cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spectral domain analysis of microstripline fed arbitrarily-shaped aperture antennas

In microwave and millimeter-wave antennas systems, printed apertures have been widely used as radiating elements. They are also used frequently as coupling elements for a variety of application such as to excite a microstrip patch antenna. A distinct advantage of aperture-coupled antennas over conventional patch antennas is that the feeding structure can be hidden below the ground plane, such as the microstripline fed slot antennas. However, present techniques can only deal with the rectangular-shaped aperture antennas, such as rectangular slot antennas. As to the non-uniformly shaped aperture antennas, such as the exponentially-tapered slots and Archimedian spiral antennas, the existing modeling methods can not handle them well. As a result, a hybrid technique is developed by incorporating the reciprocity technique, with method of moments using triangular basis functions to model arbitrarily-shaped aperture antennas fed by a microstripline. Two types of arbitrarily oriented or offset aperture antennas, the rectangular slot and the exponentially-tapered slot antenna, are analyzed to show the validity of this hybrid technique. >
Decreased sensitivity to N-Benzyladriamycin-14-valerate (AD 198) in non-dividing LLC-PK1 renal epithelial cells corresponds with decreased PKC-ϵ expression.

3232 In vivo analyses of AD 198 in rats indicate no significant organ toxicity at therapeutic doses, with the dose limiting toxicity of AD 198 being myelosuppression. AD 198 exerts its cytotoxic effect in proliferating cells by binding to the C1b regulatory domain of conventional and novel isoforms of PKC and rapidly triggering apoptosis in a manner that is unaffected by changes in Bcl-2, p53, or NF-κB activity. PKC is active in non-dividing, differentiated cells as well as proliferating cells and, consequently, could provide a cytotoxic target for AD 198. However, we have previously observed ex vivo in rodent hearts that AD 198 has a cardioprotective effect through activation of PKC-ϵ in cardiomyocytes. In this current study, we assessed the cytotoxicity of AD 198 in LLC-PK1 pig renal epithelial cells as they progressed from a proliferative to a non-dividing functionally differentiated state. LLC-PK1 cells grow in monolayer until confluency, whereupon they exhibit typical epithelial functionality: providing a cellular barrier and polarity of fluid transport. These aspects are observed in culture through tight junction formation and transepithelial transport of medium to form fluid-filled epithelial domes. Both functions, in turn, are reported to be modulated by PKCs -α and -δ, with increased expression resulting in tight junction permeability. Confluent and non-dividing LLC-PK1 cells demonstrate a 6-fold decrease in sensitivity to AD 198 compared with proliferating cells. LLC-PK1 cells that have formed tight junctions and produce fluid domes exhibit a 13-fold decreased sensitivity to AD 198. Decreased sensitivity to AD 198 does not correlate with altered drug uptake, since dome-producing cells contain a slightly increased amount of AD 198. PKC-α and PKC-δ protein levels remain unchanged as cells progress from proliferating to dome-producing status, suggesting that changes in AD 198 cytotoxicity do not correspond to modulation of these isoforms. In fact, increased PKC-α and PKC-δ expression at all growth phases from tet-responsive vectors transfected into LLC-PK1 cells failed to alter AD 198 cytotoxicity. By contrast, we observe a 10-fold decrease in the expression of PKC-ϵ protein as cells become confluent, stop proliferating, and form tight junctions. These results suggest that AD 198 targets PKC-ϵ in proliferating LLC-PK1 cells to trigger apoptosis and that loss of drug sensitivity in functionally differentiated cells is due to loss of target protein. (Supported by NCI grant CA100093)
[177Lu-DOTA0,Tyr3]-octreotate in the treatment of midgut neuroendocrine tumors.

Midgut neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are relatively rare and remarkably heterogeneous. Although recent developments for pancreatic NETs have brought multiple new therapies to patients who need them, there has been little observed efficacy against midgut NETs. Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy utilizes somatostatin analogs conjugated to radioactive isotopes in order to deliver high doses of radiation directly to tumor cells, which express somatostatin receptors. Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy with [177Lu-DOTA0,Tyr3]-octreotate (DOTATATE) has been reported and investigated for more than a decade, and the randomized controlled NETTER-1 study of this agent has recently been reported to show promising results. In this article, we will summarize and evaluate the rationale and existing clinical data for the activity of DOTATATE in midgut NETs, to give context for the interpretation of NETTER-1 results when they are fully available.
Zoledronic Acid Treatment After Acute Spinal Cord Injury: Results of a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Trial

