cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alpha 1,3 fucosyltransferases are master regulators of prostate cancer cell trafficking

How cancer cells bind to vascular surfaces and extravasate into target organs is an underappreciated, yet essential step in metastasis. We postulate that the metastatic process involves discrete adhesive interactions between circulating cancer cells and microvascular endothelial cells. Sialyl Lewis X (sLeX) on prostate cancer (PCa) cells is thought to promote metastasis by mediating PCa cell binding to microvascular endothelial (E)-selectin. Yet, regulation of sLeX and related E-selectin ligand expression in PCa cells is a poorly understood factor in PCa metastasis. Here, we describe a glycobiological mechanism regulating E-selectin-mediated adhesion and metastatic potential of PCa cells. We demonstrate that α1,3 fucosyltransferases (FT) 3, 6, and 7 are markedly elevated in bone- and liver-metastatic PCa and dictate synthesis of sLeX and E-selectin ligands on metastatic PCa cells. Upregulated FT3, FT6, or FT7 expression induced robust PCa PC-3 cell adhesion to bone marrow (BM) endothelium and to inflamed postcapillary venules in an E-selectin-dependent manner. Membrane proteins, CD44, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), podocalyxin-like protein (PCLP), and melanoma cell adhesion molecule (MCAM) were major scaffolds presenting E-selectin-binding determinants on FT-upregulated PC-3 cells. Furthermore, elevated FT7 expression promoted PC-3 cell trafficking to and retention in BM through an E-selectin dependent event. These results indicate that α1,3 FTs could enhance metastatic efficiency of PCa by triggering an E-selectin-dependent trafficking mechanism.
State Estimation and Mode Detection for Stochastic Hybrid System

A central issue in real time applications of particle filtering is high computational cost. This problem is particularly compounded when particle filters are used in hybrid system estimation and especially in algorithms based on the interacting multiple model (IMM) algorithm. In this paper a new method for nonlinear/non-Gaussian Markovian switching system state estimation is proposed. The new method combines IMMPF (IMM particle filtering) with ideas from OTPF (observation and transition-based most likely modes tracking particle filtering) in order to get high accuracy estimation with reduced computational load. Simulations are carried out to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm. It is shown that the proposed algorithm outperforms OTPF in both accuracy and computation complexity aspect. Compared with IMMPF, the new method performs almost as well as IMMPF but with much lower computational cost.
Human Anti-CCR4 Minibody Gene Transfer for the Treatment of Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma

Background: Although several therapeutic options have become available for patients with Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma (CTCL), no therapy has been curative. Recent studies have demonstrated that CTCL cells overexpress the CC chemokine receptor 4 (CCR4). Methodology/Principal Findings: In this study, a xenograft model of CTCL was established and a recombinant adenoassociated viral serotype 8 (AAV8) vector expressing a humanized single-chain variable fragment (scFv)-Fc fusion (scFvFc or ‘‘minibody’’) of anti-CCR4 monoclonal antibody (mAb) h1567 was evaluated for curative treatment. Human CCR4 + tumorbearing mice treated once with intravenous infusion of AAV8 virions encoding the h1567 (AAV8-h1567) minibody showed anti-tumor activity in vivo and increased survival. The AAV8-h1567 minibody notably increased the number of tumorinfiltrating Ly-6G + FccRIIIa(CD16A) + murine neutrophils in the tumor xenografts over that of AAV8-control minibody treated mice. Furthermore, in CCR4 + tumor-bearing mice co-treated with AAV8-h1567 minibody and infused with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), marked tumor infiltration of human CD16A + CD56 + NK cells was observed. The h1567 minibody also induced in vitro ADCC activity through both mouse neutrophils and human NK cells. Conclusions/Significance: Overall, our data demonstrate that the in vivo anti-tumor activity of h1567 minibody is mediated, at least in part, through CD16A + immune effector cell ADCC mechanisms. These data further demonstrate the utility of the AAV-minibody gene transfer system in the rapid evaluation of candidate anti-tumor mAbs and the potency of h1567 as a potential novel therapy for CTCL.
Evaluation of vegetable soybean genotypes for resistance to Mexican bean beetle (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

One hundred vegetable-type soybean, Glycine max [L.] Merrill, accessions from maturity groups III through VIII plus 70 grain-type cultivars and plant introductions (PIs) resistant and susceptible to Mexican bean beetle, Epilachna varivestis Mulsant, were evaluated in a randomized block design with three replications for resistance to Mexican bean beetle foliar feeding in a 3-yr field study. Vegetable-type soybean cultivars ranged from moderate susceptibility (‘Camp’), similar to many grain-type cultivars, to highly susceptible (‘Sato’, ‘Hahto’). PIs with desirable vegetable-type traits and good to average resistance to Mexican bean beetle (PIs 417061, 417288, and 417310 and FC 31732) were identified, as was highly susceptible germplasm (PI 416771).
A theory for predicting the maximum spoutable height in a spouted bed

