cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improved neuronal tract tracing using manganese enhanced magnetic resonance imaging with fast T1 mapping

There has been growing interest in using manganese-enhanced MRI (MEMRI) to detect neuronal activation, neural architecture, and neuronal connections. Usually Mn produces a very wide range of T change. In particular, in neuronal tract tracing experiments the site of Mn injection can have very short T while distant regions have small T reductions, primarily due to dilution of Mn. Most MEMRI studies use T-weighted sequences, which can only give optimal contrast for a narrow range of T changes. To improve sensitivity to the full extent of Mn concentrations and to optimize detection of low concentrations of Mn, a fast T mapping sequence based on the Look and Locker technique was implemented. Phantom studies demonstrated less than 6.5% error in T compared to more conventional T measurements. Using center-out segmented EPI, whole-brain 3D T maps with 200-μm isotropic resolution were obtained in 2 h from rat brain. Mn transport from the rat olfactory bulb through appropriate brain structures could be detected to the amygdala in individual animals. The method reliably detected less than 7% reductions in T. With this quantitative imaging it should be possible to study more extensive pathways using MEMRI and decrease the dose of Mn used.
High levels of oxidized LDL in circulating immune complexes are associated with increased odds of developing abnormal albuminuria in Type 1 diabetes

Background. Modified low-density lipoprotein (LDL) immune complexes (IC) have proinflammatory properties and play a role in albuminuria development. Methods. We measured oxidized LDL (oxLDL) and advanced glycation end-product (AGE)–LDL in IC isolated from sera of Type 1 diabetic subjects followed for 14–20 years and studied their association with abnormal albuminuria. Patients with albumin excretion rates (AER) 40 mg/24 h were considered prone to abnormal albuminuria (n ¼ 185), those who progress to AER >299 mg/24 h were considered as having macroalbuminuria (n ¼ 57). The odds of developing abnormal albuminuria were estimated by logistic regression based on natural log-transformed levels of oxLDL and AGE–LDL in IC and stratified by baseline AER decile. Results. OxLDL and AGE–LDL were significantly higher in IC isolated from patients progressing to abnormal albuminuria. In unadjusted conditional logistic analysis, an increase of 1 SD in oxLDL and AGE–LDL levels in IC significantly increased the odds ratio (OR) for development of macroalbuminuria, respectively, by a factor of 2.5 and 1.8 (P < 0.001, P ¼ 0.008). The increased odds of developing macroalbuminuria remained significant when adjusted for treatment group, diabetes duration, retinopathy, baseline hemoglobin A1c and LDL (OR ¼ 2.5 and 1.8, respectively, P < 0.01). Conclusion. Higher levels of oxLDL and AGE–LDL in circulating IC were associated with increased odds to develop abnormal albuminuria.
Do batch and user evaluations give the same results

Do improvements in system performance demonstrated by batch evaluations confer the same benefit for real users? We carried out experiments designed to investigate this question. After identifying a weighting scheme that gave maximum improvement over the baseline in a non-interactive evaluation, we used it with real users searching on an instance recall task. Our results showed the weighting scheme giving beneficial results in batch studies did not do so with real users. Further analysis did identify other factors predictive of instance recall, including number of documents saved by the user, document recall, and number of documents seen by the user.
Requirement for the Polarisome and Formin Function in Ssk2p-Mediated Actin Recovery From Osmotic Stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Osmotic stress induces activation of an adaptive mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway in concert with disassembly of the actin cytoskeleton by a mechanism that is not understood. We have previously shown that the conserved actin-interacting MAP kinase kinase kinase Ssk2p/MEKK4, a member of the high-osmolarity glycerol (HOG) MAPK pathway of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, mediates recovery of the actin cytoskeleton following osmotic stress. In this study, we have employed in vitro kinase assays to show that Ssk2p kinase activity is activated for the actin recovery pathway via a noncanonical, Ssk1p-independent mechanism. Our work also shows that Ssk2p requires the polarisome proteins Bud6p and Pea2p to promote efficient, polarized actin reassembly but that this requirement can be bypassed by overexpression of Ssk2p. Formin (BNI1 or BNR1) and tropomyosin functions are also required for actin recovery but, unlike for Bud6p and Pea2p, these requirements cannot be bypassed by overexpression of Ssk2p. These results suggest that Ssk2p acts downstream of Bud6p and Pea2p and upstream of tropomyosin to drive actin recovery, possibly by upregulating the actin nucleation activity of the formins.
13.9 Climate Change and Aeolian Processes

Aeolian processes are widespread in the Earth system, especially in low- and mid-latitude dryland environments, and also affect other environments through transport and deposition of dust. Because water is an important limiting factor in most dryland environments, these processes are strongly affected by climate changes that affect the amount, type, and temporal and spatial distribution of precipitation, which affect the supply, availability, and mobility of sediment. Dust emissions, sand transport, and dune mobility are all strongly influenced by antecedent precipitation, which affects soil moisture and vegetation cover, although specific responses are generally complex and nonlinear. Models for the response of aeolian processes to climate change on annual to decadal scales can be developed on the basis of studies of modern short-term changes in climate (e.g., drought cycles), validated by reference to late Holocene and historical climate change.
An update on current standards and clinical trials in systemic therapy for stage III NSCLC

