cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Blind block synchronization algorithms in cyclic prefix systems

In orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems, symbol synchronization is a critical step for successful data transmission. While this task is done in most current systems by using training symbols, a few studies have been dedicated to solving the problem blindly, that is, where training symbols are not available. Blind symbol synchronization problem is especially important in many blind channel estimation algorithms in the literature which assume that OFDM symbol synchronization is perfect. In this paper, a broader version of the blind symbol synchronization problem is studied, namely, blind block synchronization in cyclic-prefix (CP) systems. The proposed algorithm for this broader problem covers the blind symbol synchronization problem in OFDM systems. Unlike previously reported algorithms which are based on obtaining sufficient statistics of received samples, the proposed algorithm is capable of identifying the correct block boundaries using much less received data in absence of noise. Simulation results of the proposed algorithm not only verify the declared property but also demonstrate improvement in accuracy of symbol synchronization over previously reported algorithms in presence of noise.
Saccharomyces Genome Database: the genomics resource of budding yeast

The Saccharomyces Genome Database (SGD, http://www.yeastgenome.org) is the community resource for the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The SGD project provides the highest-quality manually curated information from peer-reviewed literature. The experimental results reported in the literature are extracted and integrated within a well-developed database. These data are combined with quality high-throughput results and provided through Locus Summary pages, a powerful query engine and rich genome browser. The acquisition, integration and retrieval of these data allow SGD to facilitate experimental design and analysis by providing an encyclopedia of the yeast genome, its chromosomal features, their functions and interactions. Public access to these data is provided to researchers and educators via web pages designed for optimal ease of use.
Prognostic Model for Predicting Survival in Men With Hormone-Refractory Metastatic Prostate Cancer

Purpose: To develop and validate a model that can be used to predict the overall survival probability among metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer patients (HRPC). Patients and Methods: Data from six Cancer and Leukemia Group B protocols that enrolled 1,101 patients with metastatic hormone-refractory adenocarcinoma of the prostate during the study period from 1991 to 2001 were pooled. The proportional hazards model was used to develop a multivariable model on the basis of pretreatment factors and to construct a prognostic model. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was calculated as a measure of predictive discrimination. Calibration of the model predictions was assessed by comparing the predicted probability with the actual survival probability. An independent data set was used to validate the fitted model. Results: The final model included the following factors: lactate dehydrogenase, prostate-specific antigen, alkaline phosphatase, Gleason sum, Eastern Cooperative Onc...
Treatment of radiation‐induced nervous system injury with heparin and warfarin

When radiation is used to treat nervous system cancer, exposure of adjacent normal nervous system tissue is unavoidable, and radiation-induced injury may occur. Acute injury is usually mild and transient, but late forms of radiation-induced nervous system injury are usually progressive and debilitating. Treatment with corticosteroids, surgery, and antioxidants is often ineffective. We treated 11 patients with late radiation-induced nervous system injuries (eight with cerebral radionecrosis, one with a myelopathy, and two with plexopathies, all unresponsive to dexamethasone and prednisone) with full anticoagulation. Some recovery of function occurred in five of the eight patients with cerebral radionecrosis, and all the patients with myelopathy or plexopathy. Anticoagulation was continued for 3 to 6 months. In one patient with cerebral radionecrosis, symptoms recurred after discontinuation of anticoagulation and disappeared again after reinstitution of treatment. We hypothesize that anticoagulation may arrest and reverse small-vessel endothelial injury--the fundamental lesion of radiation necrosis--and produce clinical improvement in some patients.
Evidence-based Radiology: Step 3—Critical Appraisal of Diagnostic Literature

The main steps in critical appraisal of the evidence are assessing its validity (closeness to the truth/lack of bias), impact (size of the effect), and applicability (usefulness) to one’s clinical practice. Assessing validity has been discussed in the previous article. 1 In this article, we discuss how to assess impact or size of an effect. Assessment of the strength of a diagnostic radiology study can be found in the Results section of an article. The important statistical parameters include the prevalence of the disease, sensitivity and specificity (with 95% confidence intervals), positive- and negative-predictive values, and positive- and negative-likelihood ratios (LRs), and how these affect pretest and posttest probability and conditional probabilities. Contingency Table Let us start with the 2 2 contingency table (Table 1). The columns are made up of those with and without the disease in question, and the rows, by those who test positive or negative for the disease, so that the following occurs:
On the ergodicity and mixing of max-stable processes

