cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Endemic disease in environments with spatially heterogeneous host populations

The main interest in epidemic models stems from their use in uncovering certain qualitative features of epidemic processes. A deterministic model of a general epidemic in a population with an arbitrary number of separate population centers is presented. The mixing within each center is assumed to be homogeneous, and the usual threshold theorem holds for each population. The mixing between centers is nonhomogeneous. This model is used to identify the necessary and sufficient conditions under which a disease will become endemic in the general population when each population center is below the threshold required for establishment of the disease and does not mix with other centers. These conditions depend critically on the concavity of the infection rate function with respect to the length of exposure time. The application of these results to host-vector models is discussed.
Transport measurements from in-service undersea telephone cables

The motion of the ocean through the Earth's magnetic field creates a cross-stream voltage proportional to the transport of the stream. These motion-induced voltages have been observed for more than ten years by the use of an abandoned cable spanning the Florida Current. In-service undersea telephone cables, including fiber optic cables with branch lines, can also be used to determine the motion-induced voltages between the cable sea-Earth grounds because the repeaters in these cables are powered by a nearly constant electric current, the return path for this current is through the ocean via the sea-Earth grounds, and the power voltage and current are readily measured at the cable station or stations. Ocean voltages between West Palm Beach, FL, and Eight Mile Rock, Grand Bahama Island, observed since 1985 by use of an in-service cable yield monthly estimates of the Florida Current transport with an r.m.s. accuracy of 1.1 Sv when compared with the monthly voltage-derived transports between Jupiter, FL, and Settlement Point, Grand Bahama Island, observed by the use of an abandoned cable. This corresponds to an accuracy of 3% of the mean transport of 32.3 Sv. >
The intermediate endpoint effect in logistic and probit regression

Background An intermediate endpoint is hypothesized to be in the middle of the causal sequence relating an independent variable to a dependent variable. The intermediate variable is also called a s...
Risk-benefit assessment of carbamazepine in children.

Carbamazepine is an effective antiepileptic drug for the treatment of partial and convulsive generalised epilepsy in adults and children. The pharmacokinetic profile in children is similar to that in adults, but the half-life in long term paediatric therapy is between 6 and 12 hours, compared with 15 hours in adults. Autoinduction is present. The most common adverse effects are neurological and dose-related, and occur in up to 50% of patients treated, usually on dosage initiation or dose elevation. Most dissipate over time and require no alteration in dosage. Idiosyncratic effects include hypersensitivity, hepatic and haematological reactions. A benign leucopenia occurs in 10 to 12% of adults and children and appears to be unrelated to aplastic anaemia which occurs in approximately 1 in 575 000 treated patients per year. Carbamazepine is reported to have cognitive and behavioural advantages over other antiepileptic drugs. Overall, carbamazepine has become a major antiepileptic drug in children as well as adults.
Characterization and spatial distribution of methanogens and methanogenic biosignatures in hypersaline microbial mats of Baja California

Well-developed hypersaline cyanobacterial mats from Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, sustain active methanogenesis in the presence of high rates of sulfate reduction. Very little is known about the diversity and distribution of the microorganisms responsible for methane production in these unique ecosystems. Applying a combination of 16S rRNA and metabolic gene surveys, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and lipid biomarker analysis, we characterized the diversity and spatial relationships of methanogens and other archaea in the mat incubation experiments stimulated with methanogenic substrates. The phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic diversity established within mat microcosms was compared with the archaeal diversity and lipid biomarker profiles associated with different depth horizons in the in situ mat. Both archaeal 16S rRNA and methyl coenzyme M reductase gene (mcrA) analysis revealed an enrichment of diverse methanogens belonging to the Methanosarcinales in response to trimethylamine addition. Corresponding with DNA-based detection methods, an increase in lipid biomarkers commonly synthesized by methanogenic archaea was observed, including archaeol and sn-2-hydroxyarchaeol polar lipids, and the free, irregular acyclic isoprenoids, 2,6,10,15,19-pentamethylicosene (PMI) and 2,6,11,15-tetramethylhexadecane (crocetane). Hydrogen enrichment of a novel putative archaeal polar C_(30) isoprenoid, a dehydrosqualane, was also documented. Both DNA and lipid biomarker evidence indicate a shift in the dominant methanogenic genera corresponding with depth in the mat. Specifically, incubations of surface layers near the photic zone predominantly supported Methanolobus spp. and PMI, while Methanococcoides and hydroxyarchaeol were preferentially recovered from microcosms of unconsolidated sediments underlying the mat. Together, this work supports the existence of small but robust methylotrophic methanogen assemblages that are vertically stratified within the benthic hypersaline mat and can be distinguished by both their DNA signatures and unique isoprenoid biomarkers.
If I touch it I have to have it: Individual and environmental influences on impulse purchasing

