cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tumor homologous recombination deficiency assays: another step closer to clinical application?

Inherited and acquired defects in homologous recombination, a phenotype termed ‘BRCAness’, may lend to therapeutic exploitation in breast cancer. To this end, development and clinical evaluation of platforms to identify signatures of BRCAness are of immense interest. In this issue of Breast Cancer Research, Vollebergh and colleagues report that a BRCA-like array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) genomic instability signature is associated with benefit from high-dose cyclophosphamide-thiotepa-carboplatin chemotherapy. We discuss the strengths and weaknesses of this study and consider the clinical significance and applicability of this aCGH BRCAness signature in the context of other existing homologous recombination deficiency detection platforms.
A multidimensional scaling study of voice quality in females.

In this study, a multidimensional scaling (MDS) analysis was performed to investigate perceptual discrimination by listeners among normal female voices. Speech pathologists and untrained listeners rated the similarity of all possible pairings of 20 female voices presented in sentences. MDS analyses were performed on these data. To interpret the resulting dimensions, listeners additionally evaluated each voice on each of 17 rating scales. For each listener group, the normalized and averaged perceptual ratings were correlated with MDS stimulus coordinates for the 20 voices. This procedure resulted in a five-dimensional solution which best explained the speech pathologists’ similarity-dissimilarity judgements, with the following perceptual correlates for each dimension: (1) perceived pitch, (2) perceived loudness, (3) perceived age and duration of the speakers’ stimulus sentence, (4) perceived variability, and (5) perceived quality. The untrained listeners’ judgements were best explained by a two-dimensional solution. Comparisons with other MDS studies were made, and the need for new acoustic measures was discussed.
The role of maintenance respiration in plant growth

Abstract Plant growth is the balance of photosynthetic gains and respiratory losses, and it is therefore essential to consider respiration in analyses of plant productivity. The partitioning of dark respiratory losses into two functional components, a growth component and a maintenance component, has proved useful. The growth loss is that associated with synthesis of new biomass while the maintenance loss is that associated with maintenance of existing biomass. Experimental evidence indicates that the respiratory cost of maintenance in herbaceous plants is about equal to the cost of growth over a growing season, with daily maintenace expenditures less important in the small, rapidly growing plant but increasing in significance as plant size increases and the relative growth rate decreases. Because it is such a large fraction of the total carbon budget of a plant, any variations in maintenance requirements may result in significant alterations in productivity. In the present work the theoretical and empirical bases of maintenance respiration are described: magnitudes of maintenance expenditures are summarized; and applications to models of plant growth and productivity are discussed. It is concluded that the costs of maintenance should be included in analyses of plant growth.
Snowpack changes resulting from timber harvest : Interception, redistribution, and evaporation

: Three processes were examined as causing snowpack changes in forest clearings. Two of the three contribute to increases and one counteracts by reducing snowpack. The two that increase snowpack are redistribution and decreased loss to interception. Snow evaporation from a clearing counteracts snowpack increases. Research has indicated that as vegetation density increases, so too does the loss to interception. As snow in the canopy reaches the limit that the canopy can hold (the threshold amount) evaporation increases. Aerodynamics of the forest canopy were studied as well. As timber is cut, wind patterns are disturbed, creating disruptions in the wind velocity gradient depositing snow in openings. This redistribution leads to an increased snow water equivalent and augments runoff. Snow evaporation was shown to increase proportionally with opening size. Evaporation offsets the water yield gains derived from forest cut. It was found that this offset is inclusive to the measurements of water yield changes in experimental forests. An optimal size of harvest block may be five tree heights in width as suggested by numerous studies.
FETI‐DP, BDDC, and block Cholesky methods

The FETI-DP and BDDC algorithms are reformulated using Block Cholesky factorizations, an approach which can provide a useful framework for the design of domain decomposition algorithms for solving symmetric positive definite linear system of equations. Instead of introducing Lagrange multipliers to enforce the coarse level, primal continuity constraints in these algorithms, a change of variables is used such that each primal constraint corresponds to an explicit degree of freedom. With the new formulation of these algorithms, a simplified proof is provided that the spectra of a pair of FETI-DP and BDDC algorithms, with the same set of primal constraints, are essentially the same. Numerical experiments for a two-dimensional Laplace's equation also confirm this result. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Planar deformable motion estimation incorporating mass conservation and image gradient constancy

The accuracy of optical flow estimation algorithms has been improving steadily by refining the objective function which should be optimized. A novel energy function for computing 2-D optical flow from X-ray CT images is presented. One advantage of the optical flow framework is the possibility to enforce physical constraints on the numerical solutions. The physical constraints which have been included here are: brightness constancy, gradient constancy, continuity equation based on mass conservation, and discontinuity-preserving spatio-temporal smoothness. Both qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the proposed method demonstrates that the method results in significantly better angular errors than previous optical flow techniques for estimation of deformable lung motion. Future research will include extension of the proposed techniques to 3-D.
Intelligent modeling and simulation of flexible assembly systems

A combination of product mix and production volume is analyzed using a reconfigurable simulation model aiming to improve the performance and optimal designing requirements. The performance under different production scenarios is developed to find the optimal combination of product mix to meet future customer demands. This research provides a re-configurable assembly system modeling by adding flexibility and evaluates alternative designs. The best satisfaction of the production requirements under dynamic production is validated with real application.
The crystal structure of gillulyite, Tl2(As,Sb)8S13, from the Mercur gold deposit, Tooele County, Utah, U.S.A.

