cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fault grading of large digital systems

Cost-effective and accurate fault simulation of very large digital designs on engineering workstations is proposed. The hierarchical approach reduces memory requirements drastically by storing the structure of common repeated subcircuits only once. The approach allows flexible multilevel simulation. The simulation algorithms are at the switch-level so that general MOS digital designs with bidirectional signal flow can be handled, and both stuck-at and transistor faults are treated accurately. The fault simulation algorithms have been implemented as a prototype that was used to determine the fault grade of a model of the Motorola 68000 microprocessor on SUN Microsystems workstations. >
QUANTIFYING CORN NITROGEN DEFICIENCY AND APPLICATION RATE WITH ACTIVE CANOPY SENSORS

Precision agriculture technologies are an integral part of many crop production operations. However, implementation for N application has lagged, primarily due to lack of a viable system for variable N rate decisions. Active canopy sensors have been developed as a tool to determine plant N stress deficiency and provide an on-the-go decision for implementing variable rate. Two general approaches could be implemented. One is to plan on conducting canopy sensing each year, with a reduced N rate applied preplant, at planting, or early sidedress and then sensing conducted at mid-vegetative growth to determine additional application need. A second is to conduct sensing only if conditions result in N loss from the primary N application, or other factors change expected crop requirements. Both approaches could address variable N fertilization and seasonal circumstances.
Ge Surface Displacements Due to Low Energy Particles

The production of surface defects by low energy {sup 4}He and Xe ions incident on very smooth Ge(001) 2 {times} 1 surfaces is reported. Roughening at {minus}50{degree}C by 100--500 eV is measured by RHEED in real-time using the intensity of the out-of-phase specular beam. For He the surface displacements per ion range from 0.05 to 0.3 and are comparable to our binary collision predictions of the surface vacancy production rate for a displacement threshold energy of 11 eV (3/4's of bulk value). For Se the rate ranges from 2 to 10 ({approximately}) and falls between the calculated total vacancy and total defect (vacancy + interstitial) production rates.
Some Effects of Calcium Ions on the Action Potential of Single Nodes of Ranvier

Action potentials of single frog nerve fibers were recorded with the air-gap method in "low Ca" (0.26 mM) and "high Ca" (4.2 mM) solutions and compared to spikes in normal Ringer's (1.05 mM Ca). On increasing (Ca)o the action potentials became shorter, the "knee" during the falling phase as well as the threshold for abolition moved to internal potentials more positive, and the spike recovery during the relative refractory period was faster. Outward current pulses applied during an action potential affected its configuration more in low Ca than in high Ca. The onset of the delayed rectification (in the absence of Na) was found faster in high Ga. After-potentials during anelectrotonus declined more rapidly in high Ca than in low Ca. The results are compared primarily with the voltage-clamp analysis of Ca effects on squid axons and satisfactory qualitative agreement is reached.
Fracture Mechanics of Concrete Gravity Dams

A comprehensive investigation on the behavior of cracked concrete gravity dams using fracture mechanics concepts through a series of parametric studies is presented. The effect of various forms of loading, concrete age and anisotropy on the stress intensity factors, direction of crack profiles, crack lengths and stress redistribution is assessed.
On the computation of optimal strategies for large scale control problems

This paper studies the numerical feasibility of the decomposition method of large scale optimal control problems proposed in [3]. A parallel algorithm based on the second order method is developed and compared with the first order gradient method. Since the convergence speed of low level sub-problems plays an important role in the computation time of the overall problem, a heuristics is proposed to improve the low level convergence speed. A numerical example is used to compare the second order method with the first order gradient method as well as the one level gradient method. It is also used to demonstrate the improvement of the computational efficiency for the low level subproblems.
Antibiotic-associated diarrhea: epidemiology, trends and treatment

A common complication of antibiotic use is the development of gastrointestinal disease. This complication ranges from mild diarrhea to pseudomembranous colitis. Outbreaks of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) may also occur in healthcare settings, usually caused by Clostridium difficile. AAD typically occurs in 5-35% of patients taking antibiotics and varies depending upon the specific type of antibiotic, the health of the host and exposure to pathogens. The pathogenesis of AAD may be mediated through the disruption of the normal microbiota resulting in pathogen overgrowth or metabolic imbalances. The key to addressing AAD is prompt diagnosis followed by effective treatment and institution of control measures. Areas of active research include the search for other etiologies and more effective treatments.
Zinc Reduces the Inhibitory Effect of Cadmium on the Proliferation of Bovine Corneal Endothelial Cells In Vitro

AbstractCadmium chloride at 0.25 µg/ml inhibited the proliferation of bovine cor-neal endothelial cells in vitro 24 hr after treatment during the preconfluent stage. The growth curve was significantly lowered with a slight increase in nuclei/mm2 after 1 week. The cadmium-treated cells at 120 hr became elongated and spindle-shaped. This morphologic change was more conspicuous at 168 hr. When cadmium-treated cells were treated simultaneously with 0.25 or 1 µg/ml zinc chloride, their growth curves were significantly elevated, which suggests that zinc reduces cadmium toxicity on this cell type. At 168 hr, however, these zinc-ameliorated cells were morphologically different from the control cells and the growth curves were statistically lower than the control. The present results suggest that the preconfluent model of bovine corneal endothelial cells can be used as a sensitive toxicity evaluation test based on changes in the growth curve of the cells.
Tactile Displays for Increased Spatial and Temporal Bandwidth in Haptic Feedback