This research examines the influence of touch on impulse-purchasing behavior. We first replicate the Rook and Fisher [Rook DW, Fisher RJ. Normative influences on impulsive buying behavior. J Consum Res 1995;22:305–13.] studies about the moderating effect of the normative evaluation of impulse purchase on impulse-purchasing behavior. Extending the impulse-purchasing literature, we examine individual differences in touch and how they affect impulsive-buying behavior. Results from a field experiment suggest that both individual and environmental touchrelated factors increase impulse purchasing.
Bis­[η5-1,3-bis­(tri­methyl­silyl)­cyclo­penta­dienyl]­vanadium(II)

The title compound, [V(C11H21Si2)2], crystallizes in space group C2/c with the V atom located on a twofold symmetry axis. The vanadium(II) center is coordinated by two 1,3-bis­(tri­methyl­silyl)­cyclo­penta­dienyl rings (Cp′′) to form a slightly bent metallocene [Cp(centroid)—V—Cp(centroid) = 173.0 (1)°].
Feedback in the Non-Asymptotic Regime

Without feedback, the backoff from capacity due to non-asymptotic blocklength can be quite substantial for blocklengths and error probabilities of interest in many practical applications. In this paper, novel achievability bounds are used to demonstrate that in the non-asymptotic regime, the maximal achievable rate improves dramatically thanks to variable-length coding and feedback. For example, for the binary symmetric channel with capacity 1/2 the blocklength required to achieve 90% of the capacity is smaller than 200, compared to at least 3100 for the best fixed-blocklength code (even with noiseless feedback). Virtually all the advantages of noiseless feedback are shown to be achievable, even if the feedback link is used only to send a single signal informing the encoder to terminate the transmission (stop-feedback). It is demonstrated that the non-asymptotic behavior of the fundamental limit depends crucially on the particular model chosen for the “end-of-packet” control signal. Fixed-blocklength codes and related questions concerning communicating with a guaranteed delay are discussed, in which situation feedback is demonstrated to be almost useless even non-asymptotically.
Special collections cataloging at a crossroads: a survey of ARL libraries

Facing shifting organizational cultures, technological innovations, and the growth of digital information, administrators must consider how best to utilize the resources and staff devoted to cataloging special collections. A survey of special collections cataloging among Association of Research Libraries member institutions showed variation in organization, staffing, and workflow. Cooperation and flexibility are necessary for success.
Transversely isotropic tensile material properties of skeletal muscle tissue.

Abstract Of the plethora of work performed analyzing skeletal muscle tissue, relatively little has been done in the examination of its passive material properties. Previous studies of the passive properties of skeletal muscle have been primarily performed along the longitudinal material direction. In order to ensure the accuracy of the predictions of computational models of skeletal muscles, a better understanding of the tensile three-dimensional material properties of muscle tissue is necessary. To that end, the purpose of this study was to collect a comprehensive set of tensile stress–strain data from skeletal muscle tissue. Load-deformation data was collected from eighteen extensor digitorum longus muscles, dissected free of aponeuroses, from nine New Zealand White rabbits tested under longitudinal extension (LE), transverse extension (TE), or longitudinal shear (LS). The linear modulus, ultimate stress, and failure strain were calculated from stress–strain results. Results indicate that the linear modulus under LE is significantly higher than the modulus of either TE or LS. Additionally, the ultimate stress of muscle was seen to be significantly higher under LE than TE. Conversely, the failure strain was significantly higher under TE than under LE.
General coding theorems for turbo-like codes

In this paper we prove that for general memoryless binary input channels, most ensembles of parallel and serial turbo codes, with fixed component codes, are "good" in the sense that with maximum likelihood decoding, their word (or bit) error probability decreases to zero as the block length increases, provided the noise is below a finite threshold. Our proof uses the classical union bound, which shows that under very general conditions, if the noise is below a certain threshold, the word (or bit) error probability is controlled by the low-weight codewords as the block length approaches infinity. Our main coding theorems then follow from a study of the low weight terms in the ensemble weight enumerator. Using this methodology, we can prove that the threshold is finite for most ensembles of parallel and serial turbo codes.
Oral delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol suppresses cannabis withdrawal symptoms.

Abstract Background This study assessed whether oral administration of delta-9-tetrahydrocannbinol (THC) effectively suppressed cannabis withdrawal in an outpatient environment. The primary aims were to establish the pharmacological specificity of the withdrawal syndrome and to obtain information relevant to determining the potential use of THC to assist in the treatment of cannabis dependence. Method Eight adult, daily cannabis users who were not seeking treatment participated in a 40-day, within-subject ABACAD study. Participants administered daily doses of placebo, 30 mg (10 mg/tid), or 90 mg (30 mg/tid) oral THC during three, 5-day periods of abstinence from cannabis use separated by 7–9 periods of smoking cannabis as usual. Results Comparison of withdrawal symptoms across conditions indicated that (1) the lower dose of THC reduced withdrawal discomfort, and (2) the higher dose produced additional suppression in withdrawal symptoms such that symptom ratings did not differ from the smoking-as-usual conditions. Minimal adverse effects were associated with either active dose of THC. Conclusions This demonstration of dose-responsivity replicates and extends prior findings of the pharmacological specificity of the cannabis withdrawal syndrome. The efficacy of these doses for suppressing cannabis withdrawal suggests oral THC might be used as an intervention to aid cannabis cessation attempts.
Clinical relevance of treatments for acute bipolar disorder: balancing therapeutic and adverse effects.

