cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermally induced martensitic transformations in Cu-based shape memory alloy microwires

Prior studies on shape memory alloys have identified size effects on the superelastic, i.e., stress-induced, hysteresis of martensitic transformations. However, literature on thermally induced transformations and size effects upon stored elastic energy is rather limited. In this work, a complementary sample size effect on the stored elastic energy of the transformation, and its effect on variant selection, is elaborated. Shape memory alloy microwires of a CuAlMnNi alloy are drawn with diameters varying between 45 and 255 μm and processed to obtain bamboo grain structures, where the grain boundaries lay almost perpendicular to the wire axis. Calorimetric and thermomechanical analyses of the microwires establish a decreasing contribution of stored elastic energy to the free energy of martensitic transformation as the wire diameter is reduced. This in turn affects the transformation ranges and macroscopic strain generated in constrained thermal cycling. The effect is shown to be associated with a decrease in number of interacting martensite variants as well as relaxation on free surfaces. The presented results indicate that thermal actuation of lightly biased SMA wires is enhanced in finer wires.
Effects of cortex peptidoglycan structure and cortex hydrolysis on the kinetics of Ca(2+)-dipicolinic acid release during Bacillus subtilis spore germination.

The kinetic parameters of the release of Ca2+-dipicolinic acid (CaDPA) during germination of spore populations and multiple individual spores of Bacillus subtilis strains with major alterations in the structure of the spore peptidoglycan (PG) cortex or lacking one or both of the two redundant enzymes involved in cortex hydrolysis (cortex-lytic enzymes [CLEs]) were determined. The lack of the CLE CwlJ greatly slowed CaDPA release with a germinant receptor (GR)-dependent germinant, l-valine, or a non-GR-dependent germinant, dodecylamine. The absence of the cortex-specific PG modification muramic acid–δ-lactam also increased the time needed for full CaDPA release during germination with both types of germinants. In contrast, increased cortex PG cross-linking was associated with faster times for initiation of CaDPA release with both l-valine and dodecylamine but not with faster CaDPA release once this release had been initiated. These data suggest that the precise structure of the spore cortex plays a significant role in determining the timing and the rate of CaDPA release during B. subtilis spore germination and, further, that this effect is independent of effects of GRs.
Techniques for accommodating unscheduled flows in electricity networks and markets

Unscheduled power flows have played an important role in recent events like the 2003 North American blackout and cross border trading in European electricity markets. Such events have necessitated a need for efficient management of unscheduled flows in both the electric network as well as the market. In that perspective, some techniques for managing unscheduled flow are described in this paper. Contemporary practices relating to unscheduled flows are reexamined. The paper revisits the development of a formula for determining the contribution of participating generation companies toward unscheduled flows. Preliminary steps toward the application of a technique from game theory for equitable pricing of unscheduled flows are investigated. The reliance of the contribution factor method and the game theory method on the practice of E-tagging of electric power schedules is emphasized through an illustrative numerical example. The merits and shortcomings of various techniques for managing unscheduled flows are listed. Some avenues for research in the future are also mentioned.
High-frequency broadband amplifier ASIC design optimization using pole-zero compensation techniques

The relative performance of a hierarchy of broadband amplifier designs is examined. This design hierarchy consists of an emitter-coupled pair with resistive-shunt loading for baseline comparison, a compound-device amplifier, a compensated series-feedback amplifier, and an actively shunt-peaked amplifier. Both pole-zero compensated amplifiers incorporate compound devices. The circuits are fabricated on Tektronix Inc.'s analog array chip featuring the SH3 process with 6.5 f/sub T/ transistors. >
Strength and toughness degradation of tungsten carbide-cobalt due to thermal shock

WC–Co composites are widely used as cutting or drilling tools because of their high hardness, strength, and fracture toughness. The working temperature is generally in the range of 300° to 700°C, so thermal shock fracture of WC–Co can occur if the parts are suddenly cooled. In this study, changes in fracture strength and fracture toughness after thermal shock were observed.
Student Expectations Regarding Online Learning: Implications For Distance Learning Programs

What are student expectations in a traditional course versus a distance learning course? The authors analyze student course selection and expected outcomes from data collected in an undergraduate marketing course at a public university in the Northeast. Key findings reveal that students generally have a favorable predisposition towards online coursework despite their beliefs that online courses require more work and have lower learning outcomes. Further, this case study provides an initial step in better understanding student expectations in online courses as well as in the traditional classroom.
Non-Ionizing Electromagnetic Fields and Spatial Learning and Memory Functions