Abstract Objective To determine the effect of intravenous zoledronic acid 5 mg on the extent and course of bone loss after spinal cord injury (SCI). Design Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled parallel-group trial. Setting Acute in-patient, tertiary-care rehabilitation hospital. Participants Convenience sample of 17 in-patients with SCI Methods Patients meeting study criteria were randomly assigned to zoledronic acid 5 mg or matching placebo. Dual x-ray absorptiometry scan and serum for bone markers (type 1 procollagen amino-terminal propeptide, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, collagen type 1 cross-linked C-telopeptide) were obtained at baseline and after 3 months, 6 months, and the every 6 months for up to 2 years. Main Outcome Measures The primary endpoint was change in bone mineral density (BMD) at the total hip after 6 months; secondary endpoints were changes in BMD at other skeletal sites and changes in levels of serum bone markers. Results The group treated with zoledronic acid had a smaller decrease in BMD at 6 months at the total hip than the placebo group (right: −2.2 ± 3.4% versus −8.6 ± 3.5%, respectively, P = .03; left: −3.7 ± 1.0% versus −12.3 ± 6.9%, P = .03). Differences in BMD at the femoral neck were similar (right: −5.1 ± 6.5% versus −20.0 ± 6.4%, P = .01; left: −1.1 ± 3.5% versus −11.1 ± 7.4%, P = .02) with larger bone loss and smaller between group differences at the knee. Zoledronic acid resulted in a decrease in serum levels of both formation and resorption markers. Conclusions Zoledronic acid is effective at mitigating bone loss after SCI. Duration of efficacy and activity at different skeletal sites may differ from that observed in able-bodied individuals and needs further study.
Lack of significant association between type 2 diabetes mellitus with longitudinal change in diurnal salivary cortisol: the multiethnic study of atherosclerosis

Cross-sectional association has been shown between type 2 diabetes and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation; however, the temporality of this association is unknown. Our aim was to determine if type 2 diabetes is associated with longitudinal change in daily cortisol curve features. We hypothesized that the presence of type 2 diabetes may lead to a more blunted and abnormal HPA axis profile over time, suggestive of increased HPA axis dysregulation. This was a longitudinal cohort study, including 580 community-dwelling individuals (mean age 63.7 ± 9.1 years; 52.8 % women) with (n = 90) and without (n = 490) type 2 diabetes who attended two MultiEthnic Study of Atherosclerosis Stress ancillary study exams separated by 6 years. Outcome measures that were collected were wake-up and bedtime cortisol, cortisol awakening response (CAR), total area under the curve (AUC), and early, late, and overall decline slopes. In univariate analyses, wake-up and AUC increased over 6 years more in persons with as compared to those without type 2 diabetes (11 vs. 7 % increase for wake-up and 17 vs. 11 % for AUC). The early decline slope became flatter over time with a greater flattening observed in diabetic compared to non-diabetic individuals (23 vs. 9 % flatter); however, the change was only statistically significant for wake-up cortisol (p-value: 0.03). Over time, while CAR was reduced more, late decline and overall decline became flatter, and bedtime cortisol increased less in those with as compared to those without type 2 diabetes, none of these changes were statistically significant in adjusted models. We did not identify any statistically significant change in cortisol curve features over 6 years by type 2 diabetes status.
Decrease in susceptibility of mice to passive anaphylaxis following avoidance-learning stress.

SummaryMice subjected to chronic or acute shuttlebox stress were less susceptible than unstressed controls to passive anaphylactic shock induced by intravenous injection of a mixture of BPA and anti-BPA mouse serum.
Age and strain differences in the effect of distribution of practice on maze learning

Young and old rats of the S1 and S3 strains were trained on a Lashley in maze with 30 sec. or 30 min. intertrial intervals. All Ss except the young S3 rats performed better with the longer intertrial interval. The findings are considered in terms of age and strain differences in memory storage processes.
Reactive Flow Simulation Based on the Integration of Automated Mechanism Generation and On-the-Fly Reduction

A novel computational framework that enables reactive flow simulation without using an a priori reaction mechanism is proposed in this work. The proposed computational framework is based on the integration of automated mechanism generation and on-the-fly reduction based on element flux analysis. Stepwise implementation of the integrated framework is developed to perform reactive flow simulations. The computational framework starts the simulation without any prior knowledge of the mechanism with only fuel and air as the initial species and performs the stepwise mechanism generation and on-the-fly reduction iteratively to obtain the entire simulation results. In each local computation step, a mechanism is generated automatically starting with the reduced mechanism at the end of the previous step, and flux-based on-the-fly reduction is applied to the generated mechanism to obtain reactive flow simulation results for the current step. The reduced mechanism at the end of the current step is then used as the st...
An Accurate and Efficient Finite Element-Boundary Integral Method With GPU Acceleration for 3-D Electromagnetic Analysis

An accurate and efficient finite element-boundary integral (FE-BI) method with graphics processing unit (GPU) acceleration is presented for solving electromagnetic problems with complex structures and materials. A mixed testing scheme, in which the Rao-Wilton-Glisson and the Buffa-Christiansen functions are both employed as the testing functions, is first presented to improve the accuracy of the FE-BI method. An efficient absorbing boundary condition (ABC)-based preconditioner is then proposed to accelerate the convergence of the iterative solution. To further improve the efficiency of the total computation, a GPU-accelerated multilevel fast multipole algorithm (MLFMA) is applied to the iterative solution. The radar cross sections (RCS) of several benchmark objects are calculated to demonstrate the numerical accuracy of the solution and also to show that the proposed method not only is free of interior resonance corruption, but also has a better convergence than the conventional FE-BI methods. The capability and efficiency of the proposed method are analyzed through several numerical examples, including a large dielectric coated sphere, a partial human body, and a coated missile-like object. Compared with the 8-threaded CPU-based algorithm, the GPU-accelerated FE-BI-MLFMA algorithm can achieve a total speedup up to 25.5 times.
Verbal Conditioning in a New Sentence Construction Task: A Further Study:

