cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Time course of osteoblast appearance after in vivo mechanical loading

The time course of the bone cellular response to mechanical loading is important in the design of optimal exercise prescriptions. This study examined the time course of periosteal cellular changes in the rat tibia following a single exposure of mechanical loading in four-point bending. The right tibiae of adult female Sprague Dawley rats (n = 48, 346 +/- 29 g) were loaded at 40 N (2000 mu epsilon) for 36 cycles at 2 Hz. Right loaded (L) and left nonloaded (NL) tibiae were collected on days 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 9 after loading. Cross sections from the loaded region were examined for periosteal differences in bone lining cell surface length, osteoblast surface length, and both alkaline phosphatase-positive cell surface length and width in the cellular layer. A single loading session increased osteoblast surface length as early as day 2, with a peak in expression on day 3. Nine days after a single loading session osteoblast surface length was not different from nonloaded control levels. Alkaline phosphatase width in the cellular periosteum was elevated by day 2 and remained elevated through day 9. This study shows the transient increase in osteoblast surface following a single loading session. It provides fundamental information regarding the timing of osteoblast appearance and the longevity of the response following mechanical stimulation.
Deltaic Origin of Difunta Group (Late Cretaceous to Paleocene), Parras Basin, Coahuila and Nuevo Leon, Mexico: ABSTRACT

The Difunta Group is predominantly gray calcareous mudstone, siltstone, and sandstone with 3 wedge-shaped redbed units. The redbeds provide a basis for subdividing the group into 7 formations with a composite thickness of 12,000 ft. Simple structure, continuous exposures, and lithologic variability provide an excellent opportunity for paleoenvironmental interpretations. The Difunta Group is largely the product of deltaic sedimentation in the Parras basin, a shallow embayment off the ancestral Gulf of Mexico. Major delta progradation was from southwest to northeast as shown by facies changes, thickness trends, and paleocurrent data. The redbed units are interpreted as delta-plain deposits that accumulated as lake and bay muds and silts and fluvial and distributary-channel sands. Redbeds are bounded by resistant gray blanket sandstones 20-60 ft thick that have sharp bases, scour-and-fill bedding, Ophiomorpha, and local mudstone, wood, and oyster clasts. These sandstones are interpreted as delta-front and delta-destructional deposits formed during progradation and retrogradation of the deltaic complex. Prodelta facies are gray sequences of either (1) burrowed mudstone or muddy sandstone, many beds of which have ball-and-pillow structure and a sparse molluscan fauna, or (2) interbedded graded sandstone and burrowed mudstone. The graded sandstone beds of the later facies were deposited by turbidity currents that were generated at the delta front probably by hyperpycnal flow. Patchlike carbonate banks up to 1,000 ft thick developed in the north during episodes of low terrigenous influx in this area. Bank deposits are chiefly micritic bioclastic rocks; boundstone is rare. End_of_Article - Last_Page 352------------
Technical Note: A Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy Technique to Predict Particle Size of Starch Within Corn Silage

Abstract Starch particle size characteristics of 81 diverse corn silage samples, which included 27 combinations of hybrid, planting dates, and harvest dates subjected to 3 different degrees of kernel processing, were determined via vertical shaking through 9 screens with nominal square apertures of 19.0, 13.2, 9.5, 6.7, 4.75, 3.35, 2.36, 1.18, and 0.6mm and a pan. Starch content of dry matter remaining on each screen and on the pan for each corn silage was determined, and geometric mean particle size (GMPS, μm), starch particles(SP)/g, starch surface area (SSA, cm 2 /g), kernel processing score (KPS), % starch 2 2 >0.81) for GMPS, SSA, and KPS were attained using spectra from undried, unground corn silage that passed through a 19-mm screen. This technique holds promise as a rapid and efficient method to determine particle size characteristics of starch within corn silage.
Problem of determining whether a parallel reduction operator for n -dimensional binary images always preserves topology

Loosely speaking, a simple set of a finite binary image is a set of 1s whose deletion `preserves topology.' This concept can be made precise in different (and inequivalent) ways. Ronse established results which imply that, for finite 2-D binary images on a Cartesian grid and three different definitions of simple set, a set S of 1s is simple if every subset of S that lies in a 2- point by 2-point square is simple. In fact this is a special case of a general result which applies to arbitrary finite binary images -- not just 2-D images on a Cartesian grid -- and any definition of simple set which satisfies three axioms stated in this paper. For finite binary images on an n-dimensional Cartesian grid, we give appropriate definitions of simple set which satisfy all the axioms. When these definitions of simple set are used, verification that a parallel reduction operator for n-dimensional binary images preserves the topology of all possible input images may be achievable by checking only a finite number of cases.
ACTIONS OF ACTH IN INTACT AND CORTICOID-MAINTAINED ADRENALECTOMIZED FEMALE MICE WITH EMPHASIS ON THE REPRODUCTIVE TRACT.