Exposure to nonionizing electromagnetic fields has been reported to affect the functions of the central nervous system. A consequence of functional disturbance in the nervous system is changes in behavior in the animal. Indeed, exposure to radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation (RFR) and extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields has been shown to affect behavioral functions. The following is a brief summary of experiments performed in our laboratory investigating the effects of electromagnetic field exposure on spatial learning and memory functions in the rat. These involve studies using the radial arm maze and the Morris water maze. Both mazes have been used extensively in the study of spatial memory and learning in rodents.
His Upper GI Tract

Upper gastrointestinal complaints such as heartburn, difficulty swallowing, and abdominal pain are common among men. These complaints may be due to uncomplicated disease or harbingers of more serious illness. Careful questioning and physical examination can help guide the diagnostic workup and initial treatment options. Upper endoscopy is often diagnostic and therapeutic for many disorders, but other tests may include radiography, ultrasound, pH monitoring, esophageal manometry, and gastric emptying studies. Most common upper gastrointestinal disorders can be medically managed. However, advanced endoscopic and laparoscopic procedures with low complication rates, short hospital stays, and durable results are now available for the management of refractory and complicated disease.
Spring occurrence of the strawberry blossom weevil, Anthonomus bisignifer Schenkling on forced strawberry in Nara Prefecture and toxicities of some insecticides to adults

In Nara Prefecture, spring occurrence of bud damage by the strawberry blossom weevil, Anthonomus bisignifer Schenkling, on forced strawberry and wild host plants were investigated. Overwintering adults emerged from hibernation in late March to early April and began to injure flower buds of Rubus hirsutus Thunb. About 2 weeks later, adults injured strawberry flower buds in a greenhouse from early to mid-April. Thereafter until late April, adults began to injure flower buds of Rosa multiflora Thunb. Overwintering adults used different wild host plants depending on the flower budding period. Larval occurrence was earlier on the greenhouse strawberry than on R. hirsutus growing outside of the greenhouse. The start of first generation adults' emergence from the pupae was estimated as about late April to early May. The density of damaged buds on the strawberry differed greatly among years for unknown reasons. Commercial concentrations of thiacloprid, spinosad, and malathion were effective against adults in in vitro experiments.
Producing any desired far-field mean irradiance pattern using a partially-coherent Schell-model source and phase-only control

A new technique is presented to produce any desired mean far-field irradiance pattern using a partially-coherent Schell-model source and phase-only control. Simulation results are presented to validate the proposed method.
The Role of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients With Resectable Colorectal Metastases: Where Are We Now?

Approximately 25 % of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) have colorectal liver metastases (CRLMs) at the time of diagnosis, and up to 60 % of CRC patients will develop CRLM during the course of their disease. Complete surgical resection of CRLM affords patients the possibility of long-term cure. With modern chemotherapy, shrinkage in the size of unresectable CRLM may allow patients to undergo surgery. However, the role of chemotherapy given prior to surgery for patients with already-resectable CRLM at the time of presentation is unclear. Currently, the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is an area of controversy in which few randomized prospective data exist to guide its use. In this review, we examine the literature and data for neoadjuvant chemotherapy for resectable CRLM. We review advantages and disadvantages of NAC and discuss rational indications for NAC use in resectable CRLM.
Sleep structure of the normal children

OBJECTIVE To investigate the sleep structure of 2-8 year-old normal children and provide guidance for the study of OSAHS in children.METHODS The polysomnography were recorded in 180 children with a age ranged from 2 to 8 years and the results of the polysomnography were analyzed.RESULTS There were no significant differences in sleep structure between boys and girls(P0.05).Stage one sleep ratio,REM sleep latency and arousal index were positively correlated with age(P0.05).The proportion of SWS sleep and REM sleep and center apnea index were negatively correlated with age(P 0.05).Stage 2 sleep ratio had no significant correlation with age,and the same with total sleep time,sleep efficiency,sleep latency,obstructive apnea index,obstructive hypopnea index,and lowest average blood oxygen saturation(P0.05).CONCLUSION There is no difference in sleep structure between the normal boys and girls in 2-8 years old.The sleep structure of normal children has regular change with the growing of age.
Force Reconstruction Using Force Gauges and Accelerometers

Methods of inferring excitation forces from measured accelerometer data have received significant attention in recent years. This paper attempts to combine these techniques with the addition of force gauges to determine excitation forces on a vibrating structure. A mathematical algorithm was derived and applied to experimental data where a known impact force was applied to a plate mounted through force gauges. This experiment was used both to validate the mathematical algorithm and to investigate its limitations. The results show that the applied force for a fixed structure can be reconstructed better than force gauges alone using a combination of force gauge data and free boundary condition modal analysis.
Abstract P34: Use of a Behavioral Measure of Safety Culture Among Healthcare Workers in Cardiovascular Care

