates between honeycomb, triangular, and dice lattices, always preserving hexagonal symmetry, and it already has one spin-liquid candidate, ${\mathrm{TbInO}}_{3}$, albeit with strong spin-orbit coupling not considered here. In addition to the stuffed honeycomb lattice itself, we gain valuable insight into potential spin liquids on the honeycomb and triangular lattices, as well as how they might be connected. For example, the sublattice pairing state proposed on the honeycomb lattice connects to the uniform spinon Fermi surface that may be relevant for the triangular lattice with ring exchange, while there are no spin liquids competitive on both the ${J}_{1}\ensuremath{-}{J}_{2}$ honeycomb and triangular lattice limits. In particular, we find three stuffed honeycomb descendants of the U(1) Dirac spin liquid widely believed to be found on the ${J}_{1}\ensuremath{-}{J}_{2}$ triangular lattice. We also discuss how spin liquids near the honeycomb limit can potentially explain the physics of ${\mathrm{LiZn}}_{2}{\mathrm{Mo}}_{3}{\mathrm{O}}_{8}$.