cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Steady state analytical model of a “time shared li-ion cell blancing circuit” for Plug-in hybrid vehicles and utility energy storage

A steady-state analytical model of the recently proposed “Time shared li-ion cell balancing circuit” is presented in this paper. This paper provides the necessary analytical proof of the cell balancer circuit to be used in future Plug-in Hybrid vehicles (PHEV) or utility energy storage applications. The model presented here bridges the simulation and experimental results obtained previously. In addition, the prototype of a four-cell lithium-ion battery balancer circuit with reduced component count has been constructed, and the test results have been verified with the analytical model. Although the “proof of concept” circuit was built to balance only four cells, the analytical model suggests that any number of series connected cells could be used in a string and balanced. Moreover, the analytical model can be extended to characterize the circuit parameters for any number of cells without any apparent issues. This model was also being verified using the simulation and experime ntal results with only 2% error margin.
Fermion field theory on a lattice: Variational analysis of the Thirring model

We extend variational techniques previously described to study the two-dimensional massless free fermion field and the Thirring model on a spatial lattice. The iterative block spin procedure of constructing an effective lattice Hamiltonian, starting by dissecting the lattice into three-site blocks, is shown to be successful in producing results known for the continuum Thirring model.
Response of the Formosan Subterranean Termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) to Baits or Nonrepellent Termiticides in Extended Foraging Arenas

Distance effects of three treatments, noviflumuron, fipronil, and thiamethoxam, against laboratory populations of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, were tested in extended foraging arenas with foraging distances of 50 m. The results showed that during the 10-wk test period, all termites were killed by noviflumuron baits, whereas the nonrepellent termiticides fipronil and thiamethoxam divided the laboratory populations into two groups after causing 25–35% worker mortality. The horizontal transfer of lethal effects of fipronil was ≤5 m. For thiamethoxam, the distance of transfer was substantially shorter. Because of their dose-dependent lethal time, the nonrepellent termiticides did not fulfill the requirements of a liquid bait model.
The characteristics and trends of acute pesticide poisoning of Shaoxing in 2006 to 2011

OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiological characteristics of acute pesticide poisoning in Shaoxing, China during 2006-2011 and to provide a reference for the prevention and control of pesticide poisoning. METHODS: The data on pesticide poisoning in Shaoxing during 2006-2011 were obtained from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention and were then analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 2024 cases of acute pesticide poisoning were reported in Shaoxing during 2006-2011, and 44 cases were missed, accounting for 2.1% (44/2068) of all cases. Among the 2024 cases, 119 (5.9%) died; the fatality rates of productive poisoning and unproductive poisoning were 1.0% (3/289) and 6.7% (116/1735), respectively. The reported cases included 1038 (51.3%) females and 986 (48.7%) males, and there were no significant differences in the ratio between male and female cases of acute pesticide poisoning from 2006 to 2011 (χ2 = 9.16, P = 0.10). The 2024 cases had a mean age of 47.0±18.7 years; the male cases had a significantly higher mean age than the female cases (50.7±19.0 vs 43.4±17.8 years, t = 9.01, P Language: zh
Sydney Conference Honors Memory of Richard Musgrave

Richard Musgrave, who died in January of 2007, was the towering figure in public finance for the second half of the twentieth century, defining the field with his landmark book, The Theory of Public Finance. In early June of this year, tax specialists from the four corners of the world gathered in Sydney, Australia, to honor Musgrave and to continue his feisty search for answers to the many economic questions facing governments today. The conference was actually two sub-conferences rolled into one, the first dealing with basic issues in the design of a redistributive tax system and the second dealing with the taxation of risky investments. Reflecting the Musgravian view that tax policy is best made through collaboration of individuals from several disciplines and professions, the conference featured scholars from economics, law, and accounting and tax officials from the Australian Treasury and New Zealand's Treasury and Inland Revenue Departments. It was sponsored by the Taxation Law and Policy Research Institute at Monash University.The first day of the conference looked at the overall design of a redistributive tax system. The second day dealt with the taxation of risky investments, using the famous paper written in 1944 by and Evsey Domar as the springboard into current issues. made a case for full tax offsets for losses resulting from risky investments. In a word, the conference was electrifying. It was a fitting tribute to a great man and a reminder of his salubrious and much-missed influence on public finance.
Mechanisms of physically irreversible fouling during surface water microfiltration and mitigation by aluminum electroflotation pretreatment.

