cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
3D Experimental and Computational Analysis of Eccentric Mitral Regurgitant Jets in a Mock Imaging Heart Chamber

Mitral valve regurgitation (MR) is a disorder of the heart in which the mitral valve does not close properly. This causes an abnormal leaking of blood backwards from the left ventricle into the left atrium during the systolic contractions of the left ventricle. Noninvasive assessment of MR using echocardiography is an ongoing challenge. In particular, a major problem are eccentric or Coanda regurgitant jets which hug the walls of the left atrium and appear smaller in the color Doppler image of regurgitant flow. This manuscript presents a comprehensive investigation of Coanda regurgitant jets and the associated intracardiac flows by using a combination of experimental and computational approaches. An anatomically correct mock heart chamber connected to a pulsatile flow loop is used to generate the physiologically relevant flow conditions, and the influence of two clinically relevant parameters (orifice aspect ratio and regurgitant volume) on the onset of Coanda effect is studied. A two parameter bifurcation diagram showing transition to Coanda jets is obtained, indicating that: (1) strong wall hugging jets occur in long and narrow orifices with moderate to large regurgitant volumes, and (2) short orifices with moderate to large regurgitant volumes produce strong 3D flow features such as vortex rolls, giving rise to the velocities that are orthogonal to the 2D plane associated with the apical color Doppler views, making them “invisible” to the single plane color Doppler assessment of MR. This is the first work in which the presence of vortex rolls in the left atrium during regurgitation is reported and identified as one of the reasons for under-estimation of regurgitant volume. The results of this work can be used for better design of imaging strategies in noninvasive assessment of MR, and for better understanding of LA remodeling that may be associated with the presence of maladapted vortex dynamics. This introduces a new concept in clinical imaging, which emphasizes that the quality and not only the quantity of regurgitant flow matters in the assessment of severity of mitral valve regurgitation.
Abstract 1959: MTA1 promotes tumor progression and bone metastasis in prostate cancer via positive regulation of MUC1 and CTSB

About 80% of the time that prostate cancer cells metastasize, they spread to the bones. Metastasis involves activation of invasive programs through genetic and epigenetic alterations, including changes in expression of chromatin remodeler proteins. We have previously identified metastasis-associated protein 1 (MTA1), a chromatin remodeler, as a component of vicious cycle of bone metastasis and confirmed significantly higher expression of MTA1 in bone metastatic samples from patients. In an attempt to dissect molecular mechanisms of MTA1 action, we performed integrative analysis of our bone metastasis signature data along with MTA1 ChIP-Seq data, which revealed mucin 1 (MUC1) and cathepsin B (CTSB) as strong potential candidates responsible for MTA1-driven invasiveness.Here, we show that loss of function studies with MTA1 in PC3M cells exhibit reduced expression for MUC1 and CTSB. We also demonstrate that depletion of MTA1 in PC3M aggressive prostate cancer cellsdoes not affect cell proliferation but leads to decrease in colony forming ability, invasive and migratory property of these cells. When PC3M cells silenced for MTA1 and tagged with luciferase are used to generate subcutaneous or intracardiac xenografts, it leads to reduced tumor progression or decreased metastasis to bone, respectively as evident by bioluminescent measurements and histology of tumors. Ongoing experiments aim to validate the role of MUC1 and CTSB in MTA1-driven invasiveness and metastasis in prostate cancer. Citation Format: Avinash Kumar, Swati Dhar, Gisella Campanelli, Nasir A. Butt, Christian R. Gomez, Jason M. Schallheim, Anait S. Levenson. MTA1 promotes tumor progression and bone metastasis in prostate cancer via positive regulation of MUC1 and CTSB [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1959. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-1959
Abstract P125: Sunitinib-Induced Cardiomyopathy Is Due to PDGFR-á Inhibition and Can Be Prevented by Cotreatment with Thalidomide

Introduction: Suntinib malate (SM) is a small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor used for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma. However, nearly 20% of SM treated patients develop cardiomyopathy. We recently reported that the cardiomyocyte PDGFR-β regulates both cardiac and coronary microvascular function. In this study, we sought to define the mechanisms of SM-induced cardiomyopathy. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were divided into 4 groups: vehicle control (Ctrl), SM, Ctrl+transverse aortic constriction (Ctrl-TAC) and SM-TAC. SM was given at 40 mg/kg/d. An additional group was treated with either SM (40mg/kg/d) plus vehicle control or SM plus thalidomide (75mg/kg/d) for 14 days and allowed to recover until day 28. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and coronary flow reserve (CFR, a measurement of coronary microvascular function) were assessed by cardiac MRI and ultrasound, respectively. Pericyte coverage was assessed by immunofluorescent co-staining of CD31 (vessel) and NG2 (pericyte). Results: SM induced cardiac and coronary microvascular dysfunction and impaired cardiac response to stress in a similar manner to that seen in PDGFR-β knockout mice. These functional impairments were accompanied by structural vascular defects and significant loss of microvascular pericyte coverage. This was recapitulated in aged (1 year) PDGFR-β knockout mice as well as with the drug CP673,541, which is a potent, more specific PDGFR inhibitor . Thalidomide is known to enhance vascular stability through enhancement of vascular pericyte coverage. Co-treatment with Thal prevented sunitinib-induced reduction in LVEF (SM-LVEF-41%; SM+thalidomide-49%, p Conclusion: SM-induced cardiac and microvascular dysfunction is most likely due to PDGFR-β inhibition and can be prevented by co-treatment with thalidomide. Our findings not only suggest a novel cardioprotective strategy for cancer patients at high-risk for sunitinib-induced cardiomyopathy but also suggest a critical role for pericytes in coronary microvascular and cardiac function.
Energy for Refrigeration, Present and Future

