cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optical tomographic image reconstruction from ultrafast time-sliced transmission measurements.

Optical imaging and localization of objects inside a highly scattering medium, such as a tumor in the breast, is a challenging problem with many practical applications. Conventional imaging methods generally provide only two-dimensional ~2-D! images of limited spatial resolution with little diagnostic ability. Here we present an inversion algorithm that uses time-resolved transillumination measurements in the form of a sequence of picosecond-duration intensity patterns of transmitted ultrashort light pulses to reconstruct three-dimensional ~3-D! images of an absorbing object located inside a slab of a highly scattering medium. The experimental arrangement used a 3-mm-diameter collimated beam of 800-nm, 150-fs, 1-kHz repetition rate light pulses from a Ti:sapphire laser and amplifier system to illuminate one side of the slab sample. An ultrafast gated intensified camera system that provides a minimum FWHM gate width of 80 ps recorded the 2-D intensity patterns of the light transmitted through the opposite side of the slab. The gate position was varied in steps of 100 ps over a 5-ns range to obtain a sequence of 2-D transmitted light intensity patterns of both less-scattered and multiple-scattered light for image reconstruction. The inversion algorithm is based on the diffusion approximation of the radiative transfer theory for photon transport in a turbid medium. It uses a Green’s function perturbative approach under the Rytov approximation and combines a 2-D matrix inversion with a onedimensional Fourier-transform inversion to achieve speedy 3-D image reconstruction. In addition to the lateral position, the method provides information about the axial position of the object as well, whereas the 2-D reconstruction methods yield only lateral position. © 1999 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: 100.3190, 170.3010, 170.3880, 170.6920, 290.7050.
Cerenkov-Specific Contrast Agents for Detection of pH In Vivo

UNLABELLED We report the design, testing, and in vivo application of pH-sensitive contrast agents designed specifically for Cerenkov imaging. Radioisotopes used for PET emit photons via Cerenkov radiation. The multispectral emission of Cerenkov radiation allows for selective bandwidth quenching, in which a band of photons is quenched by absorption by a functional dye. Under acidic conditions, (18)F-labeled derivatives emit the full spectrum of Cerenkov light. Under basic conditions, the dyes change color and a wavelength-dependent quenching of Cerenkov emission is observed. METHODS Mono- and di-(18)F-labeled derivatives of phenolsulfonphthalein (phenol red) and meta-cresolsulfonphthalein (cresol purple) were synthesized by electrophilic fluorination. Cerenkov emission was measured at different wavelengths as a function of pH in vitro. Intramolecular response was measured in fluorinated probes and intermolecular quenching by mixing phenolphthalein with (18)F-FDG. Monofluorocresol purple (MFCP) was tested in mice treated with acetazolamide to cause urinary alkalinization, and Cerenkov images were compared with PET images. RESULTS Fluorinated pH indicators were produced with radiochemical yields of 4%-11% at greater than 90% purity. Selective Cerenkov quenching was observed intramolecularly with difluorophenol red or monofluorocresol purple and intermolecularly in phenolphthalein (18)F-FDG mixtures. The probes were selectively quenched in the bandwidth closest to the indicator's absorption maximum (λmax) at pHs above the indicator pKa (the negative logarithm of the acid dissociation constant). Addition of acid or base to the probes resulted in reversible switching from unquenched to quenched emission. In vivo, the bladders of acetazolamide-treated mice exhibited a wavelength-dependent quenching in Cerenkov emission, with the greatest reduction occurring near the λmax. Ratiometric imaging at 2 wavelengths showed significant decreases in Cerenkov emission at basic pH and allowed the estimation of absolute pH in vivo. CONCLUSION We have created contrast agents that selectively quench photons emitted during Cerenkov radiation within a given bandwidth. In the presence of a functional dye, such as a pH indicator, this selective quenching allows for a functional determination of pH in vitro and in vivo. This method can be used to obtain functional information from radiolabeled probes using multimodal imaging. This approach allows for the imaging of nonfluorescent chromophores and is generalizable to any functional dye that absorbs at suitable wavelengths.
Comparing the Use of Case Studies and Application Questions in Preparing Special Education Professionals

There has been growing interest and increasing use of case study (CS) materials in teacher education. Yet efforts to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of CS have been scarce. We compared instructional effectiveness of CS to another commonly used discussion strategy, an application question (AQ) method, with graduate students enrolled in a preservice teacher training course, using a repeated measures experimental design. Our specific focus was facilitation of the application of knowledge. Depen- dent measures included group scores on discussion guides, group discussion time, individual midterm quiz scores, and student satisfaction ratings. There were no significant differences between two discussion methods in midterm quiz scores, which was the measure of delayed application, and in the student satisfaction ratings; however, the AQ groups obtained higher scores on the discussion guides, the measure of immediate application, and took less time to complete the discussion activity than did the CS groups. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Compostable biopolymer use in the real world: Stakeholder interviews to better understand the motivations and realities of use and disposal in the US

