cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design of a Variable Toric Lens Using Laterally Shifted Freeform Elements

We present a design process for a variable lens pair where the x and y focal lengths are varied independently of each other using laterally shifted freeform surfaces. Examples are presented.
Targeted first-line therapies for advanced colorectal cancer: a Bayesian meta-analysis.

// Yassine Ridouane 1 , Gilberto Lopes 2 , Geoffrey Ku 3 , Hasan Masud 1 and Benjamin Haaland 1, 4 1 H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA 2 Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Health System, Miami, FL, USA 3 Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA 4 Population Health Sciences and Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA Correspondence to: Benjamin Haaland, email: ben.haaland@hsc.utah.edu Keywords: Bayesian, colorectal cancer, decision analysis, meta-analysis, targeted therapy Received: May 10, 2017 Accepted: August 03, 2017 Published: August 11, 2017 ABSTRACT Background: Colorectal cancer is common and deadly. First-line treatments for patients with metastatic disease include FOLFIRI and FOLFOX, which have been combined with anti-EGFR or anti-VEGF antibodies to achieve benefit in selected populations. However, optimal therapy remains unclear. Results: Fifteen publications on 10 trials were identified. There was a lack of decisive evidence that FOLFIRI or FOLFOX impact efficacy of either anti-EGFR or anti-VEGF, across mutational status groups. On the other hand, evidence suggests both anti-EGFR and anti-VEGF may be more effective for KRAS WT than MT patients. KRAS WT results provided evidence that anti-EGFR treatments may be more effective than anti-VEGF treatments when combined with FOLFIRI or FOLFOX . Further, evidence suggests that both anti-EGFR and anti-VEGF therapies, when combined with FOLFIRI or FOLFOX , may be harmful as compared to chemotherapy for KRAS MT patients. Materials and Methods: Literature was searched for randomized trials comparing anti-EGFR or anti-VEGF antibodies, paired with FOLFIRI or FOLFOX, as first-line therapy for advanced colorectal cancer. Meta-estimates were generated via Bayesian hierarchical log-linear model. The primary endpoint was overall survival. Conclusions: Further studies examining impact of all- RAS mutation status, left or right side location of primary tumor, and combination anti-VEGF with modern bolus fluoropyrimidine are needed.
Euclides da Cunha’s Literary Map, or Including Os Sertões

The chapter maintains that Euclides da Cunha’s Os Sertoes (1902) is a literary map that creates the illusion of national integrity by including the formerly excluded Brazilian sertao. By highlighting da Cunha’s rectification of non-Brazilian land treatises, contextualizing him within Brazilian Positivism, and examining his tangential writings, it argues that his stylized correctives supplant the divisive strategies implanted during colonial rule and continued during the neocolonial Republican years. Undoing the damage of error-laden representations and nomenclatures of foreigners—especially Humboldt, but also Henry Thomas Buckle, Wilhelm Ludwig von Eschwege, Orville Derby, and Carl Friedrich Philip von Martius—da Cunha reclaims Brazilian land and letters while submitting a softer rendition of the national subject and terrain into universal history.
Radiation Treatment in Women with Ovarian Cancer: Past, Present, and Future

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal of the gynecologic cancers, with 5-year survival rates less than 50%. Most women present with advanced stage disease as the pattern of spread is typically with dissemination of malignancy throughout the peritoneal cavity prior to development of any symptoms. Prior to the advent of platinum-based chemotherapy, radiotherapy was used as adjuvant therapy to sterilize micrometastatic disease. The evolution of radiotherapy is detailed in this review, which establishes radiotherapy as an effective therapy for women with micrometastatic disease in the peritoneal cavity after surgery, ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC), focal metastatic disease, and for palliation of advanced disease. However, with older techniques, the toxicity of whole abdominal radiotherapy (WAR) and the advancement of systemic therapies have limited the use of radiotherapy in this disease. With newer radiotherapy techniques, including intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and low dose hyperfractionation in combination with targeted agents, radiotherapy could be reconsidered as part of the standard management for this deadly disease.
Look Who's Talking: Measuring Self-Disclosure in MFT

While self-disclosure plays a prominent role in the development and maintenance of the therapeutic relationship, most marriage and family therapy clinical research fails to include measures of self-disclosure. A factor analysis of Chelune's (1976) Self Disclosure Situations Survey (SDSS) reduces the number of items in this measure from 20 to six. Researchers are encouraged to consider conducting clinical research with specific attention to the construct of self-disclosure. The revised SDSS could easily be added as part of the self-report information collected in clinical studies.
Translation challenges of cross-cultural research and program development.