Abstract Background The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved 10 treatments for acute mania, but only 2 for acute bipolar depression. These agents differ from one another with respect to their efficacy and tolerability profiles, such that certain medications may be optimal for some patients but not others. Objective Our aim was to compare the therapeutic and adverse effects of treatments for acute mania and acute bipolar depression to inform clinical decision making. Methods Using data from large, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled acute mania and acute bipolar depression trials, we assessed number needed to treat (NNT) for response, number needed to harm (NNH) for sedation/weight gain, and likelihood to help or harm (LHH = NNH ÷ NNT) compared with placebo. Results For acute mania, lithium compared with other FDA-approved agents yielded substantively less sedation (NNH, 27 vs 5−17) yet broadly similar efficacy (NNT, 4 vs 4–8), and thus a more favorable efficacy:sedation likelihood (LHH, 6.8 vs 0.7–3.4). For acute bipolar depression, lamotrigine compared with FDA-approved treatments yielded substantively less sedation (NNH, 42 vs 6–12), weight gain (NNH, −34 vs 6−19), and efficacy (NNT, 12 vs 4–6), but still more favorable efficacy:sedation likelihood (LHH, 3.5) than quetiapine (LHH, 1.0) and efficacy:weight gain likelihood (LHH, −2.8) than the olanzapine plus fluoxetine combination (LHH, 1.5). Conclusions For acute mania, lithium compared with other FDA-approved agents yielded less sedation yet similar efficacy, indicating utility for patients sensitive to sedation. For acute bipolar depression, lamotrigine compared with FDA-approved treatments yielded better tolerability but poorer efficacy, suggesting utility in patients sensitive to sedation/weight gain with milder episodes, whereas the FDA-approved treatments might have utility in patients with more severe episodes.
A new species of Taxithelium (Sematophyllaceae) from Seram, Indonesia

During a revision of the genus Taxithelium, a new species was found from the island of Seram, Indonesia. The presence of collenchymatous exothecial cells, a resemblance to Radulina, but being a much smaller plant, lacking any papillae on the seta and having the alar cells much less developed and neither inflated nor colored associate it with Taxithelium. Multivartiate analyses support its infrageneric distinctiveness.
Optimizing Viral Discovery in Bats

Viral discovery studies in bats have increased dramatically over the past decade, yet a rigorous synthesis of the published data is lacking. We extract and analyze data from 93 studies published between 2007–2013 to examine factors that increase success of viral discovery in bats, and specific trends and patterns of infection across host taxa and viral families. Over the study period, 248 novel viruses from 24 viral families have been described. Using generalized linear models, at a study level we show the number of host species and viral families tested best explained number of viruses detected. We demonstrate that prevalence varies significantly across viral family, specimen type, and host taxonomy, and calculate mean PCR prevalence by viral family and specimen type across all studies. Using a logistic model, we additionally identify factors most likely to increase viral detection at an individual level for the entire dataset and by viral families with sufficient sample sizes. Our analysis highlights major taxonomic gaps in recent bat viral discovery efforts and identifies ways to improve future viral pathogen detection through the design of more efficient and targeted sample collection and screening approaches.
Low Reynolds Number Laminar Airfoil with Active Flow Control

Wind tunnel tests were performed on a NACA 643-618 airfoil at Re ≈ 64,000 using particle image velocimetry, hot film anemometry, surface-oil flow visualization, infrared imaging and surface pressure measurements via pressure taps as the tools of this investigation. Preliminary testing determined that four distinct flow regimes exist with respect to angle of attack. Four angles of attack were tested which encompass weak laminar separation, strong laminar separation, laminar separation bubble, and turbulent separation. Laminar separation occurs because the pressure gradient at moderate angles of attack (-3-8 degrees) becomes too severe for the low momentum flow to follow the airfoil suction surface and thus separates. However, as the angle of attack is further increased to around 10 degrees, a significant increase in lift is realized due to the formation of a laminar separation bubble near the leading edge which acts as a natural boundary layer trip to stabilize the flow. Flow control is employed to act similarly to the laminar separation bubble such that a similar lift increase can be realized over a broader range of angle of attack. Normal blowing, suction and zigzag tape are used which are all well-characterized devices and have the potential to produce the same result as a laminar separation bubble. Lift is increased significantly and separation is delayed in all regimes, except for the 10-14 degree regime where the laminar separation bubble was already effective at reducing separation. It is observed that the optimal flow control device changes between regimes.
TISSUE CITRATE LEVELS AND CITRATE UTILIZATION AFTER SODIUM BICARBONATE ADMINISTRATION.