We are investigating tactile feedback modalities designed to convey high frequency vibratory information and small-scale object shape. Vibrotactile feedback systems transmit information about textures and events like contact and slip that reveal the mechanical state of the remote environment. Shape display devices consist of regular arrays of pin elements that rest against the user’s finger tip. Each pin is raised and lowered to approximate the desired surface shape on the skin. Experiments with prototype tactile feedback systems help improve our understanding of human tactile information requirements and to determine the relationship between task characteristics and the benefits of tactile feedback.
Comparison of Two Different Sprint Interval Training Work-to-Rest Ratios on Acute Inflammatory Responses.

The study aims to compare how work-to-rest ratio (W:R) influences insulin sensitivity (Si) and inflammatory responses following one session of sprint interval training (SIT). Thirteen men and two women completed a cross-over comparison of two SIT interventions—Tabata (TAB), 10 × 20-s sprints/10-s rest, and Wingate (WIN), 5 × 30-s sprints with 270-s rest. IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α were assessed at baseline, immediately following, and 1 h after SIT, as well as prior to the 24-h post-exercise oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs). Participants were 23.8 (±3.5) years old and 180.0 (±10.2) cm tall, weighed 78.5 (13.0) kg, and had 16.9 (±6.5) % body fat, with a mean VO2Peak of 42.0 (±7.9) ml kg−1 min−1. There were no differences in total work (kJ) between TAB (64.7 ± 12.0) and WIN (68.0 ± 15.0). Mean (±95 % CI) Si 24 h changed −2.8 (−5.1, −0.5) from baseline after TAB and −3.9 (−6.9, −0.9) after WIN. Cytokines were measured in pg ml−1 and expressed as mean change (±95 % CI). IL-6 increased significantly immediately following SIT for TAB 0.70 (0.23, 1.17), and WIN 1.11 (0.60, 1.62), and remained elevated 1 h post SIT for TAB 1.10 (0.37, 1.83), and WIN 0.95 (0.26, 1.65). IL-10 showed a significant positive change immediately following exercise for TAB 1.53 (0.77, 2.29) and WIN 1.59 (0.58, 2.59). TNF-α also increased immediately both TAB 3.26 (1.57, 4.96) and WIN 3.05 (0.56, 5.54) and was directly proportional to IL-10 (r = 0.64, p < 0.0001). W:R did not alter either the inflammatory or metabolic response following SIT nor does SIT improve 24-h Si, despite increased levels of IL-10.
Application of Nanoindentation to Characterize Fracture in ILD Films Used in the BEOL.

It is of importance to understand cracking behavior in low dielectric constant, low modulus materials. Nanoindentation method is presented as a tool to estimate the critical film thickness, thickness above which spontaneous cracking could occur, for ILD films used in the BEOL. The critical film thickness was then used to calculate cohesive energies and fracture toughness of the films. Materials were investigated using nanoindentation combined with AFM imaging. The results were compared to data acquired by four point bend methods.
The Role of Autophagy, Mitophagy and Lysosomal Functions in Modulating Bioenergetics and Survival in the Context of Redox and Proteotoxic Damage: Implications for Neurodegenerative Diseases

Redox and proteotoxic stress contributes to age-dependent accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria and protein aggregates, and is associated with neurodegeneration. The free radical theory of aging inspired many studies using reactive species scavengers such as alpha-tocopherol, ascorbate and coenzyme Q to suppress the initiation of oxidative stress. However, clinical trials have had limited success in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. We ascribe this to the emerging literature which suggests that the oxidative stress hypothesis does not encompass the role of reactive species in cell signaling and therefore the interception with reactive species with antioxidant supplementation may result in disruption of redox signaling. In addition, the accumulation of redox modified proteins or organelles cannot be reversed by oxidant intercepting antioxidants and must then be removed by alternative mechanisms. We have proposed that autophagy serves this essential function in removing damaged or dysfunctional proteins and organelles thus preserving neuronal function and survival. In this review, we will highlight observations regarding the impact of autophagy regulation on cellular bioenergetics and survival in response to reactive species or reactive species generating compounds, and in response to proteotoxic stress.
Ab Initio Computation of Thermochemistry and Kinetics in the Oxidation of Gas Phase Silicon Species

Ab initio molecular orbital calculations coupled to RRKM reaction rate theory have been conducted on some important reactions involved in the oxidation of silane in a high-temperature/high H2O environment. The results indicate thatH2O acts as an oxygen donor to SiH2 to form H3SiOH or SiH2O. Subsequent reactions involve the formation of (HSiOOH, H2Si(OH)2,:Si(OH)2 or SiO). In turn SiO polymerizes into planar rings, without an activation energy barrier. A list of calculated thermochemical data are also presented for a number of equilibrium species.
Hierarchical Self-Assembly of a Biomimetic Diblock Copolypeptoid into Homochiral Superhelices