Abstract Max-stable processes arise in the limit of component-wise maxima of independent processes, under appropriate centering and normalization. In this paper, we establish necessary and sufficient conditions for the ergodicity and mixing of stationary max-stable processes. We do so in terms of their spectral representations by using extremal integrals. The large classes of moving maxima and mixed moving maxima processes are shown to be mixing. Other examples of ergodic doubly stochastic processes and non-ergodic processes are also given. The ergodicity conditions involve a certain measure of dependence. We relate this measure of dependence to the one of Weintraub [K.S.Weintraub, Sample and ergodic properties of some min-stable processes, Ann. Probab. 19 (2) (1991) 706–723] and show that Weintraub’s notion of ‘0-mixing’ is equivalent to mixing. Consistent estimators for the dependence function of an ergodic max-stable process are introduced and illustrated over simulated data.
A Block Components Average Algorithm for Compressed Sensing Based Tomography

The constrained total variation minimization has been developed successfully for image reconstruction in computerized tomography. The convergence of the block cyclic projection and Cimmino algorithms for compressed sensing based tomography have been proved recently. In this paper, a block component averaging algorithm incorporation to the total variation minimization in the compressed sensing framework is proposed. The convergence of the new algorithm is derived in certain case. An example is given to illustrate its convergence behavior.
A 20MHz BW 68dB DR CT ΔΣ ADC based on a multi-bit time-domain quantizer and feedback element

Low-power, small-area, 20MHz-BW ADCs that can be integrated in nanoscale CMOS technologies are of immense interest to the wireless communication industry. Implementation of high-performance analog circuits in nanometric technologies faces several challenges [1]. Time-domain digital signal processing (TDSP) [2] can be used as an alternative for some analog circuits to overcome these challenges. The TDSP technique utilizes the high timing resolution available in nanoscale technologies, and can be implemented using digital circuits that are inherently less susceptible to noise. Circuits using this technique also become faster, smaller and consume less power with technology scaling. Hence, solutions using TDSP with as many digital circuits as possible are desired. An ADC architecture that uses a VCO-based time-domain quantizer is presented in [3]. This architecture uses a conventional feedback element (multi-element DAC with DEM) and 950MHz sample rate that leads to high power consumption. In this work, a pulse-width modulator (PWM) and an all-digital time-to-digital converter (TDC) are used to implement the quantizer as well as the feedback element in the time domain. This approach achieves the necessary linearity in the feedback path without DEM or calibration, and allows a low output rate of 250MS/s.
A decision-theoretic approach for designing proactive communication in multi-agent teamwork

Techniques that support effective communication during teamwork processes are of particular importance. Psychological study shows that an effective team often can anticipate information exchange among the team and communicate relevant information proactively. Proactive communication is crucial for understanding and sharing common goals and for cooperative actions. Communication can be valuable if it assists agents with new and timely information; it also has cost because it consumes network resources such as bandwidth. To address these issues, we present a new model that uses information production and need to capture the complex multi-agent communication process and a dynamic decision-theoretic determination of communication strategies. We also introduce a generic utility function and an algorithm, DTPC (Decision-Theoretic Proactive Communication), that focuses on representing information production and need of team members and resolving decision interactions among them for making decisions.
The financial crisis, health and health inequities in Europe: the need for regulations, redistribution and social protection

In 2009, Europe was hit by one of the worst debt crises in history. Although the Eurozone crisis is often depicted as an effect of government mismanagement and corruption, it was a consequence of the 2008 U.S. banking crisis which was caused by more than three decades of neoliberal policies, financial deregulation and widening economic inequities. Evidence indicates that the Eurozone crisis disproportionately affected vulnerable populations in society and caused sharp increases of suicides and deaths due to mental and behavioral disorders especially among those who lost their jobs, houses and economic activities because of the crisis. Although little research has, so far, studied the effects of the crisis on health inequities, evidence showed that the 2009 economic downturn increased the number of people living in poverty and widened income inequality especially in European countries severely hit by the debt crisis. Data, however, also suggest favorable health trends and a reduction of traffic deaths fatalities in the general population during the economic recession. Moreover, egalitarian policies protecting the most disadvantaged populations with strong social protections proved to be effective in decoupling the link between job losses and suicides. Unfortunately, policy responses after the crisis in most European countries have mainly consisted in bank bailouts and austerity programs. These reforms have not only exacerbated the debt crisis and widened inequities in wealth but also failed to address the root causes of the crisis. In order to prevent a future financial downturn and promote a more equitable and sustainable society, European governments and international institutions need to adopt new regulations of banking and finance as well as policies of economic redistribution and investment in social protection. These policy changes, however, require the abandonment of the neoliberal ideology to craft a new global political economy where markets and gross domestic product (GDP) are no longer the main national policy goals, but just means to human and health improvements.
Rationalizing Agricultural Export Subsidies