The previously obtained results in verbal conditioning with a new sentence construction task were shown in this study to be independent of sex of both S and E. It was shown that the conditioning of...
Gas Chromatographic Estimation of Carbohydrates in Glycosphingolipids

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the gas-chromatographic estimation of carbohydrates in glycosphingolipids. Glycosphingolipids are composed of a hydrophobic lipid moiety called ceramide to which simple sugars or oligosaccharides are attached by glycosidic bonds between the reducing end of the carbohydrate unit and the primary hydroxyl group of the ceramide. Glycosphingolipids are common constituents in tissues of many mammalian species. They can be grouped into several families according to structural similarities of the carbohydrate unit. Glycerophosphatides can be removed by alkali-catalyzed methanolysis of the crude polar lipid fraction obtained by chromatographic purification on silicic acid columns; alternatively, the total lipid fraction can be subjected to alkali-catalyzed methanolysis before column chromatography.
[14C]butanol distribution: a new method for measurement of spinal cord blood flow

[14C]butanol distribution was used to quantitate regional blood flow (SCBF) in the spinal cord (levels T3-5, T7-9, L1-2, L3-S) and in the sciatic nerves (NBF) of control pentobarbital sodium-anesthetized rats (group A), after 1 h of hemorrhagic hypotension (group B), after 15 min of stimulation of one sciatic nerve (group C-1), and after stimulation of one sciatic nerve plus hemorrhage, which maintained mean arterial pressure (MAP) at control (130 mmHg). Group A SCBF ranged from 52.3 +/- 3.5 (L3-S) to 67.4 +/- 2.7 (L1-2) ml.min-1.100 g-1. NBF was 8.0 +/- 0.9 ml.min-1.100 g-1. Group B SCBF was unchanged. NBF fell to 4.0 +/- 0.4 ml.min-1.100 g-1. Group C-1 SCBF was markedly elevated (range 122 +/- 23.1 to 150.1 +/- 18.7 ml.min-1.100 g-1). NBF was 33.5 +/- 4.1 ml.min-1.100 g-1 (stimulated side) and 14.7 +/- 1.4 ml.min-1.100 g-1 (nonstimulated). MAP was elevated (163 +/- 6 mmHg). In group C-2 (MAP was 130 +/- 4 mmHg), SCBF was still elevated at T3-5, L3-S, and marginally elevated at L1-2. NBF was 22.6 +/- 4.7 ml.min-1.100 g-1 (stimulated) but unchanged contralaterally. [14C]butanol distribution provides a sensitive reproducible measure of SCBF and NBF. Autoregulation of SCBF (but not of NBF) occurred in the range 60-160 mmHg MAP. Spinal cord stimulation via the sciatic nerve increased SCBF two- to threefold, but when hypertension was avoided by blood withdrawal, a modest (38%) increase in SCBF still occurred.
IMPROVEMENT OF LEAKAGE-PLUGGING TECHNOLOGY ON TUBE-PLATE OF HIGH-PRESSURE HEATER

The leakage of some heat-exchange tubes in high-pressure heater has appeared during repair process in one power plant.The solid Cr18Ni9 steel plug and stainless steel electrode were used in original plugging process,and cracks have occurred in weld-joints of leakage-plugging due to different materials of the electrode and the tube-plate,thereby,having larger difference in expansion coefficient.After improvement of the technology,the hollow plugs of no.20 steel and J422 electrode are used,the materials are similar to that of the tube-plate,and cracks haven't occurred after weld-plugging.The stress analysis using finite element method shows that the residual stress of welding with hollow plugs is lower than that of plugs with solid structure.
The Strange Case of Ermine de Reims: A Medieval Woman Between Demons and Saints, by Renate Blumenfeld-Kosinski

Feminist medievalists have, over the last several decades, reshaped scholarly understanding of religious women, moving away from a narrative of repression to one that acknowledges the spiritual, in...
Self-rated health at the intersection of sexual identity and union status

Abstract There is a well-established relationship between union status and health within the general population, and growing evidence of an association between sexual identity and well-being. Yet, what is unknown is whether union status stratifies health outcomes across sexual identity categories. In order to elucidate this question, we analyzed nationally representative population-based data from the National Health Interview Surveys 2013–2014 (N = 53,135) to examine variation in self-rated health by sexual partnership status (i.e., by sexual identity across union status). We further test the role of socioeconomic status and gender in these associations. Results from logistic regression models show that union status stratifies self-rated health across gay, lesbian, and heterosexual populations, albeit in different ways for men and women. Socioeconomic status does not play a major role in accounting for these differences. Findings highlight the need for specific interventions with lesbian women, who appear to experience the most strident disadvantage across union status categories.
A fast motion and strain estimation method