Purpose Translation of cross-cultural surveys and programs pose unique challenges. This paper identifies potential pitfalls of current translation guidelines and presents solutions employed for one project. Methods We followed current guidelines for translation of survey instruments including forward and back translation, and also utilized qualitative methods to decenter survey questions. In addition, our project adapted translation by committee with a core translation team of bilingual/trilingual investigators and staff members with diverse skills and complementary degrees of proficiency in the languages and dialects of interest. Principal findings This approach resulted with a mechanism for emic equivalence, identifying and resolving dialectic and sociolinguistic concerns, selecting appropriate written Chinese styles, and providing appropriate linguistic training to interviewers. Conclusions An understanding of the history of a people and its ramifications for the language are important components of the translation process. Allocation of appropriate time, resources, and skills are critical to the successful development of valid cross-cultural survey instruments and effective programs.
Intellectual Property Protection and Financial Markets: Patenting vs. Secrecy

Firms can protect intellectual property (IP) either by keeping inventions secret or by patenting the IP, which entails detailed information disclosure. Our hypothesis is that the firm's choice between secrecy and patenting is influenced by the relative protection provided, which then has distinct implications for stock liquidity and equity financing. Stronger IP-protection through trade secrets (patents) is expected to encourage firms to rely more (less) on secrecy, thus increasing (reducing) information asymmetry and stock illiquidity. Our empirical findings are supportive: exogenous, staggered passage of state-level statutes that strengthen trade-secret protection result in: fewer patent applications, increased opaqueness, greater stock illiquidity, and worse announcement reaction to seasoned equity offerings (SEOs). By contrast, implementation of the international Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (a.k.a. TRIPS), that strengthened patent-protection, is followed by an increase in patenting, enhanced transparency, greater stock liquidity, and a less negative stock-market reaction to SEOs.
Introduction and Philosophical Theories

Whenever there is the possibility of interaction among persons, there are questions about how those persons ought to act.1 The study of ethics may be described as the study of how persons ought to act. Since health care consists of interactions among persons, the practice of health care is inextricable from ethical issues.
An empirical study of reducing multiclass classification methodologies

One-against-all and one-against-one are two popular methodologies for reducing multiclass classification problems into a set of binary classifications. In this paper, we are interested in the performance of both one-against-all and one-against-one for basic classification algorithms, such as decision tree, naive bayes, support vector machine, and logistic regression. Since both one-against-all and one-against-one work like creating a classification committee, they are expected to improve the performance of classification algorithms. However, our experimental results surprisingly show that one-against-all worsens the performance of the algorithms on most datasets. One-against-one helps, but performs worse than the same iterations of bagging these algorithms. Thus, we conclude that both one-against-all and one-against-one should not be used for the algorithms that can perform multiclass classifications directly. Bagging is an better approach for improving their performance.
AB0804 OSTEOARTHRITIS (OA) PATIENTS WITH LOW BASELINE MULTIDIMENSIONAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE/ROUTINE ASSESSMENT OF PATIENT INDEX DATA (MDHAQ/RAPID3) SCORES FOR PAIN, PATIENT GLOBAL ASSESSMENT AND MORNING STIFFNESS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LIKELY TO IMPROVE OVER THE NEXT 6 MONTHS

Background The course of osteoarthritis (OA) is highly variable; up to 50% of patients show little progression over many years, while other patients show rapid progression. Relatively little is known about the clinical variables that might affect prognosis for progression. Objectives To analyze OA patient status in routine care at baseline according to baseline candidate prognostic multidimensional health assessment questionnaire (MDHAQ) variables, and 6 months later as improved, worsened or similar according to the same variables. Methods All patients complete an MDHAQ/RAPID3 (routine assessment of patient index data) at all visits prior to seeing the rheumatologist at an academic site. The 2-page MDHAQ/RAPID3 includes 0-10 scores for physical function (FN), and visual analog scales (VAS) for pain (PN) and patient global assessment (PATGL), compiled into a 0-30 RAPID3, as well as a 0-10 fatigue VAS, 0-48 self-report painful joint count, 0-60 symptom checklist, and minutes of morning stiffness. OA patients were classified into 3 groups, based on change in RAPID3 ≥3.8, the minimal clinically important improvement (MCII), from baseline to 6-month follow-up (range 3-9 months), as >3.8, Results Among 173 OA patients, 22 (13%) were improved, 95 (55%) unchanged, and 56 (32%) worsened 6 months later. The 3 groups did not differ significantly in age, gender, ethnicity, educational level or BMI (Table). Patients who improved compared to those who were unchanged or worsened had significantly lower baseline RAPID3, pain and patient global VAS, and morning stiffness. The patients who improved also had lower, but not statistically significant, physical function score and fatigue VAS. No differences were seen among the 3 groups in numbers of symptoms or self-report painful joint counts (Table). Conclusion OA patients who were improved over 6 months according to RAPID3 had significantly lower baseline scores for RAPID3, pain, patient global assessment, and morning stiffness. It may be of value to stratify patients in clinical trials, other clinical research, and routine clinical care according to these variables. Disclosure of Interests None declared
Modelling water systems in an introductory undergraduate course: Students’ use and evaluation of data-driven, computer-based models