This chapter highlights the future of the energy for refrigeration. Thermoelectric units for the creation of refrigeration up to this time have been developed primarily for small units in the 40 to 100 W range. Cost of materials has hampered their production but their poor performance relative to compression refrigeration has also been a factor. The overall coefficient of performance of a thermoelectric unit is about one tenth that of a corresponding compression system so that coefficients of performance in the range of 0.3 to 0.6 must be recognized. It is moreover true that it is difficult to operate through ranges of more than 90° on the Fahrenheit scale. The future of thermoelectric refrigeration is thus at crossroads. Unquestionably, there will be certain installations for which it is admirably suited but widespread usage is still very uncertain. Other energy devices in various stages of development exist and two of these might be mentioned, the first being the silicon photovoltaic cell and the second the photogalvanic cell. The silicon cell has been found to be very effective but unfortunately its cost is extremely high.
Pregnancy probabilistically augments potential precursors to chronic, immune-mediated or autoimmune lacrimal gland infiltrates

Abstract Purpose This study asked whether pregnancy, a risk factor for dry eye disease associated with both chronic, immune-mediated- and autoimmune etiologies, augments development of clusters of coordinately functioning cells (CCFC) that may be precursors to pathological lacrimal gland infiltrates. Methods Lacrimal glands were from six virgin- and six term-pregnant rabbits of the same age and environmental exposure history. Seventy-two immune response-related gene transcripts were assayed by real time RT-PCR. Principal component (PC) analysis identified transcript signatures of CCFC contributing negative ( ⊖ ) or positive ( ⊕ ) PC loadings and determined gland PC projections, which reflect levels of CCFC development. Results Three CCFC were of interest as potential precursors to pathological infiltrates. CCFC 1 ⊖ was suggestive of an ectopic lymphoid structure with resting T cells and B cells. CCFC 1 ⊕ was suggestive of an immune-mediated infiltrate with T H 1 cells and mature, cytotoxic B cells. CCFC 2 ⊖ was suggestive of an ectopic lymphoid structure with activated T cells, mature B cells, germinal center, and plasmacytes. CCFC 4 ⊖ and CCFC 5 ⊖ also included plasmacytes. Pregnancy augmented CCFC 1 ⊖ in some glands; augmented CCFC 1 ⊕ in others; and augmented CCFC 2 ⊖ , CCFC 4 ⊖ , and CCFC 5 ⊖ different combinations. Conclusions Potential precursors of pathological infiltrates form in the lacrimal glands by the time of sexual maturity. Pregnancy augments lacrimal gland plasmacyte populations, and it can augment development of potential precursors to either chronic, immune-mediated infiltrates or autoimmune infiltrates of various phenotypes. Systemic and strictly local, probabilistic phenomena interact with pregnancy to determine which combinatorial phenotypes are favored.
The apprenticeship project for educating a STEM-based workforce and the dissemination of learning technology

An apprenticeship community is an approach to linking two very hard problems: dissemination of technology-mediated learning methods and improvements to the preparation of undergraduates for a STEM workforce. A standard computer science curriculum based on knowledge and skill acquisition augmented with a project-based student community of design/builders is a significant addition to current methods for educating students and preparing them for a STEM-based workforce. An ecosystem can be developed that leverages the work of undergraduates as a mechanism to face-lift the technology-base of the classroom. Custom-building education platforms is a necessary and significant complementary approach to generic platforms as a method for propagating technology-mediated pedagogy. This project creates a how-to model for converting institutional need into opportunity for a community of learners.
An Objective Parameter to Classify Voice Signals Based on Variation in Energy Distribution.