Abstract The use of compostable biopolymers in the United States has grown over the past decade and is predicted to continue to grow over the coming years. Though many studies have been done to assess biopolymer environmental impacts, few have explored how they are actually being used and disposed of by consumers. Only with a thorough understanding of real world use will environmental assessments be able to provide meaningful results that can inform best practices for municipal waste management. This paper identifies and explores where consumers are most likely to come into contact with compostable biopolymers, actual disposal methods, and the motivation behind compostable biopolymer use and disposal. To assess where compostable biopolymers are being used, audits of local grocery stores were conducted, as well as semi-structured interviews with compostable biopolymer users in four different food service categories (cafeterias, catering companies, limited food service establishments, and recreational concessions) were completed. Findings suggest that consumers are most likely coming into contact with compostable biopolymers in a commercial food service setting. The decision to purchase compostable biopolymers was based on a variety of factors, such as their perceived sustainability, but was not directly tied to the ability to compost them. One of the clearest distinctions between those who were able to compost biopolymers and those who sent these products to landfill was the type of sustainability goals each organization set. Measurable waste to landfill goals resulted in biopolymers being sent to compost facilities, in contrast to an amorphous goal to be sustainable, which was connected to biopolymers being sent to landfill. Yet for all food service categories, disposal decisions relied heavily on the regional waste infrastructure that was available.
Integrated Circuit Technology

This chapter contains sections titled: Modeling GaAs/AlGaAs Devices: A Critical Review Overview Latchup in CMOS Technologies Porous Silicon Techniques for SOI Structures Ferroelectric Materials for 64 Mb and 256 Mb DRAMs ]]>
Semi-totalistic Automata

In view of how tractable linear rules turn out to be, one is encouraged to investigate similar questions for more general rules. A natural next step is to make the next state of a center cell depend, not linearly on the full local distribution of neighboring cells, but rather on the their density and, possibly, its own state. For instance, under a majority rule for an elementary celullar automaton the center cell polls its neighbors for a state and goes with the majority (ties are broken arbitrarily by the center cell, for instance by keeping its current state). These rules are called semi-totalistic. In the particular case of elementary automata, it is necessary to reduce this total count to a binary value. The simplest way to achieve this reduction is to set up a minimal threshold value for the count to become 1.
The Cultivation of Vaccinia Virus in Deep Columns of Maitland Medium

In the in vitro cultivation of vaccine virus there are significant results which point to oxygen tension as an important factor. Maitland and Laing1 failed to obtain growth under anaerobic conditions. Later, Maitland, Laing and Lyth2 contrasted the multiplication which took place in Carrel flasks at a depth of 1 to 2 mm. with the progressive decrease of virus in test tubes in which the depth of medium was approximately 15 mm. In the flasks, the tissue was spread out just beneath the surface of the medium, while in the tubes the tissue particles were massed at the bottom. The failure of growth in deep cultures has led to the assumption that test tubes are unsuitable containers for cultivation of the virus. But although the explanation of diminished oxygen tension, as offered by Maitland and his coworkers1,2 is in all probability correct, it is possible that deficiency of oxygen in their cultures was due not only to the depth of the container but also to the metabolism of the relatively large tissue inoculum. Rivers and Ward3 have shown that vaccine virus fails to grow in mixtures of serum and Tyrode' s solution if large amounts of tissue are used, and that it is capable of increasing in the presence of remarkably minute amounts. It has seemed worth while, therefore, to determine more precisely the reason for failure to obtain growth in deep layers of medium, and in particular to learn whether success might follow the use of small amounts of tissue in deep cultures. In the experiments which are described, containers of different diameters were used with various depths of medium. The effect of increasing and diminishing the oxygen tension, directly, by mechanically controlling the access of air to cultures, was also studied.
Zika virus and GLUT1.

