cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling fruit internal heating rates for hot air and hot water treatments

Hot air and hot water heating methods have been extensively studied as thermal treatments to control insect pests in fruits to replace chemical fumigation. An inherent difficulty in using these methods is that slow heating rates may result in long treatment times and possible damage to fruit quality. Many factors influence heating time. A systematic analysis of those influences is desirable to help in designing effective treatment protocols. A simulation model based on heat transfer theory was developed to study the effect of fruit thermal property, fruit size, heating medium and heating medium speed on heat transfer rates within spherical fruits. The simulation demonstrated that the small variation in thermal diffusivity among fruits had little effect on heating time. Fruit internal heat transfer rate was significantly influenced by fruit size and by heating medium. Water was a more efficient medium than air and increasing air speed increased heating rates. Water circulation speeds had little influence on heat transfer rate. The Biot number showed that internal energy transfer by conduction was a heating rate limiting factor. Combining low frequency electromagnetic energy with hot air or hot water eliminated conduction as a major rate-limiting factor because the energy was directly delivered to the fruit interior.
Computing left ventricular hemodynamics from echographic optical flow of CEUS microspheres

We present a novel ultrasonographic approach to compute hemodynamics in the heart cavities. We estimate blood motion flow by exploiting the apparent visual flow of motion in ultrasonographic image sequences enhanced by the use of an echographic contrast agent. We describe the optical flow and segmentation approaches used specifically for determining blood flow in the left intraventricular cavity. We report preliminary results obtained using contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) data. This method has applications for performing diagnostics (for myocardial or valvular pathologies such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or mitral valve insufficiency.) It can be used for validating cardiac biomechanical models. Finally, it can be employed for detecting laceration and hemorrhage, or characterizing the vascularization of metastatic tissues in organs such as the liver.
Perceptual organization, attention and object recognition: Closing the loop

Gestalt psychologists have long argued that the whole of an object is perceived before its individual parts. This is in contrast to most theories of attention which are feature based. In this paper we present a novel architecture for object based attention, search and recognition. The algorithm consists of neurally plausible computation mechanisms and through the concepts of border-ownership and grouping neurons, provides a single mechanism to compute both bottom up and top down attention.
Providing web services to mobile users: the architecture design of an m-service portal

In order to reduce costs and gain competitive advantages, many companies are offering web services that enable software components to be accessed by their customers and trading partners over the internet. With the latest advances in mobile computing and communication technologies, web services are increasingly used to expose functionalities of many legacy systems so that more business-oriented mobile applications can be developed. In this paper, we first use a generic technical architecture. Then, we provide a classification matrix for grouping various mobile services. The architecture design of an m-service portal is proposed, followed by the description of an m-service prototype in support of e-procurement developed by the authors. Potential enhancement to the m-service portal using agent technology is also discussed. Finally, we suggest some further research issues of dynamic web services in the context of m-service portals and context-aware m-services.
PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA IN CHILDREN: DIFFICULTIES IN DIAGNOSIS AND LOCALIZATION

Surgically confirmed pheochromocytoma was the cause of arterial hypertension in 6 out of 668 (0.8%) children with significant hypertension admitted to Child Health Centre in Warsaw. Among clinical features most characteristic was sustained hypertension observed in all patients, often complicated by the accelerated phase of malignant hypertension and encephalopathy. Sustained tachycardia was also found in all patients. Elevated sedimentation rate and electrocardiographic changes were observed in each child while other abnormal laboratory findings such as hyperglycemia, etc. occurred at similar rate as in adults. Increased urinary excretion of catecholamines and their metabolites confirmed the diagnosis. In our study the most sensitive methods for tumor localization were ultrasonography and computed tomography of the adrenals while scintigraphy with iodo-131-metabenzylguanidine gave a hgh percentage of false negative results. Clinical presentation of pheochromocytomas in children is different than in adults...
Constructing Emotional and Relational Understanding: The Role of Mother-Child Reminiscing about Negatively Valenced Events.

Abstract Although there is some evidence from cross-sectional studies that reminiscing is animportant context in which children construct socioemotional understanding, longitu-dinal evidence is lacking.The goal of this study was to examine longitudinally the linksbetween the quality of reminiscing at 42 months and children’s subsequent socioemo-tional development at 48 months.At 42 months, mothers and children reminisced abouta past negatively-valenced emotional event.These conversations were coded for mater-nal elaboration, the children’s contribution and engagement, and the degree to whichmeaning was co-constructed by the dyad. At 42 and 48 months, children took part inlaboratory measures of socioemotional development. Whereas there were few linksbetween concurrent reminiscing quality and sociomoral development, aspects of remi-niscing quality at 42 months (including children’s engagement and the dyad’sco-construction of meaning) were related to children’s emotional understanding,empathy, representations of relationships, and moral-self at 48 months. This studyprovides some of the ﬁrst longitudinal evidence that reminiscing conversations arelinked with children’s subsequent sociomoral understanding.Keywords
Navigating Dual Relationships in Rural Communities