A modified poly(vinylidene fluoride) membrane was used to directly microfilter untreated Lake Houston water, which was then regenerated by surface washing and hydraulic backwashing, a process that was cycled five times. The source water was also electrochemically precoagulated using aluminum and microfiltered, and the membrane was physically regenerated for five cycles. Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize foulants on membrane surfaces and rigorously deduce their contributions to physically irreversible fouling after cycles 1 and 5. Hydrophobic molecules primarily appeared to initiate fouling during microfiltration of untreated raw water because O–H/N–H bands were attenuated while C–H bands remained relatively unchanged in FTIR-spectra of membrane surfaces after only one cycle. However, O–H/N–H and symmetric and asymmetric C(═O)O– stretching bands significantly intensified with continued filtrat...
COMPARISON OF GROUP X TRIALS ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE AND DISCRIMINANT ANALYSIS FOR USE IN GROUP PROFILE EVALUATIONS

Sunzma~y.-Data were generated by computer in order that the four possible variations of shape and/or level of profiles for two groups could be compared. The results of discriminanr analysis were compared with chose of group X trials analysis of variance. Findings indicated that group x trials analysis of variance could distinguish between group profiles by either shape, level, or both. Discriminant analysis could only identify that the groups were significantly different in their profiles. However, discriminanr analysis has the advantage of generating the linear functions necessary for assignment of individuals to groups while group X trials analysis of variance has the disadvantage of requiring group profiles to be in standard score units. When the purpose of the investigation is to examine different group profiles, analysis of data presents some difficulty in selecting the most appropriate statistical procedure. This is particularly true when the investigator is interested in determining if group profiles are significantly separated as opposed to the problem of predicting group membership. The purpose of this paper is to compare two procedures: (1) discriminant analysis (Anderson, 1958; Morrison, 1967) and (2) Group X Trials Analysis of Variance, referred to as the Lindquist (1953) Type I Design, and indicate how each procedure may be best applied to research design. Discriminant analysis is a multivariate procedure normally employed first, to identify whether two or more groups can be significantly separated by using a profile of variables; and second, to be used in a decision-making process to assign S to a group which he most resembles. Frequently, investigators are more interested in determining differences among group profiles rather than making decisions about an individual's group membership. Whenever discriminant analysis is employed to evaluate group profiles, the resulting statiscical values (F and/or Generalized Mahalanobis D') fail to determine whether differences in group profiles are due to the levels of performance on the variables, due to differences in the shape of the group profiles or a combination of both differences in level and shape. A group X trials analysis of variance procedure is most commonly used to determine the effects of different treatments on repeated measures for two or more groups of Ss. It is also frequently used to generate learning profiles over several trials or time.
PKCι regulates nuclear YAP1 localization and ovarian cancer tumorigenesis

Atypical protein kinase Cι (PKCι) is an oncogene in lung and ovarian cancer. The PKCι gene PRKCI is targeted for frequent tumor-specific copy number gain (CNG) in both lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) and ovarian serous carcinoma (OSC). We recently demonstrated that in LSCC cells PRKCI CNG functions to drive transformed growth and tumorigenicity by activating PKCι-dependent cell autonomous Hedgehog (Hh) signaling. Here, we assessed whether OSC cells harboring PRKCI CNG exhibit similar PKCι-dependent Hh signaling. Surprisingly, we find that whereas PKCι is required for the transformed growth of OSC cells harboring PRKCI CNG, these cells do not exhibit PKCι-dependent Hh signaling or Hh-dependent proliferation. Rather, transformed growth of OSC cells is regulated by PKCι-dependent nuclear localization of the oncogenic transcription factor, YAP1. Lentiviral shRNA-mediated knockdown (KD) of PKCι leads to decreased nuclear YAP1 and increased YAP1 binding to angiomotin (AMOT), which sequesters YAP1 in the cytoplasm. Biochemical analysis reveals that PKCι directly phosphorylates AMOT at a unique site, Thr750, whose phosphorylation inhibits YAP1 binding. Pharmacologic inhibition of PKCι decreases YAP1 nuclear localization and blocks OSC tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Immunohistochemical analysis reveals a strong positive correlation between tumor PKCι expression and nuclear YAP1 in primary OSC tumor samples, indicating the clinical relevance of PKCι-YAP1 signaling. Our results uncover a novel PKCι-AMOT-YAP1 signaling axis that promotes OSC tumor growth, and provide a rationale for therapeutic targeting of this pathway for treatment of OSC.
The Physical Education Movement in China

(1932). The Physical Education Movement in China. The Journal of Health and Physical Education: Vol. 3, No. 4, pp. 17-62.
Capacity scaling laws of information dissemination modalities in wireless ad hoc networks

We present capacity scaling laws for random wireless ad hoc networks under (n, m, k)-cast formulation, where n, m, and k denote the number of nodes in the network, the number of destinations for each communication group, and the actual number of communication group members that receive information (i. e., k les m les n), respectively and when nodes are endowed with multi-packet transmission (MPT) or multi-packet reception (MPR) capabilities. We show that Theta(T(n)radicm/k), Theta(1/k), and ThetaT2(n) bits per second constitute a tight bound for the throughput capacity of random wireless ad hoc networks under the protocol model when m = O (T-2(n)), Omega(k) = T-2(n) = O(m), and k = Omega(T-2(n)), respectively. This result applies to both MPR and MPT, where T(n) denotes the transceiver range, which depends on the complexity of the nodes. For the minimum transceiver range of Theta (radic(log n/n)) to guarantee network connectivity, a gain of Theta(log n) for (n, m, k)-casting is attained with either MPT or MPR compared to the capacity attained when transmitters and receivers can encode and decode at most one transmission at a time (i.e., point-to-point communication).
Frequency of Poor Outcome (Death or Poor Quality of Life) After Left Ventricular Assist Device for Destination Therapy: Results From the INTERMACS Registry.