Immature female albino mice were used in 2 experiments to determine the effects of ACTH [4 U/day × 10 subcutaneously (sc) in gelatin vehicle] on maturation of intact and of adrenalectomized mice maintained on cortisol acetate (F) (100 μg/day sc) or corticosterone (B) (400 μg/day sc). Appropriate intact and adrenalectomized controls were used. Mice were adrenalectomized at 23 days of age. Corticoid injections were begun immediately and injections of ACTH at 25 days of age. ACTH injections continued for 10 days. The mice were sacrificed 24 hr after the last injections. In intact mice, ACTH increased follicular atresia, increased numbers of 3° follicles (follicles with antra), decreased maximum follicular size, and inhibited ovulation and luteinization in the ovaries. Uteri remained in an infantile condition. Despite immature appearance of uteri, vaginae sometimes were cornified. Either ACTH inhibited uterine responses to estrogens or vaginal cornification developed independently of apparent ovarian and uter...
Treatment of the Neuroleptic-Nonresponsive Schizophrenic Patient

The treatment and management of neuroleptic-resistant schizophrenic patients, who comprise 5 to 25 percent of all patients with that diagnosis, are major problems for psychiatry. In addition, another large group of schizophrenic patients, perhaps 5 to 20 percent, are intolerant of therapeutic dosages of neuroleptic drugs because of extrapyramidal symptoms, including akathisia, parkinsonism, and tardive dyskinesia. Because about 60 percent of neuroleptic-resistant schizophrenic patients respond to clozapine and a large percentage of neuroleptic-intolerant patients are able to tolerate clozapine, it should be considered the treatment of choice for such patients until other therapies are proven to be superior. A trial of clozapine alone should usually be continued for up to 6 months before it is terminated or supplemental agents are tried. Plasma levels of clozapine may be useful to guide dosage. The major side effects of clozapine are granulocytopenia or agranulocytosis (1%-2%) and a dose-related increase in the incidence of generalized seizures. Psychosocial treatments such as education of the patient and the family about the nature of the illness, rehabilitation programs, social skills training, and assistance in housing are generally needed to obtain optimal benefit from clozapine, as with other somatic therapies. If clozapine is unavailable, unacceptable, or not tolerated, a variety of approaches may be employed to supplement typical antipsychotic drugs for patients who do not respond adequately to these agents alone. These include lithium; electroconvulsive therapy; carbamazepine or valproic acid; benzodiazepines; antidepressant drugs; reserpine; L-dopa and amphetamine; opioid drugs; calcium channel blockers; and miscellaneous other pharmacologic approaches. The evidence for the efficacy of these ancillary somatic therapies in treatment-resistant patients is relatively weak. Polypharmacy should be tried only for discrete periods and with clear goals. If these are not achieved, supplemental medications should be discontinued. Psychosurgery is not a recommended alternative at this time.
Cellular mechanisms controlling the strength of synapses

The mechanisms suspected as contributors to the regulation of synaptic strength act at a variety of sites along the causal chain that links activity in a presynaptic neuron to activity in a postsynaptic one. At several places in this chain, morphological factors are expected to have a powerful influence, and at several others, key insights into the mechanisms controlling synaptic action have been achieved using morphological techniques. A variety of presynaptic mechanisms controlling the release of neurotransmitter have been most directly shown to regulate the potency of synaptic connections. Traditional interpretations of the effect of postsynaptic geometry on synaptic strength need to be reevaluated in light of new views of the functional properties of dendritic membrane, and the new neurophysiological data must be incorporated into a more comprehensive view of the behavior of spatially distributed excitable membrane with specific patterns of distributed synaptic inputs.
Discovering machine-specific code improvements

I have designed and built a compiler construction tool that automates much of the case analysis necessary to exploit special purpose instructions on a target machine. Given a suitable description of the target machine, my analysis identifies instruction sequences that are equivalent to single instructions. During code generation, these equivalences can be used to avoid inefficient instruction sequences in favor of more efficient instructions.I present a working prototype of the instruction set analyzer needed in the framework outlined by [Giegerich 83]. In contrast to the work presented in [Davidson and Fraser 80, 84], I analyze machine descriptions during compiler construction, rather than analyzing instruction sequences that occur during code generation. [R Kessler 84] describes a system which analyzes machine descriptions during compiler construction, but which which is limited to discovering instructions that are equivalent to instruction sequences of length 2. The techniques presented here can identify instruction sequences of arbitrary length that are equivalent to single instructions.I have applied this analysis to the descriptions of two machines, and used the results to replace hand-written case analysis routines in an otherwise table-driven code generator [Henry 84].
An advanced boundary integral equation method for three‐dimensional thermoelasticity

The features of an advanced numerical solution capability for boundary value problems of linear, homogeneous, isotropic, steady-state thermoelasticity theory are outlined. The influence on the stress field of thermal gradient, or comparable mechanical body force, is shown to depend on surface integrals only. Hence discretization for numerical purposes is confined to body surfaces. Several problems are solved, and verification of numerical procedures is obtained by comparison with accepted results from the literature.
Authorship Inflation in Medical Publications.

