cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ultrasound validation of mathematically modeled irreversible electroporation ablation areas

Objective Currently, the prediction of the dimensions of irreversible electroporation (IRE) ablation is modeled using algorithms derived from mathematical and ex vivo models. These algorithms have not been validated using in vivo studies. The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between the mathematical prediction model to and ultrasonographic and histopathologic findings for in vivo ablations in a porcine model. Methods IRE ablations were performed on porcine liver and spleen with probe spacings ranging from 0.6 to 2.6 cm. Pre and 2-hour postablation ultrasound (US) images were recorded and validated with confirmation by histopathology. Three dimensions of the regions of ablation were recorded, and ablation volumes were calculated and correlated with theoretic mathematical models for each given probe spacing. Results In vivo axial and anterior-posterior (AP) distances of ablation were greater than predicted for nearly all probe spacings ( P r 2 = 0.57) than the relationships observed via ultrasonography. Conclusion The current mathematical models predict regions of ablation observed in vivo poorly. They underestimate dimensions of ablation and, by extension, the volumes of ablation. Further work should be done to improve models for ablative planning, and physicians should recognize the limitations of existing models when planning ablative treatments.
Mechatronics Applications in Three-Dimensional Braiding

This discussion addresses the application of mechatronics to braiding processes, particularly, those processes that afford a measure of flexibility in controlling braid patterns. The ideas presented here grew out of an effort at Clemson University to develop an idealized, three-dimensional braider and which relied heavily on the application of mechatronics. The impetus for the study was the need for complex and variable yam patterns in textile preforms used for fiber reinforced composite materials [6,11].
Analysis Of Historical Buildings:San Jose Church, San Juan, Puerto Rico

An ongoing study conducted by the author is aimed at deriving a better under-standing of the history, architecture, and structural characteristics of San Jose Church. This paper discusses various aspects of the architectural history of the building as well as a preliminary assessment of the structural performance of the barrel vaults that cover the Central Nave of the church.
Apical beta 1 integrin in polarized MDCK cells mediates tubulocyst formation in response to type I collagen overlay

A number of epithelia form tubulocysts in vitro when overlaid with type I collagen gel. Because collagen receptors are generally believed to be expressed on the basolateral domain, the mechanism by which collagen elicits this morphogenetic response from the apical surface is unclear. To investigate the role of beta 1 integrins, the major receptor family for collagen, in this process, we overlaid polarized monolayers of MDCK II cells grown on permeable supports with type I collagen gel and correlated integrin polarity with the polarity of other apical and basolateral membrane markers during tubulocyst formation. Polarized monolayers of one clone of MDCK II cells, referred to as Heidelberg MDCK, initially respond to collagen overlay by stratifying; within 48 hours, lumena develop between the cell layers giving rise to tubulocysts. Tight junctions remain intact during tubulocyst formation because transepithelial electrical resistance does not significantly change. Major alterations are observed, however, in the expression and localization of apical and basolateral membrane markers. beta 1 integrins are necessary for tubulocyst morphogenesis because a function-blocking antibody administered to the apical pole of the cells completely inhibits the formation of these structures. To determine how apical-cell collagen interactions elicit tubulocyst formation, we examined whether beta 1 integrins are mobilized to apical plasma membranes in response to collagen overlay. We found that in the absence of collagen, polarized monolayers of Heidelberg MDCK cells endogenously express on apical plasma membranes a small pool of the beta 1 family, including alpha 2 beta 1 and alpha 3 beta 1. Collagen overlay does not mobilize additional beta 1 integrins to apical domains. If beta 1 integrins are not already apically expressed, as in the C6 MDCK cell line (Schoenenberger et al. (1994) J. Cell Biol. 107, 527-541), beta 1 integrins are not directed apically and tubulocysts do not develop in response to collagen. Thus, interaction of beta 1 integrin pre-existing on apical plasma membranes of polarized epithelia with type I collagen gel is the mechanism by which apical application of collagen elicits the formation of tubulocysts. Depolarized integrins on apical plasma membranes of polarized epithelia may be relevant to the pathogenesis of disease and injury.
Dissecting Hidden Couplings Using Fifth-Order Three-Dimensional Electronic Spectroscopy

We report the demonstration of single-quantum 3D electronic spectroscopy. Utilizing the recently introduced gradient assisted photon echo (GRAPE) methodology, the fifth-order nonlinear polarization of the solvatochromatic dye IR144 corresponding to evolution through three sequential single-quantum coherences is measured. GRAPE, which allows a 2D slice of data to be acquired in parallel, permits a practical implementation of 3D spectroscopy at optical frequencies in a matter of minutes instead of hours. By spreading frequencies into a third spectral dimension, we can resolve features in the spectra that are otherwise obscured. For IR144, a previously unresolved cross peak originating from high frequency vibronic modes is observed in the spectrum. Theoretical modeling based on the cumulant expansion truncated at second order reproduces the main features of the experimental results. This experimental approach will enable further high dimensional spectroscopic experiments.
Trocar-site metastasis following laparoscopic cholecystectomy for unsuspected carcinoma of the gallbladder. Case report and review of the literature.