Despite a number of recent breakthroughs in the treatment of metastatic NSCLC, the management of patients with stage III disease remains a challenge. The standard of care remains concurrent chemoradiation, and though a number of treatment strategies have been studied, no novel approach has clearly shown a consistent benefit. Future studies will focus on treatment with targeted therapies in selected patient populations and the use of novel immunotherapeutic strategies, such as checkpoint inhibitors, as consolidation therapy. This paper will review ongoing efforts to utilize innovative approaches to improve outcomes in this potentially curable subset of patients.
Experimental Spinal Cord Injury

Much of the current research on mechanisms and treatments of injury to the spinal cord employs techniques for controlled impaction of the cord after laminectomy. The resultant injury and its sequelae are often conceived in terms of an acute phase, when progressive degradation occurs, and a chronic phase, when whatever compensatory mechanisms available must act. This chapter reviews previous attempts to affect the outcome of spinal cord contusion injuries using pharmacological approaches aimed at both the acute and chronic phases, attempts to relate studies of contusion injuries to studies of recovery of function after spinal transections and funiculotomies, and suggests future strategies for intervention that recognize the widely distributed effects of spinal lesions on the central nervous system. The use of a new, feedback-controlled impaction device in such studies is discussed, and the importance of careful, longitudinal assessments of motor function in animal models is stressed. Advances in the treatment of spinal cord injury will depend on the creative application of advances in basic neurobiology to controlled laboratory models incorporating behavioral, physiological, and morphological criteria of recovery.
Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy in Adult Chinese American Individuals: The Chinese American Eye Study.

Importance Chinese American individuals are a fast-growing segment of people in the United States, but the burden and effect of diabetic complications on this group of people is not fully understood. Objective To determine the age- and sex-specific prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) overall and by severity, duration of diabetes, and treatment history in adult Chinese American individuals. Design, Setting, and Participants The Chinese American Eye Study (CHES), a population-based, cross-sectional study, was conducted from February 2010 to October 2013 for 10 census tracts in Monterey Park, California. This analysis, conducted between February 16, 2010, and October 9, 2013, included 4582 Chinese residents 50 years and older. Main Outcomes and Measures Prevalence of nonproliferative DR, proliferative DR, and macular edema, as well as stereoscopic fundus photography of 7 standard Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study fields. Results Of the 4582 survey participants, most were first-generation immigrants from China (68.7%) and female (63%). In total, 736 participants (16.1%) were identified as having type 2 diabetes. Fundus photographs were gradable for 665 (90.4%) of these participants. The reproducibility of DR grading was evaluated throughout study and showed moderate to excellent agreement (weighted κ = 0.78-0.97). Diabetic retinopathy was present in 35.8% of people with diabetes (95% CI, 32.1%-39.6%). The estimated prevalence of severe nonproliferative DR and proliferative DR was 1.7% (95% CI, 0.8%-2.9%) and 2.4% (95% CI, 1.4%-3.9%), respectively. Macular edema was observed among 4.5% of people with diabetes (95% CI, 3.0%-6.4%), and clinically significant macular edema was observed among 2.0% (95% CI, 1.1%-3.3%). The prevalence of DR was higher (56%) among participants with a longer duration of diabetes (≥15 years; P Conclusions and Relevance Data from CHES and this study indicate that the prevalence of DR in the Chinese American Eye Study Group is relatively lower than studies of Chinese individuals residing in rural northern China or Latino individuals from Los Angeles County, California.
The IFITMs Inhibit Zika Virus Replication

Zika virus has emerged as a severe health threat with a rapidly expanding range. The IFITM family of restriction factors inhibits the replication of a broad range of viruses, including the closely related flaviruses West Nile virus and dengue virus. Here, we show that IFITM1 and IFITM3 inhibit Zika virus infection early in the viral life cycle. Moreover, IFITM3 can prevent Zika-virus-induced cell death. These results suggest that strategies to boost the actions and/or levels of the IFITMs might be useful for inhibiting a broad range of emerging viruses.
Microstructure Evolution of Biphasic TiNi 1+x Sn Thermoelectric Materials

The effects of thermal treatment on the microstructure of biphasic materials comprising half-Heusler (hH) and full-Heusler (fH) phases, as well as on their associated thermal conductivity, are discussed. The focus of this study was on a biphasic hH/fH alloy of nominal stoichiometry TiNi1.2Sn, synthesized by containerless (magnetic levitation) induction melting. The alloy samples were exposed to various heat treatments to generate microstructures containing second-phase precipitates ranging in size from ~10 nm to a few micrometers. The materials were characterized with regard to morphology, size, shape, and orientation relationship of the fH and hH phases, both of which were present as precipitates within larger regions of the counterpart phase. The solidification path of the alloy and its implications for the subsequent microstructure evolution during heat treatment were elucidated, and relationships with the ensuing thermal conductivity were characterized.
Cryovolcanism in the Outer Solar System

