cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ultrafast embedded explicit model predictive control for nonlinear systems

The design of energy-efficient and ultrafast nonlinear model predictive controllers (NMPCs) is critical for decision-making in modern engineering systems. To this end, an embedded systems approach is proposed for hardware acceleration of a stabilizing explicit NMPC (ENMPC). Tools from approximate computing are employed to simplify the ENMPC control law and design an ultra-fast, low-power, miniaturized ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) deploying the control mechanism. Approximation bounds on the embedded controller and stability guarantees of the closed-loop system are provided. The efficacy and energy-savings of the embedded ENMPC is verified in an ASIC-in-the-loop simulation experiment. Whereas the exact ENMPC law requires 79K gates for implementation, consumes 13.66 mW of power, and operates at 0.3 GHz on 45 nm Nangate technology, the approximating ASIC requires only 3.6K gates (resulting in a 25× area reduction), consumes a meager 0.47 mW of power (29× power reduction), and runs at 0.5 GHz (more than 105× faster than cutting-edge embedded NMPCs).
The Organization, the Goals, and Some Activities of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

THE great watchword of the French Revolution was Liberty, Equality, Fra ternity. Although a great oversimplifica tion, it has been said that France exem plifies liberty, Great Britain equality, and the United States fraternity. Without at tempting to apportion these virtues among the nations of the world, I should like to dwell for a few moments on fraternity as it applies in the United States to the Nation al Council of Teachers of Mathematics. I believe it is in this domain that we have developed into the largest mathematical organization in the world and?we should like to think?one of the most influential. The Mathematics Teacher, the official journal of the Association of Teachers of Mathematics in the Middle States and Maryland, carried the following announce ment in its issue of December, 1919 (pp. 77-78):
AC susceptibility and heat capacity studies of the geometrically frustrated pyrochlores terbium titanium tin oxides and holmium titanates

AC Susceptibility And Heat Capacity Studies Of The Geometrically Frustrated Pyrochlores Tb2Ti2−xSnxO7 And Ho2−xRxTi2O7 by Daniel Antonio Dr. Andrew Cornelius, Defense Committee Chair Associate Professor of Physics University of Nevada, Las Vegas Materials with a geometrically frustrated magnetic pyrochlore lattice have been of interest due to their unusual ground states. Tb2Ti2O7 is known for having a spin liquid ground state which does not transition to a long-range ordered state down to at least 50 mK. Ho2Ti2O7 has a macroscopically degenerate spin ice ground state which resembles that of the proton ordering in water ice. Heat Capacity measurements of Tb2Ti2−xSnxO7 were done down to 0.36 K and AC magnetic susceptibility measurements of Ho2−xYxTi2O7 and Ho2−xLaxTi2O7 were done for frequencies from 10 Hz to 10 kHz down to 1.8 K, both in magnetic fields up to 9 T. These experiments were performed in an effort to further understanding of the factors that lead to their unusual behavior and to study the effects of introducing disorder through doping with nonmagnetic elements. Determination of the effect of an external field on the hyperfine crystal field at the Tb sites was done. In addition, unusual behavior in the ac susceptibility of the Ho samples at lower temperatures was observed.
Measuring the results of a workshop on installing anaerobic digesters on smaller livestock farms

It is accepted generally that anaerobic digesters (AD) are efficacious technologies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from livestock operations (Pronto and Gooch, 2009). In addition, AD technology has a number of other potential benefits including: energy production for use on the farm and for sale, separation of manure solids for ease of use or export off-farm, pathogen reduction leading to healthier labor and herd outcomes and odor control. It is also clear that in the USA, research and extension efforts, including public financing of AD technology installations, have disproportionally been focused on larger farms- e.g., dairy farms with at least 500 milking cows. The latter has begun to change as more resources are being invested in AD technology for smaller livestock farms. We present the results of a pre and post survey implemented at four workshops on small-scale AD technology for livestock farmers in northeastern New York State. Results indicate that information presented shifted farmers’ attitudes such that they viewed AD technology as not overly complex; and, they became less interested in selling generated surplus power off-farm.
Discovery of a Novel Periodontal Disease-Associated Bacterium

One of the world's most common infectious disease, periodontitis (PD), derives from largely uncharacterized communities of oral bacteria growing as biofilms (a.k.a. plaque) on teeth and gum surfaces in periodontal pockets. Bacteria associated with periodontal disease trigger inflammatory responses in immune cells, which in later stages of the disease cause loss of both soft and hard tissue structures supporting teeth. Thus far, only a handful of bacteria have been characterized as infectious agents of PD. Although deep sequencing technologies, such as whole community shotgun sequencing have the potential to capture a detailed picture of highly complex bacterial communities in any given environment, we still lack major reference genomes for the oral microbiome associated with PD and other diseases. In recent work, by using a combination of supervised machine learning and genome assembly, we identified a genome from a novel member of the Bacteroidetes phylum in periodontal samples. Here, by applying a comparative metagenomics read-classification approach, including 272 metagenomes from various human body sites, and our previously assembled draft genome of the uncultivated Candidatus Bacteroides periocalifornicus (CBP) bacterium, we show CBP's ubiquitous distribution in dental plaque, as well as its strong association with the well-known pathogenic "red complex" that resides in deep periodontal pockets.
Transmissible cerebral amyloidosis