Fifteen cases of trocar-size metastasis from unsuspected gallbladder carcinoma following laparoscopic cholecystectomy have been reported in the literature. We present the case of a 66-year-old woman who developed this complication 2 1/2 months postoperatively. We feel that carcinoma of the gallbladder is a contraindication to laparoscopic cholecystectomy. When unsuspected lesions are discovered, intraoperative frozen-section lesions will facilitate the surgical management.
U.S. Wheat-Marketing System: An Insect Ecosystem

Wheat temperature, moisture, the flow of wheat through the marketing system, and insect control practices affect the population levels of lesser grain borer, Rbyzopertha dominica (E), in the U.S. wheat-marketing system. We examined these effects and used marketing statistics and climatological data to characterize seasonal variation in wheat-marketing practices and the stored-wheat environment. These insights are incorporated into a computer simulation model that predicts the seasonal changes in average insect infestation levels marketwide. The predictions of computer simulations are compared with published data. The computer simulation model explained 96.5% of the month-to-month variation in lesser grain borer infestation levels reported in the literature for wheat that reaches U.S. ports for export. The close agreement between model predictions and actual data indicate that we have probably included the factors most important in determining the seasonal changes in lesser grain borer infestation levels.
Comparative Analysis on Transposing Modes for 750 kV Compact Double-circuit Overhead Transmission Lines on Same Tower from Jinchang to Jiuquan

As an example,several kinds of phasing arrangements and transposing modes for Jinchang-Jiuquan transmission line are considered,the unbalance degrees of line parameters and bus voltages for 750 kV compact double-circuit overhead transmission lines(CDCOTL)with line tower of T type are analyzed.The influences of different phasing arrangements or transposing modes on the secondary-arc currents and recovery voltages,induced voltages and induced currents are studied.The results show that negative sequence unbalance degrees of bus voltages caused by CDCOTL are relatively low.However,the induced voltages on the de-energized line open at both ends for non-transposed lines are very high,so it's necessary to do the transposition for Jinchang-Jiuquan transmission line.Based on the comparisons and analysis of unbalance degrees of bus voltages,secondary-arc currents,induced voltages for different transposing modes,two kinds of transposing modes are recommended.
Progression of sulodexide and clinical application

Sulodexide is a new type of natural glycosaminoglycans,contains two main components to different synergistic action principle,with anticoagulation,thrombolysis,anti-cardiovascular disease,reducing blood lipid,protecting the kidneys and other role,In recent years,in the treatment of cardiovascular disease,peripheral artery disease,post-phlebitis syndrome,complications of diabetes,especially diabetic nephropathy,etc.The clinical application attracted attention,this article on its chemical composition,pharmacokinetics,biological activity,quality control,mechanism and pharmacology,clinical research and applications,and recent research are reviewed.To be compared with similar drugs heparin,sulodexide to special due to be taken orally,the bioavailability of high,fewer side effects,and with heparin no role of the decomposition of fat can be considered more widely applied.Currently only the imported products,domestic manufacturers are in research and development stage,I believe that in the near future will be made to sulodexide in china.
Québec Content in Text

This chapter analyzes how textbook producers have presented Quebec’s cultural narrative through text in beginning-level textbooks. It introduces a means of analyzing the texts in a way that is useful for teachers and materials developers by drawing upon Byrnes, Maxim, and Norris’ (Mod Lang J 94(1): 1–8, 2010) curriculum development project. That project operationalized social-semiotic linguistic theory to conceptualize content and language integration. Accordingly, Chapelle identified the genres that are used to express aspects of Quebec’s cultural narrative in the sixty-five French textbooks under investigation. The two most prominent genres were history genres and casual conversation, both of which are exemplified by multiple texts from the textbooks. Chapelle’s analysis illustrates how the genres are developed by using particular linguistic patterns, thereby demonstrating how the content-language connection can be made by using genre as the link between the two. Implications for the analysis of text accessibility for beginning-level students are described.
A Historical View of Desegregation in Higher Education

The history of African Americans in higher education (i.e., Black enrollment) provides the background for understanding how “dual education systems” developed for “Whites” and “Blacks.” Legalized separation by race was endorsed with the “separate-but-equal” ruling of Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) and upheld the development of separate education systems. It was not until Brown v. Board of Education (1954) that public education was mandated to dismantle its “separate-but-equal” facilities. Prior to this, five court cases pointed the way for efforts to promote access to higher education: University of Maryland v. Murray (1935), Missouri ex rel. Gaines v. Canada (1938), Sipuel v. Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma (1948), Sweatt v. Painter (Texas, 1950), and McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (1950).
Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) spawning site use in Lake Champlain