ABSTRACTIntroductory undergraduate courses present an opportunity to use disciplinary concepts in solving authentic problems. Making complex natural systems accessible to students through computer-...
Framing local climate change policies in the US Great Plains

Climate change policies have become priorities for many local governments across many countries. In the United States, however, skepticism of climate science and political motives remains dominant ...
PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTORs trigger environmentally responsive chromatin dynamics

Abstract The pivotal interplay between light receptors and PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTORs (PIFs) serves as an essential regulatory hub that perceives and integrates environmental cues into the plant’s transcriptional networks. A critical control component of environmentally-responsive gene networks is the histone variant H2A.Z which provides transcriptional plasticity and prevents undesired gene activation. However, the functional relationship between PIF transcription factors and H2A.Z is only poorly understood. Here, we describe a genomic approach that utilizes the rapid and reversible light-mediated manipulation of PIF7 activity to visualize PIF7 DNA binding and H2A.Z occupancy kinetics. Strikingly, PIFs shape the H2A.Z landscape in a light quality-dependent manner. In addition, we observed that PIFs initiate H2A.Z eviction through direct interaction with EIN6 ENHANCER (EEN), a subunit of INO80 chromatin remodeling complex. These studies uncover a previously unknown PIF-INO80 regulatory module controlling plant growth in response to rapid environmental changes. One-sentence summary A PIF-INO80 module controls light quality-dependent H2A.Z dynamics.
Intraspecific variation in morphology, physiology, and ecology of wildtype relative to horticultural varieties of red maple (Acer rubrum)

Wildtype and horticultural varieties of red maple seedlings had different morphologies and physiological responses to water stress and abundances of an insect herbivore when grown in a common garden. Horticultural varieties of trees (cultivars) are selected for desirable and consistent morphologies relative to wildtype trees, but the ways by which morphology influences intraspecific physiological and ecological responses are unclear. In this study, we compared morphology, gas exchange and water use efficiency, and stem herbivory for seedlings of wildtype red maple (Acer rubrum) and two cultivars, ‘Summer Red’ and ‘Brandywine,’ grown together in a common garden. Seedlings also received high and low water treatments. Overall, wildtype seedlings grew taller, had fewer, larger leaves, intermediate rates of photosynthesis, and lower abundances of the scale insect Melanapsis tenebricosa, relative to the cultivars. Summer Red seedlings had more leaves, leaves with red coloration throughout the growing season, and the highest rates of photosynthesis, although photosynthesis was higher in green relative to red leaves. Brandywine seedlings tended to be intermediate in morphology, exhibited smaller differences between the high and low water treatments, and had higher leaf water use efficiency than Summer Red seedlings in April and June but similar water use efficiency in September. Total seedling water use efficiency, measured in September, was highest for wildtype seedlings. Both cultivars had more scale insects than wildtype seedlings under well-watered conditions. These differences among types of red maple aid in understanding how intraspecific variation in tree appearance—and the en masse planting of a single cultivar in cities—affects physiological and ecological responses, the provision of ecosystem services, and the condition of planted trees.
Transmission and immune response studies of toxigenic Pasteurella multocida

Thirty-six Landrace by Large White cross gilts were randomly assigned to one of three consecutive time blocks, 12 gilts per block. Within each block, gilts were randomly assigned to one of three beta- hydroxy beta-methyl butyrate (HMB) treatments (0 gm, 2 gm or 10 gm) top-dressed on the feed once daily, beginning 38 days before the expected block farrowing date and continuing through 21 days post- farrowing. They were housed in groups of three in separate isolation rooms before farrowing, and farrowed in a common room with 12 individual farrowing crates. Within each block each gilt was vaccinated with a commercially available killed pseudorabies (PRV) vaccine 2ind a tetanus toxoid at separate sites. To test the effect of HMB treatment on immunoglobulin class specific htmioral and mucosal antibody titers, gilts in each HMB treatment group were randomly assigned to be either P. muLtocida vaccinated or non-vaccinated. Serum samples were collected on days -38 (before beginning HMB treatment), -28, -14, and -7 prefarrowing, and on days I, 7, 14, and 21
Bulk Defect Characterization Using Short Wavelength Measurements

We present a summary of the work we have done at Stanford on bulk defect evaluation in structural ceramics. A short wavelength approach to defect detection and characterization was taken. Our results indicate that defect detection and material characterization are successful in the short wavelength regime. Defect characterization, however, is more difficult using a single backscattering measurement. A high-frequency synthetic aperture imaging approach was developed to improve defect characterization and our preliminary results are very encouraging.
The impact of a randomized controlled trial of a lifestyle intervention on postpartum physical activity among at-risk hispanic women: Estudio PARTO.