Transmissible cerebral amyloidosis occurs in three forms — sporadic, iatrogenic, and familial. Clinical and epidemiological aspects of sporadic disease are briefly described, followed by an up-to-date review of the increasing numbers and varieties of iatrogenic and mutation-positive familial cases.
Electrophysiology of Reentrant Ventricular Arrhythmias in the Late Myocardial Infarction Period

Myocardial infarction represents a highly likely source of reentrant ventricular arrhythmias. Although most studies of the early phase of ventricular arrhythmias that follow acute ligation of a major coronary artery in the dog have shown some of the basic prerequisites for reentry in the form of desynchronized slow conduction in ischemic myocardium (1–8), they all fall short of actually documenting the presence of reentry. This was due, we believe, to the highly dynamic situation following acute ligation of a major coronary artery with constantly changing electrophysiologic properties in the ischemic zone. Thus, it is difficult to conduct systematic electrophysiologic studies of the possible reentrant mechanism under such dynamic conditions. In addition, the recording techniques usually failed to demonstrate the one unequivocal evidence for reentry, namely, the presence of continuous electric activity originating from the infarction zone that regularly and predictably bridge the diastolic interval between the reentrant beat and the preceding impulse, as well as between consecutive reentrant beats, (9).
Can duplex ultrasound replace arteriography in screening for mesenteric ischemia

Duplex examination of the mesenteric vasculature is not a widely performed examination, but the published literature documents the ability of this test to accurately identify chronic atherosclerotic occlusive disease. The test is a recent addition to the armamentarium of noninvasive duplex technology, with studies of adequate size for statistical analysis appearing only since 1991. Two primary sets of diagnostic threshold values for significant stenoses of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and the celiac artery have been published and subsequently tested for accuracy. One of these recommends use of peak systolic velocity (PSV), whereas end diastolic velocity (EDV) was found to be most accurate in the other. Both sets of criteria identify overall accuracy of greater than 90% for identification of SMA stenosis, and greater than 80% for diagnosis of celiac stenosis. Identification of celiac disease may be aided by analysis of blood flow direction in the common hepatic artery. The finding of retrograde hepatic flow is virtually diagnostic of severe celiac stenosis or complete occlusion. Duplex also has been shown capable of identifying anatomic anomalies of the mesenteric vessel origins, a situation that occurs in approximately 20% of the population. Finally, mesenteric duplex has utility in a variety of less common abdominal visceral disorders, but statistical analysis of accuracy and adequate identification of quantitative velocity thresholds have not been performed. Skilled technologists who have access to appropriate training and equipment can master this test. There is little doubt that it can replace angiography as a screening tool in the setting of suspected chronic mesenteric ischemia.
R-Bendamustine Vs R-CHOP As Initial Treatment for Advanced Stage Low Grade Follicular Lymphoma: A Matched-Pair Analysis

Introduction: In the randomized phase 3 clinical trial performed by the Study group indolent Lymphoma (STiL) in patients with indolent and mantle cell lymphoma, the complete response (CR) rates and progression-free survival (PFS) were superior with first-line bendamustine plus rituximab (BR) therapy compared with CHOP plus rituximab (R-CHOP) therapy. However, in a second randomized phase 3 clinical trial (the BRIGHT study) also performed in patients with indolent and mantle cell lymphoma, the CR rates were similar between BR and R-CHOP groups and PFS data has not been reported. In both trials, the toxicity profile was better for BR compared with R-CHOP. Here, we report the results of a matched-pair analysis of advanced stage low-grade follicular lymphoma patients treated with first-line BR or R-CHOP at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas. Methods: We reviewed the medical records of all patients (n=74) with stage III or IV grade 1 or 2 follicular lymphoma treated at MD Anderson Cancer Center with first-line BR between January 2009 and December 2013. Each BR patient was paired with a grade 1 or 2 follicular lymphoma patient treated with first-line R-CHOP matched by age, gender, and stage. Patients with histological diagnosis of concurrent diffuse large B-cell lymphoma were excluded. Results: There were no significant differences in most baseline patient characteristics including age, gender, stage, FLIPI 1 and FLIPI 2 risk groups, Ki-67 score, absolute monocyte count, and absolute lymphocyte count (p>0.05). However, more patients in R-CHOP group met GELF criteria compared with BR group (69% vs 47%, p=0.012). Also, more patients in R-CHOP group had SUVmax >10 on baseline FDG PET scan compared with BR group (74% vs 49%, p=0.011). Median number of chemotherapy cycles was 6 for both groups (range, 2-6 for BR and 4-8 for R-CHOP). The CR rates were comparable between the two groups (93% for BR and 91% for R-CHOP, p=0.142). The median follow-up was 24.4 months (range, 2.8-63.2 months) for BR patients and 68.1 months (range, 4.4-149.4 months) for R-CHOP patients. At 24 months, the PFS and overall survival (OS) were comparable between the two groups (PFS and OS of 85% and 94% for BR and 82% and 99% for R-CHOP; log rank p=0.654 for PFS and 0.158 for OS). Conclusions: In this 1:1 matched pair analysis of advanced stage low-grade follicular lymphoma patients treated with first-line BR or R-CHOP, the CR rates, PFS and OS were comparable between the two therapies. However, longer follow-up is required for better comparison of PFS, OS, and long-term toxicities between the two regimens. Disclosures Fanale: Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other, Research Funding. Wang: Pharmacyclics, Janssen: Honoraria, Research Funding. Westin: Novartis: Research Funding.
High Voltage Electron Microscopy of Urinary Calculi