Background— A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) improves survival and quality of life for many, but not all, patients with end-stage heart failure who are ineligible for transplantation. We sought to evaluate the frequency of poor outcomes using a novel composite measure that integrates quality of life with mortality. Methods and Results— Within the INTERMACS (Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support) national registry, poor outcome was defined as death or an average Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire <45 during the year after LVAD (persistently limiting heart failure symptoms and poor quality of life). Among 1638 patients with LVAD, 29.7% had a poor outcome, with death in 22.4% and persistently poor quality of life in 7.3%. Patients who had a poor outcome were more likely to have higher body mass indices (29.3 versus 28.2 kg/m2; P =0.007), lower hemoglobin levels (11.1 versus 11.4 g/dL; P =0.005), previous cardiac surgery (47.8% versus 39.8%; P =0.004), history of cancer (13.8% versus 9.7%; P =0.025), severe diabetes mellitus (15.6% versus 11.5%; P =0.038), and poorer quality of life preimplant (Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire scores: 29.8 versus 35.3; P <0.001). Conclusions— Nearly one third of patients die or have a persistently poor quality of life during the year after LVAD. We identified several factors associated with a poor outcome, which may inform discussions before LVAD implantation to enable more realistic expectations of recovery.
Where the Wild Things Aren't: Loss of Biodiversity, Emerging Infectious Diseases, and Implications for Diagnosticians.

In The Origin of Species , Darwin is clearly envious of the physicist and his orderly laws when he laments the seemingly hopeless complexity of the living world—“throw up a handful of feathers, and all must fall to the ground according to definite laws; but how simple is this problem compared to the action and reaction of the innumerable plants and animals.”1 It turns out that such a law exists—the species-area relationship (SAR). That the number of species found in different-sized plots of contiguous habitat increases as the size of the plot increases should not surprise anyone. But what is surprising is that the number of species found as a function of the plot size follows a precise statistical relationship—now designated a power law distribution.2 The SAR is expressed by the simple equation, S = cAz, where S is number of species, A is the area, and c and z are constants. Study after study has shown that the SAR holds for plants, mammals, and invertebrates, and it applies to diverse ecosystems, from grasslands to forests to urban neighborhoods. Because a major cause of species loss is reduced habitat area, via land use change, the SAR is proving its worth once again—this time as a predictor of risk for zoonotic infectious diseases in humans when we destroy or fragment natural habitat. But, how does the loss of biodiversity, often caused by habitat destruction, lead to human disease? The relationship between loss of biodiversity and human disease was first illustrated by Lyme disease.3,4 Its cause, the Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium, has the opportunity to encounter numerous vertebrate hosts—in one study estimated to be at least 125 species—in a … Corresponding author: Scott Granter, The Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 75 Francis St, Amory 3, Boston, MA 02115; sgranter{at}partners.org.
Experiments for Calibration and Validation of Plasticity and Failure Material Modeling: 6061-T651 Aluminum

Experimental data for material plasticity and failure model calibration and validation were obtained from 6061-T651 aluminum, in the form of a 4-in. diameter extruded rod. Model calibration data were taken from smooth tension, notched tension, and shear tests. Model validation data were provided from experiments using thin-walled tube specimens subjected to path-dependent combinations of internal pressure, extension, and torsion.
The association between previous success with weight loss through dietary change and success in a lifestyle modification program

Prior work has yielded mixed results regarding the association between previous weight loss and success in a current weight loss attempt. The present study evaluated differences in baseline psychosocial processes, changes in these over time, and weight loss during a yearlong behavioral weight loss program between individuals who have and have not previously been successful losing weight through self-regulating dietary intake. Individuals with prior success had greater weight losses over time than those without. Differences in baseline and change over time in some facets of motivation and self-efficacy were observed, but only differences in attendance accounted for differential weight loss. Prior success with dietary self-regulation may predict better adherence to and success in behavioral weight control programs. Evaluating the type of weight control efforts that have previously helped induce weight losses may help to better match individuals to treatments likely to yield success.
A noncoding variant in GANAB explains isolated polycystic liver disease (PCLD) in a large family

Expanded mutation detection and novel gene discovery for isolated polycystic liver disease (PCLD) are necessary as 50% of cases do not have identified mutations in the seven published disease genes. We investigated a family with five affected siblings for which no loss-of-function variants were identified by whole exome sequencing analysis. SNP genotyping and linkage analysis narrowed the candidate regions to ∼8% of the genome, which included two published PCLD genes in close proximity to each other, GANAB and LRP5. Based on these findings, we re-evaluated the exome sequencing data and identified a novel intronic nine base pair deletion in the vicinity of the GANAB exon 24 splice donor that had initially been discarded by the sequence analysis pipelines. We used a minigene assay to show that this deletion leads to skipping of exon 24 in cell lines and primary human cholangiocytes. These findings prompt genomic evaluation beyond the coding region to enhance mutation detection in PCLD and to avoid premature implication of other genes in linkage disequilibrium.
Mitigating Cardiovascular Dysfunction Across the Cancer Continuum