The aqueous self-assembly of a sequence-specific bioinspired peptoid diblock copolymer into monodisperse superhelices is demonstrated to be the result of a hierarchical process, strongly dependent on the charging level of the molecule. The partially charged amphiphilic diblock copolypeptoid 30-mer, [N-(2-phenethyl)glycine](15)-[N-(2-carboxyethyl)glycine](15), forms superhelices in high yields, with diameters of 624 ± 69 nm and lengths ranging from 2 to 20 μm. Chemical analogs coupled with X-ray scattering and crystallography of a model compound have been used to develop a hierarchical model of self-assembly. Lamellar stacks roll up to form a supramolecular double helical structure with the internal ordering of the stacks being mediated by crystalline aromatic side chain-side chain interactions within the hydrophobic block. The role of electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions in the hydrophilic block is also investigated and found to be important in the self-assembly process.
E-044 Impact and outcomes of physiologic imaging for acute stroke patient selection for endovascular therapy

Background There are more than 700 000 new or recurrent strokes that occur in the USA each year. The majority are due to acute cerebral ischemia. Limited clinical data exist on the practical utilization of perfusion imaging patient based selection and outcomes. Methods At a state university academic institution, the number of stroke patients treated between 9/2006 and 12/2009 were recorded. They were split into two groups. The first group were those selected and treated historically by the time from symptom onset and clinical presentation (9/2006–12/2007). The second group were those selected through the Brain Attack Triage system triaging system utilizing clinical presentation National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) in addition to standard anatomic and perfusion CT imaging (1/2008–12/2009), irrespective of time from symptom onset. The clinical and angiographic outcomes will be reported only for those utilizing the perfusion based approach because of the limited number of patients prior to this. A retrospective chart review was performed to identify age, concurrent administration of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV tPa), time to treatment, presenting NIHSS, 90 day modified Rankin scale (mRS) and angiographic recanalization rates. Results The number of patients treated from 9/2006 to 12/2007 was 12 and from 1/2008 to 12/2009 was 53. The average patient was 65 years old with a median of 66 years. IV tPA was concurrently administered in 18 cases. Occluded vessel locations were: basilar (n=8); internal carotid artery (n=13); middle cerebral artery (n=31); and posterior inferior cerebellar artery (n=1). Average and median NIHSS were 17.15 and 17, respectively. The average time to treatment was 10.36 h and the median was 6.13 h. Recanalization rates were: TIMI 1: 4%, TIMI 2: 36% and TIMI 3: 60%. 90 day mRS scores were: mRS 0–2: 37%, mRS 3: 17%, mRS 4: 13%, mRS 5: 10% and mRS 6: 23%. Conclusion The use of physiologic imaging for patient triage of acute ischemic stroke patient selection for intervention is feasible and safe. The clinical application of this approach can significantly impact the number of patients amenable to endovascular therapies.
Prevalence of parental alienation drawn from a representative poll

Abstract The current work is the first known representative poll of adults (N = 610) aimed at determining the prevalence of parental alienation. Parental alienation describes actions that a parent takes to intentionally, or unintentionally, distance a child (or children) from the other parent (Darnell, 1998). Results revealed that 13.4% of parents (or 9.03% of the entire sample) have been alienated from one or more of their children. Our findings suggest that tens of millions of adults and their children may be impacted by parental alienation, which is much higher than previous estimates. Furthermore, findings show evidence of parental alienation across all socio-economic and demographic indicators. However, when compared to Census estimates of different demographic groups in the U.S. population, targeted parents were over-represented among Blacks/African Americans and Native Americans, and those with only a high school diploma level education. The sheer magnitude of parental alienation uncovered in this study indicates the need for more attention to be paid to this important and pervasive problem.
Intervention program impacting Indian sex-workers facing socio-economic disparities

Purpose – Since the first case of AIDS was reported in 1986, several HIV/AIDS intervention program operates at the national and regional level in India, to control the spread of this epidemic. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate one intervention program in a major city of India – Kolkata that targets specifically the commercial sex-workers challenged with socio-economic-health disparities. This intervention program called the Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee (DMSC) is located in the Sonagachi area and nicknamed as the “Sonagachi Project.” Design/methodology/approach – The behavioral change of about 500 sex-workers participating in the survey was studied in 2005. The data were collected from the focus groups of the sex-workers; official records and DMSC officials were also interviewed to collect data. The “short-term” outcome and the “long-term” impact of the program were compared with a baseline survey conducted in 1992 by another study. Findings – Participants experienced increased awareness of the...
Heart failure in women.

Heart failure has been described as the most important public health problem confronting cardiovascu­ lar clinicians and researchers today. The extent to which the manifestation and management of heart failure in women differs from that in men is unclear because of the under-representation of women in heart failure research. This article describes what is known about epidemiology, management, and quality of life in women with heart failure. The differences between men and women with heart failure are also discussed.
The motor nuclei of the vagus nerve in cats with and without congenital achalasia of the oesophagus.