Export subsidies are an important form of agricultural policy, especially for large traders such as the United States and the European Community. A number of small countries also use export subsidies in effect (e.g., Saudi Arabian wheat or Canadian dairy products) in that the domestic price is set well above world levels and surplus production is dumped onto the world market. A number of recent contributions to trade theory have argued that export subsidies can be welfare-enhancing for the subsidizing country and, by implication, that the policy choice is consistent with the hypothesis that a benevolent government is pursuing Pareto efficiency. In the present paper we examine these arguments and present an alternative explanation of export subsidies, utilizing the concept of efficient redistribution (Becker; Gardner 1983). In standard trade models, arguments in favor of global export subsidies arise from failure to exploit market power in another good (Itoh and Kiyono; Feenstra). Itoh and Kiyono use a threegood model to show that subsidies on marginal goods (defined as goods not exported at all or exported in small quantities) can increase welfare in the subsidizing country. A subsidy on marginal goods causes their production to increase and the supply of nonmarginal goods to decrease, thereby raising the price of the nonmarginal goods and increasing the exporter's terms of trade. Feenstra also employs a threegood model and demonstrates that it is possible for the pattern of substitutability and complementarity across goods to allow subsidies to increase welfare. The necessary condition is that the subsidized export be a stronger substitute for another exported good, or a stronger complement for an imported good, in the subsidizing country than abroad. The export subsidy increases welfare by improving the terms of trade in the other imported or exported good. The "distortion" in Feenstra's model is the failure to exploit market power in the second or third market. As an alternative to global export subsidies, Abbott, Paarlberg, and Sharples (APS) have examined targeted export subsidies and found that, in some circumstances, they can be welfare-improving. Dutton later showed the APS result arises because they first constrain the export tax to the rest of the world to be zero, so that it becomes theoretically possible for the best export tax to the targeted country to be negative. The APS result hinges on differences in import demand elasticities and the exporting country's use of market power.' In order to price-discrim
[Ca2+]i transients in the cardiomyopathic hamster heart

Intracellular [Ca2+] transients were studied in isolated hearts of healthy and cardiomyopathic hamsters in late failure perfused with glucose or pyruvate. Hearts of healthy hamsters developed similar pressures when perfused with either glucose or pyruvate, and [Ca2+]i transients were comparable in amplitude when perfused with either substrate. On the other hand, hearts of cardiomyopathic hamsters in late failure developed normal pressure when perfused with pyruvate but developed depressed pressure (50%) when perfused with glucose. The amplitude of [Ca2+]i transients fell severely and was associated with a high diastolic [Ca2+]i in cardiomyopathic hamster hearts when the perfusate was switched from pyruvate to glucose. The high phosphomonoester sugars as evidenced by 31P nuclear magnetic resonance studies and the depressed oxygen consumption in the cardiomyopathic hamster hearts perfused with glucose reflect an inhibition in glycolysis and a subsequent decrease in mitochondrial activity. Without an adequate delivery of substrate to the mitochondria in the cardiomyopathic hamster, the myocardium is no longer capable of maintaining its [Ca2+]i homeostasis.
Measurements of dose from secondary radiation outside a treatment field: Effects of wedges and blocks

Radiation dose outside the radiotherapy treatment field can be significant and therefore is of clinical interest in estimating organ doses. In a previous paper we reported the results of measurements made using unmodified radiation fields. We have extended this study to include the effects of wedge filters and blocks. For a given dose on the central axis of a radiation field, wedges can cause a factor of 2 to 4 increase in dose at any point outside the field compared with the dose when no wedge is used. Adding blocks to a treatment field can cause an increase in dose at points outside the field, but the effect is much smaller than the effect of a wedge, and generally less than a factor of 2. From the results of these measurements, doses to selected organs outside the field for specified treatment geometries were estimated, and the potential for reducing these organ doses by additional shielding was assessed.
SUPPORTING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN THE SCHOOLS: The School of the 21st Century

The School of the 21st Century, a model designed to address the soaring need for child care, is housed in an institution already present in every neighborhood—the public school. Its potential to serve as a primary prevention program, through provision of child-care and family-support services for children from birth through age 12, is described. Examples of program effectiveness are offered, and the additional benefits of integration with related programs are outlined.
Intensional answers to database queries

In addition to data, database systems store various kinds of information about their data. Examples are: class hierarchies, to define the various data classes and their relationships; integrity constraints, to state required relationships among the data; and inference rules, to define new classes in terms of known classes. This information is often referred to as intensional information (the data are referred to as extensional information). There have been several independent research works that suggested ways by which intensional information may be used to improve the conventional (extensional) database answers. Although each of these efforts developed its own specific methods, they all share a common belief: database answers would be improved if accompanied by intensional statements that describe them more abstractly. We study and compare the various approaches to intensional answers by using various classifications; we examine their relative merits with regard to key aspects; we discuss remaining issues; and we offer new research directions. >
Analysis of infinite periodic array of thin wire radiators with dielectric loading