Cryovolcanism is defined as the extrusion of liquids and vapors of materials that would be frozen solid at the planetary surface temperatures of the icy bodies of the outer solar system. Active cryovolcanism is now known to occur on Saturn's moon Enceladus and on Neptune's moon Triton and is suspected on Jupiter's moon Europa, while evidence for past cryovolcanic activity is widespread throughout the outer solar system. This chapter examines the mechanisms and manifestations of cryovolcanism, beginning with a review of the materials that make up these unusual “magmas” and the means by which they might erupt and concluding with a volcanologist's tour of the farthest reaches of the solar system.
Modeling of Industrial Polymer Processes: Injection Molding and Blow Molding

In the last twenty years injection molding and blow molding have seen a rapid growth due to the development of new application areas in the automotive, sports and leisure, electronics, transportation and packaging industries. This success can be traced to the optimization of existing processes and to the development of new processing techniques employing novel concepts such as gas-assisted injection molding, co-injection, and 3D and sequential blow molding. The complexity of these new molding techniques calls for a much better understanding of the material behavior during the basic stages of the process and its relation to the properties and performance of the final part. These characteristics are directly dependent upon die and mold designs and on the operating conditions during extrusion, injection, inflation and cooling in the mold.
Autocrine Sonic Hedgehog Protects Multiple Myeloma Cells From Apoptosis and Enhances Drug Resistance

Abstract Abstract 2904 The secreted protein sonic hedgehog (SHH) and the hedgehog signaling are of great importance in proliferation and differentiation of cells in the hematopoietic system, and also play a vital role in oncogenesis of B cell malignance. However, the functions and mechanism of SHH signaling in multiple myeloma (MM) is mostly unknown. Thus far, aberrant activation of the hedgehog signaling in tumor growth promoting and/or survival capabilities as well as a paracrine model of SHH secretion have been demonstrated in MM. In the current study, we demonstrated a new autocrine SHH functioning manner in MM cells. The Shh mRNA and the SHH protein were highly expressed both in the MM cell lines and in purified CD138+ MM cells from patients using real-time PCR, Western Blot and immunohistochemistry analyses, respectively; and the SHH protein was also detected in the culture medium. Accordingly, the Hh ligand receptor PTCH1 and PTCH2 as well as the transcriptional factor GLI1 were all overexpressed in MM cells, indicating the activation of Hh signaling pathway. Autocrine SHH played a role in MM cells survival and protected MM cells from apoptosis in vitro, and autocrine SHH accelerated xenograft tumor growth in myeloma-SCID mouse model in vivo. Moreover, autocrine SHH enhanced drug resistance of MM cells, as SHH overexpressed CAG cells (SHH+CAG) had a significantly low apoptosis rate when treated with chemotherapy drugs dexamethasone or bortezomib, as compared with wild type cells (wt-CAG). On the contrary, SHH knockdown cells (SHH-CAG) had a dramatically higher apoptosis rate. Blocking autocrine SHH ligand and treating cells with dexamethasone or bortezomib significantly improved the drug killing effect. Finally, we found that upregulated BLC2 via SHH-Gli1signaling is the signaling pathway by which MM cells enhanced the drug resistance. Our study provides a new insight into the biologic function of the autocrine SHH in proliferation, survival and the drug resistance in the myeloma cells. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Selective beneficial cardiometabolic effects of vertical sleeve gastrectomy are predominantly mediated through glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) in Zucker diabetic fatty rats.

Abstract Background Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) level was significantly increased post Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (VSG), an effect believed to contribute to its beneficial cardiometabolic effects. Objective To validate the beneficial GLP-1 mediated cardiometabolic effects post VSG using GLP-1 antagonist (exendin 9-39) in Zucker diabetic fatty rats. Methods Animals were divided into three (n = 5) groups: (i) sham, (ii) VSG, and (iii) VSG received exendin 9–39 (GLP-1 receptor antagonist). The study was performed over 12 weeks and parameters were measured 12 weeks post-surgery. Results and discussion As expected, fasting blood glucose and insulin levels were improved post VSG due to enhanced GLP-1 secretion. However, both fasting glucose and insulin levels were impaired in the presence of GLP-1 antagonist. Baseline total cholesterol level pre-surgery was 100±1 mg/dl which remained unchanged in the VSG group but significantly increased to 140±8 mg/dl in the presence of antagonist. Interestingly, post-surgery there was a nearly 70% reduction in triglyceride level in the VSG group compared to sham which was overcome in the presence of antagonist. Myographic studies using aortic rings showed no significant change between groups. Additionally, blood pressure and heart rate also remained unchanged in all groups. Serum bile acid and L-PGDS levels increased post VSG but significantly decreased in the presence of antagonist, suggesting a strong association with GLP-1 and a novel mechanism of action. Conclusion Enhanced GLP-1 secretion post VSG imparted beneficial cardiometabolic effects on blood glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, bile acids and L-PGDS levels which were abated in the presence of GLP-1 antagonist.
Adequate lymph node evaluation in the elderly is associated with improved survival in patients with stage I-III colon cancer: A validation study using the National Cancer Data Base.