A theory is presented for predicting the maximum spoutable height, in a spouted bed where fluidization of the annular solids limits the penetration of the fluid jet entering the bed. The quantity (Hmds/(D – d) is found to be a function of ds/Dc only for spherical particles and \[ \frac{{H_m d_S }} {{(D_c^2 - d_S^2 )}} = 0.345\left( {\frac{{d_S }} {{D_c }}} \right)^{ - 0.384} \] where the spout diameter is calculated using McNab's correlation(7). Insertion of McNab's correlation into Equation (1) shows that Hm is proportional to D and the effect of dp on Hm varies from d to d as the particle Reynolds number increases assuming 1 ≥ (ds/D). Using experimental value of ds, the calculated values of Hm differ from the experimental ones by 8.5% on average. When small particles are spouted with air, the penetration of the jet is limited by the formation of a slug in he spout and the theoretical value provides an upper limit for Hm. On presente une theorie pour prevoir la hauteur maximale giclable dans un lit soumis a un jet fluide et dans lequel la fluidisation des solides annulaires limite la penetration dudit jet dans la lit. On a trouveque la quantite (Hmds/(D – d) n'etait fonction de ds/Dc que pour les particules spheriques et l'expression suivante: \[ \frac{{H_m d_S }} {{(D_c^2 - d_S^2 )}} = 0.345\left( {\frac{{d_S }} {{D_c }}} \right)^{ - 0.384} \] dans laquelle on calcule le diametre dela giclee en employant la correlation de McNab(7). En inserant la correlation de McNab dans l'equation (1), on constate que Hm est proportionnelle a D et que l'effet de dp sur Hm varie entre d et d, lorsque le nombre de Reynolds s'accroǐt, en supposant que 1 est ≥ (ds/D). En employant les valeurs experimentales de ds, les valeurs calculees de Hm different en moyenne de 8.5% des valeurs experimentales. Lorsqu'on soumet des petites particules a un jet d'air, la penetration de celui-ci est limitee par la formation d'un “barreau” (slug) dans le goulot et la valeur theorique fournit une limite superieure pour Hm.
Robustly Optimal Instrument Rules and Robust Control: An Equivalence Result

Giannoni and Woodford (2003a, 2003b) and Hansen and Sargent (2003, 2004) have recently developed different notions of robust policy, and both approaches have been applied in the context of optimal monetary policy. In this note, I demonstrate that both approaches lead to exactly the same implicit instrument rule for the policy maker in a standard, forward-looking, new Keynesian model. Despite the equivalence of the policy rules, the two approaches predict different macroeconomic behavior because of difference assumptions about the formation of expectations.
Adsorption of ethanol–water mixtures by biomass materials

Data are presented which show that a variety of polysaccharide-type materials are capable of separating water from ethanol, and hence, are potential adsorbents for dehydrating ethanol. It appears that the capacity for cornmeal to remove water from ethanol arises from the starch and fiber components of grain while the protein component is less important. Given the adsorption properties of both starchy and cellulosic materials, grains and other biomass, they should have desirable properties for separating water from alcohol. Grains such as barley, rice, and biomass materials such as wood chips, grasses, and corncobs are likely candidates. (JMT)
Maize (Zea mays L.) yield and aflatoxin accumulation responses to exogenous glycinebetaine application

Exogenously applied glycinebetaine (GB) accumulates at high levels in maize (Zea mays L.). Under water deficit and high temperature conditions GB application produces yield benefits. These sub-optimum conditions often result in high levels of aflatoxin accumulation which reduces grain quality. A 3-year (2008, 2009 and 2010) field experiment was conducted to determine the effects of GB on maize yield and aflatoxin accumulation. Weekly and alternate weekly GB application increased plant biomass by 10 and 13%, respectively. Net photosynthesis increased by 6% with GB application; however, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate and electron transport rate were not significantly affected. Grain yield increased by 6 and 13% with GB applied alternate weekly and weekly, respectively, over control plots averaged over years. GB application resulted in a trend of reduced aflatoxin accumulation in inoculated ears compared with non-inoculated controls in 2009 and 2010; however, inherent field and sampling variation did not allow us to conclude statistically any advantage attributable to GB application. We can conclude that GB did not significantly reduce aflatoxin production in the inoculated treatments.
Batch mode micro-electro-discharge machining

This paper describes a micro-electro-discharge machining (micro-EDM) technique that uses electrode arrays to achieve high parallelism and throughput in the machining. It explores constraints in the fabrication and usage of high aspect ratio LIGA-fabricated electrode arrays, as well as the limits imposed by the pulse discharge circuits on machining rates. An array of 400 Cu electrodes with 20 /spl mu/m diameter was used to machine perforations in 50-/spl mu/m-thick stainless steel. To increase the spatial and temporal multiplicity of discharge pulses, arrays of electrodes with lithographically fabricated interconnect and block-wise independent pulse control resistance-capacitance (RC) circuits are used, resulting in >100/spl times/ improvement in throughput compared to single electrodes. However, it was found to compromise surface smoothness. A modified pulse generation scheme that exploits the parasitic capacitance of the interconnect offers similarly high machining rates and is more amenable to integration. Stainless steel workpieces of 100 /spl mu/m thickness were machined by 100 /spl mu/m/spl times/100 /spl mu/m square cross-section electrodes using in 85 s using an 80-V power supply. Surface smoothness was unaffected by electrode multiplicity. Using electrode arrays with four circuits, batch production of 36 WC-Co gears with 300 /spl mu/m outside diameter and 70 /spl mu/m thickness in 15 min is demonstrated.
Levi on Causal Decision Theory and the Possibility of Predicting One's Own Actions