SUMMARY There were no significant differences (5% level) between the number of cells on the right and left sides of the dorsal motor nucleus or the nucleus ambiguus in normal cats or in cats with congenital achalasia of the oesophagus. There was a significant increase (5% level) in the total number cells in the dorsal motor nucleus in cats with achalasia of the oesophagus as compared to normal cats. No significant differences were observed in the total number of cells of the nucleus ambiguus between normal cats and cats with achalasia of the oesophagus. The cells of the dorsal motor nucleus and nucleus ambiguus were smaller and more pyknotic in the cats with achalasia which may reflect neuromuscular impairment of the oesophagus of these animals and/or the fact that the medullas of aclialastic cats were not perfused with formalin, while the medullas of normal cats were perfused with formalin immediately after death.
Boosting Steganalysis with Explicit Feature Maps

Explicit non-linear transformations of existing steganalysis features are shown to boost their ability to detect steganography in combination with existing simple classifiers, such as the FLD-ensemble. The non-linear transformations are learned from a small number of cover features using Nystrom approximation on pilot vectors obtained with kernelized PCA. The best performance is achieved with the exponential form of the Hellinger kernel, which improves the detection accuracy by up to 2-3% for spatial-domain contentadaptive steganography. Since the non-linear map depends only on the cover source and its learning has a low computational complexity, the proposed approach is a practical and low cost method for boosting the accuracy of existing detectors built as binary classifiers. The map can also be used to significantly reduce the feature dimensionality (by up to factor of ten) without performance loss with respect to the non-transformed features.
Effect of parietal cell vagotomy on acid secretory responsiveness to circulating gastrin in humans. Relationship to postprandial serum gastrin concentration.

Abstract To study the relationship between gastric acid secretion and serum gastrin concentration after vagotomy, gastric acid output and serum gastrin concentration were measured simultaneously during intravenous infusion of graded doses of human gastrin heptadecapeptide (G-17) in duodenal ulcer patients with parietal cell vagotomy and in unoperated patients with duodenal ulcer disease (controls). The curve relating serum gastrin concentration to gastric acid output was shifted downward and to the right after vagotomy; the peak acid output to G-17 was reduced by 50% (p 50% ) averaged 185.5 pg/ml after vagotomy and 74.1 pg/ml in controls (p
Zusammenfassung der Resultate des Theorienvergleichs

Die systematische Darstellung und der systematisch-kritische Vergleich der Schlusselkonzepte Habitus und Sozialcharakter im Rahmen der jeweiligen Theorien ermoglicht bereits begrundete Antworten auf die Ausgangsfragen dieser Untersuchung.
Respiratory rate variability in sleeping adults without obstructive sleep apnea

Characterizing respiratory rate variability (RRV) in humans during sleep is challenging, since it requires the analysis of respiratory signals over a period of several hours. These signals are easily distorted by movement and volitional inputs. We applied the method of spectral analysis to the nasal pressure transducer signal in 38 adults with no obstructive sleep apnea, defined by an apnea-hypopnea index <5, who underwent all-night polysomnography (PSG). Our aim was to detect and quantitate RRV during the various sleep stages, including wakefulness. The nasal pressure transducer signal was acquired at 100 Hz and consecutive frequency spectra were generated for the length of the PSG with the Fast Fourier Transform. For each spectrum, we computed the amplitude ratio of the first harmonic peak to the zero frequency peak (H1/DC), and defined as RRV as (100 − H1/DC) %. RRV was greater during wakefulness compared to any sleep stage, including rapid-eye-movement. Furthermore, RRV correlated with the depth of sleep, being lowest during N3. Patients spent most their sleep time supine, but we found no correlation between RRV and body position. There was a correlation between respiratory rate and sleep stage, being greater in wakefulness than in any sleep stage. We conclude that RRV varies according to sleep stage. Moreover, spectral analysis of nasal pressure signal appears to provide a valid measure of RRV during sleep. It remains to be seen if the method can differentiate normal from pathological sleep patterns.
Abstract P172: Sex Differences in Obesity Associated Diastolic Dysfunction in Western Diet Fed Mice