Medical error is a complex and systemic problem requiring systemic solutions. Developing a “safety culture” and adopting characteristics of high-reliability organizations (HROs, e.g. aviation, nuclear power) can form a basis for reducing error and patient harm in healthcare. Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute (VHVI) has set a long-term goal of providing the highest level of patient safety in cardiovascular care. An early step in this process was measuring our current organizational status in order to achieve a safety culture. We created a survey tool that would gauge the current status of our organization in terms of HRO practices that underlie a safety culture. The tool (Table) utilized items adapted from concepts that comprise the process of mindful organizing seen in HROs: preoccupation with failure, reluctance to simplify interpretations, sensitivity to operations, commitment to resilience, and deference to expertise. Also, items were included that measured factors proposed to enable mindful organizing and high reliability including leader-member exchange, safety climate, and psychological safety. A baseline assessment of safety culture using the tool has been administered via electronic web-based survey to VHVI physicians, nurses, and staff. We have performed detailed analyses of responses by respondent role (e.g. physician, nurse, staff, and administrator) and area (e.g. clinic, stepdown unit, intensive care unit, diagnostic lab). These results have been shared with leaders and front-line staff in each clinical area to develop specific strategies to create a safety culture and more reliable performance. We intend to implement changes in our organization to promote patient safety and then re-administer the tool to gauge progress. We conclude that this tool can help assess and guide organizational change to create and sustain a safety culture that yields highly reliable performance View this table: Survey Tool Summary
Risk-Managed Lifecycle Costing for Asphalt Road Construction and Maintenance Projects under Performance-Based Contracts

AbstractTo date, few contractors have been involved in performance-based contracts (PBCs) for road construction and maintenance projects where they have to use lifecycle cost (LCC). The main drawback for using the LCC approach is the LCC assumptions used to address projects under high risk for contractors such as PBCs where the contractors are more than likely to be responsible for both the construction and maintenance of the road for a certain warranty period. This research was conducted to enhance LCC assumptions by introducing a risk management tool. Hence, the LCC will be based on more accurate and probable assumptions, and accordingly the results of the LCC estimate will be more reliable in the future for such risky projects. The research adopted a five step methodology through (1) identification of the risks, (2) quantification of the hot mix asphalt (HMA) costs through a cost breakdown structure (CBS), (3) comparative LCC calculations, (4) Monte Carlo scenario analysis, and (5) a demonstrative case...
France: Clash spurs reforms at research council

Tensions between leading figures in the Centre National de Ia Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in France could speed up reform of the organization. Last month, Edouard Brezin, the physicist who is president of the CNRS council, tried to resign from his post. "I felt the council had not been informed early enough on certain important dossiers," Brezin told Physics World. But his resignation was refused by Claude Allegre, minister for education and research, who now says that reforms will have to take place more rapidly than he had planned. The CNRS is Europe's largest research organization, with 25000 scientists in more than 1400 laboratories.
In the closet-a close read of the metaphor.

The phrase in the closet has something to tell us about the experience of denying one’s sexual orientation. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Outcomes of persistent pulmonary hypertension following transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Objectives To determine the prevalence and factors associated with persistent pulmonary hypertension (PH) following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and its relationship with long-term mortality. Methods Consecutive patients who underwent TAVR from July 2011 through January 2016 were studied. The prevalence of baseline PH (mean pulmonary artery pressure ≥25 mm Hg on right heart catheterisation) and the prevalence and the predictors of persistent≥moderate PH (pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP)>45 mm Hg on 1 month post-TAVR transthoracic Doppler echocardiography) were collected. Cox models quantified the effect of persistent PH on subsequent mortality while adjusting for confounders. Results Of the 407 TAVR patients, 273 (67%) had PH at baseline. Of these, 102 (25%) had persistent≥moderate PH. Mortality at 2 years in patients with no baseline PH versus those with PH improvement (follow-up PASP≤45 mm Hg) versus those with persistent≥moderate PH was 15.4%, 16.6% and 31.3%, respectively (p=0.049). After adjusting for Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality and baseline right ventricular function (using tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion), persistent≥moderate PH remained associated with all-cause mortality (HR=1.82, 95% CI 1.06 to 3.12, p=0.03). Baseline characteristics associated with increased likelihood of persistent≥moderate PH were ≥moderate tricuspid regurgitation, ≥moderate mitral regurgitation, atrial fibrillation/flutter, early (E) to late (A) ventricular filling velocities (E/A ratio) and left atrial volume index. Conclusions Persistency of even moderate or greater PH at 1 month post-TAVR is common and associated with higher all-cause mortality.
Racial Differences in Palliative Care Use After Stroke in Majority-White, Minority-Serving, and Racially Integrated U.S. Hospitals.

