cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Downregulation of Key Early Events in the Mobilization of Antigen-bearing Dendritic Cells by Leukocyte Immunoglobulin-like Receptor B4 in a Mouse Model of Allergic Pulmonary Inflammation

Leukocyte Immunoglobulin-like Receptor B4 (LILRB4) null mice have an exacerbated T helper cell type 2 (Th2) immune response and pulmonary inflammation compared with Lilrb4+/+ animals when sensitized intranasally with ovalbumin (OVA) and low-dose lipopolysaccharide (LPS) followed by challenge with OVA. Moreover, OVA-challenged Lilrb4−/− mice exhibit greater migration of antigen (Ag)-bearing dendritic cells (DCs) to lymph nodes and accumulation of interleukin 4- and interleukin 5-producing lymph node lymphocytes. The main objective of this study was to determine how the absence of LILRB4 leads to a greater number of DCs in the lymph nodes of Ag-challenged mice and increased lung Th2 inflammation. Mice were sensitized intranasally with PBS alone or containing OVA and LPS; additional cohorts were subsequently challenged with OVA. Expression of chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 21 (CCL21) in the lung was assessed immunohistologically. OVA ingestion and expression of LILRB4 and chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 7 (CCR7) were quantified by flow cytometry. Inhalation of OVA and LPS induced upregulation of LILRB4 selectively on lung Ag-bearing DCs. After sensitization and challenge, the lung lymphatic vessels of Lilrb4−/− mice expressed more CCL21, a chemokine that directs the migration of DCs from peripheral tissue to draining lymph nodes, compared with Lilrb4+/+ mice. In addition, lung DCs of challenged Lilrb4−/− mice expressed more CCR7, the CCL21 receptor. The lungs of challenged Lilrb4−/− mice also contained significantly greater numbers of CD4+ cells expressing interleukin-4 or interleukin-5, consistent with the greater number of Ag-bearing DCs and Th2 cells in lymph nodes and the attendant exacerbated Th2 lung pathology. Our data establish a new mechanism by which LILRB4 can downregulate the development of pathologic allergic inflammation: reduced upregulation of key molecules needed for DC migration leading to decreases in Th2 cells in lymph nodes and their target tissue.
Signals from Intraventricular Depth Electrodes Can Control a Brain-Computer Interface

A brain-computer interface (BCI) is a device that enables severely disabled people to communicate and interact with their environments using their brain waves. Most research investigating BCI in humans have used scalp-recorded electroencephalography (EEG). We have recently demonstrated that signals from intracranial electrocorticography (ECoG) and stereotactic depth electrodes (SDE) in the hippocampus can be used to control a BCI P300 Speller paradigm. We report a case in which stereotactic depth electrodes positioned in the ventricle were able to obtain viable signals for a BCI. Our results demonstrate that event-related potentials from intraventricular electrodes can be used to reliably control the P300 Speller BCI paradigm.
The natural development of nocturnal bladder control.

SUMMARY The possibility of considering the childs reaction to the change from a dry state to a wet urinous state as an important variable in normal nocturnal bladder control is presented. The learning paradigm, ways in which the change can become aversive (innate and learned) and future research are discussed. RESUME Developpement naturel du controle vesical nocturne La possibilite de considerer la reaction de lenfant au passage dun etat sec a humide (urinaire) comme une variable importante du controle vesical nocturne normal est discutee. Les paradigmes dapprentissage, les voies par lesquelles ce passage peut devenir operant (inne ou appris) et des voies de recherche future sont egalement discutes. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Die naturliche Entwicklung der nachtlichen Blasenkontrolle Die Moglichkeit, die kindliche Reaktion auf den Wechsel vom Trockensein zum (urinosen) Nassein als einen wichtigen Faktor der normalen nachtlichen Blasenkontrolle zu betrachten, wird dargestellt. Das Lernparadigma, Wege, durch die der Wechsel aversiv werden kann (angeboren und erlernt) und die zuk unftigen Forschungsarbeiten werden diskutiert. RESUMEN Desarrollo natural del control nocturno de la vejiga Se presenta la posibilidad de considerar la reaccion del nino frente al cambio del estado seco al humedo (orina) como una variable importante en el control nocturno de la vejiga. Se discute el paradigma de aprendizaje, las vias por las cuales el cambio puede resultar aversivo (innato o aprendido), asi como las futuras investigaciones.
Silicon carbide electronic devices and integrated circuits for extreme environments

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a wide bandgap semiconductor that is highly suited for operation in extreme environments, including high temperatures and high levels of radiation. Electronic-grade wafers of SiC first became commercially available in the early 1990's, and since that time SiC electronic device technology has progressed rapidly. This work reviews the current status of electronic device technology in SiC and assess the prospects for applying this technology to operation in extreme environments.
A technique to examine the underlying mucosa in patients with AIDS and severe Candida esophagitis

