cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hierarchical graph visualization using neural networks

An algorithm based on a Hopfield network for solving the hierarchical graph visualization problem is presented. It simultaneously minimizes the number of crossings and total path length to produce two-dimensional drawings easily interpreted by human observers. Traditional heuristics often follow a more local optimization approach where "readability" criteria are sequentially applied, such as applying the barycentric heuristic followed by the priority layout heuristic. As a result of the more global approach, the neural network achieved comparable crossing minimization to the barycentric heuristic while simultaneously reducing total path length up to 50% over the priority layout heuristic for the benchmarks tested.
Neurophysiological evidence for visual perceptual categorization of words and faces within 150 ms

The nature and early time course of the initial processing differences between visually matched linguistic and nonlinguistic images were studied with event-related potentials (ERPs). The first effect began at 90 ms when ERPs to written words diverged from other objects, including faces. By 125 ms, ERPs to words and faces were more positive than those to other objects, effects identified with the P150. The amplitude and scalp distribution of P150s to words and faces were similar. The P150 seemed to be elicited selectively by images resembling any well-learned category of visual patterns. We propose that (a) visual perceptual categorization based on long-term experience begins by 125 ms, (b) P150 amplitude varies with the cumulative experience people have discriminating among instances of specific categories of visual objects (e.g., words, faces), and (c) the P150 is a scalp reflection of letterstring and face intracranial ERPs in posterior fusiform gyrus.
Understanding Multiple Sclerosis: Essentials for the Orthopaedic Surgeon.

Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disorder that primarily affects the central nervous system and ultimately causes widespread neurodegeneration and axonal injury, leading to motor and sensory disability1,2. Multiple sclerosis has secondary effects on the musculoskeletal system that present challenges to the orthopaedic surgeon. Understanding multiple sclerosis will assist the surgeon in caring for these patients. The pathophysiology of the disease is not fully understood; however, research recently has focused on T-cell-mediated autoimmune mechanisms2. The disease primarily damages the myelin sheath of nerves in the brain and central nervous system and manifests clinically by affecting vision, balance, muscle strength and endurance, and mobility3. Multiple sclerosis is highly variable and may follow three distinct courses: relapse and remission (acute exacerbations followed by remissions), primary progression (gradual worsening over time), and secondary progression (relapse and remission followed by gradual progression)1. All patients with multiple sclerosis have worsening of the symptoms; approximately 20% of patients have a primarily progressive course whereas 65% have a relapse-and-remission course or a secondarily progressive course1. Among those who have a relapse-and-remission course, 50% develop a secondarily progressive course within ten years after diagnosis; virtually all will eventually have progression2. More than 400,000 individuals in the United States and >2,000,000 individuals worldwide have multiple sclerosis, and three to seven individuals per 100,000 are newly diagnosed each year1,2. Multiple sclerosis tends to occur in patients between the ages of twenty and …
Microbicides to Prevent HIV Transmission: Overcoming Obstacles to Chemical Barrier Protection

Microbicides are topical compounds that could prevent sexually transmitted infections. Several compounds have demonstrated activity both in vitro and in animal models but none has been approved for use in humans. A review of > 100 recent publications from MEDLINE (through October 2005) and abstracts presented at recent conferences was undertaken to describe the current status of microbicide research and to delineate why microbicides are not yet available. More than 15 candidate microbicides are currently being studied in clinical trials. Their mechanisms of action include disruption of the viral membrane by surfactants maintenance of an acidic vaginal pH binding to the viral envelope to block receptor binding and blocking of receptors; they may also be combined with antiretroviral drugs. The development of safe and effective microbicides has been delayed by limitations in understanding the biological processes of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission difficulties in extrapolation from animal models lack of established correlates of protection and the need to enroll and follow large cohorts of high-risk participants for several years in order to demonstrate efficacy. Safe and effective topical microbicides are biologically plausible. Several trials that are under way may demonstrate the ability of microbicides to protect against transmission of HIV but multiple challenges remain. (authors)
The organ donation process through a review of the literature. Part I

Several studies have attempted to investigate the role of culture and race in organ donation and transplantation. These studies go beyond ones conducted out of mere interest. The researchers have found that there are indeed human leukocyte antigens that are specific to individual races and that affect transplantation outcomes (Milford et al 1987). Similarly, Weller et al (1987) have shown that graft and patient survivals were improved when donors and recipients are of the same race.
Analysis of a probabilistic model of redundancy in unsupervised information extraction