We have previously developed a sum-table method for fast motion estimation with different motion estimators such as normalized cross-correlation (NCC), sum of square differences (SSD), sum of absolute differences (SAD). In this paper, more details of the sum table methods for different motion estimators were provided. The computational time of different motion estimators was compared in both 1D and 2D cases. A fast method of strain calculation was also described. The sum-table method was further implemented in a clinical ultrasound system to image the pulse wave in the aorta in real time.
Catalyst morphology matters for lithium-oxygen battery cathodes

The effectiveness of using catalyst nanoparticles to reduce the overpotential and energy efficiency of lithium-oxygen (or lithium-air) batteries (LOBs) is usually attributed to the inherent catalytic properties of individual nanoparticles. Here, we demonstrate that the morphology of the catalyst layer is equally important in maintaining integrity of the catalyst coating during product formation in LOBs. We demonstrate this by comparing the performance of smooth, conformal coated Mn2O3 catalyst nanoparticles prepared by electric field-assisted deposition, and more irregular coatings using conventional film assembly techniques both on three-dimensional mesh substrates. Smooth coatings lead to an improved overpotential of 50 mV during oxygen reduction and 130 mV during oxygen evolution in addition to a nearly 2X improvement in durability compared to the more irregular films. In situ electrochemical impedance spectroscopy combined with imaging studies elucidates a mechanism of morphology-directed deactivation of catalyst layers during charging and discharging that must be overcome at practical electrode scales to achieve cell-level performance targets in LOBs.
Performance Assessment of Tilt-Up Big-Box Buildings Subjected to Extreme Hazards: Tornadoes and Earthquakes

AbstractThis paper investigates the response of tilt-up (referred to as “big-box”) buildings subjected to two extreme hazards to which they have been observed to be susceptible—high winds (tornadoe...
Sustained Growth of a University-Based Endocrine Surgery Program Over 10 Years.

Endocrine surgery continues to mature as a subspecialty field. We describe the clinical performance of an academic endocrine surgery program (ESP) over its first 10 years. We examined all endocrine procedures performed during the 10-year period (2006–2015) following the inception of the ESP. Institutional and state-level data on case volume, patient geographic origin, and hospital-side costs were obtained. Endocrine case volume increased by approximately ninefold over the study period (from 102 cases in 2006 to 919 cases in 2015). The rate of growth remained approximately linear, and was driven by geographic expansion of referral regions coupled with transitioning low- to moderate-acuity operations to venues outside of the main tertiary care hospital. Market share across the eight-county Southern California region grew by more than twofold over the study period. Increased utilization of outpatient surgery led to cost reductions, averaging 11.1% per case by 2015. Establishment of an academic ESP can lead to sustained clinical growth and a fundamental shift in regional referral patterns. The nation’s continued need for skilled high-volume endocrine surgeons represents opportunities for medical centers to institute their own dedicated endocrine surgery programs.
Recognition of Infantile Spasms Is Often Delayed: The ASSIST Study.

Objectives To characterize and quantify diagnostic and treatment delay among children with infantile spasms, and to estimate the developmental impact of this delay. Study design In this cohort study, we surveyed the parents of 100 patients with infantile spasms about their experiences with diagnosis and treatment, and ascertained medical and sociodemographic factors potentially related to care of these infants. We specifically determined the latency to first visit an “effective provider,” defined as a provider who identified infantile spasms, and prescribed an appropriate first-line treatment, namely adrenocorticotropic hormone, corticosteroids, or vigabatrin. Time to the first visit to an effective provider was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression. Results The median time from the onset of infantile spasms to first visit with an effective provider was 24.5 days. Only 29% of patients were evaluated by an effective provider within 1 week of infantile spasms onset. The time to first effective provider visit was associated with parental language preference, but with no other sociodemographic characteristics. Parents' suspicions that “something is wrong” were often discounted by healthcare providers, and survey respondents frequently reported that pediatricians and neurologists were unfamiliar with infantile spasms. Conclusion This study demonstrates that substantial delay (ie, >1 week) in appropriate care is common, and suggests that the poor awareness of infantile spasms among healthcare providers is at least partly responsible for preventable and potentially significant delays in treatment.
Social dominance orientation moderates the effectiveness of mindset messages

In this work, we examine whether differences in social dominance orientation (SDO) moderate the effectiveness of mindsets of intelligence messages. We suggest that SDO is a foundational ideological belief system, on which individuals vary, that maintains the desire to endorse fixed beliefs about the nature of human intelligence. Thus, attempts to change individuals' mindsets should be met with resistance from those who strongly endorse the social dominance ideology - individuals high on SDO. In contrast, individuals low on SDO are less likely to use mindsets of intelligence to justify an ideological belief system, and thus, mindset manipulations should be effective for them. We test these predictions across three experimental studies (NStudy1 = 271, NStudy2 = 207, NStudy3 = 313). Across the studies, we find that individuals who are high, relative to low, on SDO have more fixed beliefs about the nature of intelligence and show smaller effects of manipulations of mindsets. However, when comparing to a control condition, there was no evidence that high-SDO participants resisted the growth message that contradicts their ideology more than the fixed one that supports it; additionally, low-SDO participants showed heightened responsiveness to a fixed message. We discuss implications for theoretical advances in our understanding of mindsets.
Aerial-Underwater Systems, a New Paradigm in Unmanned Vehicles