Candida esophagitis is one of the most common op- portunistic infections in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The endoscopic severity of infection is variable, ranging from scat- tered mucosa) plaques with normal appearing inter- vening mucosa to circumferential disease with lumi- nal impingement. After endoscopy, for those with se- vere disease an oral-systemic antifungal therapy is administered and a symptomatic response assessed. If symptoms persist despite therapy, endoscopy is re- peated to determine the presence of any missed lesions. However, it is well-recognized that Candida esophagitis may coexist with other esophageal disor- ders in these patients. 1-4 The occurrence of multiple simultaneous processes makes definitive endoscopic examination important. We have evaluated patients with severe Candida esophagitis seen endoscopically whose symptoms failed to improve from antifungal therapy alone, and repeat endoscopy demonstrated clearance of Candida but with multiple esophageal ulcerations. These observations suggest that the ul- cerations were missed endoscopically as a result of the candidal plaques. The purpose of our study was to
Very low-loss distributed X-band and Ka-band MEMS phase shifters using metal-air-metal capacitors

2-bit wide-band distributed coplanar-waveguide phase shifters have been developed on a 500-/spl mu/m quartz substrate for X- and Ka-band operation. The designs utilize microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switches in a distributed MEMS transmission line periodically loaded by MEMS switches and high Q (/spl ges/250 at 30 GHz) metal-air-metal capacitors. The MEMS switches are actuated by a /spl plusmn/20-V voltage waveform using a high-resistance bias line. Estimated spring constant and switching time is 30 N/m and 9 /spl mu/s, respectively. The Ka-band 2-bit design results in a reflection coefficient better than -11.5 dB, an average insertion loss of -1.5 dB and phase shifts of 0/spl deg/, 89/spl deg/, 180/spl deg/, and 270/spl deg/ at 37.7 GHz. The X-band 2-bit design results in a reflection coefficient better than -12.5 dB, an average insertion loss of -1.2 dB and phase shifts of 0/spl deg/, 94/spl deg/, 176/spl deg/, and 270/spl deg/ at 13.6 GHz. These results are very competitive with switched transmission-line and reflection-based phase shifters. The distributed design can be easily scaled to V- and W-band frequencies for wide-band low-loss performance.
Contrast enhanced photolithography

This paper introduces a new method, contrast enhancement, which improves the imaging properties of conventional photoresist through the use of a photobleachable layer applied to the resist surface. Contrast enhancement allows high contrast photopatterns to be formed even when low contrast illumination is used. A short discussion of the theory and an experimental demonstration of the method are presented.
Evolutionary geomorphology: thresholds and nonlinearity in landform response to environmental change

Abstract. Geomorphic systems are typically nonlinear, owing largely to their threshold-dominated nature (but due to other factors as well). Nonlinear geomorphic systems may exhibit complex behaviors not possible in linear systems, including dynamical instability and deterministic chaos. The latter are common in geomorphology, indicating that small, short-lived changes may produce disproportionately large and long-lived results; that evidence of geomorphic change may not reflect proportionally large external forcings; and that geomorphic systems may have multiple potential response trajectories or modes of adjustment to change. Instability and chaos do not preclude predictability, but do modify the context of predictability. The presence of chaotic dynamics inhibits or excludes some forms of predicability and prediction techniques, but does not preclude, and enables, others. These dynamics also make spatial and historical contingency inevitable: geography and history matter. Geomorphic systems are thus governed by a combination of "global" laws, generalizations and relationships that are largely (if not wholly) independent of time and place, and "local" place and/or time-contingent factors. The more factors incorporated in the representation of any geomorphic system, the more singular the results or description are. Generalization is enhanced by reducing rather than increasing the number of factors considered. Prediction of geomorphic responses calls for a recursive approach whereby global laws and local contingencies are used to constrain each other. More specifically a methodology whereby local details are embedded within simple but more highly general phenomenological models is advocated. As landscapes and landforms change in response to climate and other forcings, it cannot be assumed that geomorphic systems progress along any particular pathway. Geomorphic systems are evolutionary in the sense of being path dependent, and historically and geographically contingent. Assessing and predicting geomorphic responses obliges us to engage these contingencies, which often arise from nonlinear complexities. We are obliged, then, to practice evolutionary geomorphology: an approach to the study of surface processes and landforms which recognizes multiple possible historical pathways rather than an inexorable progression toward some equilbribrium state or along a cyclic pattern.
Validating Measures of Real-World Outcome: The Results of the VALERO Expert Survey and RAND Panel

