cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What an Otolaryngologist Should Know About Evaluation of a Child Referred for Delay in Speech Development

Importance Otolaryngologists are asked to evaluate children who a parent, physician, or someone else believes is slow in developing speech. Therefore, an otolaryngologist should be familiar with milestones for normal speech development, the causes of delay in speech development, and the best ways to help assure that children develop the ability to speak in a normal way. Objective To provide information for otolaryngologists that is helpful in the evaluation and management of children perceived to be delayed in developing speech. Evidence Acquisition Data were obtained via literature searches, online databases, textbooks, and the most recent national guidelines on topics including speech delay and language delay and the underlying disorders that can cause delay in developing speech. Emphasis was placed on epidemiology, pathophysiology, most common presentation, and treatment strategies. Most of the sources referenced were published within the past 5 years. Results Our article is a summary of major causes of speech delay based on reliable sources as listed herein. Conclusions and Relevance Speech delay can be the manifestation of a spectrum of disorders affecting the language comprehension and/or speech production pathways, ranging from disorders involving global developmental limitations to motor dysfunction to hearing loss. Determining the cause of a child’s delay in speech production is a time-sensitive issue because a child loses valuable opportunities in intellectual development if his or her communication defect is not addressed and ameliorated with treatment. Knowing several key items about each disorder can help otolaryngologists direct families to the correct health care provider to maximize the child’s learning potential and intellectual growth curve.
Effect of destructive pulse duration on the detection of myocardial perfusion in myocardial contrast echocardiography: In vitro and in vivo observations.

Abstract Myocardial perfusion is detected with contrast echocardiography by comparing a contrast-enhanced image with a baseline obtained before contrast injection (true baseline) or after myocardial bubble destruction after a high-power destructive pulse (postdestructive pulse baseline). Although it is assumed that all bubbles are destroyed by a destructive pulse insuring optimal contrast detection, this assumption has not been tested. In 18 participants we compared the videointensity (VI) differences among the contrast-enhanced image, the postdestructive pulse baseline, and the true baseline using both triggered high-mechanical index imaging and real-time imaging. VI difference was significantly greater for the true baseline with both techniques at all ventricular levels. The benefit of using a true baseline was less when the duration of the destructive pulse was increased. Similarly, we quantified VI in a flow phantom using continuous Optison (commercially available perfluoropropane-filled albumin microbubbles) (Amersham, Princeton, NJ) infusion and variable durations of destructive pulses. VI decreased with the duration of the destructive pulse and reached a plateau after a duration of 8 to 15 frames. The plateau reached after a long destructive pulse was dependent on flow rate and concentration and never reached a true baseline, unless concentration ( (J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2002;15:1440-7.)
NONLINEAR FLUX DIFFUSION IN SUPERCONDUCTORS

A review of recent results on nonlinear diffusion of magnetic flux in high-Tc superconductors is given. Making use of a universality of thermally-activated flux diffusion, one can formulate the problem of macroscopic flux dynamics in terms of directly measured quantities. A hierarchy of flux creep time-scales and their dependence on initial and boundary conditions is considered. The essential effect of the sample geometry on the flux creep dynamics is discussed for a thin plate in a parallel and perpendicular magnetic field, which corresponds to local and nonlocal regimes of nonlinear flux diffusion, respectively. Both transient and steady-state regimes of flux creep are discussed. Instabilities of flux diffusion in anisotropic superconductors are considered which are give rise to a dissipative transition of the uniform critical state to either static macrovortex structures or magnetic flux turbulence. Manifestations of nonlinear flux diffusion in observed macroscopic electrodynamics of high-Tc superconductors are discussed.
A survey of recent advances in discrete input parameter discrete-event simulation optimization

Discrete-event simulation optimization is a problem of significant interest to practitioners interested in extracting useful information about an actual (or yet to be designed) system that can be modeled using discrete-event simulation. This paper presents a survey of the literature on discrete-event simulation optimization published in recent years (1988 to the present), with a particular focus on discrete input parameter optimization. The discrete input parameter case differentiates techniques appropriate for small and for large numbers of feasible input parameter values. Examples of applications that illustrate these methods are also discussed.
The molecular structure of methyl(difluoro)silyl chloride as determined by broadband microwave spectroscopy