Abstract The decline of lake trout ( Salvelinus namaycush ) populations in the Laurentian Great Lakes stimulated research on restoration, addressing many knowledge gaps of lake trout behavior and ecology. However, studies focused on lake trout spawning behavior are relatively recent, and little is known about sex-specific differences in spawning site use. To test several hypotheses about spawning movements, we surgically implanted acoustic telemetry tags in 45 male and 48 female lake trout and tracked their movements within and among three spawning seasons and eight spawning sites up to 56 km apart in Lake Champlain. Both sexes traveled similar distances throughout the lake and visited a similar number of sites during the spawning season. Males spent more days during the spawning season on a spawning site, were more likely to return to the same preferred site each year, spent more time per day on a site, and tended to stay closer to site-center than females. Twenty of 86 fish (23%) preferred a site in their tagging year other than the site at which they were tagged, so the assumption that a tagging site is the spawning site should be treated with caution. Only 61 to 74% of lake trout returned to the same site in a second year (repeat homing). A high incidence of straying (non-homing) may facilitate colonization of invaded lakes and man-made spawning reefs.
Crystal Structures of Thiophene-2-carboxamide Transition Metal Ion Complexes

The single-crystal X-ray structures of the hexacoordinate Co(II), Ni(II), and Mn(II) complexes of thiophene-2-carboxamide are reported as the perchlorate salts. The Co(II) and Ni(II) complexes are isostructural and crystallize in a cubic habit which is not frequently observed for complexes of metal ions with organic ligands (Pa $$\overline 3$$ , Z = 4, Co complex, 2, a = 16.466(2) A, Ni complex, 3, a = 16.430(2) A). The Mn(II) complex, 4, is monoclinic and contains four t-butanol molecules in the unit cell (P21/n, Z = 2, a = 9.7796(4) A, b = 11.4847(4) A, c = 23.3062(9) A, β = 93.504(1)°). Hydrogen-bonding is a significant factor in all of these substances, especially for the Mn(II) complex. The structures and the infrared spectra of the compounds are discussed. Ellipsoid plots of the ions Co(C3H5NOS)6 2+ and Mn(C3H5NOS)6 2+
Is Silicone Breast Implant Toxicity an Extreme Form of a More Generalized Toxicity Adversely Affecting the Population as a Whole

In humans the element silicon is essential for normal growth and development. It is extensively biointegrated into a wide variety of matrix macromolecules that display endless variations of complex overlapping interactions. When living organisms are confronted with artificial man-made organosilicon and organosiloxane compounds there is a finite limit of adaptive mechanisms by which normal cells and tissues can dispose of these molecules. Exposure to silicone gel-filled breast implants is particularly harmful due to biochemical chaos caused by in vivo degradation of an exceedingly excessive polymer presence. The worldwide proliferatioin of 60,000 other man-made silicon-containing compounds permeates all aspects of everyday living and has created generalized environmental exposure via inhalation, dermal absorption, and ingestion. These exposures are producing heightened public health concerns because prior assertions that organosiloxanes are chemically and biologically inert are no longer tenable. It is proposed that vague syndromes, such as fibromylagia and chronic fatigue syndrome, are disorders caused by insidious slow-paced toxicity mechanisms similar to the more rapid and profound biochemical disruptions occurring in sick breast implant recipients.
A Multimode 5–6 GHz sige BiCMOS PA design powers emerging wireless LAN radio standards

A multimode 5–6 GHz SiGe BiCMOS PA IC that powers the emerging Wireless LAN applications is presented. The design can be realized in a 1.35 × 0.7 active area as a standalone power amplifier (PA) or the transmit (Tx) chain of a Front-end IC. The design features multiple modes with low DEVM supporting 1024 QAM data rates and >20 dB accurate power controls. The linearity is well scaled with supply voltage from 2.8V to 5.5 V and insensitive to modulation bandwidths and duty cycles. With a 5 V supply, the PA has 32 dB gain and meets −41 dB DEVM for 1024 QAM, up to 20 dBm Pout and −35 dB DEVM for 256 QAM 802.11ac up to 21 dBm Pout. The design has also support a low power mode having 3 dB less linear power, with reduced current. With DPD, the low linearity mode can achieve similar linear power as the high linearity mode with 40 mA current reduction. The diverse features of the PA IC simplify front-end circuit designs of emerging high throughput radio standards.
DISCO: Distributed traffic flow consolidation for power efficient data center network

Power optimization for data center networks (DCNs) has recently received increasing research attention, since a DCN can account for up to 20% of the total power consumption of a data center. An effective power-saving approach for DCNs is traffic consolidation, which consolidates traffic flows onto a small set of links and switches such that unused network devices can be shut down for power savings. While this approach has shown great promise, existing solutions are mostly centralized and do not scale well for large-scale DCNs. In this paper, we propose DISCO, a DIStributed traffic flow COnsolidation framework, with correlation analysis and delay constraints, for large-scale power efficient data center network. DISCO features two distributed traffic consolidation algorithms that provide different trade-offs (as desired by different DCN architectures) between scalability, power savings, and network performance. First, a flow-based algorithm is proposed to conduct consolidation for each flow individually, with greatly improved scalability. Second, an even more scalable switch-based algorithm is proposed to consolidate flows on each individual switch in a distributed fashion. We evaluate the DISCO algorithms both on a hardware testbed and in large-scale simulations with real DCN traces. The results show that, compared with state-of-the-art centralized solutions, DISCO can achieve nearly the same power savings with more than three orders of magnitude smaller problem size for individual optimizers (104 to 106 times faster for a DCN at the scale of 10K servers). The convergence of DISCO is also proved theoretically and evaluated experimentally.
Cigarette smoking and the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus

Introduction: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multi-system inflammatory autoimmune disease of incompletely understood etiology. It is thought that environmental exposures ‘trigger’ or accel...
Disinfection of Blood Pressure Cuffs and Electrocardiographic Telemetry Leads With 0.5% Hydrogen Peroxide Wipes

Background Disinfection of frequently touched surfaces in the hospital is critical for providing safe care. Because of their complex intricate surfaces, blood pressure cuffs and electrocardiographic telemetry leads may be harder than other equipment to disinfect. Objective To determine the effectiveness of 0.5% hydrogen peroxide wipes in cleaning and disinfecting inpatient hospital surfaces, including hook and loop (Velcro) fasteners of blood pressure cuffs and electrocardiographic telemetry leads. Methods A prospective study of an inpatient telemetry unit was designed to measure the persistence of a UV indicator and the presence of bacterial colonization on electrocardiographic telemetry leads and blood pressure cuffs. Call buttons and patient trays were used as control surfaces, because they are often touched but are easy to disinfect via standard practices. Results A total of 392 samples were collected between July 11 and August 3, 2016, and cultured for microorganisms. Among the cultures, 247 (63%) had at least 1 colony-forming unit. After adjustments in a multivariable analysis, odds of a contaminated surface (≥ 10 colony-forming units) after final cleaning with 0.5% hydrogen peroxide wipes were 3.70 times greater for patient trays than for blood pressure cuffs (P = .03) and 3.80 times greater for telemetry leads than for blood pressure cuffs (P = .04). The UV indicator persisted longer on blood pressure cuffs and telemetry leads than on patient trays or call buttons (P Conclusion Wipes with 0.5% hydrogen peroxide adequately disinfect blood pressure cuffs but not telemetry leads.
Jensen and Quadratic Functional Equations on Semigroups

Let S be a commutative semigroup, σ:S→S an endomorphism of order 2, G a 2-cancellative abelian group, and n a positive integer. One of the goals of this paper is to determine the general solutions of the functional equations f 1(x+y)+f 2(x+σy)=f 3(x) and also f 1(x+y)+f 2(x+σy)=f 3(x)+f 4(y) for all x,y∈S n , where f 1,f 2,f 3,f 4:S n →G are unknown functions. The results of this paper improve and generalize the earlier results due to Ebanks, Kannappan, and Sahoo (Can. Math. Bull. 35:321–327, 1992), and Bae and Park (J. Math. Anal. Appl. 326:1142–1148, 2007), and generalize the works of Sinopoulos (Aequ. Math. 59:255–261, 2000).
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: A Complex Affair Centered on Ovarian Hyperandrogenism

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinopathy among women of reproductive age. Despite its high prevalence, the complex underlying pathophysiology of PCOS has yet to be completely characterized. At present, PCOS is considered to be primarily attributable to excess ovarian androgen production that directly and indirectly contributes to abnormal folliculogenesis and follicular maturation arrest. Aberrant gonadotropin signaling and elevated anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) have been implicated as key factors in follicular maturation arrest in oligo-ovulatory PCOS patients, but these mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. Animal models, including nonhuman primates, have yielded useful preliminary insight into the role of fetal androgen exposure in PCOS pathophysiology; however, a similar association is still lacking in human observational studies. Recent genome-wide association and microarray studies have implicated polymorphisms in genes that are part of an incredibly wide variety of cellular processes. The significance of these findings has yet to be determined. The understanding of PCOS pathophysiology is also limited by the lack of a complete understanding of normal human folliculogenesis and ovulation, most attributable to ethical and technical limitations associated with the study of early human reproduction. Furthermore, PCOS is associated with a large degree of phenotypic heterogeneity that confounds both diagnosis and attempts at standardized laboratory experiments. Moving forward, investigations will need to carefully consider differences within and between PCOS phenotypic subgroups in addition to comparing them to normal reproductive physiology. As our understanding of the central aberrations in PCOS improves, the additional effects of associated metabolic phenomena observed in PCOS such as hyperinsulinemia and obesity can be fit into place.
Jacobi and His School

Before proceeding to a detailed examination of Jacobi’s 1836 paper, it is probably desirable that we review the situation surrounding the second variation from the point of view of hindsight. This is particularly true in the case of Jacobi and his commentators since Jacobi stated his results with little or no indication as to why they are so. I do not know why he chose this means of announcing his results, unless he was anxious to publish before someone preceded him. In any case let us look at some results in connection with the second variation that should help to illuminate Jacobi’s paper.
Internal Brace ACL Repair is Associated with High Failure Rate in the First Two Years Post-Surgery