Over the years many different physical and chemical techniques have been employed in investigations of the composition and structure of renal stones. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) have been implemented in studies of the ultrastructure of urinary calculi1–4. TEM and associated selected area electron diffraction techniques have the unique potential of providing direct evidence of mechanisms, such as epitaxy, which have been proposed as being the key to stone formation. However, the considerable difficulties associated with ultramicrotomy and TEM of urinary stones have hindered progress in this area. In recent years, high voltage transmission electron microscopy5 (HVEM; 800–1000kV) has been employed for the study of materials which do not lend themselves to investigation with conventional TEM (e.g. 100kV). The objective of the present study was to implement HVEM in the study of the ultrastructure of urinary calculi.
RENOPRIVAL HEMOLYSIS AND ITS PREVENTION BY RENAL TISSUE.

The life span of erythrocytes is prominently shortened following bilateral nephrectomy of the dog. This is due to an intracorpuscular defect which appears to develop rapidly. While this defect develops, the erythrocytes remain normochromic and normocytic, display a normal osmotic fragility and are not coated with globulin. Intact renal tissue, as exemplified by the ureterocaval preparation, improves significantly the life span of the erythrocyte. Autoexplanted renal cortex, liver and spleen and the acutely hydronephrotic kidney do not protect against the shortened life span of the erythrocyte. The renal function which appears to protect against in vivo hemolysis seems to be primarily of nonexcretory type and mainly of medullary origin. The results suggest the presence of a renal principle operating either directly at renal tissue level or indirectly by a humoral factor in preventing in vivo hemolysis.
A Comparison of Action Transitions in Individual and Collaborative Exploratory Web Search

Collaboration in Web search can be characterized as implicit or explicit in terms of intent, and synchronous or asynchronous in terms of concurrency. Different collaboration style may greatly affect search actions. This paper presents a user study aiming to compare search processes in three different conditions: pair of users working on the same Web search tasks synchronously with explicit communication, pair of users working on the same Web search tasks asynchronously without explicit communication and single users work separately. Our analysis of search processes focused on the transition of user search actions logged in our exploratory Web search system called CollabSearch. The results show that the participants exhibited different patterns of search actions under different conditions. We also found that explicit communication is one of the possible sources for users to obtain ideas of queries, and the explicit communication between users also promotes their implicit communication. Finally this study provides some guidance on the range of behaviors and activities that a collaborative search system should support.
Arithmetic properties of bipartitions with ℓ-core

Let Al(n) denote the number of bipartitions of n with l-core. In this paper, we prove a theorem on congruences modulo 2 for Al(n) with l≥2 by employing a well known congruence due to binomial theor...
Proceedings of the first international workshop on Security in embedded systems and smartphones

It is our great pleasure to welcome you to the First International Workshop on Security in Embedded Systems and Smartphones -- SESP'13. This workshop aims to bring together the research efforts from both the academia and industry in all security and privacy aspects related to embedded systems and smart phones. We encourage submissions on all theoretical and practical aspects, as well as experimental studies of deployed systems. Due to the conflict with the Lunar New Year, the call for papers attracted 6 submissions from Asia, Europe, and the United States. From them, the program committee accepted 3 papers that cover a variety of topics, including risk visualization, detection of permission abuse, and Android apps analysis into the workshop program. The program is also featured by a keynote speech by Dr. Hao Chen from University of California at Davis. We hope that this first step will help bootstrap the research on secure and privacy preserving mobile devices in Asia.
Semiparametric frailty models for zero‐inflated event count data in the presence of informative dropout

Recurrent events data are commonly encountered in medical studies. In many applications, only the number of events during the follow-up period rather than the recurrent event times is available. Two important challenges arise in such studies: (a) a substantial portion of subjects may not experience the event, and (b) we may not observe the event count for the entire study period due to informative dropout. To address the first challenge, we assume that underlying population consists of two subpopulations: a subpopulation nonsusceptible to the event of interest and a subpopulation susceptible to the event of interest. In the susceptible subpopulation, the event count is assumed to follow a Poisson distribution given the follow-up time and the subject-specific characteristics. We then introduce a frailty to account for informative dropout. The proposed semiparametric frailty models consist of three submodels: (a) a logistic regression model for the probability such that a subject belongs to the nonsusceptible subpopulation; (b) a nonhomogeneous Poisson process model with an unspecified baseline rate function; and (c) a Cox model for the informative dropout time. We develop likelihood-based estimation and inference procedures. The maximum likelihood estimators are shown to be consistent. Additionally, the proposed estimators of the finite-dimensional parameters are asymptotically normal and the covariance matrix attains the semiparametric efficiency bound. Simulation studies demonstrate that the proposed methodologies perform well in practical situations. We apply the proposed methods to a clinical trial on patients with myelodysplastic syndromes.
An Often-Missed Laboratory Error.