The number of authors per manuscript in peer-reviewed medical journals has increased substantially in the last several decades. Several reasons have been offered to explain this authorship growth, ...
An introduction to the Mass Storage System Reference Model, version 5

Brief histories of the IEEE Mass Storage System Reference Model and the IEEE Storage System Standards Working Group are presented. The Reference Model is explained in terms of layers of abstraction, including storage-container layers, mapping-service layers, and storage-service layers. >
Dietary fish oil results in a greater bone mass and bone formation indices in aged ovariectomized rats

Postmenopausal bone loss and the possible progression to osteoporosis is a major health concern. Until recently, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was the standard for preventing the development of osteoporosis and possible hip fractures following menopause. However, because of some adverse effects of HRT, new therapies, lifestyle habits, and nutritional interventions are being developed and better characterized in their ability to prevent bone loss after menopause. One such option is to increase the amount of fish oil consumed in the diet. The goal of the current research was to determine the impact of fish oil supplementation on bone mass, density, formation, and resorption in an aged ovariectomized rat model. Twelvemonth-old female retired breeder Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a control (Control) or fish oil (Fish) diet. Two weeks following the introduction of the diets, the rats were either sham-operated (Sham) or bilaterally ovariectomized (OVX). Ten weeks after surgery, indices of bone mass and bone histomorphometry were measured. Bone mineral content (BMC) of the whole femur was significantly higher in the Fish/OVX than in the Control/OVX, and the differences were most pronounced in the distal and proximal ends of the femur. However, the Fish/Sham and the Control/Sham did not differ in the measures of BMC. Although the Control/OVX had significantly lower cortical area and greater endosteal perimeter compared with the Control/Sham, the differences were not significant between the Fish/Sham and the Fish/OVX. In addition, the Fish/OVX had a significantly larger percent double-labeled surface and mineral apposition rate at the endocortical surface than the Control/OVX. Our findings suggest that fish oil supplementation has a positive effect on bone metabolism and might be a possible intervention to slow the loss of bone observed following menopause.
Custom design in a low-power/high-performance ASIC world

Aggressive design cycle requirements are making it increasingly difficult to deploy custom and even semi-custom design techniques in consumer ASIC's. However, market requirements continue to push IP implementation teams harder and harder for increased performance and reduced power consumption. Given these two conflicting trends, new design methodologies are required, such that IP design teams can meet market expectations, without the large staffs and long schedules that have traditionally characterized custom design. This presentation reviews several high-ROI methodologies which can be utilized in this design environment to improve implementations without dramatic impact to budgets and schedules.
Online travel time prediction based on boosting

Travel time prediction is a very important problem in intelligent transportation system research. We examine the use of boosting, a machine learning technique in travel time prediction, and combine boosting and neural network models to increase prediction accuracy. In addition, Quality of Service (QoS) factors such as bandwidth play an important role in travel time prediction, so we also explore the relationship between the accuracy of travel time prediction and the frequency of traffic data collection with the long term goal of minimizing bandwidth consumption. Finding a lower bound on the data collection frequency is also an important preliminary step for the boosting-based approach. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, we conducted three sets of experiments that show the boosting neural network approach outperforms other predictors.
Tradable universal service obligations

This paper proposes a novel policy to motivate private-sector operators of basic infrastructure to expand infrastructure into previously unserved regions. It is particularly useful when resources are transferred to the private sector, as occurs during the privatization of a state-owned telecommunications carrier, the introduction of competition, the release of spectrum, or the allocation of cash subsidies for this purpose. Firms receive tradable universal service obligations in the form of milestones that must be met, and commitments to meet specific deadlines. By exchanging its commitments, a firm can increase or decrease the rate at which it must expand infrastructure. By exchanging milestones, a firm can change where it must expand infrastructure. Making milestones and commitments independent and fully tradable allows each firm to develop the most cost effective business strategy possible, and to adapt that strategy as technology and demand evolve over time. The exchange of milestones and commitments does not diminish the obligations that must be met by industry as a whole, insuring the timely expansion of infrastructure. This paper focuses on telecommunications, but the approach is also applicable to other forms of infrastructure, such as electric power.
The Bacteriology of Bull Semen

Summary 1.The bacterial count on 43 ejaculates collected from 19 bulls by means of an artificial vagina ranged from 1,000 to 22,000,000 per cc. 2.It was found that by douching the sheath and washing the underline, if the bull was dirty, the number of bacteria in semen could be markedly reduced. 3.Almost sterile yolk-phosphate diluent was consistently produced when fresh eggs from healthy hens were used and when aseptic methods were employed in the preparation of the diluent. Under other conditions the diluent may be responsible for the addition of large numbers of bacteria to semen samples. 4.Bacterial growth during storage was held at a minimum by storing at 5° C. or lower.
Automated Outcomes-Based Assessment Process for Traditional and Project-Based Engineering Instruction

