cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Partial genetic suppression of a loss-of-function mutant of the neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis-associated protease TPP1 in Dictyostelium discoideum

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) is the most common childhood-onset neurodegenerative disease. NCL is inevitably fatal, and there is currently no treatment available. Children with NCL show a progressive decline in movement, vision and mental abilities, and an accumulation of autofluorescent deposits in neurons and other cell types. Late-infantile NCL is caused by mutations in the lysosomal protease tripeptidyl peptidase 1 (TPP1). TPP1 cleaves tripeptides from the N-terminus of proteins in vitro, but little is known about the physiological function of TPP1. TPP1 shows wide conservation in vertebrates but it is not found in Drosophila, Caenorhabditis elegans or Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here, we characterize ddTpp1, a TPP1 ortholog present in the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum. Lysates from cells lacking ddTpp1 show a reduced but not abolished ability to cleave a TPP1 substrate, suggesting that other Dictyostelium enzymes can perform this cleavage. ddTpp1 and human TPP1 localize to the lysosome in Dictyostelium, indicating conserved function and trafficking. Cells that lack ddTpp1 show precocious multicellular development and a reduced ability to form spores during development. When cultured in autophagy-stimulating conditions, cells lacking ddTpp1 rapidly decrease in size and are less viable than wild-type cells, suggesting that one function of ddTpp1 could be to limit autophagy. Cells that lack ddTpp1 exhibit strongly impaired development in the presence of the lysosome-perturbing drug chloroquine, and this phenotype can be suppressed through a secondary mutation in the gene that we name suppressor of tpp1− A (stpA), which encodes a protein with some similarity to mammalian oxysterol-binding proteins (OSBPs). Taken together, these results suggest that targeting specific proteins could be a viable way to suppress the effects of loss of TPP1 function.
The use of surface impedance concepts in the finite-difference time-domain method

Surface impedance concepts are introduced into the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. Lossy conductors are replaced by surface impedance boundary conditions (SIBC), reducing the solution space and producing significant computational savings. Specifically, a SIBC is developed to replace a lossy dielectric half-space. An efficient implementation of this FDTD-SIBC based on the recursive properties of convolution with exponentials is presented. Finally, three problems are studied to illustrate the accuracy of the FDTD-SIBC formulation: a plane wave incident on a lossy dielectric half-space, a line current over a lossy dielectric half-space, and wave propagation in a parallel-plate waveguide with lossy walls. >
An Economic Approach to the Study of Child Well-Being Gary Becker on Altruism and Household Production

This article describes the economic approach to analyzing family behavior pioneered by Becker, focusing on two areas: household production and altruism. The household production model addresses the important question of how costs, technological changes, and social changes affect the ways in which families rear children and, in turn, reflect the importance of children in our society. Becker's work on altruism explores the nature of parent-parent and parent-child relationships and how these relationships affect resource allocation within the family. Modeling altruism also provides insights into how parent's behavior toward their children is affected by government policies.
Nonuniform responses of transmembrane potential during electric field stimulation of single cardiac cells

The response of cellular transmembrane potentials (V m) to applied electric fields is a critical factor during electrical pacing, cardioversion, and defibrillation, yet the coupling relationship of...
Wave-Induced Effects in a Cooling Water Basin

Wave-induced effects have been observed in a model of the cooling water intake basin of the Pacific Gas and Electric Company's Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant. This model, built to an undistorted scale of 1:45, was constructed initially to study the design for the repair of the terminus region of the West breakwater damaged in storms of January 28, 1981. It was decided by PGE the smallest change corresponded to the largest depth over the breakwater crest. This effect was discussed by Dalrymple and Dean (1971), and they proposed an analytical model based on the conservation of mass. The estimated inflow was equated to an estimate of the return flow over and through the permeable structure. Some limited agreement with the results of Diskin, et al. (1970) were shown.
One-Dimensional, Stage-by-Stage, Axial Compressor Performance Model

This paper presents a description of a one-dimensional, constant-radius, stage-by-stage (blade-element) axial compressor model used for compressor map generation and gas turbine off-design performance prediction. This model is designed for investigators who are without access to the proprietary compressor performance information of the gas turbine manufacturers but who are nevertheless interested in predicting the off-design performance of large utility gas turbine power systems. Model performance results (compressor maps) are reported for simulation of a nineteen-stage axial compressor designed by Allison Gas Turbine for the Electric Power Research Institute. The model is further demonstrated by simulating the NACA Eight Stage compressor. The resulting compressor maps are in good qualitative agreement with published maps and are useful for gas turbine power system performance simulation studies. This general-purpose modeling procedure can be applied to any axial compressor for which sufficient airfoil geometry and design-point performance information is known.Copyright © 1991 by ASME
Social Distance Evaluations in White and African-American Students:

Among 241 college students, both white and African-American adults were less willing to be personal friends with people of the other ethnic group than with people of their own ethnic group. African-American students were also less willing to be friends with Asian Americans than were white students.
Vapor-cell clock frequency and environmental pressure: Resonance-cell volume changes