Unmanned Aerial-Underwater Vehicles (UAUVs) arise as a new kind of unmanned system capable of performing equally well in multiple mediums and seamlessly transitioning between them. This work focuses in the modeling and trajectory tracking control of a special class of air-underwater vehicle with full torque actuation and a single thrust force directed along the vehicle’s vertical axis. In particular, a singularity-free representation is required in order to orient the vehicle in any direction, which becomes critical underwater in order to direct the thrust force in the direction of motion and effectively overcome the increased drag and buoyancy forces. A quaternion based representation is used for this purpose. A hierarchical controller is proposed, where trajectory tracking is accomplished by a Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller with compensation of the restoring forces. The outer trajectory tracking control loop provides the thrust force and desired orientation. The latter is fed to the inner attitude control loop, where a nonlinear quaternion feedback is employed. A gain scheduling strategy is used to deal with the drastic change in medium density during transitions. The proposed scheme is studied through numerical simulations, while real time experiments validate the good performance of the system.
Review Article: Quantum-based vacuum metrology at the National Institute of Standards and Technology

The measurement science in realizing and disseminating the unit for pressure in the International System of Units, the pascal (Pa), has been the subject of much interest at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Modern optical-based techniques for pascal metrology have been investigated, including multiphoton ionization and cavity ringdown spectroscopy. Work is ongoing to recast the pascal in terms of quantum properties and fundamental constants and in doing so make vacuum metrology consistent with the global trend toward quantum-based metrology. NIST has ongoing projects that interrogate the index of refraction of a gas using an optical cavity for low vacuum, and count background particles in high vacuum to extreme high vacuum using trapped laser-cooled atoms.
Endocytic Trafficking and Human Diseases

In the last several years an increasing number of genes associated with different human diseases has been identified. Interestingly, many of these genes have been demonstrated to encode components of the intracellular sorting machinery that mediates the selective trafficking of lipids and proteins in the secretory and endocytic pathways. This chapter highlights the molecular basis for selected diseases associated with defects in intracellular trafficking with a specific focus on disorders resulting from aberrant endosomal sorting.
Biology and functions of the RGS9 isoforms.

Two splice isoforms of the ninth member of the regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) protein family are expressed in the nervous system, where they are engaged in such diverse functions as vision and behavior. RGS9‐1 regulates phototransduction in rods and cones, while RGS9‐2 regulates dopamine and opioid signaling in the basal ganglia. The main goal of this review is to illustrate how these functions are fulfilled through the interplay between the intrinsic molecular properties of RGS9 isoforms and their interactions with several key protein partners in the cells in which they are expressed.
The Doorways of Perception

Perception involves sorting out signal patterns that are meaningful from ones that are not, deciphering the information they contain, and then initiating an appropriate response. Chemical information detectors respond directly to form, while the other modalities depend on the pattern of the receptors that detected objects and events activate. Chemical information detection is involved in genetic and cellular regulation, taste and smell sensations, and hormone and pheromone signals. The other sensory modalities respond to various stimuli, like electromagnetic radiation (vision) and air pressure waves (hearing). The different receptors detect different types of meaningful information and respond by transmitting neuronal signals to the brain where it can be interpreted.
From tibialis anterior to Tai Chi: biofeedback and beyond.

This keynote presentation highlights events that have contributed to scientific explorations of one research clinician. Steve Wolf traces his scientific roots to early studies in single motor unit control under the guidance of his primary mentor, John Basmajian, MD. This work led to subsequent studies on the role of EMG feedback in predicting successful outcomes in upper extremity use and in ambulatory capabilities among patients with chronic stroke. These findings are contrasted to further efforts to condition entire reflexes rather than individual muscles through use of operant-conditioning paradigms. The findings from applications of EMG biofeedback to stroke patients became the basis for minimal motor criteria in the treatment of the impaired upper extremities of patients with chronic stroke, using “forced use” or “constraint-induced movement therapy.” Last, investigations into center of pressure feedback using computerized balance machines resulted in a series of experiments that ultimately led to the finding that Tai Chi as an exercise form for older adults can have a substantially favorable effect in delaying the onset of fall events.
An application of game theory in distributed collaborative decision making

In a distributed product realization environment, new paradigms and accompanying software systems are necessary to support the collaborative work of geographically dispersed engineering teams from different disciplines who have different knowledge, experience, tools and resources. To verify the concept of collaboration by separation, we propose a generic information communication medium to enable knowledge representation and exchange between engineering teams, a digital interface. Across digital interfaces, each engineering team maintains its own perspective towards the product realization problem, and each controls a subset of design variables and seeks to maximize its own payoff function subject to individual constraints. Hence, we postulate the use of principles from game theory to model the relationships between engineering teams and facilitate collaborative decision making without causing unnecessary information exchange or iteration across digital interfaces. A product design and manufacturing scenario is introduced to demonstrate the efficacy of using game theory to maintain a clean interface between design and manufacturing teams.
The Second-Price Knapsack Problem: Near-Optimal Real Time Bidding in Internet Advertisement