Gillulyite, TI2(AsH ,SbH )8S13,is monoclinic with space group P2/n and a = 9.584(3), b = 5.679(2), c = 21.501(6) A, ~ = 100.07(2)°, V = 1152.2(7) A3, and Z = 2, The average structure was determined using direct methods and refined to a final residual of 0.046 using 930 reflections. The structure consists of TI-As-S- and As-S-bearing sheets, each present statistically 50% of the time. Four sheets, linked together by Tl-S, As-S, and S-S bonds, are stacked parallel to (00 I), yielding the 21-A c-axis repeat of the average unit cell. The Tll atom within the TI-As-S sheet is coordinated by six S nearest neighbors, which form a distorted trigonal prism. The partially occupied Tl2 position between the sheets is split symmetrically about the twofold axis with a separation of 1.28 A and equal but partial occupancies of25%. The disordering of the Tl2 position and extreme distortion of its coordination polyhedron is probably the result of the Tl+ 6s2lone pair effect. The mean bond distances for the AsS3pyramids range from 2.263 to 2.319 A. However, four of five pyramids have a fourth S neighbor at distances ranging from 2.943 to 3.001 A, which may be rationalized in terms of the AsH 4s210nepair effect.Edge sharing among the AsS3pyramids results in an As-As distance of 2.562 A, comparable with that observed in elemental As. The presence of S-S and As-As bonding suggests that gillulyite might more appropriately be classified as a sulfide rather than a sulfosalt.
Complex task learning from unstructured demonstrations

Much work in learning from demonstration has focused on learning simple tasks from structured demonstrations that have a well-defined beginning and end. As we attempt to scale robot learning to increasingly complex tasks, it becomes intractable to learn task policies monolithically. Furthermore, it is desirable to be able to learn from natural, unstructured demonstrations, which are unsegmented, possibly incomplete, and may come from different tasks. We propose a three-part approach to designing a natural, scalable system that allows a robot to learn tasks of increasing complexity by automatically building and refining a library of skills over time. First, we describe a Bayesian nonparametric model that can segment unstructured demonstrations into appropriate numbers of component skills and recognize repeated skills across demonstrations and tasks. These skills can then be parameterized and generalized to new situations. Second, we propose to create a system that allows the user to provide unstructured corrections and feedback to the robot, without requiring any knowledge of the robot's underlying representation of the task or its component skills. Third, we propose to infer the user's intentions for each segmented skill and autonomously improve these skills using reinforcement learning. This approach will be applied to learn and generalize complex, multi-step tasks that are beyond the reach of current LfD methods, using the PR2 mobile manipulator as a testing platform.
Effects of myosin light chain phosphorylation on length-dependent myosin kinetics in skinned rat myocardium.

Myosin force production is Ca(2+)-regulated by thin-filament proteins and sarcomere length, which together determine the number of cross-bridge interactions throughout a heartbeat. Ventricular myosin regulatory light chain-2 (RLC) binds to the neck of myosin and modulates contraction via its phosphorylation state. Previous studies reported regional variations in RLC phosphorylation across the left ventricle wall, suggesting that RLC phosphorylation could alter myosin behavior throughout the heart. We found that RLC phosphorylation varied across the left ventricle wall and that RLC phosphorylation was greater in the right vs. left ventricle. We also assessed functional consequences of RLC phosphorylation on Ca(2+)-regulated contractility as sarcomere length varied in skinned rat papillary muscle strips. Increases in RLC phosphorylation and sarcomere length both led to increased Ca(2+)-sensitivity of the force-pCa relationship, and both slowed cross-bridge detachment rate. RLC-phosphorylation slowed cross-bridge rates of MgADP release (∼30%) and MgATP binding (∼50%) at 1.9 μm sarcomere length, whereas RLC phosphorylation only slowed cross-bridge MgATP binding rate (∼55%) at 2.2 μm sarcomere length. These findings suggest that RLC phosphorylation influences cross-bridge kinetics differently as sarcomere length varies and support the idea that RLC phosphorylation could vary throughout the heart to meet different contractile demands between the left and right ventricles.
Discarding Low Quality Produce with an Elastic Demand