Abstract Background Lymph node involvement (LNI) is an important prognostic factor in colon cancer. But, variations in LNI among different age groups are less known. Adequate lymph node evaluation (LNE) requires assessment of ≥12 nodes. In our previous study, using Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) data, we demonstrated that older patients are less likely to have LNI (Khan et al. 2014). Our current study validates those findings using National Cancer Data Base (NCDB). Methods NCDB was queried for patients diagnosed with stages I–III colon adenocarcinoma from 2004 to 2008 who underwent surgical resections. Pearson Chi-square test and Cox proportional hazards regression model were utilized for statistical analysis. Results A cohort of 97,831 patients was identified for analysis. Among patients belonging to 18–64, 65–74 and >75 years age groups, frequency of adequate LNE was 73.6%, 69% and 67.4% respectively, with pathologically confirmed LNI rates being 44.7%, 37.8% and 29.3% respectively (p Conclusion Adequate LNE is very crucial for appropriate staging of colon cancer, and carries a high prognostic value. This study validates our previous findings of lower rates of LNI in elderly and reiterates the importance of adequate LNE, which is associated with improved survival. Also identified were increasing rates of adequate LNE over the years, with corresponding improvement in OS.
Viscoelastic finite element analysis of residual stresses in porcelain-veneered zirconia dental crowns.

Abstract The main problem of porcelain-veneered zirconia (PVZ) dental restorations is chipping and delamination of veneering porcelain owing to the development of deleterious residual stresses during the cooling phase of veneer firing. The aim of this study is to elucidate the effects of cooling rate, thermal contraction coefficient and elastic modulus on residual stresses developed in PVZ dental crowns using viscoelastic finite element methods (VFEM). A three-dimensional VFEM model has been developed to predict residual stresses in PVZ structures using ABAQUS finite element software and user subroutines. First, the newly established model was validated with experimentally measured residual stress profiles using Vickers indentation on flat PVZ specimens. An excellent agreement between the model prediction and experimental data was found. Then, the model was used to predict residual stresses in more complex anatomically-correct crown systems. Two PVZ crown systems with different thermal contraction coefficients and porcelain moduli were studied: VM9/Y-TZP and LAVA/Y-TZP. A sequential dual-step finite element analysis was performed: heat transfer analysis and viscoelastic stress analysis. Controlled and bench convection cooling rates were simulated by applying different convective heat transfer coefficients 1.7E-5 W/mm2 °C (controlled cooling) and 0.6E-4 W/mm2 °C (bench cooling) on the crown surfaces exposed to the air. Rigorous viscoelastic finite element analysis revealed that controlled cooling results in lower maximum stresses in both veneer and core layers for the two PVZ systems relative to bench cooling. Better compatibility of thermal contraction coefficients between porcelain and zirconia and a lower porcelain modulus reduce residual stresses in both layers.
Team-based learning and student performance: Preliminary evidence from a principles of macroeconomics classroom

Abstract This paper surveys the evolution of student grades, assessment of student learning, and student engagement in Principles of Macroeconomics over a four-year period, where the method of instruction was changed from traditional lecture to Team-Based Learning (TBL). Findings are that under TBL, student grades were higher, both overall and on a final examination that remained unchanged across the two instructional formats. In addition, TBL students performed better on three measures used to assess student learning of basic course concepts of supply and demand, exchange rates and net exports, and economic policy. Further, students in the TBL sections report more engagement and better ability to think independently, as measured by student course evaluations. Overall, the study suggests that the Principles of Macroeconomics classroom is adaptable to the TBL format, and that TBL is correlated with positive outcomes for students. In addition to these results, this paper includes discussion and examples illustrating the process through which TBL was implemented.
What's Missing in Teaching Probability and Statistics: Building Cognitive Schema for Understanding Random Phenomena.

Teaching probability and statistics is more than teaching the mathematics itself. Historically, the mathematics of probability and statistics was first developed through analyzing games of chance such as the rolling of dice. This article makes the case that the understanding of probability and statistics is dependent upon building a “mature” understanding of common random phenomena such as the rolling of dice or the blind drawing of balls from an urn. An analysis of the verbalizations of 24 college students, who interact with random phenomena involving the mixture of colored marbles, is presented, using cognitive schema to represent the subjects’ expressed understanding. A cognitive schema representing a mature understanding is contrasted to a diversity of observed immature understandings. Teaching to explicitly build the mature cognitive schema is proposed. First published November 2016 at Statistics Education Research Journal Archives
Optimization and scale up of microfluidic nanolipomer production method for preclinical and potential clinical trials