Summary Objectives The purpose of this paper is to introduce an iterative nonlinear weighted method based on the variation in spectral energy distribution present in a voice signal to differentiate between four voice types: type 1 voice signals are nearly periodic, type 2 voice signals have strong modulations and subharmonics, type 3 signals are chaotic, and type 4 signals are dominated by stochastic noise. Study Design A total of 135 voice signal samples of the sustained vowel /a/ were obtained from the Disordered Voice Database and then individually categorized into the appropriate voice types based on the classification system described in Sprecher et al (2010). Voice samples were analyzed using the nonlinear methods of spectrum convergence ratio, rate of divergence, and nonlinear energy difference ratio (NEDR) to investigate classifier efficacy. Methods An iterative nonlinear weighted method based on the derivative of instantaneous frequency and Fourier transformations is applied to calculate spectral energy distributions. The distribution is then used to calculate the NEDR to classify voice signal types. Results Statistical analysis revealed that NEDR effectively differentiated between all four voice types (P Conclusion NEDR was shown to be an effective metric for objective differentiation between all four voice signal types. NEDR calculations occurred approximately instantaneously, constituting a substantial improvement over the tedious computational time required for calculation of previous nonlinear parameters. This metric could assist clinicians in the diagnosis of voice disorders and monitor the efficacy of treatment through observation of voice acoustical improvement over time.
Control of networked traffic flow distribution: a stochastic distribution system perspective

At signalized intersections, the traffic queues are controlled by traffic signal control settings and effective traffic lights control would realize both smooth traffic flow and minimize fuel consumption. Funded by the Energy Efficient Mobility Systems (EEMS) program of the Vehicle Technologies Office of the US Department of Energy, we performed a preliminary investigation on the modelling and control framework in context of urban network of signalized intersections. In specific, we developed a recursive input-output traffic queueing models. The queue formation can be modeled as a stochastic process where the number of vehicles entering each intersection is a random number. Further, we proposed a preliminary B-Spline stochastic modelling and control for a one-way single-lane corridor traffic system based on theory of stochastic distribution control that shapes the PDF of the queue length.
Costs of Learning

Understanding the costs of learning may allow us to understand variation in learning abilities across species. The costs of learning stem from the costs of obtaining information, whether acquisition, processing or storage. The costs of acquiring information are present at the behavioral level in terms of the time, energy, and risk associated with sampling a range of behavioral traits and environments. The costs of information processing and storage come at the tissue level, in terms of the energy required to develop, maintain, and use neural tissue. The costs of learning may result in life history trade-offs or they may select for changes in development that reduce such information costs.
Social Capital and Physical Health

In this chapter, we describe the key findings from a systematic review of empirical studies linking social capital to physical health outcomes. As noted in the Introduction, as well as the chapters by van der Gaag and Webber (chapter 2), and Lakon and colleagues (chapter 4), much of the public health literature has focused on the health effects of social cohesion. That is, both ecological and multilevel studies have sought to examine the health impacts of group cohesion measured at different scales (e.g., neighborhoods, states, nations). In turn, a number of individual-level studies have sought to test the relationships between individual perceptions of social cohesion (e.g., trust of others) and health outcomes.
Learning to Get Literal: Investigating Reference-Point Difficulties in Novice Programming

We investigate conditions in which novices make some reference errors when programming. We asked students from introductory programming courses to perform a simple code-writing task that required constructing references to objects and their attributes. By experimentally manipulating the nature of the attributes in the tasks, from identifying attributes (e.g., title or label) to descriptive attributes (e.g., calories or texture), the study revealed the relative frequencies with which students mistakenly omit the name of an identifying attribute while attempting to reference its value. We explain how these reference-point shifts are consistent with the use of metonymy, a form of figurative expression in human communication. Our analysis also reveals how the presentation of examples can affect the construction of the reference in the student’s solution. We discuss plausible accounts of the reference-point errors and how they may inform a model of reference construction. We suggest that reference-point errors may be the result of well-practiced habits of communication rather than misconceptions of the task or what the computer can do.
A Spanning Tree Hierarchical Model for Land Cover Classification

Image segmentation persists as a major statistical problem, with the volume and complexity of data expanding alongside new technologies. Land cover classification, one of the largest problems in Remote Sensing, provides an important example of image segmentation whose needs transcend the choice of a particular classification method. That is, the challenges associated with land cover classification pervade the analysis process from data pre–processing to estimation of a final land cover map. Multispectral, multitemporal data with inherent spatial relationships have hardly received adequate treatment due to the large size of the data and the presence of missing values. In this chapter we propose a novel, concerted application of methods which provide a unified way to estimate model parameters, impute missing data, reduce dimensionality, and classify land cover. This comprehensive analysis adopts a Bayesian approach which incorporates prior subject matter knowledge to improve the interpretability, efficiency, and versatility of land cover classification. We explore a parsimonious parametric model whose structure allows for a natural application of principal component analysis to the isolate important spectral characteristics while preserving temporal information. Moreover, it allows us to impute missing data and estimate parameters via expectation-maximization. We employ a spanning tree approximation to a lattice Potts model prior to incorporating spatial relationships in a judiciousway and more efficiently access the posterior distribution of the pixel labels. We achieve exact inference of the labels via the centroid estimator. We demonstrate this series of analysis on a set of MODIS data centered on Montreal, Canada.
Genome-wide meta-analysis of SNP and antihypertensive medication interactions on left ventricular traits in African Americans.