Aims To assess the impact of a culturally modified, motivationally targeted, individually-tailored intervention on postpartum physical activity (PA) and PA self-efficacy among Hispanic women. Methods Estudio PARTO was a randomized controlled trial conducted in Western Massachusetts from 2013–17. Hispanic women who screened positive for gestational diabetes mellitus were randomized to a Lifestyle Intervention (LI, n = 100) or to a comparison Health and Wellness (HW, n = 104) group during late pregnancy. Exercise goals in LI were to meet American College of Obstetrician & Gynecologists guidelines for postpartum PA. The Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ) and the Self-Efficacy for Physical Activity Questionnaire were administered at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year postpartum. Results Compared to baseline levels, both groups had significant increases in moderate-to-vigorous PA at 6 months and one year postpartum (i.e., LI: mean change = 30.9 MET-hrs/wk, p = 0.05; HW: 27.6 MET-hrs/wk, p = 0.01), with only LI group experiencing significant increases in vigorous PA (mean change = 1.3 MET-hrs/wk, p = 0.03). Based on an intent-to-treat analysis using mixed effects models, we observed no differences in pattern of change in PA intensity and type over time between intervention groups (all p > 0.10). However, there was the suggestion of a greater decrease in sedentary activity in the LI group compared to the HW group (β = -3.56, p = 0.09). Conclusions In this randomized trial among high-risk Hispanic women, both groups benefitted from participation in a postpartum intervention.
Regional Coronary Blood Flow During Relief of Pacing-Induced Angina by Nitroglycerin Implications for Mechanism of Action

The mechanism for the therapeutic effect of nitroglycerin in stress-induced angina remains controversial; it has been attributed to both increased blood supply to the ischemic myocardium and decreased myocardial oxygen demand. To investigate the contribution of each of these mechanisms, systemic pressures and great cardiac vein flow were measured in 14 patients with single-vessel disease involving the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery during the development of pacing-induced angina and after the administration of nitroglycerin while continuing pacing at the angina-provoking rate. Great cardiac vein flow, measured by thermodilution, represents the venous efflux from the LAD territory and therefore provided an index of flow to the poststenotic myocardium. In 11 patients, nitroglycerin was administered systemically (400 to 800 micrograms sublingually or 200 micrograms intravenously); angina was relieved in 10, concomitant with a decrease in both great cardiac vein flow (from 123 +/- 29 to 98 +/- 29 ml/min, p less than 0.001) and mean aortic pressure (from 118 +/- 22 to 104 +/- 22 mm Hg, p less than 0.001). In contrast, when 75 micrograms of nitroglycerin was administered directly into the left main coronary artery of 7 patients, it produced a small increase in great cardiac vein flow (from 108 +/- 32 to 125 +/- 31 ml/min, p = 0.059), no change in aortic pressure, and no relief of angina. This study suggests that nitroglycerin's major beneficial action in pacing-induced angina is unrelated to direct effects on the coronary circulation and is likely related to its cardiac unloading effect.
Between Jihād and History: Reconceptualizing the Islamic Revolutions of West Africa

Between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, West Africa witnessed a series of “Islamic revolutions.” Scholars have often approached these movements through models of jihād. Consequently, they have conceptualized them as linked and part of a single phenomenon. In contrast, this chapter interrogates common assumptions about jihād. It demonstrates that while many of the leaders of these movements used the language of jihād, and drew on the broader Islamic legal tradition, they did so in response to differing historical circumstances. Instead of focusing on the discourse of jihād, this chapter argues that it is important to also investigate the social, political and economic contexts within which these movements emerged, and analyze their differences, since they all unfolded separately in space and time.
Genetic polymorphism at the mouse immunoglobulin J kappa locus (Igk-J) as demonstrated by Southern hybridization and nucleotide sequence analysis.

Comparison of the nucleotide sequences of the C.C58 M75 myeloma ϰ chain gene and the BALB/c germ-line Jϰ segments suggested that the Jϰ regions of C.C58 and BALB/c might be distinguished by restriction enzyme polymorphisms. This was shown to be the case in Southern hybridizations of Hinf I and Ace I digests of liver DNA from these and other strains with a Jϰ-specific probe. Tests of a wide variety of inbred, congenic, recombinant, and recombinant-inbred strains provided evidence for three alleles, Igk-Ja, Igk-Jb, and Igk-Jc, the type strains for which are C58/J, BALB/c, and SJL/J, respectively. Analysis of the B6.PL(85NS) congenic strain suggests that the Igk-J locus lies in the neighborhood of the Lyt-2/Lyt-3 loci, approximately 0.30 cM from the V gene segment determining the Igk-VSer and Igk-Efl polymorphisms. Finally, nucleotide substitutions lead to amino acid sequence differences between the C.C58 M 75 ϰ gene and the BALB/c germ line in Jϰ2 and Jϰ4. Two of these substitutions reflect true germ-line differences, raising the possibility that idiotype differences observed among strains could reflect Jϰ as well as Vϰ differences.
An Evaluation of Methods for Monitoring Annual Quality Measures by Month to Predict Year-End Values