Isaac Levi has long criticized causal decision theory on the grounds that it requires deliberating agents to make predictions about their own actions. A rational agent cannot, he claims, see herself as free to choose an act while simultaneously making a prediction about her likelihood of performing it. Levi is wrong on both points. First, nothing in causal decision theory forces agents to make predictions about their own acts. Second, Levi's arguments for the "delibe- ration crowds out prediction thesis" rely on a flawed model of the measurement of belief. Moreover, the ability of agents to adopt beliefs about their own acts during deliberation is essential to any plausible account of human agency and freedom. Though these beliefs play no part in the rationalization of actions, they are required to account for the causal genesis of behavior. To explain the causes of actions we must recognize that (a) an agent cannot see herself as entirely free in the matter of A unless she believes her decision to perform A will cause A ,a nd (b) she cannot come to a deliberate decision about A unless she adopts beliefs about her decisions. Following Elizabeth Anscombe and David Velleman, I argue that an agent's beliefs about her own decisions are self-fulfilling, and that this can be used to explain away the seeming paradoxical features of act probabilities. Isaac Levi has long been among the most persistent and influential critics of causal decision theory. At the heart of nearly all his objec- tions lie two claims: first, that the causal theory requires deliberating agents to make predictions about their own actions; second, that this is incoherent because "deliberation crowds out prediction". 1 Levi is wrong on both points. As the first two sections of this essay will make clear, nothing in causal decision theory forces an agent to make predictions about her own acts. While the specific version of the theory I defend does permit this, I am, as far as I know, the only causal decision theorist doctrinally committed to rejecting the "deliberation crowds out prediction" thesis. The essay's third section presents my reasons for opposing the thesis. We will see that none of the standard justifications for it, including Levi's, stand
Good Models of Reference Service Transactions: Applying Quantitative Concepts to Generate Nine Characteristic Attributes of Soundness

The role of mental or formal models in most quantitative research is unquestioned and taken for granted, yet reference researchers have focused little attention on identifying the attributes of sound (i.e., good) models for understanding the reference transaction. The goal of this article is to promote the development of better models for understanding reference service. Based on a case study of reference service presented herein, sound models appear to be those that are clear and simple, comprehensive, convincing, insightful, parsimonious, provocative, well structured, testable, and understandable. In addition, this article identifies the spectrum of undesirable attributes—ambiguity, confusion, or needless complication.
Deposition of Diamond Films by Scanning Oxy-Acetylene Flame

Diamond films have been deposited on silicon wafers by scanning an oxyacetylene flame against water-cooled silicon substrates. High quality diamond films about 20 um thick can be achieved by scanning the flame at a speed of about 0.2 mm per minute. The as-deposited films exhibit high electrical resistivity exceeding 10 14 Ωcm. Current voltage measurement shows the trap-dominated current conduction characteristics similar to that for dehydrogenated diamond films deposited by methane/hydrogen plasmas.
Protein phosphorylation at a postreceptor site can block desensitization and induce potentiation of secretion in chromaffin cells.

: Desensitization or habituation to repeated or prolonged stimulation is a common property of secretory cells. Phosphorylation of receptors mediates some desensitization processes, but the relationship of phosphorylation to desensitization at postreceptor sites is not well understood. We have tested the effect of protein phosphorylation on desensitization in bovine chromaffin cells. To increase protein phosphorylation, we have used the protein phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid at 12.5 nM, 100 pA4 8-bromo-cyclic AMP to activate protein kinase A, and 10 nM phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate to activate protein kinase C . During repeated 6-s stimulation at 5-min intervals, catecholamine secretion from control cells decreases. Cells exposed to 8-bromo-cyclic AMP or okadaic acid alone show slightly decreased rates of desensitization. In cells pretreated with phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate, desensitization is blocked. Okadaic acid-treated cells stimulated in the presence of 8-bromo-cyclic AMP show potentiation of secretion with repeated stimulation. The protein kinase inhibitor 1 -(5-iso-quinolinylsulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H7) increases the desensitization rate. Because these phenomena are observed during secretion evoked with elevated Kf as well as by a nicotinic agonist, the effect of phosphorylation is at a postreceptor site. In contrast to desensitization to the repeated stimulations, desensitization to prolonged stimulation with high K+ is not altered by the above protocols in chromaffin Cells.
Photopolarimetric measurement of the Mueller matrix by Fourier analysis of a single detected signal.

