cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Keeping multiple objects in the field of view of a single PTZ camera

This paper introduces a novel visual servo controller designed to keep multiple moving objects in the camera field-of-view using a pan/tilt/zoom camera. In contrast to most visual servo controllers, there is no goal pose or goal image. In this paper, a set of task functions are developed to regulate the mean and variance of a set of image features. Regulating these task functions will deter feature points from leaving the camera field-of-view. An additional task function is used to maintain a high level of motion perceptibility, which ensures that desired feature point velocities can be achieved. To provide proper control of a pan/tilt/zoom camera, an image Jacobian is developed utilizing actuation of the focal length. Simulations of several object tracking tasks have verified the performance of the proposed method.
Abstract 2721: Novel biisoquinoimidazolium-derivatives for breast cancer therapy

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women. This cancer is classified according to its expression of hormone/growth factor receptors. It is divided into three groups: (i) Estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR)-positive; (ii) Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive; and (iii) ER, PR, and HER2-negative (triple-negative). Most chemotherapeutic anti-cancer drugs used in the clinical practice include an anti-estrogenic agent that interferes with ER and prevents tumor progression; however, it is still a big challenge to manage the triple-negative breast tumors. Mitosis and other distinct pathways of apoptosis are considered as a potential target for the development of novel anti-mitotic drugs. In the present investigation, we designed the biisoquinoimidazoliums class of drugs which is structurally similar to anti-mitotic drugs. We synthesized various derivatives of biisoquinoimidazoliums, tested their potency, and suitability as therapeutic agents in preclinical biological system using clonogenic assay. Results showed a strong growth inhibitory effect of these compounds on both triple-positive and triple-negative breast cancer cell lines in the following order: DHO2-93-1 ≥ DHO2-85-3 ≥ DHO2-75-3 ≥ DHO2-85-1. DH02-75-1 also showed some activity, while DHO2-75-2 and DHO2-107-1 did not show any growth inhibitory effect on these cells. From these results, we concluded that DHO2-93-1 may have therapeutic implication as a novel anti-tumor drug for the intervention of both triple-positive and triple-negative breast cancers. Citation Format: Satya Narayan, Aruna S. Jaiswal, Sukwon Hong. Novel biisoquinoimidazolium-derivatives for breast cancer therapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 2721. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-2721
A Preliminary Investigation of Adaptive Control in the Interaction Between Segmentation and Segment Classification in Automatic Recognition of Continuous Speech

In the recognition of complex patterns it is becoming more apparent that segmentation (object isolation) and pattern classification cannot be performed by independent procedures. A pilot study is described which employs feedback to control the interaction of segmentation and segment classification in a system under development for automatic recognition of continuous speech. The potential advantages of employing such interaction in this work are discussed, and data are presented which indicate that this approach is promising.
Fiscal Reserves and State Own-Source Expenditure in Downturn Years:

This article tests the effects of fiscal reserves on state total own-source expenditure in downturn years. Using a panel data set (fifty states, 1979 to 1999), the article uses the variance-from-trend as the dependent variable to estimate the effects of aggregate reserves as well as budget stabilization funds (BSF) and general fund surpluses (GFS) and obtain their respective coefficients. Two data sources on fiscal reserves are used: the Fiscal Survey of the States and the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. The article provides evidence that fiscal reserves exert positive effects on state own-source expenditure in downturn years. The effects, however, are mainly from the BSF; the GFS coefficients, even when statistically significant, are only a quarter the size of those for the BSF. Nevertheless, states that do not have a BSF seem still to rely on the GFS. It appears that the BSF has taken over the counter cyclical stabilizing function from the GFS.
Gene Replacement Strategies for Lung Cancer.

Advances in our understanding of the molecular genetics of cancer present an opportunity to develop prevention and treatment strategies based on the reversal of specific genetic lesions. This strategy is analogous to the classic concept of gene therapy for replacement of defective or nonfunctioning genes. The gene families implicated in carcinogenesis include dominant oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Regional administration of viral vectors expressing wildtype p53 and antisense K- ras prevents tumor growth for tumors with the specific genetic lesions in orthotopic tumor models and mediates regression of large established tumors. These studies provide a rationale for a new clinical protocol recently approved by the National Institutes of Health Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee and Food and Drug Administration to replace a defective p53 gene with intratumor injection of recombinant retrovirus expressing wild-type p53 or elimination of activted K- ras by expression of antisense K- ras messenger RNA. If these agents are efficacious, their lack of toxicity may provide a sufficiently high therapeutic index such that they could be used as an adjuvant to surgery to treat patients with earlier stages of cancer or as prevention for second primary cancers for individuals with genetic abnormalities in premalignant lesions. Although much research needs to be done, the possibility of specific gene targeting with a high therapeutic index makes this a promising area of investigation.
Training and synchrony in the motor system.