Objective: Our objective was to evaluate four different methods for monitoring annually defined quality measures on a monthly basis, so as to best predict year-end performance throughout the reporting year. Methods: We developed four methods for monitoring annual measures by month: 1) Monthly Proportion: The proportion of patients with one or more encounters in the month who still needed to meet the measure at their first encounter of the month and met the measure by the end of the month; (2) Monthly Lookback Proportion: The proportion of patients seen in the month who met the measure by the end of the month, regardless of whether it was met in that month or previously in the reporting year; (3) Rolling 12 Month: The annual measure reported as if each month was the twelfth month of a twelve-month reporting period; and (4) YTD (Year-to-Date) Cumulative: The proportion of patients with one or more visits from the start of the reporting year through the month who satisfy the measure. We applied each method to two annual dental quality measures using data from two reporting years, and four different dental sites. We used mean squared error (MSE) to evaluate year-end predictive performance. Results: Method 3 (Rolling 12 Month) had the lowest MSE in 11 out of 16 cases (2 measures X 2 years X 4 sites) and lowest total MSE across all 16 cases. In 5 of the 16 cases, YTD Cumulative had the lowest MSE. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that the Rolling 12 Month method was best for predicting the year-end value across both measures and all four sites.
Estimating Economic Damages with Linear Regression and Bayesian Networks (Part 1)

Despite the risks associated with linear regression, experts often use it in dispute resolution settings. Part 1 of this two-part article illuminates linear regression principles and pitfalls in the context of an actual case and offers related practice pointers. Part 2 demonstrates the use of Bayesian networks for more transparent and user-friendly estimation of damages and firm value. To date, Bayesian networks have seen scant action in court, yet their user-friendliness and technical and aesthetic superiority highly recommends them for resolving valuation disputes. Part 2 of this paper can be found at http://ssrn.com/abstract=3434042
A Simulation of Ion-Acoustic Signals After Proton FLASH Radiation From a Synchrocyclotron.

Purpose/Objective(s) FLASH radiation therapy (FLASH-RT) is an emerging treatment modality that promises to increase the therapeutic index of radiotherapy. FLASH-RT consists of delivering treatment doses of radiation within an extremely short irradiation time. Proton therapy can produce the very high instantaneous dose rate necessary for proton FLASH-RT using a synchrocyclotron. Additionally, the maximum dose of proton FLASH-RT that is tuned to release at a precise depth could generate an ion-acoustic signal strong enough to reach the body surface overcoming all the interferences and attenuation. To translate proton FLASH-RT to the clinic, precise dosimetry and dose administration are critically important. One wants to verify that the high dose of radiation is delivered to the right location. Ion-acoustic imaging is an attractive modality for Bragg peak range verification for proton FLASH-RT. However, standard ultrasound transducers, which typically operate in the 3.5-7.5 MHz range, are not tuned to capture the ion-acoustic signal from proton FLASH-RT, which could range from 10-100 kHz. Novel ultrasound transducers with lower resonance frequencies are needed to make ion-acoustic imaging for proton FLASH-RT a reality. In this study, we hypothesize that simulating ion-acoustic signals imaging with parameters derived from an actual proton FLASH-RT experiment can determine the target frequency response of a potential ion-acoustic transducer. Materials/Methods We simulated the propagation of an ion-acoustic mechanical wave through an anatomical phantom using the k-wave toolbox. The proton FLASH synchrocyclotron, whose parameters we were simulating, can deliver a dose of 22,000 cGy in 750 pulses of ∼10 us in duration. Therefore, we simulated one pulse using a gaussian whose FWHM was 10 us and whose integral summed to 29.333 cGy. The size of the beamlet was about 1cm in diameter. The dose was converted to pressure using the following equation: δp = ΓρD, where D is the dose delivered, Γ is the dimensionless Gruneisen parameter, and ρ is target density. For the simulation, D = 29.333 cGy, Γ = 0.1, and ρ = 1000. The anatomical phantom was a slice of an abdominal CT scan whose Hounsfield units were converted to density and speed of sound using a hounsfield2density function. The dose was delivered to the center of the phantom. Ultrasonic sensors were placed along the surface of the phantom. Results The average frequency response of all the sensors was obtained for the simulation. The resonance frequency of the average frequency response was 38.8 kHz. Conclusion In this study, we demonstrate that the k-wave toolbox can be used to simulate the propagation of the ion-acoustic mechanical wave generated from proton FLASH-RT. This simulation can be used to guide the development of novel ultrasonic transducers. The results of this simulation indicate that ultrasonic transducers with lower resonance frequencies are needed.
A virtual reality system for strengthening awareness and participation in rehabilitation for post-stroke patients