Objectives Racial/ethnic differences in palliative care resource use after stroke have been recognized, but it is unclear whether patient or hospital characteristics drive this disparity. We sought to determine whether palliative care use after intracerebral hemorrhage and ischemic stroke differs between hospitals serving varying proportions of minority patients. Design Population-based cross-sectional study. Setting Inpatient hospital admissions from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample between 2007 and 2011. Patients A total of 46,735 intracerebral hemorrhage and 331,521 ischemic stroke cases. Interventions Palliative care use. Measurements and main results Intracerebral hemorrhage and ischemic stroke admissions were identified from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample between 2007 and 2011. Hospitals were categorized based on the percentage of ethnic minority stroke patients ( 50% minorities ["minority hospitals"]). Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between race/ethnicity and palliative care use within and between the different hospital strata. Stroke patients receiving care in minority hospitals had lower odds of palliative care compared with those treated in white hospitals, regardless of individual patient race/ethnicity (adjusted odds ratio, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.50-0.84 for intracerebral hemorrhage and odds ratio, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.50-0.77 for ischemic stroke). Ethnic minorities had a lower likelihood of receiving palliative care compared with whites in any hospital stratum, but the odds of palliative care for both white and minority intracerebral hemorrhage patients was lower in minority compared with white hospitals (odds ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.50-0.87 for white and odds ratio, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.46-0.88 for minority patients). Similar results were observed in ischemic stroke. Conclusions The odds of receiving palliative care for both white and minority stroke patients is lower in minority compared with white hospitals, suggesting system-level factors as a major contributor to explain race disparities in palliative care use after stroke.
Tertiary treatment and dual disinfection to improve microbial quality of reclaimed water for potable and non-potable reuse: A case study of facilities in North Carolina

Treated wastewater is increasingly of interest for either nonpotable purposes, such as agriculture and industrial use, or as source water for drinking water supplies; however, this type of advanced treatment for water supply is not always possible for many low resource settings. As an alternative, multiple barriers of physical, chemical and biological treatment with lower cost and simpler operation and maintenance have been proposed as more globally applicable. One such water reclamation system for both non-potable and potable reuse, is that approved by the State of North Carolina "for Type 2" reclaimed water (NCT2RW). NC Type 2 potable reuse systems consist of a sequence of tertiary treatment to produce well oxidized reclaimed water that is then then further treated by two steps of disinfection, typically UV radiation and chlorination. In this case study, the log10 microbial reduction performance of NCT2RW producing water reclamation facilities is evaluated. Based on the results presented here, NCT2RW consistently achieved high (6 for bacteria, 4 for virus and 4 for protozoan parasite surrogates) log10 reductions using the NC proposed treatment methods. Additionally, lower but significant log10 reduction performance was also documented for protozoan parasites and human enteric viruses.
Navigating Without Road Maps: The Early Business of Automobile Route Guide Publishing in the United States

Abstract. In the United States, automobile route guides were important precursors to the road maps that Americans are familiar with today. Listing turn-by-turn directions between cities, they helped drivers navigate unmarked, local roads. This paper examines the early business of route guide publishing through the Official Automobile Blue Book series of guides. It focuses specifically on the expansion, contraction, and eventual decline of the Blue Book publishing empire and also the work of professional “pathfinders” that formed the company’s data-gathering infrastructure. Be- ginning in 1901 with only one volume, the series steadily grew until 1920, when thirteen volumes were required to record thousands of routes throughout the country. Bankruptcy and corporate restructuring in 1921 forced the publishers to condense the guide into a four-volume set in 1922. Competition from emerging sheet maps, along with the nationwide standardization of highway numbers, pushed a switch to an atlas format in 1926. Blue Books, however, could not remain competitive and disappeared after 1937. “Pathfinders” were employed by the publishers and equipped with reliable automobiles. Soon they developed a shorthand notation system for recording field notes and efficiently incorporating them into the development workflow. Although pathfinders did not call themselves cartographers, they were geographical data field collectors and considered their work to be an “art and a science,” much the same as modern-day cartographers. The paper concludes with some comments about the place of route guides in the history of American commercial cartography and draws some parallels between “pathfinders” and the digital road mappers of today.
Combining Local Kriging Variances for Short-Term Mine Planning

Estimated grades of different working areas of a mine form the basis of any mine planning. A typical estimation method used in short-term mine planning is simple (linear) kriging. Very often, the mining engineer is not only interested in the individual reliability of the estimates from each working area, but also in the estimation variance of a combination of estimated grades from all working areas. This paper discusses a method for combining local kriging variances to obtain the precision of combined kriging estimator. The method relies on the fact that the local kriging weights and the Lagrange multipliers are linear in support, provided that the same samples are used during the local kriging processes. It is often not practical to use the same samples to krige all the working areas in the mine due to scattered nature of different working areas. Consequently, some adjustment is needed prior to taking advantage of the above property of kriging. This paper stresses the practical aspect of resolving the problem.
Associations between Perceived Homophobia, Community Connectedness, and Having a Primary Care Provider among Gay and Bisexual Men