Two monkeys trained for >5 years to perform 12 finger and wrist movements had both a greater prevalence of motor cortex neurons with significant effects in spike-triggered averages and a greater ratio of synchrony effects to pure postspike effects than a monkey trained <1 year to perform six movements. By comparison, stimulus-triggered averages were generally similar in all three monkeys, indicating that the increased prevalence of synchrony in spike-triggered averages was a feature of voluntary motor system activity in the monkeys trained for a longer period of time. Synchronization among neurons with relatively direct connections to spinal α-motoneuron pools, including motor cortex neurons, may increase as a repertoire of skilled movements is acquired and practiced during long-term training.
Polygonal Eyewalls, Asymmetric Eye Contraction, and Potential Vorticity Mixing in Hurricanes

Hurricane eyewalls are often observed to be nearly circular structures, but they are occasionally observed to take on distinctly polygonal shapes. The shapes range from triangles to hexagons and, while they are often incomplete, straight line segments can be identified. Other observations implicate the existence of intense mesovortices within or near the eye region. Is there a relation between polygonal eyewalls and hurricane mesovortices? Are these phenomena just curiosities of the hurricane’s inner-core circulation, or are they snapshots of an intrinsic mixing process within or near the eye that serves to determine the circulation and thermal structure of the eye? As a first step toward understanding the asymmetric vorticity dynamics of the hurricane’s eye and eyewall region, these issues are examined within the framework of an unforced barotropic nondivergent model. Polygonal eyewalls are shown to form as a result of barotropic instability near the radius of maximum winds. After reviewing linear theory, simulations with a high-resolution pseudospectral numerical model are presented to follow the instabilities into their nonlinear regime. When the instabilities grow to finite amplitude, the vorticity of the eyewall region pools into discrete areas, creating the appearance of polygonal eyewalls. The circulations associated with these pools of vorticity suggest a connection to hurricane mesovortices. At later times the vorticity is ultimately rearranged into a nearly monopolar circular vortex. While the evolution of the finescale vorticity field is sensitive to the initial condition, the macroscopic end-states are found to be similar. In fact, the gross characteristics of the numerically simulated end-states are predicted analytically using a generalization of the minimum enstrophy hypothesis. In an effort to remove some of the weaknesses of the minimum enstrophy approach, a maximum entropy argument developed previously for rectilinear shear flows is extended to the vortex problem, and end-state solutions in the limiting case of tertiary mixing are obtained. Implications of these ideas for real hurricanes are discussed.
Significant change of extratropical natural variability and potential predictability associated with the El Niño/Southern Oscillation

Beyond the deterministic limit where the initial value sensitive predictability can hardly befound, the boundary condition dependent potential predictability is examined. The tropicalanomalies of the opposite phases of El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) can significantlychange the extratropical natural variability on a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Weaddress the impact on the low-frequency variability, such as the persistent blocking flows, andthe high-frequency variability, represented primarily by the storm tracks. The NCEP/NCARreanalyses are used for this investigation. Several diagnostics tools help to reveal the dynamicalprocesses leading to the large change of the natural variability and the potential predictabilityin the extratropical latitudes between these two phases of the ENSO cycle. During El Nino winters, the principal storm tracks are steered more into the southern and Baja Californiaregion, by the much eastward extended subtropical jets. On the other hand, the storms arediverted more into the higher latitudes (Aleutians and Gulf of Alaska) during La Nina winters,when jetstreams are much weaker east of 160°W. Although being passively steered to widelydifferent regions, the high-frequency transients do feed back actively to strengthen and maintainthe subtropical jet across the central North Pacific and also act to slow down the equatorwardflank of the jet. The feedback by the transients is stronger during the El Nino than the La Ninawinters, helping in maintaining stronger signals from the tropics for the El Nino winters. Thereis also a large change of low-frequency variability: much larger magnitude of kinetic energyand height variance during La Nina than El Nino winters. The local barotropic energy diagnosisreveals that, on average, the low-frequency components extract more energy from time-meanflows during La Nina than El Nino winters, helping in explaining the presence of much largerlow-frequency variability during the La Nina winters. With stronger ENSO signals and weakernatural variability during El Nino winters, the potential predictability in the north Pacific sectoris significantly higher, on these two counts, than during the La Nina winters. DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0870.1999.00017.x
Some Curious Things about Water Management

Water policy and management discussions often seem to assume that state and federal government decisions and funding are the most important aspects of water management (Lund 2006). This is not nearly true. Historically, culturally, and practically, most water management in California and the United States is local (Lund 2006). There might be a dozen or more state and federal agencies, but there are thousands of local water, drainage, sanitation, and irrigation districts and millions of households and businesses. Local demand, supply, and operating decisions are the most important parts of water management and the areas from which most innovations in water management are coming. Because of the substantial build-out of large water projects, lack of water policy consensus, and debilitating state and federal budget deficits, local decisions, funding, innovations, and leadership are likely to become still more important in California and the United States. In California, in roughly 2011, local agencies spent a total of US$24 billion per year on water (US$12.1 billion), wastewater (US$6.5 billion), and flood control (US$1.3 billion). By comparison, state agencies spent approximately US$3.6 billion (mostly for flood control and the State Water Project), and federal agencies spent approximately US$0.5 billion (Delta Stewardship Council 2012).
Electrical conductivity and optical absorption changes related to the 3800 Å band of CaO:Ca