Abstract The rotational spectrum of methyl(difluoro)silyl chloride, CH3SiF2Cl, has been obtained using chirped-pulse Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. The spectrum is complicated by hyperfine structure contributed by the chlorine, as well as transition doubling by the internal rotation of the methyl group. The spectrum was analyzed by simultaneously fitting both the hyperfine and internal rotation contributions using the Internal Axis Method (IAM), and the resulting fit rotational constants are A = 3780.570(6), B = 2423.8177(16), and C = 2317.9254(13) MHz. Additionally, the singly-substituted isotopologue spectra corresponding to 13C, 37Cl, 29Si and 30Si, as well as the 37Cl/29Si and 37Cl/30Si double isotopologues, were observed. This abundance of isotopic data enabled calculation of both an experimental substitution structure (rs) and an effective ground state fit structure (r0) for CH3SiF2Cl in excellent agreement with the ab initio results. The ab initio structure was calculated using the MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory and a potential energy surface was calculated for the methyl rotor using the MP2/6–311++g(d,p) level of theory. These calculations predict a torsional barrier of 435.835 cm−1, in agreement with the experimental barrier height of 468(3) cm−1.
Tightly confining AlGaAs waveguides and microcavities for optical frequency conversion

We present the design and fabrication process for an AlGaAs optical frequency conversion device based on tightly confining waveguides and a Photonic Bandgap Crystal Microcavity. We first theoretically analyze the improvement in non-linear conversion efficiency due to a high confinement cavity, compared to traditional QPM waveguides. The theoretical analysis is supported by finite difference frequency and time domain simulations. The theoretical conversion efficiency estimated with these tools is ~4%/mW for a device ~10 μm long. Influence of sidewall roughness on the Q of the cavity is also analyzed. Then, we describe the fabrication process of our device, which involves molecular beam epitaxy, electron beam lithography and plasma etching.
Global Warmers and Global Coolers: A Cross-National Examination of Global Warming Dynamics

Carbon dioxide emissions are the largest anthropogenic contributor to global warming, a chief concern our society faces today. Carbon sequestration is a naturally occurring process of carbon absorption by the atmosphere, oceans, and terrestrial ecosystems, thereby decelerating warming trends. Indeed, the conservation of land to optimize carbon storage is an especially important strategy for nations to lessen changes in the greenhouse effect. Due to the significantly greater capacity of trees for carbon uptake per unit area compared to other vegetation, abundant national forests remain an especially critical defense against these noxious pollutants. Applying available cross-national data on carbon dioxide emissions and forest biocapacity (i.e., carbon storage capacity), the authors derive estimates for each country's net contribution to, or alleviation of, global warming trends—what we refer to as the "climate footprint." This is a new addition to the large literature on national greenhouse gas emissions a...
The etale homotopy theory of a geometric fibration

A geometric fibration, f:X→Y, is a smooth map of schemes which locally on Y admits a smooth, relative compactification. The etale homotopy type of the geometric fibre when completed away from the residue characteristics of Y,\((X_y )_{\hat et} \), is shown to be weakly homotopy equivalent to the completion of the Hurewicz fibre of the etale homotopy type of f,F(fetr)^. This implies a homotopy sequence for f. A key topological fact is verified in the appendix: for any pointed Hurewicz fibre triple F→E→B, the action of πl(F) on the homotopy type of various covering spaces of F extends to an action of πl(E).
Cruelty and Decay in Two Empires: China and Rome

This article addresses the rise of poverty, violence, and decay in the pre-indus- trialized societies of the Roman and Chinese Empires. Major similarities between the declines of these two Empires include the unchecked authority of those in charge, an arbitrary market meant to serve the elite, and the costs of financing wars and luxury living. This is contrasted with the rage and unruliness of large numbers of lower class members who lacked the basic necessities of life, including food and work. One difference is that strong ethnic self-awareness in China survived the collapse of the empire, whereas Rome’s willingness to grant its land to foreigners contributed to subsequent fragmentation.
Primary sequence, copy number, and distribution of mariner transposons in the honey bee

A single honey bee mariner transposon (TnM1a) was sequenced, revealing a transpositionally non-autonomous element of 937 bp delimited by 30 bp perfect inverted terminal repeats. The element is flanked by the TA duplication typical of mariner elements in general. There are approximately 435 copies of TnM1a homologous elements per haploid genome. These elements appear, by Southern blot analysis, to be dispersed throughout the genome. Thirteen individual genomic clones with an average size of 15 kb, were found to contain only a single element each, which also suggests that the elements are not tightly clustered. Finally, mariner elements are neither inactivated by methylation nor sequestered into a methylated fraction of the genome.
Assessment of a pesticide exposure intensity algorithm in the agricultural health study