A 31-year-old man with a history of intravenous drug use was admitted for tricuspid valve replacement. A presurgical urine drug screen was ordered to verify abstinence from illicit compounds and compliance with prescribed medications, including lorazepam. Multiple urine drug screen results by immunoassay (IA) were negative, despite observed administration of lorazepam while the patient was admitted to the hospital. The laboratory was contacted to investigate the negative results. 1. What are common causes of false-negative urine drug screens? 2. Why are lorazepam and clonazepam often missed by immunoassay? 3. What options are available to improve the detection of lorazepam in drug screens? …
Child marriage among boys in high-prevalence countries: an analysis of sexual and reproductive health outcomes.

While the determinants and impacts of child marriage among girls have been well documented, little research exists on the practice among boys. This paper explores the sociodemographic profile of men who married by age 18 and assesses whether they are more or less advantaged than their peers in terms of their sexual and reproductive health outcomes. This analysis used the most recent data from nationally representative household surveys for the 15 countries with the highest prevalence of marriage by age 18 among men aged 20–24 at the time of the survey. The prevalence of child marriage was then explored for the full cohort of men aged 20–49 through descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis. Available reproductive health indicators were explored, comparing men who married during childhood and men who married in adulthood. For the youngest and oldest cohorts, the total number of children fathered and the total ideal number of children were compared based on whether men married by age 18. For this subset of countries, the prevalence of child marriage among men aged 20–24 ranges from 8.4 to 27.9%. The practice appears most common among respondents living in the poorest households and in rural areas, and with no education or only primary schooling. Men who married as children appear less likely to have comprehensive knowledge of HIV than their peers who married in adulthood. Little difference among men who married by age 18 and those who married in adulthood was observed regarding knowledge or use of modern methods of contraception. In almost all countries with data, the odds of having fathered three or more children among men aged 20–29 are higher for those who married as children compared to their peers. In four countries, the odds of exceeding one’s ideal family size among men aged 40–49 also appear higher among those who married during childhood compared to men who married at older ages. These results highlight the need for further research to identify drivers of the practice and short- and long-term outcomes for men who married during childhood, specifically concerning fatherhood, fertility preferences, and completed family size.
Explosion hazards from lithium-ion battery vent gas

Abstract Lithium-ion battery technology is rapidly being adopted in transportation applications and energy storage industries. Safety concerns, in particular, fire and explosion hazards, are threatening widespread adoption. In some failure events, lithium-ion cells can undergo thermal runaway, which can result in the release of flammable gases that pose fire and explosion hazards for the compartment housing the cells. However, there is little available information characterizing the flammability properties of the gases released after cell thermal runaway. In this paper, analytical and modeling methods to estimate explosion characteristics, such as lower flammability limit, laminar flame speed, and maximum over-pressure are evaluated for use in quantifying the effect of cell chemistry, state-of-charge and other parameters on the overall explosion hazard potential for confined cells.
Drivers, Beliefs, and Barriers Surrounding Surgical Opioid Prescribing: A Qualitative Study of Surgeons' Opioid Prescribing Habits.

Abstract Background Recent data demonstrate that surgeons overprescribe opioids and vary considerably in the amount of opioids prescribed for common procedures. Limited data exist about why and how surgeons develop certain opioid prescribing habits. We sought to identify surgeons’ knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about opioid prescribing and elicit barriers to guideline-based prescribing. Methods We conducted qualitative semistructured interviews accompanied by demographic surveys at an academic medical center. Surgical residents and faculty members were selected by maximum variation purposive sampling. We used thematic analysis to identify themes associated with opioid prescribing. Results Twenty surgical residents and twenty-one surgical faculty members were interviewed. Characteristics of individual surgeons, patients, health care teams, practice environments, and the complex interplay between these domains drove prescribing habits. Attending-resident communication about opioid prescribing was extremely limited. Surgeons received little training and feedback about opioid prescribing and were rarely aware of negative long-term consequences, limiting motivation to change prescribing habits. Although surgeons frequently interacted with pain management physicians to comanage patients postoperatively, few involved pain management physicians in preoperative planning. Perceived barriers to guideline-based prescribing included the following: limitations to electronic prescribing, cross-coverage problems, inadequate time for patient education, and impediments to use of nonopioid alternatives. Conclusions Interventions to improve compliance with opioid prescribing guidelines should include surgeon education and personal feedback. Future interventions should aim to improve attending-resident communication about opioid prescribing, reduce hurdles to electronic prescribing, provide clear pain management plans for cross-covering physicians, assess alternative methods for efficient patient education, and maximize use of nonnarcotic pain medications.
Real-time Burn Classification using Ultrasound Imaging