SummarySodium bicarbonate administration increased the excretion of C14-labeled citrate in the urine. It decreased the conversion of C14-labeled citrate to C14O2 to approximately the same extent as it increased the urinary excretion of radioactive citrate. Tissue levels of citrate in the kidney rose 3-fold after sodium bicarbonate administration; there was a significant but relatively small rise in liver citrate and no change in heart citrate after sodium bicarbonate. Thus sodium bicarbonate appears to affect citrate metabolism predominantly in the kidney.
Social Equity in Local Emergency Management Planning

States, namely Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, left disturbing images in the minds of many. Media outlets across the world broadcast reports illustrating the dis parities between those who were able to suc cessfully evacuate following these disasters and those who could not. Those who were left behind were segments of American soci ety that historically have experienced social inequities, including low-income individu als, the disabled, the elderly, and non-English speakers. These events highlighted the issue of social equity in the provision of emergency manage ment services. For a nation that had allocated
Failing to Stem the Tide: Lebanese Migration to French West Africa and the Competing Prerogatives of the Imperial State

In the years before 1939, the functionaries of Afrique Occidentale Francaise, or AOF, as France's West African possessions were known, consistently failed to introduce effective legislative controls upon Eastern Mediterranean migration under their purview. This was not for lack of trying; from 1905 onwards, administrators both in the territorial government of Guinea and in the Government-General of the Federation in Dakar repeatedly attempted to close their gates to these interlopers of empire, most of them from present-day Lebanon, who first began to venture into West Africa in the last years of the nineteenth century. By the late 1930s, some six thousand citizens of the Mandatory states of Lebanon and Syria resided across AOF. Most worked as produce brokers, shopkeepers, and traders, buying up groundnuts, palm oil, or kola nuts from African producers, and supplying them in turn with consumer goods such as textiles and clothes, processed foodstuffs, alcohol, and matches. Despite their attempts to channel and stem this flow of men and women, AOF administrators proved unable to impose effective legislative checks upon their movements.
Mission Modeling and Mission Planning Oriented to CACSR

The concept of Cooperative Air Combat with Stealth Requirement(CACSR) is presented and the principle of mission modeling and mission planning oriented to CACSR is studied.The description modeling of mission is proposed and based on whichthe mission schedule is modeled by description.The cooperative mission schedule is given.Then the framework of dynamic mission management is established and the main steps are expatiated.The mission state prediction model and model effectiveness model are establishedand the principle of mission planning is described.It is the fundamental research for the cognitiondecision-making and execution of mission oriented to CACSRand it is useful for the framework design of the next generation of mission system.
Doctoring: the philosophic milieu.

To understand fully a physician's role in society, and to deal successfully with the current sense of crisis, the medical profession must evolve a world-view that appropriately relates a physician to the patient, to the practice environment, to the base of knowledge, and to the physician's own sense of self. Such a world-view would be multilevel and interdisciplinary, and would be based on interactions and adaptations of physicians to life systems. Medicine's world-view must provide a philosophic milieu interieur that leads to a proper equilibrium between medicine's technologic skills and its humanistic concerns.
Multi‐scale Approach to Hydrological Classification Provides Insight to Flow Structure in Altered River System

Rivers are hierarchical systems exhibiting processes and patterns across spatial and temporal scales principally driven by changes in flow. Hydrological indices estimated with mean or median daily flow data (i.e. daily scale) may be insensitive to anthropogenic alteration that imparts sub-daily variation to flow. Therefore, indices developed at multiple temporal resolutions may provide additional insight into the presence of flow patterns masked by traditional techniques. We characterized the flow regime along the longitudinal gradient of the Platte River, a large Great Plains USA river, using hydrological indices derived with mean daily and sub-daily flow data and a combination of multivariate statistical techniques. Three unique flow units were evident using daily scale flow data, whereas six unique flow units were evident at the sub-daily scale. Flow units at both scales were not static, but rather the presence and extent of flow units across the riverscape depended on climate, tributary inflows and human influence. Anthropogenic alteration including hydropeaking was evident at the sub-daily scale but not at the daily scale. The full complement of flow structure within regulated rivers, therefore, may not be captured using mean or median daily discharge values alone. Inductive river classification studies may benefit from assessing hydrological indices at multiple scales, particularly when investigating river systems with anthropogenic modification such as hydropeaking. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Postoperative Irradiation of Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Renal Pelvis and Ureter

AbstractThe role of adjuvant irradiation in the treatment of transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis and ureter was reviewed. Between June 1966 and March 1981, 41 patients underwent curative resections. A poor risk group was identified, with 23 patients demonstrating disease greater than grade 2 or stage B. Postoperative irradiation was administered to 11 of 23 patients. Median patient followup was 40 months.Two-thirds of all failures occurred within the first 12 months and no failure was seen beyond 35 months. Patients with poor prognostic features had a 60 per cent failure rate compared to 11.8 per cent of the patients with good risk factors (p equals 0.023). The median survival of the 2 groups was 28 and 99 months, respectively (p less than 0.001). Outcome of the poor risk patients was analyzed whether or not the patient received postoperative irradiation. None of the irradiated patients failed with local disease only, while there was 1 patient with local and distant recurrence. In contrast, th...
Breast and gynecologic health-screening behaviors among 191 women with spinal cord injuries.