We read with interest the Grand Round by Nicole Salazar-Austin and colleagues, who reported a young child with extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis after returning from India to the USA. Recently, we admitted a previously healthy man aged 20 years to our hospital in Germany who developed fever and productive cough 3 months after returning from Chennai, India, where he worked for 1 year as a teacher in a community project. The symptoms were initially misdiagnosed as community-acquired pneumonia and it took at least 14 days until a chest radiograph was done and 3 weeks until drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis was detected in sputum by molecular methods. Genotypic drug-resistance testing (GenoType MTBC, Hain Lifescience, Nehren, Germany) on sputum identified bacillary mutations in codon S315T1 of katG gene (isoniazid resistance), in codon S531L of rpoB gene (rifampicin resistance), in codon D94G of gyrA gene (fl uoroquinolone resistance), and in codon A1401G of rrs gene (amikacin, capreomycin, and kanamycin resistance). Phenotypic detection of drug resistance confi rmed triglycerides of coconut and palm kernel oils. Ingested caprylic acid gets metabolised to acetoacetate or 3-hydroxybutyrate in the liver, these ketone body sources of metabolic energy being able to cross the placenta and blood–brain barrier independent of GLUT1. Reports of the 2007 Zika outbreak in Micronesia made no mention of an increased incidence of microcephaly. A retrospective analysis of the 2013 French Polynesian outbreak documented an incidence of microcephaly much lower than that reported in Brazil. Of note is that, unlike Brazil, coconut is a food staple in that part of the world. Although speculative at this point, the habitual intake of GLUT1-independent medium-chain triglycerides from coconut might have mitigated the impact of the Zika virus in those outbreaks. The question then becomes whether sources of metabolic energy not reliant on GLUT1 functionality could help protect the fetuses of at-risk women in the current Zika epidemic. Micronesian and French Polynesian experiences could serve as working models to address concerns. Again, timing is of the essence. Especially considering the impact on South America, the impending spread of the Zika epidemic, and the upcoming 2016 Olympics in Brazil.
A survey of minority student recruitment and retention efforts in dental schools

What I have tried to do is to provide a way that we can look at overall recruitment and retention of our minority students. As you can see from the results of the survey, some of us are doing a lot, some not so much. About 10% of the colleges have many of the components of retention suggested within this schema. Some of us are seeing results of our efforts--with many of us reporting that the attrition of minority students is equal to less than that of majority students--yet many of us feel that much more can be done to improve the total environment for our minority students. You will recall the word used the most in your responses, "more", more of nearly everything. I am sure you join with me in looking forward to the presentations during our conference so that we may find ways to increase our efforts. We do not want in the future for either us or our students to again sound like Oliver Twist when he pleaded "Please Sir, I want some more".
Predicting pH dependencies of electrode surface reactions in electrocatalysis

Abstract It is shown how to adopt the Nernst equation to electrode potential-dependent Gibbs energies, calculated for reactants and products from density functional theory, to make predictions of reversible potentials for redox reactions on electrode surfaces in electrolytes of any pH. The theory is general because any spectator species may be included in electrochemical interface. We demonstrate its application to H and OH deposition on Pt(111).
Modeling of dielectric viscoelastomers with application to electromechanical instabilities

Abstract Soft dielectrics are electrically-insulating elastomeric materials, which are capable of large deformation and electrical polarization, and are used as smart transducers for converting between mechanical and electrical energy. While much theoretical and computational modeling effort has gone into describing the ideal, time-independent behavior of these materials, viscoelasticity is a crucial component of the observed mechanical response and hence has a significant effect on electromechanical actuation. In this paper, we report on a constitutive theory and numerical modeling capability for dielectric viscoelastomers, able to describe electromechanical coupling, large-deformations, large-stretch chain-locking, and a time-dependent mechanical response. Our approach is calibrated to the widely-used soft dielectric VHB 4910, and the finite-element implementation of the model is used to study the role of viscoelasticity in instabilities in soft dielectrics, namely (1) the pull-in instability, (2) electrocreasing, (3) electrocavitation, and (4) wrinkling of a pretensioned three-dimensional diaphragm actuator. Our results show that viscoelastic effects delay the onset of instability under monotonic electrical loading and can even suppress instabilities under cyclic loading. Furthermore, quantitative agreement is obtained between experimentally measured and numerically simulated instability thresholds. Our finite-element implementation will be useful as a modeling platform for further study of electromechanical instabilities and for harnessing them in design and is provided as online supplemental material to aid other researchers in the field.
On becoming a cancer biologist

I am not a cancer biologist but I am becoming one. Becoming is a process, a transformation. Taking what was and using it as the foundation for what is or what will be.
Kunst-Gedanken in Tiecks «Franz Sternbalds Wanderungen»

Ludwig Tieck is not only the most productive and stimulating power of German Roman­ticism with respect to literature but also, largely unnoticed by his contemporaries and critics, an innovative proponent of a new art. His Sternbald goes way beyond the position of Wackenroder’s Herzensergiesungen from which it started. It not only influenced the artwork of the two most important romantic painters, Philipp Otto Runge and Caspar David Fried­rich, but advocates, in a way, twentieth-century ideas of modern painting.
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Poststroke Aphasia Recovery