Abstract Simultaneous measurements of electrical current and optical absorption in CaO:Ca crystals as a function of temperature after light irradiation at liquid nitrogen temperature (LNT) have supported the view that an apparent upward shift of about 0.13 eV in the F′band energy upon heating the crystal is actually caused by the formation of a new color center of unknown structure, labeled Fn. The apparent shift in the F′ band occurred simultaneously with a change in the current vs. temperature slope. The Fn band was stable in the dark at room temperature and below, but bleached easily when the crystal was irradiated in the absorption band and when it was heated to ∼ 170°C.
Topsy Turvy: Functions of Climbing and Mossy Fibers in the Vestibulo-Cerebellum

The cerebellum’s role in sensory-motor control and adaptation is undisputed. However, a key hypothesis pertaining to the function of cerebellar circuitry lacks experimental support. It is universally assumed that the discharge of mossy fibers accounts for modulation of Purkinje cell “simple spikes” (SSs). This assumption acts as a prism through which all other functions of cerebellar circuitry are viewed. The vestibulo-cerebellum (nodulus and uvula) receives a large, unilateral, vestibular primary afferent mossy fiber projection. We can test its role in modulating Purkinje cell SSs by recording the modulated activity of both mossy fiber terminals and Purkinje cell SSs evoked by identical natural vestibular stimulation. Sinusoidal rotation about the longitudinal axis (roll) modulates the activity of vestibular primary afferent mossy and climbing fibers as well as Purkinje cell SSs and complex spikes (CSs). Remarkably, vestibular primary afferent mossy fibers discharge 180 degrees out of phase with SSs. This indicates that mossy fibers cannot account for SS modulation unless an inhibitory synapse is interposed between mossy fibers or vestibular climbing fibers and Purkinje cells. The authors review several experiments that address the relative contributions of mossy and climbing fiber afferents to the modulation of SSs. They conclude that climbing fibers, not mossy fibers, are primarily responsible for the modulation of SSs as well as CSs and they propose revised functions for these two afferent systems.
An approximate analysis of perpendicular cracks under general in-plane loading

Abstract An approximate closed-form solution is obtained for cracks perpendicular to each other in an elastic solid under mixed-mode loading. It has been observed that torsional fatigue and the fatigue of the spline joint and shafts, often results in perpendicular cracks under general mode I and II loading. Knowledge of the variation of the stress intensity factors for this type of geometry and reduced geometry is essential for an accurate fracture mechanics analysis. To date, no analytical solution exists for this kind of geometry and loading. Kachanov's superpositioning method of analysis of multiple cracks has been extended and used to address the problem. In the application of Kachanov's method, it is necessary to calculate the average of various components of the crack tip stress fields. For the problem considered, the approximate representations for Sneddon's stress fields were developed. Using these approximate expressions it was possible to obtain the closed-form expressions for the average stresses required for use in Kachanov's method. The results indicated that at γ (radial distince to crack length) = 0.283, the proposed solution agreed with the best available numerical solution within 8% and 13% for mode I and II stress intensity factors, respectively.
Growth and density-dependent regulation of NO synthase by the actin cytoskeleton in pulmonary artery endothelial cells

We previously reported association of eNOS with actin increases eNOS activity. In the present study, regulation of activity of eNOS by actin cytoskeleton during endothelial growth was studied. We f...
Evaluation of QT interval correction methods in normal pediatric resting ECGs

Different methods for heart rate correction of QT intervals have been proposed, but the classic Bazett method remains widely used in current clinical practice, despite being often criticized for limitations and disadvantages. To investigate the value of commonly employed methods in pediatric patients, we evaluated four QT correction methods (Bazett, Fridericia, Framingham and Hodges formulae) in a set of 2,170 normal pediatric resting ECGs. The dataset (age 0 to 20 years) is typical of a pediatric population for age, gender and heart rate. Scatter plotting of uncorrected QT versus heart rate reveals curvilinearity not typically identified in previously reported adult normal ECG datasets. Among the four algorithms tested, corrected QT (QTc) values calculated from the Bazett formula yielded the most consistent results across different ranges of heart rate and age. Further statistical regression modeling demonstrated that the Bazett method better fits the overall curvilinear trend in QT-heart rate distribution than the other formulae. The Bazett method also has the least residual heart rate dependence after correction. This study provides support for the use of the Bazett QT correction method over others in normal pediatric resting ECGs. The Bazett method may represent a balance point of accuracy, simplicity and generalizability not yet surpassed by other commonly applied alternatives. Our analysis suggests that its use in general pediatric patients is appropriate as a current best option.
Dynamical Decoupling in Optical Fibers: Preserving Polarization Qubits from Birefringent Dephasing