The first inclination of economists is to believe that culling produce with an elastic demand will decrease total returns. This ignores the effect that culling has on quality. If the increase in quality causes price to increase by a sufficient amount, total returns increase. Furthermore, there is an optimal culling rate with respect to maximum returns. This rate is a function of the increase in price due to culling and the elasticity of demand. Since the firm faces a more elastic demand than the industry, its optimal rate of culling is less than the industry's. By using their monopoly power in setting culling rates, institutions such as marketing orders have the potential for increasing returns to industries facing elastic demand curves.
An Epidermoid Carcinoma Cell Line Derived From Hamster 7,12- Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-Induced Buccal Pouch Tumors

w cell line, HCPC I, was established from an epidermoid carcinoma of the Syrian golden hamster cheek pouch. The carcinoma was induced by applications three times a week of a 0.5% solution of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) in heavy mineral oil. The HCPC I cell line has been maintained through 60 passages over 15 months. Electron microscopy of the cell line revealed tonofilaments and desmosomes, thereby confirming its epithelial nature. Presence of keratin in the HCPC I cells was demonstrated by both histochemical and indirect immunofluorescence studies. The population-doubling time of HCPC I, estimated from the exponential growth phase of the growth curve established for the cell line, was 12 hours. The plating efficiency of the cell line was estimated at 35%. When an inoculum size of HCPC I, numbering 2.4 X 10(7) cells, was transplanted to the cheek pouch of an immunosuppressed inbred hamster, a papillary tumor, measuring 5 X 1 mm and microscopically diagnosed as a well-differentiated epidermoid carcinoma, developed 1 week post transplantation. Further successful transplantation was achieved with 1.8 X 10(7) HCPC I cells inoculated into the cheek pouch of a nonimmunosuppressed inbred hamster. A raised plaquelike mass, microscopically diagnosed as invasive epidermoid carcinoma, developed in the hamster cheek pouch 5 weeks post transplantation. Furthermore, 5 nonimmunosuppressed hamsters that received 1 X 10(6) HCPC I cells on their cheek pouches developed tumors microscopically diagnosed as anaplastic carcinomas 14 weeks post transplantation. The largest of these tumors measured 2 cm in diameter.
"Learn by Doing": An Assessment of the Impact of Access Services in Fostering Skills Development of Access Services Student Staff at Kennedy Library.

The academic library continues to formulate strategies for providing and sustaining a creative learning environment for knowledge creation. But little has been said about its role in skills building through micro employment that is enabling students to develop and integrate their academic, personal, and social skills sets. This study examines the role that Access Services plays in boosting the learning experiences of student employees in readiness for workplace integration. A survey that seeks to assess their experience was administered to 32 student employees at Access Services. The results indicate that student employees, through information delivery functions, gain personal transferable skills crucial for employment.
47 INEFFICACY OF ACETYLCHOLINE FOR INDUCTION OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION IN RABBITS.

Previous studies have demonstrated that acetylcholine (ACh) and gentle trauma to the atrium induce episodes of atrial fibrillation (AF) lasting 4 to 5 minutes in pigs and canines. Our current study investigated whether this method could be used in rabbits. The left atria of three 4 kg New Zealand white rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were exposed via a left thoracotomy. Direct application of a 1:100 ACh solution [Miochol-E] accompanied with gentle stroking of the tissue was used in an attempt to produce AF. Direct observation of the atrial surface and an electrocardiogram were used to monitor heart rhythm. We were unable to induce episodes of AF in any of the animals despite numerous attempts with varying amounts of ACh. Bradycardia was eventually observed in each animal, in conjunction with premature ventricular contractions. After approximately 25 minutes of exposure to the ACh, all three animals displayed visual evidence of ischemia of the left atrium and ventricle. The probable explanation for the inability to induce AF in this small-sized animal species is a lack of critical mass of atrial tissue to support such an arrhythmia. However, different arrays of cholinergic receptors do exist between various species, which might provide an alternate explanation. The balance of ACh receptors in the rabbit simply may not be as propitious for this purpose. The ischemia noted during our experiments may be related to the relatively large dose of ACh in relation to the relatively small coronary artery mass in the rabbit. In a number of species, including humans, ACh is a recognized inducer of coronary artery spasm.
Comparing actual de facto wastewater reuse and its public acceptability: A three city case study

Abstract Increases in water treatment technology have made water recycling a viable engineering solution to water supply limitations. In spite of this, such water recycling schemes have often been halted by lack of public acceptance. Previous studies have captured the public’s attitudes regarding planned reuse schemes, but here we focus on unplanned reuse (i.e. de facto reuse), present in many cities across the U.S. We performed a survey in three metropolitan areas, Atlanta, GA (N = 421), Philadelphia, PA (N = 490), and Phoenix, AZ (N = 418), to assess basic perceptions of treated wastewater occurrence and its acceptance in the public water supply. These perceptions were then coupled by estimates of the actual extent of occurrence in the corresponding cities. The key results are that (1) de facto reuse occurs at rates across the three cities higher than what is perceived; (2) roughly 25% of respondents perceive de facto reuse to occur in their home tap water; and (3) respondents who perceived de facto reuse to occur at their tap were ten times more likely to have a high level of acceptance for de facto reuse in their home tap.
Diversity and function of group 1 innate lymphoid cells