Premenopausal women are protected against cardiovascular disease (CVD); however, this protection is lost in the setting of obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. The mechanisms responsible for abrogation of the sex-related CVD protection are not clearly understood. We have recently developed a translational model in which female mice fed a diet high in fat and refined carbohydrates (western diet - WD) develop cardiac stiffness and diastolic dysfunction earlier than males consuming a WD. We hypothesized that these earlier adverse effects in females are mediated via increased mineralocorticoid (MR) activation/oxidative stress mediated activation (phosphorylation) of the serine kinase, S6K1 which promotes cardiac growth and fibrosis. Accordingly, four week old male and female C57BL6/J mice were fed a WD (containing high fat [46%], sucrose [17.5%], and high fructose corn syrup [17.5%]) or control diet (CD) for 8 and 16 weeks. Two-dimensional echocardiograms were used to evaluate diastolic function. Immunohistochemistry and western blotting were used to evaluate MR receptor expression and S6K1 phosphorylation. Diastolic dysfunction, indicated by prolonged isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) and abnormal myocardial performance (increased myocardial performance index [MPI]) was present at 8 weeks in WD-fed female, but not male mice. Although male mice fed a WD exhibited diastolic dysfunction at 16 weeks, diastolic function as assessed by IVRT was more pronounced in female mice. The magnitude of cardiac fibrosis and oxidative stress was greater in females consuming a WD. Moreover, levels of plasma aldosterone, expression of MR (WD female 1.60 fold, WD male 1.26 fold), phosphorylation of S6K1 (WD females 2.92 fold, WD males 1.97 fold) and levels of mRNA for monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1, WD females 1.86 fold, WD males 1.16 fold) were higher in WD-fed female mice compared to WD-fed male mice. These results suggest enhanced cardiac MR mediated S6K1 activation and increased immune and inflammatory responses contribute to enhanced fibrosis and abrogation of cardiac protection in female mice fed a WD high in fat and fructose.
521. Platelets Transfusion New Role as Brain Therapeutics for Acute Neuronopathic Gaucher Disease

There has no effective treatment for neuronopathic Gaucher Disease (nGD) due to the difficulty of therapeutics to cross the blood-brain-barrier. Platelets are blood elements that contain cytoplasmic secretory vesicles containing proteins involved in hemostasis, inflammation and angiogenesis. We have recently shown that platelets/megakaryocytes could serve as efficient and protective depots for lysosomal enzyme generation and distribution. In this study the potential therapeutic benefits of platelet transfusion in treating neuronopathic GD (nGD) was evaluated using a murine model of acute nGD (4L;C), which resembles types 2 and 3 Gaucher disease. Platelets containing significant amounts of wild type acid s-glucosidase enzyme (GCase) were isolated from GFP mice and transfused weekly into 4L;C mice for four times beginning at 21 days of age, resulting in an average 10-13% of donor-derived GFP+ platelets in circulation with half-life of 52 hr. Importantly, moderate platelet transfusion led to significantly increase of life-span in 4L;C mice from 47 days to 55 days with reduction of splenomegaly. The accumulation of glycosylsphingosin was significantly reduced in spleen, liver and brain. Moreover, the abnormal walk patterns with splaying of hindlimbs exhibited in 4L;C mice were improved significantly in platelet-treated mice, indicating amelioration of motor neuron dysfunction and hindlimb paresis. The improvement of short-term memory deficit in treated 4L;C mice was evidenced in repeated open-field test. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that the elevated brain CD68+ signals, a marker for activated microglia cells, were normalized in cerebellum folium and middle brain regions, and partially corrected in the cortex, cerebellum DCN, brainstem, thalamus and spinal cord of treated 4L;C mice, indicating the reduction of pro-inflammation by platelet transfusion. Notably, RIPK3-positive signals within Purkinje neurons in cerebellum of nGD mice were significantly reduced, suggesting therapeutic benefit of platelet transfusion on neuronal necroptosis. This study reveals an under-appreciated, unexpected role for platelets in treating CNS diseases. These results provide proof of concept that platelet transfusion can achieve CNS benefits with brain substrate reduction and improvement in neurological function, as well as reducing pro-inflammation and neuronal necroptosis. The findings will open a door for new clinical approaches with platelet transfusion in treating nGD and potentially other brain diseases.
Looking Forward, Looking Back: Collective Memory and Neighborhood Identity in Two Urban Parks

Collective memory and narratives of local history shape the ways people imagine a neighborhood's present situation and future development, processes that reflect tensions related to identity and struggles over resources. Using an urban culturalist lens and a focus on collective representations of place, I compare two nearby New York parks to uncover why, despite many similarities, they support different patterns of meaning making and use. Drawing on ethnographic observation, interviews, and secondary analysis, I show that multi-vocal and fragmented contexts of collective memory help explain the uneven nature of gentrification processes, with one park serving as its cultural fulcrum while the other is left at the sidelines.
Abstract B01: Enhancing radiotherapy by targeting inflammatory monocytes