We study preservation of polarization qubits in birefringent fibers with CPMG dynamical decoupling. Very high fidelity can be maintained by implementing such sequence with halfwave plates for given length of fiber-optical communication channel.
Hegemony and Humanitarian Norms: The US Legitimation of Toxic Violence

Despite widespread beliefs that the United States has not used chemical weapons since the distant past of World War I, this study suggests a more complicated history by examining U.S. use of herbicides and incapacitating gases in the Vietnam War and its use of herbicides in the "War on Drugs." This article places such use of toxic violence within a context of U.S. hegemony, by which U.S. officials have used contested forms of violence to secure geopolitical goals, but have also been pressured to comply with humanitarian norms or-when there is a gap between norms and state policy-to do legitimating work in order to maintain domestic and international consent. Based on case study analysis of archival and secondary sources, this article identifies three main techniques U.S. officials use to legitimate contested forms of violence. These techniques are defensive categorization, humanitizing discourse, and surrogacy.
Outmigration and State and Local Appropriations for Public Higher Education

This paper focuses on the role of outmigration in determining public higher education funding from the 1993-1994 to the 2011-2012 academic years. The results of a fixed-effects estimation show that outmigration has a statistically significant and negative effect on the level of state funding when controlling for various state indicators, but the impact varies across state recessions and expansions. Findings on the role of state business cycles provide updated estimates of the relationship between migration and education funding but are generally in line with previous research.
The Global Competitiveness of Regions

With the substantial reduction in tariffs, regulatory barriers and transportation costs, and the restructuring of activities of large, multinational corporations, there has been increased attention...
Abstract 3165: Influence Of Hypertension On Cognition Is Mediated By Brain Injury

Background Substantial evidence indicates that hypertension is a major risk factor for cognitive decline and incident dementia. Unfortunately, community based, longitudinal studies examining this association are limited. In addition, while it is assumed that vascular brain injury likely mediates this association, these studies are similarly limited. Methods The Sacramento Area Latino Study of Aging is a community based longitudinal study of life-style factors and cognitive performance among individuals 65 years and older. Comprehensive assessment including blood pressure measures and yearly cognitive testing was performed. In addition, a subgroup of 207 subjects received brain MRI with quantitative analysis of gray matter, hippocampus and white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volumes. We analyzed the relationship between baseline measures of blood pressure (systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP) and pulse pressure (PP)), MRI measures and longitudinal cognitive performance over an average of six visits as measured by the 3MMSE using random mixed models regression analysis. Results On average, subject performance improved slightly during the first two visits after baseline measurement, but then began to deteriorate in a fashion best estimated by a quadratic term (trial*trial). 3MMSE performance was significantly and inversely associated with increased baseline SBP and PP, as well as linear (BP*trial) and quadratic (BP\*trial\*trial) declines over time (p<0.03 for all comparisons). Similarly, baseline 3MMSE performance was associated with gray matter and hippocampal volumes (p < 0.01 for all comparisons). Hippocampal and WMH volumes were also associated with change in 3MMSE performance over time (p <0.002 for all comparisons). In a multivariate model that included blood pressure and MRI measures, the MRI associations remained significant predictors of 3MMSE performance at baseline and over time, whereas blood pressure measures were no longer significant. Conclusion The impact of elevated blood pressure on cognition is mediated through measures of brain injury. This has implications for clinical trials of blood pressure modification designed to improve cognitive health in our aging society.
Curvature methods of damage detection using digital image correlation

Analytical models have shown that local damage in a structure can be detected by studying changes in the curvature of the structure's displaced shape while under an applied load. In order for damage to be detected, located, and quantified using curvature methods, a spatially dense set of measurement points is required on the structure of interest and the change in curvature must be measurable. Experimental testing done to validate the theory is often plagued by sparse data sets and experimental noise. Furthermore, the type of load, the location and severity of the damage, and the mechanical properties (material and geometry) of the structure have a significant effect on how much the curvature will change. Within this paper, three-dimensional (3D) Digital Image Correlation (DIC) as one possible method for detecting damage through curvature methods is investigated. 3D DIC is a non-contacting full-field measurement technique which uses a stereo pair of digital cameras to capture surface shape. This approach allows for an extremely dense data set across the entire visible surface of an object. A test is performed to validate the approach on an aluminum cantilever beam. A dynamic load is applied to the beam which allows for measurements to be made of the beam's response at each of its first three resonant frequencies, corresponding to the first three bending modes of the structure. DIC measurements are used with damage detection algorithms to predict damage location with varying levels of damage inflicted in the form of a crack with a prescribed depth. The testing demonstrated that this technique will likely only work with structures where a large displaced shape is easily achieved and in cases where the damage is relatively severe. Practical applications and limitations of the technique are discussed.
France in the Global Value Chains: Revisiting the Competitiveness Loss