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a form of noninvasive brain stimulation originally studied for its effect on motor limb physiology,1 has been investigated for its use in the treatment of aphasia since 2008.2–3 The experimental use of tDCS for aphasia, however, began differently from those paradigms established for poststroke motor recovery, both conceptually and in method. Not only is aphasia research a relative newcomer to the field of tDCS experimentation, it has thus far been somewhat of an outlier in its limited use of tDCS autonomously. Theoretically understood to be vastly more complex than our intricate motor systems, cortical language representation has most recently been conceptualized as a dual stream, diffuse network,4–6 with language processing subcomponents evolved from nonlinguistic primates.7,8 In the dual stream model, human language functions are lateralized primarily in the left hemisphere, with Broca’s area comprising the left complement of a bilateral dorsal stream network devoted to naming and articulation. Conversely, Wernicke’s area constitutes the origin of a bilateral ventral stream in which semantic meaning is attached to components of speech sounds.6,9–21 Additional activation in homologous right hemisphere language areas seems to be determined by lexical necessity, with increased articulatory demands activated within the bilateral dorsal stream and the decoding of unfamiliar words activated in the bilateral ventral stream network.9 Complex as it may be to optimally prime the motor cortex for poststroke limb rehabilitation using tDCS, it may be considered even more challenging to modulate the cortical plexus which encodes and produces language in all of its richness. The theoretical mechanisms of brain activation during tDCS protocols suggest that tDCS primes the brain for enhanced outcomes in behavioral therapies,22 which may have led to the appeal of combining methods concurrently. The …
Describing Transitional Palliative Nursing Care Using a Standardized Terminology

We used a standardized terminology to describe patient problems and the nursing care provided in a pilot study of a transitional palliative care intervention with patients and caregivers. Narrative phrases of a nurse's documentation were mapped to the Omaha System (problem, intervention, and target)
Predictions of the frequencies of bending-torsion coupled laminated composite plates with discontinuities: Novel analytical modeling and experimental validation

Abstract A novel analytical model that accurately represents the free vibration response of intact/damaged composite plates accounting for the bending-torsional coupling is developed. Unlike the existing models for the bending-torsion vibrations of composite plates, in the present model, the equations of motion are derived in an uncoupled form. It is then easier to derive analytical solutions for composite plates under coupled bending-torsion vibrations. In addition, for the first time, analytical solutions for the free bending and torsional vibrations of cantilever and clamped-clamped laminated composite plates with discontinuities including circular holes, rectangular holes, notches, and internal and edge cracks are easily obtained. Shifts in the natural frequencies due to discontinuities are modeled where the reductions in the plate stiffnesses are related to the amount of the energy release rate due to a defect formation. In order to verify the accuracy of the proposed model and the derived solutions, the proposed model is compared to the available conventional models. Moreover, experimental measurements of the free bending and torsional vibrations of carbon-fiber-laminated composite plates with circular holes is performed. A set of finite element analyses are carried out and compared to the experimental and the proposed model results. Then, a parametric study is presented in order to investigate the effects of the discontinuity size and location on the bending and torsional natural frequencies of laminated composite plates with various forms of discontinuities. The performed analyses demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed models to represent the free vibrations of laminated composite plates with discontinuities.
Alternative Strategies for Sexual Risk Reduction Used by Active Drug Users

Recent studies continue to document lack of consistent condom use by active drug users. However, personal HIV risk reduction strategies other than, or in addition to, condom use may be practiced. In this study, data from qualitative interviews with 92 active users of crack and injection drugs illustrate risk reduction strategies employed either instead of or in addition to condom usage. Findings are based on narrative accounts of methods used to reduce personal risk of contracting HIV during sexual acts. Precoital alternative strategies focused on partner selection techniques based on the belief that “safe” partners can be selected. Coital strategies included the selection of specific sex acts that were presumed to be safe or safer than others or cleanliness rituals or both. Postcoital strategies included techniques such as washing sex organs with bleach or lemon juice. Implications of these findings for intervention and prevention efforts are discussed.
Manufacturing Ethylene from Wet Shale Gas and Biomass: Comparative Technoeconomic Analysis and Environmental Life Cycle Assessment

This paper presents comparative technoeconomic and environmental analyses of three ethylene manufacturing pathways based on ethane-rich shale gas, corn stover, and corn grain. The shale-gas-based pathway includes two processing steps, namely, shale gas processing to produce ethane and ethane steam cracking to manufacture ethylene. The two biomass-based pathways also contain two processing steps each, namely, bioethanol production via fermentation and ethylene manufacturing via bioethanol dehydration. A distributed–centralized processing network that consists of distributed ethane/bioethanol production and centralized ethylene manufacturing is employed for each of the three pathways. Detailed process simulation models are developed for major processing steps, and the three pathways are then modeled on five different ethylene production scales. On the basis of the detailed mass and energy balances and life cycle inventory results, we conduct technoeconomic and life cycle analyses to systematically compare t...
Employing a results-based algorithm to reduce laboratory utilization in ACTH stimulation testing