Approximately 50% of cancer patients receive radiotherapy (RT) at some point throughout their treatment. Nevertheless, RT alone does not often result in cures, making it necessary to develop new ways to enhance this treatment modality. It is now understood that the efficacy of RT relies in large part on the anti-tumor immune response that it elicits. However, we believe that RT acts as a double-edged sword as it results in the infiltration of anti-tumor effector cells as well as myeloid cells associated with immunosuppression. One type of these myeloid cells, known as inflammatory monocytes (IM), are precursors for many immunosuppressive cells and have been shown to promote the progression of cancer in various models. However, the role these cells play in modulating the immune response following RT is unknown. To explore this, we focused on the specific chemokine receptors CCR2 and CCR5 and the primary ligands for these receptors, CCL2 and CCL5 respectively, which are present on IM and have been shown to play a role in the recruitment of myeloid cells into tissues and tumors alike. Here, we locally treat syngeneic tumors in C57BL/6 mice with 15Gy RT in order to study the role of CCL2+CCR5+ IM after RT. We show that RT upregulates the expression of intratumoral CCL2 and CCL5 by tumor cells. We also demonstrate that RT subsequently induces the increase of CCR2+ CCR5+ monocytes in circulation as well as their increased infiltration intratumorally. Therefore, we hypothesized that inhibiting the CCL2/CCR2 and CCL5/CCR5 axes and therefore blocking the infiltration of this potentially immunosuppressive cell population could improve the efficacy of RT. Administering a dual CCR2/CCR5 inhibitor (CCR2/CCR5i) daily beginning two days before RT, we demonstrate that inhibition of IM, both intratumorally and in circulation, results in smaller tumor burden and sustained tumor free survival in radioresponsive tumors. Furthermore, the anti-tumor effects of RT and the enhanced response afforded by CCR2/CCR5i is dependent on CD8+ T cells. These data suggest that inhibiting specific chemokine axes augments the anti-tumor effects of the adaptive arm of the immune system. Future studies will address the mechanism and clinical significance of targeting immunosuppressive myeloid cells as a means to enhance the effector functions of anti-tumor T-cells and further augment the efficacy of RT. Citation Format: Kelli Connolly, David Linehan, Scott Gerber. Enhancing radiotherapy by targeting inflammatory monocytes. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2016 Oct 20-23; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2017;5(3 Suppl):Abstract nr B01.
Management of breast cancer associated with pregnancy.

e12573 Background: Pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) continues to be a challenging problem and may be increasing in frequency as women delay childbearing. As of yet, there is no absolute consensus on the management of PABC. Methods: In order to determine the ideal management for breast cancer during pregnancy, a comprehensive chart review of all women diagnosed with breast cancer during pregnancy from 1995-2010, at a large, urban hospital was performed. We reviewed the medical records of over 2000 patients and identified 15 individuals with PABC. A literature review and retrospective analysis of treatment modalities used for patients diagnosed with breast cancer during pregnancy or during the immediate postpartum period were performed. Trimester of pregnancy, stage at diagnosis, nodal status and age were compared amongst pregnant and non-pregnant patients. The study was approved by our institutional review board. Results: Preliminary results indicated that there was an even distribution between st...
Multiplexed detection for higher performance quantitative phase time-stretch microscopy

We present a simple fiber-based technique for multiplexing interferometric signals as a means to improve the SNR and electronic bandwidth of quantitative phase time-stretch microscopy, enabling better sampling rates and signal quality.
Non-Gaussian information from weak lensing data via deep learning

Weak lensing maps contain information beyond two-point statistics on small scales. Much recent work has tried to extract this information through a range of different observables or via nonlinear transformations of the lensing field. Here we train and apply a two-dimensional convolutional neural network to simulated noiseless lensing maps covering 96 different cosmological models over a range of ${{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Omega}}}_{m},{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{8}}$. Using the area of the confidence contour in the ${{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Omega}}}_{m},{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{8}}$ plane as a figure of merit, derived from simulated convergence maps smoothed on a scale of 1.0 arcmin, we show that the neural network yields $\ensuremath{\approx}5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}$ tighter constraints than the power spectrum, and $\ensuremath{\approx}4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}$ tighter than the lensing peaks. Such gains illustrate the extent to which weak lensing data encode cosmological information not accessible to the power spectrum or even other, non-Gaussian statistics such as lensing peaks.
Anomaly detection of passive polarimetric LWIR augmented LADAR

It is known that LADAR imaging can characterize reflective properties of a scene and provide high resolution threedimensional spatial information useful for target classification; however, scanning and processing high resolution LADAR data is extremely time and computational resource consuming. In remote sensing applications, polarization sensitive imagery can improve target-clutter discrimination of man-made objects in a natural background and anomaly detection algorithms have been shown to accurately identify areas of interest in low resolution imagery. In this paper, we investigate the possibility of enabling passively augmented LADAR for target detection by utilizing polarimetric thermal imagery to cue high resolution LADAR scans of anomalous regions of a scene. A statistical outlier detection algorithm is explored with features extracted from passive polarimetric LWIR imagery collected on an outdoor range under various conditions. The data collection process and products are discussed as well as the performance of anomaly detection algorithms for LADAR cueing. In both data collection and image processing, foliage penetration of partially hidden targets is considered. Data analysis shows polarization information of paired systems improves true positive rate and target detection rate with an acceptable false positive rate while greatly reducing LADAR scan time. As a result, a spatial clustering and anomaly ranking system is introduced to prioritize the most likely anomaly among multiple detections; minimizing time consumed performing LADAR scanning and processing.
Sinc Approximation on Γ