According to the minority stress model and social evaluation theory, stigma increases negative health outcomes in sexual minorities, and those with greater connection to a community appraise their lives with respect to fellow community members. This study was a secondary analysis of data from the online 2010 Social Justice Sexuality Project and examined associations between perceived homophobia, community connectedness, and having a health care provider among 2281 men who have sex with men (MSM). Approximately 37.9% (n = 840) of the participants were African American/Black, and approximately 68.3% (n = 1559) self-identified as gay. Perceived homophobia was associated with lower odds of having a regular health care provider (AOR = 0.89, 95% CI 0.85–0.96). Income was associated with at least two-fold greater odds of having a regular health care provider, but only for incomes at or above $20,000 (AORs 1.43–2.39, ps < .001). Community connectedness partially mediated and suppressed the negative association between perceived homophobia and having a primary care provider in the overall model (AOR = 0.95, 95% CI 0.90–1.00), and mediated approximately 14.1% of the total effect in the mediation model. Facilitating community connectedness for MSM may reduce the negative association between perceived homophobia and having a primary care provider, and community-based interventions that promote community connectedness may increase long-term engagement in healthcare utilization.
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder Associated with Dementia with Lewy Bodies

Several reports involving idiopathic RBD patients followed prospectively have shown that alpha-synucleinopathy phenoconversion occurs in >80% of cases, with most patients evolving to dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) or Parkinson’s disease cases. The recent 4th Consensus Conference for the Diagnostic Criteria for DLB elevated the presence of RBD as a fourth core feature for the diagnosis of DLB. Three quarters of published DLB cases include RBD.
A Lifelong Passion for All Things Ribonucleic

This year's Lasker-Koshland Special Achievement Award is given to Joan Argetsinger Steitz for her RNA research discoveries and her exemplary international leadership.
Unilateral Pemetrexed-induced Pseudocellulitis Mimicking Bacterial Cellulitis

Pseudocellulitis, manifesting as erythema, warmth, and tenderness of the lower extremities, is a recently recognized cutaneous adverse reaction (CAR) associated with the use of pemetrexed, a multi-targeted folate antagonist. This reaction typically manifests bilaterally, helping to distinguish pemetrexed-induced pseudocellulitis from a bacterial cellulitis. We present a case of unilateral pemetrexed-induced pseudocellulitis. The patient was initially treated for cellulitis but failed to respond adequately to antibiotics, prompting a biopsy that showed the characteristic findings of pemetrexed-induced pseudocellulitis. Pemetrexed-induced pseudocellulitis is important to recognize as it may be dose-limiting or necessitate treatment modification. Furthermore, increased awareness of this CAR can help clinicians avoid unnecessary antibiotic use.
From prevention to cure, repurposing anti-viral vaccines for cancer immunotherapy.

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs), of which there are more than 200 types, infect epithelial cells of the skin and mucosal surfaces by direct contact and, as a whole, are fairly ubiquitous in the human population. These viruses are intraepithelial pathogens that enter but do not kill the host cell and have evolved numerous mechanisms to evade the host immune system. Of clinical significance, over five percent of human cancers are initiated by infection with HPV. These include cervical, oropharyngeal, anal, penile, vulvar, and vaginal cancers, which are driven by sexually transmitted HPVs, types 16 and 18. The incidence of cervical cancer, the most common women’s cancer worldwide, has decreased in the western world following widespread implementation of expensive “Pap” screening programs paired with early clinical intervention. Certain HPV-driven cancer types are however on the increase, including oropharyngeal and anal cancers, especially in men. Additionally, a significant fraction of cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (cSCC) and basal cell carcinomas (cBCCs) are associated with HPV 5 infection or with the dozen or so other cancer-causing HPV types (1,2).
Experimental studies of seismic soil pressures on vertical flexible, underground structures and analytical comparisons

