cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A high-yield drying process for surface microstructures using active levitation

We present a novel technique for drying surface micromachined microstructures after their wet chemical etch/release. This technique has been proven especially effective in release/drying devices with large surface contact areas (e.g. larger than 1/spl times/1 mm/sup 2/). Here, magnetic force is used to actively levitate (deflect) released micro structures out of the substrate plane during the drying process, thereby preventing stiction and obtaining a high yield (100%). Without the active levitation, fewer than 10% microstructures are freed.
Reply to a comment on ``A case for a comet impact trigger for the Paleocene/Eocene thermal maximum and carbon isotope excursion'' by G.R. Dickens and J.M. Francis

Contrary to Dickens and Francis’s claim [1] that we ‘challenge the idea of a massive CH4 release during the PETM (Paleocene/Eocene thermal maximum)’, our consideration of an extraterrestrial carbon contribution to the carbon isotope excursion (CIE) is speci¢cally limited to the initial and most rapid decrease in N13C, which accounts for less than half of the full magnitude of the CIE [2]. Thermal dissociation in response to the warming at the PETM is explicitly allowed in our hypothesis, as reiterated in our conclusions that the impact ‘may have triggered a more gradual thermal dissociation of sea£oor methane hydrates’ [2]. We directly challenge only that portion of the hydrate dissociation hypothesis that relies on gradual warming intrinsic to Earth’s climate system as the triggering mechanism [3]. Such a mechanism is not consistent with the documented essentially synchronous and instantaneous warming and decrease in N13C values at the onset of the event [3,4] and is also at odds with the occurrence of the CIE during an interval of low amplitude orbital forcing of climate [5]. Instead, we postulate a comet impact as an explanation for the rapid onset of the event. Dickens and Francis state that the ‘primary di⁄culty with invoking a comet T is that there is no supporting evidence’ and then list four points from our paper that, taken out of context, are construed as damaging to our hypothesis : (1) ‘There is no crater’. If this were to be taken as a fatal problem with hypothesizing an impact then the idea of a K/T (Cretaceous/Tertiary) impact would never have gained any traction ^ it took 10 years to identify the smoking gun at Chicxulub crater [6^8]. In addition, it is hardly ‘contrived’ to acknowledge that the P/E (Paleocene/ Eocene) impact may have occurred on oceanic crust, which constitutes more than half of Earth’s surface area and where impact craters of any age have been very di⁄cult to ¢nd. (2) ‘The remarkable fossil turnovers T strongly contrast to those across the Cretaceous/Tertiary Boundary T.’ In fact, although we noted that the two events are ‘clearly diierent’ [2] and that an a priori assumption that big impacts should be
Traffic-Based Study of Femtocell Access Policy Impacts on HSPA Service Quality

Home NodeBs (HNB)s can be operated in a fully-closed manner (in which only user equipment (UEs) within a closed subscriber group (CSG) are permitted to connect), a fully-open manner (in which access can potentially be granted to any nearby mobile station), or somewhere in between. An additional option is "hybrid" HNBs, in which a portion of the HNB resources are reserved for exclusive use of the CSG, and the remaining resources are allocated in an open manner. The relationship between access policy and the performance of the overall network is one of the most interesting open questions related to HNB deployment. The present paper explores the relationship between HNB access and quality of service with specific attention to the differences between HSDPA, HSUPA, and the relative mix of traffic types.
Addressing the shortage of school psychologists: A summative overview