The accuracy of the exposure assessment is a critical factor in epidemiological investigations of pesticide exposures and health in agricultural populations. However, few studies have been conducted to evaluate questionnaire-based exposure metrics. The Agricultural Health Study (AHS) is a prospective cohort study of pesticide applicators who provided detailed questionnaire information on their use of specific pesticides. A field study was conducted for a subset of the applicators enrolled in the AHS to assess a pesticide exposure algorithm through comparison of algorithm intensity scores with measured exposures. Pre- and post-application urinary biomarker measurements were made for 2,4-D (n=69) and chlorpyrifos (n=17) applicators. Dermal patch, hand wipe, and personal air samples were also collected. Intensity scores were calculated using information from technician observations and an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Correlations between observer and questionnaire intensity scores were high (Spearman's r=0.92 and 0.84 for 2,4-D and chlorpyrifos, respectively). Intensity scores from questionnaires for individual applications were significantly correlated with post-application urinary concentrations for both 2,4-D (r=0.42, P<0.001) and chlorpyrifos (r=0.53, P=0.035) applicators. Significant correlations were also found between intensity scores and estimated hand loading, estimated body loading, and air concentrations for 2,4-D applicators (r-values 0.28-0.50, P-values<0.025). Correlations between intensity scores and dermal and air measures were generally lower for chlorpyrifos applicators using granular products. A linear regression model indicated that the algorithm factors for individual applications explained 24% of the variability in post-application urinary 2,4-D concentration, which increased to 60% when the pre-application urine concentration was included. The results of the measurements support the use of the algorithm for estimating questionnaire-based exposure intensities in the AHS for liquid pesticide products. Refinement of the algorithm may be possible using the results from this and other measurement studies.
A case for Passive Application Layer Multicast

Over the last few years, application-layer multicast (ALM) has emerged as a plausible solution for supporting group-oriented applications. However, ALM suffers from inefficiency due to its reliance on end hosts and potentially significant changes at both the server and client applications. In this paper, we propose an approach, PALM (Passive Application Layer Multicast), that removes the need for changes to the server or client applications while allowing for dynamic discovery of supporting network devices and client-side OS modules. The passive nature of the approach comes from the fact that bandwidth savings occur transparently with zero required modifications to the networking environment, similar to approaches such as web caching. We demonstrate the performance improvements of PALM relative to ALM and compare the benefits versus network-level multicast and separate unicast approaches through both simulation and experimental studies.
Is the UK hotel sector out of trouble

Tourism in the UK showed a downturn in the first part of the 1990s and the period has been described as encompassing the most traumatic years in recent history for UK hoteliers. However, by 1995 the volume of tourism had recovered the levels of the late 1980s and it continued to grow. The total volume of overnight tourism in the UK increased by an estimated 23 per cent between a low in 1993 and 1997, the latest year for which official statistics are currently available. Findings suggest that the recovery in the hotel sector as a whole kept pace with this. The volume of UK hotel nights in 1997 was an estimated 8 per cent higher than in 1989. Other official figures on the numbers of hotels and on their financial turnover reveal developments in the hotel sector through the 1990s: fewer hotels providing the same level of bedstock; turnover and gross margins increasing. We note improvements to official statistics on the hotel sector, including a new UK Occupancy Survey, and we look at their potential in adding to understanding of the hotel sector. However, timeliness remains a concern. Also, the official statistics do not generally provide the level of detail needed by the industry, for example to show the effect of new markets such as budget hotels.
The effects of side-artifacts on the elastic modulus of trabecular bone

Abstract Determining accurate density–mechanical property relationships for trabecular bone is critical for correct characterization of this important structure–function relation. When testing any excised specimen of trabecular bone, an unavoidable experimental artifact originates from the sides of the specimen where peripheral trabeculae lose their vertical load-bearing capacity due to interruption of connectivity, a phenomenon denoted here as the ‘side-artifact’. We sought in this study to quantify the magnitude of such side-artifact errors in modulus measurement and to do so as a function of the trabecular architecture and specimen size. Using parametric computational analysis of high-resolution micro-CT-based finite-element models of cores of elderly human vertebral trabecular bone, a specimen-specific correction factor for the side-artifact was quantified as the ratio of the side-artifact-free apparent modulus (Etrue) to the apparent modulus that would be measured in a typical experiment (Emeasured). We found that the width over which the peripheral trabeculae were mostly unloaded was between 0.19 and 0.58 mm. The side-artifact led to an underestimation error in Etrue of over 50% in some specimens, having a mean (±SD) of 27±11%. There was a trend for the correction factor to linearly increase as volume fraction decreased (p=0.001) and as mean trabecular separation increased (p
THEORY OF ELASTIC SCATTERING OF ALPHA PARTICLES BY HEAVY NUCLEI

A semiclassical model is used to interpret recent experiments of Farwell and Wegner on the elastic scattering of 13-42 Mev alpha particles by heavy nuclei. In this model the outgoing $l\mathrm{th}$ partial wave is assumed to vanish if the corresponding classical turning point is less than the radius of the nucleus plus that of the alpha particle; otherwise, it has a phase characteristic of pure Coulomb scattering. The theory predicts that the sum of nuclear and alpha-particle radii is approximately equal to the classical apsidal distance evaluated at the energy for which the experimental cross section is one-quarter of the corresponding Rutherford cross section.
Ultrastructural differences in mitochondria of skeletal muscle in the prerigor and rigor states