Background: People with schizophrenia demonstrate considerable discrepancy between self-reported functioning and informant reports. It is not clear whether these discrepancies originate from the instruments used or from the perspectives of different informants. The goal of the Validation of Everyday Real-World Outcomes (VALERO) Study is to enhance the measurement of real-world (RW) outcomes in the social, residential, and vocational domains through selection of optimal scales and informants using a multistep process similar to the Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS) initiative. Methods: Forty-eight experts provided their opinion regarding the best scales measuring RW outcomes. Fifty-nine measures were nominated. The investigators selected the 11 scales that were the most highly nominated, had the most published validity data, and best represented the domains of interest. Information was provided to other experts who served as RAND panelists. Panelists rated each measure for its suitability across multiple a priori domains. Discrepant ratings were discussed until consensus was reached. Results: Following the RAND Panel, the 2 scales that scored highest across the various criteria for each of the classes of scales (hybrid, social functioning, and everyday living skills) were selected for use in the first substudy of VALERO. The scales selected were the Quality-of-Life Scale, Specific Levels of Functioning Scale, Social Behavior Schedule, Social Functioning Scale, Independent Living Skills Schedule, and Life Skills Profile. Discussion: The results show that although there are significant limitations with current scales used for the assessment of RW outcome in schizophrenia, a consensus is possible. Further, several existing instruments were rated as useful for measuring social, residential, and vocational outcomes.
Positive Schiff reactivity of aortic elastin without prior HIO 4 oxidation; influence of maturity and a suggested source of the aldehyde.

Rat aortic elastin contains a non-periodic acid-engendered aldehyde that reacts with either conventional pH 2.5 Schiff's reagent or a Schiff's reagent of pH 6.7. The elastin of animals 20 and 40 days old was colored a vivid purple-red, whereas the elastin from 18-mo-old animals was not stained. Elastin from the young animals when subjected to aldehyde blockage prior to HIO4 oxidation was not stained. Histochemical and biochemical literature of the past 10 yr pertinent to Schiff and periodic acid-Schiff reactivity with elastin indicate that an intermediate compound, α-amino adipic-δ-semialdehyde, formed during the conversion of lysin to one of several cross linking amino acids found in elastin, is the source of the aldehyde responsible for the direct Schiff reaction.
Microwave-assisted “green” synthesis of 2-alkyl/arylbenzothiazoles in one pot: A facile approach to anti-tumor drugs

A series of new 2-alkyl/arylbenzothiazoles has been synthesized on the basis of the potent and selective in vitro anti-tumor properties of 2-(3,4-diethoxyphenyl)-5-fluorobenzothiazole. The synthesis of benzothiazole analogs was achieved via microwave irradiation of a 1:1 mixture of o-aminothiophenol and alkyl/aryl acylacetonitriles at temperature of 200°C for 10 min. The yields are very good to excellent. All the products were characterized by 1H nmr, 13C nmr and elemental analysis.
Soft-Decode-and-Forward for Asynchronous Wireless Networks with Doubly-Selective Fading

A new soft-decode-and-forward (SDF) relay strategy for asynchronous wireless networks is presented in this paper. Unlike most previous works that assume simplified or idealized channel conditions, the new SDF relay strategy is designed to operate in practical asynchronous wireless networks with doubly-selective (both time-selective and frequency selective) fading. To combat the impairments caused by doubly-selective fading, as well as to preserve the correlation between signals delivered by the source and the relay, the relay nodes perform soft decoding, and forward reliability information to destination. A block decision feedback equalizer (BDFE) is employed at relay nodes to extract the soft information from the distorted signals. Distributed orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is adopted to cope with node asynchronism and fading time dispersion. Distributed OFDM systems in the literature were usually developed based on the assumption of perfect decoding at relay nodes, and such unrealistic assumption is not required by the new SDF relay strategy. Simulation results show that the new SDF method can flexibly adapt to the dynamic signal qualities at relay nodes, and it always outperforms the decode-and-forward relay strategy with hard decoding at relay.
A Job‐Oriented Management Workshop

A management workshop is described which is designed to increase effectiveness within managerial groups including three levels of management. The workshop emphasizes a structured analysis of job and function, rather than individuals, as indicated by the five workshop topic areas: 1 organization posture 2 objectives of the managers within group 3 barriers to meeting objectives 4 analysis of organization environment 5 action required to meet objectives Prior research had indicated the need for managerial learning in these areas.
Hydraulic limitations imposed by crown placement determine final size and shape of Quercus rubra L. leaves

The canopies of large broad-leaf trees exhibit significant heterogeneity in both micro-environmental conditions and leaf morphology. Whether the visible differences in the size and shape of leaves from the top and bottom of the crown are determined prior to bud break or result from different patterns of leaf expansion is not known. Analysis of ontogenetic changes of both the degree of lobing and vein density in Quercus rubra demonstrates that leaves throughout the crown are identical in size and shape at the time of bud break. Morphological adaptation to the local microenvironment takes place during the expansion phase and starts after the determination of the vascular architecture has been completed. Leaves from the bottom of the crown undergo greater expansion in the tissue close to the main veins than occurs either in the more peripheral tissue of the same leaf or anywhere in leaves from the top of the crown. This results in a water transport system that is well suited to the low evaporative rates near the bottom of the crown, but inadequate for the conditions found at the top of the tree. Acclimation of leaf form and function based upon differential expansion may be entirely driven by the local hydraulic demand during the expansion phase, resulting in leaf size and vein density being determined during development by the same hydraulic properties which will constrain the size of leaf that can be functionally supported at maturity.
Parallel cuda implementation of conflict detection for application to airspace deconfliction