The role of the school psychologist has evolved from the traditional position of psychometrician to a scientist-practitioner who assumes a more progressive, proactive leadership position in initiating reform in the schools. This shift is guided by a changing paradigm from child deviance, or child pathology, to a collaborative, problem-solving orientation that is characterized by a focus on interventions and altering student outcomes (Ysseldyke & Elliot, 1999). This shifting philosophy mandates that school psychologists, to serve as effective advocates for children, should focus on outcomes, employ more preventative techniques, utilize empirically supported interventions, and take an active role in initiating changes in their schools and the communities (Davis, 2001). A more preventative approach increases the role, and the necessity, of school psychologists working directly with children in special education and children not in special education. Yet, the field continues to undersupply the number of school psychologists needed to effectively meet these critical goals. The paucity of school psychologists available to serve children in the schools is reflected in the shortfalls in higher education and with practitioners (e.g., Reschly, 2000; Tingstrom, 2000). Additionally, school psychologists face disparities in gender, ethnic, and racial representation relative to the U.S. population, with the majority of school psychologists being Caucasian females (e.g., Curtis, Grier, Abshier, Sutton, & Hunley, 2002; Thomas, 1998). This may lead to a lack of identification from the student's perspective or a deficiency of culturally sensitive methods and techniques from the school psychologist, especially in poor areas where minorities tend to be overrepresented (Steinberg, 2002). The shortage of school psychologists, especially minority school psychologists, is reaching a crisis state. To overcome this shortage, a call to action is proposed to all practicing school psychologists, trainers in higher education, professional organizations, and legislators. Taking progressive, proactive steps may involve reconceptualizing the practice of school psychology, increasing visibility of the profession, becoming more involved in politics and legislation, employing unique approaches to recruitment, utilizing technology in training programs, and actively recruiting minority candidates. The purpose of this article is to review past solutions to this problem, analyze what is currently being done, and propose new resolutions to address these concerns. Additionally, some solutions to these issues discussed in this journal issue will be reviewed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 41: 489–495, 2004.
Visual learning in multisensory environments.

We study the claim that multisensory environments are useful for visual learning because nonvisual percepts can be processed to produce error signals that people can use to adapt their visual systems. This hypothesis is motivated by a Bayesian network framework. The framework is useful because it ties together three observations that have appeared in the literature: (a) signals from nonvisual modalities can ‘‘teach’’ the visual system; (b) signals from nonvisual modalities can facilitate learning in the visual system; and (c) visual signals can become associated with (or be predicted by) signals from nonvisual modalities. Experimental data consistent with each of these observations are reviewed.
A note on the shear center problem for shear-deformable plates

Abstract It is shown that a minimum complementary energy analysis, in conjunction with Saint Venant type stress assumptions, for shear-deformable plates of variable thickness leads to a second order ordinary differential equation problem for the distribution of transverse shear. It is found that this equation is equi-dimensional for plates with linearly varying thickness. The ensuing exact solution implies an explicit expression for the location of the center of shear dependent on an appropriate dimensionless parameter involving cross-sectional dimensions and transverse twisting and shearing stiffness coefficients. Significant numerical consequences are encountered for plates which are relatively soft in transverse shear.
Sim1 Haploinsufficiency Impairs Melanocortin-Mediated Anorexia and Activation of Paraventricular Nucleus Neurons

Single-minded 1 (SIM1) is one of only six genes implicated in human monogenic obesity. Haploinsufficiency of this hypothalamic transcription factor is associated with hyperphagic obesity and increased linear growth in both humans and mice. Additionally, Sim1 heterozygous mice show enhanced hyperphagia and obesity in response to a high-fat diet. Thus the phenotype of Sim1 haploinsufficiency is similar to that of agouti yellow (Ay), and melanocortin 4 receptor (Mc4r) knockout mice, both of which are defective in hypothalamic melanocortin signaling. Sim1 and Mc4r are both expressed in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN). Here we report that Sim1 heterozygous mice, which have normal energy expenditure, are hyperphagic despite having elevated hypothalamic proopiomelanocortin (Pomc) expression. In response to the melanocortin agonist melanotan-2 (MTII) they exhibit a blunted suppression of feeding yet increase their energy expenditure normally. They also fail to activate PVN neurons in response to the drug at a dose that induces robust c-Fos expression in a subset of Sim1 PVN neurons in wild-type mice. The resistance to melanocortin signaling in Sim1 heterozygotes is not due to a reduced number of Sim1 neurons in the PVN. Hypothalamic Sim1 gene expression is induced by leptin and MTII treatment. Our results demonstrate that Sim1 heterozygotes are resistant to hypothalamic melanocortin signaling and suggest that Sim1-expressing PVN neurons regulate feeding, but not energy expenditure, in response to melanocortin signaling.
Situational suppression of cigarette smoking.