An outcomes-based assessment process called QQI, an acronym for Quantity-Quality-Improvement, has been developed and pilot-tested in several courses, both traditional and project-based, in mechanical engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. An online version of the QQI survey instrument has been created which automates collection of data and rapid generation of reports to faculty. The QQI process, including the instrument and report generator, research and design basis, and results of pilot testing, are described and department-wide implementation plans are discussed.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Reimagining Christian Higher Education

ABSTRACTThe challenges facing higher education continue to mount. The shifting of the U.S. ethnic and racial demographics, the proliferation of advanced digital technologies and data, and the move from traditional degrees to continuous learning platforms have created an unstable environment to which Christian higher education must adapt in order to remain viable and ultimately to thrive. Courageous leadership is needed to confront a mindset of scarcity and address the resistance created by a tendency to protect the status quo. By challenging existing assumptions and searching for deep, adaptive solutions, Christian colleges and universities can maintain their unique distinctive as they reimagine their approach to education. This article ends with an imaginative look at the future of faith-based higher education.
Revisiting Agency and Stewardship Theories: Perspectives From Nonprofit Board Chairs and CEOs

Using principal–agent theories, this study examined differences in the perceptions of nonprofit chief executive officers (CEOs) and board chairs on key governance aspects, including board performance, leadership, satisfaction with diversity, and board meetings. Using data from the CEOs and board chairs of 474 nonprofit organizations, we found statistically significant differences in the governance perceptions of these leaders of nonprofit organizations. The findings provide support for an agency theory explanation about the differing interests of principals (board chairs) and agents (CEOs). The findings suggest that these two sets of nonprofit actors frequently operate from different perspectives, potentially affecting the governance of their organizations.
Aqueous coordination chemistry of H2: why is coordinated H2 inert to substitution by water in trans-Ru(P2)2(H2)H+-type complexes (P2 = a chelating phosphine)?

The reactivity of a series of trans-Ru(P2)2Cl2 complexes with H2 was explored. The complexes reacted with H2 via a stepwise H2 addition/heterolysis pathway to form the trans-[Ru(P2)2(H2)H]+ dihydrogen complexes. Some of the resulting η2-H2 complexes were surprisingly inert to substitution by water, even at concentrations as high as 55 M; however, the identity of the bidentate phosphine ligand greatly influenced the lability of the coordinated η2-H2 ligand. With less electron-donating phosphine ligands, the H2 ligand was susceptible to substitution by H2O, whereas with more electron-rich phosphine ligands, the H2 ligand was inert to substitution by water. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the ligand substitution reactions showed that the Ru−H2 and Ru−H2O complexes are very close in energy, and therefore slight changes in the donor properties of the bidentate phosphine ligand can inhibit or promote the substitution of H2O for H2.
A comparison of the action in patients of g-strophanthin and digitalis:

In the same patients we have compared the action of g-strophanthin given intravenously with the action of digitalis (digipuratum) given by mouth. Both drugs were standardized by the cat method. One...
Reflections on Skipping Stones to Diving Deep: The Process of Immersion as a Practice

Part of the Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching Commons, Civic and Community Engagement Commons, Community-based Learning Commons, Community-based Research Commons, Curriculum and Social Inquiry Commons, Educational Administration and Supervision Commons, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Educational Leadership Commons, Educational Methods Commons, Higher Education Commons, Higher Education and Teaching Commons, Leadership Studies Commons, Liberal Studies Commons, Service Learning Commons, Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education Commons, and the Student Counseling and Personnel Services Commons
Long-Term Results of a Selective Surgical Approach to Management of Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome in Patients with MEN-1:

The role of operation in patients with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 (MEN-1) and Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome (ZES) is controversial. Our institutional bias for this disease has, in general, been towards aggressive imaging and operative removal of localized gastrinomas. Few studies have reported long-term outcomes in patients with MEN-1 and ZES. A single institution retrospective review of all patients with MEN-1 and ZES from 1970 to present was performed. Twelve patients were identified (median age = 37 years at diagnosis). The median follow-up was 18 years from diagnosis of ZES. Common symptoms associated with gastrinoma in these patients were diarrhea (n = 6), abdominal pain (n = 4), and nausea/vomiting (n = 4). Most commonly identified sites of gastrinoma were: pancreas (n = 10), duodenum (n = 4), lymph nodes (n = 3), and liver (n = 1). Fifteen celiotomies were performed in total (median = 1; range 0-3). Operative procedures performed included: distal pancreatectomy (n = 4), acid reducing procedure (n = 4), enucleation of pancreatic gastrinoma (n = 3), duodenal resection (n = 3), pancreaticoduodenectomy (n = 1), and other (n = 7). One patient had a transient biochemical cure after operation lasting 3 years. Only one patient in this series had documented liver metastases of gastrinoma and no patients expired of metastatic gastrinoma. There was one postoperative patient death, secondary to respiratory arrest thought to be a result of aspiration or pulmonary embolus. Three patients died of nondisease related causes, and seven patients were alive at the time of last follow-up. Operations rarely result in biochemical cures in patients with MEN-1 and ZES. In our experience, resection of localized gastrinomas often did not require extended surgical resection and were associated with excellent long-term outcomes.
Design and Synthesis of a Selective PSA Cleavable Peptide-Doxorubicin Prodrug Which Targets PSA Positive Tumor Cells