In this chapter we shall extend some of the results for approximation on R, which were obtained in the previous section, to results for approximating on a certain arc Γ. At the outset we shall introduce some definitions and notations which will make it possible to deduce the correct approximations directly, from results obtained in the previous chapter. Many new formulas are thus possible, which are both simple to apply and very accurate. In addition, these formulas yield accurate methods for interpolating and integrating functions which may have singularities at the endpoints of Γ, a property which the polynomial methods shown in Chapter 2 do not possess.
13N-L-Amino Acids Synthesized Enzymatically for in vivo Metabolic Studies

Short-lived, positron-emitting radionuclides of nitrogen and carbon may be generated with a cyclotron and used to label biologically active compounds such as amino acids for in vivo metabolic studies. The 10-min half-life of nitrogen-13 results in relatively small radiation exposures to the patient; but it requires that the chemist develop new and rapid procedures to synthesize adequate amounts of radiolabeled compounds.
Representations for Integral Functionals of Kernel Density Estimators

We establish a representation as a sum of independent random variables, plus a remainder term, for estimators of integral functionals of the density function, which have a certain simple structure. From this representation we derive a central limit theorem, a law of large numbers and a law of the iterated logarithm.
The rise and fall of transactional skew theory in the model genus Polistes

Transactional Skew (TS) theory predicts that cooperative breeding associations can be adaptive for all group members as long as they properly allocate reproduction within a social contract. Polistes wasps have been the preeminent model genus for testing TS models. Most tests have focused on either the patterns of skew or on patterns of aggression between wasps, which has been assumed to set skew. However, the totality of evidence suggests that aggression (observed as darts, lunges and bites) has no connection to establishing reproductive skew. Although some patterns of reproductive skew support TS theory, most of the reproductive data are either non-supportive or inconclusive relative to the models. Of particular significance are recent findings of high skew associations between distantly or unrelated wasps when TS theory strongly predicts skew should be low. A possible evolutionary explanation for the failure of TS models is derived through a simple model. Although the TS strategy optimizes fitness, its relative advantage over a much simpler conventional rule for group formation is never greater than 3% and often less. Therefore, even small costs in evolving the cognitive mechanisms needed to form social contracts may preclude their appearance. Although TS theory may have failed in Polistes, reproductive skew is now a welldescribed phenomenon. Finding new viable explanations for reproductive skew and extending the theory to skews in non-reproductive contexts will maintain Polistes in its role as a model taxonomic group in the study of the evolution of social behavior.
Plasma Insulin Cognizant Predictive Control for Artificial Pancreas

In the present work, an adaptive model predictive control (MPC) algorithm is designed to effectively compute the optimal exogenous insulin delivery for artificial pancreas systems. The proposed MPC is designed using adaptive models that are recursively identified through subspace-based techniques to characterize the transient dynamics of glycemic measurements without requiring any information on the time and amount of carbohydrate consumption. A dynamic safety constraint derived from the estimation of plasma insulin concentration (PIC) is incorporated in the proposed MPC algorithm for the efficacy and reliability of the artificial pancreas system. The MPC algorithm, cognizant of the PIC, computes the optimal control solution to regulate blood glucose concentration while mitigating aggressive control actions (excessive insulin doses) when sufficient insulin is present in the bloodstream, thereby minimizing the risk of hypoglycemia. The efficiency of the proposed MPC algorithm is demonstrated using simulation studies.
Review: The economics of soil health

Abstract Soil health plays an important role in agricultural productivity, food quality, environmental resiliency, and ecosystem sustainability. Consequently, there is great interest from policymakers for evidence-based research on the benefits and costs of investing in healthy soils. In this article, I endeavor to build a common understanding between economists, soil scientists, and policymakers about how to pursue research on the economics of soil health. First, I summarize the current understanding of soil health as a holistic and multidimensional concept beyond that of mere soil fertility. Second, I argue that optimal control models are particularly well suited to capture the underlying economics of soil management. Finally, I outline relevant implications of such an approach for setting soil health policy.
Leadership: A Practical Approach

The purpose of this article was to provide a practical approach to leadership for medical laboratory professionals. From the leadership approaches and theories found in the literature, five were reviewed and presented including: 1) trait approach, 2) servant-leadership, 3) transactional approach, 4) transformational approach, and 5) team leadership to provide a better understanding of leadership studies. Personal leadership development strategies for medical laboratory professionals, including professional leadership programs/workshops, academic courses, personal growth and research, and assessment of leadership abilities were discussed.
A Question of Necessity or of Equity? Full-Service Community Schools and the (mis)Education of Black Youth

Public schools in the United States have struggled to determine whether their mandate is simply knowledge transmission or includes the development and well-being of the whole child. Contemporary re...
Marsh edge erosion and associated carbon dynamics in coastal Louisiana: A proxy for future wetland-dominated coastlines world-wide