BACKGROUND Left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy affects up to 43% of African Americans (AAs). Antihypertensive treatment reduces LV mass (LVM). However, interindividual variation in LV traits in response to antihypertensive treatments exists. We hypothesized that genetic variants may modify the association of antihypertensive treatment class with LV traits measured by echocardiography. METHODS We evaluated the main effects of the three most common antihypertensive treatments for AAs as well as the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-by-drug interaction on LVM and relative wall thickness (RWT) in 2,068 participants across five community-based cohorts. Treatments included thiazide diuretics (TDs), angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-Is), and dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers (dCCBs) and were compared in a pairwise manner. We performed fixed effects inverse variance weighted meta-analyses of main effects of drugs and 2.5 million SNP-by-drug interaction estimates. RESULTS We observed that dCCBs versus TDs were associated with higher LVM after adjusting for covariates (p = 0.001). We report three SNPs at a single locus on chromosome 20 that modified the association between RWT and treatment when comparing dCCBs to ACE-Is with consistent effects across cohorts (smallest p = 4.7 × 10-8 , minor allele frequency range 0.09-0.12). This locus has been linked to LV hypertrophy in a previous study. A marginally significant locus in BICD1 (rs326641) was validated in an external population. CONCLUSIONS Our study identified one locus having genome-wide significant SNP-by-drug interaction effect on RWT among dCCB users in comparison to ACE-I users. Upon additional validation in future studies, our findings can enhance the precision of medical approaches in hypertension treatment.
Clinical Features of Myositis: Skin Manifestations

Dermatomyositis is distinctive among the family of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies as patients display a characteristic set of skin manifestations. The cutaneous findings, which can be subdivided into active lesions or those resulting from scarring, occur in particular anatomic distributions. In this chapter, the skin manifestations of dermatomyositis are discussed including facial erythema, “heliotrope” rash, “V sign,” “shawl sign,” “Gottron’s papules,” “Gottron’s sign,” “holster sign,” “mechanic’s hands,” “ragged” cuticles with nailfold changes, and calcinosis cutis. This chapter will also highlight the prevalence of these findings within the various myositis subtypes. An understanding of the protean cutaneous features of dermatomyositis is essential to accurately diagnose and treat this autoimmune disease.
Readout ASIC for 3D position-sensitive detectors

We describe an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for 3D position-sensitive detectors. It was optimized for pixelated CZT sensors, and it measures, corresponding to an ionizing event, the energy and timing of signals from 121 anodes and one cathode. Each channel provides low-noise charge amplification, high-order shaping, along with peak- and timing-detection. The cathode's timing can be measured in three different ways: the first is based on multiple thresholds on the charge amplifier's voltage output; the second uses the threshold crossing of a fast-shaped signal; and the third measures the peak amplitude and timing from a bipolar shaper. With its power of 2 mW per channel the ASIC measures, on a CZT sensor connected and biased, charges up to 100 fC with an electronic resolution better than 200 e" rms. Our preliminary spectral measurements applying a simple cathode/anode ratio correction demonstrated a single-pixel resolution of 4.8 keV (0.72 %) at 662 keV, with the electronics and leakage current contributing in total with 2.1 keV.
9. UNDERSTANDING BURNOUT THROUGH THE LENS OF THE PEDIATRIC RESIDENCY TRAINING ENVIRONMENT

Background Despite interventions, burnout continues to increase among trainees. In a recent study of pediatric residents, the burnout rate was found to be > 50%. Though burnout is a major issue, there is limited data on effective interventions which begs the question, what are we missing? An organizational context for burnout titled Areas of Worklife, identified 6 areas that can affect burnout in the workplace: control, values, reward, fairness, workload, and community. Understanding how residents perceive these areas and their effect on burnout is invaluable as it provides a unique insight into the problem that could inform future interventions. Objectives: This study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of resident perspectives related to the six Areas of Worklife and their significance in the context of residency. Methods Using qualitative methodology, we conducted semi-structured interviews with a convenience sample of 15 residents and focused on resident's perspective of the Worklife areas. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Analysis was conducted concurrent with data collection using a constant comparison method; we used ATLAS.ti to manage the data for coding and the principal investigator and 2 co-investigators created themes. Results Themes identified based on Worklife areas are listed in Table 1. Overall, patient care was a lens through which residents understood the areas of control, reward, values, and workload. The themes identified in these leading areas focused on the resident's ability to interact with and learn from patients. Conclusions Resident definitions of the Worklife areas highlight the importance of patient involvement in the residency training experience, which is consistent with the literature that shows patient care is a means for residents to find meaning in their work. Understanding residents perspectives on Worklife areas is essential when developing potential interventions for burnout in residency.
Pregnancy and Rheumatic Disease: Experience at a Single Center in New York City During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVE The present study was undertaken to evaluate the pregnancy experiences of women receiving care in the division of rheumatology at a major academic center in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS A web-based COVID-19 survey was emailed to 26,045 patients who were followed in the division of rheumatology at a single center in New York City. Women ages 18-50 years were asked about their pregnancy. We compared the COVID-19 experience between pregnant and nonpregnant women and also explored the impact of the pandemic on prenatal care and perinatal outcomes. RESULTS Among 7,094 of the 26,045 respondents, 1,547 were women ages 18-50 years, with 61 (4%) reporting being pregnant during the pandemic. The prevalence of self-reported COVID-19 was similar in pregnant and nonpregnant women (8% versus 9%, respectively; P = 0.76). Among women with COVID-19, pregnant women had a shorter duration of symptoms (P < 0.01) and were more likely to experience loss of smell or taste (P = 0.02) than nonpregnant women. Approximately three-fourths of women had a systemic rheumatic disease, with no differences when stratified by pregnancy or COVID-19 status. In all, 67% of pregnant women noted changes to prenatal care during the pandemic, and 23% of postpartum women stated that the pandemic affected delivery. CONCLUSION Among women followed in the division of rheumatology at a major center in New York City, pregnancy was not associated with increased self-reported COVID-19. Pregnancy was associated with a shorter duration of COVID-19 symptoms and a higher prevalence of loss of smell or taste. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted prenatal care for the majority of pregnant patients.
Apresentação incomum de instabilidade metacarpofalângica do polegar