Loss of cristae and matrix occur in the mitochondria of skeletal muscles prior to any observable changes in myofibrillar proteins during the development of rigor mortis. Care must be observed because ultrastructural changes in mitochondria in some studies may be attributed to a specific trauma, whereas the changes may be due to the lower pH in postmortem muscle.
Personalized Therapy for Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Patient-specific ex vivo drug sensitivity and resistance screening can identify rational drug candidates for the testing of personalized targeted therapy. An iterative approach of genomic and drug susceptibility characterization at sequential time points during clinical trials of targeted therapy in acute myeloid leukemia may be useful both for characterizing mechanisms of resistance and clonal evolution and also for identification of novel therapeutic targets and drug combinations.
Endoscopic diagnosis and management of biliary complications following orthotopic liver transplantation

Nonoperative management of biliary complications (BC) with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a natural sequel to the emergence of choledochocholedochostomy as the preferred biliary reconstruction for orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Overall, therapeutic ERCP's efficacy for posttransplant BC is difficult to assess because most published data are retrospective, anecdotal, or in abstract form, and there are no prospective, randomized studies. Thus, endoscopic management of posttransplant BC must be individualized. While T-tube-related late bile leaks and ductal calculi are amenable to endoscopic therapy, its efficacy for strictures is more difficult to define. Refined surgical technique has prevented many unifocal anastomotic lesions, while multifocal strictures (for which endoscopic therapeutic experience is minimal) are increasingly prevalent. Whether endoscopic sphincterotomy is appropriate for posttransplant sphincter of Oddi dysfunction is controversial, because the disorder may be transient and the risk significant. Multicenter, prospective studies are needed to determine more accurately the optimal role of endoscopic therapy after OLT.
Course of Behavioral Change in Autism: A Retrospective Study of High-IQ Adolescents and Adults

ABSTRACT Objective The course of behavioral change in autistic behaviors has received little attention in previous research but is a potentially important parameter for study in autism. Method Autistic behaviors were systematically examined in 38 high-IQ adolescent and adult autistic individuals at their current age (13 through 28 years) and retrospectively at age 5 years using a standardized interview for autism. Results Significant change over time in autistic behaviors, generally in the direction of improvement, was detected. The proportion of subjects showing improvement in communication and social behaviors was found to be significantly higher than the proportion showing improvement in ritualistic/repetitive behaviors. Five of 38 subjects who met DSM-IV criteria for autistic disorder at age 5 years no longer met criteria at their current age, although all five continued to have substantial impairment. Conclusions The study of patterns of behavioral change over time in autism has practical implications for both diagnosis and prognosis as well as potential importance in defining biologically meaningful subgroups and clarifying fundamental mechanisms underlying this disorder.
Effects of Salts on Emergence from the Cyst in Protozoa

THE physiology of encystment and excystment of Protozoa and other micro-organisms has received little attention. In the case of the ciliate Colpoda cucullus, it has been earlier shown1 that emergence from the cyst, or excystment, is brought about by some special substances present in the excysting medium, which is usually hay infusion. Part at least of the active material was shown to be ether-soluble. We have therefore subjected hay infusion to fractionation in order to isolate and identify the active excysting substance.
Plasmonic excitation for high-efficiency photovoltaics

Photovoltaic absorbers ought to be optically thick to allow almost total light absorption and photocarrier current collection. They are typically semiconductors with a thickness more than the optical absorption length. When the absorber layer thickness is reduced significantly, then the quality of the absorber material could considerably increase by allowing resourceful photocarrier collection across tiny distances in structures such as quantum wells or quantum dots. For absorber layers with fine surface passivation, the capability to reduce the solar cell base thickness by means of plasmonic design improves carrier collection. The objective of this paper is to show how plasmonics could be exploited to our benefit in high efficiency photovoltaics.
Thymosin-β4 (Tβ4) Blunts PDGF-Dependent Phosphorylation and Binding of AKT to Actin in Hepatic Stellate Cells

Hepatic stellate cell transdifferentiation is a key event in the fibrogenic cascade. Therefore, attempts to prevent and/or revert the myofibroblastic phenotype could result in novel therapeutic approaches to treat liver cirrhosis. The expression of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-β receptor and the proliferative response to platelet-derived growth factor-ββ (PDGF-ββ) are hallmarks of the transdifferentiation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC). In this communication, we investigated whether thymosin-β4 (Tβ4), a chemokine expressed by HSC could prevent PDGF-BB-mediated proliferation and migration of cultured HSC. Using early passages of human HSC, we showed that Tβ4 inhibited cell proliferation and migration and prevented the expression of PDGF-β receptor (PDGF-βr), α-smooth muscle actin and α1(I) collagen mRNAs. Tβ4 also inhibited the reappearance of PDGF-βr after its PDGF-BB-dependent degradation. These PDGF-dependent events were associated with the inhibition of AKT phosphorylation at both T308 and S473 amino acid residues. The lack of AKT phosphorylation was not due to the inhibition of PDGF-βr phosphorylation, the activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase isozyme 1 (PDK1), and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). We found that PDGF-BB induced AKT binding to actin, and that Tβ4 prevented this effect. Tβ4 also prevented the activation of freshly isolated HSC cultured in the presence of Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium or Dulbecco's minimal essential medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum. In conclusion, overall, our findings suggest that Tβ4 by sequestering actin prevents binding of AKT, thus inhibiting its phosphorylation. Therefore, Tβ4 has the potential to be an antifibrogenic agent.
Pseudo‐Dynamic Testing of Structures