AbstractObjective: The purpose of this study was to advance the understanding of preventive health behaviors of women with spinal cord injury (SCI) by comparing the frequency of preventive health behaviors (a) between women with SCI and women in the general population, and (b) among women with SCI as a function of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES).Design: Telephone interviews.Participants: 191 women with SCI who had been treated at 1 of 4 Model SCI Systems hospitals. The sample included 66 white women, 59 African American women, 22 American Indian women, and 44 Hispanic women.Main Outcome Measure: The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.Results: Study participants reported significant differences in their frequency of either mammograms or Pap smears when compared with the general population. However, no significant differences were found among study participants when rates were compared by race/ethnicity to the general population. Also, no differences were found among the women with SCI...
The determinants of voting in multilateral bargaining games

Models of multilateral bargaining predict that agents would vote solely based on the share they are offered and that their vote is determined by whether that share is at least as high as the continuation value (CV) of the game. The standard experiment investigating behavior in multilateral bargaining is not well designed to determine if that is the case. Our experiment makes three changes to the typical design: it introduces substantial variation in the CV (using a within-subjects design and varying the discount factor), it generates variability in offers using computer-generated offers while retaining the equilibrium of the original game, and it uses belief elicitation. These changes allow us to consider whether behavioral voting rules that are independent of the CV or factors besides one’s own share are important to voting decisions. We find that the main determinant of votes is the share one is offered, but that when offers are believed to come from another participant, a proposal is less likely to be approved if the proposer tries to take a lot for himself. Nonetheless, the equilibrium voting rule, which is based on the CV of the game organizes choices better than behavioral rules that are independent of the CV.
Simulation and performance comparison of Si and SiC-based interleaved boost converter

In this paper, simulation and performance comparison of Si and SiC based interleaved boost converter is presented. Wide bandgap devices such as silicon carbide and gallium nitride are desirable and recommended in high-power applications because of their capability of operating under high temperature, high switching frequency, and high voltage with reduced switching losses. The main advantage of using SiC materials is the ability to raise the switching frequency which will reduce the size. However, their cost is high compared to Si. In this paper, 60V input voltage is used to get 120V output voltage under 100 KHz switching frequency and 0.5 duty cycle. With the help of LTSpice software, an efficiency comparison between silicon and silicon carbide by considering interleaved boost converter are simulated and studied.
Effects of acute intermittent hypoxia on hand use after spinal cord trauma: A preliminary study.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that daily acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH) combined with hand opening practice improves hand dexterity, function, and maximum hand opening in persons with chronic, motor-incomplete, cervical spinal cord injury. Methods: Six participants completed the double-blind, crossover study. Participants received daily (5 consecutive days) AIH (15 episodes per day: 1.5 minutes of fraction of inspired oxygen [FIo 2 ] = 0.09, 1-minute normoxic intervals) followed by 20 repetitions of hand opening practice and normoxia (sham, FIo 2 = 0.21) + hand opening practice. Hand dexterity and function were quantified with Box and Block and Jebsen-Taylor hand function tests. We also recorded maximum hand opening using motion analyses and coactivity of extensor digitorum and flexor digitorum superficialis muscles using surface EMG. Results: Daily AIH + hand opening practice improved hand dexterity, function, and maximum hand opening in all participants. AIH + hand opening practice improved Box and Block Test scores vs baseline in 5 participants ( p = 0.057) and vs sham + hand opening practice in all 6 participants ( p = 0.016). All participants reduced Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test (JTHF) time after daily AIH + hand opening practice (−7.2 ± 1.4 seconds) vs baseline; 4 of 6 reduced JTHF time vs sham + hand opening practice ( p = 0.078). AIH + hand opening practice improved maximum hand aperture in 5 of 6 participants (8.1 ± 2.7 mm) vs baseline ( p = 0.018) and sham + hand opening practice ( p = 0.030). In 5 participants, daily AIH–induced changes in hand opening were accompanied by improved EMG coactivity ( p = 0.029). Conclusions: This report suggests the need for further study of AIH as a plasticity “primer” for task-specific training in spinal cord injury rehabilitation. Important clinical questions remain concerning optimal AIH dosage, patient screening, safety, and effect persistence. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01272336.
iTRAQ Quantitative Proteomic Profiling and MALDI–MSI of Colon Cancer Spheroids Treated with Combination Chemotherapies in a 3D Printed Fluidic Device

For a patient with metastatic colorectal cancer there are limited clinical options aside from chemotherapy. Unfortunately, the development of new chemotherapeutics is a long and costly process. New methods are needed to identify promising drug candidates earlier in the drug development process. Most chemotherapies are administered to patients in combinations. Here, an in vitro platform is used to assess the penetration and metabolism of combination chemotherapies in three-dimensional colon cancer cell cultures, or spheroids. Colon carcinoma HCT 116 cells were cultured and grown into three-dimensional cell culture spheroids. These spheroids were then dosed with a common combination chemotherapy, FOLFIRI (folinic acid, 5-fluorouracil, and irinotecan) in a 3D printed fluidic device. This fluidic device allows for the dynamic treatment of spheroids across a semipermeable membrane. Following dosing, the spheroids were harvested for quantitative proteomic profiling to examine the effects of the combination chem...
An Epidemiologic Study of the Association between Free Recall Dichotic Digits Test Performance and Vascular Health.