A computationally efficient algorithm for determining the radiation characteristics of an infinite periodic array of bent thin wire radiators is presented. Each radiator may comprise several wire segments to form a junction. Analysis is carried out for an infinite periodic array covered with multiple dielectric layers. The array lattice may be rectangular or triangular. The capability of handling dielectric layers over the array is added by using a mixed potential approach. The resulting integral equation is solved by the method of moments with sub-domain basis functions. Acceleration techniques are employed to speed up the convergence of a doubly infinite periodic Green's function. Numerical results are presented for dipole arrays with and without dielectric loading.
Genetic links between circulating cells and cardiovascular risk.

Although algorithms such as the Framingham Risk Score have been instrumental in helping to stratify cardiovascular disease (CVD) susceptibility, it is estimated that 15% to 20% of patients presenting with myocardial infarction (MI) may lack any history of traditional risk factors.1 These and other observations have prompted investigators to develop additional biological and genetic assays that might improve risk prediction or capture risks that might be orthogonal to well-known and traditional factors such as diabetes, smoking, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertension. One promising but confusing area appears to be the interrogation of circulating cells that have been deemed endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). In some studies, the levels of these circulating cells appear to provide predictive power about vascular function in healthy people2,3 and future cardiovascular events in patients with disease.4,5 It is tempting to speculate that the quantitative or functional assessment of cells in the circulation with angiogenic or vascular reparative properties might eventually provide a useful biological measurement that could aid in risk assessment. Yet, significant questions remain regarding the true nature of EPCs and the actual role of these cells in disease progression.6 Answers to these and related questions are therefore urgently needed before the tantalizing promise of EPCs can be fully incorporated into any assessment of CVD risk. Article see p 296 The current report by Shaw et al7 in this issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics provides an elegant blueprint of how a combined biological and genetic approach might aid in our efforts to better understand EPC biology and ultimately better define and understand CVD risk. The current study analyzed nearly 1800 participants in the Framingham Heart Study. For the most part, these individuals were healthy and free of overt CVD. The authors performed a simple biological assay to determine …
Robust feedback linearization in the presence of fuzzy uncertainty

We give a feedback linearization control design for systems with fuzzy uncertainty. Using a PDE for the state membership function and an equivalent deterministic system, we obtain asymptotic stability. An approximation to our controller drives the state to a bounded set.
The Relationship Between Nonsuicidal Self-Injury and Suicidal Ideation

This correlational study was conducted with 403 undergraduate college students from 2 universities. The authors used path analysis and bootstrap regression to analyze the relationships between variables. Locus of control and family connectedness related to current nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) engagement. However, when entered into the same regression, the variables current NSSI engagement and current NSSI number of methods used mediated all other relationships with suicidal ideation. Implications to current theories and clinical practice are provided.
K+ depletion increases HCO 3 − reabsorption in OMCD by activation of colonic H+-K+-ATPase

To probe the role of the isoforms of H+-K+-ATPase (HKA) in potassium depletion (KD), rats were placed on a KD diet for 2 wk. Colonic HKA (cHKA) mRNA levels increased ∼30-fold in outer medulla, and ...
Veiling the modular: literary language and subjective nationalism in Sinhala radio song of Sri Lanka, 1957-1964

This article examines ‘intratextuality’ of Sinhala-language radio songs and the socio- historical and institutional forces behind the production of these songs. The purpose of the article is to reflect on the conception of nationalism as elaborated by historian Manu Goswami. According to Goswami, nationalism is a globally transposable ‘module’ that social agents since the mid-nineteenth century have used to assert the uniqueness of their nation. In this article, I argue that this conception is illuminating because of its sensitivity to sub-global or global configurations that factor into the celebration of local particularities. And yet emphasizing the ‘doubled’ form of nationalism as simultaneously local-and-global should not overlook the way in which the particular, in the form of literary language, has the power to veil the global or ‘modular’ formations, the very formations that have set the parameters for celebrating the local. Using three Sinhala radio songs as examples, this article suggests that such veiling can become a crucial feature of ‘subjective’ nationalism. Subjective nationalism refers to the articulations of nationalism made through written and spoken communication and the effects of these discourses on the public consciousness.
Pathogenesis of Candida albicans biofilm