An experimental procedure is developed for the testing of full‐ or large‐scale structures under simulated seismic deformations in a quasi‐static fashion. The procedure, pseudo‐dynamic testing, is based on active modal control theory. The pseudo‐dynamic testing procedure is a simultaneous simulation and control process in which inertia and damping properties are simulated and stiffness properties are acquired from the structure. The procedure calculates a set of dynamic displacements based on active control theory, utilizing the simulated inertia and damping properties and acquired stiffness properties under a hypothetical ground motion, and simulates the response of the structure under seismic motion in a quasi‐static fashion. A detailed implementation procedure is presented for structures that can be modeled as discrete mass systems. The application of the procedure is simulated on the 1/5‐Scale model of the US‐Japan seven‐story reinforced concrete frame wall structure.
Molecular Analysis of Primary Vapor and Char Products during Stepwise Pyrolysis of Poplar Biomass

Pyrolysis of biomass produces both pyrolysis oil and solid char. In this study, poplar has been pyrolyzed in a stepwise fashion over a series of temperatures from 200 to 500 °C, and both the primary products contributing to pyrolysis oil and the changes in the pyrolyzing poplar surface leading toward char have been characterized at each step. The primary products were identified by direct analysis in real time (DART) mass spectrometry, and the changes in the poplar surface were monitored using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) photoacoustic spectroscopy, with a sampling depth of a few micrometers. The primary products from pyrolyzing cellulose, xylan, and lignin under similar conditions were also characterized to identify the sources of the poplar products.
Activation of a PARACEST Agent for MRI through Selective Outersphere Interactions with Phosphate Diesters

Ln(S-THP)3+ complexes are paramagnetic chemical exchange saturation transfer (PARACEST) agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI; S-THP = (1S,4S,7S,10S)-1,4,7,10-tetrakis(2-hydroxypropyl)-1,4,7,1...
Microwave irradiation affects radial‐arm maze performance in the rat

After 45 min of exposure to pulsed 2450 MHz microwaves (2 microseconds pulses, 500 pps, 1 mW/cm2, average whole body SAR 0.6 W/kg), rats showed retarded learning while performing in the radial-arm maze to obtain food rewards, indicating a deficit in spatial "working memory" function. This behavioral deficit was reversed by pretreatment before exposure with the cholinergic agonist physostigmine or the opiate antagonist naltrexone, whereas pretreatment with the peripheral opiate antagonist naloxone methiodide showed no reversal of effect. These data indicate that both cholinergic and endogenous opioid neurotransmitter systems in the brain are involved in the microwave-induced spatial memory deficit.
Homicide among the 1980 mariel refugees in Miami: victims and offenders

The current study analyzes violence by and against the Mariel immigrants. Using homicide as a proxy for violence, the following analysis compares and contrasts the experiences of the Mariel Cubans to pre-1980 Cubans already in the United States. Overall, the results in this study demonstrate that the Mariels were rarely the high-rate killers portrayed by the media. Indeed, relative to their group size, the Mariels were victimized at a proportion greater than their population size. This simple but unnoticed figure suggests that the Mariels were in far greater danger in Miami than Cubans who had been residing in the area for a longer period of time.
Development and application of stress-wave acoustic diagnostics for roller bearings

A powerful, innovative diagnostic technique for assessing railcar wheel health characteristics is to listen to the operating sound of a bearing. The emission of acoustic energy (sound) from a wheel bearing is a frequency-dependent and load-related phenomenon. A complementary set of bearing health data to audible acoustic emission (AE) data, referred to as 'stress-wave' data, exists at an order of magnitude above traditional vibration-based (i.e., accelerometer) data and contains information about friction and shock conditions in a bearing under highly loaded conditions. These health-related symptoms of shock and friction will provide an early warning capability to prevent flat wheel failures and train derailments through condition-based maintenance (CBM). This paper describes Honeywell's recent work with applying stress- wave AE to perform CBM for today's railroad industry. A detailed description of the railcar wheel bearing problem, failure modes and effects, and technical approach are presented. The summary of a field-test effort capturing AE signatures from a 100-ton railcar truck are provided. A preliminary set of data analysis is presented.
Abstract 2394: A flexible micro spring array (FMSA) device for the high throughput enrichment of viable CTCs