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer mortality in males. It is estimated that 37,000 men died of prostate carcinoma in the United States in 1999 [1]. While cancer that is confined to the prostate can be treated with surgery or radiation, the prognosis for metastatic disease is poor.
EVALUATION OF RAPID ELECTRIC BATTERY CHARGING TECHNIQUES

Evaluation of Rapid Electric Battery Charging Techniques by Ronald Baroody Dr. Yahia Baghzouz, Examination Committee Chair Professor of Electrical Engineering University of Nevada, Las Vegas Battery powered electric vehicles are gaining popularity worldwide. This is trend is driven by several factors including the need to reduce air and noise pollution, and dependence on fossil fuels. The main drawback of today’s electric vehicle is its limited range, and the long time duration that is required to charge the electric batteries. This thesis addresses the latter problem. In recent years, significant progress (through research and development) has been made to accelerate the charging time of the electric vehicle batteries through pulse charging rather than supplying continuous current and/or voltage. Some patented fast charging techniques demonstrated reduced charging times from 8 hours down to 45 minutes, and the current goal is to reduce this to the 10‐minute range. This thesis will evaluate the published fast charging techniques in terms of their efficiency, accuracy of state of charge, threat of overcharge and impact of life cycle. The merits of the various battery interrogation techniques will be analyzed through modeling and computer simulation.
Active Learning for Regression With Correlation Matching and Labeling Error Suppression

In this letter, we develop an active learning algorithm to optimize the selection of training data for robust linear regression. This algorithm selects training data based on the principle of correlation matching between the training dataset and the overall data pool. Considering the inevitable and potentially heavy human labeling errors, we model the probability of labeling errors based on the item response theory (IRT) and develop data screening techniques to control the error sparsity. Compressive sensing theory is then exploited for human labeling error suppression. This algorithm is robust even in the case of short training dataset with nonsparse labeling errors. Its performance is verified by simulations with both artificial data and real benchmark data. Experiments are also conducted to demonstrate the validity of the IRT-based human labeling error model and the superior performance of the algorithm in practical applications.
Online databases and language change: the case of Spanish dizque

This paper explores the semantics and pragmatic usage of dizque, an adverb used as an evidential strategy in Latin American Spanish (LAS), and charts its development from the 12th to the 20th century, concentrating on changes during the Colonial period, comparing data from online databases such as Mark Davies’s Corpus del Espanol (CDE) and the Real Academia’s Corpus diacronico del espanol (CORDE)/Corpus de referencia del espanol actual (CREA) to a printed collection of Colonial texts (Company Company, 1994). The paper shows that dizque emerges very early as an impersonal form, which can be construed as an evidential strategy (13th century), and declines from the 17th century onwards according to CDE and CORDE, only to be found again in the 20th century with a different distribution. I also compare the use of dizque to mark disbelief with its later meaning as an evidential marker (17th century onwards), and show that fluctuations in the use of the form are related both to the evolution of its meaning and to the text type in which it appears. Despite some limitations due to the size or type of documents sampled, I conclude that online databases such as CDE, CORDE, and CREA are invaluable tools to establish trends in language change and to understand diatopic variation.
Early History of the Atypical Mycobacteria

Almost a hundred years ago Koch described the human strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Within a short time, the bovine tubercle bacillus had been identified as a separate, specific organism, and within a few years, the avian mycobacterium had also been isolated and described. By 1895, not only were these organisms well known to bacteriologists, but in the course of their work, they had encountered many strains that did not coincide with descriptions of the original specific acid-fast bacilli. Investigators of the period undertook the same examinations of problems of origin, mutation, transmissibility, infectivity, and pathogenesis that their successors were to take up 50 years later. It will be evident from the account that follows that bacteriologists turned at once to the environment, not only as a source for the various strains but also as an intermediate habitat of tubercle bacilli.
Formation of Functional Conduction Block During the Onset of Reentrant Ventricular Tachycardia.

Reentrant ventricular tachycardia is an important clinical problem. It is caused by an electric circuit traveling in 1 or more loops that are constrained to the ventricular myocardium.1,2 The arrhythmia often originates after myocardial infarction, in the region near the infarcted area. This proximate region or infarct border zone (IBZ) contains surviving strands of myocardial fibers that continue to conduct electrical activity.1,2 Electrical conduction there is constrained by the infarcted region, which does not activate, by the geometry of the remaining viable myocardial tissue, and by the contour of the heart surface in proximity to the IBZ. Several mechanisms have been suggested to explain the formation of functional block leading to and maintaining reentry, all of which likely have a contribution. One possibility is that disparate gap junctional connecting properties suppress activation from one myocyte to the next. If, for example, there are less gap junctions between connecting cells than normal, it can result in an insufficient current density during activation and may lead to conduction block.3 Another mechanism that has been proposed is the presence of disparities in ion channel properties in the IBZ.4 Such regions would have differences in the functioning of sodium, potassium, and calcium current ion channel gates between the postinfarction myocardial cells, when compared with their normal properties. This would alter the depolarization and repolarization phases of the action potential, possibly preventing activation between cells or causing it to be slowed or weak. Similar to the proposed gap junction mechanism, if the ion channel properties are disparate across a transition zone, it may result in a lack of electrical connectivity. On one side of the transition zone, when activation occurs, ions are not transferred with sufficient density or rapidity to cells on the other side of the …
Primary Intraventricular Hemorrhage: Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes.