In many online advertisement (ad) exchanges, ad slots are each sold via a separate second-price auction. This paper considers the bidder's problem of maximizing the value of ads they purchase in these auctions, subject to budget constraints. This 'second-price knapsack' problem presents challenges when devising a bidding strategy because of the uncertain resource consumption: bidders win if they bid the highest amount, but pay the second-highest bid, unknown a priori. This is in contrast to the traditional online knapsack problem, where posted prices are revealed when ads arrive, and for which there exists a rich literature of primal and dual algorithms. The main results of this paper establish general methods for adapting these primal and dual online knapsack selection algorithms to the second-price knapsack problem, where the prices are revealed only after bidding. In particular, a methodology is provided for converting deterministic and randomized knapsack selection algorithms into second-price knapsack bidding strategies, that purchase ads through an equivalent set of criteria and thereby achieve the same competitive guarantees. This shows a connection between the traditional knapsack selection algorithm and second-price auction bidding algorithms, that has not previously been leveraged. Empirical analysis on real ad exchange data verifies the usefulness of this method, and gives examples where it can outperform state-of-the-art techniques.
Integration of palliative care consultation for patients with malignant bowel obstruction in gynecologic oncology: Qualitative approach to understand provider perspectives.

116Background: Gynecologic oncologists’ (GO) approaches to palliative care team (PCT) consultation for managing patients with malignant bowel obstruction (MBO) from recurrent gynecologic cancer rem...
THE ENDODONTIC RADIOLUCENCY INDEX: CBCT-ERI

Background Objective quantification of periapical disease on radiographs has evolved since the 1980s.1-3 The periapical index (PAI)1 was developed for classifying findings on periapical radiographs to assist in the diagnosis of pulpal disease. The PAI uses subjective, descriptive terminology that is too broad for the degree of detail present with cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging. The CBCT-PAI2 uses measurable objective findings. However, the measurement intervals are large and do not distinguish the fine details of smaller or early-stage lesions seen on CBCT, thus limiting the ability to categorize early periapical disease or healing. The revised CBCT-PAI3 defines in more detail how to position the tooth in 3 fixed and reproducible planes. Tsai4 showed that small-volume, high-resolution CBCT scans could distinguish periapical radiolucencies measuring less than 0.5 mm. Therefore, the CBCT–endodontic radiolucency index (CBCT-ERI) is presented as an objective, repeatable index, with higher sensitivity to documentation of subtle radiographic findings. Objectives The objective was to describe the scoring technique and provide statistical validation of the CBCT-ERI as an objective measurement tool. A second objective was to classify periapical disease early in its progression and to quantify subtle changes in the healing process. Materials and Methods This study was approved by the Loma Linda University institutional review board (#5140049). CBCT data (voxel 0.125 mm3) of 119 endodontically treated roots were classified by using the CBCT-ERI by 2 calibrated radiology faculty. The cases were classified independently and blindly. In the multiplanar reconstructions, the long axis of the selected teeth were uprighted parallel to the sagittal and coronal planes of imaging according to a specific protocol. Roots were evaluated in all planes until the widest area of the periodontal ligament was identified. The linear width of the widest radiolucent area perpendicular to the root surface was measured and assigned a CBCT-ERI numerical score/rank. Results The examiners’ interclass correlation coefficient for the 119 root measurements was 0.96 at a 95% confidence interval. Reliability, using Cronbach's alpha, was 0.981. Conclusions The CBCT-ERI offers a highly sensitive and reproducible tool for evaluating developing or resolving periapical lesions.
Hardin’s imagined tragedy is pig shit: A call for planning to recenter the commons:

Hardin was wrong. There was not a tragedy of overuse. The Commons were dismantled by the state to make room for the formal economy and higher income user groups. I revisit the history of the Common...
Noise Wave Modeling of an SIS Mixer and Its IF Circuit Using Tucker's Quantum Theory of Mixing

Tucker's Quantum Theory of Mixing (QTM) is widely used to model the conversion gain and noise temperature of SIS mixers. In particular, the theory describes the phenomenon of non-classical conversion gain and that of infinite or even negative output impedances in inductively tuned SIS mixers. Common microwave noise theory is inadequate to describe the operation of the IF circuit connected to such mixers. In this paper, we report the use of the noise wave formalism to model the noise properties of a Double-Side-Band SIS mixer together with an IF isolator and low noise amplifier cascade. Starting from QTM, we derive the 4 noise parameters of the SIS mixer, together with an approximate 2-port chain matrix with an upper-side-band RF input port and an IF output port. These matrices are cascaded with the noise correlation matrix of the IF circuit to form a complete noise model of the SIS receiver. Optimum source impedance for the receiver can be derived from this noise model, which can be used in efficient CAD modeling of a complete SIS receiver.
Assessing the collective utility of multiple analyses on clinical alcohol use disorder data.