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are a heterogeneous population of cells with diverse roles in immune responses. Three major groups of ILCs have been defined on the basis of similarity in their production of signature cytokines, developmental requirements, and phenotypic markers. Group 1 ILCs produce IFN-γ, express the T-box transcription factors (TF) T-bet and/or Eomesodermin (Eomes), group 2 ILCs secrete IL-5 and IL-13 and express the TF GATA-3, while group 3 ILCs produce IL-22 and IL-17 and express the TF RORgt. In this review, we will briefly overview each group in terms of phenotype, function and development and then focus more extensively on group 1 ILCs, expanding on their emerging diversity, their disparate functions and the differences between NK cells and ILC1.
Social Approaches in Clinical Practice: Examining Clinical Assumptions

(2001). Social Approaches in Clinical Practice: Examining Clinical Assumptions. Advances in Speech Language Pathology: Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 47-50.
Organization of the Nervous System

The chapter begins with a description of the subjective experience of hearing: pitch, timbre, and loudness. Loudness is measured in decibels relative to a standard. The structure of the ear is reviewed: outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear. The impedance matching system of tympanic membrane, ossicles, oval window, and cochlear fluid is discussed. The structure of the cochlea and the organ of Corti is described. The multiple afferent innervation of the row of single inner hair cells is contrasted to the multiple efferent innervation of the row of triple outer hair cells. The tonotopic mapping of the cochlea and its preservation all along the pathway to the auditory cortex within the lateral fissure or Sylvian sulcus are discussed. The mechanism of sound transduction is also discussed, with the peculiar high [K + ] composition and positive potential of the endolymph and the tip links linking the kinocilium to the other stereocilia. The pathway leading from the spiral ganglion cells to the primary auditory cortex is drawn.
Pluripotent Model Organisms

Embryonic stem cells were not the first cultured stem cells. That distinction belongs to ‘embryonal carcinoma cells,’ first derived in the 1960s from mouse cancer cells. Approximately a decade later, embryonic stem cells were derived from mice. But it was nearly 20 years before a similar method was successfully applied to humans. Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) are a recent innovation. Today they symbolize the hopes of regenerative medicine, spurring reorganization of biomedical resources and reformulation of research goals to encourage new forms of collaboration, new technologies, and new ways of engaging in politics.136 In this chapter, I argue that their role is best characterized as that of a model organism, selected and modified to serve as an exemplar for biological research. I show how hESC were originally constructed out of earlier model systems, tracing this line of research back to studies of cancer in the 1950s. Over five decades, a network of models was constructed via complex comparative relations among pluripotent cell lines. The origins and structure of this ‘pluripotency network’ shed light on both the organization of stem cell research today and the significance of hESC in these biomedical inquiries.
BIOLOGICAL WASTE TREATMENT AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES AND SALINITIES

The subject of waste treatment at elevated temperatures and salinities is, perhaps, best introduced by briefly reviewing the history, technology, and fundamentals of waste treatment under ordinary conditions of climate and water quality. The biological treatment of liquified human wastes as an essential municipal activity has been a development of the last 100 years, initiated primarily in Northwestern Europe and Northeastern United States in response to stream pollution and epidemics of cholera and other water-borne diseases brought about by indoor plumbing and the discharge of wastewaters into drainage channels, streams, rivers, lakes, and the sea. The waste treatment processes were designed first to remove large floatable and settleable solids from waste streams by screening and sedimentation and to dispose of these solids in separate systems by burial, drying, incineration, or fermentation. In the late 1800’s, it became evident that physical removal of solids from waste streams was often not sufficient and that colloidal and soluble organic materials in waste streams also had to be removed if the depletion of life-giving dissolved oxygen in waters receiving the wastes was to be avoided. During this period, it became evident that by aerating the wastes under controlled conditions of time and temperature, aerobic microbial growth would occur which would remove most of the biologically degradable organic matter from the waste and incorporate it in particulate biomass subject to physical removal.
Endogenously Released Neuropeptide Y Suppresses Hippocampal Short-Term Facilitation and Is Impaired by Stress-Induced Anxiety.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) has robust anxiolytic properties and is reduced in patients with anxiety disorders. However, the mechanisms by which NPY modulates circuit function to reduce anxiety behavior are not known. Anxiolytic effects of NPY are mediated in the CA1 region of hippocampus, and NPY injection into hippocampus alleviates anxiety symptoms in the predator scent stress model of stress-induced anxiety. The mechanisms that regulate NPY release, and its effects on CA1 synaptic function, are not fully understood. Here we show in acute hippocampal slices from mice that endogenous NPY, released in response to optogenetic stimulation or synaptically evoked spiking of NPY+ cells, suppresses both of the feedforward pathways to CA1. Stimulation of temporoammonic synapses with a physiologically derived spike train causes NPY release that reduces short-term facilitation, whereas the release of NPY that modulates Schaffer collateral synapses requires integration of both the Schaffer collateral and temporoammonic pathways. Pathway specificity of NPY release is conferred by three functionally distinct NPY+ cell types, with differences in intrinsic excitability and short-term plasticity of their inputs. Predator scent stress abolishes the release of endogenous NPY onto temporoammonic synapses, a stress-sensitive pathway, thereby causing enhanced short-term facilitation. Our results demonstrate how stress alters CA1 circuit function through the impairment of endogenous NPY release, potentially contributing to heightened anxiety. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neuropeptide Y (NPY) has robust anxiolytic properties, and its levels are reduced in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder. The effects of endogenously released NPY during physiologically relevant stimulation, and the impact of stress-induced reductions in NPY on circuit function, are unknown. By demonstrating that NPY release modulates hippocampal synaptic plasticity and is impaired by predator scent stress, our results provide a novel mechanism by which stress-induced anxiety alters circuit function. These studies fill an important gap in knowledge between the molecular and behavioral effects of NPY. This article also advances the understanding of NPY+ cells and the factors that regulate their spiking, which could pave the way for new therapeutic targets to increase endogenous NPY release in patients in a spatially and temporally appropriate manner.
Aspirin in cardiovascular disorders. What is the optimum dose