For space-qualified vapor-cell atomic clocks, the pressure-shift coefficient describes the frequency change as the device transitions from atmospheric pressure to vacuum. Two processes are known to affect this frequency change: a thermal pathways mechanism and a resonance-cell volume mechanism (i.e., the so-called barometric frequency shift). Here, we focus on the barometric frequency shift, and employ finite element methods to examine how the barometric shift depends on resonance-cell size and wall thickness.
Regulatory Survey of European Functional Foods and Health Claims

To introduce administrative survey of European functional foods and health claims.The main contents of rules and regulations of European health claims were summarized.The main proposals and research results of Functional Food Science in Europe(FUFOSE) were reviewed.Classified administration systems are adopted in European health claims.The procedure of Process for the Assessment of Sciences Support for Claims on Foods(PASSCLAIM) is proposed in the fields of scientific substantiation of health claims.Classified administration systems and scientific substantiation of European health claims could provide evidences and references for evaluation of function of health foods and reform of administrative examination and approval system in China.
Learning in parking lots: Affinity spaces as a framework for understanding knowledge construction in informal settings

Abstract Before, during, and after concerts, fans of The Grateful Dead, Phish, Widespread Panic, and other improvisation-oriented jam bands, gather in venues' parking lots to share experiences, debate band related lore, buy and sell fan made goods, listen to music, and participate in numerous other scene-related activities. The interaction within these spaces, and with these spaces, fosters the social construction of knowledge, language, skills, norms, behaviors, and identities. By applying Gee's construct of “affinity space,” this article analyzes the different trajectories to learning and participation associated with one the most influential fandoms in the United States. The conceptualization of parking lots as affinity spaces sheds lights on informal learning practices experienced in physical settings that transcend the affordances offered by virtual communities, social media, and, more broadly, computer-mediated communication. Focusing on situated learning endeavors enacted in jam band parking lots in relation to formal educational practices, this study advocates for a renewed and joined approach to education and fandom studies through a sociocultural lens.
Robust power flow control of grid-tied inverters based on the uncertainty and disturbance estimator

In this paper, an uncertainty and disturbance estimator (UDE)-based control is proposed to achieve accurate power flow control for grid-tied inverters (GTI). The power delivering dynamics is introduced at first after considering both frequency dynamics and voltage dynamics. Then the UDE algorithm is adopted to regulate both output voltage amplitude and frequency for accurate real power and reactive power control. With the adoption of the UDE method, the model uncertainty (e.g., power angle) and external disturbance (e.g., variations of grid frequency and grid voltage) can be compensated automatically. Moreover, this UDE-based dynamic power flow control can achieve self-synchronization without an extra synchronization unit (e.g., a phase-locked-loop) when the inverter is connected to the grid. In addition, the proposed controller is easy for implementation and parameter tuning through the designs of desired tracking error dynamics and UDE filters, while having the flexibility and performance of advanced control methodologies. The asymptotic stability of the closed-loop system is analyzed. Experimental results are provided for validation.
Architecture Modeling and Analysis of Security in Android Systems

Software architecture modeling is important for analyzing system quality attributes, particularly security. However, such analyses often assume that the architecture is completely known in advance. In many modern domains, especially those that use plugin-based frameworks, it is not possible to have such a complete model because the software system continuously changes. The Android mobile operating system is one such framework, where users can install and uninstall apps at run time. We need ways to model and analyze such architectures that strike a balance between supporting the dynamism of the underlying platforms and enabling analysis, particularly throughout a system’s lifetime. In this paper, we describe a formal architecture style that captures the modifiable architectures of Android systems, and that supports security analysis as a system evolves. We illustrate the use of the style with two security analyses: a predicate-based approach defined over architectural structure that can detect some common security vulnerabilities, and inter-app permission leakage determined by model checking. We also show how the evolving architecture of an Android device can be obtained by analysis of the apps on a device, and provide some performance evaluation that indicates that the architecture can be amenable for use throughout the system’s lifetime.
Arsenic in drinking water and bladder cancer: A case-control study in Utah, USA

Mortality from bladder cancer and other cancers is elevated among populations exposed to high levels of arsenic (170-800 pg l") in drinking water in Taiwan, Chile, and Argentina. A small case-control study in Utah, conducted in 1978, suggested elevated risk among male smokers exposed to lower levels of arsenic (range = 0.5-16 pgf 1 , mean = 5 pg F). To evaluate these associations in a larger study population we used data from a case-control interview study of 312 bladder cancer patients and 625 populationbased controls conducted in Utah in 1979-1983. Indices of exposure for each subject were developed by combining information from a state database of arsenic in community drinking water supplies, with individual residential histories and information on fluid ingestion. In preliminary analyses, we found no overall association of bladder cancer risk with estimates of total lifetime arsenic intake. However, in subgroup analyses of cumulative exposure, we found modest elevations in bladder cancer risk among nonsmokers and among females. Among non-smokers, odds ratios were 1.7, 2.2, and 1.9, and among females, odds ratios were 1.8, 1.4, and 1.9 for total lifetime arsenic intakes of 60-89, 90-149, and 150+mg, relative to <60 mg. Analyses of risk by total exposure in decade-long time windows suggested associations with bladder cancer for exposures that occurred 50-59 years prior to diagnosis. These preliminary findings suggest possible elevations in bladder cancer risk many years after exposure to relatively low levels of arsenic in drinking water and among sub-populations with a low baseline risk.
Excitation of States in Pb 207 by Pb 208 ( d , t ) , Pb 206 ( d , p ) , and Pb 207 ( d , d ′ ) Reactions