Unsupervised Information Extraction (UIE) is the task of extracting knowledge from text without the use of hand-labeled training examples. Because UIE systems do not require human intervention, they can recursively discover new relations, attributes, and instances in a scalable manner. When applied to massive corpora such as the Web, UIE systems present an approach to a primary challenge in artificial intelligence: the automatic accumulation of massive bodies of knowledge. A fundamental problem for a UIE system is assessing the probability that its extracted information is correct. In massive corpora such as the Web, the same extraction is found repeatedly in different documents. How does this redundancy impact the probability of correctness? We present a combinatorial ''balls-and-urns'' model, called Urns, that computes the impact of sample size, redundancy, and corroboration from multiple distinct extraction rules on the probability that an extraction is correct. We describe methods for estimating Urns's parameters in practice and demonstrate experimentally that for UIE the model's log likelihoods are 15 times better, on average, than those obtained by methods used in previous work. We illustrate the generality of the redundancy model by detailing multiple applications beyond UIE in which Urns has been effective. We also provide a theoretical foundation for Urns's performance, including a theorem showing that PAC Learnability in Urns is guaranteed without hand-labeled data, under certain assumptions.
A noninvasive method for measuring regional peripheral compliance

A noninvasive method for measuring compliance of the finger vessels was tested in six subjects (three in the age range of 58-68 years and the other three in age range of 24-26 years). A photoplethysmographic waveform was used as an indicator of intravascular volume change, and an instrument using a finger cuff was used to measure the blood pressure. For each individual, several compliance measurements were taken at discrete values of local mean arterial pressure (P mean). There was a statistically significant difference in intravascular finger compliance between the younger and older subjects over a range of P mean from 40 to 60 mmHg. >
Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology of Lymphoproliferative Lesions Involving the Major Salivary Glands

Fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNA) is an accurate and cost-effective procedure for evaluating salivary gland lesions. Lymphoproliferative lesions may manifest as salivary gland enlargement. We report our experience with 43 cases of reactive and neoplastic lymphoproliferative lesions of the salivary glands evaluated by FNA, including 23 cases of reactive lymphoid hyperplasia and 20 neoplastic lymphoproliferative processes. The latter included 2 multiple myelomas and 18 non-Hodgkin lymphomas (small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia, 1; small cleaved cell lymphoma, 1; lymphoplasmacytoid lymphoma, 1; mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, 2; mixed cell lymphoma, 4; lymphoblastic lymphoma, 1; and large cell lymphoma, 8). There were no false-negative diagnoses. Aspiration smears from 3 patients with reactive lymphoid hyperplasia and 4 patients with malignant lymphoma initially were interpreted as atypical lymphoid proliferations or as suggestive of malignant lymphoma. Thus, FNA had a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 87%. The majority of patients were treated medically without surgical intervention. Among the patients who underwent surgical resection of the salivary gland, 7 had an equivocal cytologic diagnosis and 2 had a benign cytologic diagnosis, but their parotid swelling failed to regress despite medical treatment. In most instances, FNA provides useful information for subsequent disease management and obviates surgical intervention.
Against Consequentialist Theories of Virtue and Vice

Consequentialist theories of virtue and vice, such as the theories of Jeremy Bentham and Julia Driver, characterize virtue and vice in terms of the consequential, or instrumental, properties of these character traits. There are two problems with theories of this sort. First they imply that, under the right circumstances, paradigmatic virtues, such as benevolence, are vices and paradigmatic vices, such as maliciousness, are virtues. This is conceptually problematic. Second, they say nothing about the intrinsic nature of the virtues and vices, which is less than we could hope for from a theory of virtue and vice. Thus, we have reason to reject consequentialist theories in favour of theories that characterize virtue and vice in terms of the intrinsic properties of these character traits. Aristotle and Thomas Hurka have theories this sort.
Surface-based DNA computing operations: DESTROY and READOUT

DNA computing on surfaces is where complex combinatorial mixtures of DNA molecules are immobilized on a substrate and subsets are tagged and enzymatically modified (DESTROY) in repeated cycles of the DNA computation. A restriction enzyme has been chosen for the surface DESTROY operation. For the READOUT operation, both cycle sequencing and PCR amplification followed by addressed array hybridization were studied to determine the DNA sequences after the computations.
Pebble Games in Model Theory

This article describes the Ehrenfeucht game and its applications in two areas of model theory: definability theory and random model theory. Most of the examples are taken from finite model theory, where the Ehrenfeucht game is one of the most useful tools. Extensions of the Ehrenfeucht game to logics more expressive than first-order logic are described, and applications to definability and random models in these logics are outlined.
A Stakeholder Negotiation Process for Deriving COTS Evaluation Criteria

Summary form only given. Several COTS evaluation processes such as those in (Comella-Dorda et al., 2002) and (Yang and Boehm, 2004) utilize a weighted aggregation (or a similar) method to evaluate COTS products' functional and nonfunctional capabilities. The weighted aggregation method uses O (COTS score * weight of the criteria) to score COTS products relative to each other. However, so far there is little literature that guides users in weighting the evaluation criteria and scoring COTS products on these criteria. In (Boehm and Gruenbacher, 2000) and (Briggs and Grunbacher, 2002) authors have presented a stakeholder-driven process that is used to elicit stakeholder Win conditions, which can then transformed into prioritized requirements (Boehm et al., 1994 and Kitapci et al., 2003). In this poster we present a tailored version of such a stakeholder-driven process that can be applied in the COTS context to define a weighted COTS evaluation criteria as well as a scale for scoring COTS products
Deeper Insights into Hematological Oncology Disorders via Single-Cell Phospho-Signaling Analysis

