cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Neural Systems of Forgiveness: An Evolutionary Psychological Perspective

Evolution-minded researchers posit that the suite of human cognitive adaptations may include forgiveness systems. According to these researchers, forgiveness systems regulate interpersonal motivation toward a transgressor in the wake of harm by weighing multiple factors that influence both the potential gains of future interaction with the transgressor and the likelihood of future harm. Although behavioral research generally supports this evolutionary model of forgiveness, the model’s claims have not been examined with available neuroscience specifically in mind, nor has recent neuroscientific research on forgiveness generally considered the evolutionary literature. The current review aims to help bridge this gap by using evolutionary psychology and cognitive neuroscience to mutually inform and interrogate one another. We briefly summarize the evolutionary research on forgiveness, then review recent neuroscientific findings on forgiveness in light of the evolutionary model. We emphasize neuroscientific research that links desire for vengeance to reward-based areas of the brain, that singles out prefrontal areas likely associated with inhibition of vengeful feelings, and that correlates the activity of a theory-of-mind network with assessments of the intentions and blameworthiness of those who commit harm. In addition, we identify gaps in the existing neuroscientific literature, and propose future research directions that might address them, at least in part.
Inclusion complex from cyclodextrin-grafted hyaluronic acid and pseudo protein as biodegradable nano-delivery vehicle for gambogic acid.

Abstract β-Cyclodextrin can form inclusion complex with a series of guest molecules including phenyl moieties, and has gained considerable popularity in the study of supramolecular nanostructure. In this study, a biodegradable nanocomplex (HA(CD)-4Phe4 nanocomplex) was developed from β-cyclodextrin grafted hyaluronic acid (HA) and phenylalanine based poly(ester amide). The phenylalanine based poly(ester amide) is a biodegradable pseudo protein which provides the encapsulation capacity for gambogic acid (GA), a naturally-derived chemotherapeutic which has been effectively employed to treat multidrug resistant tumor. The therapeutic potency of free GA is limited due to its poor solubility in water and the lack of tumor-selective toxicity. The nanocomplex carrier enhanced the solubility and availability of GA in aqueous media, and the HA component enabled the targeted delivery to tumor cells with overexpression of CD44 receptors. In the presence of hyaluronidase, the release of GA from the nanocomplex was significantly accelerated, due to the enzymatic biodegradation of the carrier. Compared to free GA, GA-loaded nanocomplex exhibited improved cytotoxicity in MDA-MB-435/MDR multidrug resistant melanoma cells, and induced enhanced level of apoptosis and mitochondrial depolarization, at low concentration of GA (1–2 µM). The nanocomplex enhanced the therapeutic potency of GA, especially when diluted in physiological environment. In addition, suppressed matrix metalloproteinase activity was also detected in MDA-MB-435/MDR cells treated by GA-loaded nanocomplex, which demonstrated its potency in the inhibition of tumor metastasis. The in vitro data suggested that HA(CD)-4Phe4 nanocomplex could provide a promising alternative in the treatment of multidrug resistant tumor cells. Statement of Significance Gambogic acid (GA), naturally derived from genus Garcinia trees, exhibited significant cytotoxic activity against multiple types of tumors with resistance to traditional chemotherapeutics. Unfortunately, the poor solubility of GA in conventional pharmaceutical solvents and non-targeted distribution in normal tissues greatly limited its therapeutic potency. To overcome the challenges, we develop a nanoplatform from the supramolecular assembly of β-cyclodextrin grafted hyaluronic acid (HA) and phenylalanine based pseudo protein. The pseudo protein in the nanocomplex provided the hydrophobic interaction and loading capacity for GA, while the HA component targeted the overexpressed CD44 receptor and improved the selective endocytosis in multidrug resistant melanoma cells. The supramolecular nanocomplex provide a promising platform for the delivery of hydrophobic chemotherapeutics to improve the bioavailability and efficiency.
CMET-40. THE DEVELOPMENT OF BRAIN METASTASIS IN THE PATIENTS WITH METASTATIC NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER (NSCLC) AND MELANOMA TREATED WITH IMMUNE CHECKPOINT INHIBITORS: A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS

AbstractBACKGROUNDSurvival benefit with immune checkpoints inhibitors in patients with metastatic NSCLC and Melanoma has been demonstrated. However, the published results do not describe the incidence of brain metastasis as a site of recurrence in these patients. We sought to determine the incidence of central nervous system (CNS) relapse/progression relative to systemic response in patients with NSCLC or Melanoma treated with a PD-1 inhibitor.METHODSWe retrospectively identified 217 patients (145 with metastatic NSCLC, 72 with metastatic Melanoma) treated with Pembrolizumab or Nivolumab, between 2009 and 2016. Demographic and clinical variable were assessed to determine CNS and systemic response using descriptive statistics.RESULTSThe median age of the cohort was 65 years (22–93), with a median of 1 (0–6) treatment prior to PD-1 inhibitor therapy and median follow-up of 344 days. Of the 217 patients, 213 received monotherapy with either Nivolumab (99) or Pembrolizumab (114). Four patients received Nivolumab combined with Bevacizumab. The median time on therapy was 113 days for Nivolumab (14–1598) and 149 for Pembrolizumab (21–1099). Forty patients had brain metastases at the time of initiation of treatment, and 28 of these patients received treatment for at least one brain metastasis prior to immunotherapy. Thirty-two patients (15%) had CNS disease progression during immunotherapy treatment: 15 patients (7%) developed new CNS disease and 17 (8%) had progression of pre-existing CNS metastasis (7/17 received prior CNS directed treatment). In these 32 patients, concomitant systemic disease progression was observed in 27, and 5 patients progressed only in the CNS.CONCLUSIONThis retrospective analysis showed that development/progression of CNS metastasis in patients on treatment with a PD-1 inhibitor has good concordance with systemic disease status. The incidence of CNS disease in patients on this therapy is comparable to historic cohorts treated with conventional chemotherapy.
Data fusion of single-tag rfid measurements for respiratory rate monitoring

Using wireless, passive, wearable, knitted, smart garment devices, we monitor biofeedback that can be observed via strain gauge sensors. This biofeedback includes respiratory activity, uterine monitoring during labor and delivery, and regular movements to prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). Due to noise artifacts present in a wireless strain gauge monitor and the possibly non-stationary nature of the signal itself, signal analysis beyond the Fourier transform is needed to extract the properties of the observed motion artifacts. We improve the utility of a single Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag by fusing multiple features of the tag, in order to precisely determine the frequency and magnitude of motion artifacts. In this paper, we motivate the need for a multi-feature approach to RFID-based strain gauge analysis, correct raw RFID interrogator measurements into features, fuse those features using a Gaussian Mixture Model and expectation maximization, and improve respiratory rate detection from 9 to 6 mean squared error over prior work.
Introduction: Opportunities for Redefinition

In this chapter, Daily introduces Rejection and Disaffiliation through an examination of how immigration and terrorism have become linked through both rhetoric and policy in the early decades of the twenty-first century. The introduction familiarizes readers with key public figures (such as Dzhokhar Tsarnaev) as well as sweeping policy changes (i.e., the PATRIOT Act) to lay the foundation for the long-form fiction that the book goes on to examine critically. Daily also outlines her overall contribution, an extended study of genre alterations to American immigration narratives, grounding her readers in theoretical foundations before diving into the work of the individual chapters.
Terahertz quantum cascade VECSEL with watt-level output power

We report a terahertz quantum-cascade vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser (QC-VECSEL) whose output power is scaled up to watt-level by using an amplifying metasurface designed for increased power density. The metasurface is composed of a subwavelength array of metal-metal waveguide antenna-coupled sub-cavities loaded with a terahertz quantum-cascade gain material. Unlike previously demonstrated THz QC-VECSELs, the sub-cavities operate on their third-order lateral modal resonance (TM03), instead of their first-order (TM01) resonance. This results in a metasurface with a higher spatial density of the gain material, leading to an increased output power per metasurface area. In pulsed mode operation, peak THz output powers up to 830 mW at 77 K and 1.35 W at 6 K are observed, while a single-mode spectrum and a low divergence beam pattern are maintained. In addition, piezoelectric control of the cavity length allows approximately 50 GHz of continuous, single-mode tuning without a significant effect on output power or beam quality.
Bridging the Gap Between Urban Health and Urban Planning

There is an increasing recognition by health researchers and practitioners that the built environment, land use, and development patterns have a significant role to play in morbidity and mortality in communities across the U.S. While there has been an expanding number of studies by researchers in public health and urban planning that examine the relationship between health and development patterns, built form, and land use regulation, this remains a relatively under-explored topic both by urban planners and urban/public health researchers. This chapter attempts to bridge the divide between the urban health and urban planning disciplines by describing urban planning approaches to urban health, and working to develop a common language with which to approach urban health issues. We posit in this chapter that the nexus between urban health and urban planning provides an opportunity for interdisciplinary innovation to clarify the complexities characterizing urban health, and offers opportunities for developing comprehensive and multidimensional solutions to contemporary urban health issues. In our attempts to bridge this disciplinary divide, the chapter proceeds in the following manner. First, we provide an overview of the primary urban planning approaches to urban issues, highlighting the major conceptual notions that might be relevant to urban health. Following this, we identify studies in urban planning that exemplify the interdisciplinary nature of methods and analysis. Next, we move to the methodological challenges in using urban planning approaches to study urban health, particularly in terms of accommodating distinct conceptual approaches and methodological techniques. Finally, we conclude the chapter by summarizing the major points, and pointing to ways forward in developing an urban health/urban planning research agenda.
The Wall of Shame: Ruth Benedict's Accomplishment in the Chrysanthemum and the Sword