This article presents a real-time approach for classification of burn depth based on B-mode ultrasound imaging. A grey-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) computed from the ultrasound images of the tissue is employed to construct the textural feature set and the classification is performed using nonlinear support vector machine and kernel Fisher discriminant analysis. A leave-one-out cross-validation is used for the independent assessment of the classifiers. The model is tested for pair-wise binary classification of four burn conditions in ex vivo porcine skin tissue: (i) 200 °F for 10 s, (ii) 200 °F for 30 s, (iii) 450 °F for 10 s, and (iv) 450 °F for 30 s. The average classification accuracy for pairwise separation is 99% with just over 30 samples in each burn group and the average multiclass classification accuracy is 93%. The results highlight that the ultrasound imaging-based burn classification approach in conjunction with the GLCM texture features provide an accurate assessment of altered tissue characteristics with relatively moderate sample sizes, which is often the case with experimental and clinical datasets. The proposed method is shown to have the potential to assist with the real-time clinical assessment of burn degrees, particularly for discriminating between superficial and deep second degree burns, which is challenging in clinical practice.
Impact of alemtuzumab dosing and low-dose total body irradiation on cytomegalovirus infection in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is a curative therapy for a variety of malignant and nonmalignant hematologic disorders, but its efficacy is limited by transplant-rel...
The effects of membrane surface wettability on pore wetting and scaling reversibility associated with mineral scaling in membrane distillation

Abstract The application of membrane distillation (MD) to hypersaline wastewater treatment is constrained by mineral scaling. Although tuning membrane surface wettability has been recently used to mitigate membrane scaling in MD, the effectiveness of this strategy for different scaling types has not been well understood. Furthermore, two important factors that determine the performance of MD membrane, namely wetting resistance and scaling reversibility, have been rarely discussed in MD scaling studies. In this work, we investigated the effects of membrane surface wettability on pore wetting and scaling reversibility associated with gypsum and silica scaling in MD. We challenged a hydrophobic membrane, a Janus membrane with a hydrophilic top layer, and a superhydrophobic membrane with gypsum- and silica-containing feed solutions. Compared to the hydrophobic and Janus membranes, the superhydrophobic membrane delayed scaling induction and enhanced scaling reversibility in gypsum scaling tests, in which the total water recoveries achieved by the tested membranes were inversely correlated to membrane surface hydrophilicity. Also, the superhydrophobic membrane uniquely resisted pore wetting induced by gypsum scaling, probably by preventing feedwater intrusion into membrane pores. In contrast, altering membrane surface wettability was ineffective to improve either scaling reversibility or total water recovery under silica scaling, which did not induce pore wetting for all the tested membranes. We attributed the differences in scaling behaviors as well as the varied responses to membrane surface wettability between gypsum and silica scaling to their distinct scaling mechanisms. The oriented and intrusive gypsum crystallization resulted in pore deformation and discrete crystals that could be detached by physical cleaning. In contrast, the slow kinetics and lack of orientation of silica polymerization formed a thin and crosslinked scaling layer, which was not intrusive but firmly attached to the membrane surface. The results of our study provide valuable insights on the interplays among membrane surface wettability, scaling type, and membrane performance in MD desalination, and suggest that the development of scaling mitigation strategies in MD should be tailored to the varied mechanisms of different scaling types.
Moment-rotation response of cold-formed steel joist-to-ledger connections with variable-finishes in ledger-framed construction

Abstract Ledger framing is the dominant framing system in North American cold-formed steel (CFS) construction. In this system, the floor, which is typically sheathed with oriented strand board, is framed into the top of the wall via a rim track (ledger) and clip angle connection. The diaphragm is essentially hung from the walls. Recently completed experimental work involving full-scale shake table tests on a ledger-framed CFS building exhibited the presence of alternate load paths that contributed to the lateral force resisting system. Within the goal of quantifying this contribution to the overall diaphragm response, experimental tests on joist-to-ledger connection have demonstrated to have a complex behavior involving limit states such as ledger flange buckling, stud web crippling, and fastener pull-out. Current design practices do not account for these limit states. To improve design recommendations and understanding of load transfer mechanisms, a robust finite element model for a joist-to-ledger connection in ABAQUS, validated via existing experimental tests, is presented herein. Experimental testing on the pull-out capacity of screw-fastened connections was conducted for implementation into the finite element environment. Results were then implemented directly in ABAQUS as connection behavior. Generally, the modeling approach accurately captures connection capacity and behavior. In addition, influence of other floor sheathing materials, fiber cement board and steel deck, on the moment-rotation stiffness and strength of this connection is explored. In steel deck sheathing, effects of deck thickness and fastener spacing are explored. This work enables predictions for both design and system-scale characterization.
“Listening Literacies” as Keys to Rebuilding Trust in Journalism: A Typology for a Changing News Audience

Using in-depth interviews and textual analyses of trust-building projects as case studies, this research explores the links between trust and news literacy. The major contribution includes a contex...
Abstract 3718: Adaptive drug escape of EML4-ALK lung cancer against targeted ALK inhibitor involving TGFβ2-mitochondrial priming