States up to 5.6 MeV in excitation energy in ${\mathrm{Pb}}^{207}$ were studied by the ${\mathrm{Pb}}^{208}(d,t)$, ${\mathrm{Pb}}^{206}(d,p)$, and ${\mathrm{Pb}}^{207}(d,{d}^{\ensuremath{'}})$ reactions at a deuteron bombarding energy of 17 MeV. Over 100 states were observed and 70 angular distributions were measured and compared with distorted-wave Born approximation calculations for the ($d,p$), and ($d,t$) reactions. Special emphasis was placed on obtaining accurate excitation energies to compare those states excited in more than one reaction. In ${\mathrm{Pb}}^{206}(d,p)$, some of the two-hole-one-particle (2h-1p) states are found to be fragmented. The ${i}_{\frac{11}{2}}$ and ${j}_{\frac{15}{2}}$ 2h-1p states are tentatively identified. Many of the weaker (less than 5 \ensuremath{\mu}b/sr) transitions in ($d,t$) have angular distributions which do not follow DWBA - possibly indicating other than one-step reaction mechanisms. Observation of the 2h-1p states in ($d,t$) indicate that the ${\mathrm{Pb}}^{208}$ closed shell contains about $4.7% {(2{g}_{\frac{9}{2}})}^{2}$, $\ensuremath{\lesssim}4.7% {(3{d}_{\frac{5}{2}})}^{2}$, and $\ensuremath{\lesssim}1.2% {(4{s}_{\frac{1}{2}})}^{2}$ particle-${\mathrm{Pb}}^{206}$ core admixture.
Detecting organisational innovations leading to improved ICU outcomes: a protocol for a double-blinded national positive deviance study of critical care delivery.

Introduction There is substantial variability in intensive care unit (ICU) utilisation and quality of care. However, the factors that drive this variation are poorly understood. This study uses a novel adaptation of positive deviance approach—a methodology used in public health that assumes solutions to challenges already exist within the system to detect innovations that are likely to improve intensive care. Methods and analysis We used the Philips eICU Research Institute database, containing 3.3 million patient records from over 50 health systems across the USA. Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation IVa scores were used to identify the study cohort, which included ICU patients whose outcomes were felt to be most sensitive to organisational innovations. The primary outcomes included mortality and length of stay. Outcome measurements were directly standardised, and bootstrapped CIs were calculated with adjustment for false discovery rate. Using purposive sampling, we then generated a blinded list of five positive outliers and five negative comparators. Using rapid qualitative inquiry (RQI), blinded interdisciplinary site visit teams will conduct interviews and observations using a team ethnography approach. After data collection is completed, the data will be unblinded and analysed using a cross-case method to identify themes, patterns and innovations using a constant comparative grounded theory approach. This process detects the innovations in intensive care and supports an evaluation of how positive deviance and RQI methods can be adapted to healthcare. Ethics and dissemination The study protocol was approved by the Stanford University Institutional Review Board (reference: 39509). We plan on publishing study findings and methodological guidance in peer-reviewed academic journals, white papers and presentations at conferences.
Species Time-History Measurements During Jet Fuel Pyrolysis

Intrinsic to the development of CFD models for jet engines are embedded chemical kinetics reaction mechanisms for the pyrolysis and oxidation of jet fuels. The development and refinement of these reaction mechanisms require an experimental kinetic target database for mechanism constraint and validation. Here, shock tube/laser absorption species time-histories of C2H4 and CH4 during the pyrolysis of three jet fuels for this database are described. Of note is that similar high-temperature pyrolysis yields were found for the three different jet fuels.
Body mass index trajectories during infancy and pediatric obesity at 6 years

Abstract Purpose The purpose of the article was to examine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) trajectories during infancy and risk of obesity at the age of 6 years. Methods We used data on 1169 children with at least two BMI measures during their first year of life from the Infant Feeding Practices Survey II and its Year 6 Follow-Up. Latent class growth analysis was used to identify distinct trajectories of BMI, and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to assess the association of the identified trajectories with obesity at the age of 6 years. Results Three trajectories of BMI were identified during the first year of life: low stable (80.2%), high stable (16.9%), and rising (2.8%). Obesity at the age of 6 years was highest among children with a high-stable trajectory (17.2%), followed by the low-stable (9.6%) and rising (9.1%) groups. Compared with those in the low-stable trajectory, the adjusted odds ratio for obesity at the age of 6 years was 1.79 (95% confidence interval 1.13–2.84) in children with the high-stable growth trajectory and 0.84 (0.26–2.72) in children with the rising growth trajectory. Conclusions High-stable BMI trajectory in infancy resulted in a higher risk for obesity at the age of 6 years, but had low accuracy for identifying obese children at the age of 6 years.
Using three-group propensity score method to estimate effects of relationship status and quality on men's antisocial behavior