An understanding of hematological cancer cell signaling processes poses one of the most complex and intractable problems in modern biomedical inquiry. While we understand some of the fundamental players that contribute to oncogenic processes, significant effort is focused upon determining how these individual players relay information to each other to create the composite functions of a cancer cell. Efforts designed to understand these processes at the single cell level will undoubtedly allow for understanding of the heterogeneity of hematological tumors as well as, simultaneously, the function of the 'responding' immune system. I will relate some of the insights our laboratory has developed over the last several years applying single-cell phospho-flow cytometry to the study of signaling in primary patient material and murine models. While it is clear that this analysis now allows us to accomplish phospho-signaling biochemistry at the single cell level with primary cell material, we are only beginning to develop some of the bioinformatics tools to appropriately display the vast amount of information collected by such approaches. These approaches, however, have already allowed us to develop approaches that prognosticate patient outcomes based on signaling status, prior to any treatment, as well as subgroup patient subtypes according to signaling states. The modest efforts to date presage a time where it should be possible to provide far more tailored therapies specific to the varied diseases represented by the hematological malignancies.
Diffusion of Innovations and Online Campaigns: Social Media Adoption in the 2010 U.S. Congressional Elections

This study investigates which candidates were more likely to adopt Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter in the 2010 elections to the U.S. Congress and the reasons why. The study makes three contributions. First, it compares and analyzes three different social media whose technology attributes differ in ways that prove relevant to adoption decisions and, we project, to the extent and nature of their usage. Second, we use diffusion of innovation theory to derive testable hypotheses predicting adoption and explaining our results. Third, we rely on nearly 100 interviews with candidates and campaign staff members to refine our hypotheses and provide a richer explanation for the motivating factors. The interviews reveal that candidates are both content providers and adoption decision-makers who are concerned about image and credibility. We find that large majorities of the major party candidates for the House of Representatives had a Facebook page, Twitter account, and YouTube channel. Candidates who raised the most money and those who had familiarity with earlier generations of online media were the most likely early adopters. Constituency demographics did not influence the likelihood of adopting Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube, however. We found some differences in adoption across social media. Republicans were significantly more likely than Democrats to have adopted YouTube, but there were no party differences for Facebook and Twitter. YouTube also differed in that while competitiveness of the race increased adoption, peer adoption had no effect. Finally, incumbents were significantly more likely to have adopted Facebook and YouTube, but for the newest social media application, Twitter, incumbents were the least likely to be early adopters.
Nets in Modeling and Simulation

Place/Transition nets, or Petri Nets, have an appealing mix of simplicity and power for expressing essential interactions in concurrent systems. Yet, when one wishes to express the complexities of actual computing systems, and deal with performance questions typically asked about them, one needs further capabilities that are attuned to the application — a higher level modeling language.
An Examination of the Disparity between Self-Identified versus Legally Identified Rape Victimization: A Pilot Study.

ABSTRACTObjective: Researchers compared rape victimization based on self-identification to the current federal legal definition in a pilot study of college students. Methods: The sample was comprised of 1,648 (69.8% female; 30.2% male) college students who completed the Sexual Experiences Survey—Short Form Victimization (SES-SFV) online. Results: Based on the current legal definition of rape, 9.4% (11.1% female; 5.2% male) of students had been raped since being enrolled, but only 2.9% of students self-identified as being raped. Moreover, 15.1% of students reported ever being raped, with females acknowledging higher rates (19.7%) than males (4.3%). Conclusions: Rape continues to be a major issue for colleges and universities. A serious concern is the disparity between the number of those who met the behavioral criteria for rape victimization based on the current legal definition, but who did not self-identify as a victim. Universities must address this disparity by using multiple measures to assess the pre...
Synthesis of monoclinic IrT e 2 under high pressure and its physical properties

In a pressure-temperature $(P\text{\ensuremath{-}}T)$ diagram for synthesizing $\mathrm{IrT}{\mathrm{e}}_{2}$ compounds, the well-studied trigonal $(H)$ phase with the $\mathrm{Cd}{\mathrm{I}}_{2}$-type structure is stable at low pressures. The superconducting cubic $(C)$ phase can be synthesized under higher temperatures and pressures. A rhombohedral phase with the crystal structure similar to the $C$ phase can be made at ambient pressure; but the phase contains a high concentration of Ir deficiency. In this paper we report that a rarely studied monoclinic $(M)$ phase can be stabilized in narrow ranges of pressure and temperature in this $P\text{\ensuremath{-}}T$ diagram. The peculiar crystal structure of the $M\text{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{IrT}{\mathrm{e}}_{2}$ eliminates the tendency to form Ir-Ir dimers found in the $H$ phase. The $M$ phase has been fully characterized by structural determination and measurements of electrical resistivity, thermoelectric power, DC magnetization, and specific heat. These physical properties have been compared with those in the $H$ and $C$ phases of $\mathrm{I}{\mathrm{r}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}\mathrm{T}{\mathrm{e}}_{2}$. Moreover, magnetic and transport properties and specific heat of the $M\text{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{IrT}{\mathrm{e}}_{2}$ can be fully justified by calculations with the density-functional theory presented in this paper.
Aircraft Noise Impact Under Diverse Weather Conditions