Clinical trials of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) for cardiovascular disorders have employed doses defined for other pharmacological effects of the drug (such as analgesic effects). Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms with different dose-response relationships may contribute to the clinical effect of aspirin in cardiovascular disease. The optimal aspirin dose remains uncertain. Although the difference between 325 mg/day and 81 mg/day of aspirin sounds trivial, finding an optimal aspirin dose has enormous potential to reduce ischemic events. Large aspirin doses have not been associated with proportionally greater benefit. For patients with ischemic heart disease, overall consensus defines a range between 75 and 160 mg/day for the secondary prevention of myocardial infarction, stroke, and vascular death. Any benefit of aspirin must be measured against its adverse effects, principally gastrointestinal hemorrhage. The potential for adverse bleeding events may be lower with a 81mg dose, while maintaining clinical benefit. Although current aggregate data is reassuring about aspirin administration, it is increasingly clear that existing aspirin studies are insufficient to conclusively determine an optimal aspirin dose. Platelets can be activated by pathways that are not blocked by aspirin, and the dose of aspirin needed to fully suppress platelet aggregation may be higher in some patients as a result. Higher doses of aspirin than are currently used (75–325 mg/day) may be required in these patients to achieve desired antithrombotic effects. Better understanding of aspirin-resistant populations will facilitate identification of patients who require higher aspirin doses or alternative forms of antiplatelet therapy.
POTEL: low cost realtime virtual pottery maker simulator

In this paper we introduce an affordable system to model virtual pottery without the need to hold any device to interact with environment, just the user's plain hands. The system uses an Oculus VR for visualizing the world, a Leap Motion for interaction with the environment and an optional Arduino with celphone vibrators for haptic feedback. We do realtime clay deformation by extruding / compressing triangle vertices on a radius of influence and interact with the world by pressing buttons with the user's index finger. Finally the system can also 3D print the final pottery creation if the player wants.
Multichannel Urodynamic Testing

Multichannel urodynamic testing is a set of tests used to measure lower urinary tract function. When used together they can diagnose dysfunction effecting the bladder, urethra, and pelvic floor. Data is gathered during both the filling and voiding phases of micturition. The components of urodynamics include: uroflowmetry, filling cystometrogram, urethral pressure study, voiding pressure flow study, post void residual measurement, and sphincter electromyography. This article will provide an introduction to the basic principles of urodynamic testing and the foundation needed for practitioner interpretation of urodynamic findings. Familiarity with the terms, equipment used, methodology, and goals of each study is an essential step to using urodynamics to guide treatment for lower urinary tract dysfunction.
Utilization of diagnostic testing for pediatric sensorineural hearing loss.

Abstract Background/Objective Sensorineural hearing loss is a common diagnosis among children. The diagnostic workup varies widely among practitioners. This study's aim was to assess the utilization of diagnostic testing for SNHL and determine the yield of each test. Study design Retrospective chart review. Setting Tertiary care center. Subjects 827 patients with a diagnosis of SNHL from January 1, 2011 to January 1, 2015. Results 746 patients met inclusion criteria. Temporal bone imaging was performed on 561 (75%) of patients with 224 (40%) having positive results that explained the etiology of the SNHL. Congenital SNHL was more likely to be associated with abnormal imaging than acquired SNHL (109/299 versus 106/316 respectively) (p = 0.001). Unilateral SNHL was more likely to be associated imaging abnormalities than bilateral SNHL (101/221 and 123/340 respectively) (p = 0.028). Genetic testing was performed on 244 (33%) patients, of which 94 (39%) had abnormalities. Positive genetics results were more common with bilateral than unilateral SNHL (82/191 and 12/53 respectively) (p = 0.007). There was no statistically significant difference in the utility of genetic testing for congenital and acquired SNHL (p = 0.0836). Cytomegalovirus (CMV) testing was available for 104 (14%) of patients with 13 (12.5%) being positive and consistent with congenital CMV. Electrocardiogram, urinalysis, and Lyme titers were less useful. Conclusions Imaging and genetic testing had the highest yield in the evaluation of children with SNHL and were the most commonly performed. CMV testing was valuable in neonates who failed newborn hearing screening.
Two Hundred Years of American Public Private “Partnerships”