Candida albicans is the most common human fungal pathogen causing diseases ranging from mucosal to systemic infections. As a commensal, C. albicans asymptomatically colonizes mucosal surfaces; however, any disruption in the host environment or under conditions of immune dysfunction, C. albicans can proliferate and invade virtually any site in the host. The ability of this highly adaptable fungal species to transition from commensal to pathogen is due to a repertoire of virulence factors. Specifically, the ability to switch morphology and form biofilms are properties central to C. albicans pathogenesis. In fact, the majority of C. albicans infections are associated with biofilm formation on host or abiotic surfaces such as indwelling medical devices, which carry high morbidity and mortality. Significantly, biofilms formed by C. albicans are inherently tolerant to antimicrobial therapy and therefore, the susceptibility of Candida biofilms to the current therapeutic agents remains low. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of C. albicans highlighting some of the diverse biofilm-associated diseases caused by this opportunistic pathogen and the animal models available to study them. Further, the classes of antifungal agents used to combat these resilient infections are discussed along with mechanisms of drug resistance.
Characterizing the Performance of OVERFLOW on Linux Beowulf Architectures

Linux PC Clusters are a cost effective platform for parallel computational fluid dynamics (CFD) applications. In this paper we compare the performance of the OVERFLOW application on multiple clusters. Different networking architectures, from inexpensive switched Fast Ethernet to high performance networks like Myrinet interconnect, are considered in our performance evaluation. Likewise, a variety of node constructions are considered, from IA32 commodity processors to 64-bit MP (Multi-Processor) configurations. Single processor performance as well as the overall parallel performance using multiple sizes for benchmark cases are compared and evaluated to find the most cost effective parallel platform for OVERFLOW along with where the code’s performance can likely be improved on these systems.
Investigations for enhancing ride-through period in matrix converter driven wind generators using MATLAB/Simulink

The most practical limitation of matrix converters is its sensitivity to input power grid disturbances due to its direct link with input AC grid. Particularly for using matrix converter in wind power generation, the associated grid code requirements for fault ride-through are the main bottleneck. This paper presents a simulated study of a short term ride-through strategy which enhances the fault ride-through period and supplies fault current to the grid during the under voltage fault. The strategy is applicable for any matrix converter driven adjustable speed drive (ASD). During the voltage sag period, continuous operation of the drive is achieved, through a succession of active vector application and discontinuation of matrix converter switches, with hysteretic control on the motor current magnitude. The above strategy of the ride-through operation presented in this paper, has been designed and tested using MATLAB/Simulink Modeling Tool. This tool helped in developing a real time model of the whole integrated grid-matrix converter and the drive system, and simulating the ride through conditions in that system
Cryosurgery for Verruca Palmaris

Verruca palmaris is a common presentation resulting from HPV infection of keratinocytes of the palms. If the virus is not suppressed, replication of the epithelium occurs, creating a keratotic papilloma of the palm. Cryosurgery is the first line treatment for verruca palmaris, resulting in destruction of the verruca’s vascular supply and stimulation of the immune system. Optimal technique involves targeted destruction of the wart with no greater than 2–3 mm of collateral destruction of healthy adjacent tissue.
Radiation hardened level shifter for sub to superthreshold voltage translation

For ultra low power applications, improved energy efficiency can be achieved by operating non-critical portions of the logic in the subthreshold region (V DD &#60; V TH ) while performance-critical sections are maintained in the superthreshold region (V DD > V TH ). Signal interfacing from subthreshold to superthreshold levels is a significant challenge and requires a robust level shifter that operates across an extreme input-to-output voltage range. Beyond the challenges of translating signals between such disparate voltages, another concern is the increased sensitivity to radiation that results from the weakened drivers in the traditional level shifter feedback structure. This paper presents a novel rad-hard ultra-low-power level shifter that 1) is Single Event Upset (SEU) immune over a wide range of supply voltages due to a Dual Interlocked Storage Cell (DICE) feedback and 2) is optimized for translating signals from sub to superthreshold levels. Radiation hardness of the proposed design is captured as Q crit - the amount of radiation-induced charge required to flip the output unintentionally. The proposed design provides SEU resilience at subthreshold voltage (0.45V) with 12x improvement in Q crit values as simulated using 250 nm CMOS TSMC technology models.
Left main coronary artery stenosis: severity evaluation and implications for management.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: The significant stenosis of the left main coronary artery is associated with poor outcomes and is considered a strong indication for revascularization. However, deciding whether the stenosis is significant can sometimes be challenging, especially when the degree of stenosis is intermediate, and can necessitate additional tests and imaging modalities.Areas covered: We did a literature search using keywords like ‘left main’, ‘imaging’, ‘intravascular ultrasound’, ‘fractional flow reserve’, ‘computed tomographic angiography’ and ‘magnetic resonance imaging’. The most commonly used methods for better characterizing intermediate left main coronary stenoses are intravascular ultrasound and fractional flow reserve, while optical coherence tomography is the newer technique that provides better images, but for which not as much data is available. The noninvasive techniques are coronary computed tomographic angiography and, to a lesser degree, coronary magnetic resonance imaging.Expert comment...
Development and Validation of a Prognostic Score for Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Importance In patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), the oncologic benefit of surgery and perioperative outcomes for large multifocal tumors or tumors with contiguous organ involvement remain to be defined. Objectives To develop and externally validate a simplified prognostic score for ICC and to determine perioperative outcomes for large multifocal ICCs or tumors with contiguous organ involvement. Design, Setting, and Participants This study of a contemporary cohort merged data from the California Cancer Registry (January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2011) and the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development inpatient database. Clinicopathologic variables were compared between tumors that were intrahepatic, small ( Main Outcomes and Measures Patient overall survival after hepatectomy. Results A total of 275 patients (123 men [44.7%] and 152 women [55.3%]; median [interquartile range] age, 65 [55-72] years) met the inclusion criteria. No significant differences in overall complication rate (ISS, 48 [34.5%]; ELM, 37 [27.2%]; P = .19) and mortality rate (ISS, 10 [7.2%]; ELM, 6 [4.4%]; P = .32) were found. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model demonstrated that multifocality, extrahepatic extension, grade, node positivity, and age greater than 60 years are independently associated with worse overall survival. These variables were used to develop the MEGNA prognostic score. The prognostic separation/discrimination index was improved with the MEGNA prognostic score (0.21; 95% CI, 0.11-0.33) compared with the staging systems of the American Joint Committee on Cancer sixth (0.17; 95% CI, 0.09-0.29) and seventh (0.18; 95% CI, 0.08-0.30) editions. Conclusions and Relevance The MEGNA prognostic score allows more accurate and superior estimation of patient survival after hepatectomy compared with current staging systems.
What One Is Worth And What One Believes One Is Worth