L'A. evalue la signification du concept de honte dans Le chrysantheme et le sabre de R. Benedict, et met en evidence l'importance de cet ouvrage pour l'anthropologie culturelle americaine, pour l'ethnographie et l'histoire du Japon, et pour les relations entre le Japon et les Etats-Unis. Elle soutient que ce concept correspond moins a une caracterisation d'une culture specifique (japonaise ou americaine), qu'a un element essentiel du developpement theorique de Benedict sur la relation entre identite personnelle et societe. Elle suggere que Benedict a utilise le concept de honte afin de montrer ce qui transforme une bonne societe en une nation effective et durable. Elle discute d'abord du role de l'ouvrage dans l'anthropologie de Benedict durant les annees 1930-1940. Elle montre notamment que le concept de honte a permis a Benedict d'articuler son anthropologie et son engagement politique. Elle examine ensuite les utilisations du concept de honte dans Le chrysantheme et le sabre. En conclusion, elle evalue l'importance de l'heritage politique de R. Benedict pour l'anthropologie, et pour les relations contemporaines entre le Japon et les Etats-Unis.
Lymph Node Biology and Lymphadenitis

The lymph node and other secondary lymphoid tissues, such as the tonsil/Waldeyer’s ring and Peyer’s patches, are the sites in the immune system, where B cells encounter antigen and expand to produce effector and memory B cells and plasma cells, with the assistance of T cells. B-cell expansion and maturation then occurs mainly in the germinal center and T-cell expansion and activation occurs both in the germinal center and the interfollicular or paracortical regions. Reactive lymphadenitis has many causes, with some histologic patterns that may resemble lymphoma. Depending on the inciting cause, one or several lymph node compartments may be expanded with distinctive follicular, paracortical, sinusoidal or medullary, and mixed patterns. For example, expansion of the follicles with prominent germinal centers is due to factors that promote B-cell expansion, whereas progressive transformation of germinal centers and follicular lysis represent follicular expansions associated with dissolution and termination of the germinal center reaction.
Decay of solutions of generalized Benjamin-Bona-Mahony equations

This paper is a discussion of global solutions to the initial value problems for generalized Banjamin-Bona-Mahony equations. Some long time behaviors of the solutions are presented with the initial data in some certain Sobolev spaces. We employ the method of integral estimate, Fourier transform and Gronwall's inequality.
Placental findings in non-hypertensive term pregnancies and association with future adverse pregnancy outcomes: a cohort study.

Abstract Introduction Women with adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) have excess risk of later life cardiovascular disease (CVD) perhaps related to an underlying high-risk vascular phenotype. We sought to determine if placental evidence of maternal malperfusion in uncomplicated pregnancies is associated with an increased risk of APOs in subsequent pregnancies. Methods 536 women with more than one delivery and an initial uncomplicated pregnancy with placental pathology examination between 2008 and 2012 were included. APOs (small for gestational age, preterm delivery, or preeclampsia) were identified for each delivery. Multivariable log-binomial regression was used to estimate the risk of an APO in a subsequent pregnancy associated with MVM lesions in index pregnancy with adjustment for covariates. Results Placental pathology from the initial pregnancy was compared between women with no APO in any pregnancy (-APO/-APO; n = 403) and women with an initial uncomplicated pregnancy and a subsequent adverse outcome (-APO/+APO; n = 133). Women with MVM lesions had an increased risk of an APO in a subsequent pregnancy relative to women with no MVM lesions after adjusting for covariates (aOR = 1.61; 95%CI = 1.06–2.46). Decidual vasculopathy was found in 13/133 (9.8%) of -APO/+APO women compared with 16/403 (4.0%) of -APO/-APO women, with an adjusted odds ratio of 2.51 (95% CI = 1.31–4.80). Discussion MVM lesions found in placentas in uncomplicated pregnancies are associated with an increased risk of an adverse outcome in a subsequent pregnancy. Placental evidence of vascular malperfusion could offer a novel approach to risk stratification for subsequent pregnancy complications and perhaps future CVD.
A proof of a sumset conjecture of Erd\H{o}s

In this paper we show that every set $A \subset \mathbb{N}$ with positive density contains $B+C$ for some pair $B,C$ of infinite subsets of $\mathbb{N}$, settling a conjecture of Erdős. The proof features two different decompositions of an arbitrary bounded sequence into a structured component and a pseudo-random component. Our methods are quite general, allowing us to prove a version of this conjecture for countable amenable groups.
Ultrasound of the Parathyroid Glands