Abstract Purpose To test the associations between cohabitation/marriage and men's antisocial behavior, and the moderating effect of relationship quality on these associations with a contemporary nationally representative sample. Methods Data was drawn from a nationally representative sample, including men who were married (n = 1996) or cohabiting (n = 1067) and who were single (n = 2789). Three-group propensity score weighting was used to balance pre-existing characteristics and to test the effect of marriage and cohabitation on antisocial behavior at Wave 4. Internal moderator analysis was used to test the moderating effect of relationship quality. Results Marriage and cohabitation were associated with 48% and 26% reductions in antisocial behavior. Relationship quality conditioned the marriage and cohabitation effects. Men in higher quality marriages engaged in less antisocial behavior than men in lower quality marriages, but married men overall engaged in less antisocial behavior than single men. In contrast, only men in high quality cohabiting relationships committed less antisocial behavior than single men. Conclusions The effect of romantic relationship in reducing crime is contingent upon the type of union and the relationship quality. Research is needed to explore the mechanisms of the combined effect of relationship status and quality.
Short circuit: Disaggregation of adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol levels in HIV-positive, methamphetamine-using men who have sex with men.

OBJECTIVE This study examined if methamphetamine use alone (METH + HIV-) and methamphetamine use in combination with HIV (METH + HIV+) were associated with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation as well as insulin resistance relative to a nonmethamphetamine-using, HIV-negative comparison group (METH-HIV-). METHODS Using an intact groups design, serum levels of HPA axis hormones in 46 METH + HIV- and 127 METH + HIV+ men who have sex with men (MSM) were compared to 136 METH-HIV- men. RESULTS There were no group differences in prevailing adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) or cortisol levels, but the association between ACTH and cortisol was moderated by METH + HIV+ group (β = -0.19, p < .05). Compared to METH-HIV- men, METH + HIV+ MSM displayed 10% higher log10 cortisol levels per standard deviation lower ACTH. Both groups of methamphetamine-using MSM had lower insulin resistance and greater syndemic burden (i.e., sleep disturbance, severe depression, childhood trauma, and polysubstance use disorder) compared to METH-HIV- men. However, the disaggregated functional relationship between ACTH and cortisol in METH + HIV+ MSM was independent of these factors. CONCLUSIONS Further research is needed to characterize the bio-behavioral pathways that explain dysregulated HPA axis functioning in HIV-positive, methamphetamine-using MSM.
Sexual identities and participation in liberal and conservative social movements.

Abstract The desire for social change, political activism, and sexual identities may all be related. Lesbians and gays generally contest heterosexism more than heterosexuals but we do not know how sexual identities sways participation in class, race, and gender based social movements. When analyzing the American National Election Surveys of 2012 (n = 3519), gays and lesbians were about twenty times more likely to join LGB justice campaigns than heterosexuals. Moreover, the greater activism of gays and lesbians also crossed over to recent Occupy Wall Street, peace, and environmental mobilizations. Finally, this analysis ends with logistic regressions that determine if any sexual identity gaps in movement participation are the result of demographic, contextual, and ideological covariates.
Keynesianism, technocracy and class struggle

Geoff Mann’s book In the long run we are all dead: Keynesianism, political economy, and revolution is an inspiring intellectual project, primarily due to its captivating approach. We are not faced ...
Pénuries de main-d'œuvre: les concepts fondamentaux et leur rôle dans la politique migratoire des Etats-Unis