Objectives: To compare graft/internal brace survival, self-reported functional outcomes, and joint laxity in adolescents who underwent quadriceps tendon patellar autograft (QPA) reconstruction versus ACL repair with internal brace ligament augmentation.
Developing a Budget

The first budget can be estimated by adding up the costs per year of running the organization, including any indirect costs, and create a monthly cost. Then for the specific study, an estimate of how many months the study will take and what percentage of the team’s time will be attributed to it should be developed. This provides a rough guess but can be used together with the science of the study and the contract to decide if participation in the study is viable. A complete budget then requires developing a line-by-line flow sheet and estimating the cost of each step in the study to obtain a cost per subject. Having a complete budget serves the team well by providing fodder for budget negotiations that inevitably occur.
Genomic complexity in KRAS mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from never/light-smokers v smokers.

9087Background: KRAS is the most frequently mutated oncogene in NSCLC, and such tumors lack effective targeted therapy. Unlike other activating oncogenes associated with never/light-smokers (NS), K...
Continuous Synthesis of Monodisperse Yolk–Shell Titania Microspheres

A microfluidic strategy is developed for continuous synthesis of monodisperse yolk–shell titania microspheres. The continuous flow synthesis of titania microparticles is achieved by decoupling the microdroplet formation and interfacial hydrolysis reaction steps by utilizing a polar aprotic solvent as the continuous phase in the microreactor. The decoupling of the precursor microdroplet formation and the hydrolysis reaction allows titania synthesis throughputs an order of magnitude higher than those previously reported in a single-channel flow reactor (∼0.1 g/h calcined microparticles), without affecting the microreactor lifetime due to clogging. Flow synthesis and dynamics across a broad range of precursor flow rates are examined, while effects of flow synthesis parameters, including the precursor to continuous phase flow rate ratio, precursor composition, and calcination temperature on the surface morphology, size, and composition of the resulting titania microparticles, are explored in detail. Titania m...
Dynamic vulnerability in the pursuit of just adaptation processes: A Boston case study

Abstract This article argues that the justness and the efficacy of adaptation processes are dependent on how and when planning actors measure vulnerability and define vulnerable populations. Through a review of climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction literature, this article takes the position that the advancement of procedurally just adaptive planning should engage a dynamic framing of vulnerability that brings together aspects of both contextual and outcome vulnerability in order to support ongoing adaptation planning efforts that include the acknowledgement and representation of a full range of stakeholders. To illustrate this position, a case study of the City of Boston’s resilience plans is presented to explore the strengths and weaknesses of current planning practices that vary in their static and dynamic conceptualization of vulnerability and participatory planning processes. This article opens the door for future research that evaluates the procedural justness of adaptation planning processes that are challenged to balance vulnerability assessment methodologies and engagement processes within the context of dynamic social, economic, environmental change.
New-Onset Post-Transplant Diabetes Mellitus after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Is Initiated by Insulin Resistance, Not Immunosuppressive Medications.

Abstract New-onset post-transplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) occurs frequently after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT). Although calcineurin inhibitors and corticosteroids are assumed to be the cause for hyperglycemia, patients developing PTDM have elevated fasting C-peptide levels before HCT and before immunosuppressive medications. To determine if PTDM results from established insulin resistance present before transplant, we performed oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) and measured whole body, peripheral, and hepatic insulin sensitivity with euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamps before and 90 days after HLA-identical sibling donor HCT in 20 patients without pretransplant diabetes. HCT recipients were prospectively followed for the development of new-onset PTDM defined as a weekly fasting blood glucose ≥ 126 mg/dL or random blood glucose ≥ 200 mg/dL. During the first 100 days all patients received calcineurin inhibitors, and 11 individuals (55%) were prospectively diagnosed with new-onset PTDM. PTDM diagnosis preceded corticosteroid treatment. During the pretransplant OGTT, elevated fasting (87 mg/dL versus 101 mg/dL; P = .005) but not 2-hour postprandial glucose levels predicted PTDM diagnosis (P = .648). In response to insulin infusion during the euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp, patients developing PTDM had lower whole body glucose utilization (P = .047) and decreased peripheral/skeletal muscle uptake (P = .031) before and after transplant, respectively, when compared with non-PTDM patients. Hepatic insulin sensitivity did not differ. Survival was decreased in PTDM patients (2-year estimate, 55% versus 100%; P = .039). Insulin resistance before HCT is a risk factor for PTDM independent of immunosuppression. Fasting pretransplant glucose levels identified PTDM susceptibility, and peripheral insulin resistance could be targeted for prevention and treatment of PTDM after HCT.
Potential Crisis in Nurse Practitioner Preparation in the United States.