This paper presents a system called REAPP, a virtual environment aiming at supporting upper-limb robotic neurorehabilitation for post-stroke patients. In the last few years different systems using either or both virtual environments and robots have been developed. However, such advanced systems often lack attention on the physical and psychological conditions perceived by the patient, who should be the key focus in therapies. In this context, REAPP aims not to be just an entertaining interface but also a means to investigate patients’ feelings toward the therapy and to enhance their self-perception while performing the rehabilitation exercises. Before and after the rehabilitation session the patients are inquired about their emotional state, their physical condition and a self-evaluation of the performance is done. While performing the exercises patients look at a 2D/3D interface which has the aim of enhancing their self-awareness by showing them, through an avatar, the movements they are doing. Widgets and a virtual assistant provide additional feedback about the quality of the movements which is computed through a specifically developed arm model that can be customized on the residual capabilities of each patient.
Education Today for Environmental Challenges Tomorrow

The education of engineering students today for the environmental challenges of tomorrow demands an interdisciplinary approach to problem solving and design. Students must obtain a firm foundation in science, mathematics, engineering sciences and the liberal arts which will permit them to be versatile and to grow in the future. In addition, students must be challenged by real-world, poorly defined problems involving social and economic values as well as science and technology. This paper analyzes the professional engineering program at Dartmouth College in relation to the aforementioned objectives, and emphasizes the need for open-ended projects, both group and individual, undergraduate and graduate, to prepare students for environmental problems of the future. Specific projects, sponsored by industry and others, are noted including undergraduate group projects focused on human or environmental needs and individual graduate design projects developed in the context of industrial internship.
Optimization of continuous system with closed-loop poles inside a rectangular region

A recursive method for determining the state weighting matrix of a linear quadratic regulator problem in order to shift the open loop poles inside a rectangular region is presented. This method is capable of shifting the real and imaginary parts for continuous time systems. Aggregation is used in each step of the recursive process; thus each time the order of the system is reduced to first or second order.
Path planning in GPS-denied environments: A collective intelligence approach

This paper proposes a framework for reactive goal-directed navigation without global positioning facilities in unknown environments. A mobile sensor network is used for localization of regions of interest for path planning of an autonomous mobile robot in the absence of global positioning facilities. The underlying theory is an extension of a generalized gossip algorithm that has been recently developed in a language-measure-theoretic setting. The gossip algorithm has been used to propagate local decisions of target detection over a mobile sensor network and thus, it generates a belief for the target detected over the network. The proposed concept has been validated through numerical experiments with a mobile sensor network and a point mass robot.
Critical Look at the Solar Photon Thruster Concept

A solar photon thruster is a class of solar sail using multiple reflecting surfaces. Herein, the details of solar photon thruster design are investigated to allow comparison against more typical solar sail configurations. Many potential problems with the solar photon thruster concept have been sidestepped in the literature. Therefore, issues relevant to solar photon thruster operation were investigated, such as the following questions: 1) What are the realistic thrust levels and performance that such a vehicle might experience? 2) Do lightweight materials capable of handling the high heat fluxes, where the light is concentrated and reflected, exist? 3) How significant are the reflection losses due to having multiple reflective surfaces? 4) Can a large flexible mirror really focus the light sufficiently well to allow the solar photon thruster concept to work? It is found that any solar photon thruster will have a significantly inferior performance to a similarly sized flat solar sail. The maximum reflectiv...
Habitat suitability criteria via parametric distributions: estimation, model selection and uncertainty

Previous methods for constructing univariate habitat suitability criteria (HSC) curves have ranged from professional judgement to kernel-smoothed density functions or combinations thereof. We present a new method of generating HSC curves that applies probability density functions as the mathematical representation of the curves. Compared with previous approaches, benefits of our method include (1) estimation of probability density function parameters directly from raw data, (2) quantitative methods for selecting among several candidate probability density functions, and (3) concise methods for expressing estimation uncertainty in the HSC curves. We demonstrate our method with a thorough example using data collected on the depth of water used by juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tschawytscha) in the Klamath River of northern California and southern Oregon. All R code needed to implement our example is provided in the appendix. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Ethnic and Sex Differences in Children's Depressive Symptoms

This study examined ethnic and sex differences in children's depressive symptoms, along with hypothesized mediators of those differences (academic achievement, peer acceptance), in a follow-up of African American (n = 179) and Euro-American (n = 462) children in Grades 3 to 5. African American boys reported more depressive symptoms than African American girls, and Euro-American boys and girls. Also, depressive symptoms of African American boys increased over time whereas depressive symptoms of the other groups decreased or remained stable. Academic and social competence deficits were associated with elevated levels of depressive symptoms across the school year, although only academic achievement scores emerged as a unique predictor of increases in depressive symptoms over time. Neither academic nor social competence mediated the SexA xA ethnicity interaction in changes in children's depressive symptoms.
Mathematical Model for the Contribution of Individual Organs to Non-Zero Y-Intercepts in Single and Multi-Compartment Linear Models of Whole-Body Energy Expenditure