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL The ability of metastatic cancer to release cells that travel through the circulatory system and invade different parts of the body accounts for over 90% of cancer related deaths. The fundamental challenge with detecting these circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in blood samples is the fact that they are so rare, with only a few tumors cells occurring among billions of blood cells. Size based separation has been demonstrated to be an effective method for CTC capture and enrichment. While useful for detection, size based techniques apply concentrated stresses that affect the viability of captured cells. We have incorporated a novel micro spring array to mitigate the stresses experienced by CTCs during filtration to encourage their health and proliferability. The geometric design and filtration pressures have been optimized to maximize capture efficiency, enrichment against leukocytes, and tumor cell viability. The FMSA device can process 7.5 mL of whole blood in approximately 10 minutes, while still preserving cell viability. The successful enrichment and primary culture of viable CTCs from clinical samples will allow unprecedented analysis and genetic testing amounting to a minimally invasive biopsy that may be repeated often to monitor tumor progression. This can also provide the basis for externally testing tumor cell response to a variety of anticancer drugs without having to expose a patient to the unnecessary cost and toxic effects of chemotherapy, thereby improving patient outcomes through the development of personalized treatment plans. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2394. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-2394
Development of Highly Active Titania-Based Nanoparticles for Energetic Materials

Recent advances in nanostructured fuels and oxidizers may lead to high-performance energetic materials for propulsion, but these nanoparticulates present serious challenges due to their inherent instability and safety hazards and difficulty of manufacture. In this paper, we develop an alternate route, the use of nanoscale metal-oxides to catalyze reactions between micrometer-scale energetic constituents. Methods to synthesize TiO2-based nanoparticles that are highly active toward energetic reactions and effectively incorporate them into energetic composites are reported. Activity was maximized by tuning the physical and chemical properties of the nano-TiO2 dispersion in the composite. An 81% increase in combustion rate was achieved with a nanoparticle loading of 1 wt %, making energetically active nano-TiO2 a viable material for advanced propulsion, without the hazards and difficulties of competing technologies.
Beyond the Centralized Mindset

In recent years, there has been a growing fascination with decentralized systems and self-organizing phenomena. Increasingly, people are choosing decentralized models for the organizations and technologies that they construct in the world and for the theories that they construct about the world. However, even as decentralized ideas spread through the culture, there is a deep-seated resistance to such ideas. In trying to understand patterns in the world, people often assume centralized control where none exists (e.g., assuming that a "leader bird" guides the rest of the flock). To probe how people think about decentralized systems and to help them develop new ways of thinking about such systems, I developed a programmable modeling environment called StarLogo with which people can easily create and experiment with decentralized systems. StarLogo allows users to control the actions and interactions of thousands of artificial creatures on the computer screen. I describe three StarLogo projects created by high...
The separation of homonuclear and heteronuclear broadening effects in solid-state NMR spectra

Abstract A method is described for separating the contributions of homonuclear and heteronuclear Bipolar coupling to the solid-state NMR lineshape of spin - 1 2 nuclei coupled to nuclei with a strong quadrupole interaction. The technique is successfully applied to a separation of these contributions in the proton spectrum of HIO3.
What is the maximum number of levels needed in pain intensity measurement

An important issue that has yet to be resolved in pain measurement literature concerns the number of levels needed to assess self-reported pain intensity. An examination of treatment outcome literature shows a large variation in the number of levels used, from as few as 4 (e.g., 4-point Verbal Rating scales (VRS)) to as many as 101 (e.g., 101-point Numerical Rating scales (NRS)). The purpose of this study was to provide an empirically derived guideline for determining the number of levels needed. Chronic pain patients (n = 124) provided pre- and post-treatment measures of pain intensity using 101-point NRS for least, most, current, and average pain. The patients' responses to the measures were examined closely to determine the actual number of levels used. In addition, their responses to the 101-point scales were recorded to form 7 scales of varying levels (2- to 101-point scales). The sensitivity of the 7 recorded scales was examined. The results indicated that little information is lost if 101-point scales are coded as 11- or 21-point scales. Moreover, examination of the actual responses to the 101-point measure showed that almost all patients treated it as a 21-point scale by providing responses in multiples of 5 or 10, while a substantial number of patients treated it as an 11-point scale, providing responses in multiples of 10 only. The results suggest that 10- and 21-point scales provide sufficient levels of discrimination, in general, for chronic pain patients to describe pain intensity.
Pattern of adaptive control of levels of rat liver tryptophan transaminase.