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree was established to expand nurse practitioner education by adding new competencies. In 2004, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing released a po...
Combined Foreign Object Detection and Live Object Protection in Wireless Power Transfer Systems via Real-Time Thermal Camera Analysis

The increased penetration of electric vehicles (EV) into the market has driven the research and development of more efficient and viable wireless power transfer (WPT) systems as a means of charging. The safe operation of commercial wireless charging EV stations requires both foreign object detection (FOD) and live object protection (LOP) capabilities. In this study, a real-time thermal imaging based combined FOD-LOP system, utilizing a single sensing device is proposed. Experimental results validating the systems ability in detecting foreign metal objects and representative live objects, under varying conditions, is presented.
Clinical outcomes of endoscopic management of pancreatic fluid collections in cirrhotics vs non-cirrhotics: A comparative study

Clinical outcomes of endoscopic management of pancreatic fluid collections in cirrhotics vs non-cirrhotics: A comparative study
Temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) studies of ZrV1.6Fe0.4Hy and ZrV1.2Cr0.8Hy

Abstract Temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) of several hydride compositions in the systems ZrV 1.6 Fe 0.4 H y and ZrV 1.2 Cr 0.8 H y reveal two distinct peaks. The TPD results appear to correlate with changes in the pressure-composition isotherms when plotted on a log-log plot, which in turn may be related to changes in the thermodynamics of hydrogen desorption. The so called “traping model” (8,9) is presented as a possible explanation of the observed TPD behavior.
Association of Primary Care Clinic Appointment Time With Opioid Prescribing

Importance Time pressure to provide a quick fix is commonly cited as a reason why opioids are frequently prescribed in the United States, but there is little evidence of an association between appointment timing and clinical decision-making. As the workday progresses and appointments run behind schedule, physicians may be more likely to prescribe opioids. Objective To estimate whether characteristics of appointment timing are associated with clinical decision-making about pain treatment. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study of physician behavior used data from electronic health record systems in primary care offices in the United States to analyze primary care appointments occurring in 2017 for patients with a new painful condition who had not received an opioid prescription within the past year. Main Outcomes and Measures The association between treatment decisions and 2 dimensions of appointment timing (order of appointment occurrence and delay relative to scheduled start time) were assessed. The rates of opioid prescribing were measured and compared with rates of nonopioid pain medication (ie, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) prescribing and referral to physical therapy. All rates were estimated within the same physician using physician fixed effects, adjusting for patient, appointment, and seasonal characteristics. Results Among 678 319 primary care appointments (642 262 patients; 392 422 [61.1%] women) with 5603 primary care physicians, the likelihood that an appointment resulted in an opioid prescription increased by 33% as the workday progressed (1st to 3rd appointment, 4.0% [95% CI, 3.9%-4.1%] vs 19th to 21st appointment, 5.3% [95% CI. 5.1%-5.6%];P Conclusions and Relevance These findings suggest that, even within an individual physician’s schedule, clinical decision-making for opioid prescribing varies by the timing and lateness of appointments.
Wind plant electrical systems: electrical generation, machines, power electronics, and collector systems

One of the earliest nonanimal sources of power used by man was the wind turbine. Wind turbines have been in documented use for more than 1,000 years. The earliest wind-turbine designs were extremely simple; turbines were allowed to rotate at a rate proportional to the velocity of the wind. They were used to pump water, grind grain, cut lumber, and perform a myriad of other tasks. For these purposes, varying speed seldom impacted the effectiveness of the windmill enough to justify the complications of closely controlling rotational speed. Allowing the machines to run at variable speed was in fact highly advantageous as it greatly increased the total energy that could be extracted from the wind.
Social reprogramming in ants induces longevity-associated glia remodeling

Healthy brain aging is of crucial societal importance; however, the mechanisms that regulate it are largely unknown. Social insects are an outstanding model to study the impact of environment and epigenetics on brain function and aging because workers and queens arise from the same genome but display profound differences in behavior and longevity. In Harpegnathos saltator ants, adult workers can transition to a queen-like phenotypic state called gamergate. This caste transition results in reprogramming of social behavior and lifespan extension. Whether these changes in brain function and physiology cause brain remodeling at the cellular level is not known. Using single-cell RNA-sequencing of Harpegnathos brains undergoing caste transition, we uncovered shifts in neuronal and glial populations. In particular, the conversion of workers into long-lived gamergates caused the expansion of ensheathing glia, which maintain brain health by phagocytosing damaged neuronal structures. These glia cells were lost during aging in normal workers but not in longer-lived gamergates. We observed similar caste- and age-associated differences in ensheathing glia in other Hymenoptera as well as Drosophila melanogaster. We propose that enhanced glia-based neuroprotection promotes healthy brain aging and contributes to the extended lifespan of the reproductive caste in social insects.
Logics for Sizes with Union or Intersection