De nombreux facteurs peuvent etre pris en compte lorsqu’un pays elabore sa politique migratoire, tels que le regroupement familial, l'accroissement du capital humain du pays, celui du produit interieur brut, et la diminution des penuries de main-d'oeuvre. Le present chapitre s’attache au concept de penurie de main-d'oeuvre et decrit comment la politique d'immigration fondee sur l'emploi aux Etats-Unis est actuellement structuree ainsi que les propositions qui ont ete examinees afin d'ameliorer la facon dont les penuries de main-d'oeuvre sont mesurees et utilisees dans la politique d'immigration. Tout d’abord il etudie les raisons pour lesquelles des penuries de main-d’oeuvre sont susceptibles de se produire, puis identifie des moyens de verifier l’existence de ces penuries. Le texte est suivi d'un resume des conclusions d'une analyse portant sur les penuries dans quatre professions aux Etats-Unis, et des conclusions de cette etude. La deuxieme partie du document traite de l'immigration de travail aux Etats-Unis. Le systeme americain actuel de main-d'oeuvre permanente et temporaire y est decrit, et des propositions actuelles et passees pour ameliorer le systeme y sont decrites et discutees.
Is there an alternative explanation to post-myocardial infarction emergence of mitral regurgitation? A CMR-LGE observational study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: Post-myocardial infarction (MI) mitral regurgitation (MR) is thought to be due to a passive, rather than active, remodeling of the mitral valve apparatus and its relationship with other cardiac structures that contribute to MR. Standard contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance (CMR) late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) may be sensitive to non-myocardial pathology involving the mitral valve leaflets. It was hypothesized that the presence of mitral valve enhancement (MVE) on LGE imaging in post-MI patients would be associated with an increased incidence of MR. METHODS: The presence or absence of MVE was noted in patients presenting for CMR with MI and non-MI indications requiring LGE. A chi-square analysis was performed for non-contiguous variables; SPSS (Chicago) software was utilized for the statistical analysis. RESULTS: Eighty-seven patients (54 males, 33 females) underwent LGE-CMR studies utilizing a 1.5 T GE scanner with MultiHance gadolinium contrast administration. LGE+ (present) was noted in 68 patients, and LGE- (absent) in 19 patients. Post-MI patterns of LGE+ were noted in 51 patients and LGE-in 36 patients; MVE+ was noted in 39 patients and MVE- in 48; and MR+ was present in 67 patients and absent (MR-) in 20 patients. MVE was observed chiefly in post-MI patients (33/51; 65%) and infrequently in non-post-MI patients (6/36; 17%; chi2 = 17.8, p < 0.001, power = 0.995). Further, MR was present more frequently in patients with MVE (36/39; 92%) compared to patients without MVE (31/48; 65%; chi2 = 7.8, p = 0.005, power = 0.814). CONCLUSION: MVE is present in a large number of post-MI patients but rarely in non-post-MI patients. Post-MI patients with, rather than without, MVE are far more likely to have MR. These observations suggest a specific but as-yet unknown reactive process that may contribute to mitral leaflet remodeling in post-MI patients, potentially contributing to an increased incidence of MR in post-MI patients.
Allenoates in Enantioselective [2+2] Cycloadditions: From a Mechanistic Curiosity to a Stereospecific Transformation.

Identification of a novel catalyst–allenoate pair allows enantioselective [2+2] cycloaddition of α-methylstyrene. To understand the origin of selectivity, a detailed mechanistic investigation was conducted. Herein, two competing reaction pathways are proposed, which operate simultaneously and funnel the alkenes to the same axially chiral cyclobutanes. In agreement with the Woodward–Hoffmann rules, this mechanistic curiosity can be rationalized through a unique symmetry operation that was elucidated by deuteration experiments. In the case of 1,1-diarylalkenes, distal communication between the catalyst and alkene is achieved through subtle alteration of electronic properties and conformation. In this context, a Hammett study lends further credibility to a concerted mechanism. Thus, extended scope exploration, including β-substitution on the alkene to generate two adjacent stereocenters within the cyclobutane ring, is achieved in a highly stereospecific and enantioselective fashion (33 examples, up to >99:1 er).
Understanding phosphoinositides: rare, dynamic, and essential membrane phospholipids

Polyphosphoinositides (PPIs) are essential phospholipids located in the cytoplasmic leaflet of eukaryotic cell membranes. Despite contributing only a small fraction to the bulk of cellular phospholipids, they make remarkable contributions to practically all aspects of a cell's life and death. They do so by recruiting cytoplasmic proteins/effectors or by interacting with cytoplasmic domains of membrane proteins at the membrane-cytoplasm interface to organize and mold organelle identity. The present study summarizes aspects of our current understanding concerning the metabolism, manipulation, measurement, and intimate roles these lipids play in regulating membrane homeostasis and vital cell signaling reactions in health and disease.
Pedicled Vascularized Occipital Bone Graft to Supplement Atlantoaxial Arthrodesis for the Treatment of Pseudoarthrosis

Abstract Atlantoaxial pseudoarthrosis is a challenging postoperative complication. The use of a local, vascularized bone graft, without free tissue transfer, to support a revision atlantoaxial fusion has not been previously described. We report the first surgical patient who received a semispinalis capitis muscle pedicled, occipital bone graft for supplementation of a revision atlantoaxial arthrodesis. A 72-year-old female had a failed atlantoaxial fusion and developed neck pain from continued instability and fractured hardware. The fixation and fusion were revised and supplemented with a novel, pedicled occipital bone graft. A craniectomy was performed in the occipital bone while still attached to the semispinalis capitis muscle to provide graft vascularity. This graft was rotated inferiorly from the skull base to the C1 arch and C2 spinous process in order to supplement a revision atlantoaxial arthrodesis. The patient had excellent clinical recovery over 18-month clinical follow up. The bone graft harvesting and rotation were performed safely and without complication. The 6-month postoperative CT scan showed partial fusion into the graft. This novel surgical technique leverages the advantages of vascularized structural autograft without adding extensive time or morbidity to the procedure as observed in free-tissue transfers. It is a safe and useful salvage technique to supplement revision atlantoaxial fusion surgeries.
Real-time Bond Wire Lift-off Monitoring via Module Integrated Current Sensors

Giant magnetoresistive (GMR) detectors were integrated in power modules for high-bandwidth current sensing in energy conversion applications. This work proposes methodologies for utilizing the already integrated current sensors for simultaneous monitoring of bond wire lift-offs. No additional hardware is needed. The magnetic field variations caused by the lift-offs are detected by the GMRs in the vicinity of the lifted bond wire. This information is separated from the current sensing signals by two methods. The methods work in real time and have a response as soon as one bond wire is lifted. The methods can also determine which bond wire is lifted. FEAs and experiments are carried out to evaluate the proposed methodologies in a 6-in-1 IGBT.
A genomic approach to identify mechanisms associated with chemotherapy resistance