Lung cancer is the second most common malignancy with the highest cancer-mortality rate. EML4-ALK chromosomal translocation is now known to represent a highly actionable unique molecular target in approximately 5% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. The ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) crizotinib induces remarkably high response rates in molecularly-selected NSCLC patients harboring EML4-ALK driven tumors, and is being used in first-line therapy. Nonetheless, responsive tumors ultimately develop acquired drug resistance. We have recently investigated non-mutational mechanisms of tumor resistant escape emerging under early TKI treatment time-window. Our recent studies in EGFR-mutant NSCLC in early adaptive drug escape against EGFR TKI identified an autocrine upregulation of TGFβ2 within these survivor cells. Here, we found that TGFβ2 was elevated significantly in the EML4-ALK-driven H3122 cells undergoing early adaptive drug escape against ALK TKI (TAE684) at treatment day 14. Interestingly, we found that the augmented TGFβ signaling was specific to TGFβ2, but not TGFβ1 or TGFβ3. We also found correlative enhanced mitochondrial BCL-2/BCL-xL prosurvival signaling in the day 14 TKI surviving H3122 cells. The upregulated TGFβ2-BCL-2/BCL-xL prosurvival mitochondrial priming was further validated in H3122 xenografts by IHC. Exogenous TGFβ2 stimulation in vitro for 7 days induced a dose-dependent upregulated BCL-2 and BCL-xL expression. Inhibiting mitochondrial BCL-2/BCL-xL priming using dual BCL-2/BCL-xL inhibitor ABT-263 as BH3-mimetic led to significant reduction in early adaptive drug escape induced by ALK TKIs. Our study showed that EML4-ALK NSCLC could escape ALK TKI early in treatment through cell plasticity that involved TGFβ2-mitochondrial priming in an upregulated prosurvival state. We also found that the early adaptive drug-escaping cancer cells possessed inherently increased EMT-ness (upregulated vimentin, AXL, GAS6) and cancer stemness (upregulated OCT4, NANOG). These findings provide deeper insights into the process of drug resistance emergence and highlighted potential window-of-opportunities to therapeutically target early adaptive escape to eradicate targeted drug resistance and impact long term survival. Citation Format: Lihong Yin, Wei Zhang, Ivy Shi, Yan Feng, Rakesh Bagai, Daniel Lindner, Patrick C. Ma. Adaptive drug escape of EML4-ALK lung cancer against targeted ALK inhibitor involving TGFβ2-mitochondrial priming. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 3718. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-3718
Early adoption of the human papillomavirus vaccine among Hispanic adolescent males in the United States.

BACKGROUND Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is common among Hispanic males, but to the authors' knowledge little is known regarding HPV vaccination in this population. The authors examined the early adoption of the HPV vaccine among a national sample of Hispanic adolescent males. METHODS The authors analyzed provider-verified HPV vaccination data from the 2010 through 2012 National Immunization Survey-Teen (NIS-Teen) for Hispanic males aged 13 years to 17 years (n = 4238). Weighted logistic regression identified correlates of HPV vaccine initiation (receipt of ≥1 doses). RESULTS HPV vaccine initiation was 17.1% overall, increasing from 2.8% in 2010 to 31.7% in 2012 (P<.0001). Initiation was higher among sons whose parents had received a provider recommendation to vaccinate compared with those whose parents had not (53.3% vs 9.0%; odds ratio, 8.77 [95% confidence interval, 6.05-12.70]). Initiation was also higher among sons who had visited a health care provider within the previous year (odds ratio, 2.42; 95% confidence interval, 1.39-4.23). Among parents with unvaccinated sons, Spanish-speaking parents reported much higher intent to vaccinate compared with English-speaking parents (means: 3.52 vs 2.54; P<.0001). Spanish-speaking parents were more likely to indicate lack of knowledge (32.9% vs 19.9%) and not having received a provider recommendation (32.2% vs 17.7%) as the main reasons for not intending to vaccinate (both P<.05). CONCLUSIONS HPV vaccination among Hispanic adolescent males has increased substantially in recent years. Ensuring health care visits and provider recommendation will be key for continuing this trend. Preferred language may also be important for increasing HPV vaccination and addressing potential barriers to vaccination. Cancer 2014;120:3200–3207. © 2014 American Cancer Society.
Phosphatidylinositol (4,5)-bisphosphate regulates psychostimulant behaviors via a membrane protein interaction (358.1)

Phosphatidylinositol (4,5)-bisphosphate (PIP2) tightly regulates the function of ion channels and ion transporters. The human dopamine (DA) transporter (hDAT) is a key regulator of DA homeostasis and is a target of the psychostimulant amphetamine (AMPH). Here, we demonstrate that PIP2 interacts electrostatically with specific hDAT positively charged residues and that this direct electrostatic interaction facilitates AMPH-induced, DAT-mediated DA efflux and the psychomotor properties of AMPH. Substitution of these residues with uncharged amino acids reduces hDAT-PIP2 interactions and AMPH-induced DA efflux, without altering hDAT physiological function, DA uptake. We evaluated, for the first time, the significance of this interaction in vivo using locomotion as a behavioral assay in Drosophila melanogaster. Expression of mutated hDAT with reduced PIP2 interaction in DA Drosophila neurons impairs AMPH-induced locomotion without altering basal locomotion. We present the first demonstration of how PIP2 interac...
Automating Errors and Conflicts Prognostics and Prevention