The literature examining dual relationships in rural communities is limited, and existing ethical guidelines lack guidelines about how to navigate these complex relationships. This study uses grounded theory to explore rural therapists' perceptions of dual relationship issues, the perceived impact of minority and/or religious affiliation on the likelihood of dual relationships, and the ways rural therapists handle inevitable dual relationship situations. All of the therapists who participated in the study practiced in small communities and encountered dual relationship situations with regularity. The overarching theme that emerged from the data was that of using professional judgment in engaging in the relationship, despite the fact that impairment of professional judgment is the main objection to dual relationships. This overall theme contained three areas where participants felt they most needed to use their judgment: the level of benefit or detriment to the client, the context, and the nature of the dual relationship. Surprisingly, supervision and/or consultation were not mentioned by the participants as strategies for handling dual relationships. The results of this study are compared with established ethical decision-making models, and implications for the ethical guidelines and appropriate ethical training are suggested.
Building better blood vessels: new insight on the molecular control of arteriogenesis

See article by Boengler et al. [2] (pages 573–581) in this issue. Our understanding of the initial steps in blood vessel formation has been advanced through studies employing transgenic and knock-out mouse models [1] as well as isolated cells cultivated under conditions of altered oxygen level and shear stress. From the standpoint of identifying basic biological controls, examination of the tumor vascularization process also has provided insight concerning the molecular pathways required to form and sustain the microvasculature. However, much remains to be discovered about the far slower, adaptive process of arteriogenesis whereby pre-existing arterioles adopt new structural features required for sustaining blood flow around vascular obstructions. Especially fascinating are molecular events that occur in the vicinity of obstruction points where oxygen levels are near normal but flow rates significantly altered. An interesting report by Boengler and colleagues, appearing in this issue of Cardiovascular Research [2], has helped in this regard by identifying links between biomechanical stress and expression of specific transcription factors in the arterial wall. Importantly, two of these factors, the cardiac ankyrin repeat protein (CARP) and Egr-1, previously have been implicated in cardiovascular diseases associated with both vascular and myocardial tissue remodeling [1,3]. Arteriogenesis is proposed to consist of two phases [4,5]. The initiating event appears to be endothelial cell damage produced by high fluid … *Tel.: +1-614-292-3147; fax: +1-614-292-4888.
Understanding Aesthetic Judgments Across Cultural Borders: bell hooks, Kant, and Cornel West and the Understanding of Aesthetic Judgments of Others

Soulevant la question de la comprehension des jugements esthetiques au-dela des frontieres culturelles, l'A. critique la notion de desinteressement au coeur de la theorie esthetique de Kant, d'une part, et defend avec B. Hooks et C. West une approche empirique de la communication des valeurs artistiques, d'autre part.
Probucol suppresses oxidant stress in hypertensive arteries: Immunohistochemical evidence

Oxy-free radicals may be involved in the pathogenesis of accelerated atherosclerosis in hypertension. We evaluated the direct antioxidant potential of probucol in hypertensive arteries by studying the spatial immunohistochemical distribution of three primary antioxidant enzymes (AEs). Nineteen normocholesterolemic New Zealand White rabbits were divided into two groups: normotensive controls (NT; n = 6) and 13 animals rendered hypertensive by surgical coarctation of abdominal aorta. The hypertensive group was subdivided into hypertensive alone (HT; n = 8) and hypertensive treated with 1% probucol (PO) for 9 weeks (HT-P; n = 5). Blood pressure rose significantly in both hypertensive groups (P < .005). At autopsy, both hypertensive groups showed similarly significant increases in mean arterial intima-media thickness (IMT) whether or not they were treated with probucol. However, only HT rabbits revealed significant increases in the intima-media depth penetration of glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase AEs. By contrast, in HT-P animals probucol produced significant reductions of immunostaining of all three AEs compared to the HT group (P < .05). Additionally, specific macrophage immunostaining revealed that the arterial wall of HT rabbits had numerous (10 to 12 per high power field) subintimal and medial macrophages as compared to the HT-P animals (1 to 2 per high power field). The blood pressure level correlated significantly with IMT in all three groups, but with depth penetration of the three groups, but with depth HT groups. Probucol, therefore, appears to act in concernt with the native arterial antioxidant enzymes as a potent free radical scavenger to reduce oxidative stress and thus attenuate the macrophage invasive response in hypertensive arteries.
Activation of type I interferon in systemic lupus erythematosus