Abstract Coastal wetland loss through marsh edge erosion is a serious problem in Louisiana. The majority of studies on coastal land loss use aerial and satellite photographic analysis while field and site-specific measurements are limited. The aim of this study was to spatially and temporally measure coastal marsh edge erosion and investigate factors responsible for differences in erosion including shoreline orientation, soil physio-chemical properties, and wind speed and duration. A total of 33 transects across six island sites in northern Barataria Basin, Louisiana were established. Transects on shorelines facing different compass directions were measured for erosion for up to 2 years. Soils were analyzed for physiochemical properties including bulk density, organic matter, total carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Bathymetric surveys were conducted to determine the extent of the erosive bay bottom profile. In addition, 14C dating of the basal organic matter (1.5–1.6 m) was conducted. Erosion rates ranged from 49.27 to 324.85 cm y-1 with a mean value of 141.69 ± 22.45 cm y−1. As expected, erosion rates were significantly different (p
MIT App Inventor: Objectives, Design, and Development

MIT App Inventor is an online platform designed to teach computational thinking concepts through development of mobile applications. Students create applications by dragging and dropping components into a design view and using a visual blocks language to program application behavior. In this chapter, we discuss (1) the history of the development of MIT App Inventor, (2) the project objectives of the project and how they shape the design of the system, and (3) the processes MIT uses to develop the platform and how they are informed by computational thinking literature. Key takeaways include use of components as abstractions, alignment of blocks with student mental models, and the benefits of fast, iterative design on learning.
Venous thromboembolism risk for the contemporary bariatric surgeon

Postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE), including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality after bariatric surgery. Although several studies have examined VTE, few have examined risk factors separately for DVT and PE after contemporary bariatric surgery, including laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). Our objective was to define risk factors for DVT and PE independently for both LSG and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) patients using the largest validated bariatric surgery database. The metabolic and bariatric surgery accreditation and quality improvement program (MBSAQIP) database was queried to identify patients who underwent LSG or LRYGB between January 2015 and December 2017. Perioperative data were compared using bivariate analysis. Risk of DVT and PE after LSG or LRYGB was determined using multivariable logistic regression analysis. During the study period, 369,032 bariatric cases (72% LSG, 28% LRYGB) were performed. The incidence of DVT was similar between LSG and LRYGB (0.2% vs. 0.2%, p = 0.96), while the incidence of PE was decreased for LSG compared to LRYGB (0.1% vs. 0.2%, p < 0.001). Operative length was associated with increased risk of postoperative DVT (OR 1.1, CI 1.01–1.30, p = 0.04) and postoperative PE (OR 1.4, CI 1.16–1.64, p < 0.001) after surgery. The largest independent risk factors for DVT were history of DVT (OR 6.2, CI 4.44–8.45, p < 0.001) and transfusion (OR 4.2, CI 2.48–6.63, p < 0.001). The largest independent risk factors for PE were transfusion (OR 5.0, CI 2.69–8.36, p < 0.001) and history of DVT (OR 2.8, CI 1.67–4.58, p < 0.001). LSG was associated with a decreased risk of PE compared to LRYGB (OR 0.7 CI 0.55–0.91, p = 0.01). Prolonged operative length is associated with a higher risk of DVT and PE after either LSG or LRYGB. Transfusion and history of DVT are the largest risk factors for developing DVT and PE. There is a decreased risk of PE after LSG compared to LRYGB.
A Breast Cancer Survivor's Self-Controlled Case Report: Methylprednisolone Acetate Provided a Week Longer Analgesia Than Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate via Thoracic Paravertebral Blockade.

Proper perioperative pain control with opioid-sparing techniques that extend into post-discharge arena is desirable yet hard to accomplish in breast cancer patients. We here reported a case where we took advantage of long-acting local anesthetics in conjunction with glucocorticoids of different hydrophilic/lipophilic properties and achieved prolonged analgesia for days after single administration thoracic paravertebral blockade. Further exploration into the potential effects of long-acting glucocorticoids in breast cancer patients through peripheral nerve blockage is warranted.
Similarity judgments predict N400 amplitude differences between taxonomic category members and thematic associates.

Abstract Human similarity judgments do not reliably conform to the predictions of leading theories of psychological similarity. Evidence from the triad similarity judgment task shows that people often identify thematic associates like dog and bone as more similar than taxonomic category members like dog and cat , even though thematic associates lack the type of featural or relational similarity that is foundational to theories of psychological similarity. This specific failure to predict human behavior has been addressed as a consequence of education and other individual differences, an artifact of the triad similarity judgment paradigm, or a shortcoming in psychological accounts of similarity. We investigated the judged similarity of semantically-related concepts (taxonomic category members and thematic associates) as it relates to other task-independent measures of semantic knowledge and access. Participants were assessed on reading and language ability, then event-related potentials (ERPs) were collected during a passive, sequential word reading task that presented pseudowords and taxonomically-related, thematically-related, and unrelated word sequences, and, finally, similarity judgments were collected with the classic two-alternative forced-choice triad task. The results uncovered a correspondence between ERP amplitude and triad-based similarity judgments—similarity judgment behavior reliably predicts ERP amplitude during passive word reading, absent of any instruction to consider similarity. It was also found that individual differences in reading and language ability independently predicted ERP amplitude. This evidence suggests that similarity judgments are driven by reliable patterns of thought that are not solely rooted in the interpretation of task goals or reading and language ability.