Errors and conflicts exist in many systems. A fundamental question from industries is How can errors and conflicts in systems be eliminated by automation, or can we at least use automation to minimize their damage? The purpose of this chapter is to illustrate a theoretical background and applications of how to automatically prevent errors and conflicts with various devices, technologies, methods, and systems. Eight key functions to prevent errors and conflicts are identified and their theoretical background and applications in both production and service are explained with examples. As systems and networks become larger and more complex, such as global enterprises and the Internet, error and conflict prognostics and prevention become more important and challenging; the focus is shifting from passive response to proactive prognostics and prevention. Additional theoretical developments and implementation efforts are needed to advance the prognostics and prevention of errors and conflicts in many real-world applications.
EPR of Mn 2 + -doped single crystals of Zn K 2 ( S O 4 ) 2 ·6 H 2 O and Ni K 2 ( S O 4 ) 2 ·6 H 2 O: Mn 2 + - Ni 2 + exchange constant

$X$-band EPR measurements on ${\mathrm{Mn}}^{2+}$-doped single isostructural crystals of diagmagnetic zinc potassium sulfate hexahydrate and paramagnetic nickel potassium sulfate hexahydrate have been made at room, liquid-nitrogren, and liquid-helium temperatures. To avoid the damagnetization effects, a spherical-shaped sample was used for the paramagnetic lattice. The spin-Hamiltonian parameters were evaluated using a least-squares fitting method, simultaneously fitting all resonant line positions obtained for several orientations of the external magnetic field. Using the $g$ shift in the paramagnetic host, from that in the isostructural diamagnetic host, the ${\mathrm{Mn}}^{2+}$-${\mathrm{Ni}}^{2+}$ exchange constant has been estimated.
CO (3-2) Emission from the Nucleus of NGC 6946

We have observed the 12CO (J= 3-2) emission from the nucleus of the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 6946 using the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) at a resolution of 15″ (0.7 kpc). CO emission is clearly detected at the nucleus, 12″ south along the molecular bar (Ball et al. 1985), and 12″ west perpendicular to the molecular bar. The peak beam-averaged brightness temperature (Tmb) is 1.4 ± 0.5 K at the nucleus and 1.0 ± 0.4 K on average at the other two positions. Comparison with 1-0 mapping from Nobeyama using the same beamsize (Doi et al. 1988) shows that the (3-2)/(1-0) intensity ratio is 1.0 ± 0.5 on average at the three positions.
Performance evaluation: running DSR and TORA routing protocols concurrently

Dynamic Source Routing (DSR) routing protocol is well suited for low condensed networks while Temporally-Ordered Routing Algorithm (TORA) routing protocol is better suited for highly condensed networks. Taking advantage of such characteristics, in this paper the performance of DSR and TORA are evaluated while both are being deployed concurrently in the network. A Source node will be surrounded with a zone of nodes employing the DSR routing protocol while the remaining network nodes will run the TORA routing protocol. For a destination node residing outside the source node zone, throughput, overhead and delay is measured on OPNET.
FDA Approval: Ibrutinib for Patients with Previously Treated Mantle Cell Lymphoma and Previously Treated Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

On November 13, 2013, the FDA granted accelerated approval to ibrutinib (IMBRUVICA capsules; Pharmacyclics, Inc.) for the treatment of patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) who have received at least one prior therapy. On February 12, 2014, the FDA granted accelerated approval for the treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) who have received at least one prior therapy. Ibrutinib is a first-in-class Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor that received all four expedited programs of the FDA: Fast-Track designation, Breakthrough Therapy designation, Priority Review, and Accelerated Approval. Both approvals were based on overall response rate (ORR) and duration of response (DOR) in single-arm clinical trials in patients with prior treatment. In MCL (N = 111), the complete and partial response rates were 17.1% and 48.6%, respectively, for an ORR of 65.8% [95% confidence interval (CI), 56.2%-74.5%]. The median DOR was 17.5 months (95% CI, 15.8-not reached). In CLL (N = 48), the ORR was 58.3% (95% CI, 43.2%-72.4%), and the DOR ranged from 5.6 to 24.2 months. The most common adverse reactions (≥ 30% in either trial) were thrombocytopenia, diarrhea, neutropenia, bruising, upper respiratory tract infection, anemia, fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, peripheral edema, and nausea.
Outcome of cancer pain consultations.