Type I interferon (IFN) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) since the late 1970s when elevated serum levels were noted in patients with this autoimmune disease. More recently, the ability of SLE sera to induce IFN in normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells has been noted and led to the recognition of RNA/DNA-containing immune complexes as key components of this IFN-inducing factor. Interest in the field grew with the publication of several gene expression studies that documented activation of the type I IFN pathway in patients with SLE. This activation was associated with disease activity and severity. The important implications of these advances for the management of patients with SLE are twofold. First, IFN may be a useful biomarker of disease subtype and activity and, second, IFN is a rational target for therapeutic intervention. Cautious blockade of this pathway might eliminate an important contributor to autoimmunity.
Advantages of quantum recurrent networks: an examination of stable states

We continue our investigation of the ways in which both quantum computing and neural computing can be augmented by combining the two. Here, we quantify the increase in storage capacity of the quantum Hopfield network, as a function of its increasing quantum mechanical nature.
Teacher Innovations in Self-Regulated Learning

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews selected theory and research on teaching interventions in self-regulated learning. Several programs of domain-specific strategy instruction research demonstrate important gains in student learning of curricular content. Such programs also provide direction for promising new ways to teach more generic aspects of self-regulated learning. Encouraging students to take responsibility for their own learning is a loud refrain in current thinking on schooling. To help all students become “self-regulated,” theory suggests the need for a better understanding of the strategies that successful students use to maintain effort and protect commitments in school. Research conducted on self-regulated learning over recent decades has made major contributions toward this goal. The importance of self-regulatory potential, as both preparation for and achievement in school, is accentuated by the continuous and increasing intellectual and behavioral demands, constraints, and affordances that schools provide learners with. Learning and self-management strategies appear particularly important for students to use in certain situations: When academic tasks require sustained attention, when instruction is incomplete or relatively unstructured, or when students are confronted by competing goals.
Carbon nanotube metal matrix composites for solar cell electrodes

Metal matrix composites (MMCs) composed of Ag and single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have been developed as an electrode material for inverted metamorphic multi-junction (IMM) solar cells. Scanning electron microscopy analysis reveals that these Ag-SWCNT MMCs may alleviate issues caused by fracture of the fragile IMMs, and that the metal grain structure varies based on the thickness (or weight loading) of the SWCNTs present in the MMCs. Additionally, dynamic mechanical analysis of the Ag-SWCNT MMCs shows that the addition of SWCNTs to the Ag significantly increases the strain accommodation of the MMCs over conventional Ag. The results indicate that SWCNTs may be a promising material for advanced IMM solar cell electrodes for space and terrestrial applications.
Exotic Bailey–Slater SPT-functions II: Hecke–Rogers-type double sums and Bailey pairs from groups A, C, E

Abstract We investigate spt-crank-type functions arising from Bailey pairs. We recall four spt-type functions corresponding to the Bailey pairs A1, A3, A5, and A7 of Slater and given four new spt-type functions corresponding to Bailey pairs C1, C5, E2, and E4. Each of these functions can be thought of as a count on the number of appearances of the smallest part in certain integer partitions. We prove simple Ramanujan type congruences for these functions that are explained by a spt-crank-type function. The spt-crank-type functions are two variable q-series determined by a Bailey pair, that when z = 1 reduce to the spt-type functions. We find the spt-crank-type functions to have interesting representations as either infinite products or as Hecke–Rogers-type double series. These series reduce nicely when z is a certain root of unity and allow us to deduce the congruences. Additionally we find dissections when z is a certain root of unity to give another proof of the congruences. Our double sum and product formulas require Bailey's Lemma and conjugate Bailey pairs. Our dissection formulas follow from Bailey's Lemma and dissections of known ranks and cranks.
TSUNAMI GENERATION AND PROPAGATION