The mechanisms and outcomes of cancer treatment-related cardiovascular dysfunction are complex and influenced by cardiotoxic treatment exposure, preexisting heart disease, and lifestyle factors. Establishing and implementing evidence to prevent, detect, and manage cancer treatment-related cardiotoxicity requires engagement by the nursing science community. .
Patterns of Tobacco Cessation Attempts and Symptoms Experienced Among Smokers With Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Importance Among smokers with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), there is ample evidence regarding the benefits of smoking cessation prior to treatment. Prior data indicates that increased attempts at cessation result in higher likelihood of cessation after diagnosis but the prediagnostic patterns of smoking cessation attempts among those smokers developing HNSCC has not been characterized. Data of this kind may direct cessation efforts toward increased efficacy. Objective To determine the frequency and character of tobacco cessation attempts and symptoms experienced prior to development of HNSCC, as well as to determine the correlation of these symptoms with number of cessation attempts and maximum quit days. Design, Setting, and Participants Cross-sectional study including 123 active smokers with HNSCC recruited from a tertiary medical center at an academic institution from February 2014 to May 2017. Exposures All included patients were active cigarette smokers prior to developing HNSCC. Main Outcomes and Measures Patients provided data indicating intensity of smoking, duration, number of cessation attempts, maximum number of days during which they successfully ceased smoking, and symptoms during cessation attempts. Principal component analysis was used to identify clustering of symptoms. Results In total, 123 patients were identified (97 men, 23 women, and 3 unspecified) from February 2014 to May 2017 as active smokers (mean [SD] age, 59.4 [9.0] years; median [interquartile range] age, 58.5 [54.8-66.0] years); patients had oral (n = 39 [32%]), oropharyngeal (n = 44 [36%]), laryngeal (n = 32 [26%]) or hypopharyngeal (n = 7 [6%]) tumors. Overall, 108 patients (88%) had made at least 1 prior attempt at cessation, and the mean number of lifetime cessation attempts was 6.6. Symptoms of cravings, restlessness, irritability, and anxiety were reported most frequently. Symptoms were clustered into 2 component groups: component group 1 (C1; increased appetite, cravings, depression) and component group 2 (C2; restlessness, irritability, insomnia, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating). Component group 2 correlated with quit attempts (Spearman correlation, 0.268 [95% CI, 0.07 to 0.45]), and C1 and C2 were not correlated with maximum quit days. Cessation attempts and maximum quit days positively correlated with each other. Conclusions and Relevance Our analysis shows that symptoms during cessation attempts tend to cluster and that most patients made 1 or more cessation attempts. Many patients successfully ceased before restarting. Our data suggest that patients experiencing C2 symptoms make more quit attempts; C1 symptoms may be more difficult to overcome because they are associated with fewer quit attempts. Future work will address whether amelioration of these symptoms may help smoking cessation among smokers with HNSCC.
Non-Hermitian Topological Photonics

We present recent results in developing topological band theory for non-Hermitian systems as well our experimental discovery of two phenomena: bulk Fermi arcs and fractional topological charges in polarization, both arising from paired exceptional points.
Activating the Electrogenic Molecular Pumps, Na/K ATPase, by Weak Oscillating Electrical Fields

How an external electrical field interacts with living cells is a fascinating question. In past decades,the electrical field-induced functional changes in cell membranes, especially the voltage-dependent membrane proteins, have received more and more attention from scientist and engineers. Recently, Nature and Science magazines have published several papers reporting new discoveries in this field: such as interpreting the minimum detectable perturbation in the presence of thermal noise by discussing the electrical field bandwidth and the system equilibrium1; electrical noise-induced enhancement of non-linear, signal transduction across the voltage-dependent alamethicin channels in artificial membrane2; and using Brownian motion theory to explain macroscopic electric field-induced uphill transport of ions3.
Construction of Models

In this chapter we shall give two methods of constructing models which form the main tools for all of our later work. The first method, the consistency family method, is an abstraction from the proof of the completeness theorem given in Chapter 11, and is due to Henkin, Smullyan, Makkai, and Keisler. The second method, of ultraproducts, is an algebraic kind of construction of a model from old models, and is mainly due to Łoś.
Uniformly Elliptic Equations in Nondivergence Form