BACKGROUND The High Dose Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) Stimulation Test is the gold standard to diagnose adrenal insufficiency. Normal adrenal function is defined as a peak cortisol response to pharmacologic stimulation with cosyntropin of ≥18 μg/dL. Our practice was to obtain cortisol levels at 0, 30 and 60 min after cosyntropin administration. Once a value of ≥18 μg/dL has been obtained, adrenal insufficiency is ruled out and there is little diagnostic utility in subsequent stimulated levels. METHODS We aimed to decrease laboratory utilization by developing a results-based algorithm in the electronic medical record (EMR). Cortisol levels were analyzed on the 0 and 60 min samples; then an EMR discern rule automatically generated an order to analyze the 30-min sample if the 60-min cortisol level was subnormal. RESULTS Exclusion of adrenal insufficiency was excluded using one stimulated cortisol level in 8% prior to algorithm development. After several plan-do-study-act cycles, 99% of normal tests were performed using only one stimulated cortisol level. CONCLUSIONS This laboratory-based algorithm resulted in reduced laboratory utilization, and aligned our practice to recommendations of the Pediatric Endocrine Society. Similar algorithms could be created for other dynamic tests to reduce unnecessary laboratory utilization.
Polite parallel computing: student paper

Universities around the world are creating their own computing clusters for student use. This gives each student access to more resources than would be possible in traditional lab settings. However, as more university departments begin to take advantage of these resources, more sophisticated techniques for allocating computer cycles and load balancing are necessary. This paper presents a simple, per-application approach to responding to saturation of a computing node. By accurately determining when a cluster node has become overburdened by multiple users or is unable to respond to new users, the customized program is able to change its behavior and politely hand control over to what would otherwise be inconvenienced applications.
Granularity and specificity in fuzzy rule-based systems

The structure of fuzzy models produced by a heursitic analysis of the problem domain is compared with that of models algorithmically generated from training data. The trade-offs between granularity, specificity, interpretability, and efficiency are examined for rule-bases produced in each of these manners. An algorithm that combines rule learning with region merging is introduced to incorporate beneficial features of both the heuristic and learning approaches to producing fuzzy models.
Pancreatic Resection for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma to the Pancreas

Although extremely rare, for most primary malignancies, the presence of metastases to the pancreas is a harbinger of diffuse systemic involvement. Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) of the kidney differs in that respect. Metastatic deposits tend to be isolated and diffuse systemic involvement may be absent. An Institutional Review Board-approved retrospective review of three cases of histologically confirmed RCC metastases to the pancreas was performed. We present their preoperative workup, surgical treatment, histopathological findings, and postoperative course. Three patients, all women, underwent distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy. Mean time period between nephrectomy and findings of pancreatic metastasis was 11.6 years. One patient had a major complication with a pancreatic fistula. Two patients have developed extrapancreatic recurrences. Resection of RCC metastases to the pancreas may offer a survival advantage in a select group of patients. Development of metastatic deposits after a prolonged disease-free period may actually be a negative prognostic indicator, implying a rapid and uncontrollable change in tumor biology.
THE NON-EXISTENCE OF RANK-3 TRANSITIVE EXTENSIONS OF THE HIGMAN-SIMS SIMPLE GROUP

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the proof of a theorem related to the nonexistence of rank-3 transitive extensions of the Higman–Sims simple group, which states Ext3 (HS) = 0. Ext3 means the collection of all isomorphism types of groups G that are rank-3 transitive extensions of HS. HS denotes a group isomorphic to the Higman–Sims simple group. G is a rank-3 transitive extension of HS with subdegrees 1 ≤ k ≤ l. The chapter presents the assumption that G is a rank-3, primitive extension of a simple group H. If N is a regular normal subgroup of G on which G x = H acts non-trivially, then N is elementary Abelian.
Evaluation of the National Plant Germplasm System's Garlic Collection for Seven Viruses

Abstract Garlic (Allium sativum L. and A. longicuspis Regel.) germplasm maintained by the USDA-ARS Western Regional Plant Introduction Station (WRPIS) was screened for four viruses commonly infecti...
Myd88 controls airway epithelial Muc5ac expression during TLR activation conditions from agricultural organic dust exposure

Inflammation from airborne microbes can overwhelm compensatory mucociliary clearance mechanisms, leading to mucous cell metaplasia. Toll-like receptor (TLR) activation via myeloid differentiation f...
Proceedings of the 35th International Conference on Computer-Aided Design

Jointly sponsored by IEEE and ACM, ICCAD is the premier forum to explore emerging technology challenges, present cutting-edge R&D solutions, record theoretical and empirical advances, and identify future roadmaps for design automation and other system-on-chip research areas.
Taiwan's Ban on Corporal Punishment: Educator Perceptions of Impact and Meaning:

On the basis of interviews of a sample of teachers and administrators, we examine Taiwan's 2006 legislative ban on school corporal punishment, seeking to understand why the practice persists within...
Regional Myocardial Strain and Function: From Novel Techniques to Clinical Applications