You have heard the old saying: "if you could buy him for what he is worth and sell him for what he thinks he is worth, you could make a fortune." But it may indeed be the other way around. The crit...
A Review of the Cost-Effectiveness of Interventions to Prevent Sexual Transmission of HIV in the United States

Because resources to fund HIV prevention are limited, public health decision makers—such as health departments and HIV prevention community planning groups—need to know which prevention strategies are the most cost-effective. In the past several years, a number of studies have appeared in the literature that assess the cost-effectiveness of interventions to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV in the United States. Here, we comprehensively review 16 such studies and then outline an agenda for further research to advance the cost-effectiveness literature and to make the findings of these studies more useful for public health decision makers. The research summarized here provides compelling evidence that interventions to prevent sexual transmission of HIV can be highly cost-effective. Small-group, community-level, and outreach-based sexual risk reduction interventions, in particular, appear to be very efficient strategies for preventing the spread of HIV in moderate- to high-risk populations.
Sharing Worldviews through Cartography

Plenary Introduction given by Kari J. Craun, U.S. Geological Survey 7/3/2017 at the International Cartographic Conference in Washington, DC, USA
Evaluation of metal foam based thermoelectric generators for automobile waste heat recovery

Abstract This paper focuses on harvesting heat emitted by exhaust systems efficiently using thermoelectric generators (TEGs) and converting it to electricity. In a TEG that employs gaseous working fluid, up to 80% of the thermal resistance is due to the gas side. Maximizing the energy transferred from the hot exhaust gas to the hot side of the thermoelectric modules by suitable enhancement techniques can result in an efficiency gain for the TEG. To this end, we have investigated the performance of metal foam-based heat exchangers for reducing thermal resistance of the hot side in TEGs. A computational model of the metal foam-enhanced TEG, solving for the coupled thermal and electrical energy transfer processes, was developed to investigate the enhancement in system performance for a range of metal foam porosities and pore densities, and mass flow rates of the exhaust gas. Skutterudites with multiple cofillers were selected as thermoelectric materials. The primary performance metrics that were analyzed include the electrical power output and the associated pressure drop for various inlet conditions of the exhaust gas. Based on the trade-off between the increased pumping power required to offset the increase in pressure drop, and the gain in heat transfer coefficient with increase in mass flow rate of the exhaust gas, an optimal mass flow rate that maximizes the net electric power produced by the metal foam-enhanced TEG was obtained. The results show a critical exhaust flow rate for different pore densities of metal foam beyond which the net electric power produced by the TEG is less than of the TEG with no metal foam. At this critical flow rate, the maximum net electric power produced from exhaust waste heat by metal foam enhanced TEG is 5.7 (20 PPI) to 7.8 (5 PPI) times higher than that generated by the configuration without metal foam.
Risk, Precaution, and Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology offers much promise, both in terms of the development of new nanotechnology and the development of novel uses for extant nanotechnology. Alongside these developments, commentators enumerate various associated risks; such risks could be specific (e.g., environmental, economic) or else more general (e.g., social, ethical). But comparatively little conceptual work has been done on the very nature of ‘risk’: what does it mean for something to be a risk (or to carry a risk)? And how does the nature of risk integrate, most fundamentally, with rational deliberation? On this latter question, proposals are often made regarding cost-benefit analysis or precautionary principles, but there are various issues with these proposals.
The Role of Top Management Teams in Firm Responses to Performance Cues