A linear theory is presented for waves generated by an arbitrary bed deformation {in space and time) for a two-dimensional and a three -dimensional fluid domain of uniform depth. The resulting wave profile near the source is computed for both the two and three-dimensional models for a specific class of bed deformations; experimental results are presented for the two-dimensional model. The growth of nonlinear effects during wave propagation in an ocean of uniform depth and the corresponding limitations of the linear theory are investigated. A strategy is presented for determining wave behavior at large distances from the source where linear and nonlinear effects are of equal magnitude. The strategy is based on a matching technique which employs the linear theory in its region of applicability and an equation similar to that of Korteweg and deVries (KdV) in the region where nonlinearities are equal in magnitude to frequency dispersion. Comparison of the theoretical computations with the experimental results indicates that an equation of the KdV type is the proper model of wave behavior at large distances from the source region.
Abstract 99: Impact of Acute Perihematomal Edema on Long Term Outcomes Following Primary Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Introduction: The impact of acute perihematomal edema (PHE) as an independent predictor of clinical outcomes following an intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) has been controversial. To date, some studies have reported that PHE is associated with poorer outcomes, while others have found an association with good outcomes. The goals of the current analysis were to 1) identify predictors of acute PHE, and 2) determine impact of PHE on clinical outcomes in a predominantly African American hypertensive ICH population. Methods: Subjects with spontaneous non-traumatic ICH who were prospectively enrolled in the DiffErenCes in the Imaging of Primary Hemorrhage based on Ethnicity or Race (DECIPHER) Project were included in the analysis. Baseline MRIs were performed in subjects at median of 2 days from onset. Hematoma volume as well as PHE were calculated from GRE and FLAIR sequences, respectively, employing a semiautomated volumetric analysis. PHE volume was expressed as a percent of the hematoma volume (PHEv/ICHv x 100). Outcome measures included year 1 NIHSS score using a log-linear model and dichotomized (0-2 vs. 3-6) modified Rankin Scale (mRS) using a logistic regression model. Results: A total of 140 subjects were included in the analysis. Mean age was 59, 58% were male, 75% were black, and 85% had a history of hypertension. Baseline NIHSS score was mean 9 (median 6), mean ICH volume was 25 cc (range 0.5-136 cc), and mean relative PHE percent was 115% (range 0-559%). Independent predictors of PHE on multivariate analysis included ICH volume (p=0.004) and antiplatelet use on admission (p=0.02). At the year 1 timepoint, there was no significant association between the severity of PHE percent and good or poor outcome based on dichotomized mRS (p=0.67); however there was a modest trend towards an association between increased edema and lower NIHSS scores (p=0.15). Conclusions: In this large MRI-based cohort of patients with primary ICH, acute perihematomal edema measured on FLAIR sequences was not an independent predictor of poor functional outcome at year 1 employing the mRS. However, there was a modest trend towards an association between increased relative edema volume and lower year 1 NIHSS scores, which may suggest a protective effect of edema on outcome. Further studies in a larger cohort are needed to clarify the impact of both acute and peak perihematomal edema on outcome following primary ICH.
Assessing the economic impact of waterfowl hunting in Mississippi: Effects of changes in industry sector data using the IMPLAN model

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and improve the current methodology of securing and collecting data sources for use in the Impact Analysis for Planning (IMPLAN) model to more accurately use, and be able to support, inputs and outputs from economic impact models, specifically those generated by IMPLAN. Design/methodology/approach – Primary expenditure data were derived from an extensive mail survey conducted during the 2005-2006 Mississippi waterfowl-hunting season. Survey results were analyzed using the IMPLAN software model default data and comparing it with new, more localized state data that were collected in 2010. Industry sectors were sorted and ranked after analysis based on sector importance to the economy and IMPLAN default data were replaced by localized data. Findings – Economic contributions generated from the survey-based default model were $158 million (2010 USD) supporting 1,981 full- and part-time jobs. Economic contributions using survey-based data replacement model were...
Differential pre-mRNA Splicing Alters the Transcript Diversity of Helitrons Between the Maize Inbred Lines

The propensity to capture and mobilize gene fragments by the highly abundant Helitron family of transposable elements likely impacts the evolution of genes in Zea mays. These elements provide a substrate for natural selection by giving birth to chimeric transcripts by intertwining exons of disparate genes. They also capture flanking exons by read-through transcription. Here, we describe the expression of selected Helitrons in different maize inbred lines. We recently reported that these Helitrons produce multiple isoforms of transcripts in inbred B73 via alternative splicing. Despite sharing high degrees of sequence similarity, the splicing profile of Helitrons differed among various maize inbred lines. The comparison of Helitron sequences identified unique polymorphisms in inbred B73, which potentially give rise to the alternatively spliced sites utilized by transcript isoforms. Some alterations in splicing, however, do not have obvious explanations. These observations not only add another level to the creation of transcript diversity by Helitrons among inbred lines but also provide novel insights into the cis-acting elements governing splice-site selection during pre-mRNA processing.
Examination of Steel Castings for Potential Nucleation Phases

The production of steel castings needs to meet more stringent requirements on mechanical properties and cost. One possibility to improve mechanical properties is to develop grain refiners for steel castings. There are no industrially significant grain refiners for steels. While developing grain refiners based on theoretical models could assist development, there is likely already materials that function in current castings as nuclei for austenite dendrites. It was found that TiN inclusions may have assisted in the nucleation of dendrites during the solidification of several industrial castings.
The Ileus and the Oddities After Colorectal Surgery, Continued

In this second part of a series, complications related to colorectal surgery are highlighted and discussed, including anastomotic bleeding and hemorrhage, wound infection, anastomotic dehiscence and fistula formation, small bowel obstruction, and genitourinary complications. Prevention of complications may be improved by adequate selection of appropriate procedures for the patient, good surgical technique, and good postoperative care.
Extraction of impulse response data via wavelet transforms for multiple input structural system identification