The process of optimization and fabrication of nanoparticle synthesis for preclinical studies can be challenging and time consuming. Traditional small scale laboratory synthesis techniques suffer from batch to batch variability. Additionally, the parameters used in the original formulation must be re-optimized due to differences in fabrication techniques for clinical production. Several low flow microfluidic synthesis processes have been reported in recent years for developing nanoparticles that are a hybrid between polymeric nanoparticles and liposomes. However, use of high flow microfluidic synthetic techniques has not been described for this type of nanoparticle system, which we will term as nanolipomer. In this manuscript, we describe the successful optimization and functional assessment of nanolipomers fabricated using a microfluidic synthesis method under high flow parameters. The optimal total flow rate for synthesis of these nanolipomers was found to be 12 ml/min and flow rate ratio 1:1 (organic phase: aqueous phase). The PLGA polymer concentration of 10 mg/ml and a DSPE-PEG lipid concentration of 10% w/v provided optimal size, PDI and stability. Drug loading and encapsulation of a representative hydrophobic small molecule drug, curcumin, was optimized and found that high encapsulation efficiency of 58.8% and drug loading of 4.4% was achieved at 7.5% w/w initial concentration of curcumin/PLGA polymer. The final size and polydispersity index of the optimized nanolipomer was 102.11 nm and 0.126, respectively. Functional assessment of uptake of the nanolipomers in C4-2B prostate cancer cells showed uptake at 1 h and increased uptake at 24 h. The nanolipomer was more effective in the cell viability assay compared to free drug. Finally, assessment of in vivo retention in mice of these nanolipomers revealed retention for up to 2 h and were completely cleared at 24 h. In this study, we have demonstrated that a nanolipomer formulation can be successfully synthesized and easily scaled up through a high flow microfluidic system with optimal characteristics. The process of developing nanolipomers using this methodology is significant as the same optimized parameters used for small batches could be translated into manufacturing large scale batches for clinical trials through parallel flow systems.
Understanding gate metal work function (mWF) impact on device reliability — A holistic approach

The effect on device reliability mechanisms due to gate metal work function (mWF) in thin and thick gate oxide FinFETs is shown here. Lower BTI is noticed for increasing WFM1 thickness for thin oxide nFETs while higher degradation is seen for thin and thick oxide pFETs. For HCI, the degradation does not correlate and is seen to be independent of WFM1 thickness. For TDDB, t63% increases with increasing V t caused by modulation in WFM1 thickness. A dual trend is noticed in relationship with gate oxide leakage for pFETs for BTI and TDDB. A physical model is proposed which explains the observed reliability behavior.
Alternative Non-homologous End-Joining: Mechanisms and Targeting Strategies in Cancer

Repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSB)s is essential to the growth and survival of normal as well as cancer cells. Alteration of DSB repair properties in cancer cells can not only drive genomic instability, but also confer increased sensitivity to DSB-inducing agents. Development of agents that selectively inhibit DSB repair pathways will facilitate the design of therapeutic strategies that exploit the differences in DSB repair properties between normal and cancer cells. While mechanisms for classic non-homologous end joining (C-NHEJ) and Homologous recombination (HR) DSB repair pathways have been well studied in cancer, less is known about the alternative and highly error-prone, ALT-NHEJ pathway. Here, we discuss the mechanisms for ALT-NHEJ, alterations in this repair pathway in cancer, inhibition of ALT-NHEJ and future directions for cancer therapies that target this pathway.
Characterization of field emission from carbon nanotube fibers in varying cathode-anode gaps

This paper presents field emission (FE) from a single carbon nanotube (CNT) fiber with varying anode- cathode (AK) gap distances. We found that the field enhancement factor depends strongly on the finite AK gap distance, due to the combination of geometrical effects and possible fiber morphology change. The slope drop in the Fowler-Northeim (FN) plot of the FE data in the high voltage is related to the electrical contact resistance between the CNT fiber and the substrate.
Sand Seas of the Solar System

Jani Radebaugh of Brigham Young University journeys to a different kind of ocean: seas of sand. Dune-covered deserts have an ocean-like quality. The sheer volume of constantly moving material, the challenge to navigation and survival, and the regular undulations of sand akin to waves on water in oceans led explorers and scientists to term these regions on Earth “sand seas”. Radebaugh provides an overview of the bizarre dune seas on Venus, Earth, Mars and Titan.
Other Skeletal Diseases Resulting from G Protein Defects: Fibrous Dysplasia of Bone and McCune-Albright Syndrome

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on fibrous dysplasia (FD) of bone and McCune–Albright Syndrome (MAS), which are caused due to defects in G proteins. FD is a benign focal bone lesion composed of fibrous connective tissue with interspersed spicules of immature woven bone and, occasionally, islands of cartilaginous tissue. The lesions usually expand concentrically from the medullary cavity toward the cortex, which results in thinning of the surrounding cortical bone. These lesions may be asymptomatic but often present with local swelling, pain, deformity, or fracture. Involvement of the craniofacial bones may lead to symptoms of nerve entrapment. In the majority of cases patients present with a single focus of FD, referred to as monostotic fibrous dysplasia (MOFD), whereas a minority of patients have multiple bone lesions, referred to as polyostotic fibrous dysplasia (POFD). Among the patients with POFD, a small number have either pigmented "cafe-au-lait" lesions on the skin and/or endocrinopathies resulting in autonomous hypersecretion of multiple hormones. This constellation is known as McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS). MAS was first described as a specific syndrome distinct from neurofibromatosis and hyperparathyroidism in the 1930s. The classical clinical triad, which has generally defined the syndrome, is the cooccurrence of sexual precocity, POFD, and areas of skin hyperpigmentation (cafe-au-lait spots). However, multiple other endocrine abnormalities, including thyroid nodules and hyperthyroidism, adrenal hyperplasia and hypercortisolism, pituitary tumors with acromegaly and hyperprolactinemia and hypophosphatemic tickets or osteomalacia, can also be present. Other nonendocrine abnormalities that are also occasionally present, affect the liver, heart, thymus, spleen, bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract, and the brain.
Intra-osseous ganglion