All 16 elements of the Mueller matrix of an optical system (sample) can be encoded onto, hence can be retrieved from, a single detected signal using a class of photopolarimeters with modulated polarizing and analyzing optics. The general theory of operation of such polarimeters is presented. We also propose a specific new photopolarimeter whose polarizing and analyzing optics are modulated by synchronously rotating two quarter-wave retarders at angular speeds ω and 5ω. When the light flux leaving such polarimeter is linearly detected, a periodic signal J=a0+∑n=112(an cos nωft+bn sin nωft) is generated, with fundamental frequency ωf = 2ω. From the Fourier amplitudes a0, an, bn, to be measured by performing a discrete Fourier transform (DFT) of the signal ℐ, the 16 elements of the Mueller matrix are simply determined.
FIRST ISOTOPIC (U-PB) AGE FOR THE LATE CRETACEOUS ALAMOSAURUS VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF WEST TEXAS, AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE AS A LINK BETWEEN TWO FAUNAL PROVINCES

ABSTRACT Latest Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) terrestrial vertebrates from western North America occur in two faunal provinces. The Triceratops fauna is found in Canada, Montana, and Wyoming; and the Alamosaurus fauna occurs in Utah, New Mexico, and Texas. Although the two faunas are thought to have been contemporaneous, only the Northern Province contains intercalated volcanic units that have been isotopically dated. The first isotopic age from within the southern province is presented. A single outcrop of distal tuff within the Upper Cretaceous Javelina Formation in northern Big Bend National Park, Texas, contains monazite with a U-Pb age of 69.0 ± 0.9 Ma (2 sigma). The age is from a 207Pb/204Pb vs. 235U/204Pb isochron, an approach chosen to avoid the effects of 230Th-derived excess 206Pb. The age falls within the boundary interval between the poorly calibrated Edmontonian and Lancian North American Land Mammal Ages. The tuff bed occurs approximately in the middle of the fluvio-lacustrine Javelina Formatio...
Characterization of sgk, a novel member of the serine/threonine protein kinase gene family which is transcriptionally induced by glucocorticoids and serum.

A novel member of the serine/threonine protein kinase gene family, designated sgk, for serum and glucocorticoid-regulated kinase, was identified in a differential screen for glucocorticoid-inducible transcripts expressed in the Con8.hd6 rat mammary tumor cell line. sgk encodes a protein of 49 kDa which has significant sequence homology (45 to 55% identity) throughout its catalytic domain with rac protein kinase, the protein kinase C family, ribosomal protein S6 kinase, and cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. sgk mRNA is expressed in most adult rat tissues, with the highest levels in the thymus, ovary, and lung, as well as in several rodent and human cell lines. sgk mRNA was stimulated by glucocorticoids and by serum within 30 min, and both inductions were independent of de novo protein synthesis. The transcriptional regulation by glucocorticoids is a primary response, since the promoter of sgk contains a glucocorticoid response element consensus sequence 1.0 kb upstream of the start of transcription which is able to stimulate chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene activity in a dexamethasone-dependent manner. Antibodies that specifically recognize sgk-encoded protein on an immunoblot were generated. This protein was shown to increase in abundance with glucocorticoid treatment in a manner which paralleled the mRNA accumulation. This is the first report of a presumed serine/threonine protein kinase that is highly regulated at the transcriptional level by glucocorticoid hormones and suggests a novel interplay between glucocorticoid receptor signalling and a protein kinase of the second messenger family.
Evaluating older adults

Publisher Summary This chapter provides base knowledge for the readers who are unfamiliar with the unique characteristics of older adults and a variety of factors that should be taken into consideration when assessing older adults. Projections of age demographics for this century clearly indicate an increase in the proportion of older adults in our society, with individuals 65 years of age and older being the fastest-growing segment of our population. Baby boomers nearing old age will soon tax available mental health resources, as an estimated one-quarter of these individuals will meet diagnostic criteria for mental disorders, and perhaps even more will require services for subsyndromal symptoms. With such growing numbers, it is becoming increasingly likely that the average adult clinician will encounter older-adult clients. It is hoped that the chapter will serve clinicians and students who are seeking a modest overview of older-adult behavioral assessment.
CHIMERA: Clustering of Heterogeneous Disease Effects via Distribution Matching of Imaging Patterns

Many brain disorders and diseases exhibit heterogeneous symptoms and imaging characteristics. This heterogeneity is typically not captured by commonly adopted neuroimaging analyses that seek only a main imaging pattern when two groups need to be differentiated (e.g., patients and controls, or clinical progressors and non-progressors). We propose a novel probabilistic clustering approach, CHIMERA, modeling the pathological process by a combination of multiple regularized transformations from normal/control population to the patient population, thereby seeking to identify multiple imaging patterns that relate to disease effects and to better characterize disease heterogeneity. In our framework, normal and patient populations are considered as point distributions that are matched by a variant of the coherent point drift algorithm. We explain how the posterior probabilities produced during the MAP optimization of CHIMERA can be used for clustering the patients into groups and identifying disease subtypes. CHIMERA was first validated on a synthetic dataset and then on a clinical dataset mixing 317 control subjects and patients suffering from Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Parkison's Disease (PD). CHIMERA produced better clustering results compared to two standard clustering approaches. We further analyzed 390 T1 MRI scans from Alzheimer's patients. We discovered two main and reproducible AD subtypes displaying significant differences in cognitive performance.
Tandem Isomerization-Decarboxylation for Converting Alkenoic Fatty Acids into Alkenes