Resumo Lesoes no polegar nao sao tao comuns como aquelas nos dedos. Os autores relatam um caso em que a paciente sofreu uma avulsao isolada do extensor curto do polegar que resultou em instabilidade da articulacao metacarpofalângica do polegar, com ligamento colateral ulnar e radial intacto.
Size-Scalable Near-Infrared Photoluminescence in Gold Monolayer Protected Clusters.

Near-infrared photoluminescence of a series of three gold monolayer protected clusters (MPCs) with volumes spanning 50-200 A3 was studied by using variable-temperature photoluminescence (VT-PL) spectroscopy. The three MPCs, which included Au20(SC8H9)15-diglyme, Au25(SC8H9)18, and Au38(SC12H25)24, all exhibited temperature-dependent intensities that reflected a few-millielectronvolt energy gap that separated bright emissive and dark nonradiative electronic states. All clusters showed increased PL intensities upon raising the sample temperature from 4.5 K to a cluster-specific value, upon which increased sample temperature resulted in emission quenching. The increased PL in the low-temperature range is attributed to thermally activated carrier transfer from dark to bright states. The quenching at elevated temperatures is attributed to nonradiative vibrational relaxation through Au-Au stretching of the MPCs metal core. Importantly, the results show evidence of a common and size scalable metal-centered intraband PL mechanism that is general for ultrasmall metal nanoclusters, which are expected to show nonscalable optical properties.
Rates of neuromuscular excitation during cycling in Parkinson's disease compared to healthy young and older adults.

Abstract Background Bradykinesia affects mobility in some people with Parkinson's. Fall risk makes the neural control of maximal speed ambulatory movements difficult to study in Parkinson's. Stationary recumbent bicycling favors the use of electromyography at high movement speeds, and may better reveal neuromuscular rate limiters. Methods Subjects were 18 adults with Parkinson's, 14 older adults and 14 young adults. Electromyograms were recorded from two muscles during stationary recumbent bicycling at 60, 80, 100, 120 RPM and peak voluntary cadence. Rate of electromyogram rise was calculated. Subjects performed the timed up and go and four square step test. Parkinson's sub-groups were formed based on whether they could pedal ≥120 RPM. Mixed models were used to compare groups and spearman's correlations quantified relationships. Findings Eight people with Parkinson's and four older adults could not complete the 120 RPM condition. Faster people with Parkinson's (n = 10) had greater maximum cadence (F = 42.85, P 16.9, P 6.5, P Interpretation People with Parkinson's with slower peak pedaling cadence had slower mobility performance and lower vastus lateralis excitation rates at higher cadences. Vastus lateralis excitation rates had moderate to strong relationships with peak cadence and mobility. Exercise interventions may seek to improve peak cadence or excitation rates in people with Parkinson's.
West of Slavery: The Southern Dream of a Transcontinental Empire: by Kevin Waite, Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2021, Pp. 392, $95.00 (hbk), $29.95 (pbk), $24.95 (e-book), ISBN 9781469663180, ISBN 9781469663197, ISBN 9781469663203

Where should you shelve Kevin Waite’s new book, West of Slavery: The Southern Dream of a Transcontinental Empire? If you keep your books organized by region, as I do, you may find yourself asking w...
Quantitative transport mapping (QTM) for differentiating benign and malignant breast lesion: Comparison with traditional kinetics modeling and semi-quantitative enhancement curve characteristics.