Weather affects both the performance of aircraft and the propagation of noise. Thus, the impact of aircraft noise on communities surrounding airports can vary with changes in the weather at or around an airport. This paper explores the magnitude of these effects for aircraft departing from Runway 4R at Boston Logan International Airport, and illustrates how the noise impact can be significantly reduced by changing the departure procedure to capitalize on changes in the weather.
Light load efficiency improvement of solar farms three-phase two-stage module integrated converter

In this paper, a method of maintaining high power conversion efficiency across the entire load range of a three-phase micro-inverter is proposed. The proposed control method substantially increases the conversion efficiency at light loads by minimizing switching losses of semiconductor devices as well as core losses of magnetic components. This is accomplished by entering a phase skipping operating mode wherein two phases of an inverter are disabled and three inverters combined to form a new three phase system with minimal grid imbalance. The performance of the proposed control method was evaluated on a 400W, 208VAC three-phase micro-inverter.
Assessing the Radiative Effects of Global Ice Clouds Based on CloudSat and CALIPSO Measurements

AbstractAlthough it is well established that cirrus warms Earth, the radiative effect of the entire spectrum of ice clouds is not well understood. In this study, the role of all ice clouds in Earth’s radiation budget is investigated by performing radiative transfer modeling using ice cloud properties retrieved from CloudSat and CALIPSO measurements as inputs. Results show that, for the 2008 period, the warming effect (~21.8 ± 5.4 W m−2) induced by ice clouds trapping longwave radiation exceeds their cooling effect (~−16.7 ± 1.7 W m−2) caused by shortwave reflection, resulting in a net warming effect (~5.1 ± 3.8 W m−2) globally on the earth–atmosphere system. The net warming is over 15 W m−2 in the tropical deep convective regions, whereas cooling occurs in the midlatitudes, which is less than 10 W m−2 in magnitude. Seasonal variations of ice cloud radiative effects are evident in the midlatitudes where the net effect changes from warming during winter to cooling during summer, whereas warming occurs all y...
UHF RFID tags in a controlled environment: anechoic chamber case

This paper is a part of studies developed in RFID CoE Laboratory. The objective is to show the technical difference of RFID UHF tags when applied in different kind of materials in a controlled environment (anechoic chamber). Three types of UHF Tags were tested in six different materials inside an anechoic chamber with a RFID UHF reader and one circular transmitting antenna inside the chamber. The results shows what is the bests and worst materials to apply a RFID Tag and show that depending on the material that these tags were applied, their efficiency can change. It was concluded that in the begging of a RFID Implementation, different kind of tags of different manufacturer must to the tested in the final product to evaluate the performance of each and leave the final client decide what is the best cost X benefit for its application.
STING versus HIT technique of endoscopic treatment for vesicoureteral reflux: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract Aim Our study aimed to compare the efficacy of two endoscopic techniques used for the correction of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR): subureteral transurethral injection (STING) and hydrodistension implantation technique (HIT). Methods A systematic review was conducted using MEDLINE, Google scholar, and Cochrane databases from 1984 to 2015. Meta-analysis of the selected studies was performed to compare the extent of reflux resolution following both techniques. Results Six observational studies met the inclusion criteria for content. These comprised 632 ureters treated by STING and 895 ureters treated by HIT procedure. All included studies utilized dextranomer/hyaluronic acid (Deflux) as the bulking agent. The overall resolution of VUR was significantly higher in HIT (82.5%) compared to STING (71.4%) [pooled odds ratio (OR)=0.54; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.42–0.69; P 2 =8%]. A subgroup analysis showed that HIT had better outcomes than STING for both lower grade (I–III) [OR=0.43; 95% CI 0.23–0.82; P =0.01; I 2 =0%] and high-grade VUR (IV–V) [OR=0.43; 95% CI 0.20–0.91; P =0.03; I 2 =0%]. However, there was no statistical difference in the requirement of additional injections between STING and HIT groups. Conclusion HIT is superior to STING technique for resolution of VUR after Deflux injection. However, more randomized trials with longer follow-up are necessary to demonstrate the benefit of HIT compared to STING procedure. Level of evidence Retrospective comparative studies – level III.
MUC1-C Represses the Crumbs Complex Polarity Factor CRB3 and Downregulates the Hippo Pathway