Intraosseous ganglia are histologically identical to their soft tissue counterparts. Most commonly seen adjacent to the hip, ankles, knee, or wrist, they are often mistaken for other neoplasms occurring in the epiphysis. We discuss the characteristic clinical, radiological, and pathologic features of four cases of intraosseous ganglia. Intraosseous ganglia should be included in the differential diagnosis of well-demarcated lucent epiphyseal lesions of bone.
Powering software sustainability with blockchain

Software sustainability is a systematic challenge that impacts broad segments of software systems. Software codebases must evolve overtime to address changing contexts and adapt to the flux in middlewares and platforms. In the process, it accumulates arbitrary complexities and its maintenance becomes progressively difficult. Current sustainability approaches focus on the symptoms and tend to be reactive in nature, and ignore the fundamental incentive structures that drive decision-making processes. Moreover, contemporary approaches are insensitive to the uniqueness of each software project context and operate on the assumption that sustainability measurements are universally applicable to the majority of software systems. This paper introduces a fundamentally novel peer-driven approach to managing software sustainability. The methodology ensures that software teams can define their own sustainability measures that adequately address the unique context of their project and its priorities. These measures are dynamically defined by the project peers to ensure their applicability as the project context evolves. Finally, the paper introduces Susereum, a blockchain platform that materializes the methodology and establishes novel incentive structures to systematically promote software sustainability throughout the project lifecycle.
National estimates of the use and outcomes of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation after acute trauma

Background The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as salvage therapy for patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome is gaining greater acceptance among trauma intensivists. The objective of this study was to review ECMO usage in trauma patients in the USA. Methods The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) from years 2002 to 2012 was queried for patients aged 15 and older treated with ECMO who had one or more acute traumatic injuries as defined by the International Diagnostic Codes, Ninth Edition (ICD-9). The primary outcomes of interest were incidence of ECMO and overall inpatient mortality. Results A total of 1347 patients were identified in the NIS database who had both ECMO performed and ICD-9 codes consistent with trauma. Patients were predominantly aged 15 to 29 years (31.4%) and were male (65.5%). The incidence of ECMO for patients after traumatic injuries has increased 66-fold during the 10-year period. In-hospital mortality was 48.0% overall, with a decreasing trend during the study period that approached statistical significance (p=0.06). Discussion Although ECMO use in patients in the post-trauma setting remains controversial, there is an increasing trend to use ECMO nationwide, suggesting an increasing acceptance and/or increased availability at trauma centers. Given the decrease in mortality during the study period, ECMO as a salvage method in trauma patients remains a potentially viable option. Evaluation in a prospective manner may clarify risks and benefits. Level of evidence Level IV, epidemiological.
An analysis of enhanced tree trimming effectiveness on reducing power outages.

Abstract We evaluated the effectiveness of an enhanced tree trimming (ETT) program for its ability to reduce tree-related power outages, and thereby improve resilience, on an electric utility distribution system during storm events. Evaluations encompassed thirteen years of trimming ( i.e. 2005–2017) data and were performed for both backbone and lateral utility lines. Backbones included all three phase lines between a substation and a faultable device whereas all other lines were considered laterals. The study site spanned the entire state of Connecticut, where the dominant vegetation is temperate deciduous forest. We controlled for variations in weather, tree cover, and wire type, by pairing ETT-treated zones with nearby untreated zones. ETT-treated conductors had storm outage rates that were 0.07–0.36 outages/km/year lower than untreated conductors or 35–180% lower than the service-area's average annual outage rate for untreated conductors. ETT-treatment was associated with lower outage rates for “minor” outage types ( i.e., blown fuse, tripped recloser, etc.) but the treatment effect was not statistically significant for “major” outage types (damaged poles or wires). System-wide ETT application, for the approximately 27,000 km of conductors in the study area, was predicted to reduce annual storm-related outages by an average of 81–104 and 318–759 outages/year for backbone and lateral lines, respectively. Our study provided a robust empirical evaluation of ETT and also proposes a geospatial methodology that controls for variations in weather and environment.
Directing chemotaxis-based spatial self-organisation via biased, random initial conditions