Abstract Purpose To test the feasibility of using quantitative transport mapping (QTM) method, which is based on the inversion of transport equation using spatial deconvolution without any arterial input function, for automatically postprocessing dynamic contrast enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) to differentiate malignant and benign breast tumors. Materials and methods Breast DCE-MRI data with biopsy confirmed malignant (n = 13) and benign tumors (n = 13) was used to assess QTM velocity (|u|) and diffusion coefficient (D), volume transfer constant (Ktrans), volume fraction of extravascular extracellular space (Ve) from kinetics method, and traditional enhancement curve characteristics (ECC: amplitude A, wash-in rate α, wash-out rate β). A Mann-Whitney U test and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of these parameters for distinguishing between benign and malignant tumors. Results Between malignant and benign tumors, there was a significant difference in |u| and Ktrans, (p = 0.0066, 0.0274, respectively), but not in D, Ve, A, α and β (p = 0.1119, 0.2382, 0.4418,0.2592 and 0.9591, respectively). ROC area-under-the-curve was 0.82, 0.75 (95% confidence level 0.60–0.95, 0.51–0.90) for |u| and Ktrans, respectively. Conclusion QTM postprocesses DCE-MRI automatically through deconvolution in space and time to solve the inverse problem of the transport equation. Comparing with traditional kinetics method and ECC, QTM method showed better diagnostic accuracy in differentiating benign from malignant breast tumors in this study.
"Altogether another flavor of emotion to torment a man": Typology and the expression of sentiment in Liu Yong's ci

Liu Yong’s ci-poems and the male persona depicted in them are often regarded as truthful portrayals of Liu Yong the man. There is in fact no evidence to support such a view. This essay offers a new approach to Liu’s “romantic” ci, analyzing this group of song-lyrics as the expression of a typological love narrative, and proposes that the love narrative best defines and unifies them. It seeks to unpack the components and the significance of the love narrative driving so many of Liu Yong’s most controversial and influential lyrics, focusing on the ways in which the stylized performance of love is expressed, celebrated, and also called into question. Les ci de Liu Yong et le personnage masculin qu’ils depeignent sont souvent consideres comme livrant un portrait authentique de l’homme Li Yong. Il n’existe en realite rien pour prouver une telle assertion. Le present article propose une nouvelle approche des ci “romantiques” de Liu Yong, en analysant cet ensemble de pieces lyriques en tant qu’ils expriment une histoire d’amour standard, et suggere que c’est bien ce modele narratif qui les definit et les combine de la meilleure facon. Il s’agit de deconstruire les elements et la signification de cette histoire d’amour qu’on retrouve au centre de tant de poemes de Liu Yong parmi les plus controverses et les plus influents, tout en insistant sur la facon d’exprimer, de glorifier, et aussi de mettre en question la celebration stylisee de l’amour.
Cytochrome P-450 arachidonate oxygenase.

Publisher Summary The chapter presents a study on cytochrome P -450 arachidonate oxygenase. Cytochrome P -450, the oxygen-activating component of the microsomal electron transport system, is an efficient catalyst for the oxygenated metabolism of arachidonic acid (AA). The chapter mentions that the reaction has an absolute requirement for NADPH and states the procedure of their stoichiometric relationship. The chapter describes methodology utilized in laboratory for the biochemical characterization of the hepatic microsomal AA cytochrome P -450 oxidase as well as its reconstitution utilizing solubilized and purified components of the microsomal electron transport system. In addition to the biochemical advantages of working with a defined system, reconstituted systems are excellent tools for the study of the regioselectivity of AA oxidation by different cytochrome P -450 enzymes. The chapter includes experiment that illustrates the reconstitution of AA oxygenase, utilizing either the major phenobarbital-inducible form of rat liver microsomal cytochrome P -450 or, alternatively, the major ciprofibrate- inducible form. It is shown by the radiochromatograms that the phenobarbital-inducible enzyme is an active epoxygenase, generating four regioisomeric EETs in an enantioselective manner. On the other hand, the ciprofibrate-inducible form catalyzes, almost exclusively, the ω-oxidation of the fatty acid to form 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid.
SocialClouds: concept, security architecture and some mechanisms

Cloud computing is an emerging paradigm of computing. In the past, two types of cloud computing systems have been discussed, PublicClouds (i.e., vendors making revenue by offering cloud computing services to the public) and PrivateClouds (i.e., enterprises' datacenters serving their own needs but not to the public). In this paper, we envision a third type of cloud computing systems, called SocialClouds. In a SocialCloud, the computing platforms (including hardware, software, and applications) are induced by trust-based social relationships (e.g., the platforms are contributed by a large population of people who are nodes/vertices in a trust- or friendship-based, possibly implicit, social network). We discuss the security challenges posed by SocialClouds, and present a security architecture. We further elaborate on the access control component of the security architecture, and advocate an instantiation through a cryptographic architecture we call CryptoOverlay. To illustrate the utility of this concept, we also propose two CryptoOverlay primitives, called assembly signature and identification schemes.
Ex-offender Restrictions