Background Primary intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) in adults is a rare neurologic disorder. The typical course, etiology, complications, and outcomes have not been well established. Materials and Methods Consecutive patient records with a diagnosis of intracerebral hemorrhage admitted between May 2009 and June 2014 at a tertiary care center were retrospectively reviewed. Subjects were included in the study cohort if all neurologists and the radiology report agreed that the subject had an isolated IVH. Patients with intraparenchymal hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, malignancy with hemorrhagic components, and hemorrhagic transformation of ischemic stroke were excluded. The electronic medical record, imaging report, and imaging studies were reviewed. Findings Of 1692 cases reviewed, 33 (1.9%) had primary IVH. The most common presenting symptoms included altered mental status (48.5%), headache, (39.4%), and nausea (24.2%). In 36.3%, hypertension was found to be a contributing factor; 27.2% were attributed solely to hypertension. Vascular abnormalities were the primary etiology in 21.3% of patients. When observing outcomes, 61.8% were discharged home or to rehab, whereas 20.5% died or were placed in hospice care. A higher Graeb score was associated with an increased likelihood of death or hospice (8 versus 5, P = .02) Conclusion This study is one of few to describe the etiology, contributing factors, and outcomes of primary IVH. As in prior studies, hypertension was a contributing factor, and vascular lesions were less common than expected. More research is necessary to further define the course and characteristics of this rare type of intracerebral hemorrhage.
Monolithic 3D IC vs. TSV-based 3D IC in 14nm FinFET technology

In this paper, we conduct a comprehensive design comparison of 2D ICs, monolithic 3D ICs and TSV-based 3D ICs using a silicon-validated 14nm FinFET foundry technology and commercial quality designs. Through full-chip layouts and sign-off analysis using commercial-grade tools, the potential of monolithic 3D IC is explored and validated in terms of power, performance and area against that of TSV-based 3D ICs and 2D ICs.
AL Amyloidosis and Patient Reported Quality of Life

Background: Patients with light chain amyloidosis (AL) often have delayed diagnosis and present with significant symptomatology; this may result in decreased quality of life (QOL). With improving treatment options providing longer survival, it is increasingly important to assess QOL. However there is paucity of data in the literature addressing QOL in AL patients. We prospectively employ a "Hematology Patient Reported Symptom Screen" (HPRSS) which consists of three questions about fatigue, pain and overall QOL. The aim of this study is to understand if HPRSS parameters predict various clinical outcomes. Methods: Eligibility for this retrospective study was as follows: 1) New diagnosis of AL between 2009-2014; 2) baseline HPRSS documented in the medical record; and 3) at least a year of follow-up, which included either death within or follow-up through 12 months after diagnosis. The HPRSS questions were rated on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the worst for fatigue and pain, and 10 being the best for overall QOL. Scores were abstracted from visits at time of diagnosis, and at 12 months +/- 1 month post-diagnosis. We considered a 2-point difference in serial scores a "change" over time. Results: For the 302 patients in this study, the baseline median scores [interquartile range] for fatigue, pain, and QOL were 6 [3,7], 2 [0,5] and 5 [3,8], respectively. Median overall survival (OS) was 39.1 months, with 102 deaths in the first year. There were significant differences in baseline HPRSS between those who lived longer than one year and the early death patients in the domains of fatigue (5 [IQR 3, 7] vs. 7 [IQR 5, 8], p When analyses were restricted to the 125 patients with HPRSS measurements at 12 months, we found that over time QOL scores improved significantly 6 [IQR 3.5, 8] to 7 [IQR 5, 8] (two sided Wilcoxon signed rank p=0.01), but fatigue (5 [IQR 2, 5] to 4.5 [IQR 3, 6]) and pain scores (2 [IQR 0 ,4] to 1.5 [IQR 0, 4]) did not. Patients with worse baseline parameters tended to have improvement in QOL by 12 months while those with the best baseline parameters tended to decline in QOL although not statistically significant. When we included the 102 patients who died within 12 months to the comparison, the early death patients had the worst baseline parameters and there were significant differences across all 4 groups for most characteristics (Table 1). There was no association between achieving hematologic or organ response with change in QOL. Conclusion: Asking patients with AL to rate their fatigue and QOL using a 10-point scale has predictive value. Patient reported fatigue at diagnosis is an independent prognostic factor for survival. Survival at one year was associated with significant improvement in QOL. Disclosures Kumar:Millenium: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Abbvie: Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Onyx: Consultancy, Research Funding. Thompson:Kite Pharma: Research Funding.
PECVD Silicon Nitride for Damascene Applications