Methods for maintaining separation between aircraft in the current airspace system rely heavily on human operators. A conflict is an event in which two or more aircraft experience a loss of minimum allowable separation. Interest has grown in developing more advanced automation tools to predict when a traffic conflict is going to occur and to assist in its resolution. The term air space deconfliction is used to describe the resolution of conflicts after they have been predicted or detected. Due to the computationally intensive character of conflict detection and airspace deconfliction, as well as their data parallel nature, they are naturally amenable to parallel processing. This work discusses a parallel implementation of a conflict detection algorithm for application to airspace deconfliction. It uses the NVIDIA Quadro FX 5800 and the Tesla C1060 graphical processing units (GPUs) in conjunction with the Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA) hardware/software architecture. Details of the implementation are discussed, including the use of streams for asynchronous programming and the use of multiple GPUs. The performance of the parallel implementation is compared to that of an equivalent sequential version and shown to exhibit improvement in execution time. Recommendations are provided to further improve performance of the algorithm.
Impacts of Unsaturated Zone Properties on Oxygen Transport and Aquifer Reaeration

This study investigated the unsaturated zone properties that affect ground water reaeration (i.e., the diffusive flux of oxygen through the unsaturated zone and into an aquifer system). Laboratory column experiments were undertaken to quantify oxygen flux into anaerobic ground water as a function of soil type, soil water content, soil oxygen demand, and unsaturated zone thickness. Soils used in these studies included coarse sand, sand, loamy fine sand, fine sandy loam, silt, silty clay loam, bentonite, kaolin, and peat. The results showed that reaeration flux rates ranging from 11,000 to 12,000 mg/m2-day were possible under conditions typical of the natural environment. Soil water content provided the greatest resistance to oxygen transport in the unsaturated zone while the remaining factors of soil type, soil oxygen demand, and unsaturated zone thickness did not significantly inhibit reaeration flux into ground water. An unsaturated zone transport model based on Fick's second law and gas-liquid interfacial mass transport was developed and showed good agreement with the experimental results derived from the column studies. The results of this study suggest that unsaturated zone reaeration of anaerobic ground water may be a contributing factor in controlling the steady–state size and shape of hydrocarbon plumes and incorporating reaeration into ground water models—based on unsaturated zone properties—may allow for a more accurate representation of bioattenuation reactions taking place in subsurface environments.
Reduction of Intracellular pH Is Not the Mechanism for the Synergistic Interaction Between Photodynamic Therapy and Nigericin

Previous studies showed that photodynamic therapy (PDT) sensitized by aluminum phthalocyanine can be dramatically potentiated by the K+/H+ ionophore nigericin. Nigericin equilibrates intracellular pH (pHi) and extracellular pH (pHe) and is most effective in potentiating PDT damage when cells are in an acidic environment (pH 6.5-6.7). We therefore hypothesized that the ability of nigericin to lower pHi is causally related to its ability to potentiate PDT. To test this, the pHi of A549 cells was reduced using pHe-adjusted growth medium, with or without addition of amiloride and 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid, inhibitors of the membrane-based exchangers responsible for regulating pHi. Using fluorescence ratio imaging, we found that pHi can be equilibrated to within +/- 0.05 pH unit, in the pH range of 6.0-6.8, for up to 1 h after pHe adjustment. Cells equilibrated to various pHi were subjected to PDT at various light fluences, then plated for clonogenic survival immediately after PDT treatment. There is no significant effect of lowering pHi, to values as low as 6.23, on the toxicity of PDT, regardless of whether pHi is lowered by adjustment of the medium alone or by addition of exchange inhibitors. However, cells equilibrated to pHi 6.0 are more sensitive to PDT, with survival reduced by 1 log at 20 kJ/m2 and 1.5 log at 30 kJ/m2, relative to cells treated at a pHi of 6.8 (controls). In contrast, 20 microM nigericin in medium at pHe 6.7 reduces pHi to 6.55, but reduces the surviving fraction at 20 kJ/m2 by nearly 3 logs relative to controls. These data conclusively demonstrate that the ability of nigericin to potentiate PDT is not directly related to its ability to lower pHi. Furthermore, they show that the expression of PDT damage is independent of pHi, except at the very low value of 6.0. Photodynamic therapy does not induce apoptosis in A549 cells, at surviving fractions of 0.1 to 0.01, under any of the treatment conditions used in this study.
An Oscillatory Short-Term Memory Buffer Model Can Account for Data on the Sternberg Task

A limited number (7 +/- 2) of items can be held in human short-term memory (STM). We have previously suggested that observed dual (theta and gamma) oscillations could underlie a multiplexing mechanism that enables a single network to actively store up to seven memories. Here we have asked whether models of this kind can account for the data on the Sternberg task, the most quantitative measurements of memory search available. We have found several variants of the oscillatory search model that account for the quantitative dependence of the reaction time distribution on the number of items (S) held in STM. The models differ on the issues of (1) whether theta frequency varies with S and (2) whether the phase of ongoing oscillations is reset by the probe. Using these models the frequencies of dual oscillations can be derived from psychophysical data. The derived values (ftheta = 6-10 Hz; fgamma = 45-60 Hz) are in reasonable agreement with experimental values. The exhaustive nature of the serial search that has been inferred from psychophysical measurements can be plausibly explained by these oscillatory models. One argument against exhaustive serial search has been the existence of serial position effects. We find that these effects can be explained by short-term repetition priming in the context of serial scanning models. Our results strengthen the case for serial processing and point to experiments that discriminate between variants of the serial scanning process.
NONSEGMENTAL INFLUENCES ON VELUM MOVEMENT PATTERNS: SYLLABLES, SENTENCES, STRESS, AND SPEAKING RATE