In this chapter we consider linear operators of the form $$ Lu = \sum\limits_{i,j = 1}^n {{a_{ij}}(x){D_{ij}}u(x)} $$ where the coefficient matrix A(x) = (aij (x)) is symmetric and uniformly elliptic, that is $$\lambda {\left| \xi \right|^2} \leqslant \left\langle {A(x)\xi ,\xi } \right\rangle \leqslant \Lambda {\left| \xi \right|^2}$$ , for all ξ∈ℝ n and x∈Ω⊂ ℝn. We assume that the coefficients ai j are smooth functions, but the estimates we shall establish are independent of the regularity of the coefficients and depend only on the ellipticity constants λ, Λ and the dimension n.
Constant Effective Duty Cycle Control for Flying Capacitor Balancing in flying Capacitor Multi-Level Converters

One of the challenges of utilizing Flying Capacitor Multi-Level (FCML) converters is the flying capacitor balancing. Poorly balanced flying capacitors increase the switch voltage stress, which is detrimental to performance and device rating requirements. Previously, valley current detection was shown as a potential method to balance flying capacitors, but the method suffers from poor flying capacitor balancing performance at light load. Here, we investigate the light load conditions that lead to poor balancing and propose a new method, constant effective duty cycle (CEDC) compensation, which provides active balancing for the full load range of the converter. The proposed method is validated with an 4-level FCML experimental prototype, demonstrating excellent flying capacitor balancing over all load ranges and across multiple induced flying capacitor imbalances.
Abstract TP299: Early Mortality Prediction in Ischemic Stroke

Introduction: Ischemic stroke (IS) is a medical emergency with a high risk of morbidity, leading to disability, and mortality. IS’s impact on our patients’ lives and healthcare system make it essen...
Implementation of Modified Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports in a youth psychiatric partial hospital program

ObjectiveSeclusion and restraint are procedures utilized in youth psychiatric settings. While a number of agencies have called for a reduction and ultimate elimination of the use of these practices...
The Principal as Staff Developer.

The author argues that the individual school site is a promising context for promoting teacher growth and that the school principal has a unique opportunity to influence conditions under which not ...
Beyond-personal love – Experiencing love beyond the person

Love is seen as interpersonal phenomenon in western society. The love of things that are non-interpersonal or ‘beyond-personal’ is less understood. A sample of 208 adults responded to a questionnai...
Nutrition quality of food purchases varies by household income: the SHoPPER study.

Lower household income has been consistently associated with poorer diet quality. Household food purchases may be an important intervention target to improve diet quality among low income populations. Associations between household income and the diet quality of household food purchases were examined. Food purchase receipt data were collected for 14 days from 202 urban households participating in a study about food shopping. Purchase data were analyzed using NDS-R software and scored using the Healthy Eating Index 2010 (HEI 2010). HEI total and subscores, and proportion of grocery dollars spent on food categories (e.g. fruits, vegetables, sugar sweetened beverages) were examined by household income-to-poverty ratio. Compared to lower income households, after adjusting for education, marital status and race, higher income households had significantly higher HEI total scores (mean [sd] = 68.2 [13.3] versus 51.6 [13.9], respectively, adjusted p = 0.05), higher total vegetable scores (mean [sd] = 3.6 [1.4] versus 2.3 [1.6], respectively, adjusted p < .01), higher dairy scores (mean [sd] = 5.6 [3.0] versus 5.0 [3.3], p = .05) and lower proportion of grocery dollars spent on frozen desserts (1% [.02] versus 3% [.07], respectively, p = .02). Lower income households purchase less healthful foods compared with higher income households. Food purchasing patterns may mediate income differences in dietary intake quality. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02073643.
Development and validation of a genetic L-System programming framework for topology optimization of multifunctional structures

Abstract When considering the complex problem of developing new multifunctional structures, it is essential to narrow the vast design space and reduce the infinite number of possible solutions to a finite subset of feasible designs. Nature provides examples of ramified, or branched, topologies that form non-intuitive solutions to various structural design problems. This work focuses on the development of a bio-inspired topology optimization framework that couples genetic algorithms with a parallel rewriting system known as a Lindenmayer System (or L-System), which acts as an analogy to the evolutionary process and formalizes the encoding of a 2-D structure. Example design problems and the solutions determined using this novel framework are presented and compared to ideal solutions, where it is shown that a family of branched solutions allowed to evolve over generations can eventually arrive at effective multifunctional structures. Select designs from each example problem are also thickened into 3-D bodies, which are assessed experimentally via fully functional prototypes, demonstrating that the L-System framework is capable of generating realistic solutions for multifunctional structure development.
DLA class II haplotypes show sex-specific associations with primary hypoadrenocorticism in Standard Poodle dogs.