This paper presents an improved wavelet transformbased method for determining the Markov parameters, or impulse response, of a structural dynamic model from measured multi-input and multi-output data. Auto and cross-correlations of the ensembles are determined and averaged in the wavelet domain. This alleviates the problem of solving an underdetermined convolution equation for the Markov parameters and filters out some of the noise present in the signals. Comparisons of the wavelet transform approach with standard Markov parameter extraction methods show the proposed wavelet ensembling procedure is in general more effective in filtering signal noise.
Plutonium Desorption from Mineral Surfaces at Environmental Concentrations of Hydrogen Peroxide

Knowledge of Pu adsorption and desorption behavior on mineral surfaces is crucial for understanding its environmental mobility. Here we demonstrate that environmental concentrations of H2O2 can affect the stability of Pu adsorbed to goethite, montmorillonite, and quartz across a wide range of pH values. In batch experiments where Pu(IV) was adsorbed to goethite for 21 days at pH 4, 6, and 8, the addition of 5-500 μM H2O2 resulted in significant Pu desorption. At pH 6 and 8 this desorption was transient with readsorption of the Pu to goethite within 30 days. At pH 4, no Pu readsorption was observed. Experiments with both quartz and montmorillonite at 5 μM H2O2 desorbed far less Pu than in the goethite experiments highlighting the contribution of Fe redox couples in controlling Pu desorption at low H2O2 concentrations. Plutonium(IV) adsorbed to quartz and subsequently spiked with 500 μM H2O2 resulted in significant desorption of Pu, demonstrating the complexity of the desorption process. Our results provide the first evidence of H2O2-driven desorption of Pu(IV) from mineral surfaces. We suggest that this reaction pathway coupled with environmental levels of hydrogen peroxide may contribute to Pu mobility in the environment.
Chapter 5:Modeling Ionic Polymer Metal Composites with COMSOL: Step-by-Step Guide

Considerable effort has been put into modeling the physics of the electromechanical transduction phenomenon of ionic polymer metal composites (IPMCs). A broad way to categorize the existing models is by how the underlying physics is described. The first category is made up of rather empirical current-displacement relation models, often based on the electric circuit equivalent description. The second category of the models explicitly considers the ionic flux inside the material. In this chapter, we consider the latter, namely physics-based IPMC electromechanical and mechanoelectrical transduction models. Although the basic equations of the physics-based models of IPMCs have been established, it can take a significant amount of time and effort to implement them for calculations. Furthermore, freely available basic models of IPMCs would greatly benefit researchers and engineers by being a basis for developing more complicated models according to the research or design needs. To make the fundamental models of IPMCs more applicable in system and application designs, an explicit foundation of how to implement the equations is needed. Therefore, the FEM-based implementation of the model with all necessary boundary conditions is presented—this is called the modeling framework of IPMCs. Step-by-step guidelines of how to implement a basic model of IPMCs in COMSOL Multiphysics® modeling software are provided. COMSOL Multiphysics® is a registered trademark of COMSOL AB. The underlying equations and boundary conditions for the electromechanical and mechanoelectrical transduction model implementations are explicitly described first. Thereafter, sample models with illustrations are introduced followed by a brief analysis of modeling results.
Survey on the drug resistance threshold of HIV-1 in Chongqing

OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to investigate the prevalence of drug resistant HIV-1 strains in Chongqing by surveying mutations in drug resistance genes among patients newly diagnosed with HIV-1 infection and were below the age of 25. METHODS Sequential sampling method was adopted to collect serum specimens of HIV-infected patients aged between 16-25 years old, and in-house method was used to amplify partial sequence of the HIV-1 pol gene fragment and to analyze the mutations in drug resistance genes. RESULTS Among the 47 obtained sequences, 1 specimen showed a V106IMV mutation at the RT region, which could lead to strong drug resistances against NNRTIs, such as DLV, EFV, and NVP. No mutation at the PR region was detected. Positive rate of strong drug-resistant strains with mutations at the RT region was 2.1%(1 / 47), suggesting that a low prevalence(﹤5%) of drug-resistant HIV strains in Chongqing. CONCLUSION Drug-resistant HIV strains have been detected among patients newly diagnosized with HIV infection in Chongqing, but has yet become prevalent. Continuing the surveillance of the transmission of drug-resistant HIV strains is required.
Expression of carbonic anhydrase IV mRNA in rabbit kidney : stimulation by metabolic acidosis

The renal carbonic anhydrases, CA II (cytosolic) and CA IV (membrane bound), are believed to facilitate renal acid secretion. We have recently shown that renal cortical sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)...
Instant Messaging (IM) Usage Continuance for Knowledge Sharing