We report a facile Ru-catalyzed route to alkenes from unsaturated fatty acids (alkenoic fatty acids) via readily accessible catalyst precursors, [Ru(CO)2RCO2]n and Ru3(CO)12. The catalyst apparently functions in a tandem mode by dynamically isomerizing the positions of double bonds in an aliphatic chain and, subsequently, decarboxylating specific isomers with lower activation barriers. Substrates capable of tandem isomerization-decarboxylation processes (oleic acid, undecylenic acid) are readily converted to mixtures of alkenes. A catalytic cycle is proposed that relies on isomerization positioning double bonds proximate to the acid function to enable facile decarboxylation. To elucidate the proposed mechanistic pathway, substrates that do not undergo decarboxylation under these catalytic conditions (methyl oleate) are compared with those that cannot isomerize the position of unsaturation (cinnamic acid). Both were shown to be operational under these catalytic reaction conditions. Another illustrative com...
Thermodynamics Analysis on the Nucleation and Phase Transition Behavior of Al Alloy during Microarc Fuse and Solidification

Microarc oxidation is a new technique of making ceramic coating on the surface of aluminum alloy.The Gibbs free energy change of nucleation from liquid Al_2O_3 and transition from γ-Al_2O_3 to α-Al_2O_3 are calculated during deposition of corundum.And the correlation of phase transition drive force with temperature and undercooling are analyzed.The calculated results show that the nuclei of γ-Al_2O_3 can directly nucleate from liquid under 1200 K undercooling or so.The Gibbs free energy change of γ-Al_2O_3 is accord with Turnbull model and the nucleation of α-Al_2O_3 can be calculated by Dubey-Ramachandrarao model.The homogenous nucleation rate of α-Al_2O_3 and γ-Al_2O_3 have same magnitude. The transition drive force from γ-Al_2O_3 to α-Al_2O_3 caused by thermal effect of microarc discharge will increase 12.3% as temperature increase from 1100 K to 1500 K.
Experiment Research of YC Oil-soluble Resin with High Temperature

YC resin which was successfully developed for high water cut marine oil field,was a new type of highly efficiency selective water shutoff agent.The results from laboratory investigation indicated that the oil-soluble rate was more than 95%,the plugging rate could be as high as 90%,the softening point was between 135℃ and 138℃and YC resin was thermostable,compared with similar products,YC resin owned more advantages.
Botnet Judo: Fighting Spam with Itself.

We have traditionally viewed spam from the receiver’s point of view: mail servers assaulted by a barrage of spam from which we must pick out a handful of legitimate messages. In this paper we describe a system for better filtering spam by exploiting the vantage point of the spammer. By instantiating and monitoring botnet hosts in a controlled environment, we are able to monitor new spam as it is created, and consequently infer the underlying template used to generate polymorphic e-mail messages. We demonstrate this approach on mail traces from a range of modern botnets and show that we can automatically filter such spam precisely and with virtually no false positives.
Effect of pyridyl donor disposition and ligand flexibility on dimensionality in luminescent and nitrobenzene-detecting cadmium adamantanedicarboxylate coordination polymers

Abstract Hydrothermal reaction of cadmium nitrate, 1,3-adamantanedicarboxylic acid (adcH2), and a hydrogen-bonding capable and conformationally flexible dipyridyl ligand has afforded five coordination polymers with differing dimensionalities and topologies. [Cd(adcH)2(4-bpmp)]n (1, 4-bpmp = bis(4-pyridylmethyl)piperazine) exhibits 1-D chain motifs with monodentate and protonated adcH ligands. {[Cd(adc)(4-bpmp)(H2O)]·4.5H2O}n (2) displays a non-interpenetrated 4-connected 658 cds network. [Cd4(adc)4(3-bpmp)(H2O)2]n (3, 3-bpmp = bis(3-pyridylmethyl)piperazine) displays a 3D tetranodal {4462}3{446482} topology network, derived from a primitive cubic net with regularly spaced pillar vacancies. {[Cd2(adc)2(4-bpmt)2]·H2O}n (4, 4-bpmt = bis(4-pyridylmethyl)trimethylenedipiperidine) shows a decorated (4,4) grid 2D structure based on syn–syn bridged {Cd2(OCO)2} dinuclear clusters. [Cd(adcH)2(4-bpfp)]n (5, 4-bpfp = bis(4-pyridylformyl)piperazine) shows a 1-D chain structure similar to that of 1. Thermal and luminescent properties of these new phases are reported, along with surveys of their capability to serve as detectors for nitrobenzene.
Integrated subwavelength grating nano structures for photonics applications

We have demonstrated the significant impacts of grating tapered sidewall profile on the subwavelength grating wideband reflector characteristics, when taking into account the practical fabrication process. Two different classes of wideband reflectors, referred to as Zero-Contrast Gratings (ZCG) and High-Contrast Gratings (HCG), are investigated in details numerically, and distinct difference of the impacts due to grating tapered sidewall is observed, respectively. Our works reveal that this tapered sidewall profile plays a critical role in determining the reflection bandwidth, average reflectance and the band edge. The results could be widely utilized in applications of a variety of nanophotonic devices and their integration, as well as facilitate the design of the fabrication process on how to control the degree of tapered sidewall profile for the integrated subwavelength grating nanophotonic devices.
Our Clown: European Memory and Sentimental Nationality in Charlie Rivel's Unexpected Itinerary