2534 Background: Gene expression profiling has shown an ability to predict chemotherapeutic response (Potti et al. Nature Medicine 2006). Building on this work, we used a genomic strategy to explore the biology associated with the development of chemotherapy resistance and sought to determine if disease context impacted results. Methods: Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed on expression data for NCI60 cell lines sensitive and resistant to specific chemotherapeutic agents (adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, docetaxel, etoposide, 5-fluoruracil, paclitaxel, topotecan). GSEA was additionally performed on a series of lung cancer cell lines with a defined sensitivity to cisplatin and docetaxel. Sensitive and resistant cell lines with individual mean and confidence intervals greater than 1SD from the mean across all samples were included. Adjusting for multiple hypothesis testing, gene sets with a false discovery rate (FDR) <0.25 were deemed statistically significant. In the discovery mode, gene sets wi...
DIFFERENTIATION AS A MECHANISM FOR CONTROL OF MALIGNANCY IN HUMAN CELL HYBRIDS

The notion that aberrant cell differentiation is a consistent and important characteristic of malignant cells has been a popular theme in cancer research for many years. Theories concerning phenomena such as dedifferentiation, misprogramming of differentiated lineages, and inappropriate or ectopic expression of genes associated with embryonic development have often been linked to the progression of malignancy (1,2).
A Heuristic UTD Solution for Scattering by a Thin Lossless Anisotropic Slab

A heuristic uniform theory of diffraction (UTD) corner and wedge diffraction coefficient for predicting electromagnetic scattering by a thin lossless anisotropic slab is presented. An approach based on modifying UTD corner and wedge diffraction formulations for a half-plane with the reflection and transmission coefficients of an anisotropic medium is proposed. The formulation works for both uniaxial and biaxial media and the final expressions are in closed form and easy to implement in ray-tracing software. Numerical results for various scattering problems showing excellent agreement with reference solutions are provided.
Creating a Data Factory for Data Products

Data is seen as the next big business opportunity. From a demand side, the popularity of artificial intelligence (AI) is growing and particularly deep learning requires large amounts of data. From a supply side, new technology, such as Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and 5G mobile communications, will greatly expand data generation. However, data has remained a challenge. In data analytics companies are struggling with too much time spent on data preparation. As of today, data preparation for analytics has largely remained handmade and made-to-order like cars before Henry Ford industrialized the auto business through productization of cars and parts, and factory automation. Similarly, for data analytics to become a bigger business, data has to be productized. First “data factories” are emerging to create such data products economically. This article introduces a framework to guide construction of a data factory: What are the key modules, why are they important, how is best practice evolving? The article is building on (a) a foundation and in-depth case studies in the literature, (b) current meta research and systematic literature reviews (SLRs), and (c) our own observations building a data factory. This real-world application uncovered the important additional steps of data rights management and data governance that may be less obvious from a computer science perspective but critically important from a business and information systems view.
Observation on the effect of Nd: YAG 1064nm laser combined with topical tranexamic acid on chloasma

Object To observe the clinical effect of Q-switch Nd: YAG 1064nm laser combined with tranexamic acid on chloasma. Methods 140 cases of chloasma patients were enrolled in our clinic laser center from January 2018 to October 2018 and randomly divided into basic treatment group and combination treatment group. 70 cases in each group. Patients in the basic treatment group were treated with Q-switch Nd: YAG 1064nm laser. All patients received 10 times treatments at a 10-days interval. The combination group was treated with laser combination topical tranexamic acid, 2-4 drops twice a day for 12 weeks. Every patient should be anti-sun burn during the treatment period. After treatment, the clinical efficacy of the two groups was analyzed. Results After treatment, MASI scores of patients in the basic treatment group were significantly lower than those in the combination treatment group, and the difference was statistically significant $(\mathrm{P}\lt 0.05)$. The effective rate of combination treatment group was 81.43%, which is higher than that of the basic treatment group (65.71%). Two groups of comparison, the curative effect of the combination treatment group was better than that of the basic treatment group ($X^{2}=4.568, \mathrm{P}\lt 0.05)$. The satisfaction of the basic treatment group was 85.71%, and that of the combination treatment group was 95.7%. The satisfaction of the basic treatment group was significantly higher than that of the combination treatment group. No severe adverse reactions were observed in all patients. Conclusions The efficacy of Q-switch Nd:YAG 1064nm laser combined with tranexamic acid for the treatment of chloasma was better than that of single laser therapy. It can significantly improve clinical outcome, increase the satisfaction of patients. It is worthy of clinical application.
Assessing the Clinical Requirement of 2.5% Phenylephrine for Diagnostic Pupil Examination.