Previous studies had introduced Expectation Confirmation Model of IT Continuance (ECMIT) and Extended Expectation Confirmation Model of IT Continuance (EECM-IT) as models available for explaining the continued IT usage behavior. Based on Hedonic Information Systems Acceptance Model (HISAM), this study try to extend both of models by add perceived enjoyment (PE) as post-adoption belief. IM continued usage intention for knowledge sharing in college is the focus of this research. Based on a survey of 126 college students consist of undergraduate (S1) and postgraduate (MSi) students at faculty of economics Gadjah Mada university who have ever got assignation of usage of IM for doing knowledge sharing by the lecturer, the SmartPLS analysis indicate that all hypothesizes which proposed in models can be supported. Model validity as a whole also tested and shown good enough result with goodness of fit index equal to 0,6. In this research, perceived enjoyment is found to have strongest influence to satisfaction and continuance usage intention of IM for knowledge sharing is compared perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEU). This finding is become important implication in development of knowledge management system especially in college.
Micromachined therapeutic delivery systems : From concept to clinic

Microfabrication techniques which permit the creation of therapeutic delivery systems that possess a combination of structural, mechanical, and perhaps electronic features may surmount challenges associated with conventional delivery of therapy. In this review, delivery concepts are presented which capitalize on the strengths of microfabrication. Possible applications include micromachined silicon membranes to create implantable biocapsules for the immunoisolation of pancreatic islet cells--as a possible treatment for diabetes--and sustained release of injectable drugs needed over long time periods. Asymmetrical, drug- loaded microfabricated particles with specific ligands linked to the surface are proposed for improving oral bioavailability of peptide (and perhaps protein) drugs.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Spatial and temporal variability in ichthyoplankton communities ingressing through two adjacent inlets along the southeastern US Atlantic coast

Estuaries along the US east coast serve as essential nursery habitats for the early life history stages of many marine fishes. In the South Atlantic Bight (SAB), many studies have demonstrated the importance of these habitats for juveniles, but larval fish communities have received little attention, particularly around northeast Florida. To determine community structure, and seasonal distribution and abundance of larval fish in the Guana–Tolomato–Matanzas (GTM) estuary at its two inlets (St. Augustine and Matanzas), ichthyoplankton were sampled bi-weekly for one year at both inlets during nighttime spring flood tides. Samples were collected with a plankton net (1 m diameter, 1 mm mesh) suspended 1 m below the surface. Seventy-two taxa were collected, with four families comprising 85% of the collection: Sciaenidae (36.2%), Engraulidae (19.9%), Gobiidae (18.0%), and Gerreidae (10.7%). The two inlets differed in larval densities and taxonomic richness, although both were greatest during the summer. Spring and summer pulses in recruitment were observed for nearshore summer spawners. Marine offshore-spawned species exhibited peak recruitment in winter. The ichthyoplankton communities of the GTM estuary were most similar to those in southern SAB estuaries, and showed pronounced seasonal changes in composition, as is common in estuaries worldwide.
Resuscitation Versus Donation: Conflict, Priority, and Rational Consent.

Prabhu and colleagues discuss the ethical implications of possible conflict between two technically similar procedures (Prabhu, Parker, and DeVitta 2017): emergency preservation and resuscitation (...
Angels, Entrepreneurship, and Employment Dynamics: Evidence from Investor Accreditation Rules

This paper examines the effects of a shock to angel finance on entrepreneurial activity and employment. Using U.S. Census data, we estimate the state-level fraction of households that lost accreditation status from Dodd–Frank’s elimination of housing wealth in determining accreditation. A larger reduction in the pool of potential investors reduces firm entry and employment at small entrants, particularly in areas with alternate sources of financing. Employment increases at small and young incumbents, and relative wages for the startup sector decline, especially for high-skilled workers and industries. These results suggest that angels are an important source of entrepreneurial finance to high-quality, competitive firms.
Factors Relating to College Football Players’ Conformity to Traditional Masculine Norms:

Conforming to masculine norms can lead to depression and anxiety in men. Athletic identity may affect conformity to masculine norms, specifically in college football players. This study explored th...
Optimal Design of Inputs for Identifying Linear and Nonlinear Pulmonary Mechanical Properties

Abstract Current advances in the use of forced oscillatory waveforms can allow identification of specific mechanical properties via the acoustic impedance. This paper reviews the use of a novel broadband waveform that is optimized to probe the linear and nonlinear mechanical properties which influence breathing. The waveform simultaneously ventilates the subject. We review: (a) partitioning airway and tissue properties via this waveform; (b) nonlinear identification via harmonic distortion and block structured modeling; and (c) the use of a forward/inverse modeling to examine limits of the systems identification process.
Tuning properties of poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(simvastatin) copolymers synthesized via triazabicyclodecene

Simvastatin was polymerized into copolymers to better control drug loading and release for therapeutic delivery. When using the conventional stannous octoate catalyst in ring-opening polymerization (ROP), reaction temperatures ≥200 °C were required, which promoted uncontrollable and undesirable side reactions. Triazabicyclodecene (TBD), a highly reactive guanidine base organocatalyst, was used as an alternative to polymerize simvastatin. Polymerization was achieved at 150 °C using 5 kDa methyl-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG) as the initiator. ROP reactions with 2 kDa or 550 Da mPEG initiators were also successful using TBD at 150 °C instead of stannous octoate, which required a higher reaction temperature. Biodegradability of the poly(simvastatin) copolymer in phosphate-buffered saline was also improved, losing twice as much mass than the copolymer synthesized via stannous octoate. The three copolymers exhibited modified rates of simvastatin release, demonstrating tunablity for drug delivery applications.
Long-Term Prospects and College Students’ Academic Performance:

Self-referent performance beliefs can influence people’s decision making related to long-term goals. Current measures of such beliefs, however, do not explicitly focus on the long-term aspects of goal achievement. We introduce a new concept, Long-Term Prospects (LTP), which is defined as the self-perception that one can maintain the continuous effort needed to achieve long-term goals. We developed a measure of LTP and demonstrated across three studies (n > 1,900) that college students’ LTP predicted their academic performance, as defined by self-reported grade point average (GPA) and official GPA. Moreover, LTP predicted GPA better than commonly used measures of grit, conscientiousness, and academic self-concept. Multiple regression and Bayesian results showed that LTP accounted for unique variance in the prediction of college GPA above and beyond intelligence, prior achievement, and demographics. Tests for moderation effects suggested that students who had low high school achievement or a low need for ac...
The Role of the Pretectum in the Pupillary Light Reflex

The pupillary light reflex (PLR) is the constriction muscle of the iris that occurs with increases in retinal illumination. The direct PLR, present in virtually all vertebrates, is the constriction of the pupil in the same eye as that stimulated with light. The consensual PLR is the constriction of the pupil in the eye opposite to the eye stimulated with light. In mammals with laterally placed eyes, such as the rat and rabbit, the direct PLR is more pronounced than the consensual PLR (Lowenstein & Loewenfeld, 1969; Clarke & Ikeda, 1985; Trejo & Cicerone, 1989). However, in those mammalian species with frontally placed eyes such as humans & monkeys, the direct and consensual PLR are essentially equal (Lowenstein & Loewenfeld, 1969).
Systemic hemodynamics and oxygen transport during pregnancy in chronically instrumented, conscious rats.

Knowledge about possible alterations in cardiac output (CO), total peripheral vascular resistance (TPVR), and their time course and magnitude of change is conspicuously lacking for the conscious gr...
Dynamic process intensification

Most process intensification research and its applications have focused on process and equipment design modifications. In this paper, we present an overview of existing developments and opportunities in dynamic process intensification (DI), which comprises changes to dynamics, operational and control of a chemical process, that result in substantial efficiency improvements. After reviewing a series of examples, we identify several fundamental principles underlying DI, including equipment design and operational approaches. We conclude with a number of challenges and opportunities related to DI system design, operation and control, and fault detection and isolation.
A Neuromorphic Quadratic, Integrate, and Fire Silicon Neuron with Adaptive Gain

An integrated circuit implementation of a silicon neuron was designed, manufactured, and tested. The circuit was designed using the Quadratic, Integrate, and Fire (QIF) neuron model in $0.5 \mu \mathrm {m}$ silicon technology. The neuron implementation was optimized for low current consumption, drawing only 1.56 mA per QIF circuit and utilized hysteretic reset, non-inverting integrator, and voltage-squarer circuits. The final area of each circuit in silicon was $268 \mu \mathrm {m}$ height $\times 400 \mu \mathrm {m}$ width. This design is the first IC of its kind for this neuron model and is successfully able to output true spiking that follows the behaviors of bistability, monotonic, and excitability spiking. The normal QIF design also features an easy way to change the time constant (which nominally operates in the millisecond range) of the spiking via a single, external capacitor (the only off-chip component in this design); the adaptive gain variation of the QIF circuit adds a second parameter that adjusts the time constant via an external resistor. The design also allows for an adjustable reset threshold and operates on $\mathrm {a}\pm 5\mathrm {V}$ power supply.
Fuzzy Logic Control Systems

In Chap. 5, we provided detailed discussions about the classical linear control systems or PID control systems with various design methods. One of the most important and critical key requirements to design and implement a PID control system is that the dynamic model of the process or plant is the prerequisite condition . However, in some actual applications, sometimes it is very difficult or impossible to obtain those models. Therefore, it looks like that it is impossible to design any appropriate controller for those control systems.
Code of Ethical Principles for Genetics Professionals

Genetic ethics is evolving at a slower pace than genetic technology. Geneticists with an interest in ethics are beginning to work with philosophical ethicists to protect users of this knowledge. Keywords: ethics; code of ethics; genetics professional; genetics counselor; principles of ethics
Abstract IA17: Genome-epigenome interplay in medulloblastoma