The dual control by substrate and hormone of the level of a third adaptive enzyme in animals is described. Injections of hydrocortisone or the substrate tryptophan increased the level of the liver ...
Experimental Investigation of Inertial Mixing in Colliding Droplets

Achieving the increasingly fast mixing requirements posed by the chemical, biological, and life science community for confined microchannel droplet flows remains an engineering challenge. The viscous and surface tension forces that often dominate microflows undermine fast, efficient mixing. A novel mixing arrangement based on droplet collisions has been developed that significantly improves mixing rates by utilizing inertia to rapidly rearrange fluid contents. This article experimentally investigates inertial droplet mixing in micro-flows following high-speed droplet pair collisions. The technique utilizes a gaseous flow for liquid droplet generation and transport with collisions occurring in Y-junction microchannel geometries. Mixing rates are quantified using differential fluorescent optical diagnostics, custom image processing algorithms, and statistical analysis. Measured droplet mixing times are compared to the characteristic time scales for mass and viscous diffusion and bulk convective transport. R...
Abstract 3273: TAK1 inhibition sensitizes neuroblastoma cells to chemotherapy.

Treatment failure in high risk neuroblastoma is largely due to development of chemoresistance. NF-κB activation is one of the resistance mechanisms for cancer cells to escape from chemotherapy-induced cell-death. TAK1 is an essential component in genotoxic stresses-induced NF-κB activation; however, the role of TAK1 in the development of chemoresistance in neuroblastoma remains unknown. Using a panel of neuroblastoma cell lines, we found that TAK1 inhibitor 5Z-7-oxozeaenol significantly augmented the cytotoxic effects of doxorubicin (Dox) and etoposide (VP-16) on neuroblastoma cell lines. TAK1 inhibition also enhanced the inhibitory effect of Dox and VP-16 on anchorage-independent growth. Treatment of neuroblastoma cells with 5Z-7-oxozeaenol blocked Dox-induced NF-κB activation and enhanced Dox-induced apoptosis. Moreover, 5Z-7-oxozeaenol could overcome the established chemoresistance in LA-N-6 neuroblastoma cells. Using an orthotopic neuroblastoma mouse model, we found that 5Z-7-oxozeaenol significantly enhanced chemotherapeutic efficacy in vivo. Together, we provide a proof-of-concept that TAK1 inhibition significantly enhances the sensitivity of neuroblastoma cells to chemotherapy-induced cell-death and can serve as an effective adjunct to current chemotherapeutic regimens for high risk disease. Since the requirement of TAK1 kinase activity in genotoxic stresses-induced NF-κB activation is not limited by cell type, this suggests that TAK1 inhibition may greatly enhance the chemotherapeutic efficacy in other cancers. Keywords: Neuroblastoma; TAK1 inhibitor; 5Z-7-oxozeaenol; chemotherapy Citation Format: Yihui Fan. TAK1 inhibition sensitizes neuroblastoma cells to chemotherapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3273. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3273 Note: This abstract was not presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2013 because the presenter was unable to attend.
Dynamics and control of biomolecules: Research venues and opportunities

The purpose of this session is to present to the CDC audience a set of molecular-level biological research venues in which dynamics and control is, or can be, of use. With the large and growing number of people within the control community interested in biology, experiment driven research at the interface of biology and control is enticing. In our session, four different research venues are presented: 1) feedback control of individual DNA molecules in a nanopore, with a goal of DNA sequencing; 2) DNA secondary structure kinetics, with the goal of improving design and synthesis of DNA logic circuits that may be used, for example, for in vivo feedback control of biological processes; 3) an artificial DNA nanomotor, for which feedback compensation improves robustness and performance; and, 4) cooperative protein interactions in muscle force generation, in which identification of feedback mechanisms can ultimately improve therapeutic methods for post-cardiac arrest rehabilitation.
Bandwidth-tunable add-drop filters based on micro-electro-mechanical-system actuated silicon microtoroidal resonators.

A bandwidth-tunable filter has been demonstrated based on a micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) actuated single-crystalline silicon microtoroidal resonator. Bandwidth is tuned from 2.8to78.4 GHz by voltage control, the largest bandwidth tuning range reported to date to our knowledge in resonator-based filters. A 21.8 dB extinction ratio is attained as a dynamic add-drop filter.
Ankylosed Deciduous Molars

search that are largely unexplored, 2. The synergistic behavior of the muscles of mastication in certain func­ tional movements of the mandible has been demonstrated. The patterns of syn­ ergistic behavior differed with respect to various disturbances in occlusion. These differences may be correlated with the efficiency, or lack of efficiency, of the masticatory mechanism. 3. Electromyographic findings in neu­ romuscular disturbances involving the muscles of mastication were described. The pathologic findings, in terms of the electromyogram, were similar to those re­ ported for muscles elsewhere in the body.
Technetium-99m-labeled macroaggregated albumin arteriography for detection of abnormally positioned arterial catheters during infusion chemotherapy