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging has been the noninvasive method of choice for the evaluation of regional myocardial movement since myocardial tagging was invented almost 30 years ago. A number of developments and improvements on the technique have taken place to improve image resolution, quality, three-dimensional image acquisition, and scan duration. These techniques have also been applied in a variety of heart diseases spanning ischemic heart disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and other forms of nonischemic cardiomyopathy, pericardial diseases, valvular heart disease, right heart diseases, and congenital heart diseases. In recent years, feature tracking on cine images allowed generation of much greater amount of data on regional function of cardiac diseases. The clinical decision-making with integration of regional myocardial motion analyses is on the horizon.
Broadband High-Efficiency mm-Wave 24-42.5 GHz SiGe PA Design Using Stacked Versus Cascaded Topologies

We present in this work two versions of broadband highly efficient millimeter-wave power amplifiers (mm-Wave PAs) design in a 90-nm SiGe technology. Both the 2-stage cascaded common-emitter (CE) PA and the 2-stacked PA can achieve wide 3-dB bandwidth from 20-45 GHz with P OUT above 16-19 dBm in post-layout simulation, but the 2-stacked PA consistently outperforms the cascaded PA in power-added efficiency (PAE), achieving peak PAE at 36.9% (30 GHz) with max PAE remaining above ~30% from 24-45 GHz, which is ~8%-18% better than those of the 2-stage cascaded PA, thus suggesting the stacked PA topology to be rather attractive for high-efficiency broadband mm-wave applications.
The Control Centers of Biomolecular Phase Separation: How Membrane Surfaces, PTMs, and Active Processes Regulate Condensation

Biomolecular condensation is emerging as an essential process for cellular compartmentalization. The formation of biomolecular condensates can be driven by liquid-liquid phase separation, which arises from weak, multivalent interactions among proteins and nucleic acids. A substantial body of recent work has revealed that diverse cellular processes rely on biomolecular condensation and that aberrant phase separation may cause disease. Many proteins display an intrinsic propensity to undergo phase separation. However, the mechanisms by which cells regulate phase separation to build functional condensates at the appropriate time and location are only beginning to be understood. Here, we review three key cellular mechanisms that enable the control of biomolecular phase separation: membrane surfaces, post-translational modifications, and active processes. We discuss how these mechanisms may function in concert to provide robust control over biomolecular condensates and suggest new research avenues that will elucidate how cells build and maintain these key centers of cellular compartmentalization.
Comparison of the extraction efficiency of ice concentration linked with extractive stirrer, stir bar sorptive extraction, and solid-phase microextraction for pesticides from drinking water

Abstract With the advent of highly selective analysis techniques (e.g., liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry), and lower limits of detection requirements, extraction efficiency is arguably the most important property of modern sample preparation techniques. In this study, the extraction efficiency of Ice Concentration Linked with Extractive Stirrer (ICECLES) was compared to Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction (SBSE) and Solid-Phase Microextraction (SPME). A direct comparison of these sample preparation techniques was carried out with analysis via both Liquid Chromatography – Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) and Thermal Desorption Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (TD-GC–MS). ICECLES produced 2x and 7x greater TD-GC–MS signals than SBSE and SPME, respectively. When comparing extraction techniques for a suite of 60 pesticides in drinking water, 32, 25, and 13 pesticides were detected via LC–MS/MS at 0.1 ng/mL by ICECLES, SBSE, and SPME, respectively. Overall, ICECLES consistently produced better extraction efficiencies than the other extraction techniques evaluated.
Technoeconomic analysis of semicontinuous bioreactor production of biopharmaceuticals in transgenic rice cell suspension cultures.

Biopharmaceutical protein production using transgenic plant cell bioreactor processes offers advantages over microbial and mammalian cell culture platforms in its ability to produce complex biologics with simple chemically defined media and reduced biosafety concerns. A disadvantage of plant cells from a traditional batch bioprocessing perspective is their slow growth rate which has motivated us to develop semicontinuous and/or perfusion processes. Although the economic benefits of plant cell culture bioprocesses are often mentioned in the literature, to our knowledge no rigorous technoeconomic models or analyses have been published. Here we present technoeconomic models in SuperPro Designer® for the large-scale production of recombinant butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), a prophylactic/therapeutic bioscavenger against organophosphate nerve agent poisoning, in inducible transgenic rice cell suspension cultures. The base facility designed to produce 25 kg BChE per year utilizing two-stage semicontinuous bioreactor operation manufactures a single 400 mg dose of BChE for $263. Semicontinuous operation scenarios result in 4-11% reduction over traditional two-stage batch operation scenarios. In addition to providing a simulation tool that will be useful to the plant-made pharmaceutical community, the model also provides a computational framework that can be used for other semicontinuous or batch bioreactor-based processes.
Abstract 6082: Uveal melanoma exosomes express MET and re-program the recipient cells