Ultrasound is an invaluable diagnostic tool in the evaluation of patients with parathyroid disease and may be used in conjunction with nuclear medicine studies or as a single imaging modality in appropriate cases. This chapter focuses on pertinent ultrasound applications in hyperparathyroidism, most importantly sonographic techniques and characteristics that facilitate accurate identification of abnormal glands. Anatomic and embryologic considerations will be reviewed. Ultrasound-guided interventions that aid in the diagnosis, intraoperative localization, and therapeutic management of adenomatous or hyperplastic glands are also described.
Increase in publication rates and publication bias found following presentation at the International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery, and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (ISAKOS) biennial congress

Objectives The number of abstracts presented at the biennial International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery, and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (ISAKOS) Congress has grown exponentially since its inaugural meeting in 1997. Despite this, publication rates of abstracts presented at the Congress have not been studied since 1999 where publication rates were found to be 39%. The primary objective of the current study was to provide an update on rates of publication and examine factors associated with publication. Methods All abstracts presented at the 2013 ISAKOS Congress were obtained from the official meeting website. Searches for subsequent publications were conducted using the MEDLINE, EMBASE and Google Scholar by two independent reviewers. Data collected included presentation type (ie, podium or poster), publication status (yes or no), study results (positive or negative), date of publication, journal name, and whether there were discrepancies between abstract and publication. Results A total of 746 abstracts were presented at the 2013 ISAKOS Congress. There were 413 (55.4%) abstracts that were published in peer-reviewed journals by the end of 2018 with a mean time to publication of 593 days. Podium presentations were significantly more likely to be published than poster presentations with publication rates of 61.0% and 52.5%, respectively (p Conclusion Publication rates of abstracts presented at the ISAKOS Congress have improved dramatically since last studied in 1999 and are comparable to other prominent orthopaedic and sport medicine conferences. Podium presentations and abstracts with positive findings were more likely to be published. Approximately, one in five abstracts were found to have discrepancies between the abstract presented and subsequent publication.
High extinction ratio, low insertion loss, optical switch based on an electrowetting prism

An optical switch based on an electrowetting prism coupled to a multimode fiber has demonstrated a large extinction ratio with speeds up to 300 Hz. Electrowetting prisms provide a transmissive, low power, and compact alternative to conventional free-space optical switches, with no moving parts. The electrowetting prism performs beam steering of ±3° with an extinction ratio of 47 dB between the ON and OFF states and has been experimentally demonstrated at scanning frequencies of 100–300 Hz. The optical design is modeled in Zemax to account for secondary rays created at each surface interface (without scattering). Simulations predict 50 dB of extinction, in good agreement with experiment.
Abstract P4-12-11: Clinically occult primary breast cancer with regional lymph nodes metastasis: Management and prognostic factors

Background: Clinically occult primary breast cancer (COBC) with regional lymph nodes metastasis is a rare entity, with only 0.1% of breast cancer cases presenting in this fashion. The rarity of this entity precludes its study in a prospective manner. Cancer database registries offer a unique opportunity to study COBC and evaluate various management strategies and prognostic factors. Different treatment paradigms exist, including lymph node dissection, mastectomy, radiation alone, and chemotherapy. The purpose of this study is to determine the optimal treatment paradigm for patients with COBC. Methods: The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was queried for patients with clinically occult breast cancer (cT0) and positive lymph node metastasis (cN1-3). Multivariate Cox Proportional Hazard modeling was used to determine factors independently associated with overall survival (OS). Sensitivity analysis was utilized to determine the optimal number of lymph nodes to be removed and the benefit of primary breast surgery (PBS) for patients who also received radiation therapy. Results: A total of 2713 female patients were diagnosed with stage cT0N1-3M0 breast cancer from 2004 to 2015. 758 patients with missing data were excluded, and 1955 patients remained in the analysis. Results are shown in Table 1. Median follow-up was 48.1 months. Patients who were treated with chemotherapy, radiation therapy and/or had 4 or more lymph nodes removed had better OS (p Discussion: Definitive treatment of COBC with chemotherapy and radiation therapy is associated with improved OS. No survival advantage can be discerned for mastectomy or breast conserving surgery (alone or in conjunction with radiotherapy). While the survival advantage for endocrine therapy was not significant, that is likely due to short follow-up intervals. Sensitivity analysis revealed an incremental benefit for removing up to 4 lymph nodes. More extensive axillary lymph node dissections with ≥10 lymph nodes removed did not significantly improve OS. Citation Format: Raed Zuhour, Waqar Haque, Jay Messer, Gary Lewis, Neil Chevli, Bin Teh, E. Brian Butler, Andrew Farach, Sandra Hatch. Clinically occult primary breast cancer with regional lymph nodes metastasis: Management and prognostic factors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-12-11.
Extracting the Buoyancy-Driven Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation

AbstractVariations in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) driven by buoyancy forcing are typically characterized as having a low-frequency time scale, interhemispheric structure,...
Evaluating a Laboratory Flume Microbiome as a Window Into Natural Riverbed Biogeochemistry

Riverbeds are hotspots for microbially-mediated reactions that exhibit pronounced variability in space and time. It is challenging to resolve biogeochemical mechanisms in natural riverbeds, as uncontrolled settings complicate data collection and interpretation. To overcome these challenges, laboratory flumes are often used as proxies for natural riverbed systems. Flumes capture spatiotemporal variability and thus allow for controlled investigations of riverbed biogeochemistry. These investigations implicitly rely on the assumption that the flume microbiome is similar to the microbiome of natural riverbeds. However, this assumption has not been tested and it is unknown how the microbiome of a flume compares to natural aquatic settings, including riverbeds. To evaluate the fundamental assumption that a flume hosts a microbiome similar to natural riverbed systems, we used 16s rRNA gene sequencing and publicly available data to compare the sediment microbiome of a single large laboratory flume to a wide variety of natural ecosystems including lake and marine sediments, river, lake, hyporheic, soil, and marine water, and bank and wetland soils. Richness and Shannon diversity metrics, analyses of variance, Bray-Curtis dissimilarity, and analysis of the common microbiomes between flume and river sediment all indicated that the flume microbiome more closely resembled natural riverbed sediments than other ecosystems, supporting the use of flume experiments for investigating natural microbially-mediated biogeochemical processes in riverbeds.
AweGNN: Auto-parametrized weighted element-specific graph neural networks for molecules.

Abstract While automated feature extraction has had tremendous success in many deep learning algorithms for image analysis and natural language processing, it does not work well for data involving complex internal structures, such as molecules. Data representations via advanced mathematics, including algebraic topology, differential geometry, and graph theory, have demonstrated superiority in a variety of biomolecular applications, however, their performance is often dependent on manual parametrization. This work introduces the auto-parametrized weighted element-specific graph neural network, dubbed AweGNN, to overcome the obstacle of this tedious parametrization process while also being a suitable technique for automated feature extraction on these internally complex biomolecular data sets. The AweGNN is a neural network model based on geometric-graph features of element-pair interactions, with its graph parameters being updated throughout the training, which results in what we call a network-enabled automatic representation (NEAR). To enhance the predictions with small data sets, we construct multi-task (MT) AweGNN models in addition to single-task (ST) AweGNN models. The proposed methods are applied to various benchmark data sets, including four data sets for quantitative toxicity analysis and another data set for solvation prediction. Extensive numerical tests show that AweGNN models can achieve state-of-the-art performance in molecular property predictions.
Harnessing the Potential of Primary Care Pharmacists to Improve Heart Failure Management

BACKGROUND Improved utilization of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) in the management of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) can reduce mortality, reduce heart failure hospitalizations, and improve quality of life. Despite well-established clinical guidelines, these therapies remain significantly underprescribed. The goal of this intervention was to increase prescribing of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI)/angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI), and beta-blockers at ≥ 50% target doses. METHODS The study team identified key drivers to adequate dosing of GDMT: (1) frequent and reliable follow-up visits for titration opportunities, (2) identification of actionable patients for therapy initiation and titration, and (3) reduction in prescribing practice variability. The interventions were implemented at an outpatient clinical site and consisted of three main components: (1) establishing a pharmacist-led heart failure medication titration clinic, (2) creation of a standardized titration protocol, and (3) utilization of a patient dashboard to identify eligible patients. RESULTS For patients seen in the titration clinic, in 14 months, the mean dose per patient increased from 31.3% to 70.5% of target dose for ACEI/ARB/ARNI, and from 45.8% to 85.4% for beta-blockers. At this clinical site, the percentage of HFrEF patients receiving > 50% of targeted dose increased from 39.7% to 46.7% for ACEI/ARB/ARNI, and from 39.5% to 42.9% for beta-blockers. For ACEI/ARB/ARNI, use of target doses was 5.9% higher (95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.6%-8.3%, p < 0.0001) for the intervention site, 0.2% higher (95% CI = -2.2%-2.5%, p = 0.89) during the intervention period, and 10.4% higher (95% CI = 6.9%-13.9%, p < 0.0001) for the interaction (intervention site during the intervention time period). For beta-blockers, use of target doses was 1.0% higher (95% CI = -0.6%-2.6%, p = 0.20) for the intervention site, 0.8% lower (95% CI = -2.4%-0.8%, p = 0.29) for the intervention period, and 5.8% higher (95% CI = 3.5%-8.1%, p < 0.0001) for the interaction (intervention site during the intervention time period). CONCLUSION Through this project's interventions, the prescribing of ACEI/ARB/ARNI and beta-blocker therapy at ≥ 50% target doses for patients with HFrEF was increased. This study demonstrates the value of a multifaceted, team-based approach that integrates population-level interventions such as clinical dashboard management with a pharmacist-led heart failure medication titration clinic.
Work Incentive Counseling as a workplace support