The recent application of genomics to large series of primary human medulloblastomas has dramatically improved our perspective of the genes, pathways, and molecular processes underpinning this highly malignant pediatric brain tumor. Transcriptionally defined molecular subgroups have emerged, changing the fundamental definition of medulloblastoma from a single histologically recognized entity, to four distinct subtypes: WNT, SHH, Group3, and Group4. These subgroups exhibit highly discriminatory genomic landscapes, patient demographics, and clinical phenotypes. Next-generation sequencing has identified and implicated recurrently altered somatic drivers, many of which are affected in a subgroup-restricted manner. In contrast, somatic variants affecting chromatin-modifying genes, including histone “writers,” “erasers,” and “readers” are prevalent in medulloblastoma and occur across subgroups, suggesting that deregulation of the epigenome is an essential step during medulloblastoma development. Integrative “omics”-based strategies have begun to dissect the fascinating genome-epigenome interplay underlying medulloblastoma, revealing previously undisclosed oncogenic mechanisms and drivers of disease. Furthermore, new insights into the biology and putative origins of the poorly understood Group3 and Group4 medulloblastomas have likewise been revealed. This talk will summarize these recent discoveries afforded through genomics and discuss their potential implications, both in the lab and in the clinic, going forward. Citation Format: Paul A. Northcott. Genome-epigenome interplay in medulloblastoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Advances in Brain Cancer Research; May 27-30, 2015; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(23 Suppl):Abstract nr IA17.
A Call to Standardize Definitions, Data Collection, and Outcome Assessment to Improve Care in Alcohol‐Related Liver Disease

Alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) is highly prevalent and appears to be increasingly reported with worsening mortality; thus, optimizing care in this patient population is imperative. This will require a multidisciplinary, multifaceted approach that includes recognizing alcohol use disorder (AUD) and existing treatments for AUD. We must also acknowledge the full spectrum of ALD clinically and histologically. For example, our current clinical definitions of alcohol-related hepatitis (AH) do not address that >95% of severe AH occurs in the setting of cirrhosis with <60% of liver explants having hepatitis. Given that the majority of ALD studies rely on clinical diagnosis and lack pathologic confirmation, prior data on the efficacy of medical treatment or use of transplantation are likely limited by intertrial and intratrial heterogeneity. Added limitations of the current field include the inconsistent reporting of relapse with the use of varying definitions and unreliable assessments. Moreover, studies fail to consistently capture the data variables that likely influence the main outcomes of interest in this population-mortality and relapse-and a global effort to create a standardized data collection tool moving forward could help effectively and efficiently aid in the advancement of this field. Conclusion: To optimize patient care and make best use of a limited resource, a systematic change in the approach to research in this population must be undertaken that creates consistent definitions for use in future research to generate reliable and reproducible results. With this in mind, we concisely reviewed the literature to summarize the current state of treating and managing ALD, the heterogeneity in definitions, and the significant opportunities for clinical and research improvement.
Processing of Expected and Unexpected Events During Conditioning and Attention: A Psychophysiological Theory

Some recent formal models of Pavlovian and instrumental conditioning contain internal paradoxes that restrict their predictive power. These paradoxes can be traced to an inadequate formulation of how mechanisms of short-term memory and long-term memory work together to control the shifting balance between the processing of expected and unexpected events. Once this formulation is strengthened, a unified processing framework is suggested wherein attentional and orienting subsystems coexist in a complementary relationship that controls the adaptive self-organization of internal representations in response to expected and unexpected events. In this framework, conditioning and attentional constructs can be more directly validated by interdisciplinary paradigms in which seemingly disparate phenomena can be shown to share similar physiological and pharmacological mechanisms. A model of cholinergic-catecholaminergic interactions suggests how drive, reinforcer, and arousal inputs regulate motivational baseline, hysteresis, and rebound, with the hippocampus as a final common path. Extinction, conditioned emotional responses, conditioned avoidance responses, secondary conditioning, and inverted U effects also occur. A similar design in sensory and cognitive representations suggests how short-term memory reset and attentional resonance occur and are related to evoked potentials such as N200, P300, and contingent negative variation (CNV). Competitive feedback properties such as pattern matching, contrast enhancement, and normalization of short-term memory patterns make possible the hypothesis testing procedures that search for arid define new internal representations in response to unexpected events. Longterm memory traces regulate adaptive filtering, expectancy learning, conditioned reinforcer learning, incentive motivational learning, and habit learning. When these mechanisms act together, conditioning phenomena such as overshadowing, unblocking, latent inhibition, overexpectation, and behavioral contrast emerge. Internal Problems of Some Mackintosh (1971), Rescorla and Wagner
Challenges in the Era of Coding and Corporatization

The past 40 years have witnessed a major redesign of health care, largely driven by rampantly increasing costs and the perception of lack of better outcomes to justify those costs. Many demographic changes have also challenged the women's health care provider workforce, and evolving new payment systems are likewise a source of angst for these providers. Managed care is seeking to cut costs, and the challenge is to do so without sacrificing quality. Burnout is a new challenge in the present environment. There is now an opportunity to meet these challenges and provide the excellent care our patients deserve.