Objective The objective of this study was to assess the potential of combining graph learning methods with latent variable estimation methods for mining clinically useful information from observational clinical data sets. Materials and methods The data set contained self-reported measures of psychopathology symptoms from a clinical sample receiving treatment for alcohol use disorder. We used the traditional graph learning methods: Graphical Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator, and Friedman's hill climbing algorithm; traditional latent variable estimation method factor analysis; recently developed graph learning method Greedy Fast Causal Inference; and recently developed latent variable estimation method Find One Factor Clusters. Methods were assessed qualitatively by the content of their findings. Results Recently developed graphical methods identified potential latent variables (ie, not represented in the model) influencing particular scores. Recently developed latent effect estimation methods identified plausible cross-score loadings that were not found with factor analysis. A graphical analysis of individual items identified a mistake in wording on 1 questionnaire and provided further evidence that certain scores are not reflective of indirectly measured common causes. Discussion and conclusion Our findings suggest that a combination of Greedy Fast Causal Inference and Find One Factor Clusters can enhance the evidence-based information yield from psychopathological constructs and questionnaires. Traditional methods provided some of the same information but missed other important findings. These conclusions point the way toward more informative interrogations of existing and future data sets than are commonly employed at present.
New explanation for autosomal dominant high bone mass: Mutation of low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6.

Abstract LRP5 encodes low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5). When LRP5 with a Frizzled receptor join on the surface of an osteoblast and bind a member of the Wnt family of ligands, canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling occurs and increases bone formation. Eleven heterozygous gain-of-function missense mutations within LRP5 are known to prevent the LRP5 inhibitory ligands sclerostin and dickkopf1 from attaching to LRP5's first β-propeller, and thereby explain the rare autosomal dominant (AD) skeletal disorder “high bone mass” (HBM). LRP6 is a cognate co-receptor of LRP5 and similarly controls Wnt signaling in osteoblasts, yet the consequences of increased LRP6-mediated signaling remain unknown. We investigated two multi-generational American families manifesting the clinical and routine laboratory features of LRP5 HBM but without an LRP5 defect and instead carrying a heterozygous LRP6 missense mutation that would alter the first β-propeller of LRP6. In Family 1 LRP6 c.602C>T, p.A201V was homologous to LRP5 HBM mutation c.641C>T, p.A214V, and in Family 2 LRP6 c.553A>C, p.N185H was homologous to LRP5 HBM mutation c.593A>G, p.N198S but predicting a different residue at the identical amino acid position. In both families the LRP6 mutation co-segregated with striking generalized osteosclerosis and hyperostosis. Clinical features shared by the seven LRP6 HBM family members and ten LRP5 HBM patients included a broad jaw, torus palatinus, teeth encased in bone and, reportedly, resistance to fracturing and inability to float in water. For both HBM disorders, all affected individuals were taller than average for Americans (Ps 0.05), and showed no age effect (Ps > 0.1). HR-pQCT available only for LRP6 HBM revealed indistinct corticomedullary boundaries, high distal forearm and tibial total volumetric BMD, and finite element analysis predicted marked fracture resistance. Hence, we have discovered mutations of LRP6 that cause a dento-osseous disorder indistinguishable without mutation analysis from LRP5 HBM. LRP6 HBM seems associated with generally good health, providing some reassurance for the development of anabolic treatments aimed to enhance LRP5/LRP6-mediated osteogenesis.
Surgical Management of Idiopathic Thoracic Spinal Cord Herniation.

Background Idiopathic spinal cord herniation is a rare condition that involves spinal cord herniation through a defect in the ventral dura. Case Description We present a case of a 61-year-old woman who initially presented in 2016 with an approximately 1-year history of burning right lower extremity pain and gait instability. Her neurologic examination was consistent with thoracic Brown−Sequard syndrome, and spinal magnetic resonance imaging showed a focal defect in the ventral dura at the superior aspect of T4 with the left aspect of the cord herniating into the defect. In 2018, she underwent a T3−T4 laminectomy with T3 pedicle take down and medial facetectomy, with reduction of the herniated cord. Conclusions Idiopathic spinal cord herniation is an uncommon spinal cord disorder with a paucity of data reported. Our case report of a classic case of idiopathic spinal cord herniation presenting as Brown−Sequard syndrome and managed surgically will contribute to the data in this field.
An IoT integrity-first communication protocol via an ethereum blockchain light client

Smart cities and advanced energy delivery systems are examples of IoT rich environments. These systems are responsible for communicating critical data about urban infrastructure that keeps our modern cities functioning. Today, IoT devices lack communication protocols with data integrity as a priority. Without data integrity, these systems are at risk of actuating urban environments on compromised data. Attackers can use this IoT communication flaw to wage cyber-physical attacks. We designed and developed an integrity-first communication protocol for IoT that is distributed and scalable based on the Ethereum blockchain. Our light client ensures data communication integrity for systems that require it most.
Recent advances in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation for acute myeloid leukemia.