Abstract Seismic soil pressures are critical analysis components to understand and design for soil-structure interaction of sub-surface structures. A large scale experimental research program conducted at E-Defense's Shake table in Miki, Japan, included unprecedented seismic soil pressure measurements on a vertical, flexible, hollow shaft with model scale dimensions of 0.8 m square and 7.0 m in height. The densely instrumented vertical shaft was part of a larger system of underground structures, placed in an 8.0 m diameter laminar soil box. The two-layer soil stratigraphy consisted of an upper layer of medium dense sand and a lower layer of simulated bedrock. The hollow vertical shaft was constructed of aluminum and scaled to 1/20th of its prototype dimension. Two-directional, scaled ground motions of the 1995 Kobe earthquake were applied via shake table loading and seismic pressures were recorded using contact pressure sensors. Experimental results, including a dynamic system characterization, site response analyses, pressure time histories, and seismic pressure distribution profiles provide a critical benchmark for imminent numerical studies and the advancement of seismic soil pressure models for flexible structures. Following a thorough review of soil pressure analysis methodologies in literature, a detailed description of the large scale test and experimental results is presented. A comparison with limit state and elastic-based analytical approaches for retaining walls found in literature showed that, despite the unique shaft geometry, analytical methods accounting for the structural flexibility were able to closely predict the experimental soil pressures, while methodologies derived for rigid subsurface elements can only serve as rough preliminary estimate and should not be employed in performance based geotechnical analyses.
Combining techniques to enhance protection against high sustained accelerative forces.

Five volunteer subjects were tested for acceleration tolerance under eight different experimental conditions representing relaxed and unprotected tolerance and tolerance with all possible combinations of the anti-G suit, and M-1 maneuver, and supination in a PALE seat. The individual and combined effects of the various acceleration protective techniques were examined as they related to various models for acceleration protection, and the data revealed no statistically significant deviations from a simple additive model. The apparent net additivity was interpreted as resulting from a combination of additive, synergistic, and overlapping mechanisms.
Predictors of blood transfusion use in robotic beating-heart totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass with anastomotic connectors.

BACKGROUND We sought to identify the independent predictors of blood transfusion requirement in robotic beating-heart patients with totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass (TECAB). METHODS We retrospectively reviewed patients undergoing TECAB with distal anastomotic connectors from July 2013 to May 2017 at our institution. The cohorts were divided into patients who received a blood transfusion (BT group) and patients who did not (non-blood transfusion [NBT] group). RESULTS Two-hundred seventy-four consecutive patients underwent TECAB, and 47 patients (17%; BT group) received BT. The BT group had a lower preoperative hemoglobin level and a higher rate of preoperative risk profiles and higher society of thoracic surgeons (STS) predicted the risk of mortality. Kaplan Meier analysis showed decreased 1-year survival in the BT group compared with the NBT group (90.9% vs 96.4%; logrank, 0.017). The Youden index identified a preoperative hemoglobin cutoff value of 12.2 g/dL (sensitivity 60.9%, specificity 79.3%) and operative time of 300 minutes (sensitivity 61.7%, specificity 59.0%) for BT requirement. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified a preoperative hemoglobin 300 minutes (odds ratio, 2.15; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-4.33) as independent factors associated with BT requirement. CONCLUSIONS We found that preoperative hemoglobin and operative time were independent predictors of BT requirement during robotic beating-heart TECAB. These data would help to select patients to minimize perioperative BT as well as predict outcomes after this procedure.
Recognition at Membrane Surfaces Influenza HA and Human HLA

The influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) and the human histocompatibility antigens HLA-A2 and HLA-A28 are membrane glycoproteins whose three-dimensional structures have been determined by X-ray diffraction as part of an effort to understand their mechanisms of action.
Regulator combinations identify systemic sclerosis patients with more severe disease

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a heterogeneous autoimmune disorder that results in skin fibrosis, autoantibody production, and internal organ dysfunction. We previously identified 4 "intrinsic" subsets of SSc based upon skin gene expression that are found across organ systems. Gene expression regulators that underlie the SSc-intrinsic subsets, or are associated with clinical covariates, have not been systematically characterized. Here, we present a computational framework to calculate the activity scores of gene expression regulators and identify their associations with SSc clinical outcomes. We found that regulator activity scores can reproduce the intrinsic molecular subsets, with distinct sets of regulators identified for inflammatory, fibroproliferative, limited, and normal-like samples. Regulators most highly correlated with modified Rodnan skin score (MRSS) also varied by intrinsic subset. We identified subgroups of patients with fibroproliferative and inflammatory SSc with more severe pathophenotypes, such as higher MRSS and increased likelihood of interstitial lung disease (ILD). Using an independent cohort, we show that the group with more severe ILD was more likely to show forced vital capacity decline over a period of 36-54 months. Our results demonstrate an association among the activation of regulators, gene expression subsets, and clinical variables that can identify patients with SSc with more severe disease.
Anticipate Fault Sets Generation Methods for Cyber Physical Power System Considering Cyber-Attacks

With the great development of the information communication technology, power systems have been typical Cyber Physical Systems (CPSs). Although the control function of the grid side is becoming more intelligent, Grid Cyber Physical System (GCPS) brings the risk of potential cyberattacks. In this paper, new anticipated fault sets generating methods considering cyber-attacks are proposed based on the mechanism of different cyber-attacks on power system, then different fault set generation processes for power systems of different scales are proposed to ensure the completeness and generation efficiency. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed methods are verified on the IEEE standard system.
Sums of Proper Powers