Apical–basal polarity and epithelial integrity are maintained in part by the Crumbs (CRB) complex. The C-‐terminal subunit of MUC1 (MUC1-C) is a transmembrane protein that is expressed at the apical border of normal epithelial cells and aberrantly at high levels over the entire surface of their transformed counterparts. However, it is not known whether MUC1-C contributes to this loss of polarity that is characteristic of carcinoma cells. Here it is demonstrated that MUC1-C downregulates expression of the Crumbs complex CRB3 protein in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. MUC1-C associates with ZEB1 on the CRB3 promoter and represses CRB3 transcription. Notably, CRB3 activates the core kinase cassette of the Hippo pathway, which includes LATS1 and LATS2. In this context, targeting MUC1-C was associated with increased phosphorylation of LATS1, consistent with activation of the Hippo pathway, which is critical for regulating cell contact, tissue repair, proliferation, and apoptosis. Also shown is that MUC1-C‐-mediated suppression of CRB3 and the Hippo pathway is associated with dephosphorylation and activation of the oncogenic YAP protein. In turn, MUC1-C interacts with YAP, promotes formation of YAP/β-catenin complexes, and induces the WNT target gene MYC. These data support a previously unrecognized pathway in which targeting MUC1-C in TNBC cells (i) induces CRB3 expression, (ii) activates the CRB3-driven Hippo pathway, (iii) inactivates YAP, and thereby (iv) suppresses YAP/β-catenin–mediated induction of MYC expression. Implications: These findings demonstrate a previously unrecognized role for the MUC1-C oncoprotein in the regulation of polarity and the Hippo pathway in breast cancer. Mol Cancer Res; 14(12); 1266–76. ©2016 AACR.
Effect of Premature Ventricular Contractions on Middle Cerebral Artery Blood Flow Velocity.

The effect of premature ventricular contractions on blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery was studied by transcranial Doppler ultrasonography in 1 0 patients. Velocity during three ectopic beats for each patient was lower than that during the preceding and the following beat in every recording. The decrease in peak velocity was 30.7 ± 12.4% and 37.1 ± 13.3% (mean ± standard deviation) compared to the preceding and following beat, respectively. This variation was significantly larger (p < 0.0001) than the spontaneous change observed during sinus rhythm, 2. 7 ± 2.2% in patients with premature ventricular contractions and 3.5 ± 3.2% in control subjects. Similar results were obtained for both mean and diastolic blood flow velocities. Systolic-diastolic ratios were similar for premature ventricular contractions, beats preceding or following premature ventricular contractions, and sinus rhythm beats. Transcranial Doppler ultrasound appears to be an excellent technique for analyzing the effects of cardiac arrhythmias on the cerebral circulation.
Power System Level Impacts of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles Using Simulation Data

This paper presents an investigation into an aspect of how plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) could impact the electric power system. The investigation is focused on the impact of the additional electrical load PHEV charging will have on primary energy source utilization and subsequent environmental air pollution (EAP) as emissions are transferred from vehicle tailpipes to powerplants. A methodology is presented for evaluating the impact on primary energy source utilization, considering all the operating constraints of an electric power system, as well as, the realistic operation of PHEVs. Examples of energy source utilization impacts are presented for various levels of PHEV penetration on a specific power system. In general, PHEVs cause a shift of fuel utilization from gasoline to, a more diversified fuel source, utilized by electric power utilities. The results are particularly sensitive to the generation mix of the specific power system simulated.
Deformations and Hodge Theory

We have now come to the penultimate chapter. Over the course of this book, we have introduced a number of invariants, such as Betti numbers, Hodge numbers, and Picard numbers, that can be used to distinguish (complex smooth projective) varieties from one another. Varieties tend to occur in families. For example, we have encountered the Legendre family \(y^2 = x(x-1)(x-\lambda)\) of elliptic curves. We have, at least implicitly, considered the family of all nonsingular hypersurfaces \(\Sigma a_{d_0\cdots d_n}x^{d_n}_n \cdots x^{d_n}_n = 0\) of fixed degree. So the question is, what happens to these invariants as the coefficients vary? Or in more geometric language, what happens as the variety deforms? For Betti numbers of complex smooth projective varieties, we have already seen that as a consequence of Ehresmann–s theorem, they will not change in a family, because all the fibers are diffeomorphic. However, as algebraic varieties, or as complex manifolds, they can be very different. So it is perhaps surprising that the Hodge numbers will not change either. This is a theorem of Kodaira and Spencer, whose proof we outline. The proof will make use of pretty much everything we have done, plus one more thing. We will need a basic result due to Grothendieck in the algebraic setting, and Grauert in the analytic, that under the appropriate assumptions, the dimensions of coherent cohomology are upper semicontinuous. This means that the Hodge numbers could theoretically jump upward at special values of the parameters. On the other hand, by the Hodge decomposition, their sums, which are the Betti numbers, cannot. That is the basic idea. In the last section, we look at the behavior of the Picard number. Here the results are much less definitive. We end with the Noether–Lefschetz theorem, which explains what happens for general surfaces in \(\mathbb{P}^3_{\mathbb C}\).
A Theory of Intergovernmental Grants and their Effect on Aggregate Grantor-Recipient Spending