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the nonsegmental influences on velic movements and describes them in terms of the characteristic articulatory patterns. The notion that syllables are units of motor organization goes back at least to 1928, when Stetson proposed that pulses of expiratory muscle activity divide the speech stream into syllable-sized units. Stetson's data on pulmonary air pressure and his observations of chest wall movement appeared to support this hypothesis; however, subsequent electromyographic research by Draper, Ladefoged, and Whitteridge showed that there was no systematic relation between respiratory muscle activity and the syllable. In later studies, the focus shifted from respiratory to articulatory patterns that might correlate with syllable organization. Another nonsegmental variable affecting velic movement patterns is speaking rate. An increase in speaking rate is associated with greater overlap of gestures for adjacent and near-adjacent segments. Furthermore, cross-speaker comparisons showed a relation between speaking rate and extent of overlap. That is, the speaker with the fastest self-selected normal rate in Bell–Berti and Krakow produced most utterances with single-stage velic lowering overlapping vocalic and nasal consonantal gestures, whereas the speaker with the slowest normal rate produced many more utterances in which two or more stages of lowering were evident.
Interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-13 Enhance the Effect of IL-1β on Production of IL-1 Receptor Antagonist by Human Primary Hepatocytes and Hepatoma HepG2 Cells: Differential Effect on C-Reactive Protein Production

Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) is produced by hepatocytes with characteristics of an acute-phase protein. To examine the role of IL-4 and IL-13 in production of IL-1Ra, human primary hepatocytes and HepG2 human hepatoma cells were cultured in the presence of IL-4 or IL-13 in combination with IL-1beta and/or IL-6. The results indicated that both IL-4 and IL-13 amplified the stimulatory effect of IL-1beta on production of IL-1Ra protein and messenger RNA (mRNA) by both human primary hepatocytes and HepG2 cells. IL-1Ra refers to three different peptides, one secreted (sIL-1Ra) and two intracellular (icIL-1RaI and icIL-1RaII), derived from the same gene. sIL-1Ra and icIL-1RaI are the products of two different mRNA, whereas icIL-1RaII is synthesized by alternative translation initiation mainly from sIL-1Ra mRNA. Our results show that both sIL-1Ra and icIL-1RaII, but not icIL-1RaI, are produced by HepG2 cells and human hepatocytes. Transient transfection experiments as well as mRNA stability studies indicated that IL-4 stimulated sIL-1Ra production primarly at the level of transcription. Gel retardation assays showed that IL-4 induced the formation of a STAT6-DNA complex with a STAT6 binding element within the sIL-1Ra promoter, but had no effect on IL-1-induced NF-kappaB binding activity. In contrast to IL-1Ra, production of C-reactive protein by human primary hepatocytes was stimulated by IL-6 and decreased by the addition of IL-4.
Transcranial direct current stimulation transiently increases the blood-brain barrier solute permeability in vivo

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive electrical stimulation technique investigated for a broad range of medical and performance indications. Whereas prior studies have focused exclusively on direct neuron polarization, our hypothesis is that tDCS directly modulates endothelial cells leading to transient changes in blood-brain-barrier (BBB) permeability (P) that are highly meaningful for neuronal activity. For this, we developed state-of-the-art imaging and animal models to quantify P to various sized solutes after tDCS treatment. tDCS was administered using a constant current stimulator to deliver a 1mA current to the right frontal cortex of rat (approximately 2 mm posterior to bregma and 2 mm right to sagittal suture) to obtain similar physiological outcome as that in the human tDCS application studies. Sodium fluorescein (MW=376), or FITC-dextrans (20K and 70K), in 1% BSA mammalian Ringer was injected into the rat (SD, 250-300g) cerebral circulation via the ipsilateral carotid artery by a syringe pump at a constant rate of ~3 ml/min. To determine P, multiphoton microscopy with 800-850 nm wavelength laser was applied to take the images from the region of interest (ROI) with proper microvessels, which are 100-200 micron below the pia mater. It shows that the relative increase in P is about 8-fold for small solute, sodium fluorescein, ~35-fold for both intermediate sized (Dex-20k) and large (Dex-70k) solutes, 10 min after 20 min tDCS pretreatment. All of the increased permeability returns to the control after 20 min post treatment. The results confirmed our hypothesis.
Life History of Exitianus exitiosus (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) in the Laboratory