AbstractThis article traces the unexpected itinerary of Catalan-born circus artist Charlie Rivel [nee Josep Andreu i Lasarre] (1896–1983) in order to address the ways in which his story conjures up the complex set of relationships that inform Catalonia's position vis-a-vis a European culture of memory. Rivel became a star of the variety and circus circuit in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s. Already famous in Germany decades before the outbreak of war, the clown performed in sold-out theatres in Berlin from 1941 to 1944. Conjectures about the dilemmas that Charlie Rivel faced in Nazi-ruled Berlin have become the basis for Gerard Vazquez's play Uuuuh! (2005) and Eduard Cortes' feature film, based on the play, El pallasso i el Fuhrer (2007). My reading of both texts shows that an engagement with the memory of the Holocaust is an important component of the Catalan identification and integration processes within a unified Europe. Charlie Rivel's personal, cultural and professional itineraries are inexorably link...
Aerosol detection methods in lidar-based atmospheric profiling

A compact light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system provides aerosols profile measurements by identifying the aerosol scattering ratio as function of the altitude. The aerosol scattering ratios are used to obtain multiple aerosol intensive ratio parameters known as backscatter color ratio, depolarization ratio and lidar ratio. The aerosol ratio parameters are known to vary with aerosol type, size, and shape. Different methods in the literature are employed for detection and classification of aerosol from the measurements. In this paper, a comprehensive review for aerosol detection methods is presented. In addition, results of implemented methods of quantifying aerosols in the atmosphere on real data are compared and presented showing how the backscatter color, depolarization and lidar ratios vary with presence of aerosols in the atmosphere.
Bayesian Modeling of Time Response and Dose Response for Predictive Interim Analysis of a Clinical Trial

Bayesian approach has been increasingly applied to various aspects of design and analysis of clinical trials. We present one application concerning an interim futility analysis of a trial. Longitudinal data were collected for a range of the studied doses. Bayesian analysis was first conducted to predict observations at the end of treatment for patients not yet followed through treatment, based on all interim observed data. The predicted data in combination with observed data at the end of treatment were then analyzed using a Bayesian normal dynamic linear model for dose response inference. Summary of the Bayesian analysis was used to aid an interim futility decision.
Challenges During Surgery for Meningomyelocele and Encephalomyelocele

Neural tube defects, also referred to as spinal dysraphism, myelodysplasia, or spina bifida, result from incomplete fusion of midline structures with lack of covering over neural elements. Although introduction of the use of folic acid to potential mothers prior to conception has decreased the risk of having a fetus with an open neural tube defect, the incidence is not negligible at 0.5–1 per 1,000 live births. A meningocele involves protrusion of only the meninges through the dysraphic defect and spares the neural contents. However, a myelomeningocele refers to a defect with protrusion of neural elements along with their covering and has implications for the patient and the provider from infancy to adulthood. This chapter focuses on perioperative complications of myelomeningocele as follows: (1) damage to neural placode, (2) hydrocephalus, (3) CSF leak, and (4) latex allergy. A miscellaneous section (5) is also included.
“I Want to Know About Everything That’s Happening in the World”: Enhancing Critical Awareness Through a Youth Participatory Action Research Project With Latinx Youths

AbstractThrough a yearlong, qualitative ethnographic study that incorporated a youth participatory action research project, this research identifies and documents the learning outcomes achieved when core principles of critical pedagogy are brought into practice with urban Latinx youths to develop critical awareness. Analysis reveals three themes around how critical awareness was raised: attention to current events, an ethic of care, and challenging traditional curricula.
Understanding Android Application Programming and Security: A Dynamic Study

Most existing research for Android focuses on particular security issues, yet there is little broad understanding of Android application run-time characteristics and their implications. To mitigate this gap, we present the first systematic dynamic characterization study of Android apps that targets a broad understanding of application behaviors in Android. Through lightweight method-level profiling, we collected 59GB traces of method calls and Intent-based inter-component communication (ICC) from 125 popular Android apps and 62 pairs among them that enabled an intensive empirical investigation of their run-time behaviors. Our study revealed that, among other findings, (1) the application executions were overwhelmingly dominated by the Android framework, (2) Activity components dominated over other types of components and were responsible for most lifecycle callbacks (3) most event handlers dealt with user interactions as opposed to system events, (4) the majority of exercised ICCs did not carry any data payloads, and (5) sensitive data sources and sinks targeted only one/two dominant categories of information or operations. We also discuss the implications of our results for cost-effective program analysis and security defense for Android.
Comparative effectiveness of allergy testing method in driving immunotherapy outcomes.