Abstract Cigarette smoking rate was observed during work and recreation while subjects participated in two long-term residential experiments. In both experiments, the smoking rate observed during work was markedly lower than the smoking rate observed during recreation. In Experiment 1, activities were performed in successive 1-hour blocks. Smoking suppression during work was not associated with an increase in smoking rate following work. Experiment 2 consisted of treatment days of alternating 30-, 60-, and 120-minute work periods and recreation and control days when no work periods were presented. Performance of work was again associated with a marked suppression of smoking. In addition, the smoking rate for days during which no work was performed.was greater than the smoking rate for days during which intermittent work was performed. This effect was not related to the length of the work periods. This finding indicates that subjects failed to compensate totally for work-related decrease in smoking. All subjects exhibited partial compensation.
Socioeconomic status and chronic stress: Does stress account for SES effects on health?

Socioeconomic status (SES) is an important predictor of a range of health and illness outcomes. Research seeking to identify the extent to which this often-reported effect is due to protective benefits of higher SES or to toxic elements of lower social status has not yielded consistent or conclusive findings. A relatively novel hypothesis is that these effects are due to chronic stress that is associated with SES; lower SES is reliably associated with a number of important social and environmental conditions that contribute to chronic stress burden, including crowding, crime, noise pollution, discrimination, and other hazards or stressors. In other words, chronic stress may capture much of the variance in health and social outcomes associated with harmful aspects of lower social status. Low SES is generally associated with distress, prevalence of mental health problems, and with health-impairing behaviors that are also related to stress. Research targeting this hypothesis is needed to determine the extent to which stress is a pathway linking SES and health.
Anticoagulants for deep venous thrombosis.

In their case report of superficial thrombophlebitis followed by pulmonary embolism (April 2001 JRSM, pp. 186-187) Dr Kesteven and Mr Robinson raise the question whether anticoagulants should be used to treat superficial venous thrombosis. This might be a good subject for a clinical trial; however, even the use of anticoagulants in venous thromboembolism—i.e. deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE)—is open to doubt. No randomized placebo-controlled trial has ever been published supporting the efficacy or safety of anticoagulants in DVT. To justify anticoagulant treatment of DVT patients, textbooks and review articles generally lump DVT with PE and cite a placebo-controlled randomized trial of patients with PE by Barritt and Jordan1. The authors of this old and small study (n=35) used clinical signs and symptoms without lung scans or angiograms to diagnose PE. We now know that clinical suspicion of PE is confirmed by angiograms in only about 25% of cases2. Also, assignment of fatal PE as the cause of death was questionable in at least three of the five placebo group patients with severe underlying co-morbidity. In short, Barritt and Jordan's study does not qualify as scientific evidence supporting anticoagulant treatment to reduce the morbidity and/or mortality of patients with PE. Therefore, we cannot extrapolate the conclusion of Barritt and Jordan's trial to DVT patients or further extrapolate it to superficial venous thrombosis patients. More recently in patients with DVT, Nielsen et al. compared heparin plus phenprocoumon anticoagulation with phenylbutazone in the only published randomized controlled trial3,4. It was a negative study with 1/48 anticoagulated patients and 0/42 phenylbutazone patients dying of pulmonary embolism. For the articles and FDA correspondence detailing the case for withdrawing the indications for anticoagulants (heparins and vitamin K antagonists) in prophylaxis and treatment of venous thromboembolism, see my website: [http://hometown.aol.com/~dkcundiff/home.htm ].
A Correlation of Vortex Noise Data from Helicopter Main Rotors