Addison’s disease (AD) is a life-threatening endocrine disorder that occurs spontaneously in both humans and dogs. Associations between MHC class II genes and AD have been shown in several human studies. Our goal was to identify MHC class II associations with AD in a large population of Standard Poodles, a breed highly predisposed to AD. We sequenced exon 2 of the class II genes DLA-DRB1, DLA-DQA1, and DLA-DQB1 in 110 affected and 101 unaffected Standard Poodles and tested for association with AD. After correcting for population structure, two haplotypes were found to confer risk of developing AD in a sex-specific manner: DLA-DRB1*015:01-DQA1*006:01-DQB1*023:01 in males (x2p = 0.03, OR 2.1) and DLA-DRB1*009:01-DQA1*001:01-DQB1*008:01:1 in females (x2p = 0.02, OR 8.43). Sex-specific associations have been previously described in human populations, but this is the first report of this kind in dogs. Consistent with findings in other studies, we found the DLA-DQA1*006:01 allele (x2p = 0.04) to be associated with AD in males independent of haplotype. In females, the haplotype DLA-DRB1*009:01-DQA1*001:01-DQB1*008:01:1 confers a very high risk for developing AD, although its frequency was rare (9 of 124 females) in our study population. Further studies are warranted to validate the findings of this exploratory dataset and to assess the usefulness of this haplotype as a risk marker for AD in female Standard Poodles. Our results highlight the importance of evaluating MHC class II disease associations in large populations, and accounting for both biological sex and population structure.
A four-alternative forced choice (4AFC) methodology for evaluating microcalcification detection in clinical full-field digital mammography (FFDM) and digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) systems using an inkjet-printed anthropomorphic phantom.

Purpose The advent of three-dimensional breast imaging systems such as digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) has great promise for improving the detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. With these new technologies comes an essential need for testing methods to assess the resultant image quality. Although randomized clinical trials are the gold standard for assessing image quality, phantom-based studies can provide a simpler and less burdensome approach. In this work, a complete framework is presented for task-based evaluation of microcalcification (MCs) detection performance for DBT imaging systems. Methods The framework consists of three parts. The first part is a realistic anthropomorphic physical breast phantom created through inkjet printing, with parchment paper and iodine-doped ink. The second is a method for inserting realistic MCs fabricated from calcium hydroxyapatite. The reproducibility and stability of the phantom materials were investigated through multiple samples of parchment and ink over 6 months. The final part is an analysis using a four-alternative forced choice (4AFC) reader study. To demonstrate the framework, a task-based 4AFC study was conducted using a clinical system to compare performance from DBT, synthetic mammography (SM), and full-field digital mammography (FFDM). Nine human observers read images containing MC clusters imaged with all three modalities and tried to correctly locate the MCs. The proportion correct (PC) was measured as the number of correctly detected clusters out of all trials. Results Overall, readers scored the highest with FFDM, (PC = 0.95 ± 0.03) then DBT (0.85 ± 0.04), and finally SM (0.44 ± 0.06). For the parchment and ink samples, the linear attenuation properties were very stable over 6 months. In addition, little difference was found between the various parchment and ink samples, indicating good reproducibility. Conclusions This framework presents a promising methodology for evaluating diagnostic task performance of clinical breast DBT systems.
Kinetics and Isotope Effects of the Aldol−Tishchenko Reaction between Lithium Enolates and Aldehydes

The lithium enolate of isobutyrophenone reacts with two molecules of benzaldehyde at room temperature in THF to yield after protonation a 1,3-diol monoester. The kinetics of this process was studied for the reaction of the lithium enolate of p-(phenylsulfonyl)isobutyrophenone (LiSIBP) and benzaldehyde in THF by monitoring the disappearance of LiSIBP. The observed rates obey the rate law −d[{LiSIBP}]/dt = kob[{LiSIBP}]0.83[benzaldehyde]2.0 (braces denote initial formal concentration of LiSIBP) and exhibit a kinetic isotope effect kH/kD = 2.0 (determined from independent experiments using benzaldehyde-d). These results and competitive isotope effect experiments are consistent with formation of an initial lithium aldolate (P1), followed by reaction with a second aldehyde to form a ketal (P2), and finally a rate-limiting intramolecular hydride transfer (Tishchenko reaction). These reactions are modeled with ab initio molecular orbital calculations. Corresponding theoretical kinetic and equilibrium isotope eff...
Abstract 779: Unraveling exosome-enabled cancer signaling: An integrated genomic approach

Exosomes play important roles in mediating intercellular communication by transferring various cargos (lipids, RNAs and proteins) into recipients. Emerging evidence has indicated strong implication of exosomes and their RNA cargos in human and animal health including cancers, however, little is known about the mechanisms. In this study, we focus on a specific class of exosomal cargo, microRNAs, to explore new machineries underlying exosome-controlled microRNA secretion and trafficking and subsequently, to assess the regulatory impacts of cancerous noncoding RNAs to surrounding cells or remote tissues in terms of signaling transduction. Particularly, we developed a series of novel bioinformatics techniques that address important problems related to sequence motif finding (primarily based on short RNAs) and gene regulation network analysis (modeling complex structures that reflect multifaceted RNA cooperation and competition). Applying public exosomal microRNA sequence data and TCGA cancer transcriptomic profiles on various types of cancer, we have identified several candidate RNA motifs that might be responsible for guiding the transporter-mediated microRNA loading into exosomes, along with corresponding gene networks that are controlled by those circulating intruders. For example, in human colon cancer SW620 case, three 4-mer sequence motif patterns including [AU][CUG][UG]G, [CGU][UA][GU]G, [AUG][CG]U[UG] are highly enriched among exosomal microRNA sequences (with > 85% coverage, adj.p-value Citation Format: Juan Cui, Jiang Shu, Tian Gao, Haluk Dogan. Unraveling exosome-enabled cancer signaling: An integrated genomic approach [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 779.
“A Flower in a Hard Rain”: Melodramatic Storytelling by, and About, Aileen Wuornos