Purpose: To evaluate whether the standard dilating drop regimen consisting of phenylephrine, tropicamide, and proparacaine produces clinically significant improvement in pupil size compared to trop...
Abstract P753: Comparison of Calibration vs Non-Calibration Techniques in the Automated Capture of Eye Movement Data: Initial Validation of the Roadie Device for Detecting Posterior Circulation Stroke

Background: Posterior circulation stroke (PCS) accounts for ~20% of ischemic strokes. Existing EMS screening tools lack accuracy in the diagnosis of PCS. We aim to develop an automated screening to...
An LSTM-based Approach for Insulin and Carbohydrate Recommendations in Type 1 Diabetes Self-Management

To avoid serious diabetic complications, people with type 1 diabetes must keep their blood glucose levels (BGLs) as close to normal as possible. Insulin dosages and carbohydrate consumption are important considerations in managing BGLs. Since the 1960s, models have been developed to forecast blood glucose levels based on the history of BGLs, insulin dosages, carbohydrate intake, and other physiological and lifestyle factors. Such predictions can be used to alert people to impending unsafe BGLs or to control insulin flow in an artificial pancreas. In past work, we have introduced an LSTM-based approach to blood glucose level prediction aimed at “what if” scenarios, in which people could input the grams of carbohydrates in foods they might eat or units of insulin they might take and then see the effect on future BGLs. Building on these neural models for “what-if” predictions, in this work we derive a novel LSTM-based architecture that can be trained to make either insulin or carbohydrate recommendations to ensure that future BGLs attain the desired level. Experimental evaluations using data from the OhioT1DM dataset show that the neural architecture substantially outperforms the baselines. The promising results suggest that this novel approach could potentially be of practical use to people with type 1 diabetes for self-management of BGLs.
Relating Retinal Vascular Oxygen Saturation and Microvasculature Morphology at Progressive Stages of Diabetic Retinopathy.

Purpose Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common cause of vision loss in working age adults and presents changes in retinal vessel oxygenation and morphology. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that there is an association of retinal vessel oxygen saturation with vessel density (VD) and tortuosity in DR. Methods Ninety-five subjects were classified in the following groups: nondiabetic control (N = 25), no DR (N = 28), mild nonproliferative DR (NPDR; N = 21), moderate to severe NPDR (N = 14), or treated proliferative DR (PDR; N = 7). Retinal oximetry was performed to measure arterial and venous oxygen saturation (SO2A and SO2V) and calculate oxygen extraction fraction (OEF). Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) was performed for measurements of VD and vessel tortuosity index (VTI). Results There were statistically significant differences in SO2A and SO2V among groups (P ≤ 0.004). SO2A and SO2V were higher in the PDR group compared to the control group and SO2V was also higher in the moderate to severe NPDR group. VD differed significantly among groups (P = 0.003), whereas VTI was not significantly different (P = 0.22). Compared to the control group, VD was lower in moderate to severe NPDR and PDR groups. VD was also lower in the PDR group than that in the no DR group (P = 0.03). There was a significant correlation of VTI with SO2V (r = 0.32, P = 0.002) and OEF (r = -0.35, P = 0.001). Conclusions Retinal vessel morphology, oxygenation, and tissue oxygen extraction were associated with each other in a cohort of subjects with and without DR. Translational relevance The findings of this study have the potential to improve clinical management of DR by providing better understanding of human disease pathophysiology and propelling future studies to identify multiple image-based biomarkers for improved disease diagnosis and monitoring.
Controlled Mode Distinguishability for Cybersecurity

Cyber-physical systems (CPSs) are a class of systems integrating cyber and physical components, and their security issues have gained a lot of attention in recent years. CPSs are modeled as hybrid systems in this letter since the logical and physical behaviors of CPS can be mapped to the discrete-state and continuous-state dynamics of the hybrid system, respectively. Motivated by the importance of situation awareness in an adversarial environment, we consider the mode distinguishability problem for a class of hybrid systems that can describe compromised CPSs. It is found that even though some modes of the hybrid system may not be distinguishable without knowing the attack inputs, the modes could be controlled distinguishable, which means their behaviors can be differentiated under certain control inputs. In this letter, the characterization of controlled distinguishability is studied, and the problem of finding control inputs for mode identification is proposed.
Emergent evolutionary forces in spatial models of luminal growth in the human gut microbiota

The genetic composition of the gut microbiota is constantly reshaped by ecological and evolutionary forces. These strain-level dynamics can be challenging to understand because they emerge from complex spatial growth processes that take place within a host. Here we introduce a mathematical framework to predict how stochastic evolutionary forces emerge from simple models of microbial growth in the intestinal lumen. Our framework shows how fluid flow and longitudinal variation in growth rate combine to shape the frequencies of genetic variants in sequenced fecal samples, yielding analytical expressions for the effective generation times, selection coefficients, and rates of genetic drift. We find that the emergent evolutionary dynamics can often be captured by well-mixed models that lack explicit spatial structure, even when there is substantial spatial variation in species-level composition. By applying these results to the human colon, we find that continuous fluid flow is unlikely to create sufficient bottlenecks to allow large fluctuations in mutant frequencies within a host, while the effective generation times may be significantly shorter than expected from traditional average growth rate estimates. Our results provide a starting point for quantifying genetic turnover in the gut microbiota, and may be relevant for other microbial ecosystems where unidirectional fluid flow plays an important role.
Traumatic Left Ventricular Aneurysm and Ventricular Septal Defect in a Child.