Many Social Security disability beneficiaries are employed and many more would like to enter or reenter the workforce. Among the self-reported obstacles to employment identified by beneficiaries are: (1) fear of losing benefits; (2) fear of losing health care coverage; and (3) unpredictable administration of available Social Security work incentives. Work Incentive Counseling is an employment support that can assist beneficiaries to overcome these obstacles and pursue their self-chosen employment and financial independence goals. Available data confirm that Work Incentive Counseling is a cost-effective support that improves the employment outcomes of Social Security disability beneficiaries.
Hybrid Solar Collector Using Nonimaging Optics and Photovoltaic Components

The project team of University of California at Merced (UC-M), Gas Technology Institute, and Dr. Eli Yablonovitch of University of California at Berkeley developed a novel hybrid concentrated solar photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) collector using nonimaging optics and world record single-junction Gallium arsenide (GaAs) PV components integrated with particle laden gas as thermal transfer and storage media, to simultaneously generate electricity and high temperature dispatchable heat. The collector transforms a parabolic trough, commonly used in CSP plants, into an integrated spectrum-splitting device. This places a spectrum-sensitive topping element on a secondary reflector that is registered to the thermal collection loop. The secondary reflector transmits higher energy photons for PV topping while diverting the remaining lower energy photons to the thermal media, achieving temperatures of around 400°C even under partial utilization of the solar spectrum. The collector uses the spectral selectivity property of Gallium arsenide (GaAs) cells to maximize the exergy output of the system, resulting in an estimated exergy efficiency of 48%. The thermal media is composed of fine particles of high melting point material in an inert gas that increases heat transfer and effectively stores excess heat in hot particles for later on-demand use.
Levothyroxine Absorption Test

Indication To assess poor oral absorption of levothyroxine (LT4), and assist the clinician in differentiating true malabsorption from pseudomalabsorption (patient nonadherence).
Information Technology and Bureaucratic Reform: A Case Study from India

Most governments see the use of information systems as part of a reform strategy to reconfigure relations both among various government departments as well as between governments and other stakeholders. However, there is little empirical evidence to support whether these systems achieve this intended outcome. Therefore, the overarching question that guides this study can be articulated as follows: given that the information systems used by governments are proposed to institute new relational patterns within governments and between governments and other stakeholders, has this happened, if it so how and if not why not. I suggest that e-governance systems are designed and implemented with the context of existing institutionalized social structures, which constrain actors who come together to build and implement a new system. However, this does not mean that these actors are mere puppets. They are capable of strategic action and can choose whether to reinforce the existing institutionalized set up or to change it. In either case, these constrained actors build coalitions by using strategic and assumptive frames in their attempt to move from interpretive flexibility towards institutionalization. This study uses the extended case study approach with in-depth interviews and participant observation as the data elicitation techniques. My data analytic approach stems from the notion of a hermeneutic circle that sees the process of social construction and institutionalization as a series of constructed dialogues.
A spectral graph regression model for learning brain connectivity of Alzheimer's disease.

Understanding network features of brain pathology is essential to reveal underpinnings of neurodegenerative diseases. In this paper, we introduce a novel graph regression model (GRM) for learning structural brain connectivity of Alzheimer's disease (AD) measured by amyloid-β deposits. The proposed GRM regards 11C-labeled Pittsburgh Compound-B (PiB) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging data as smooth signals defined on an unknown graph. This graph is then estimated through an optimization framework, which fits the graph to the data with an adjustable level of uniformity of the connection weights. Under the assumed data model, results based on simulated data illustrate that our approach can accurately reconstruct the underlying network, often with better reconstruction than those obtained by both sample correlation and l1-regularized partial correlation estimation. Evaluations performed upon PiB-PET imaging data of 30 AD and 40 elderly normal control (NC) subjects demonstrate that the connectivity patterns revealed by the GRM are easy to interpret and consistent with known pathology. Moreover, the hubs of the reconstructed networks match the cortical hubs given by functional MRI. The discriminative network features including both global connectivity measurements and degree statistics of specific nodes discovered from the AD and NC amyloid-beta networks provide new potential biomarkers for preclinical and clinical AD.
Evaluation of Cost Effective Sensor Combinations for a Vehicle Precrash Detection System