Individuals convicted of crimes are often subject to numerous restrictions — on housing, employment, the vote, public assistance, and other goods — well after they have completed their sentences, and in some cases permanently. The question of whether — and if so, when — ex-offender restrictions are morally permissible has received surprisingly little philosophical scrutiny. This article first examines the significance of completing punishment, of paying one's debt to society, and contends that when offenders' debts are paid, they should be restored to full standing as citizens. Thus all ex-offender restrictions are presumptively unjustified. Nonconsequentialist defences of these restrictions are ultimately unsuccessful in defeating the presumption against them. In a limited range of cases, consequentialist considerations — namely, of risk reduction — may be sufficient to override the presumptive case against these restrictions. The article concludes by suggesting a number of criteria for assessing whether particular restrictive measures are permissible on grounds of risk reduction.
Data Cache Techniques to Save Power and Deliver High Performance in Embedded Systems

Minimizing power consumption continues to grow as a critical design issue for many platforms, from embedded systems to CMPs to ultrascale parallel systems. As growing cache sizes consume larger portions of the die, reducing their power consumption becomes increasingly important. Voltage scaling reduces leakage power for cache lines unlikely to be referenced soon. Partitioning reduces dynamic power via smaller, specialized structures. We introduce a reuse distance (RD) drowsy caching mechanism that exploits temporal locality, delivers equivalent or better energy savings than the best policies from the literature, suffers little performance overhead, is simple to implement, and scales with cache size and hierarchy depth.
The design of self-assembling peptide complexes using conformationally defined libraries

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the structural aspects and the catalytic activity of the synthetic combinatorial libraries (SCLs) on the decarboxylation of oxaloacetate. The chapter focuses on the design of basic self-associating peptides that are able to adopt a highly α-helical conformation in physiological buffered conditions. The conformationally defined SCLs can be prepared by simultaneous multiple peptide synthesis. The conformationally defined SCLs are based upon an 18-residue peptide composed solely of leucine and lysine residues (YLK) that adopt a random conformation in aqueous buffer and a monomeric amphipathic α-helical conformation in trifluoroethanol (TFE). The generation of conformationally defined diversities can lead to the identification of peptides or protein-like complexes having specific binding activities and catalytic activities. This approach provides a means for developing the peptide complexes with novel and useful biological properties.
Utility of a probability-density-function curve and F-maps in composite-material inspection

The use of probability-density-function analysis, an important topic in statistical analysis, is studied in this paper with respect to its utility in nondestructive testing. In addition to the mathematical concepts, several sample problems in composite-material inspection are presented. A feature map (or F-map) is introduced as a new procedure that gives us a new way to examine composite materials.
Is Primary Care Practice Sustainable? From the Secretary's Desk

In an odd turn of events, I recently had some free time, and my husband, an internist, suddenly lost his secretary. Thus, I became the secretary for his solo practice of internal medicine staffed b...
INDUCTION OF MUTATIONS BY γ-RAYS IN PREGONIAL GERM CELLS OF ZEBRAFISH EMBRYOS

Specific locus (gol-1) germ line mutations are induced by gamma-rays with high frequencies (about 10(-5) r( -1)) during cleavage divisions in zebrafish. Mutant clone sizes range from 3 to 50% of the total number of germ cells, with a mean of about 10%, when embryos are exposed between the 16 and 10(3) cell stages. About five pregonial cells are calculated to be present during the cleavage period.
Home Fires: How Americans Kept Warm in the Nineteenth Century Sean Patrick Adams. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2014.

Home Fires: How Americans Kept Warm in the Nineteenth Century Sean Patrick Adams. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2014.Understanding and explaining clearly how something works can pose a challenge for historians, who must move from a conceptual level to an instructional position for students or lay readers. Sean Patrick Adams accomplishes this task with an enviable simplicity and readability in his explanation of how Americans kept warm in the nineteenth century. The backdrop is the changing industrial landscape of the nineteenth century and the inventions and innovations in heating that presented challenges regarding fuel choices and the marketing of products.Adams focuses on "the links between the hearth and the ongoing process of industrialization... exploring the needs of households and the way production methods responded to those demands" (11). He sets out to explain "how it [scientific and technological breakthroughs negotiated their way through the different actors and institutions] worked" (12). In a November 3, 2014 blog, the author says, "One of the many reasons that historians reconstruct the past is so that we can understand our present, and perhaps even make some predictions about the future" (http:// energypast.com/2014/ll/03/using-energys-past-top p diet-the-future/, accessed 2/12/2015). He continues by explaining that he hoped readers of Home Fires would be able to make a connection "between that story during the Industrial Revolution and the prolonged energy crisis that we face today." He has reservations about the time "it took ... for fossil fuels to dominate the American hearth" and the challenges faced in jumping to solar, wind, or other renewable energy today.Prefaced by a "Prologue" and followed by an "Epilogue," Adams tells his story in five chapters answering how: "How the Industrial Economy Made the Stove," "How Mineral Heat Came to American Cities," "How the Coal Trade Made Heat Cheap," "How the Industrial Hearths Defied Control," and "How Steam Heat Found its Limits." Predictably, the "Epilogue" moves to yet another innovation, with roots in "the rise of the networked city by 1870" that led to the phenomenon of gas heating in the twentieth century (145). Adams describes his work in Home Fires in the following way:The book depicts the problem of dwindling supplies of firewood during the Early American Republic and the search for technological alternatives; the hazards of cutting, digging, and drilling in the name of home heating; the trouble and expense of moving materials from place to place; the rise of steam power; the growth of an industrial economy; and economic efficiency questions, both at the individual household and regional levels, (http://people. …
Two Accounts of Japan