Male and female Exitianus exitiosus Uhler completed development from egg to adult in 55.2 and 60.2 days, respectively, on hard red spring wheat, Triticum aestivum L. (cv. CI 13608). Oviposition typically began 4–5 days after pairing and continued for the life of the female. The eggs were usually deposited just under the epidermal layer of the leaf sheath. Host range studies indicated that wheat, barley, and green foxtail are suitable breeding hosts for culturing large numbers of this leafhopper in the laboratory.
Effect of Si and P on the Formation and Crystallization of Ti25Hf50Ni25 Metallic Glasses

Ti255Hf50Ni25 metallic glasses, prepared by rapid quenching, are strongly metastable with a 65°C separation between the glass transition temperature, Tg = 335°C, and the onset temperature for primary crystallization. The deep metastability of the glass is likely due to sluggish nucleation and growth kinetics, limited by the Hf diffusion. The glass crystallizes to a nano-scale microstructure consisting of an icosahedrally symmetric ordered phase. This phase is metastable and transforms to a stable Ti2Ni-type phase with annealing at higher temperatures. The primary crystallization to a metastable icosahedrally-ordered phase suggests that the local structure of the glass contains a high degree of icosahedral short-range order. Here, glass formation and crystallization were studied in alloys containing 2 at.of Si and P.
An Analysis of Correlated Multivariate Binary Data: Application to Familial Cancers of the Ovary and Breast

SUMMARY The association between ovarian and breast cancer, both within and between family members, is examined using pooled data from five case-control studies. The occurrences of these diseases in sisters and mothers are analysed using a quadratic exponential model, which is an extension of the model of Zhao and Prentice for correlated univariate data. An advantage of this model is that the associations between pairs of diseases and pairs of relatives, which are of primary importance, are related to simple functions of its parameters. Also, the model applies to non-randomly sampled data, such as the case-control data, because it completely specifies the joint distribution of responses. A major weakness is that it is not immediately applicable to studies of families of different sizes. None-the-less, we find it to be useful under certain conditions, such as rare diseases. Our analysis of the data suggests that the risk of ovarian cancer is highly dependent on maternal history.
TH-D-BRC-00: Educational Point Counter/Point: Has Photon RT Hit the Limits?

Interest in proton therapy has increased dramatically in the past couple of years, especially in the United States. There certainly is an important place for proton therapy in the arsenal of cancer treatments. Its dosimetric advantage and potential for low toxicity makes it the perfect partner for photons and other cancer treatment modalities. Often there is a belief that the new technology ought to be better but many believe that they should be widely adopted in the clinic only after evidence has shown that they are at least as safe and efficacious as existing technologies, which are often less expensive. This is the case for proton radiotherapy. This session being both educational and debate will provide a good review of basics and technological advancement as well as a comprehensive clinical update for both proton and photon therapy. Future technology developments and how they will impact the potential dosimetric advantage of proton therapy will be discussed. Particularly the debate will focus on whether these developments will close or widen the gap between photon and proton therapy. Learning Objectives: 1.To review challenges, limitations, and recent and future developments in proton therapy. 2.To review challenges, limitations, recent and future developments in photon radiotherapy. 3.To review current clinical trials and challenging clinical cases. C. Yu, No company or organization that my presentation mentions provided me with financial support. I am the Founder and CEO of Xcision Medical Systems, LLC. However, my presentation will not mention any product or technology developed by Xcision.
On the Stability of a Variable Step Exponential Splitting Method for Solving Multidimensional Quenching-Combustion Equations

This paper concerns the numerical stability of a splitting scheme for solving the three-dimensional degenerate quenching-combustion equation. The diffusion-type nonlinear equation possess highly nonlinear source terms, and is extremely important to the study of numerical combustions. Arbitrary fixed nonuniform spatial grids, which are not necessarily symmetric, are considered in our investigation. The numerical solution is advanced through a semi-adaptive exponential splitting strategy. The temporal adaptation is achieved via a suitable arc-length monitoring mechanism. Criteria for preserving the linear numerical stability of the decomposition method is proven under the spectral norm. A new stability criterion is proposed.
Analytic determination of rectangular-pinhole sensitivity with penetration

Modern small-animal SPECT systems use multiple pinhole apertures per detector to obtain high sensitivity while still maintaining high resolution. This resolution is a combination of aperture resolution combined with detector resolution, which is mitigated by magnification. Higher magnification results in better resolution, but fewer apertures per detector. When multiple apertures project onto the same detector, apertures with a rectangular field of view (FOV) can be packed more tightly than circular apertures. In addition, a rectangular aperture can be used to obtain different resolution-sensitivity tradeoffs in the two orthogonal directions. Thus, these apertures can have independent FOVs and independent resolution values in the two directions of the rectangular aperture. Previous work has determined the amount of penetration for circular apertures, where the pinhole walls were modeled as cones. In this work, a formula for the penetrative sensitivity for rectangular apertures with a rectangular FOV was determined. The formula was vali- dated using numerical calculations for numerous combinations of acceptance angles, aperture sizes, linear attenuation coefficients, and incidence angles.
Mechanisms Driving Gender Differences in Asthma