Past research in the Behavioral Theory of the Firm has extensively examined the impact of performance feedback on organizational search and risk taking. Yet, those studies have overlooked a key pos...
Nano-formulations composed of cell membrane-specific cellular lipid extracts derived from target cells: physicochemical characterization and in vitro evaluation using cellular models of breast carcinoma

Highly selective drug targeting is an important goal in the development of cancer nanotechnologies. In an effort to improve tumor targeting a method was developed to formulate cell membrane lipid-extracted nanoliposomes (CLENs). The main ingredients were extracted directly from the membrane of cancer cells. For this study we used three different breast cancer cell lines (4 T1, BT-20, and SK-BR-3). As controls for the normal breast and cancer tissue environments we employed the normal breast fibroblast (CRL-2089) and ovarian cancer (SK-OV-3) cell lines, respectively. We evaluated physicochemical properties, efficiency of drug loading, cellular uptake, and cytotoxicity. The mean diameter and zeta potential values for the 5 different CLENs were 202 ± 38 nm and − 15 ± 3.8 mv, respectively. Doxorubicin hydrochloride (5 mol%) increased the size of 4 T1-CLENs from 158 ± 2 nm to 212 ± 59 nm, with no significant change in the negatively-charged surface potential. Percent of drug loaded ranged from 40 to 93%, varying according to the ratio of lipid extract to conventional components employed. The additional inclusion of cholesterol and DPPE-PEG5000 increased drug loading in CLENs, similar to Doxil preparations. The most promising cellular uptake and cytotoxicity profiles were observed when the lipid ingredients were derived from the eventual target cell. Given the ability of CLENs to better recognize target cells compared to nanosystems consisting of non-specific lipid extracts or conventional liposome ingredients alone, CLENs has demonstrated early promise as a nano-delivery system for cancer treatment.
Day-ahead building-level load forecasts using deep learning vs. traditional time-series techniques

Abstract Load forecasting problems have traditionally been addressed using various statistical methods, among which autoregressive integrated moving average with exogenous inputs (ARIMAX) has gained the most attention as a classical time-series modeling method. Recently, the booming development of deep learning techniques make them promising alternatives to conventional data-driven approaches. While deep learning offers exceptional capability in handling complex non-linear relationships, model complexity and computation efficiency are of concern. A few papers have explored the possibility of applying deep neural networks to forecast time-series load data but only limited to system-level or single-step building-level forecasting. This study, however, aims at filling in the knowledge gap of deep learning-based techniques for day-ahead multi-step load forecasting in commercial buildings. Two classical deep neural network models, namely recurrent neural network (RNN) and convolutional neural network (CNN), have been proposed and formulated under both recursive and direct multi-step manners. Their performances are compared with the Seasonal ARIMAX model with regard to accuracy, computational efficiency, generalizability and robustness. Among all of the investigated deep learning techniques, the gated 24-h CNN model, performed in a direct multi-step manner, proves itself to have the best performance, improving the forecasting accuracy by 22.6% compared to that of the seasonal ARIMAX.
R-Matrix Analysis of 235U Neutron Transmission and Cross-Section Measurements in the 0- to 2.25-keV Energy Range

A new R-matrix analysis of the {sup 235}U cross-section data in the 0- to 2250-eV energy region is presented. The analysis was performed with the SAMMY computer code that has recently been updated to permit, for the first time, inclusion of both differential and integral data within the analysis process. Fourteen differential data sets and six integral quantities were used in this evaluation: two measurements of fission plus capture, one of fission plus absorption, six of fission alone, two of transmission, and one of eta, plus standard values of thermal cross sections for fission and capture, and of K1 and the Westcott g factors for both fission and absorption. An excellent representation was obtained for the high-resolution transmission, fission, and capture cross-section data as well for the integral quantities. The result is a single set of resonance parameters spanning the entire range up to 2250 eV, a decided improvement over the present ENDF/B-VI evaluation, in which 11 discrete resonance parameter sets are required to cover that same energy range. This new evaluation is expected to greatly improve predictability of the criticality safety margins for nuclear systems in which {sup 235}U is present.
Integrating Cavity Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy of Trace Gases and Bulk Compounds