The future of vehicle safety will benefit greatly from precrash detection – the ability of a motor vehicle to predict the occurrence of an accident before it occurs. There are many different sensor technologies currently available for pre-crash detection. However no single sensor technology has demonstrated enough information gathering capability within the cost constraints of vehicle manufacturers to be used as a stand alone device. A proposed solution consists of combining information from multiple sensors in an intelligent computer algorithm to determine accurate precrash information. In this paper, a list of sensors currently available on motor vehicles and those that show promise for future development is presented. These sensors are then evaluated based on cost, information gathering capability and other factors. Cost sensitivity is lower in large commercial vehicles than in personal vehicles due to their higher initial cost and longer life span making them a good candidate for early adoption of such a system. This work forms the basis for ongoing research in developing an integrated object detection and avoidance precrash sensing system.
Synthesis of amplitude response of optical directional coupler modulators

Optical directional coupler modulator amplitude response may be synthesized using the Gel'fand-Levitan-Marchenko inverse scattering technique. The technique determines the coupling function required to obtain the specified response, and for this summary we illustrate it with the response function of a third order Butterworth function. The technique provides the possibility of designing coupler modulators with small switching voltages, and better linearity.
Modelling the deterioration of buried infrastructure as a fuzzy Markov process

Dearth of data is the greatest acknowledged obstacle to the deterioration modeling of the buried infrastructure assets. In the last two decades numerous models have been proposed with a greater emphasis on Markovian Deterioration Processes (MDP). The MDP requires that the condition of the deteriorating system be encoded as an ordinal condition rating, based on numerous distress indicators obtained possibly from direct and indirect observations, as well as from non-destructive tests. The encoding of distress indicators into condition rating is inherently imprecise and involves subjective judgment. This imprecision is not considered, let alone propagated in the traditional application of the MDP. In this paper a new approach is presented to model the deterioration of buried infrastructure assets using a fuzzy rule-based, non-homogeneous Markov process. This deterioration model yields the ‘possibility’ of failure at every time step along the life of the asset. The use of fuzzy sets and fuzzy techniques help to incorporate the inherent imprecision and subjectivity of the data, as well as to propagate these attributes throughout the model, yielding more realistic results. This paper is the first of two companion papers that describe a complete method of managing failure risk of large buried infrastructure assets. The second companion paper describes how the condition ratings along the life of the asset are converted to risk values and how effective decisions can be made about the renewal and/or scheduling the next inspection of the asset.
Uranium isotopes ( 234 U/ 238 U) in rivers of the Yukon Basin (Alaska and Canada) as an aid in identifying water sources, with implications for monitoring hydrologic change in arctic regions

The ability to detect hydrologic variation in large arctic river systems is of major importance in understanding and predicting effects of climate change in high-latitude environments. Monitoring uranium isotopes (234U and 238U) in river water of the Yukon River Basin of Alaska and northwestern Canada (2001–2005) has enhanced the ability to identify water sources to rivers, as well as detect flow changes that have occurred over the 5-year study. Uranium isotopic data for the Yukon River and major tributaries (the Porcupine and Tanana rivers) identify several sources that contribute to river flow, including: deep groundwater, seasonally frozen river-valley alluvium groundwater, and high-elevation glacial melt water. The main-stem Yukon River exhibits patterns of uranium isotopic variation at several locations that reflect input from ice melt and shallow groundwater in the spring, as well as a multi-year pattern of increased variability in timing and relative amount of water supplied from higher elevations within the basin. Results of this study demonstrate both the utility of uranium isotopes in revealing sources of water in large river systems and of incorporating uranium isotope analysis in long-term monitoring of arctic river systems that attempt to assess the effects of climate change.
Improving optical performance of AlGaN quantum wells

A method for mitigating internal electric field effects and improving optical performance of AlGaN quantum wells is described. The underlying mechanism is the significant difference between the z-direction effective hole masses for the heavy-hole and crystal-split-hole bands.
Scalable Large Scale Process Modeling and Simulations in Liquid Composite Molding

Various composite structural configurations are increasingly manufactured using liquid composite molding processes. These processes provide unitized structures with repeatability and excellent dimensional tolerances. The new generation of materials and processes, however, pose significant challenges in affordable development and process optimization. Process modeling and simulations, based on physical models, play a significant role in understanding the process behavior and allow for optimizing the process variants in a virtual environment. Large scale composite structures require scalable process modeling and simulation software. An overview of various key issues for such scalable software developments are presented. Several items, including our experiences with the numerical techniques and algorithms for the solution of the representative physical models, are discussed. We also investigate and briefly discuss the various parallel programming models and software development complexities to achieve good performance. In this context, iterative solution techniques for large scale systems, based on a domain decomposition of the problem domain and non-invasive techniques to boost performance of scalable software, are discussed. Preliminary results of the performance of simulations in liquid composite molding are presented. The discussions presented, though in direct reference to scalable process modeling and simulations in liquid composite molding, are directly applicable to any unstructured finite element computations.
A Response Surface Methodology for Modeling Time Series Response Data

This article introduces extensions to classical response surface methods specifically for modeling and exploiting time series response data such as found in aircraft flight test. Classical response surface methods focus on the analysis of discrete response data. In some complex, nonlinear systems, analysts are concerned with the behavior of time series response data. To date, there does not appear to be any formal methods for examining and exploiting these data within a response surface framework. Thus, a mathematical framework is defined and then demonstrated through a sample analysis of empirical flight test data. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Retrieval does not always enhance suggestibility: Testing can improve witness identification performance.