The increasing fragmentation of production across borders (the “global value chains” — GVCs) has important implications for the analysis of competitiveness. Two new databases allow to refine the assessment of France’s competitiveness. In this context it appears that: 1) France export market shares in value added declined faster than in other European countries. This confirms the loss of competitiveness highlighted using gross exports. 2) Exports contribution to GDP is smaller in France than in other European countries of the same size. Moreover, the contribution of exports to France’s income has declined since 2000. 3) Trade in value added terms shows that European countries are less significant trade partners than suggested by traditional trade data. This is largely due to the fact that the importance of Germany as an export market is much smaller in value added terms than in gross terms. In contrast, the importance of the United States and, to a lesser extent, Japan as trading partners is substantially larger. This leads to nuance trade linkages. 4) Services are crucial for France export performance. Services contribute to 55 percent of exported domestic value added. Therefore, productivity gains in services would have a positive impact on France export performance.
Tissue growth constrained by extracellular matrix drives invagination during optic cup morphogenesis

In the early embryo, the eyes form initially as relatively spherical optic vesicles (OVs) that protrude from both sides of the brain tube. Each OV grows until it contacts and adheres to the overlying surface ectoderm (SE) via an extracellular matrix (ECM) that is secreted by the SE and OV. The OV and SE then thicken and bend inward (invaginate) to create the optic cup (OC) and lens vesicle, respectively. While constriction of cell apices likely plays a role in SE invagination, the mechanisms that drive OV invagination are poorly understood. Here, we used experiments and computational modeling to explore the hypothesis that the ECM locally constrains the growing OV, forcing it to invaginate. In chick embryos, we examined the need for the ECM by (1) removing SE at different developmental stages and (2) exposing the embryo to collagenase. At relatively early stages of invagination (Hamburger–Hamilton stage HH14 $$-$$ ), removing the SE caused the curvature of the OV to reverse as it ‘popped out’ and became convex, but the OV remained concave at later stages (HH15) and invaginated further during subsequent culture. Disrupting the ECM had a similar effect, with the OV popping out at early to mid-stages of invagination (HH14 $$-$$ to HH14 $$+$$ ). These results suggest that the ECM is required for the early stages but not the late stages of OV invagination. Microindentation tests indicate that the matrix is considerably stiffer than the cellular OV, and a finite-element model consisting of a growing spherical OV attached to a relatively stiff layer of ECM reproduced the observed behavior, as well as measured temporal changes in OV curvature, wall thickness, and invagination depth reasonably well. Results from our study also suggest that the OV grows relatively uniformly, while the ECM is stiffer toward the center of the optic vesicle. These results are consistent with our matrix-constraint hypothesis, providing new insight into the mechanics of OC (early retina) morphogenesis.
Aesthetic Responses to Repetition in Unfamiliar Music

Listeners who lacked special expertise in contemporary art music were presented with 1-minute excerpts of music by Luciano Berio and Elliott Carter in either their original, unaltered versions or i...
Actionable Mining of Large, Multi-relational Data Using Localized Predictive Models

Many large datasets associated with modern predictive data mining applications are quite complex and heterogeneous, possibly involving multiple relations, or exhibiting a dyadic nature with associated side-information. For example, one may be interested in predicting the preferences of a large set of customers for a variety of products, given various properties of both customers and products, as well as past purchase history, a social network on the customers, and a conceptual hierarchy on the products. This article provides an overview of recent innovative approaches to predictive modeling for such types of data, and also provides some concrete application scenarios to highlight the issues involved. The common philosophy in all the approaches described is to pursue a simultaneous problem decomposition and modeling strategy that can exploit heterogeneity in behavior, use the wide variety of information available and also yield relatively more interpretable solutions as compared to global ”one-shot” approaches. Since both the problem domains and approaches considered are quite new, we also highlight the potential for further investigations on several occasions throughout this article.
Microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism type 1

Microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism type 1 (MOPD1) is an uncommon cause of microcephaly and intrauterine growth retardation in a newborn. Early identifying features include but are not limited to sloping forehead, micrognathia, sparse hair, including of eyebrows and short limbs. Immediate radiological findings may include partial or complete agenesis of the corpus callosum, interhemispheric cyst and shallow acetabula leading to dislocation. Genetic testing displaying a mutation in RNU4ATAC gene is necessary for definitive diagnosis. Early identification is important as MOPD1 is an autosomal recessive condition and could present in subsequent pregnancies. The purpose of this case is to both identify and describe some common physical findings related to MOPD1. We present a case of MOPD1 in a girl born to non-consanguineous parents that was distinct for subglottic stenosis and laryngeal cleft.
Aberrant splicing induced by the most common EPG5 mutation in an individual with Vici syndrome.