The impact of intergovernmental grants on the expenditures of recipients has been the focus of considerable investigation, while their impact on the relative sizes of the public and private sectors...
Gallium Evaporation Behavior for Purification in Molecular Beam Epitaxy

High mobility GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure have been achieved at Purdue University through in-situ distillation of the source Ga prior to growth. A significant amount of Ga is lost during distillation and growth. To evaluate the Ga behavior during MBE operation, the evaporation rate from a planar source of liquid Ga in a crucible is analyzed, correcting for transmission probability according to Clausing theory. The transmission probability which depends on the diameter and receding depth of the liquid surface in the crucible, explains condensation of Ga particles by collision for the vertically standing crucible. The good agreement furthermore suggests that the usual tilt of the cell has little effect on the flux.
Integration of a Palliative Care Intervention into Community Practice for Lung Cancer: A Study Protocol and Lessons Learned with Implementation.

Abstract Background: A notable gap in the evidence base for outpatient palliative care (PC) for cancer is that most trials were conducted in specialized oncology or academic centers with limited translation and further evaluation in “real-world” settings. Health systems are desperate for guidance regarding the most effective and sustainable PC service models. Objective: Describe the study protocol to evaluate the dissemination of a previously tested nurse-led PC intervention (PCI) for patients with lung cancer and their family caregiver in community-based settings, lessons learned in adapting and implementing the PCI, and implications for future dissemination-translational efforts Design: Two-group, prospective sequential, quasi-experimental design with Phase 1 (Usual care) followed by Phase 2 (Intervention) setting/subjects. Three Kaiser Permanente Southern California sites. Patients with stage 2–4 nonsmall cell lung cancer and their caregiver. Measurements: Standard measures of quality of life (QOL; FAC...
The effect of vacant building demolitions on crime under depopulation

The costs of demolishing a vacant building are often justified on the grounds of crime reduction. I explore this claim by estimating the spatial and temporal effects of demolitions on reported crime in the city of Saginaw, Michigan. To do so, I estimate a model that uses within-block group variation to compare crime after a demolition occurs to before the permit for that demolition was issued. Results indicate that demolitions reduce crime by about 8 percent on the block group in question and 5 percent on nearby block groups, with the largest impact concentrated one to two months after the demolition occurs.
Nonlinear optical effects in germanium in the THz range: THz-pump - THz-probe measurement of carrier dynamics

Nonlinear high intensity THz transmission measurements were made on Ge, showing nonlinear optical effects in the THz range including self-phase modulation and absorption saturation. THz-pump–THz-probe measurements were performed on n-type Ge, GaAs, and Si to follow the ultrafast free carrier dynamics that underlie the nonlinear effects seen in the transmission measurements. Complex relaxation behavior was observed, arising from inter-and intra-valley scattering in the conduction bands of these semiconductors
Three-Dimensional Modeling of the Hydraulic Function and Channel Stability of Regenerative Stormwater Conveyances

AbstractRegenerative stormwater conveyances (RSCs) are an innovative approach to repairing local channel incision at stormwater outfalls while simultaneously treating stormwater runoff, providing g...
Slipping Through the Cracks? The Impact of Reporting Mental Health Records to the National Firearm Background Check System

Both sides of the contentious debate over firearm regulation agree that some people with mental illness should be prohibited from purchasing firearms. This consensus exists despite limited empirical support. Such support will be essential to courts deciding the prohibition’s constitutionality. We assess the impact on homicide and suicide of states reporting mental health records to the national firearm background check system. Using panel data and a difference-in-differences methodology, we find that upon adding mental health records to the national system, states experienced a 3.3-4.3% decrease in firearm-related suicides with no evidence of substitution to non-firearm suicides. Our findings suggest that mental health restrictions on gun sales do effectively reduce suicide but not homicide.
Management of Patients with Posterior Uveal Melanoma

The management of patients with posterior uveal melanoma involves detection, examination, treatment, prognostication, counseling, and surveillance (Box 12.1). Each of these activities is advancing rapidly, thanks to technological developments as well as a better understanding of tumor biology.
Can a Machine Become Self-Aware?

One of the major characters in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation is the android Commander Data. Created by Dr. Noonien Soong, the twenty-fourth century’s foremost authority on cybernetics, Data is more than just an intelligent, humanoid robot. He is a sentient being. He is so sophisticated in design that he is aware of his own existence. He was introduced in the pilot episode, Encounter at Farpoint, at which time he was a Lieutenant Commander and a member of the original crew of the newly designed galaxy-class starship Enterprise (NCC-1701D) [1]. An ongoing theme in the series is Data’s quest to become more like his human shipmates. In this chapter we will consider what it would take to create something like Data. In order to do this, we will need to understand something about his technical specifications.
Recent experimental results in Σ hypernuclei

Abstract This paper reports on the status of narrow Σ hypernuclear states below and above Σ threshold. We have measured (K−, π±) spectra from4He,6Li and9Be at pK = 600MeV/c with reasonable energy resolution and high statistics. The (K−, π±) spectra from6Li and9Be show no evidence of any narrow structure above the Σ threshold, and hence rule out such previously claimed narrow states in this region. The 4He(K−, π−) spectrum clearly shows a peak below the Σ+ production threshold, confirming the existence of a bound state ofΣ4He, which was reported in the4He(Stopped K−, π−) reaction. As in the case of stopped kaons, no such peak was found in the 4He(K−, π+) spectrum. Quantitatively reliable parameters for this level have been established.
The Preparation, Structural Characteristics, and Physical Chemical Properties of Metal-Nitrosyl Complexes.