ABSTRACTInspired by the chemotaxis interaction of living cells, we have developed an agent-based approach for self-organising shape formation. Since all our simulations begin with a different uniform random configuration and our agents move stochastically, it has been observed that the self-organisation process may form two or more stable final configurations. These differing configurations may be characterised via statistical moments of the agents' locations. In order to direct the agents to robustly form one specific configuration, we generate biased initial conditions whose statistical moments are related to moments of the desired configuration. With this approach, we are able to successfully direct the aggregating swarms to produce a desired macroscopic shape, starting from randomised initial conditions with controlled statistical properties.
Foundry-fabricated Inverse Designed Photonics

Fabrication-constrained inverse-designed silicon photonic devices are fabricated at a foundry and experimentally characterized, including a spatial mode demultiplexer with measured < 1.25 dB insertion loss.
“Sous Les Pavés, Le Gitan,” Or a Romani Counter-Narrative to May 1968

AbstractAlthough it occurred mostly during the same period as the revolts of May 1968, and it was hugely consequential for the Roma social movement, the “Romani revolution” is generally absent from...
CORONARY ARTERY ECTASIA PRESENTING AS A STEMI

Coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) is a focal dilatation of a coronary segment. Coronary artery ectasia involves a more diffuse lesion. They both occur in 1-5 % of patients undergoing coronary angiography. CAA’s are rarely responsible for acute coronary syndrome. Their management remains problematic
Evaluation of deep learning segmentation for rapid, patient-specific CT organ dose estimation using an LBTE solver

The overall goal of this work is to develop a rapid, accurate and fully automated software tool to estimate patient-specific organ doses from CT scans using a deterministic Linear Boltzmann Transport Equation (LBTE) solver (Acuros CTD) and deep-learning CT segmentation algorithms. This study evaluated the accuracy of deep learning segmentation for estimating organ dose from dose maps generated by Acuros. The study focused on pediatric CT due to increased radiation concerns and segmentation challenges for the pediatric population. Organs relevant to CT dosimetry were manually contoured by experts in 246 pediatric chest-abdomen-pelvis CT datasets to serve as ground truth. A fully convolutional network based on a modified V-net architecture was trained and tuned using 226 pediatric datasets ranging in age from 1 to 16 years. An additional twenty datasets were used for preliminary evaluation. The accuracy of organ dose estimates obtained from deep learning segmentation was evaluated relative to doses obtained from the ground truth contours. The deep learning segmentation algorithm resulted in low dose errors for all organs, with a mean absolute error across test patients of 1% or less and a maximum error of 3.5% for the heart. There was high similarity between deep learning and expert contours, with mean Dice coefficients across patients greater than or equal to 0.95. There was no correlation between organ dose error or Dice coefficient with the patient age. Based on statistical analysis of students paired T-test, there was no statistically significant difference between organ doses estimated using the deep learning contours as compared to the expert ground truth contours (p>0.2). Overall, the deep learning segmentation models applied to dose maps generated by the LBTE solver (Acuros CTD) resulted in high organ dose accuracy. Additional evaluation is planned for more organ structures and patient datasets.
Chapter 110 – Genomics

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses insect's genomics. Any study of an insect's genome fundamentally requires that the sequence of nucleotide bases that make up the chromosomes and mitochondria be determined. Genome-sequencing projects typically concentrate on the euchromatic portion of the genome, which contain most of the genes, and ignore the highly repetitive heterochromatic portions. The modern technique of genome sequencing relies on fragmenting the genome into small random sections, 300–1000 nucleotide long, obtaining the sequence of these sections, and finally assembling these sections into larger fragments. The two main advantages of this method are speed and relatively low cost compared to earlier methods that concentrated on sequencing specific regions on the chromosome. The aim of functional genomics is to describe and understand the pattern of gene expression. It has been established that gene expression is influenced by the expression of many genes. Before the entire set of Drosophila genes became known, study of gene expression relied heavily on the generation of fruit fly mutants for specific genes and on deducting the function of these genes based on observation of physical or behavioral differences compared to wild-type flies. While generating mutant Drosophila flies is far easier than for any other insect, it remains a time consuming and labor intensive task. The sequencing of the Drosophila genome revolutionizes the study of insect gene expression by making microarray assays possible for the entire set of Drosophila genes.
The relationship between treatment intensity and characteristics of patients with early-stage breast cancer.

125Background: Clinical trials are used to generate standard-of-care, yet often do not reflect patient populations treated in real-world settings. Elderly patients or patients of color who are ofte...
Structural basis for differential recognition of phosphohistidine-containing peptides by 1-pHis and 3-pHis monoclonal antibodies