BACKGROUND Associations between vascular health-related factors and hearing loss defined using audiometric pure-tone thresholds have been found. Studies have not focused on a potential relationship between vascular health-related factors and central auditory processing. PURPOSE The aim of this study was to evaluate, on a population level, the relationship of vascular health-related factors with central auditory function. RESEARCH DESIGN A cross-sectional, population study. STUDY SAMPLE Subjects were participants in the Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study (EHLS) or the Beaver Dam Offspring Study (BOSS)-prospective studies of aging and sensory loss. BOSS participants were the adult offspring of participants in the EHLS. Participants who completed the Dichotic Digits Test (DDT) during the fourth examination period of the EHLS (2008-2010) or the second examination period of the BOSS (2010-2013) were included (n = 3,655, mean age = 61.1 years). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS The DDT-free recall test was conducted using 25 sets of triple-digit pairs at a 70 dB HL presentation level. The total number of correctly repeated digits from the right and left ears was converted to a percentage correct and used as an outcome. The percentage correct in the left ear was subtracted from the percentage correct in the right ear and used as an outcome. Vascular health-related measures obtained during the examination included blood pressure, mean carotid intima-media thickness, femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), hemoglobin A1C, and non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and, in the EHLS participants, C-reactive protein and interleukin-6. Information on vascular health-related history and behaviors was self-reported. General linear modeling produced estimates of the age- and sex-adjusted least squares means for each vascular factor, and multiple linear regression was used for multivariable modeling of each outcome. RESULTS After multivariable adjustment, participants with diabetes had a significantly lower (worse) mean DDT-free recall total score (-2.08 percentage points, p < 0.001) than those without diabetes. Participants who exercised at least once per week had a significantly higher (better) mean DDT-free recall total score (+1.07 percentage points, p < 0.01) than those who did not exercise at least once per week. Alcohol consumption was associated with a higher DDT-free recall total score (+0.15 percentage points per +25 g ethanol, p < 0.01). In multivariable modeling of the right-left ear difference in DDT-free recall scores, participants with a history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) or higher PWV demonstrated significantly larger differences (CVD: +3.11 percentage points, p = 0.02; PWV: +0.36 percentage points per 1 m/sec, p < 0.01). Higher levels of non-HDL cholesterol were associated with smaller right-left ear differences (-0.22 percentage points per 10 mg/dL, p = 0.01). Adjustment for handedness did not affect the results. CONCLUSIONS Vascular health-related factors may play a role in central auditory function.
Implementing XEDS for a CubeSat communication subsystem

Electronic communication is a process of exchanging information and data between devices and users. Among the major design constraints are choice of protocols and compatibility between devices. Dissimilar devices require additional modifications to ensure successful interchange between them. Protocol translators are an example of a class of applications that can be used to achieve device-to-device compatibility. Alternatively, if a flexible, open-source standard is available, minimum modifications can accomplish the generic device communication requirements. One method that can be used to enhance interoperability is a member of the IEEE 1451.N family of standards [1]. Among the key members of the standard family is IEEE 1451.4, which defines the transducer electronic data sheet (TEDS). The goal of this standard is to provide plug and play capabilities for simple integration of transducers into a system. The TEDS provide a complete description of a transducer in accordance to one of the templates defined by the standard. The approach of using an electronic data sheet is a powerful concept that can be applied to many other system elements; however, IEEE 1451.4 implements TEDS details for only a subset of transducers, yet makes provision for user-defined TEDS. An obvious question is: Why not expand this idea to other components to make them just as easy to use? The concept developed in this paper is the development of an eXtensible Electronic Data Sheet (XEDS) to extend the power of the TEDS concept to other devices.
Life cycle assessment of UV-Curable bio-based wood flooring coatings