BACKGROUND Skin-prick testing (SPT), in vitro testing (IVT), and intradermal-dilutional testing (IDT) are methods to detect patient sensitivities to specific allergens and direct immunotherapy dosing. We used objective and subjective measures of improvement to compare outcomes based on test method. METHODS Patients underwent 1 of 3 protocols: SPT, screening SPT followed by IDT, or IVT. We used institution billing data to do a cost analysis of these tests. The time to maintenance (TTM) therapy was analyzed and patients were stratified into high and low reactors. The Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) was used to quantify symptoms pre-maintenance and post-maintenance. RESULTS Of 177 patients (SPT, n = 40; IVT, n = 91; IDT, n = 46), 115 (SPT, n = 35; IVT, n = 39; IDT, n = 41) were high reactors. Out of 90 patients (SPT, n = 17; IVT, n = 37; IDT, n = 36) reaching maintenance, 58 were high reactors (SPT, n = 15; IVT, n = 12; IDT, n = 31). Overall, SPT, IVT, and IDT median TTM were 542, 329, and 578.5 days, respectively. IDT TTM was shorter compared to IVT overall and in high reactors (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.91, p = 0.02; HR = 2.12, p = 0.03), but was not significant compared to SPT high reactors (p = 0.33). The IDT cost was $62.66, translating to an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $0.23 per day of shortened TTM. Median RQLQ change for the SPT, IVT, and IDT groups was 6.5, 1, and 1.5, respectively, but was not significant (p = 0.60). CONCLUSION IDT reached maintenance immunotherapy quicker than IVT but there was no difference compared to SPT. TTM did not correlate with improvements in patient symptoms between testing methods. This study represents a novel comparison of outcomes based on initial allergy testing method.
Venture Capital as an Alternative Means to Allocate Capital: An Agency-Theoretic View

The venture capital process is one of many methods of capital allocation. In a capital allocation process, investors acquire funds; potential investments are Identified and reviewed; Investment ter...
Understanding PGM-free catalysts by linking density functional theory calculations and structural analysis: Perspectives and challenges

Summary We discuss perspectives and challenges in applying density functional theory for the calculation of spectroscopic properties of platinum group metal (PGM)-free electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction. More specifically, we discuss recent advances in the density functional theory calculations of core-level shifts in binding energies of N 1s electrons as measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The link between the density functional theory calculations, the electrocatalytic performance of the catalysts, and structural analysis using modern spectroscopic techniques is expected to significantly increase our understanding of PGM-free catalysts at the molecular level.
Quantitative Methods in Biomedical Applications: Creative Inquiry and Digital-Learning Environments to Engage and Mentor STEM Students in Mathematics (NSF Funded Research)

With an increasing demand for biomedical and bioengineering professionals in the coming decades, educators are tasked with readying a greater number of STEM students who are able to apply mathematical concepts to critical health care decisions. In this work, we have developed a series of for-credit, applied learning modules that are being given in parallel to the freshman and sophomore calculus curriculum. These modules use creative inquiry and applied learning experiences to connect mathematical concepts with bioengineering and medical applications. We hypothesize that exposure and participation in the applied learning experiences outside of standard mathematics classes will improve the students’ performance and perceived appreciation for their math curriculum.The four module series is offered over a 2-year period to groups of up to 25 students and emphasizes mathematics and statistics relevant to four biomedical research areas (1) orthopedics, (2) infectious diseases, (3) heat propagation in the human body, and (4) mammography and radiology.This scalable project utilizes a diverse set of faculty from the math and bioengineering departments. The project value to STEM goals is found in (1) convincing students through applied learning experiences that mathematics is an important component of any research plan and indispensable to their career success and (2) ensuring that these students do not falter in calculus and abandon their STEM goals. This paper presents our developed methods and initial findings from module one with the hopes of inspiring other institutions to adopt similar applied learning experiences for their STEM students.
Psychological Comorbidities, Assessment, and Management of Refractory Daily Headaches

While true psychosomatic headaches are rare in clinical practice, psychological factors frequently influence the course of a headache and the degree of disability associated with it. Psychological stress, defined as situations in which an individual perceives demands upon themselves exceeding their ability to adapt effectively, produces autonomic responses which escalate headaches. Further psychological risk factors include reinforcement of attention to pain and disability, diminished activity as a pain-coping strategy, depression, anxiety, a history of childhood physical or sexual abuse, or markedly altered family functioning. Astute clinicians attend to these issues and assist their patients in seeking appropriate psychological care when indicated. Guidelines for assessment and referral are offered. This chapter outlines behavior issues and approaches in refractory daily headaches.
The Future of Wireless and What it will Enable

Wireless technology has enormous potential to change the way we live, work, and play over the next several decades. Future wireless networks will support 100 Gbps communication between people, devices, and the "Internet of Things," with high reliability and uniform coverage indoors and out. The shortage of spectrum to support such systems will be alleviated by advances in massive MIMO and mmW technology as well as cognitive radios. Wireless technology will also enable smart and energy-efficient homes and buildings, automated highways and skyways, and in-body networks for monitoring, analysis and treatment of medical conditions. Breakthrough energy-efficiency architectures, algorithms and hardware will allow wireless networks to be powered by tiny batteries, energy-harvesting, or over-the-air power transfer. Finally, new communication systems based on biology and chemistry to encode bits will enable a wide range of new micro and macroscale applications. There are many technical challenges that must be overcome in order to make this vision a reality. This talk will describe what the wireless future might look like along with some of the innovations and breakthroughs required to realize this vision.
The new era of electronic word of mouth (eWOM): ‘Be More Chill’ overrules the critics

As 2018 comes to a close, it is worth examining recent trends affecting promotion via social media. The year has seen considerable publicity given to data on social media hits being manipulated or ...
Proton-pump inhibitors do not influence clinical outcomes in patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia.