Many phenotypes of asthma exist, ranging from mild asthma with onset during childhood to severe asthma with later onset, making asthma a broad disease with different pathologies. A gender disparity exists in asthma prevalence. As adults, women have an increased asthma prevalence compared to men. Further, women are more likely to have severe asthma and a later onset of asthma compared to men. Here, we review clinical and animal studies that have defined the role of sex hormones in airway inflammation, smooth muscle contraction, mucus production, and airway mechanics associated with asthma pathogenesis. Clinical evidence shows that increased asthma symptoms occur in females starting at puberty compared to those in boys. However, after puberty, the role for sex hormones in regulating asthma symptoms during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause is not as clear. Animal studies have shown that estrogen increases and testosterone decreases Th2-mediated airway inflammation, and that females have increased IL-17A-mediated airway inflammation compared to males. Further, females had increased DC and Mϕ function compared to males. However, the mechanisms driving the types of allergic inflammation are not fully elucidated. Overall, ovarian hormones increased and testosterone decreased airway inflammation in asthma, but the mechanisms remain unclear. Delineating these pathways using animal models as well as women and men with various phenotypes of asthma will help determine if women with asthma should take (or avoid) hormonal contraceptives as well as predict changes in asthma symptoms during life phases, including pregnancy and menopause, when sex hormones are dramatically changing.
Neutron-scattering study of magnetism in Nd 2 BaNiO 5

Single crystals of the linear chain phase ${\mathrm{Nd}}_{2}$${\mathrm{BaNiO}}_{5+\mathrm{\ensuremath{\delta}}}$ [\ensuremath{\delta}=0.005(1)] have been prepared and the magnetism studied by neutron scattering. The Ni-O chain direction is along the short axis a. Long-range antiferromagnetic order sets in below ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{N}}$=48 K with Nd and Ni moments parallel to [001]. The ${\mathrm{Nd}}_{2}$${\mathrm{BaNiO}}_{5}$ magnetic cell is doubled along a and c relative to the chemical unit cell. The magnitude of the moments at 4.9 K is 2.7(2) and 1.2(1)${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}_{\mathit{B}}$ for Nd and Ni, respectively.
Towards printing as an electronics manufacturing method: Micro-scale chiplet position control

We address the problem of position control of micro-chips (chiplets) immersed in dielectric fluid. An electric field, shaped by controlling the voltages of spiral shaped electrodes, is used to reliably and accurately transport and position chiplets using dielectrophoretic forces. A lumped, capacitive based (nonlinear) motion model is used to generate an open loop control policy. The open loop policy is generated using a one step model predictive control approach. By exploiting the spatial symmetry and periodicity of the open loop control solution, a real-time control scheme is designed by applying simple algebraic operations to a base function defined on a finite domain. The chiplet position is tracked using image processing algorithms. We demonstrate the validity of our approach by describing an experimental result, where real-time control is used to move a chiplet for 1000µm in a controlled manner.
Localization of endogenous amyloid-β to the coeruleo-cortical pathway: consequences of noradrenergic depletion

The locus coeruleus (LC)-norepinephrine (NE) system is an understudied circuit in the context of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and is thought to play an important role in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases involving catecholamine neurotransmitters. Understanding the expression and distribution of the amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide, a primary component of AD, under basal conditions and under conditions of NE perturbation within the coeruleo-cortical pathway may be important for understanding its putative role in pathological states. Thus, the goal of this study is to define expression levels and the subcellular distribution of endogenous Aβ with respect to noradrenergic profiles in the rodent LC and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and, further, to determine the functional relevance of NE in modulating endogenous Aβ42 levels. We report that endogenous Aβ42 is localized to tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactive somatodendritic profiles of the LC and dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DβH) immunoreactive axon terminals of the infralimbic mPFC (ILmPFC). Male and female naive rats have similar levels of amyloid precursor protein (APP) cleavage products demonstrated by western blot, as well as similar levels of endogenous Aβ42 as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Two models of NE depletion, DSP-4 lesion and DβH knockout (KO) mice, were used to assess the functional relevance of NE on endogenous Aβ42 levels. DSP-4 lesioned rats and DβH-KO mice show significantly lower levels of endogenous Aβ42. Noradrenergic depletion did not change APP-cleavage products resulting from β-secretase processing. Thus, resultant decreases in endogenous Aβ42 may be due to decreased neuronal activity of noradrenergic neurons, or, by decreased stimulation of adrenergic receptors which are known to contribute to Aβ42 production by enhancing γ-secretase processing under normal physiological conditions.
Assessing Global Learning in Short-term Study Abroad: Population, Environment, and Society in Shanghai

This teaching note suggests that a short-term study abroad program embedded within a longer course can be a tool for enhancing global learning. The work uses the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Global Learning VALUE rubric to evaluate student work from a spring break seminar to Shanghai, China. The seminar was embedded in a semester-long course examining the connections between demographic, environmental, and social change. After exploring the overlap between two dimensions of global learning and the sociological imagination, I describe the semester-long class and the Shanghai seminar. I then use the perspective taking dimension of the rubric to evaluate student work on China’s aging population and the personal and social responsibility dimension to examine student work on consumption. I conclude with suggestions for deepening global learning that might be employed in other classrooms.
Abstract WP9: Primary Aspiration Thrombectomy in Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Single-Center Experience