Mathematical models for the dependence of energy expenditure (EE) on body mass and composition are essential tools in metabolic phenotyping. EE scales over broad ranges of body mass as a non-linear allometric function. When considered within restricted ranges of body mass, however, allometric EE curves exhibit ‘local linearity.’ Indeed, modern EE analysis makes extensive use of linear models. Such models typically involve one or two body mass compartments (e.g., fat free mass and fat mass). Importantly, linear EE models typically involve a non-zero (usually positive) y-intercept term of uncertain origin, a recurring theme in discussions of EE analysis and a source of confounding in traditional ratio-based EE normalization. Emerging linear model approaches quantify whole-body resting EE (REE) in terms of individual organ masses (e.g., liver, kidneys, heart, brain). Proponents of individual organ REE modeling hypothesize that multi-organ linear models may eliminate non-zero y-intercepts. This could have advantages in adjusting REE for body mass and composition. Studies reveal that individual organ REE is an allometric function of total body mass. I exploit first-order Taylor linearization of individual organ REEs to model the manner in which individual organs contribute to whole-body REE and to the non-zero y-intercept in linear REE models. The model predicts that REE analysis at the individual organ-tissue level will not eliminate intercept terms. I demonstrate that the parameters of a linear EE equation can be transformed into the parameters of the underlying ‘latent’ allometric equation. This permits estimates of the allometric scaling of EE in a diverse variety of physiological states that are not represented in the allometric EE literature but are well represented by published linear EE analyses.
Oxidation behavior of stainless steel 430 and 441 at 800 °C in single (air/air) and dual atmosphere (air/hydrogen) exposures

Abstract Intermediate temperature ( ∼ 800 ∘ C ) planar solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) allow the use of ferritic stainless steel (FSS) interconnects. SOFC FSS interconnects are used to stack individual cells into series, and are simultaneously exposed to air on the cathode side and fuel on the anode side, creating a “dual atmosphere” exposure. The thermally grown oxide (TGO) layers on the air side of FSSs 430 and 441 were analyzed as a function of simulated dual atmosphere exposures (moist air/moist hydrogen) for up to 300 h. FSS 430 showed some changes in oxidation behavior, with a slight Fe concentration increase and localized Fe 2 O 3 nodule formation observed in the dual atmosphere TGO layer relative to its single atmosphere (air/air) counterpart. Significantly accelerated and anomalous oxidation was observed with FSS 441 subjected to dual atmosphere exposures compared with air/air exposures. The TGO layer formed on the 441 exposed to air/air was comprised of Mn-rich, Cr and Fe-containing isomorphic spinel surface crystallites, with a Cr 2 O 3 (eskolaite)-based bottom layer, having a total TGO layer thickness of 2 μ m after 300 h. In contrast, the TGO layer formed on 441 during dual atmosphere exposure was much faster-growing ( > 6 μ m in 20 h) and exhibited a continuous, porous Fe 2 O 3 -rich surface layer with a relatively thin ( 2 μ m ) sublayer of similar composition to the TGO layer formed during the air/air exposure. Spontaneous TGO layer spallation was also observed for the air side of 441 exposed to dual atmosphere for > 100 h . The observed oxidation behavior and TGO layer evolution of 441 in both air/air and dual atmosphere are presented, with possible mechanisms and implications discussed.
The differential diagnosis of pyostomatitis vegetans and its relation to bowel disease

Pyostomatitis vegetans is a rare oral disorder that is usually associated with bowel and/or skin disease. The clinical appearance is of soft hyperplastic folds of mucosa characterized by small miliary abscesses with superficial erosions. Upon analysis of the clinical, histologic, and immunofluorescent findings, cases of pyostomatitis vegetans may be classified as the oral manifestation of either pyoderma vegetans of Hallopeau, pemphigus vegetans of Hallopeau, or pemphigus vegetans of Neumann, although the exact definitions and even the existence of these diseases as separate entities are still a matter of controversy.
Alpha-rooting method of color image enhancement by discrete quaternion Fourier transform

This paper presents a novel method for color image enhancement based on the discrete quaternion Fourier transform. We choose the quaternion Fourier transform, because it well-suited for color image processing applications, it processes all 3 color components (R,G,B) simultaneously, it capture the inherent correlation between the components, it does not generate color artifacts or blending , finally it does not need an additional color restoration process. Also we introduce a new CEME measure to evaluate the quality of the enhanced color images. Preliminary results show that the α-rooting based on the quaternion Fourier transform enhancement method out-performs other enhancement methods such as the Fourier transform based α-rooting algorithm and the Multi scale Retinex. On top, the new method not only provides true color fidelity for poor quality images but also averages the color components to gray value for balancing colors. It can be used to enhance edge information and sharp features in images, as well as for enhancing even low contrast images. The proposed algorithms are simple to apply and design, which makes them very practical in image enhancement.
Histochemical Applications Of Image Analysis Techniques