Uveal melanoma (UM) is a rare melanoma subtype with an estimated annual incidence of approximately 2000 in the United States. Despite excellent rates of local disease control with surgery or radiotherapy, nearly 50% of patients will develop metastatic disease, mostly to the liver, with a life expectancy of 12 months. The receptor tyrosine kinase MET is overexpressed in 60-86% of cases and, together with its ligand HGF, it plays a significant role in UM migration and metastasis. In recent years, it has been demonstrated that tumor cells communicate with the microenvironment at distant organs by secreting exosomes, extracellular small vesicles released into body fluids, to support cancer development, immune evasion and metastatic progression. Exosomes are able to stably transfer their unique cargos of proteins and RNA from the primary tumor to distant sites, such as the pre-metastatic “niche”. The functional role of UM exosomes in the tumor microenvironment cross-talk is largely unknown. To get deeper insight into UM exosome biology, we have isolated exosomes from UM cells before and after treatment with the MET inhibitor crizotinib and examined their content by proteomic analysis. Approximately 600 proteins were identified from each of these samples, with 444 proteins in common and 145 and 167 proteins uniquely detected in exosomes from untreated and treated cells, respectively. The expression of several exosome-associated proteins, including MET, were suppressed by crizotinib, suggesting that the exosomal cargo can be pharmacologically manipulated. Exposure of normal hepatocytes to UM-derived exosomes results in activation of MET in a dose dependent fashion, with induction of both the MAPK and AKT/PI3K pathways. Exosomes derived from serum of patients with advanced uveal melanoma also express MET and induced similar effects in hepatocytes. Furthermore, UM-derived exosomes activate the expression of pro-angiogenic and pro-inflammatory factors in normal hepatocytes, while exosomes isolated from crizotinib-treated UM cells reduced these effects. UM-derived exosomes also stimulated immune cells to release cytokines and chemokines, including IL-6, IL-8 CCL2, CCL3, CCL5 and CXCL1. Functionally, we demonstrated that conditioned media from exosome-treated hepatocyte highly stimulated UM cell migration, which could be repressed by the combination of MET and cytokine receptor inhibitors. These findings provide evidence that UM derived exosomes play a role in reprogramming the recipient cells to facilitate the establishment of metastasis, and the inhibition of exosome-mediated signaling may provide a potential therapeutic strategy in the early stages of metastasis. Citation Format: Grazia Ambrosini, Alex J. Rai, Blake Ebert, Gary K. Schwartz. Uveal melanoma exosomes express MET and re-program the recipient cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 6082.
Multiple procedure outcomes for nonparoxysmal atrial fibrillation: Left atrial posterior wall isolation versus stepwise ablation.

OBJECTIVE To compare multiple-procedure catheter ablation outcomes of a stepwise approach versus left atrial posterior wall isolation (LA PWI) in patients undergoing nonparoxysmal atrial fibrillation (NPAF) ablation. BACKGROUND Unfavorable outcomes for stepwise ablation of NPAF in large clinical trials may be attributable to proarrhythmic effects of incomplete ablation lines. It is unknown if a more extensive initial ablation strategy results in improved outcomes following multiple ablation procedures. METHODS Two hundred twenty two consecutive patients with NPAF underwent first-time ablation using a contact-force sensing ablation catheter utilizing either a stepwise (Group 1, n = 111) or LA PWI (Group 2, n = 111) approach. The duration of follow-up was 36 months. The primary endpoint was freedom from atrial arrhythmia >30 s. Secondary endpoints were freedom from persistent arrhythmia, repeat ablation, and recurrent arrhythmia after repeat ablation. RESULTS There was similar freedom from atrial arrhythmias after index ablation for both stepwise and LA PWI groups at 36 months (60% vs. 69%, p = .1). The stepwise group was more likely to present with persistent recurrent arrhythmia (29% vs. 14%, p = .005) and more likely to undergo second catheter ablation (32% vs. 12%, p < .001) compared to LA PWI patients. Recurrent arrhythmia after repeat ablation was more likely in the stepwise group compared to the LA PWI group (15% vs. 4%, p = .003). CONCLUSIONS Compared to a stepwise approach, LA PWI for patients with NPAF resulted in a similar incidence of any atrial arrhythmia, lower incidence of persistent arrhythmia, and fewer repeat ablations. Results for repeat ablation were not improved with a more extensive initial approach.
Reconsidering Section 1983's Nonabrogation of Sovereign Immunity