In one of her prison letters to childhood friend, Dawn Botkins, Aileen Wuornos feigns resignation about both her impending execution and her legacy. “Like a flower in a hard rain,” she claims, “I’ll let things go.” In fact, “letting go” of her story—at least those parts of it for which others clearly hungered—was something Wuornos ultimately would not or could not do. Instead of illumination, Wuornos’s letters feature an emotionally charged pattern that has been identified as “externalization,” wherein attentive members of her audience are fervently embraced only to be violently castigated. Ultimately unable to control the direction her story would take, Wuornos elected never to share it at all. Yet the heated “externalization” experts have attributed to her personality has been strangely mirrored in the ways commentators about Wuornos have approached one another.
Adolescents With Chronic Medical Conditions and High School Completion: The Importance of Perceived School Belonging

Students with chronic medical conditions often experience barriers to academic progress, including impact of disease and treatment, increased school absence, and altered expectations of teachers and parents. School belonging is an important element of academic success and can be promoted by positive relationships, structure, and support in the school environment. One aim of this study was to explore group differences in perceived school belonging and rate of on-time high school completion for students with chronic medical conditions as compared to their healthy peers. The second goal was to analyze relations between belonging, health status, and on-time completion of high school. Restricted data from Add Health was used to answer the study questions. Results showed that students with chronic medical conditions reported lower levels of perceived school belonging than their healthy peers (t(1056) = 3.69, p
Space harmony: a knot theory perspective on the work of Rudolf Laban

Space Harmony is a theory and practice that explores universal patterns of movement in nature and of man. It is studied by artists who are interested in understanding patterns of harmony and balanc...
Chapter 8 – A Final Speculation About Ultimate Temperatures—A Fourth Law of Thermodynamics?

Publisher Summary This chapter describes a fourth law of thermodynamics. It is not inappropriate to close by introducing a speculative idea, namely that a “Fourth Law of Thermodynamics” might be set up, to the effect that there exists an upper limit Tu to the temperature scale. Considering that a mole of H2 gas has been heated continuously in an appropriate enclosure, it can be observed that the heat capacity rises strongly with temperatures where particle production takes place, such as the dissociation of H2 into atoms, ionization processes that form H+, electron-positron production, and so on. In ranges where “Cp” does not change much, the added energy becomes manifested, as the temperature increases in the system as governed roughly by the relation “ΔE=Cp ΔT.”
Early Achievements for Education Settings: An Embedded Teacher-Implemented Social Communication Intervention for Preschoolers With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Purpose Early Achievements for Education Settings (EA-ES) is a teacher-implemented naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention for preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) targeting ...
Overview of IEEE technical committee 41

This article provides an overview of TC-41-Traffic Enforcement Technologies. The stated goals of TC-41 are to: • Develop documentary standards, including design of test artifacts, test and measurement procedures, and minimally acceptable performance requirements; and technology guides for traffic enforcement technologies. • Stimulate the interest of the scientific, academic, and industrial communities in traffic enforcement technologies by conducting workshops and supporting the publication of technical manuscripts. • Promote the awareness, adoption, and harmonization of technical performance standards by local and state traffic enforcement authorities. • Support the development of test and evaluation protocols and conformity assessment requirements. • Maintain liaisons with other technical groups, societies, and organizations, both nationally and internationally, working in the same or similar area.
Structure of functional ecological networks of soil microbial communities for nitrogen transformations and their response to cropping in major soils in eastern China

It is well established that nitrogen cycling in agricultural soil-plant systems greatly affects productivity and the environment. However, the impact of microbial interactions on nitrogen cycling and its response to management practices such as cropping and fertilization remain unclear. In this study, three typical soils were selected(a black soil located in the cold temperate region, a Chao soil in the warm temperate region and a red soil in the middle subtropical region) along a North-South transect of eastern China, and a controlled field experiment was set up with non-cropping(bare soil) and cropping(planting maize) treatments. The core microbial communities(with members shared across different habitats) associated with N transformations were identified from high-throughput functional gene array hybridization data. Functional molecular ecological networks(fMENs) were then developed by a random matrix theory(RMT)-based conceptual framework. Cropping increased the richness of most N transforming core genes and the complexity of N transforming fMENs. The number of modules in the topological structure of fMENs increased from eight under non-cropping to 28 under the cropping treatment. Two module hubs(key genes) of the nitrogen fixation gene(nifH) were present under the non-cropping treatment, and nine module hubs including the nitrogen fixation gene(nifH) and the denitrification genes(narG and nosZ) were present under the cropping system. Additionally, changes in the network structure were significantly correlated with plant, climate and soil variables. In conclusion, agricultural management practices and environmental changes can alter the network interactions in soil microbial communities, and consequently affect their nutrient cycling functions.
Abstract 16966: A p53-Toll-Like Receptor 3-Bone Morphogenic Protein Interaction Regulates the Endothelial Phenotype and Function in Pulmonary Hypertension