Cardiac injuries following blunt trauma are rare but potentially lethal in children. We present a 23-month-old child who sustained an aneurysm of the left ventricle free wall and ventricular septum...
Carex and Uncinia (Cyperaceae, Cariceae) from the Juan FernandezArchipelago, Chile

Wheeler, G. A. 2007. Carex and Uncinia (Cyperaceae, Cariceae) from the Juan Fernandez Archipelago, Chile. Darwiniana 45(1): 120-141. Ten members of the tribe Cariceae (Cyperaceae) occur on the Juan Fernandez Archipel- ago: four species of Carex and six of Uncinia. Eight of the ten species occur on Alejandro Selkirk Island (= Masafuera; 50 km2) while four are known from Robinson Crusoe Island (= Masatierra; 48 km2). Carex fernandezensis, C. stuessyi, Uncinia aspericaulis, and U. macloviformis are newly described from the archipelago and all are endemic to the islands. Only two species, Carex berteroniana and Uncinia douglasii, both endemics, are of frequent occurrence and each occurs on both islands. Another endemic, Uncinia costata, is known only from the type locality on Alejandro Selkirk. The three remaining species, Uncinia phleoides, U. tenuis, and Carex phalaroides, the last here reported for the first time from the archipelago, also occur on the South American mainland. Lectotypes are chosen for the names Uncinia costata and U. tenuis f. firmula. Additionally, a new section of Carex, sect. Pellucidae, is circumscribed in this paper for the sectional placement of C. stuessyi and cog- nate species.
SO(4) theory of antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in Bechgaard salts.

Motivated by recent experiments with Bechgaard salts, we investigate the competition between antiferromagnetism and triplet superconductivity in quasi-one-dimensional electron systems. We unify the two orders in an SO(4) symmetric framework, demonstrating the existence of such symmetry in one-dimensional Luttinger liquids. SO(4) symmetry strongly constrains the phase diagram, leading to coexistence regions of antiferromagnetic, superconducting, and normal phases, as observed in $(\mathrm{T}\mathrm{M}\mathrm{T}\mathrm{S}\mathrm{F}{)}_{2}{\mathrm{P}\mathrm{F}}_{6}$. We predict a sharp neutron scattering resonance in superconducting samples.
Diabetes mellitus in individuals with spinal cord injury or disorder.

Background/Objective: To examine diabetes prevalence, care, complications, and characteristics of veterans with a spinal cord injury or disorder (SCI/D).Methods: A national survey of veterans with ...
The Argument for Subject-Body Dualism from Transtemporal Identity

In recent papers, Martine Nida-Rumelin (NR) has argued for a position she calls subject-body dualism on the basis of three distinct arguments. One is based on reflection on the emergence of phenomenal consciousness (Nida-Rumelin 2010b). One is based on reflection on our treatment of conscious subjects as active (Nida-Rumelin 2006). One is based on reflection on intelligible possibilities of transtemporal identity in fission cases drawn from the literature on person-identity over time (Nida-Rumelin 2010a). In this paper, I am concerned only with last of these arguments. Arguments from reflections on personal identity to a form of subject-body dualism have been around for a while. For example, (Swinburne 1984, 1986) has focused on the implications of duplication cases as well as the possibility of survival of the destruction of the body. More recently (Lowe 2010a, sec. 1.4) has argued for a form of subject-body dualism on the grounds of a difference between the identity conditions for persons and bodies. What I take to be distinctive about NR’s argument is the focus on there being a factual difference between the claims that the original subject is one, or the other, of the two resultant subjects in fission cases. It is the role of this claim in her argument that will be my central focus. I argue that on each of the three most plausible interpretations of this assumption the argument fails.
The Contributions of Developmental Science to the Study of Substance Use and Disorder: Introduction

This Special Section of Child Development Perspectives highlights the contributions of developmental science to the study of substance use and disorder. It focuses on the specific question of how genetic, biological, and environmental factors vary in the way they interactively predict substance use and disorder over the course of development. The first three articles outline answers to this question that are emerging from the study of substance use disorder and contributing contexts, particularly the work on the externalizing or behavioral-undercontrol risk pathway to substance use disorder. The markers of risk and contextual variation are further integrated in the final contribution, which evaluates current evidence for this pathway to substance use disorder.
A Comparison of the Long-Term Learning Effects of Comprehensive and Topic-Specific Practice Set Assignments.

The authors examined the long-term learning effects of two different practice set assignment approaches on business students' long-term learning: a comprehensive, multiple-period practice set and a topic-specific practice set. Student learning was measured longitudinally across semesters. The authors found evidence that students using a comprehensive practice approach retain more long-term knowledge than those using a topic-specific practice approach, though the results are not uniformly positive. While the results support the use of a comprehensive pedagogical approach, they also highlight the importance of obtaining empirical evidence before changing pedagogical approaches. Implications for instructors and textbook authors are also discussed.