Purpose of review Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), with associated graft-versus-leukemia effects, remains the best postremission strategy for patients with intermediate or high-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML), with a curative potential. Here, we highlight recent advances in allogeneic HCT that broadened access, refined prognostication, and improved outcomes of AML patients undergoing this procedure. Recent findings Eligibility for allogeneic HCT continued to expand to AML patients older than 60 years, as well as to patients lacking human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched donors with the advent of alternative donor sources, such as umbilical cord blood and HLA-haploidentical transplantation. Molecular profiling of AML has redefined prognostication for patients in specific AML genomic subgroups undergoing allogeneic HCT and has served as a new strategy for measuring minimal residual disease before and after allogeneic HCT. Using high intensity conditioning regimens has emerged as a potential strategy to reduce risk of relapse and improve overall survival, especially in patients with minimal residual disease prior to allogeneic HCT. Summary As access to allogeneic HCT continues to improve, also, with more refined prognostic strategies, the field continues to move to optimize transplantation approaches by decreasing the risk of relapse and minimizing transplant-related complications.
Angular and spatial light modulation by single digital micromirror device for beam and pattern steering

The “Angular Spatial Light Modulator” (ASLM) utilizes digital micromirror device (DMD) as a binary patterned programmable blazed grating to increase number of output pixels of a DMD by merging geometric and diffractive optical capabilities of the DMD. We demonstrate series of capabilities of the ASLM for beam and pattern steering. In particular, a single-chip beam steering lidar, an extended FOV display, a light-field projector, and a multi-view display which can be implemented into AR/VR systems. We also present our metrology results of wavefront distortion of DMD while micro mirrors are transitioning over between on and off states.
Improvements in Neck Pain and Disability Following C1-C2 Posterior Cervical Instrumentation and Fusion for Atlanto-Axial Osteoarthritis

Objective Symptomatic Atlanto-axial (C1-2) osteoarthritis (AAOA) is a common phenomenon in elderly patients; however, there is a paucity of data on the effectiveness of posterior atlanto-axial fusion (PAAF) for this condition. To this end, here we assess changes in patient-reported outcomes and neck-related disability in adult patients undergoing PAAF for symptomatic C1-2 AAOA. Methods In this retrospective study, the clinical records of consecutive patients with symptomatic AAOA who underwent PAAF between 2004 and 2017 were reviewed. Patient demographics, comorbidities, intraoperative and postoperative variables, and complication rates were collected. Neck Disability Index (NDI) scores were recorded at baseline and 6 weeks, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years postoperatively. Results Forty-two patients (average age, 72.04 ± 8.56 years; 26.19% males) met the study's inclusion criteria. In this cohort, 19.04% had previous subaxial cervical spine surgery, 35.71% had a history of smoking (all had stopped smoking before surgery), and 11.90% had type II diabetes. At baseline, the majority of patients had a normal neurologic exam. The average preoperative NDI score was 26.88 ± 24.85, which improved to 10.59 ± 14.88 at the 1-year follow-up and 13.20 ± 14.96 at the 2-year follow-up (P = 0.004). At baseline, 18% of the patients reported severe disability based on NDI score; this percentage decreased to 2% at 1 year and 0 at 2 years (P = 0.01). Importantly, a high percentage (11.90%) of patients had undergone previous subaxial cervical fusion for their pain due to a mistaken diagnosis for this condition, without symptom relief. Conclusions In appropriately selected patients, PAAF may decrease neck pain and improve functional disability in patients with AAOA. Future prospective longitudinal studies are needed to corroborate these findings.
1.16 – Sesquiterpenes

This chapter reviews recent advances in elucidating the identification and biosynthesis of several classes of sesquiterpenes from a variety of plant and microbial systems. The generation of the sesquiterpene skeletons for key linear and cyclic classes of sesquiterpenes, and the subsequent decoration of these scaffolds by hydroxylation/oxidation are emphasized. Important, recent findings as to mechanistic features of the biosynthetic mechanisms and enzymes catalyzing these reactions are also reviewed. Although many of the genes coding for sesquiterpene biosynthetic enzymes have been discovered, some of the outstanding questions in understanding the structure–function relationships of these enzymes are posed.
Short-Circuit Fault Discrimination Using SiC JFET-Based Self-Powered Solid-State Circuit Breakers in a Residential DC Community Microgrid

This article identifies and validates the use of ultrafast silicon carbide (SiC) junction field effect transistor (JFET)-based self-powered solid-state circuit breakers (SSCBs) as the enabling protective device for a 340 Vdc residential dc community microgrid. These SSCBs will be incorporated into a radial distribution system in order to enhance fault discrimination through autonomous operation. Because of the nature and characteristics of short-circuit fault inception in dc microgrids, the time–current trip characteristics of protective devices must be several orders of magnitude faster than conventional circuit breakers. The proposed SSCBs detect short-circuit faults by sensing the sudden voltage rise between its two power terminals and draw power from the fault condition itself to turn off SiC JFETs and then, coordinate with no-load contacts that can isolate the fault. Depending upon the location of the SSCBs in the microgrid, either unidirectional or bidirectional implementations are incorporated. Cascaded SSCBs are tuned using a simple resistor change to enable fault discrimination between upstream high-current feeds and downstream lower current branches. Operation of one of the SSCBs and three in cascaded arrangements are validated both in simulation and with a hardware test platform. Thermal impact on the SSCB is discussed as well. The target application is a residential dc microgrid that will be installed as part of a revitalization effort of an inner city Milwaukee neighborhood.