We say that m is a proper power if m = a b for some integers a , b > 1 . In [2], the authors proved that every positive integer n ≥ 33 17 + 12 can be written as the sum of four proper powers. We im...
'Food' for Human Robot Interaction

'Food', when mentioned in Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) research, is most often in the context of functional applications of automation, delivery, and assistance. Food has, however, not been explored as a medium for social expression or building relationships with social robots. Using web-based examples of robot food and our pilot collection of LOVOT and AIBO robot user's Tweets about their practices of feeding their robots, we show how food has the potential to sustain interactions, increase enjoyment, sociability and companionship in HRI, enhance life-likeness, autonomy, and agency for robots, and open up opportunities for community building among robot users. We present design implications of food for HRI, and urge HRI researchers to envision food as a facet of Human-Robot relationships and interaction as a celebratory, provocative, and promising domain for HRI and social robot design.
Host resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis is linked to altered bacterial community within a specialist insect herbivore

Evolution of resistance to transgenic crops producing toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) threatens the sustainability of the technology. Examination of resistance mechanisms has largely focused on characterization of mutations in proteins serving as Bt toxin binding sites. However, insect microbial communities have the potential to provide host resistance to pesticides in a myriad of ways. Previous findings suggest the killing mechanism of Bt relies on enteric bacteria becoming pathogenic in the disrupted gut environment of the insect following Bt intoxication. Thus, here we hypothesized that resistance to Bt would alter the microbiome composition of the insect. Previous studies have manipulated the microbiome of susceptible insects and monitored their response to Bt. In our study, we characterized the associated bacterial communities of Bt-resistant and -susceptible western corn rootworms, a widespread pest of maize in the United States. We found resistant insects harbor a bacterial community that is less rich and distinct from susceptible insects. After feeding on Bt-expressing maize, susceptible insects exhibited dysbiosis of the associated bacterial community, whereas the community within resistant insects remained relatively unchanged. These results suggest resistance to Bt produces alterations in the microbiome of the western corn rootworm that may contribute to resistance. We further demonstrated that by itself, feeding on Bt toxin-expressing seedlings caused a shift in the microbiota. This work provides a broader picture of the effect stressors have on microbiome composition, and the potential heritable changes induced as a result of intense selection.
Public Participation and Norm Formation for Risky Technology: Adaptive Governance of Solar-Radiation Management

As the international community comes to grips with climate destabilization, it has begun to evaluate potentially risky technologies, such as geoengineering, to mitigate the effects of warming. The geoengineering technology known as solar-radiation management (SRM) poses many risks. There is also great uncertainty about whether society will decide to deploy SRM in the future. Managing these risks and uncertainties requires adaptive governance that will be responsive to new knowledge and changing social systems. We analyse the dimensions of public participation and norm-formation mechanisms of current srm-related legal regimes and governance proposals. We find that there is a need for the social sciences, including legal and governance scholars, to engage with the theoretical and pragmatic challenges of engaging diverse and vulnerable publics fairly and efficiently.
Deep Conservation of Hid-Like RHG Gene Family Homologs in Winged Insects Revealed by "Taxon Hopping" BLAST.

Together with sickle (skl), the Drosophila paralogs reaper (rpr), head involution defective (hid), and grim (RHG) control a critical switch in the induction of programmed cell death. RHG homologs have been identified in other dipteran and lepidopteran species but not beyond. Revisiting this issue with a “taxon hopping” BLAST search strategy in current genome and transcriptome resources, I detected high confidence RHG homologs in Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Hemiptera, and Dictyoptera. Analyses of gene structure and protein sequence conservation revealed aconserved splicing pattern and highly conserved amino acid residues at both the N- and C-terminal ends that identify hid as the most ancestrally organized RHG gene family member in Drosophila. hid-like RHG homologs were also detected in mosquitoes, redefining their michelob_x (mx) genes as an expansion of derived RHG homologs. Only singleton homologs were detected in the large majority of other insect clades. Lepidopteran RHG homologs, however, stand out by producing an evolutionarily-derived splice isoform, identified in previous work, in addition to the newly detected hid-like isoform. Exceptional sequence diversification of select RHG homologs at the family- and genus-level explain their previous elusiveness in important insect genome model species like the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum and the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum. Combined, these findings expand the minimal age of the RHG gene family by about 100 million years and open new avenues for molecular cell death studies in insects.
Abstract 177: Obesity promotes growth of ovarian cancer through adipose stem cells