Abstract An important recent trend in the paints and coatings industry has been the use of bio-based alternatives to fossil-based building blocks in many applications. This trend is being driven in part by cleaner production and sustainability goals. As bio-based ingredients have been widely shown to present environmental trade-offs along their life cycle, new formulations should ideally be assessed for environmental preference before entering into full-scale production. In this paper, a bio-renewable content (BRC) formulation for wood flooring coating is analyzed using a life cycle assessment (LCA) framework and quantitatively compared to a conventional petrochemical formulation of similar performance across a range of impact categories. This BRC formulation has 50% bio-based ingredients and zero-to-low VOC emissions and was developed by PPG Industries, Inc. The scope of the analysis is cradle-to-gate and includes biomass cultivation and crude oil extraction and refining for renewable and non-renewable chemical inputs, formulation, transport, and application of 1 m2 of each coating, followed by UV-curing. Comparative results show more than 30% reduction in six out of ten impact categories, using the USEPA TRACI 2.1 impact assessment method, with smog formation, acidification, eutrophication and respiratory effects showing increases in environmental impacts, largely due to burdens from bio-based components. Bisphenol A–epichlorohydrin resin and corn-derived itaconic acid are the most impactful chemicals in the composition of conventional and bio-renewable wood flooring coatings, respectively. Energy use from UV-curing does not appreciably contribute to impacts. The contribution of various building blocks to environmental impacts of both coatings are presented in detail, potentially guiding further formulation research and development. Modifying the BRC formulation to use corn stover instead of corn grain for synthesis of sugar-derived chemicals would improve the environmental profile of the BRC formulation, leading to reductions in all impact categories. The results underscore that meeting targets for bio-based content can have multiple secondary benefits to the environment and human health, but these depend on the particular biofeedstock and conversion processes as well as on the petrochemical components that are being replaced.
Malignant thymoma associated with T-cell lymphocytosis: A case report with immunophenotypic and gene rearrangement analysis

Patients with malignant thymoma rarely may also have a peripheral T-cell lymphocytosis. "Lymphocyte spillover" from the thymus into the peripheral blood as well as a second, associated neoplasm (ie, T-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia) are two hypotheses that have been proposed to explain this clinical phenomenon. We describe another patient with a lymphocyte-rich malignant thymoma associated with peripheral T-cell lymphocytosis. At the time of initial diagnosis, the patient's complete blood cell count was unremarkable. However, subsequent to the development of pulmonary metastases, the patient developed persistent lymphocytosis. The total leukocyte count ranged from 20 to 30 x 10(9)/L, 80% of these cells being lymphocytes. Immunophenotypic analysis of peripheral blood specimens from this patient proved that the circulating cells were mature, polyclonal T cells. The cells expressed the alpha/beta T-cell receptor and the pan-T-cell antigens CD2, CD3, CD5, and CD7, and were negative for both terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) and the CD1 antigen. A mixture of T-helper (CD4+) and T-suppressor (CD8+) cells were present in a ratio of 1:1.6. Gene rearrangement studies revealed that the T-cell receptor beta chain and the immunoglobulin heavy-chain genes were in the germline configuration. Serum samples from this patient were also analyzed for thymic hormones; the level of thymosin alpha 1 was markedly elevated, while that of thymosin beta 4 was decreased. These results effectively exclude the hypothesis that the lymphocytosis represents a second, associated neoplasm. The lymphocyte spillover hypothesis also seems unlikely (although not excluded), since the lymphocytes in lymphocyte-rich thymomas usually have an immature thymic cortical immunophenotype. Furthermore, one might expect nonspecific elevation of all thymic hormone levels with lymphocyte spillover. Thus, we suggest that the lymphocytosis results from a poorly defined immunoregulatory disorder, related to the presence of thymoma, and perhaps secondary thymic hormone imbalance.
Introduction and Examples

An essential part of many scientific problems is the computation of integral $$I = \int_D {g\left( x \right)} {\kern 1pt} dx$$ (1) , where D is often a region in a high-dimensional space and g(x) is the target function of interest. If we can draw independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) random samples x(1) ... , x(m) uniformly from D (by a computer), an approximation to I can be obtained as $$ {\hat I_m} = \frac{1}{m}\left\{ {g\left( {{x^{\left( 1 \right)}}} \right) + \cdots + g\left( {{x^{\left( m \right)}}} \right)} \right\}. $$
Quantitative Characterization of Aortic Valve Endothelial Cell Viability and Morphology In Situ Under Cyclic Stretch

Current protocols for mechanical preconditioning of tissue engineered heart valves have focused on application of pressure, flexure and fluid flow to stimulate collagen production, ECM remodeling and improving mechanical performance. The aim of this study was to determine if mechanical preconditioning with cyclic stretch could promote an intact endothelium that resembled the viability and morphology of a native valve. Confocal laser scanning microscopy was used to image endothelial cells on aortic valve strips subjected to static incubation or physiological strain regimens. An automated image analysis program was designed and implemented to detect and analyze live and dead cells in images captured of a live aortic valve endothelium. The images were preprocessed, segmented, and quantitatively analyzed for live/dead cell ratio, minimum neighbor distance and circularity. Significant differences in live/dead cellular ratio and the minimum distance between cells were observed between static and strained endothelia, indicating that cyclic strain is an important stimulus for maintaining a healthy endothelium. In conclusion, in vitro application of physiological levels of cyclic strain to tissue engineered heart valves seeded with autologous endothelial cells would be advantageous.
To knit the knot: embodied mind in John Donne’s “The Ecstasy”

For John Donne’s “The Ecstasy”, cognitive ecology offers a new approach to the divide between Platonism and Aristotelianism in the poem, presenting a continuum between body and soul rather than an ...
Supporting Integrity of Discrete Trial Teaching via Tiered Consultation: A Pilot Study.