At the end of the twentieth century, both owners and producers are experimenting broadly with “public private partnerships,” “public private ventures,” and “alternative delivery methods.” While trade associations within the construction industry boldly claim that “their” preferred method — Design-Build, Detail-Design-Build, or Design-Build-Operate-Maintain — is “new” or “better,” none of these claims are true. In fact, just the opposite is true. There is no project delivery method that is uniquely and consistently best for the delivery of all infrastructure projects. Inflated marketing claims about the limitless advantages of Design-Build, Design-Build-Operate, or Design-Bid-Build have done more harm than good to a construction industry struggling with its clients (and their constituents) to deliver value for money in infrastructure facilities and services.1
Continuous tissue culture of leukocytes from human leukemic bloods by application of gradient principles.

Two methods of tissue culture based on gradient principles which have permitted continuous growth and multiplication of hemic cells for 6 months to 1 year are described. Three long-term cell strains were isolated from the bloods of patients with acute or chronic leukemias. Success with these methods depends on previous determination of the gradient factor for the particular cell type to be cultured. This can easily be accomplished by the gradient culture method, and these principles are in all probability applicable to all cell types grown in tissue culture. The isolation of these cells from blood excludes a fixed tissue cell as the only type capable of long term multiplication. The development of cells resembling tissue histiocytes, Dorothy Reed cells, and Langhan’s giant cells from cells cultured from the blood of acute monocytic leukemia lends further support to the view that the monocytic series and the histiocytic series (reticuloendothelial cells) are one and the same and can give rise by polyploidy and endomitosis to many types of giant cells.
Caspian Environment Programme: Prospects for Regime Formation and Effectiveness

The Caspian Environment Programme (CEP) lies at the heart of an emerging regime for the Caspian Sea. However,it also lies at the crossroads of at least four regions with special conceptions of sovereignty and with divergent experiences with and relationships to global environmental regimes. Therefore, in Central Asia, the success and content of the CEP is rooted in these states’ more general experiences with global accords, independence, and major CEP donors (TACIS, UNDP, UNEP, and GEF). Based on extensive fieldwork, this paper examines the histories and issue linkages that shape international environmental policy in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, focusing primarily on CEP, but with reference to global accords. It describes the unique position of the environmental ministry and the structure of comparative influence over environmental decision making in the governing structure of each state, noting the external role of local scientists and NGOs in this process. This paper also examines these states as arenas for the conflicting policy imperatives of the European Union (TACIS), the United States (and why it ignores CEP), and UN institutions (GEF, UNDP, and UNEP). Finally, the paper builds on CEP ‘s context in Central Asia, as well as on the text of CEP documents, in order to answer two questions central to CEP regime formation. To what degree will the Central Asian states comply with the emerging Caspian regime? How likely is it that such compliance, or even full compliance, will lead to actual environmental security?
Modeling web interactions and errors

Programmers confront a minefield when they design interactive Web programs. Web interactions take place via Web browsers. Browsers permit consumers to whimsically navigate among the various stages of a dialog, leading to unexpected outcomes. Furthermore, the growing diversity of browsers means the number of interactive operations users can perform continues to grow.
Linking conservation implications of modified disturbance regimes, plant communities, plant associations, and arthropod communities.

Modifications to disturbance regimes have landscape-level effects on plant communities and have the potential to influence organisms at multiple trophic levels. We examined differences in the arthropod community across a gradient of oak/hickory dominance, a plant community maintained by disturbance such as periodic fires and extensive land clearing. In southern Illinois, we used patches of forest that varied in tree dominance ranging from 94 to 0% oak/hickory composition dependent on prior land usage that occurred > 50 years ago at minimum, to test two predictions: (1) oak (Quercus) and hickory (Carya) species contain more arthropod biomass and diversity than mesic tree species [e.g., American beech (Fagus grandifolia) and maples (Acer spp.)] and (2) due to plant associations, arthropod communities are more diverse and abundant on host trees within oak/hickory stands than non-oak/hickory stands. Our results were consistent with the prediction that arthropod biomass, guild Shannon diversity, and guild richness are higher on oaks, hickories and tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) than beech and maples. We also found support for the prediction that due to plant associations, % non-oak/hickory stand composition negatively influenced arthropod guild Shannon diversity and guild richness on host trees, including maples and beech. These results are the first to demonstrate that modified disturbance regimes can influence multiple trophic levels both directly due to species-specific variation in susceptibility of plants to herbivory and indirectly through effects of plant associations. This result is concerning as modified disturbance regimes are influencing large-scale plant community composition among biomes worldwide.
Stationarity and Convergence of the Metropolis-Hastings Algorithm: Insights into Theoretical Aspects

Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) is a versatile sampling approach that is useful in a wide range of estimation and simulation applications. Fundamentally, MCMC is a powerful general means of generating random samples from probability distributions from which it is otherwise difficult to draw samples. The MCMC method is named for its reliance on the construction of a Markovian (dependent) sequence of random variables. Under modest conditions, the sequence has a limiting probability distribution that corresponds to the distribution of interest, often called the target distribution. The sequence, as will be seen, is easily constructed, and the target distribution may be almost any distribution of interest. These two features of MCMC make it a popular choice for Monte Carlo simulation. The primary forms of MCMC are the Metropolis-Hastings (M-H) algorithm and Gibbs sampling. Although both forms are useful, we focus on M-H, which is more flexible and easier to implement. A general discussion of many aspects of MCMC, including several examples, is given in [1]. As discussed in "Summary," the purpose of this article is to provide some of the theoretical support for M-H that was not given in [1], focusing specifically on the stationarity and convergence of the underlying Markov process.
Blood Pressure Estimation Using Electrocardiogram and Photoplethysmogram

An increasing number of people are suffering from cardiac diseases, diabetes, high or low blood pressure, and many more. There are many devices available in the commercial market to measure heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature of the human body. Old fashioned blood pressure meters are cuff based and inconvenient for daily monitoring. The aim of this project is to design a platform to optimally estimate blood pressure using electrocardiogram (ECG), photoplethysmogram (PPG), Pulse Transit Time (PTT), wavelet transform and artificial neural network (ANN). This kind of blood pressure assessment may not be satisfactorily correct because the regulation of blood pressure inside the human body is complex, multivariate biological procedure. Predefined data is used to get ECG and PPG. 70% data is used for training and 30% data is used for testing in ANN to get accuracy of the system.
TCAD Simulation on FinFET n-type Power Device HCI Reliability Improvement

FinFET technology can significantly improve CMOS device performance due to its unique Fin structure, which provides tight gate control over the channel. With FinFET architecture, hot carrier injection (HCI) effect is one of the major reliability concerns in VLSI circuits [1]. In this paper, we present a systematic n-type power device performance evaluation and HCI reliability assessment for 14nm FinFET based on the evaluation of the peak substrate current. With TCAD simulation, we demonstrate that n-type power device HCI can be significantly improved by optimizing source/drain implantation without performance degradation. After optimization, a reduction of 32% of the peak substrate current is obtained.
Application of the Boston Technical Performance Score to intraoperative echocardiography.

Background The Technical Performance Score (TPS) developed by Boston Children's Hospital showed surgical outcomes correlate with adequacy of technical repair when implemented on pre-discharge echocardiograms. We applied this scoring system to intraoperative imaging in a tertiary UK congenital heart surgical centre. Methods After a period of training, intraoperative TPS (epicardial and/or transesophageal echocardiography) was instituted. TPS was used to inform intraoperative discussions and recorded on a custom-made database using the previously published scoring system. After a year, we reviewed the feasibility, results and relationship between the TPS and mortality, extubation time and length of stay. Results From 01 September 2015 to 04 July 2016, there were 272 TPS procedures in 251 operations with 208 TPS recorded. Seven patients had surgery with no documented TPS, three had operations with no current TPS score template available. Patients left the operating theatre with TPS optimal in 156 (75%), adequate 34 (16%) and inadequate 18 (9%). Of those with an optimal score on leaving theatre, ten had more than one period of cardiopulmonary bypass. All four deaths <30 days after surgery (1.9%) had optimal TPS. There was a statistically significant difference in extubation times in the RACHS category 4 patients (3 days vs 5 days, P < 0.05) and in PICU and total length of stay in the RACHS category three patients (2 and 8 days vs 12.5 and 21.5 days respectively) if leaving theatre with an inadequate result. Conclusions Application of intraoperative TPS is feasible and provides a way of objectively recording intraoperative imaging assessment of surgery. An 'inadequate' TPS did not predict mortality but correlated with a longer ventilation time and longer length of stay compared to those with optimal or adequate scores.
Hybrid materials – a review on co-dispersion, processing, patterning, and properties

Inorganic and organic hybrids are a class of new materials that are purposely designed and arranged at individual species levels (often at nanoscale) to provide new morphological attributes and pro...
THz field detection in graphene using deep neural networks

We propose a graphene-based terahertz detection scheme capable of measuring not only pulse energy but also electric field shape. The scheme leverages strong nonlinear velocity saturation characteristics of graphene in combination with envelope-carrier phase offset imposed by propagation of the pulses through the dispersive medium to produce shape-dependent electric charge. These charges can then be easily detected by conventional electronics, and as numerical calculations show, the original pulse shape can be recovered with the help of deep neural networks.We propose a graphene-based terahertz detection scheme capable of measuring not only pulse energy but also electric field shape. The scheme leverages strong nonlinear velocity saturation characteristics of graphene in combination with envelope-carrier phase offset imposed by propagation of the pulses through the dispersive medium to produce shape-dependent electric charge. These charges can then be easily detected by conventional electronics, and as numerical calculations show, the original pulse shape can be recovered with the help of deep neural networks.
Mechanism of the reaction of an NHC-coordinated palladium(II)-hydride with O2 in acetonitrile