In 2015, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that selectively recognize the 1-pHis or 3-pHis isoforms of phosphohistidine were developed by immunizing rabbits with degenerate Ala/Gly peptides containing the nonhydrolyzable phosphohistidine (pHis) analog- phosphotriazolylalanine (pTza). Here, we report structures of five rabbit mAbs bound to cognate pTza peptides: SC1-1 and SC50-3 that recognize 1-pHis, and their 3-pHis-specific counterparts, SC39-4, SC44-8, and SC56-2. These cocrystal structures provide insights into the binding modes of the pTza phosphate group that are distinct for the 1- and 3-pHis mAbs with the selectivity arising from specific contacts with the phosphate group and triazolyl ring. The mode of phosphate recognition in the 3-pHis mAbs recapitulates the Walker A motif, as present in kinases. The complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) of four of the Fabs interact with the peptide backbone rather than peptide side chains, thus conferring sequence independence, whereas SC44-8 shows a proclivity for binding a GpHAGA motif mediated by a sterically complementary CDRL3 loop. Specific hydrogen bonding with the triazolyl ring precludes recognition of pTyr and other phosphoamino acids by these mAbs. Kinetic binding experiments reveal that the affinity of pHis mAbs for pHis and pTza peptides is submicromolar. Bound pHis mAbs also shield the pHis peptides from rapid dephosphorylation. The epitope-paratope interactions illustrate how these anti-pHis antibodies are useful for a wide range of research techniques and this structural information can be utilized to improve the specificity and affinity of these antibodies toward a variety of pHis substrates to understand the role of histidine phosphorylation in healthy and diseased states.
Between One and One Another

Michael Jackson extends his path-breaking work in existential anthropology by focusing on the interplay between two modes of human existence: that of participating in other peoples' lives and that of turning inward to one's self. Grounding his discussion in the subtle shifts between being acted upon and taking action, Jackson shows how the historical complexities and particularities found in human interactions reveal the dilemmas, conflicts, cares, and concerns that shape all of our lives. Through portraits of individuals encountered in the course of his travels, including friends and family, and anthropological fieldwork pursued over many years in such places as Sierra Leone and Australia, Jackson explores variations on this theme. As he describes the ways we address and negotiate the vexed relationships between "I" and "we" - the one and the many - he is also led to consider the place of thought in human life.
Parallel Vector Lock-In Thermal Wave IR Video Imaging of Microcracks in Cu Foils Deposited on Polyimide

Recently, the concept of area-wide lock-in detection in infrared video imaging and its application to thermal wave imaging was demonstrated.[1] This technique combines the lock-in detection method with an IR video camera and almost real-time digital image processing to form a parallel vector lock-in thermal wave IR video imaging system. In this method each pixel of an image is processed in the manner similar to the lock-in detection method while the sample is excited (heated) synchronously with a square-wave modulated joule heating. The synchronous detection allows the non-synchronous background radiation to be subtracted from the signal resulting in an enhanced signal-to-noise ratio, thus allowing the signal of interest to be measured even in situations where it is completely masked by noise. The advantage of IR detection (8–12 µm) and high speed data acquisition combined with the area-wide lock-in detection makes this a unique thermal wave imaging technique for non-destructive evaluation. In this paper we report the application of this lock-in thermal wave IR video imaging technique using ac Joule heating to the imaging of microcracks in Cu foils deposited on polyimide substrates. Comparison of the lock-in video images of good and faulty samples are presented.
Résilience et application aux protocoles de routage dans les réseaux de capteurs

This thesis focuses on the security issues of multi-hop routing protocols for Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). The rapid deployment capabilities, due to the lack of infrastructure, as well as the self organized and potentially fault-tolerant nature of WSNs make them attractive for multiple applications spanning from environmental monitoring (temperature, pollution, etc.) to building industrial automation (electricity/gas/water metering, event detection, home automation etc). Security is particularly challenging in WSNs. Because of their open and unattended deployment, in possibly hostile environments, powerful adversaries can easily launch Denial-of-Service (Dos) attacks, cause physical damage to sensors, or even capture them to extract sensitive information (encryption keys, identities, addresses etc.). After node compromise, an adversary can seek to disrupt the functionality of network layer by launching attacks such as node replication, Sybil, Selective forwarding, Sinkhole, Wormhole etc. To cope with these "insider" attacks, stemming from node compromise, "beyond cryptography" algorithmic solutions must be envisaged to complement the traditional cryptographic solutions. Firstly, we propose the resiliency concept including our definition and a new metric to compare routing protocols. This method allows to aggregate meaningfully several parameters (quantitative information) and makes it easier to visually discern various tradeoffs (qualitative information), thus greatly simplifying the process of protocol comparison. Secondly, we propose the protocol behaviors enhancing resiliency. Our proposition consists in three strategies: (i) introduce random behaviors (ii) limit route length (iii) introduce data replication. These mechanisms are applied to several well known routing protocols to study their resiliency. Finally, a theoretical study of resiliency is introduced. We present an analytical study of biased random walks under attacks to confirm the results obtained through simulations.
Characterizations of Riemannian space forms, Einstein spaces and conformally flat spaces

In a recent paper the first author introduced two sequences of Riemannian invariants on a Riemannian manifold M, denoted respectively by 6(nl,... ,nk) and 5(ni,... ,nk), which trivially satisfy 6(ni,... ,nk) > 6(n,... , nk). In this article, we completely determine the Riemannian manifolds satisfying the condition 6(nfl,... , nk) = S(nl,... ,nk). By applying the notions of these 6-invariants, we establish new characterizations of Einstein and conformally flat spaces; thus generalizing two well-known results of Singer-Thorpe and of Kulkarni.