This paper presents the most basic logics for reasoning about the sizes of sets that admit either the union of terms or the intersection of terms. That is, our logics handle assertions All x y and AtLeast x y, where x and y are built up from basic terms by either unions or intersections. We present a sound, complete, and polynomial-time decidable proof system for these logics. An immediate consequence of our work is the completeness of the logic additionally permitting More x y. The logics considered here may be viewed as efficient fragments of two logics which appear in the literature: Boolean Algebra with Presburger Arithmetic and the Logic of Comparative Cardinality.
Magnetothermal Oscillations in Semi-Metals

The original magnetothermal experiments of Kunzler et al. 1 measured slowly varying temperature changes of a thermally isolated sample of bismuth at 4He temperature as the magnetic field was adiabatically varied. An oscillatory variation of the temperature was observed as Landau levels passed through the Fermi surface. As an experimental technique for studying Fermi surfaces, this type of measurement is seriously impaired by extraneous heat inputs to the sample, such as those resulting from mechanical vibrations, fluctuations in the bath temperature, and induced eddy currents in the sample itself. While eddy current heating is not a major problem in bismuth because of its relatively high resistivity, it could easily mask magnetothermal phenomena in higher conductivity metals.
Biopesticides for Management of Bemisia tabaci MEAM1 (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus

The sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci MEAM1 Gennadius, is a global pest of tomato, transmitting Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV). Management of B. tabaci is challenging in part because of its ability to develop resistance to insecticides. Biopesticides include materials that control B. tabaci via mechanisms that do not select for resistance. Field experiments were conducted in the spring and fall of 2016 and 2017 at the University of Florida's Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in west central Florida to compare biopesticides to conventional insecticides for management of B. tabaci and TYLCV. Insecticide rotations were designed in part around the concept that conventional insecticide programs should group modes of action according to 5-wk treatment intervals, corresponding to an estimated 5-wk generation time for the pest. In 2016, when tomato was treated during the first 5-wk treatment interval with either biopesticides or neonicotinoid insecticides, insecticidal soap contributed to a reduction in whitefly egg numbers and percentage TYLCV that was comparable to results achieved with dinotefuran. In contrast, egg numbers and virus incidence in plants treated with kaolin clay tended to be numerically higher than the untreated control. In spring 2017, comparisons of biopesticides and conventional ovicides/nymphicides during the second 5-wk treatment interval showed that biopesticides can provide comparable reduction in nymph numbers to conventional insecticides. While data from these trials confirm that biopesticides can reduce numbers of whitefly eggs and nymphs, they indicate that season-long programs of the biopesticides evaluated may not reduce transmission of TYLCV below economically acceptable levels.
Amplitude Annihilation in Wake-Influenced Aeroelastic Limit-Cycle Oscillations

This paper investigates the dynamics of a pitching and heaving aeroelastic wing undergoing large-amplitude limit-cycle oscillations influenced by a vortical wake from an upstream rectangular cylind...
Abstract 973: Telomere stress potentiates host STING-dependent anti-tumor immunity

Telomerase is an attractive target for anti-tumor therapy as it is almost universally expressed in cancer cells but not in normal cells. Here we show that treatment with a telomerase-mediated telomere-targeting drug, 6-thio-29-deoxyguanosine (6-thio-dG), leads to tumor regression in innate and adaptive immune-dependent manners in syngeneic and humanized mouse colon cancer models. 6-thio-dG treatment causes telomere-associated DNA damages that are sensed by dendritic cells (DCs) and activates the host cytosolic DNA sensing STING/IFN-I pathway, resulting in enhanced cross-priming capacity of DCs and tumor-specific CD8 T-cell activation. Moreover, 6-thio-dG overcomes resistances to checkpoint blockade in advanced mouse cancer models. Together, our results unveil how 6-thio-dG induced telomere stress increases innate sensing and adaptive anti-tumor immunity and provide a strong rationale for sequentially combining telomerase directed telomere-targeted therapy with immunotherapy. Citation Format: Anli Zhang, Ilgen Mender, Zhenhua Ren, Chuanhui Han, Yafang Deng, Silvia Siteni, Huiyu Li, Jerry W. Shay, Yang-Xin Fu. Telomere stress potentiates host STING-dependent anti-tumor immunity [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 973.
Progress in Education of Children With Disabilities in Zambia

Purpose The purpose of this review article is to review the progress made in the treatment and education of persons with disabilities in Zambia, to identify barriers that have hindered change and i...
Do Banks Really Sell Securities to Smooth Earnings

This study re-examines the ways that profitable banks manage earnings through the gain and loss selling of available-for-sale securities. We find that what the prior literature calls earnings smoothing is more accurately characterized as the boosting of low earnings; banks boost low earnings via gain selling but do not meaningfully reduce high earnings via loss selling or abnormally low gain selling. Although the earnings boosting behavior represents a statistical tendency over a wide sample period, the behavior is relatively uncommon even among low-earnings banks, except in the three years immediately following the financial crisis of 2008-2009, facilitated by the Federal Reserve’s crisis-era bond buying program. Previously unavailable data on gross gains and losses reveals that the portion of the unrealized gain positions that banks realize each quarter is about three times the portion of the unrealized loss positions realized, on average. When they do sell loss positions, banks tend to completely erase the impact on earnings by selling additional gain positions roughly dollar-for-dollar. Overall, results suggest that when accounting standards insulate earnings from unrealized changes in security fair values, the primary form of material earnings management that occurs among profitable banks is occasional gain-selling to boost low earnings.
County‐level correlates of dental service utilization for low income pregnant women. Ecologic study of the North Carolina Medicaid for Pregnant Women (MPW) program