Verbally recalling the appearance of a perpetrator and the details of an event can sometimes hinder later eyewitness memory performance. In two experiments, we investigated the effects of verbally recalling a face on people’s ability to resist subsequent misinformation about that face. Participants watched a video of a theft and then completed either a recall test or a distractor activity. After a delay, some participants heard a piece of misinformation. Memory was assessed with a recall test in Experiment 1 and with a target-present lineup in Experiment 2. In both experiments, initial testing reduced eyewitness suggestibility for the face.
Laboratory Observations of High-Temperature Rheology of Rocks

Goetze, C. and Brace, W.F., 1972. Laboratory observations of high-temperature rheology of rocks. In: A.R. Ritsema (Editor), The Upper Mantle. Tectonophysics, 13 (1–4): 583–600. New steady-state creep data for a dunite and a peridotite at 1000°C and 6 kbar pressure are presented and compared with published studies of similar rocks at 5–15 kbar. Shear stresses here ranged from 1 to 3 kbar. A current best estimate of the flow law for dunite at 1000°C is presented, although some major inconsistencies exist in published high-pressure work. Our current understanding of the mechanisms involved do not reasonably allow an extrapolation of this data to geologic strain rates. Relatively little extrapolation is required, however, to show that laboratory strain rates appear to be significantly higher than those indicated by geophysical evidence. When the effects of possible partial melting are taken into account, this discrepancy is increased. New results are given for transient creep in diabase, gabbro, and granite close to the solidus and peridotite at 1000°C. For strains up to about 10–3, strain closely follows a power law with time with an exponent ranging from 0.35 to 0.50, depending on rock type. Compared with calculations based on glacial rebound, the transient creep we observe near the solidus would give too rapid recovery. Thus, for both large and small strains, our materials are considerably weaker at the solidus than is required by geophysical evidence.
The prevalence of torture and associated symptoms in United States Iraqi refugees.

Iraqi refugees face difficulties resettling in the US, which may be partially due to high rates of torture. This study determines the rates of torture experience, primary and secondary, among Iraqi refugees in the US; and the association to physical and mental health symptoms on arrival. A retrospective review was conducted in 2011 on the post-arrival health screens of Iraqi refugees resettled in Utah in 2008 and 2009. Measures included reports of torture experience as defined by the United Nations; reports of physical and mental health symptoms at the time of screening; and association of torture to the presence of symptoms on arrival. The study included the health screens of 497 (97 %) of eligible Iraqi refugees. Most experienced torture (56 %) before arrival in the US Logistic regression revealed that torture was the most significant predictor of mental illness symptoms. Iraqi refugees in the US have a high prevalence of torture, and torture is associated with the presence of both mental and physical symptoms on the post-arrival health screen. This information is critical to the development of successful resettlement strategies for Iraqi refugees.
Investigation of Possible Sex Differences in the Prediction of Job Performance in an Industrial Setting

Male and female packaging plant employees were examined for possible test validity differences by concurrently correlating four employment tests with absenteeism and job performance ratings. Subgrouping by sex produced two significant results for females and none for males. Moderating each group by using three job in volvement factor scores (low vs. high) helped clarify the differences in prediction by producing 12 significant validity coefficients for fe males and only one for males. Nearly all test validities for females occurred for those low rather than high in job involvement—an out come suggesting that females high in work identification are not ap praised by supervisors at a level commensurate to their abilities. Abilities for females least involved with work were much more likely to be associated with both absenteeism rate and supervisory evaluations. This finding would suggest the importance of investi gating test validation strategies separately for each sex when com parable work is involved.
Modulation of cell adhesion by modification of titanium surfaces with covalently attached self-assembled monolayers.

The surface of titanium has been modified by covalent attachment of an organic monolayer anchored by a siloxane network. This coating completely covers the metal and allows controlled modification of surface properties by the exposed chemical endgroups of the monolayer forming surfactant. The attachment of such a film allows different bulk materials (e.g., glass and titanium) to have identical surface properties and this can be used in regulating cell adhesion responses. This control over surface functionality can modulate the functions of fibronectin in regulating attachment and neurite formation by neuronal cells. The effect on bacterial adherence that is achieved by using such monolayers to vary surface hydrophilicity is also assessed.