Sir, Recently, a study describing the clinical and genetic data of 50 patients (30 families) with Vici syndrome (OMIM 242840) was published in Brain (Byrne et al. , 2016 b ). Vici syndrome is a severe autosomal recessive condition recently found to be caused by mutations in the EPG5 gene (NG_042838.1) (Cullup et al. , 2013). Principal features of Vici syndrome include neurological sequelae (agenesis of the corpus callosum, profound developmental delay, and progressive microcephaly), neonatal cataracts, hypopigmentation involving both skin and hair, progressive dilated or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and both B and T cell-related immunodeficiency (Byrne et al. , 2016 a , b ). The most common mutation identified in Vici syndrome patients is EPG5 NM_020964.2; c.1007A>G p.Gln336Arg. Based on the two large cohorts of patients recently studied (Cullup et al. , 2013; Byrne et al. , 2016 b ), this mutation accounts for >10% (9/86) of mutations. Ancestry data from previous studies show that this mutation may be associated with Ashkenazi descent (Byrne et al. , 2016 a , b ). This variant was not detected in whole genome sequencing data from our cohort of 4456 unrelated adults seen at the Inova Translational Medicine Institute (Bodian et al. , 2014, 2016). This variant is seen with a frequency of 3.129 ×10−5 in the European (non-Finnish) population of Exome Aggregation Consortium (ExAC) and has thus far never been reported in other ExAC populations (ExAC, 2016; http://exac.broadinstitute.org). The EGP5 c.1007A>G mutation has been suggested to affect splicing through in silico prediction models, though multiple predictions are contradictory [Human Splicing Finder (Desmet et al. , 2009; http://www.umd.be/HSF3/HSF.html: −6%) and NNSPLICE (Reese et al. , 1997; http://www.fruitfly.org/seq_tools/splice.html: −100%)]. Likewise, in silico predictions of the missense mutation are in disagreement with regards to its pathogenicity [PolyPhen-2 (Adzhubei et al. , …
Customer Adaptations and Retailing: a Replication Study

The present study attempted to replicate Jensen and Rao’s (1988) study dealing with the purchase, preparation, and consumption of food items. Using data collected 10 years after their data, the present study partially confirmed their study in finding stable activity-related attitudes, behaviors, attitude-behavior relationships, and market segments. Also, the study demonstrated construct validity of the measurement instrument used by Jensen and Rao (1988). The findings have implications for both food marketers and retail/ consumer behavior researchers.
Preventing Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia: Educating Emergency Room Nurses

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the second most common hospital acquired infection and is primarily found in the intensive care units. The presence of an endotracheal tube is the primary risk factor for developing VAP. Many times the process of intubation occurs pre-hospital, in the emergency room (ER) or in the operating room. Ventilator associated pneumonia is associated with increased hospital stay and costs. Evidence-based guidelines have been developed to decrease the occurrence of VAP and decrease patient mortality. Preventative measures are initiated on the intensive care unit once the patient is transferred. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of an educational program on ER nurses knowledge of VAP and preventative measures to decrease VAP. The study took place at Rhode Island Hospital, a level 1 trauma center located in Providence, RI. Participants were ER nurses who worked in the critical care area of the ER. A pre-intervention-posttest design was used to evaluate emergency room nurses knowledge regarding VAP. The intervention consisted of a posterboard and study guide that provided information regarding evidence-based guidelines that could be implemented in the ER such as oral care, and head of bed elevation. The overall results on the pre and posttest demonstrated that ER nurses were unaware that oral care and the use of chlorhexidine were important interventions to reduce the incidence of developing VAP. Recommendations and implications for advanced practice nursing and the need for future research are discussed.
Halogen-bonded network of trinuclear copper(II) 4-iodo-pyrazolate complexes formed by mutual breakdown of chloro-form and nanojars.