A Pecvd silicon nitride film, Damascene Nitride™, is deposited in a PECVD chamber with a hollow cathode faceplate using silane and ammonia as precursor gases. Various techniques (FTIR, RBS-HFS, SIMS, TDS and BTS) were used to characterize the structure, composition, density and wet etch rate of the film. FTIR analysis indicates that Damascene Nitride is very similar to a high density plasma (HDP) nitride film. HFS analysis shows the film’s hydrogen content to be 13%,∼6% less than other PECVD nitride films, leading to a 20% improvement in etch selectivity to FSG. The film wet etch rate is 2 times slower than that of other PECVD nitrides, and the dielectric constant k was measured to be 6.8, which is lower compared to other PECVD nitrides and HDP CVD nitrides where k∼ 7.0 and 7.5, respectively. SIMS analysis shows that Cu diffusion is <250A in the nitride, and low leakage current (10–10 A) is confirmed through BTS testing. The higher density of Damascene Nitride leads to higher etch selectivity and better Cu barrier properties, allowing a thinner nitride film to be used. Thinner nitride layers, in addition to the lower k of Damascene Nitride, leads to a 5-6% reduction in RC delay when Damascene Nitride is used with low k dielectric materials.
Creativity, Community, & Growth: A Social Geography of Urban Craft Beer

To better understand the non-economic drivers of growth in emerging industries, this paper examines the craft beer industry. Specifically, the paper will review two examples—the Black Cloister Brewing Company in Toledo, OH and 3rd Turn Brewery, Louisville, KY—to understand how the values of entrepreneurs and local firms that are situated at the nexus of work, place, and creativity promote growth. Further, the paper will consider the socio-cultural meaning of creativity relative to the craft beer industry and the many ways in which the concept of innovation traditionally used by economic geographers to understand growth can be better understood within the context of creativity in some industries. In doing so, the paper represents a conceptual shift away from innovation towards creativity, as well as community.
Quad-Band multi-section multi-way power divider and its miniaturization using coupled lines

We propose a general guideline to design a three-way quad-band Bagley power divider (BPD) by replacing the quarter-wave transformer in the conventional design with multi-section transmission lines. A constrained nonlinear optimization process is performed based on transmission lines theory to obtain the optimal impedances and lengths of each section. We also propose a miniaturized quad-band BPD structure using coupled line transformers. Simulated results of both techniques show an input port matching less than −15 dB and transmission parameters of −4.77±0.5 dB at each frequency of operation.
Nano-Engineered Mesenchymal Stem Cells Increase Therapeutic Efficacy of Anticancer Drug Through True Active Tumor Targeting

Tumor-targeted drug delivery has the potential to improve therapeutic efficacy and mitigate non-specific toxicity of anticancer drugs. However, current drug delivery approaches rely on inefficient passive accumulation of the drug carrier in the tumor. We have developed a unique, truly active tumor-targeting strategy that relies on engineering mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) with drug-loaded nanoparticles. Our studies using the A549 orthotopic lung tumor model show that nano-engineered MSCs carrying the anticancer drug paclitaxel (PTX) home to tumors and create cellular drug depots that release the drug payload over several days. Despite significantly lower doses of PTX, nano-engineered MSCs resulted in significant inhibition of tumor growth and superior survival. Anticancer efficacy of nano-engineered MSCs was confirmed in immunocompetent C57BL/6 albino female mice bearing orthotopic Lewis Lung Carcinoma (LL/2-luc) tumors. Furthermore, at doses that resulted in equivalent therapeutic efficacy, nano-engineered MSCs had no effect on white blood cell count, whereas PTX solution and PTX nanoparticle treatments caused leukopenia. Biodistribution studies showed that nano-engineered MSCs resulted in greater than 9-fold higher AUClung of PTX (1.5 μg.day/g) than PTX solution and nanoparticles (0.2 and 0.1 μg.day/g tissue, respectively) in the target lung tumors. Furthermore, the lung-to-liver and the lung-to-spleen ratios of PTX were several folds higher for nano-engineered MSCs relative to those for PTX solution and nanoparticle groups, suggesting that nano-engineered MSCs demonstrate significantly less off-target deposition. In summary, our results demonstrate that nano-engineered MSCs can serve as an efficient carrier for tumor-specific drug delivery and significantly improved anti-cancer efficacy of conventional chemotherapeutic drugs. Mol Cancer Ther; 17(6); 1196-206. ©2018 AACR.
The Thrombin Receptor Restricts Subventricular Zone Neural Stem Cell Expansion and Differentiation