Background:Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are commonly used in clinical practice for gastric acid suppression. However, these agents have also been associated with certain negative clinical outcomes...
The Cumulative Prevalence of Termination of Parental Rights for U.S. Children, 2000–2016:

Recent research has used synthetic cohort life tables to show that having a Child Protective Services investigation, experiencing confirmed maltreatment, and being placed in foster care are more common for American children than would be expected based on daily or annual rates for these events. In this article, we extend this literature by using synthetic cohort life tables and data from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System to generate the first cumulative prevalence estimates of termination of parental rights. The results provide support for four conclusions. First, according to the 2016 estimate, 1 in 100 U.S. children will experience the termination of parental rights by age 18. Second, the risk of experiencing this event is highest in the first few years of life. Third, risks are highest for Native American and African American children. Nearly 3.0% of Native American children and around 1.5% of African American children will ever experience this event. Finally, there is dramatic variation across states in the risk of experiencing this event and in racial/ethnic inequality in this risk. Taken together, these findings suggest that parental rights termination, which involves the permanent loss of access to children for parents, is far more common than often thought.
The Charm Quark`s Mass

The charm quark`s mass is determined from Monte Carlo calculations of the {anti c}c spectrum. The main sources of uncertainty are perturbation theory (for conversion to {ovr MS}), the continuum limit extrapolation, Monte Carlo statistics, and the effects of quenching. The (preliminary) result for the {ovr MS} mass is {anti m}{sub ch}(m{sub ch})=1.33{+-}0.08 GeV.
Whiteboxes in Optical Networks: an operator’s viewpoint

Where and what kind of whitebox technology will appear in telecom operator networks and what benefits will it bring?
Data-driven motion detection and event-by-event correction for brain PET: Comparison with Vicra

Head motion degrades image quality and causes erroneous parameter estimates in tracer kinetic modeling in brain PET studies. Existing motion correction methods include frame-based image-registration (FIR) and correction using real-time hardware-based motion tracking (HMT) information. However, FIR cannot correct for motion within one predefined scan period while HMT is not readily available in the clinic since it typically requires attaching a tracking device to the patient. In this study, we propose a motion correction framework with a data-driven algorithm, i.e., using the PET raw data itself, to address these limitations. Methods: We propose a data-driven algorithm, Centroid of Distribution (COD), to detect head motion. In COD, the central coordinates of the line of response (LOR) of all events are averaged over 1-sec intervals to generate a COD trace. A point-to-point change in the COD trace in one direction that exceeded a user-defined threshold was defined as a time point of head motion, which was followed by manually adding additional motion time points. All the frames defined by such time points were reconstructed without attenuation correction and rigidly registered to a reference frame. The resulting transformation matrices were then used to perform the final motion compensated reconstruction. We applied the new COD framework to 23 human dynamic datasets, all containing large head motions, with 18F-FDG (N = 13) and 11C-UCB-J (N = 10), and compared its performance with FIR and with HMT using the Vicra, which can be considered as the “gold standard”. Results: The COD method yielded 1.0±3.2% (mean ± standard deviation across all subjects and 12 grey matter regions) SUV difference for 18F-FDG (3.7±5.4% for 11C-UCB-J) compared to HMT while no motion correction (NMC) and FIR yielded -15.7±12.2% (-20.5±15.8%) and -4.7±6.9% (-6.2±11.0%), respectively. For 18F-FDG dynamic studies, COD yielded differences of 3.6±10.9% in Ki value as compared to HMT, while NMC and FIR yielded -18.0±39.2% and -2.6±19.8%, respectively. For 11C-UCB-J, COD yielded 3.7±5.2% differences in VT compared to HMT, while NMC and FIR yielded -20.0±12.5% and -5.3±9.4%, respectively. Conclusion: The proposed COD-based data-driven motion correction method outperformed FIR and achieved comparable or even better performance as compared to the Vicra HMT method in both static and dynamic studies.
Retroperitoneal malignant triton tumor in an infant: a case report and literature review

Malignant triton tumor (MTT) is a rare subtype of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) with rhabdomyoblastic differentiation. MTTs are solid tumors commonly located in the head, neck, extremities, and trunk. The presence of this tumor in an infant's retroperitoneum is extremely rare, and prompted the authors to report this case with reference to existing literature.
Intuition and Logic.

Most secondary schools do not have courses in formal logic. Teachers must teach this topic as it comes up naturally through class discussions in algebra, geome try, or general mathematics. Our students do present arguments to support their posi tions, and the strategies they use reveal the intuitions they have developed about logical relationships. It is important that we em phasize this connection between the rules of logic and our intuition. In fact, intuition is the underlying basis for our understanding of formal logic. This article shows how we can capitalize on our students' ways of thinking to lead them to a greater under standing of logical relationships. We do not really engage in formal logical behavior very often. Most of our decisions are based on fairly immediate interpreta tions of our experiences. Using our intuition and simple chains of reasoning, we develop our responses to many situations. How do we guard against nonsense when we are work ing in an area in which we have only a narrow base of experience? One defense is to take extreme care in determining where to start in analyzing a problem. We must watch for initial assump tions, making them only when reasonably informed persons would readily agree with them. A second defense is to make as few assumptions as possible; we must challenge each new assumption, trying to minimize different interpretations. A third defense is to treat our assumptions and all statements derived from them in as formal a manner as possible. In this way we avoid unspoken