Crystals of bis­(tetra­butyl­ammonium) di-μ3-chlorido-­tris­(μ2-4-iodo­pyrazolato-κ2N:N′)tris­[chlorido­cuprate(II)] 1,4-dioxane hemisolvate, (C16H36N)2[Cu3(C3H2IN2)3Cl5]·0.5C4H8O or (Bu4N)2[CuII3(μ3-Cl)2(μ-4-I-pz)3Cl3]·0.5C4H8O, were obtained by evaporating a solution of (Bu4N)2[{CuII(μ-OH)(μ-4-I-pz)}nCO3] (n = 27–31) nanojars in chloro­form/1,4-dioxane. The decomposition of chloro­form in the presence of oxygen and moisture provides HCl, which leads to the breakdown of nanojars to the title trinuclear copper(II) pyrazolate complex, and possibly CuII ions and free 4-iodo­pyrazole. CuII ions, in turn, act as catalyst for the accelerated decomposition of chloro­form, ultimately leading to the complete breakdown of nanojars. The crystal structure presented here provides the first structural description of a trinuclear copper(II) pyrazolate complex with iodine-substituted pyrazoles. In contrast to related trinuclear complexes based on differently substituted 4-R-pyrazoles (R = H, Cl, Br, Me), the [Cu3(μ-4-I-pz)3Cl3] core in the title complex is nearly planar. This difference is likely a result of the presence of the iodine substituent, which provides a unique, novel feature in copper pyrazolate chemistry. Thus, the iodine atoms form halogen bonds with the terminal chlorido ligands of the surrounding complexes [mean length of I⋯Cl contacts = 3.48 (1) A], leading to an extended two-dimensional, halogen-bonded network along (-110). The cavities within this framework are filled by centrosymmetric 1,4-dioxane solvent mol­ecules, which create further bridges via C—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds with terminal chlorido ligands of the trinuclear complex not involved in halogen bonding.
Kame deltas provide evidence for a new glacial lake and suggest early glacial retreat from central Lower Michigan, USA

Abstract In association with an undergraduate Honors Seminar at Michigan State University, we studied two small kame deltas in north-central Lower Michigan. These recently identified deltas provide clear evidence for a previously unknown proglacial lake (Glacial Lake Roscommon) in this large basin located in an interlobate upland. Our first goal was to document and characterize the geomorphology of these deltas. Because both deltas are tied to ice-contact ridges that mark the former position of the retreating ice margin within the lake, our second goal was to establish the age of one of the deltas, thereby constraining the timing of ice retreat in this part of Michigan, for which little information currently exists. Both deltas are composed of well-sorted fine and medium sands with little gravel, and have broad, nearly flat surfaces and comparatively steep fronts. Samples taken from the upper 1.5 m of the deltas show little spatial variation in texture, aside from a general fining toward their outer margins. Gullies on the outer margins of both deltas probably postdate the formation of the deltas proper; we suggest that they formed by runoff during a permafrost period, subsequent to lake drawdown. We named the ice lobe that once covered this area the Mackinac Lobe, because it had likely advanced into the region across the Mackinac Straits area. Five of six optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages from one of the deltas had minimal scatter and were within ± 1000 years of one another, with a mean age of 23.1 ± 0.4 ka. These ages suggest that the Mackinac Lobe had started to retreat from the region considerably earlier than previously thought, even while ice was near its maximum extent in Illinois and Indiana, and the remainder of Michigan was ice-covered. This early retreat, which appears to coincide with a short-lived warm period indicated from the Greenland ice core, formed an “opening” that was at least occasionally flooded. Thick and deep, fine-textured deposits, which underlie much of the region, probably date to this time. Our work provides the first evidence of this extremely early ice retreat from central Lower Michigan, occurring almost 4000 years before the southern margin of the ice (Saginaw Lobe) had started its retreat from the state.
The association between Dietary Inflammatory Index scores and the prevalence of colorectal adenoma

Objective The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII)TM, which was developed to characterize the inflammatory potential of a person's diet, has been shown to be associated with inflammatory conditions such as cancer. The present study aimed to investigate the association between DII scores and colorectal adenoma (CRA), a pre-cancerous condition. Design Responses to baseline dietary questionnaires were used calculate DII scores. In a cross-sectional study design, the association between DII scores and CRA prevalence was determined in men and women separately using logistic regression models. Setting Ten cancer screening centres across the USA. Subjects Participants were those included in the screening arm of the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial. Results Among the 44 278 individuals included in these analyses, men with diets in the most inflammatory quartile of DII scores had higher odds of all types of CRA (advanced, non-advanced and multiple (>1)) compared with those with diets in the least inflammatory quartile of DII scores. In fully adjusted models, compared with those with DII scores in quartile 1 (least inflammatory), males with DII scores in quartile 3 (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=1·28; 95 % CI 1·12, 1·47) and quartile 4 (aOR=1·41; 95 % CI 1·23, 1·62) were more likely to have prevalent distal CRA. Higher DII scores, representing a more inflammatory diet, also were weakly associated with a higher prevalence of CRA in women. Conclusions Implementing an anti-inflammatory diet may be an effective means of primary prevention of CRA, especially in men.
Tunable quantum entanglement of three qubits in a nonstationary cavity