Introduction: Intraperitoneal spread to visceral adipose is a frequent event and a major cause of morbidity and mortality in women with ovarian cancer. Excess visceral adiposity increases the risk of ovarian cancer. We hypothesized that obesity effects may be mediated by the adipose-derived stem cell population (ASC) to enhance the initiation and progression of ovarian cancer. Results: Intraperitoneally injected ID8 ovarian cancer cells grew significantly faster in mice with diet-induced obesity (p Conclusions: SC-ASC from obese mice promoted tumor growth more than ASC from lean mice suggesting that obesity alters the ASC population to enhance tumor-promoting effects. Obese derived ASC exhibit impaired differentiation potential, which may be linked to tumor promoting effects. Future studies will focus on understanding the mechanisms by which obesity alters the ASC population to impact tumor progression. Citation Format: Yan Zhang, Travis Solley, Karen Lu, Caimiao Wei, Alesandra Nowicka, Ann Klopp. Obesity promotes growth of ovarian cancer through adipose stem cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 177. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-177
Performing an Audit or Security Test

Compliance means that the organization and its actors adhere to applicable regulation and organizational policy and standards. Auditors are professional evaluators who test for compliance and/or that certain objectives are met. Therefore, understanding audit techniques professionalize testing, whether it is done for test or audit purposes.
SU-B-213-05: Development of ABR Certification Standards

The North American medical physics community validates the education received by medical physicists and the clinical qualifications for medical physicists through accreditation of educational programs and certification of medical physicists. Medical physics educational programs (graduate education and residency education) are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP), whereas medical physicists are certified by several organizations, the most familiar of which is the American Board of Radiology (ABR). In order for an educational program to become accredited or a medical physicist to become certified, the applicant must meet certain specified standards set by the appropriate organization. In this Symposium, representatives from both CAMPEP and the ABR will describe the process by which standards are established as well as the process by which qualifications of candidates for accreditation or certification are shown to be compliant with these standards. The Symposium will conclude with a panel discussion. Learning Objectives: Recognize the difference between accreditation of an educational program and certification of an individual Identify the two organizations primarily responsible for these tasks Describe the development of educational standards Describe the process by which examination questions are developed GS is Executive Secretary of CAMPEP.
Effect of the secondary structure in the Euglena gracilis chloroplast ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase messenger RNA on translational initiation

Abstract The results reported in the previous paper indicate that the translational start site of the Euglena gracilis chloroplast mRNA for the large subunit of ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (rbcL) is not defined by primary sequence elements (Koo, J.S., and Spremulli, L.L. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 7494-7500). In the work presented here, the effects of secondary structure in the 5'-untranslated leader of the rbcL mRNA have been examined. Only weak secondary structure can be detected in the 5'-untranslated leader of the rbcL message by enzymatic and computer analysis. Further reduction of the weak secondary structure of this message by site-directed mutagenesis does not significantly affect the ability of this message to participate in initiation complex formation. The secondary structure near the translational start site was increased by the introduction of an inverted repeat sequence and by site-directed mutagenesis. Messages with increased secondary structure are much less active in initiation complex formation if the structural element introduced is within approximately 10 nucleotides of the start codon. These results suggest that the translational start site in this chloroplast mRNA is specified by the presence of an AUG codon in an unstructured or weakly structured region of the mRNA. No specific sequences around the start codon, either upstream or immediately downstream, were found to have important information directing the chloroplast ribosome to the start site of this mRNA.
Simulated driving performance under alcohol: Effects on driver-risk versus driver-skill

BACKGROUND: Those who place their vehicles closer to others on the roadway are said to have high risk acceptance, and this contributes to motor vehicle crashes. However, the effect of alcohol on this risky driving behavior is understudied. Behavioral mechanisms that contribute to risky driving are also not well understood. Further, whether increased risk-taking behavior in a driver co-occurs with pronounced impairment in the driver's skill is unknown. METHODS: The study examined the effect of alcohol on driver risk and skill and whether riskier drivers were also those who showed high skill impairment. The relationship between driving behavior and inhibitory control was also tested. Participants completed two driving simulations. In the first drive test, risky driving was encouraged and in the second test, skill-based performance was emphasized. The cued go/no-go task provided a measure inhibitory control. Tests were completed under a 0.65g/kg alcohol and 0.0g/kg (placebo) dose of alcohol. RESULTS: Alcohol impaired a measure of driving skill and increased driver risk taking. It was also found that riskier drivers were not necessarily those who showed the greatest impairments in skill. Poorer inhibitory control was associated with greater driver risk in the sober state. CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol-induced risk-taking behaviors can be dissociable from impairing effects on driver skill and poor inhibitory control is selectively related to risky driving. As such, a distinction between driver risk and driver skill needs to be made in the investigation of problems concerning DUI-related accidents and fatalities in future research. Language: en