The arterial catheter position of 500 courses of intra-arterial chemotherapy were monitored by intraarterially introduced Technetium-99m macroaggregated albumin (MAA) particles. Seventeen instances of abnormally positioned catheters (3.4%) were detected by MAA arterial perfusion (MAAAP). All these abnormally positioned catheters were subsequently repositioned resulting in improved tumor perfusion. Plain radiographs obtained in eight instances failed to reveal the abnormally positioned catheter in four, while all eight of these abnormally positioned catheters were detected by MAAAP. Abnormally positioned catheters detected by MAAAP were either immediately after arterial catheter placement (nine instances) or during the course of chemotherapy (eight instances). Of the right instances of displaced catheters during intra-arterial chemotherapy, six instances were accompanied by clinical signs and symptoms suggestive of displaced catheter. Arteriovenous shunting was documented in 5 of 12 hepatic MAAAP studies as evidenced by increased lung activity. When the catheters were displaced in these cases, the lung activity changed: completely disappearing in two instances; decreasing in two instances and remaining unchanged in one.
Latent variable models of alcohol-related constructs

This study examines the improvement in validity coefficients and structural relationships derived from formally modeling latent variables of adverse alcohol-related constructs. Results of a confirmatory factor analysis of responses from 8, 755 participants in the 1988 National Household Survey of Drug Abuse support a three-factor model of alcohol abuse, dependence, and adverse consequences. A comparison of construct inter-correlations shows latent variables to be superior to measurement approaches using unweighted sums, quantity × frequency calculation, and single-item measurement.
Generating duplicate bug datasets

Automatic identification of duplicate bug reports is an important research problem in the mining software repositories field. This paper presents a collection of bug datasets collected, cleaned and preprocessed for the duplicate bug report identification problem. The datasets were extracted from open-source systems that use Bugzilla as their bug tracking component and contain all the bugs ever submitted. The systems used are Eclipse, Open Office, NetBeans and Mozilla. For each dataset, we store both the initial data and the cleaned data in separate collections in a mongoDB document-oriented database. For each dataset, in addition to the bug data collections downloaded from bug repositories, the database includes a set of all pairs of duplicate bugs together with randomly selected pairs of non-duplicate bugs. Such a dataset is useful as input for classification models and forms a good base to support replications and comparisons by other researchers. We used a subset of this data to predict duplicate bug reports but the same data set may also be used to predict bug priorities and severity.
Millimeter Wave Dielectric Properties of Materials

Highly accurate continuous spectra of the absorption coefficient and refractive index of some potentially useful materials have been made over the 60-420 GHz range. Measurements have been made on some common ceramic, semiconductor, crystalline and glass materials. The absorption coefficient of low loss materials increases with frequency which implies that microwave data cannot be used for the design of millimeter wave dielectric waveguides, devices, windows and quasi-optical elements. The data in this paper show the millimeter wave frequency dependence of tan δ, the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric permittivity and the optical constants, namely, the refractive index and absorption coefficient. The measurements have been made in a plane-wave Michelson interferometer operating as a polarizing, dispersive Fourier transform spectrometer. The accuracy and reproducability of the refractive index is six significant figures.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The effect of depression on self-care behaviors and quality of care in a national sample of adults with diabetes

Abstract Objective To examine the effect of minor and major depression on self-care behaviors and quality of care among adults with diabetes. Methods Data from 16,754 participants with diabetes in the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey were examined. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the independent association between depression status and indices of (1) self-care behaviors and (2) quality of diabetes care received, after accounting for confounders. Results Individuals with minor (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.57–0.84) and major (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.39–0.64) depression were less likely to engage in leisure-time physical activity. Individuals with minor (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.18–1.94) and major (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.28–2.15) depression were more likely to be current smokers. With regard to quality of care, individuals with minor (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.66–0.99) and major (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.54–0.89) depression were less likely to receive an annual dilated eye exam. Additionally, individuals with minor (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.65–0.95), but not major (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.67–1.09) depression, were less likely to receive a flu shot in the past 12 months. Conclusions In adults with diabetes, both minor and major depression are associated with decreased self-care behavior and quality of care.
Synapses with Inhibitory Neurons Differentiate Anterior Cingulate from Dorsolateral Prefrontal Pathways Associated with Cognitive Control

The primate dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) focus attention on relevant signals and suppress noise in cognitive tasks. However, their synaptic interactions and unique roles in cognitive control are unknown. We report that two distinct pathways to DLPFC area 9, one from the neighboring area 46 and the other from the functionally distinct ACC, similarly innervate excitatory neurons associated with selecting relevant stimuli. However, ACC has more prevalent and larger synapses with inhibitory neurons and preferentially innervates calbindin inhibitory neurons, which reduce noise by inhibiting excitatory neurons. In contrast, area 46 mostly innervates calretinin inhibitory neurons, which disinhibit excitatory neurons. These synaptic specializations suggest that ACC has a greater impact in reducing noise in dorsolateral areas during challenging cognitive tasks involving conflict, error, or reversing decisions, mechanisms that are disrupted in schizophrenia. These observations highlight the unique roles of the DLPFC and ACC in cognitive control.