BACKGROUND. All major cancer centers in the United States are equipped with pain management consultation services. We report on the outcome of such consultations within 24 hours from the intervention. METHODS. All consecutive patients referred to the pain management service of a tertiary care cancer center were assessed before and 14-24 hours after the intervention. RESULTS. A total of 45 patients completed the study. The mean current pain intensity score was 5.2 on the Visual Analogue Scale before the consultation and 2.7 7 after the consultation (P < 0.05). The pain was described as excruciating on the Categorical Scale by three patients before the consultation and by no patients after the consultation. CONCLUSIONS. In hospitalized cancer patients with difficult to control pain, cancer pain consultations result in a measurable effect within 24 hours of the pharmacologic intervention. To avoid unnecessary suffering, timeliness is of the utmost importance when requesting and delivering cancer pain consultations.
Encountering the Trauma of the Holocaust: Dialogue and Its Dicontents in the Broszat-Friedlander Exchanges of Letters

This article investigates the exchanges of letters of 1987 between the historians Martin Broszat and Saul Friedlander through the interpretive framework of "dialogue." It is suggested that dialogue does not have a dyadic structure, but involves ever shifting Thirds that function as mediators in dialogue, i.e., God, conscience, reason, or tradition. On one hand, Thirds provide a seemingly stable, external reference point; on the other hand, they open up space for the play of power and desire. Four categories of Thirds are identified and their place and role in the dialogue between Broszat and Friedlander analyzed. The psychoanalytically inspired notions of "acting-out" and "working-through" are employed in order to interpret the varying degrees of critical control Broszat and Friedlander were able to apply to these interfering Thirds. Finally, I give an overall interpretation of Broszat s and Friedlander's positions in the dialogue, guided by the concepts of acting-out and working-through.
Effects of Chronic Oral Administration on the Disposition of Laevodopa and its Major Metabolites in the Plasma of the Rat

1. Plasma levels of total radioactivity, unchanged laevodopa, catecholamines, 3-O-methyldopa and non-amino phenolic acids were measured in rats treated orally with [3H]laevodopa (100 mg/kg, 100 μCi/kg) for different periods of time.2. Chronic oral administration of laevodopa for two months significantly delayed the appearance of peak plasma levels and decreased the overall plasma concentrations of the unchanged drug as compared to controls. The extent of absorption of an oral dose of [3H]laevodopa was not significantly impaired on chronic treatment and/or ageing. The decrease in the levels of unchanged laevodopa appeared to be due to an increase in the apparent volumes of distribution of the drug and its metabolites upon ageing.3. The plasma levels of the catecholamine metabolite fraction, which included dopamine, noradrenaline, etc., were much higher in chronically dosed animals.4. These findings may be relevant in the understanding of such clinical observations as decreasing therapeutic effects and incr...
Effect of local cooling on pro-inflammatory cytokines and blood flow of the skin under surface pressure in rats: Feasibility study

The primary purpose of this feasibility study was to establish a correlation between pro-inflammatory cytokine accumulation and severity of tissue damage during local pressure with various temperatures. The secondary purpose was to compare skin blood flow patterns for assessing the efficacy of local cooling on reducing skin ischemia under surface pressure. Eight Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to two protocols, including pressure with local cooling (Δt = -10 °C) and pressure with local heating (Δt = 10 °C). Pressure of 700 mmHg was applied to the right trochanter area of rats for 3 h. Skin perfusion quantified by laser Doppler flowmetry and TNF-∗ and IL-1β levels were measured. Our results showed that TNF-α concentrations were increased more significantly with local heating than with local cooling under pressure whereas IL-1β did not change. Our results support the notion that weight bearing soft tissue damage may be reduced through temperature modulation and that non-invasive perfusion measurements using laser Doppler flowmetry may be capable of assessing viability. Furthermore, these results show that perfusion response to loading pressure may be correlated with changes in local pro-inflammatory cytokines. These relationships may be relevant for the development of cooling technologies for reducing risk of pressure ulcers.
Thrombosed, ruptured atheromatous plaques in saphenous vein coronary artery bypass grafts: Ten years' experience

Abstract During the past decade the number of patients undergoing saphenous vein coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has increased worldwide. With a rate of late graft occlusion approximating 4% each year, the number of patients at risk for lote graft occlusion continues to increase. Whereas in 1976 only 0.8% of the CABGs performed at our institution were reoperations for occluded grafts, by 1985 repeat procedures comprised 12.4% of the CABGs performed. Excised, occluded saphenous vein grafts from 52 of 119 (44%) of these patients showed thrombosis superimposed on ruptured atheromatous plaques. Ten autopay patients showed similar lesions in their occluded grafts. The lesion was present in grafts excised as early as 3 years and as late as 14 years after bypass surgery; most occurred 5 to 10 years after implantation. Neither age at first bypass, sex, nor coronary artery bypassed permitted prediction of the occurrence of the lesion. Thrombosed, ruptured atheromatous plaque is a common, clinically significant mechanism of late graft occlusion. It is associated with recurrent symptoms that necessitate repeat revascularization and may result in death. The lesion may also be amenable to thrombolytic therapy, angioplasty, or both.
Characterization of aberrations in image-intensified fluoroscopy

A procedure is developed for characterizing and measuring the distortion and intensity variations which are present in x‐ray image‐intensifier systems. These effects often seriously limit the usefulness of such systems, and the results here make possible an evaluation and comparison of competing intensifier instruments.