HE present and future use of helicopters as flexible air transportation in and out of highly restricted heavily populated areas is threatened by the community noise problems associated with these vehicles. In the next generation of vehicles, noise requirements may play a major role in the design process.1 It is important to have in the early stages of the design process an estimate for the effect of a given design change upon both the noise and DOC of the vehicle. This Note presents a correlation of existing data on main rotor vortex noise which is, at the present state-of-the-art, an irreducible effect of operating the main rotor. Although basic research into the effect of airfoil cross-section and tip planform shape on the noise from main rotors may eventually lead to noise reductions below this curve, an examination of the present data can also serve as a base to compare later improvements. For the typical helicopter, aerodynamic noise is produced by the main rotor, the tail rotor, and the engine. Current efforts in design should succeed in reducing the noise from the tail rotor and engine to a point where the dominant source of noise is the main rotor.
Stereo visual odometry for pipe mapping

Pipe inspection is a critical activity in gas production facilities and many other industries. In this paper, we contribute a stereo visual odometry system for creating high resolution, sub-millimeter maps of pipe surfaces. Such maps provide both 3D structure and appearance information that can be used for visualization, cross registration with other sensor data, inspection and corrosion detection tasks. We present a range of optical configuration and visual odometry techniques that we use to achieve high accuracy while minimizing specular reflections. We show empirical results from a range of datasets to demonstrate the performance of our approach.
Adaptive observations in the context of 4D-Var data assimilation

The design of adaptive observations strategies must account for the particular properties of the data assimilation method. A new adjoint sensitivity approach to the targeted observations problem is proposed in the context of four-dimensional variational data assimilation (4D-Var). The method is based on a periodic update of the adjoint sensitivity field that takes into account the interaction between time distributed adaptive and routine observations. Information provided by all previously located observations is used to identify best locations for new targeted observations. Adaptive observations at distinct instants in time are selected in a sequential manner such that the method is only suboptimal. The selection algorithm proceeds backward in time and requires only one additional adjoint model integration in the assimilation window. Therefore, the method is very efficient and is suitable for practical applications. A comparative performance analysis is presented using the traditional adjoint sensitivity method as well as the total energy singular vectors technique as alternative adaptive strategies. Numerical experiments are performed in the twin experiments framework using a two-dimensional global shallow water model in spherical coordinates and an explicit Turkel-Zwas discretization scheme. Data from a NASA 500 mb analysis valid for 00Z 16 Mar 2001 6 h obtained with the GEOS-3 model was used to specify the geopotential height at the initial time and the initial velocities were obtained from a geostrophic balance. Numerical results show that the new adaptive observations approach is a promising method for targeted observations and its implementation is feasible for large scale atmospheric models.
Protein-responsive ribozyme switches in eukaryotic cells

Genetic devices that directly detect and respond to intracellular concentrations of proteins are important synthetic biology tools, supporting the design of biological systems that target, respond to or alter specific cellular states. Here, we develop ribozyme-based devices that respond to protein ligands in two eukaryotic hosts, yeast and mammalian cells, to regulate the expression of a gene of interest. Our devices allow for both gene-ON and gene-OFF response upon sensing the protein ligand. As part of our design process, we describe an in vitro characterization pipeline for prescreening device designs to identify promising candidates for in vivo testing. The in vivo gene-regulatory activities in the two types of eukaryotic cells correlate with in vitro cleavage activities determined at different physiologically relevant magnesium concentrations. Finally, localization studies with the ligand demonstrate that ribozyme switches respond to ligands present in the nucleus and/or cytoplasm, providing new insight into their mechanism of action. By extending the sensing capabilities of this important class of gene-regulatory device, our work supports the implementation of ribozyme-based devices in applications requiring the detection of protein biomarkers.
The Intracutaneous Congo Red Test