Brian Moeran. Okubo Diary: Portrait of. Japanese Valley. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1985. viii plus 257 pp. (cloth). Gail Lee Bernstein. Haruko's World:. Japanese Farm Woman and Her Community. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1983- xviii plus 199 pp., illus. (Paper and cloth).
On-line detection of intermittent faults in digital-to-analog converters

This paper proposes a method to detect intermittent faults in digital-to-analog converters (DACs), whose effects could be either a temporary incorrect analog output value or a temporary analog value out of specifications. The method employs information theory as the theoretical basis and demonstrates a statistical procedure for intermittent fault detection based only on a DAC's behavioral model, not specific internal circuit design. The method is most useful in on-line test during system operations and can generate digital signatures for fault detection. Simulation results are presented to support the fault detection method, with intermittent fault probabilities ranging from very low values to expected values in system operations.
Women and Heart Failure: An Emerging Venus-Mars Concept

Some of the most profound sex differences in cardiovascular disease are evident in the syndrome of heart failure. Certain heart failure conditions have a unique predilection for women, such as heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and apical ballooning syndrome; or are exclusive to women, such as peripartum cardiomyopathy. Overall, there are notable differences between women and men in terms heart failure disease burden, risk factors, clinical presentation and prognosis. Yet, women remain under-represented in heart failure clinical trials. Important knowledge gaps exist in our understanding of the pathophysiologic basis for these sex differences and potential for effective sex-specific management strategies.
MICROLESIONS OF THE INFERIOR OLIVE REDUCE VESTIBULAR MODULATION OF PURKINJE CELL COMPLEX AND SIMPLE SPIKES IN MOUSE CEREBELLUM

Cerebellar Purkinje cells have two distinct action potentials: complex spikes (CSs) are evoked by single climbing fibers that originate from the contralateral inferior olive. Simple spikes (SSs) are often ascribed to mossy fiber-granule cell-parallel fiber inputs to Purkinje cells. Although generally accepted, this view lacks experimental support. Vestibular stimulation independently activates primary afferent mossy fibers and tertiary afferent climbing fibers that project to the uvula-nodulus (folia 8-10). CSs and SSs normally discharge antiphasically during sinusoidal roll-tilt. When CSs increase, SSs decrease. We tested the relative independence of these pathways in mice by making electrolytic microlesions of the two inferior olivary nuclei from which vestibular climbing fibers originate; the β-nucleus and dorsomedial cell column. This reduced vestibular climbing fiber signaling to the contralateral folia 8-10, while leaving intact vestibular primary and secondary afferent mossy fibers. We recorded from Purkinje cells and interneurons in folia 8-10, identified by juxtacellular labeling with Neurobiotin. Microlesions of the inferior olive increased the spontaneous discharge of SSs in contralateral folia 8-10, but blocked their modulation during vestibular stimulation. The vestibularly evoked discharge of excitatory cerebellar interneurons (granule cells and unipolar brush cells) was not modified by olivary microlesions. The modulated discharge of stellate cells, but not Golgi cells, was reduced by olivary microlesions. We conclude that vestibular modulation of CSs and SSs depends on intact climbing fibers. The absence of vestibularly modulated SSs following olivary microlesions reflects the loss of climbing fiber-evoked stellate cell discharge.
The silicon cold cathode

Cold cathode emission has been obtained from forward-biased silicon p-n junctions whose p-surfaces were activated to a state of negative electron affinity. In operation, electrons injected into the p-layer diffuse to the surface where they are emitted into vacuum. An Si:SiO 2 structure has been developed to overcome the problems associated with current crowding, and with this structure, efficiencies (ratio of emitted current to bias current) as high as 10 percent have been observed. Emitted current densities as large as 225 A/cm2and currents as large as 7 mA have been drawn under pulsed conditions, while continuous current densities of 2 A/cm2and currents of tens of microamperes have been drawn for many hours. The electrical characteristics exhibited space-charge-limited and emission-limited regimes as well as Schottky effect. The silicon cold cathode has advantages in applications such as vidicons, where some aspects of performance are presently limited by the thermionic cathode, and where power consumption and heat generation must be minimized.