The preparation and characterization of a representative group of novel non-heme metal nitrosyl complexes that have been synthesized over the last decade are discussed here. Their structures are examined and classified based on metal type, the number of metal centers present, and the type of ligand that is coordinated with the metal. The ligands can be phosphorus, nitrogen, or sulfur based (with a few exceptions) and can vary depending on the presence of chelation, intermolecular forces, or the presence of other ligands. Structural and bonding characteristics are summarized and examples of reactivity regarding nitrosyl ligands are given. Some of the relevant physical chemical properties of these complexes, including IR, EPR, NMR, UV–vis, cyclic voltammetry, and X-ray crystallography are examined.
Inner Product Spaces

To motivate the subject matter of this book, we begin this chapter by listing five basic problems that arise in various applications of “least-squares” approximation. While these problems seem to be quite different on the surface, we will later see that the first three (respectively the fourth and fifth) are special cases of the general problem of best approximation in an inner product space by elements of a finite-dimensional subspace (respectively convex set). In this latter formulation, the problem has a rather simple geometric interpretation: A certain vector must be orthogonal to the linear subspace.
Imaging Cancer Metabolism: Underlying Biology and Emerging Strategies

Dysregulated cellular metabolism is a characteristic feature of malignancy that has been exploited for both imaging and targeted therapy. With regard to imaging, deranged glucose metabolism has been leveraged using 18F-FDG PET. Metabolic imaging with 18F-FDG, however, probes only the early steps of glycolysis; the complexities of metabolism beyond these early steps in this single pathway are not directly captured. New imaging technologies-both PET with novel radiotracers and MR-based methods-provide unique opportunities to investigate other aspects of cellular metabolism and expand the metabolic imaging armamentarium. This review will discuss the underlying biology of metabolic dysregulation in cancer, focusing on glucose, glutamine, and acetate metabolism. Novel imaging strategies will be discussed within this biologic framework, highlighting particular strengths and limitations of each technique. Emphasis is placed on the role that combining modalities will play in enabling multiparametric imaging to fully characterize tumor biology to better inform treatment.
Microstructural evolution of NF709 austenitic stainless steel under in-situ ion irradiations at room temperature, 300, 400, 500 and 600 °C

Abstract Irradiation induced microstructural changes in the NF709 austenitic stainless steel were investigated under 1 MeV Kr ion irradiations to a dose of 3 dpa at room temperature (RT), 300, 400, 500 and 600 °C, and a dose of 20 dpa at RT. The irradiation-induced defects and the stability of precipitates were characterized with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Frank dislocation loops were observed in all the irradiated samples, and the loop sizes were much larger at 600 °C than those at lower temperatures. “Raft” defect structures, formed through self-alignment of small dislocation loops, were also observed in all irradiated samples. M23C6 precipitates were amorphorized under irradiations at RT and 300 °C, but remained to be crystalline at 400 °C and above. MX precipitates were stable under irradiations at RT up to 20 dpa, and at temperatures below 600 °C to 3 dpa. At 600 °C, some MX precipitates were observed to dissolve during in-situ irradiation, suggesting possible precipitate instability at this irradiation temperature.
Does the Approach Matter? Comparing Survival in Robotic, Minimally Invasive, and Open Esophagectomies.

Background Our objective was to determine how surgical approach impacts overall survival and postoperative outcomes when comparing robotic-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE), minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE), and open esophagectomy (OE). Methods The National Cancer Database was queried for patients diagnosed with pathologic Stage 0 to III esophageal cancer from 2010 to 2015. Primary outcome measures evaluated were length of stay, 30-day unplanned readmissions, mortality rates at 30 and 90 days, and overall survival rates. The surgical cohorts underwent 1:1 propensity score matching, and Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were compared by surgical approach. Cox proportional hazards regression was utilized to estimate factors associated with overall survival. Results Of 5,553 patients that met criteria, 28.4% were MIE, 7.8% RAMIE, and 63.8% OE. From 2010 to 2015, an increasing trend was seen for both minimally invasive approaches, with MIE surpassing the number of OEs. Unplanned 30-day readmissions and 30-day and 90-day mortality rates were not significantly different between the different groups. Median length of stay was significantly shorter in MIE (9 [interquartile range (IQR), 8 to 14] days) and RAMIE (9 [IQR, 7 to 14] days), compared with OE (10 [IQR, 8 to 15] days; p Conclusions Trends in MIE use is surpassing the open approach. Minimally invasive approaches are becoming the preferred approach, with noninferior long-term results compared with OEs. A significantly higher lymph node yield was seen for RAMIE and MIE.
Studies toward the application of oxazolineepoxide equivalency in 1,3-asymmetric induction