Abstract PdII-hydride species are important intermediates in many Pd-catalyzed aerobic oxidation reactions, and their reaction with molecular oxygen has been the subject of considerable previous study. This investigation probes the reactivity of trans-[(IMes)2Pd(H)(OBz)] (IMes = 1,3-dimesitylimidazol-2-ylidene) with O2 in acetonitrile, a polar coordinating solvent that leads to substantial changes in the kinetic behavior of the reaction relative the previously reported reaction in benzene and other non-coordinating solvents. In acetonitrile, the benzoate ligand dissociates to form the solvent-coordinated complex trans-[(IMes)2Pd(H)(NCMe)][OBz]. Upon exposure to O2, this cationic PdII–H complex reacts to form the corresponding PdII-hydroperoxide complex trans-[(IMes)2Pd(OOH)(NCCD3)][OBz]. Kinetic studies of this reaction revealed a complex rate law, rate = k1k2[3][OBz]/(k−1[CD3CN] + k2[OBz]) + k3[3][OBz], which is rationalized by a mechanism involving two parallel pathways for rate-limiting deprotonation of the PdII–H species to generate the Pd0 complex, Pd(IMes)2. The latter complex undergoes rapid (kinetically invisible) reaction with O2 and BzOH to afford the PdII-hydroperoxide product. The results of this study are compared to observations from the previously reported reaction in benzene and discussed in the context of catalytic reactivity.
Immunostimulant Complexed with Polylysine Limits Transport and Maintains Immune Cell Activation

Abstract Activation of the immune system to treat cancer has emerged as a powerful therapy tool, however, treatments must overcome the immunosuppressive microenvironment established by tumors. Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists like CpG and polyI:C are potent stimulators of non-specific, pro-inflammatory immune responses, targeting TLR9 and TLR3, respectively. While these immunostimulants seem promising, systemic exposure can eventually induce severe side effects. Adverse inflammatory reactions in healthy tissues may be avoided by delivering and retaining immunostimulants in proximity to tumors or to primary sites of tumor metastases. Immunostimulants such as CpG and polyI:C cannot be completely immobilized, however, since the target TLR9 and TLR3 are located intracellularly. Previously, polycations like poly- l -lysine (PLL) have been complexed to the anionic CpG or polyI:C with the purpose of improving intracellular delivery and potency. Here, the relationship between PLL molecular weight and immunostimulant complexation, TLR activation, and transport in a simple, model tumor microenvironment was investigated. The polyplexes could be formulated to dramatically limit immunostimulant transport suggesting the potential for injection site retention and minimized systemic exposure of immunostimulants. The molecular weight of PLL and ratio of PLL to immunostimulant affected the accessibility of the immunostimulant within the polyplex and polyplex interaction strength.
Privacy Challenges for Adolescents as a Vulnerable Population

Future online safety technologies should consider the privacy needs of adolescents (ages 13-17) and support their ability to self-regulate their online behaviors and navigate online risks. To do this, adolescent online safety researchers and practitioners must shift towards solutions that are more teen-centric by designing privacy-preserving online safety solutions for teens. In this paper, we discuss privacy challenges we have encountered in conducting adolescent online safety research. We discuss privacy concerns of teens in regard to sharing their private social media data with researchers and potentially taking part in a user study where they share some of this information with their parents. Our research emphasizes a need for more privacy-preserving interventions for teens.
Randomized phase II trial of extracorporeal phototherapy and steroids vs. steroids alone for newly diagnosed acute GVHD

Steroids remain the initial therapy for acute graft-vs.-host disease (AGVHD). Strategies to improve response and minimize steroid exposure are needed. We report results of a randomized, adaptive, Bayesian-designed, phase II trial of prednisone with or without extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) as an initial therapy for patients with newly diagnosed AGVHD. The primary endpoint was success at day 56 defined as: alive, in remission, achieving AGVHD response without additional therapy, and on <1 mg/kg at day 28 and <0.5 mg/kg on day 56 of steroids. Eighty-one patients were randomized to the ECP arm (n = 51) or steroids alone (n = 30). Median age was 54 years (range: 17-75); 90% had grade II AGVHD and 10% had grades III and IV AGVHD, with skin (85%), upper (22%)/lower (22%) gastrointestinal, and liver (10%) involvement. The ECP arm had a higher probability of success (0.815) and exceeded the predefined threshold for determining the investigational arm promising. ECP was potentially more beneficial than steroids-alone in skin-only AGVHD (response rate: 72% vs. 57%, respectively) than for visceral-organ AGVHD (47% vs. 43%, respectively). The addition of ECP to steroids may result in higher GVHD response as initial therapy for AGVHD, especially for patients with skin-only involvement.