Background: Recent endovascular stroke studies utilizing primarily stent retrievers have proven clinical benefit among eligible patients. It remains unclear if this benefit is exclusive to stent retrievers. We present the results of a single-center experience for patients undergoing primary aspiration thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Methods: A retrospective analysis of all AIS patients receiving primary aspiration thrombectomy from January 2014 to March 2016 was performed. We assessed stroke severity at admission and discharge as defined by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (NIHSSS), median onset to puncture and onset to recanalization times, location of target vessel treated, rate of concurrent intravenous (IV) alteplase use, and rate of TICI 2b/3 reperfusion. Outcomes adjudicated included rates of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH), favorable discharge disposition to home, and 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score ≤2. Results: During the study period, 121 patients (mean age 68.7±16.5 years, 53.7% women) received primary aspiration thrombectomy for 124 occlusions (26% terminal internal carotid artery, 45% M1, 15% M2, 11% basilar artery, 3% other). Median admission NIHSSS was 19 [11, 22] and improved to 6 [1, 15] upon discharge. Median onset to puncture and onset to recanalization times were 258 [148, 371] and 300 [180, 409] minutes, respectively. The rate of TICI 2b/3 reperfusion was 84.7%, and 52% received adjunctive IV alteplase. Rates of favorable discharge to home was 28.9% and 90-day mRS ≤2 was 39.8%. Only one patient developed sICH. Conclusion: Our single-center experience shows that primary aspiration thrombectomy can yield both favorable angiographic and clinical outcomes with minimal adverse effect.
Use of Duplex Ultrasound for Evaluation of Complex Aortic Arch Vessel Re-routing for Thoracic Endovascular Aneurysm Repair:

IntroductionTechnological advances have increased availability of endovascular therapies for complex aortic disease. Endovascular repair of thoracic aortic aneurysms (TEVAR) involving the arch and ...
An efficient PDE-constrained stochastic inverse algorithm for probabilistic geotechnical site characterization using geophysical measurements

Abstract This paper develops an efficient, PDE-constrained stochastic inverse analysis methodology to probabilistically estimate site-specific elastic parameters of soil from sparse geophysical test measurements by accounting for the uncertain spatial variability of soil deposits and any measurement uncertainty associated with the geophysical experiment. Hypothesizing the soil parameters at any site to be three-dimensional, heterogeneous, anisotropic random fields, the methodology first probabilistically simulates the geophysical experiment using the finite element method in conjunction with a stochastic collocation approach to compute statistical measures of a quantity of interest such as the soil displacement or acceleration throughout the soil domain. To this end, the random fields are discretized into finite number of random variables by utilizing a Gaussian mixture model that allows for mimicking the soil formation process. The parameters of the random fields are initially assumed based on the generic data available in the literature for the geological soil type. The stochastic collocation approach utilizes a recently developed non-product quadrature method, conjugate unscented transformation, to accurately estimate the statistical moments corresponding to the model response variables in a computationally efficient manner. The methodology, then, employs a minimum variance framework to fuse the finite element model output with sparse real measurements to update the initially assumed soil statistical parameters. The methodology is illustrated through numerical geophysical experiments at a fictitious geotechnical site and is verified with three very different true profiles of the soil modulus. Moreover, a probabilistic sensitivity analysis is carried out by varying the number and locations of sensors. It is observed that by judiciously selecting the sensor locations, following a set of information maps, obtained by exploiting the equations of the minimum variance scheme, more information may be extracted from any geophysical experiments, leading to less uncertain estimates of the soil parameters.
Infrared absorption and fluorescence properties of Holmium doped Potassium Lanthanum Chloride (Conference Presentation)

The development of new solid-state laser materials for mid-infrared (mid-IR) laser sources continues to be interest for potential applications in remote sensing of bio-chemical agents, IR countermeasures, and IR spectroscopy. Fluorescent materials based on Ho3+ doped crystals and glasses with narrow phonon spectra cover a wide wavelength range between ~1-4 µm. In this work, spectroscopic characterization on infrared emission properties of trivalent holmium (Ho3+) doped potassium lanthanum chloride (K2LaCl5) were explored. K2LaCl5 is slightly hygroscopic but possesses a maximum phonon energy of 235 cm-1. The low maximum phonon energy of K2LaCl5 leads to low non-radiative decay rates and efficient IR fluorescence. The studied Ho3+ doped K2LaCl5 material was grown by Bridgman technique. Using ~900 nm excitation, IR emissions centered at ~1.66, ~1.995, and ~3.90 µm were observed from Ho:K2LaCl5 corresponding to the 5I5-->5I7, 5I7-->5I8, and 5I5-->5I6 transitions of Ho3+ ions. Spectroscopic results and data modeling including the Stark level energies, Judd-Ofelt analysis, transitions cross-sections, and fluorescence dynamics will be presented at the conference.