Dental care utilization for low income pregnant women is met with challenges in the traditional dentist-centered model of care. County-level measures provide insights for policy and roles for stakeholders that extend beyond the dentist-patient relationship. We examined county-level data to generate hypotheses about factors that influence utilization of dental services in North Carolina’s Medicaid for Pregnant Women (MPW) program. County-level Medicaid utilization data for dental services for 2014–2016 were pooled to get mean county estimates of dental utilization in the MPW program. Descriptive statistics and multivariate regression models of dental utilization and county-level measures are presented. Data used were collected by NC Child and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s County Health Rankings Reports. USDA Economic Research Service data were used to categorize counties in terms of Farming, Recreation, Persistent Poverty, and metro/non-metro status using Rural Urban Continuum Codes. Dental utilization ranged from 1–26% with a median of 8.5% across the 100 counties of North Carolina. Strong patterns linking utilization of dental services in the MPW program to contextual social measures of well-being emerged, specifically, increased reporting of child abuse and neglect, elevated infant mortality, poor quality of life, and worse ranking in years of potential life lost. Counties with persistent poverty had lower rates of dental utilization. Utilization of dental services in the MPW program is generally low. Patterns identify the potential for enhancing community-clinical linkages to improve birth outcomes and care coordination for pregnant women to enhance dental utilization in this population. Dental coverage in the Medicaid program in most states is administered separately from medical coverage. The separation of the funding mechanisms adds a further layer of complexity to care integration. Efforts to enhance dental care for pregnant women in the Medicaid program may benefit from policy that aligns incentives for care coordination within the community. Policy that extends the window of eligibility for dental benefits to 24 months after the birth of the child will help women complete the dental treatment that is needed. This also leverages the value of care coordination for community stakeholders from diverse child health sectors.
Animal Welfare Act: Interaction with Other Laws

This is an annotated transcript from a panel presentation at The Animal Welfare Act at Fifty conference at Harvard Law School. Ani B. Satz discusses the interaction of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) with state laws, specifically focusing on perceived preemptive effects of the AWA on state anti-cruelty laws. Delcianna Winders discusses how these perceived preemptive effects play out on a federal level, focusing on how the AWA interacts with the Endangered Species Act (ESA). She expands upon how both laws apply to captive animals, who have been identified as threatened or endangered under the ESA.
Radiation-Induced Senescence in p16+/LUC Mouse Lung Compared to Bone Marrow Multilineage Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells

We defined the time course of ionizing radiation-induced senescence in lung compared to bone marrow of p16+/LUC mice in which the senescence-induced biomarker (p16) is linked to a luciferase reporter gene. Periodic in situ imaging revealed increased luciferase activity in the lungs of 20 Gy thoracic irradiated, but not 8 Gy total-body irradiated (TBI) mice beginning at day 75 and increasing to day 170. In serial sections of explanted lungs, senescent cells appeared in the same areas as did fibrosis in the 20 Gy thoracic irradiated, but not the 8 Gy TBI group. Lungs from 8 Gy TBI mice at one year did show increased RNA levels for p16, p21, p19 and TGF-β. Individual senescent cells in 20 Gy irradiated mouse lung included those with epithelial, endothelial, fibroblast and hematopoietic cell biomarkers. Rare senescent cells in the lungs of 8 Gy TBI mice at one year were of endothelial phenotype. Long-term bone marrow cultures (LTBMCs) were established at either day 60 or one year after 8 Gy TBI. In freshly removed marrow at both times after irradiation, there were increased senescent cells. In LTBMCs, there were increased senescent cells in both weekly harvested single cells and in colonies of multilineage hematopoietic progenitor cells producing CFU-GEMM (colony forming unit-granulocyte, erythrocyte, monocyte/macrophage, mega-karyocyte) that were formed in secondary cultures when these single cells were plated in semisolid media. LTBMCs from TBI mice produced fewer CFU-GEMM; however, the relative percentage of senescent cell-containing colonies was increased as measured by both p16-luciferase and β-galactosidase. Therefore, 20 Gy thoracic radiation, as well as 8 Gy TBI, induces senescent cells in the lungs. With bone marrow, 8 Gy TBI induced senescence in both hematopoietic cells and in colony-forming progenitors. The p16+/LUC mouse strain provides a valuable system in which to compare the kinetics of radiation-induced senescence between organs in vivo, and to evaluate the potential role of senescent cells in irradiation pulmonary fibrosis.