Introduction: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by complex remodeling of pulmonary arteries. In addition to impaired bone morphogenic protein (BMP) signaling, deficiency of the...
High‐frequency fluctuations in Denmark Strait transport

[1] Denmark Strait ocean current transport exhibits quasi-regular fluctuations immediately south of the sill with periods of 2-4 days. The transport variability is similar to the mean transport itself. Using a circulation model we explore prospects to monitor the fluctuations. The model has realistic transport and shows water leaving Denmark Strait in equivalent-barotropic cyclones that are nearly geostrophic and correlate with sea-surface height (SSH). Existing satellite altimeter observations of SSH have adequate space/time sampling to reconstruct the transport fluctuations using a regression developed from the model results, but measurement error overwhelms the signal. From the model results, the pending Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) wide-swath altimeter appears accurate enough, and with good-enough coverage, to allow the transport fluctuations to be reconstructed. Bottom pressure recorders at the exit of the Denmark Strait can also reproduce the transport variability.
Analysing links between biogeography, niche stability and speciation: the impact of complex feedbacks on macroevolutionary patterns

Understanding the processes that control speciation is critical to any modern macroevolutionary synthesis. A variety of theoretical constructs have been proposed to explain various differential speciation patterns observed in the fossil record, such as higher rates of speciation among stenotopic vs. eurytopic species. Most of these explanations, however, rely on only one or two explanatory variables and may be overly simplistic. Developing a more complete understanding of speciation processes requires a broader synthesis of multiple explanatory factors including the role of external factors such as climate and plate tectonics, impact of ecosystem-level processes, relative niche breadth and relative stability of species’ niches during environmental change (biotic and abiotic). This study explores the relationship between biogeography, ecological niches and speciation in a series of case studies focusing on the Late Ordovician and Late Devonian shallow marine brachiopods and bivalves and Neogene horses of North America.
pH as a Predictor of Flavor, Juiciness, Tenderness and Texture in Pork from Pigs in a Niche Market System

This report focuses on pork quality in a free range pork production system. The positive relationship found between pH and eating quality in earlier research is supported by this study. An increase in the pH level was positively associated with a more desirable value for each of the eating quality variables: flavor, juiciness, tenderness, and texture. The implication here is that production strategies which improve pH will lead to an increase in the quality for each of the measured eating quality characteristics. This study found further that although pH is a good predictor of quality, measuring two other key variables of Instron (Star probe) and marbling can improve the prediction of eating quality characteristics.
Arabinogalactan-proteins in the Multiple Domains of the Plant Cell Surface

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses arabinogrrlactan-proteins in the multiple domains of the plant cell surface. It examines recent information on the structure, expression and function of arabinogalactan-proteins, a class of plant proteoglycans with very broad taxonomic and anatomic distributions. Plants typically produce at least several arabinogalactan-proteins that exhibit heterogeneity in both the predominant ( > 90%) carbohydrate portion and in the polypeptide core. Developmentally regulated expression and various other lines of evidence indicate that arabinogalactan-proteins faction in p h t development, although precise functions remain to be identified. The approach in this chapter is to discuss the structure and function of arabinogalactan-proteins with special consideration to their localization in three domains of the plant cell surface: the aqueous phase of the cell wall and extracellular spaces; the solid phase of the cell wall; and the surface of the plasma membrane.
Breaking the Frame: Transgression and Transformation in Giulio Romano’s Sala Dei Giganti

Ever since the sixteenth century, the Sala dei Giganti (in the Palazzo del Te, Mantua), has been viewed as a masterpiece of artifice and illusion.1 Designed so that architectural and decorative elements combine seamlessly into a single tour de force, this unified structure surrounds the visitor so completely that it strikes fear in the heart of anyone who enters.2 Recent accounts of the chamber have, however, de-emphasized this important dynamic; rather than fully acknowledging the Sala dei Giganti’s ability to disconcert as well as delight, they have characterized it as mere Mannerist conceit, an extravagant display meant to entertain, not enlighten.3 This was not the view of Giulio’s own contemporaries.
Some open issues in premixed turbulent combustion

The widely studied subject of premixed turbulent combustion is discussed, with particular attention to identification and review of controversial and unresolved fundamental issues having practical significance. Four such topics are discussed: (1) prediction of turbulent burning velocity (ST) in the flamelet regime, (2) the role of the velocity spectrum on ST, (3) the existence and properties of turbulent combustion with distributed reaction zones, and (4) quenching of flames by turbulence. Directions for future research are suggested.