Motivated by civil unrest and the police conduct that prompted it, Americans have embarked on a major reexamination of how constitutional enforcement works. One important component is 42 U.S.C. § 1983, which allows civil suits against any “person” who violates federal rights. The U.S. Supreme Court has long held that “person” excludes states because Section 1983 flunks a condition of crystal clarity. This Article reconsiders that conclusion—in legalese, Section 1983’s nonabrogation of sovereign immunity—along multiple dimensions. Beginning with a negative critique, this Article argues that because the Court invented the crystal-clarity standard so long after Section 1983’s enactment, the caselaw contravenes commonsense interpretive practice, works a methodological anomaly, and offends foundational democratic values. This Article also contends that the caselaw rests on inappropriate assumptions that members of Congress during Reconstruction thought about federalism the same way members of the Court a century later did. Turning to an affirmative critique, this Article explores Section 1983’s semantic meaning and expected applications. Among other things, this analysis uncovers evidence that some members of the public may have initially understood the statute to reach states—and that members of Congress inadvertently amended the default definition of “person” in 1874. The upshot is that despite credible counterarguments, the best reading of Section 1983 may make states suable. Finally, this Article explores implications for reforming constitutional-tort law. In particular, it introduces the policy landscape and proposes a path forward with an initial focus on Fourth Amendment excessive force claims and a gradual extension to other contexts.
Reprint of the role of total joint replacement surgery in the orthognathic patient

Abstract Alloplastic reconstruction of the temporomandibular joint, commonly referred to as total joint replacement, is used to treat end stage joint disease in a cohort of patients who present with a range of condylar pathology. In considering its role in the management of the orthognathic patient, it is helpful to categorize patients into those with primary pathology of the mandibular condyle or those with primary dentofacial deformity. The success of total joint replacement is predicated by the predictably stable results that are achieved when used in carefully selected clinical scenarios. In this article, we will discuss the role of total joint replacement surgery in the orthognathic patient and highlight its clinical impact by inclusion of a case study.
Modeling the Evolutionary Architectures of Transcribed Human Enhancer Sequences Reveals Distinct Origins, Functions, and Associations with Human Trait Variation.

Motivation Despite the importance of gene regulatory enhancers in human biology and evolution, we lack a comprehensive model of enhancer evolution and function. This substantially limits our understanding of the genetic basis of species divergence and our ability to interpret the effects of non-coding variants on human traits. Results To explore enhancer sequence evolution and its relationship to regulatory function, we traced the evolutionary origins of transcribed human enhancer sequences with activity across diverse tissues and cellular contexts from the FANTOM5 consortium. The transcribed enhancers are enriched for sequences of a single evolutionary age ("simple" evolutionary architectures) compared to enhancers are composites of sequences of multiple evolutionary ages ("complex" evolutionary architectures), likely indicating constraint against genomic rearrangements. Complex enhancers are older, more pleiotropic, and more active across species than simple enhancers. Genetic variants within complex enhancers are also less likely to associate with human traits and biochemical activity. Transposable-element-derived sequences (TEDS) have made diverse contributions to enhancers of both architectures; the majority of TEDS are found in enhancers with simple architectures, while a minority have remodeled older sequences to create complex architectures. Finally, we compare the evolutionary architectures of transcribed enhancers with histone-mark-defined enhancers. Conclusions Our results reveal that most human transcribed enhancers are ancient sequences of a single age, and thus the evolution of most human enhancers was not driven by increases in evolutionary complexity over time. Our analyses further suggest that considering enhancer evolutionary histories provides context that can aid interpretation of the effects of variants on enhancer function. Based on these results, we propose a framework for analyzing enhancer evolutionary architecture.
Better Benefits for Better Business: Certified Benefit Corporations Connected Through Internal Communications

Despite the broad body of research examining Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) communications, there remains a lack of literature discussing the expansion of Certified Benefit Corporations (B Corps), which are businesses that meet a verified social and environmental performance to advance social good. Existing research analyzes the connection of internal communications and CSR. The following research reviews this relationship and suggests that more for profit companies qualify to be an effective B Corp due to shared qualitative characteristics of internal communications. The characteristics reviewed are corporate storytelling, triple bottom line values, and the importance of key decision makers. The literature review connects CSR and internal communications to form the foundation of 21 interview questions. The interview questions were used to identify qualitative characteristics of B Corps through an in-depth interview process. Top key decision makers in B Corps were selected to interview to gather qualitative information on their internal communications. The interview questions led to an open dialogue about the influence B Corps has had on each company. Each interview was transcribed accordingly and discussed in the research below. Three themes were discovered after reviewing the primary research. The overall consensus suggests that a sense of strong internal communications in a company can be represented in a Certified Benefit Corporation.
Freire and Education

One of the most influential educational philosophers of our times, Paulo Freire contributed to a revolutionary understanding of education as an empowering and democratizing force in the lives of the disenfranchised. In this deeply personal introduction to the man and his ideas, Antonia Darder reflects on how Freire’s work has illuminated her own life practices and thinking as an educator and activist. Including both personal memories and a never-before published, powerful dialogue with Freire himself, Darder offers a unique "analysis of solidarity," in mind and spirit. A heartfelt look at the ways Freire can still inspire a critically intellectual and socially democratic life, this book is certain to open up his theories in entirely new ways, both to those already familiar with his work and those coming to him for the first time.