Thrombin is frequently increased in the CNS after injury yet little is known regarding its effects on neural stem cells. Here we show that the subventricular zone (SVZ) of adult mice lacking the high affinity receptor for thrombin, proteinase activated receptor 1 (PAR1), show increased numbers of Sox2+ and Ki-67+ self-renewing neural stem cells (NSCs) and Olig2+ oligodendrocyte progenitors. SVZ NSCs derived from PAR1-knockout mice, or treated with a PAR1 small molecule inhibitor (SCH79797), exhibited enhanced capacity for self-renewal in vitro, including increases in neurosphere formation and BrdU incorporation. PAR1-knockout SVZ monolayer cultures contained more Nestin, NG2+ and Olig2+ cells indicative of enhancements in expansion and differentiation towards the oligodendrocyte lineage. Cultures of NSCs lacking PAR1 also expressed higher levels of myelin basic protein, proteolipid protein and glial fibrillary acidic protein upon differentiation. Complementing these findings, the corpus callosum and anterior commissure of adult PAR1-knockout mice contained greater numbers of Olig2+ progenitors and CC1+ mature oligodendrocytes. Together these findings highlight PAR1 inhibition as a means to expand adult SVZ NSCs and to promote an increased number of mature myelinating oligodendrocytes in vivo that may be of particular benefit in the context of neural injury where PAR1 agonists such as thrombin are deregulated.
Articulating Trade Offs: The Political Economy of State Action Immunity

Antitrust uses economic analysis to assess various trade-offs involving efficiency. Even assuming that a competition matter implicates purely economic matters it can be exceedingly difficult to determine and measure all the relevant factors, assign them proper weights, decide on the appropriate time frames, assess the pertinent interactions, and conduct the trade-off calculations. Not surprisingly, different members of the antitrust community often take vastly differing positions regarding the economic consequences of a particular antitrust doctrine as well as the significance of those consequences. When potentially anti-competitive conduct occurs in the context of state regulation, the challenge to achieving a sensible accommodation is heightened because substantially less agreement exists regarding the appropriate balance between federalism and federal competition policy. Moreover, given that constitutional considerations arguably inform the balance struck, the necessity of achieving the correct balance is even more significant.One feature of the state action immunity doctrine around which controversy has swirled, a feature with profound practical as well as symbolic importance, is the requirement that the state clearly articulate its intention to displace competition. The central legal issue is federalism; it is not whether federal competition policy would achieve superior outcomes versus a state regulatory scheme. This essay briefly comments on the current debate regarding the “clear articulation” requirement. I first explain the basics of this requirement through synthesizing several key characteristics that the Supreme Court has expressly accepted or rejected as potential hallmarks of state activity warranting antitrust immunity. My discussion underscores a key trade-off regarding clarity of state intent that figures prominently in the Supreme Court’s legal standard. I then present several features characterizing the dominant criticism of that standard. This criticism ostensibly focuses on the judiciary’s imprecise delineation of its own “clear articulation” requirement. Yet the criticism also seems to reflect dissatisfaction with the underlying value the Supreme Court accorded federalism in its formulation of the state action immunity doctrine. In particular, many antitrust critics advocating restriction of the availability of such immunity seem to employ, albeit oftentimes implicitly, an economic-efficiency based trade-off. Many of the state action doctrine’s critics frequently seem reluctant to grapple openly with reassessing the value of federalism in this context. This is particularly unfortunate given the significant competition values at issue. Multiple trade-offs are pertinent to the state action immunity debate; this Comment seeks to illuminate them with the hope that by clarifying costs and benefits - even if they are ultimately unquantifiable or incommensurate - social discourse will have been enriched.
Embodiment improves performance on an immersive brain computer interface in head-mounted virtual reality

Abstract Brain computer interfaces (BCIs) for severe stroke motor rehabilitation aim to ‘close the loop’ between attempted motor commands and sensory feedback by providing supplemental sensory information when individuals successfully establish specific brain patterns. However, previous stroke BCIs have typically employed feedback techniques with minimal biological relevance, making them difficult and unintuitive to control. To address this, we created a novel BCI that provides biologically-relevant neurofeedback in virtual reality using a head-mounted display (HMD-VR). The purpose of this experiment was to examine whether neurofeedback in HMD-VR improves BCI performance compared to the same neurofeedback presented on a normal computer screen. Twelve healthy adults were asked to control a virtual arm by imagining right hand movements, which was measured via electroencephalography (EEG) as desynchronized sensorimotor rhythms (8-30 Hz) in the left motor cortex. Participants performed two blocks of 30 trials, one for each condition (Screen, HMD-VR), counterbalanced across participants. The neurofeedback consisted of a virtual arm that moved towards or away from different targets based on the real-time EEG activity (e.g., sensorimotor desynchronization moved the arm towards the target). After completing each block, participants were asked questions relating to their sense of presence and embodiment in each environment. We found that, while participants showed similar performance on the BCI when performing the task in either environment, there was a positive correlation between performance and reported levels of embodiment, only in HMD-VR. Specifically, participants had more control over the virtual arm in HMD-VR when they reported higher levels of spatial embodiment. Furthermore, participants reported higher levels of spatial embodiment in HMD-VR compared to the computer screen. These results suggest that HMD-VR is capable of increasing levels of embodiment compared to a normal screen environment, and that increased levels of embodiment may improve performance uniquely in the HMD-VR environment. Future work will examine the effects of HMD-VR BCI on motor rehabilitation in a stroke population.