Abstract Synthetically versatile epoxy alcohols 8a and 8s have been prepared from a common intermediate, chiral aldehyde 5 , through a sequence involving diastereoselective allylation followed by stereospecific transformation of the oxazoline to an epoxide.
Imaging Cystic Lung Disease

Cystic lung disease is characterized by multiple air-filled spaces in the lung. Pulmonary cysts occur in a variety of diseases, including infectious, inhalational, genetic, and neoplastic conditions. The purpose of this report is to review the CT imaging patterns and appearances of the most common cystic lung diseases, and to highlight the differences between different cystic lung diseases and the unique qualities related to each condition. Common cystic lung diseases include lymphangioleiomyomatosis, pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis, lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia, desquamative interstitial pneumonia, Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome, and light chain deposition disease/amyloidosis. Infections or age-related change may also result in cystic lung disease. Cystic lung disease has multiple etiologies. CT imaging allows for characterization of lung cyst morphology, pattern, and distribution; familiarity with the imaging appearance of the most common cystic lung diseases allows for earlier identification, diagnosis, and disease management.
Annals On Call - Technology to Improve Diabetes Management

In this episode of Annals On Call, Dr. Centor discusses the use of technology to improve diabetes management with Dr. Fernando Ovalle of the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Beyond virtual cultural tourism: history-living experiences with cinematic virtual reality

Virtual reality offers unprecedented opportunities for creating cultural tourism experiences that tell visitors emotionally engaging stories about the past. This paper focuses on the latest frontier of immersive storytelling rivalling feature films, cinematic virtual reality, which can immerse users into 360-degree films making them feel like living the story . Through a qualitative analysis of five projects, this paper explores how this new media form has been applied for cultural heritage storytelling and analyses the reactions of users to the historyliving experiences with an emphasis on their emotional responses. Based on the findings of the analysis, implications are discussed for the design of VR experiences in cultural tourism.
Eco-friendly solvents and their mixture for the fabrication of polysulfone ultrafiltration membranes: An investigation of doctor blade and slot die casting methods

Abstract Nonsolvent induced phase separation has been widely used to fabricate polymeric membranes. Common solvents, such as dimethylacetamide (DMAc) and N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), are toxic and not environmentally friendly; therefore, eco-friendly alternatives are needed. Eco-friendly solvents, such as Rhodiasolv® PolarClean (PolarClean) and γ-valerolactone (GVL), have been investigated to replace DMAc and NMP at the laboratory scale; however, not extensively at the production scale. In this work, the feasibility of fabricating polysulfone (PSf) ultrafiltration membranes using eco-friendly solvents at laboratory and production scales is investigated. First, it was determined that the addition of GVL to dope solutions of PolarClean could reduce the original preparation time at a rotation speed of 450 RPM by two-thirds, and by three-quarters at 600 RPM. Furthermore, dope solutions exhibit Newtonian fluid behavior. Doctor blade extrusion and a roll-to-roll (R2R) system integrated with slot die casting are used to fabricate the PSf ultrafiltration membranes at laboratory and production scales, respectively, and the resulting membranes are compared structurally, morphologically and operationally. The chemical structure of membranes is not affected by the use of different solvents or by the differences in fabrication scale. On the other hand, cross-sectional images show that the structures of the membranes are different, most likely due to differences in diffusion rates between the different solvents/co-solvents into the nonsolvent, water. Furthermore, it has been observed that the roughness values of the membranes relative to the fabrication process is different, possibly due to differences in the required evaporation time. All membranes display similar operational parameters, i.e., flux decline, permeability and recovery, during bovine serum albumin (BSA) filtration. Therefore, this study shows that PSf membranes fabricated using eco-friendly solvent mixtures are comparable to traditional membranes, cast using petroleum-derived solvents, and are scalable using slot die casting on a R2R.
A Case of Trazodone Overdose Successfully Rescued With Lipid Emulsion Therapy.

Trazodone is a very common medication prescribed to patients who suffer from insomnia. The toxic effects of trazodone remain ill-defined with no current known antidote therapy. Lipid emulsion therapy has been described as general rescue therapy in toxicology. Unfortunately, only select substance overdoses respond to lipid emulsion therapy. The authors present a unique application of lipid emulsion therapy in a post-cardiac arrest situation involving a trazodone overdose.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in advanced sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma (sRCC): A multicenter study.

4568Background: Advanced sRCC is an aggressive disease with limited responsiveness to chemotherapy and VEGF-targeted therapies. Subgroup analyses from randomized trials showed improved outcomes wit...