Empirically supported consultation procedures for supporting implementation of evidence-based interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), such as performance feedback, may be challenging to i...
Push-Button Method To Create Nanopores Using a Tesla-Coil Lighter

Controlled dielectric breakdown (CDB) of silicon nitride thin films immersed in electrolyte solution has been used to fabricate single nanofluidic channels with ∼10 nm and smaller diameters, nanopores, useful in single-molecule sensing and ionic circuit construction. A hand-held Tesla-coil lighter was used to form nanofluidic ionic conductors through a ∼10 nm thick silicon nitride membrane. Modifications to the conventional approach were required by the low-overhead Tesla-coil-assisted method (TCAM): increased circuit resistance by including water in place of electrolyte and discrete rather than continuous voltage applications. The resulting ionic conductance could be tuned with the number of voltage applications. TCAM and conventional CDB produced nanopores with different conductance versus pH curves, suggesting different surface chemistry. Nevertheless, sensing experiments using the canonical test molecule, λ-DNA, produced signals comparable to translocation results through solid-state nanopores fabrica...
Phylogeography of the Neotropical epiphytic orchid, Brassavola nodosa: evidence for a secondary contact zone in northwestern Costa Rica.

Spatial patterns of genetic variation can reveal otherwise cryptic evolutionary and landscape processes. In northwestern Costa Rica, an approximately concordant genetic discontinuity occurs among populations of several plant species. We conducted phylogeographic analyses of an epiphytic orchid, Brassavola nodosa, to test for genetic discontinuity and to explore its underlying causes. We genotyped 18 populations with 19 nuclear loci and two non-coding chloroplast sequence regions. We estimated genetic diversity and structure, relative importance of pollen and seed dispersal, and divergence time to understand how genetic diversity was spatially partitioned. Nuclear genetic diversity was high with little differentiation among populations (GSTn = 0.065). In contrast, chloroplast haplotypes were highly structured (GSTc = 0.570) and reveal a discontinuity between northwestern and southeastern populations within Costa Rica. Haplotype differences suggest two formerly isolated lineages that diverged ~10,000-100,000 YBP. Haplotype mixing and greater genetic diversity occur in an intermediate transition zone. Patterns of nuclear and chloroplast data were consistent. Different levels of genetic differentiation for the two genomes reflect the relative effectiveness of biotic versus abiotic dispersers of pollen and seeds, respectively. Isolation of the two lineages likely resulted from the complex environmental and geophysical history of the region. Our results suggest a recent cryptic seed dispersal barrier and/or zone of secondary contact. We hypothesize that powerful northeasterly trade winds hinder movement of wind-borne seeds between the two regions, while the multi-directional dispersal of pollen by strong-flying sphinx moths resulted in lower differentiation of nuclear loci.
Stochastic Motion Planning for Hopping Rovers on Small Solar System Bodies

Hopping rovers have emerged as a promising platform for the future surface exploration of small Solar System bodies, such as asteroids and comets. However, hopping dynamics are governed by nonlinear gravity fields and stochastic bouncing on highly irregular surfaces, which pose several challenges for traditional motion planning methods. This paper presents the first ever discussion of motion planning for hopping rovers that explicitly accounts for various sources of uncertainty. We first address the problem of planning a single hopping trajectory by developing (1) an algorithm for robustly solving Lambert’s orbital boundary value problems in irregular gravity fields, and (2) a method for computing landing distributions by propagating control and model uncertainties—from which, a time/energy-optimal hop can be selected using a (myopic) policy gradient. We then cast the sequential planning problem as a Markov decision process and apply a sample-efficient, off-line, off-policy reinforcement learning algorithm—namely, a variant of least squares policy iteration (LSPI)—to derive approximately optimal control policies that are safe, efficient, and amenable to real-time implementation on computationally-constrained rover hardware. These policies are demonstrated in simulation to be robust to modelling errors and outperform previous heuristics.
Genomic Analysis of Spontaneous Abortion in Holstein Heifers and Primiparous Cows.

Background: The objectives of this study were to identify loci, positional candidate genes, gene-sets, and pathways associated with spontaneous abortion (SA) in cattle and compare these results with previous human SA studies to determine if cattle are a good SA model for humans. Pregnancy was determined at gestation day 35 for Holstein heifers and cows. Genotypes from 43,984 SNPs of 499 pregnant heifers and 498 pregnant cows that calved at full term (FT) were compared to 62 heifers and 28 cows experiencing SA. A genome-wide association analysis, gene-set enrichment analysis–single nucleotide polymorphism, and ingenuity pathway analysis were used to identify regions, pathways, and master regulators associated with SA in heifers, cows, and a combined population. Results: Twenty-three loci and 21 positional candidate genes were associated (p 3.0) were enriched in SA and one was previously reported as enriched in human SA. Four master regulators (p < 0.01) were associated with SA within two populations. Conclusions: One locus associated with SA was validated and 39 positional candidate and leading-edge genes and 2 gene-sets were enriched in SA in cattle and in humans.