The Raman spectra of trace gases and bulk compounds are measured using an integrating cavity enhanced Raman spectroscopy technique. The technique utilizes an integrating cavity formed from fumed silica providing significant Raman signal enhancement. © 2019 The Author(s)
Control of cartilage homeostasis and osteoarthritis progression by mTORC1/4E-BP/eIF4E axis

ABSTRACT As world population growing older, burden of age-related conditions soars. One of them is osteoarthritis (OA), a debilitating joint disease with no effective treatment. Articular cartilage degeneration is a central event in OA, and changes in expression of many genes in OA cartilage are well-documented. Still, the specific mechanisms are rarely known. We showed that in OA cartilage the increased abundance of many proteins, including extracellular matrix protein Fibronectin (Fn1) and an orphan nuclear receptor Nr4a1 is translationally controlled and requires inactivation of 4EBP, an inhibitor of cap-dependent translation. Importantly, intra-articular injection of the translation inhibitor 4E1RCat reduces Fn1 and Nr4a upregulation in a rodent OA model and delays cartilage degeneration. Our results support the hypothesis that maintaining proper translational control is an important homeostatic mechanism, the loss of which contributes to OA development.
Recovering value from single stream material recovery facilities – An outbound contamination analysis in Florida

The single stream recycling (SSR) program is a process in which all recyclable materials are deposited into a single collection bin. SSR has gained popularity in the U.S. due to its inherent abilities in waste collection, and specifically, in Florida, more than twenty counties have recently switched their recycling program from dual stream recycling (DSR) to SSR. Despite a more efficient collection process, mixing all recyclable materials into a single bin can lead to cross contamination even before reaching material recovery facilities (MRFs). This study aims to provide a better understanding of the sorting process and equipment in MRFs, and the impact of the SSR program on contamination rates in outbound materials that were processed through Florida's recycling systems. First, we investigate the audit data obtained from a currently operating MRF in Florida using mass flow analysis to identify the most problematic recyclable streams and the processes with low efficiency and high false separation rates. According to our results, the sorting rates of mixed paper, glass and plastics are under the industry standards. Moreover, we investigate the outbound contamination rates of 35 old corrugated cardboard (OCC) and 266 old newsprints (ONP) samples obtained from four currently operating MRFs in Florida. Based on the results, only 31.4% of OCC samples and none of the ONP samples were within the accepted mills' standards for contamination rates. This study provides valuable insights for lowering contamination and raising the end-product quality by identifying the problematic contaminants and processes in sorting and separation in MRFs.
Are we teaching our students visual communication? Evaluation of writing assignments in public health.

Visuals are an important means through which public health data can be communicated to diverse audiences, yet many public health students are not trained to develop effective visuals. We evaluated ...
Vaping associated lung injury: A potentially life-threatening epidemic in US youth.

Background The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has identified a national outbreak in the United States of over 2600 cases of e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI), including 60 deaths as of January 2020. We describe our experience in six adolescents. Material and methods We identified all pediatric patients diagnosed with EVALI by CDC guidelines over a 6-month period at our health system. Clinical presentation, hospital course, and imaging were reviewed. Results Six patients were identified (three males, three females; median age 18.5 years). Presenting symptoms varied, including constitutional, gastrointestinal, neurologic, and respiratory complaints with pulmonary symptomatology becoming the dominant feature of the illness. Three patients required intensive care unit-level care, one of whom expired 36 days after presentation. Three had bronchoalveolar lavage, two with evidence of lipid-laden macrophages. Four had pulmonary function testing with various results. Admission chest radiographs in all revealed bibasilar interstitial infiltrate which rapidly progressed. Five patients had computed tomography chest imaging demonstrating: confluent pulmonary infiltrates with subpleural sparing (n = 2), generalized ground-glass opacities (n = 1), patchy ground-glass opacities (n = 1) and a reticulonodular pattern (n = 1). Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) obtained in two patients was normal in one and showed a focal signal abnormality in the corpus callosum in one. Conclusion We describe the clinical course and radiologic findings of EVALI in our adolescent patients and present a new finding in the brain not yet described in the literature. Given the diversity of presenting symptoms, a high level of suspicion for EVALI is necessary for patients reporting vaping product use regardless of the presence of pulmonary complaints. Brain MRI should be strongly considered in patients with neurologic symptoms.
Rising Out of Hatred: The Awakening of a Former White Nationalist

Eli Saslow’s Rising Out of Hatred: The Awakening of a Former White Nationalist tells the story of Derek Black’s transformation from a White nationalist to an advocate for racial equality. Most of t...
Multi-Dimensional Motivations and Experiences of Small-Scale Farmers

Preconceived notions exist about small-scale farmers in the U.S. Beyond research on new and beginning farmers, few empirical studies have learned directly from small-scale farmers in the U.S. about...