We investigate the tunable quantum entanglement and the probabilities of excitations in a system of three qubits in a nonstationary cavity due to the dynamical Lamb effect, caused by nonadiabatic fast change of the boundary conditions of the cavity. The transition amplitudes and the probabilities of excitation of qubits due to the dynamical Lamb effect have been evaluated. The conditional concurrence and the conditional residual tangle for each fixed amount of created photons are introduced and calculated as measures of the pairwise or three-way dynamical quantum entanglement of the qubits. We also give a prescription on how to increase the values of those quantities by controlling the frequency of the cavity photons. A physical realization of the system with three superconducting qubits, coupled to a coplanar waveguide entangled due to the nonadiabatic fast change of boundary conditions of the cavity is proposed.
Optimal Control Solution of the Automotive Emission-constrained Minimum Fuel Problem

Abstract The automotive industry is confronted with the conflicting goals of improving fuel economy, reducing exhaust emissions, and maintaining vehicle driveability. Difficulties arise in the application of optimal control theory to this problem because transient models of the fuel, emission, and driveability responses do not exist. To circumvent these difficulties, the mathematical models are replaced by a sophisticated experimental test setup. To demonstrate the applicability of the optimal control approach without a mathematical model, the problem of the hot-start optimization of fuel economy subject to emission constraints problem is solved. Air-fuel ratio and spark advance are employed as the controls. Operational considerations necessitate the direct incorporation of the feedback control functions into the gradient-type solution algorithm. For this case, the results show that the oxides of nitrogen (NO x ) are controlled primarily through air-fuel ratio scheduling. The soiution of this problem demonstrates the feasibility of the experimental optimal control approach. The second problem involves the cold-start portion of the Federal Test Procedure (FTP). The transient influences of the engine and catalytic converter warmup are analyzed by the optimization procedure and are reflected in the optimal feedback functions. For this case, the control of hydrocarbons (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) is accomplished by minimizing engine-out concentrations immediately after startup. As the system warms up, the controls are gradually adjusted to reduce the fuel rate and to take advantage of the oxidation in the exhaust manifold and catalytic converter. The NO X control is accomplished primarily through lean air-fuel ratio scheduling during hot operation. Finally, the hot-start optimization program is generalized to include an explicit surge-type driveability constraint on the controls. Comparison of the results of the hot-start problems reveals the trade-off between fuel economy and driveability. The imposition of the driveability constraint results in emission control primarily by retarding the spark advance and less by lean air-fuel ratio scheduling. Consequently, the driveability constraint causes a slight fuel economy penalty.
Using anatomical landmark to avoid phrenic nerve injury during balloon-based procedures in atrial fibrillation patients.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an arrhythmia which affects as many as 2.7 million Americans. AF should be treated, because it can lead to a four-to-fivefold increased risk of experiencing a stroke. The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines for the treatment of drug refractory and symptomatic paroxysmal AF denote catheter ablation as the standard of care. The newest ablation treatment, cryoballoon, uses a cold balloon tip. The biggest risk factor associated with the cryoballoon ablation is phrenic nerve injury (PNI). The purpose of this study is to measure relevant distances from specific landmarks to the right phrenic nerve (RPN) to create a safe zone for physicians. Using 30 cadaveric specimens, we measured laterally from the right superior pulmonary vein orifice (RSPV) to the RPN at the level of the sixth thoracic vertebra and laterally from the lateral border of the sixth thoracic vertebral body (T6) to the RPN. The depth and width of the left atrium (LA) were also measured to establish a cross-sectional area of the LA. The cross-sectional area of the LA was then correlated with the averaged measurements to see if the area of the LA could be a predictor of the location of the RPN. The average distance from the RPN–RSPV was 9.6 mm (range 4.3–18.8 mm). The average RPN-T6 distance was 30.6 mm (range 13.7–49.9 mm). There was a non-significant trend that suggests as the size of the LA increases, the measured distances also increased. Using the lateral border of the sixth thoracic vertebra as a landmark, which can be viewed under fluoroscopy during the procedure, physicians can triangulate the distance to the RSPV and determine the approximate position of the RPN. Furthermore, physicians can perform a preoperative echocardiogram to determine the size of the LA to assist in determining the position of the RPN with the hopes of avoiding injury to the RPN.
Re-envisioning property

In our commonplace understanding of property, the “right to exclude” is seen as its central and defining feature: to own is to exclude. This paper examines the cost, to conceptual and normative clarity, of this understanding. First, I argue that the right not to be excluded is a crucial if overlooked element not simply of liberal understandings of ownership, but even of the right to exclude itself. Second, I argue that our neglect of the right not to be excluded severely undermines the clarity and precision with which matters of ownership are debated within both contemporary politics and political philosophy.
Lymphatic versus Hematogenous Melanoma Metastases: Support for Biological Heterogeneity without Clear Clinical Application

Melanoma demonstrates considerable biological heterogeneity and is associated with several routes of dissemination including lymphatic and hematogenous. Locoregional control via surgery may improve outcomes for patients with limited lymphatic metastases. Once stage IV disease is diagnosed, clinical outcomes are determined by molecular and/or immunologic factors and identification of tumor/microenvironmental features correlating with distant metastases is critical for future prognostic stratification.