Elementary image analysis techniques have been used in the analysis of microscope pictures of histochemically labeled tissues. Tissues were treated with labeling substances having specificity for a molecular species of pharmacologic interest. Either fluorescent or dense labels were used in different situations. The objective of analysis is to measure the extent or intensity of labeling, or to describe the number or geometric properties of the labeled structures. The experiments reported here demonstrate the conversion of qualitative pictorial data to quantitative data which can be related to drug effects in a manner familiar to biomedical researchers.
Single grain heating due to inelastic cotunneling

Department of Physics and Astronomy, California State University Northridge, Northridge, CA 91330, USA(Dated: November 7, 2009)We study heating eﬀects of a single metallic quantum dot weakly coupled to two leads. The dom-inant mechanism for heating at low temperatures is due to inelastic electron cotunneling processes.We calculate the grain temperature proﬁle as a function of grain parameters, bias voltage, and timeand show that for nanoscale size grains the heating eﬀects are pronounced and easily measurable inexperiments.
EVIDENCE FOR THE HIGH-ENERGY (COLLINEAR) VAN DER WAALS ISOMER OF THE ACETONITRILE DIMER

While the stable configuration of the acetonitrile dimer has antiparallel dipole moments, recent calculations [Popelier, et al. Faraday Discuss. 1994, 97, 243] reveal a high-energy isomer in which the dipoles are collinearly aligned. We report direct evidence for the existence of this isomer using a strategy in which we enforce the less-favorable orientation of the neutrals by electrostatically binding them to the iodide ion in the I-·(CH3CN)2 cluster. The collinear dimer is then released by photoexcitation of the dipole-bound excited state of I-·(CH3CN)2, producing the (CH3CN)2- anion as the dominant ionic photofragment. The fragment is mass selected and stripped of the excess electron in a modest external electric field (∼10 kV/cm), indicating that the anion consists of a diffuse electron as expected for a “dipole-bound” species. This behavior suggests that the force field of the neutral “core” complex supports a minimum in the highly dipolar, collinear configuration.
Effects of growth factors on cell proliferation and monoclonal antibody production of batch hybridoma cultures

Effects of growth factors such as EGF, FGF and IL-2 on cell proliferation and monoclonal antibody production in a hybridoma cell line adapted to a completely defined serum-free medium were determined in batch cultures. The results indicate that the presence of growth factors in the medium enhances the antibody secretion without significantly affecting the growth rate. The specific antibody secretion rate of cells grown in serum-free medium supplemented with growth factors was 35% higher than those grown in serum-free medium alone.
A Guide to Global Sourcing

A growing number of companies are purchasing materials and services from a worldwide arena to obtain the right product at the right price at the right time. Here's how to capture the benefits of global sourcing while minimizing costs and risks.
Toward more effective stakeholder dialogue: Applying theories of negotiation to policy and program evaluation

Borrowing from the negotiation literature, we tested 2 factors that might improve stakeholder dialogue in program and policy evaluation. Undergraduate stakeholders (61 pairs) engaged in dialogue about their universities' alcohol policies. Pairs were randomly assigned to levels of accountability audience and dialogue structure. The audience for the videotaped dialogue was described as holding either (a) views about the policy similar to the participant's, consistent across audience members (homogeneous), or (b) mixed views, on both sides of the issue (heterogeneous). Pairs approached the dialogue with either (a) problem-solving goals or (b) no particular strategy. Dyads accountable to a heterogeneous audience and given problem-solving instructions exhibited the most effective dialogue. Accountability to a heterogeneous audience facilitated satisfaction with and optimism about dialogue. Accountability to homogeneous audiences and adopting no particular strategy yielded the least positive perceptions of dialogue. Implications for stakeholder dialogue, and for the role of social psychology in evaluation are discussed.
Single particle tracking through highly scattering media with multiplexed two-photon excitation

3D single-particle tracking (SPT) has been a pivotal tool to furthering our understanding of dynamic cellular processes in complex biological systems, with a molecular localization accuracy (10-100 nm) often better than the diffraction limit of light. However, current SPT techniques utilize either CCDs or a confocal detection scheme which not only suffer from poor temporal resolution but also limit tracking to a depth less than one scattering mean free path in the sample (typically <15μm). In this report we highlight our novel design for a spatiotemporally multiplexed two-photon microscope which is able to reach sub-diffraction-limit tracking accuracy and sub-millisecond temporal resolution, but with a dramatically extended SPT range of up to 200 μm through dense cell samples. We have validated our microscope by tracking (1) fluorescent nanoparticles in a prescribed motion inside gelatin gel (with 1% intralipid) and (2) labeled single EGFR complexes inside skin cancer spheroids (at least 8 layers of cells thick) for ~10 minutes. Furthermore we discuss future capabilities of our multiplexed two-photon microscope design, specifically to the extension of (1) simultaneous multicolor tracking (i.e. spatiotemporal co-localization analysis) and (2) FRET studies (i.e. lifetime analysis). The high resolution, high depth penetration, and multicolor features of this microscope make it well poised to study a variety of molecular scale dynamics in the cell, especially related to cellular trafficking studies with in vitro tumor models and in vivo.