Summary The intracutaneous Congo Red test was studied in 30 subjects with the adult type of rheumatoid arthritis and in 24 patients with other collagen diseases. The rate of fading of the dye was compared with a control group of 40 subjects, some of whom were normal while the remainder suffered from a variety of general medical diseases.The fading rate in adults with rheumatoid arthritis did not differ significantly from the control group of non-collagen diseses.A marked and significant delay in absorption was observed in rheumatic fever. A small number of subjects with Still's Disease and systemic lupus erythematosus also exhibited delayed F. Rs. Possible causes for this are discussed.
AN AFRICAN GRASS, ERAGROSTIS CURVULA (POACEAE), PLANTED IN THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES RECRUITS RARELY COLLECTED NATIVE PLANTHOPPERS (HEMIPTERA: FULGOROIDEA: DICTYOPHARIDAE, FULGORIDAE)

Abstract Included among numerous native insects that have colonized the introduced African bunchgrass Eragrostis curvula in the southern United States are four little-known fulgoroids not previously documented as grass feeders: the fulgorids Amycle vernalis Manee, Cyrpoptus belfragei Stal, and C. reineckei Van Duzee, and the dictyopharid Rhynchomitra microrhina (Walker). Male and female genitalia and nymphs of these planthoppers are described and illustrated; the distributions and host plants, both native and introduced, are listed; and notes on habitat associations and seasonal histories are provided. All four species appear to be at least bivoltine and grass generalists that use hosts in several subfamilies. Host-range expansions and colonization of novel plants by herbivores are discussed; we suggest that the architectural complexity of weeping lovegrass has played an important role in its colonization by native planthoppers.
Abstract T P384: Development of a Screening Tool for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in the Stroke Population

Background: Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) occurs in >50% patients with stroke/ TIA; treatment can improve outcomes. Current OSA screens do not perform well in stroke patients. The objective of this study is to develop an OSA screening tool for use in stroke patients. Methods: The cohort consisted of patients seen in a cerebrovascular clinic who completed the STOP survey Jan 2011 - Dec 2012 and underwent polysomnography (PSG) for OSA within 1 year. The STOP tool, a commonly used OSA screen, served as the base model to enhance. Six prediction models were created. The dependent variable was presence of OSA (defined by AHI ≥ 10) identified on PSG. The predictor variables, in addition to STOP items, were based upon lit review and electronically extracted from the EHR, except for neck circumference which was recorded at the time of the PSG. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were created and sensitivity and specificity of various cutoff scores were calculated for each model. Validation was done using bootstrap methods with 200 iterations. Results: There were 208 patients in cohort with mean age 55.4 yrs, 49.0% were female. Sleep apnea was diagnosed in 61.0%. ROC curves for the models are displayed in the Figure. Models with the highest c-statistics included BMI, age and gender, plus the STOP items (STOP-BAG). Addition of neck circumference and other variables did not significantly improve the models. The STOP-BAG2 model, using continuous variables, had a sensitivity of 0.94 (95% 0.89-0.98) and specificity 0.60 (95% CI 0.49 - 0.71) at a cutpoint= 0.395. The STOP-BAG model, which used dichotomous versions of the variables, had a sensitivity of 0.91 (95% CI 0.85-0.96) and specificity of 0.48 (95% CI 0.37 - 0.60) at cutpoint= 3. Conclusion: The STOP-BAG, consisting of 7 variables available in most EHRs, can be used to identify cerebrovascular patients at increased risk for OSA. A version that uses continuous variables (STOP-BAG2), can be used if automated score calculation can be done. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Prediction of Infant MRI Appearance and Anatomical Structure Evolution Using Sparse Patch-Based Metamorphosis Learning Framework

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of pediatric brain provides invaluable information for early normal and abnormal brain development. Longitudinal neuroimaging has spanned various research works on examining infant brain development patterns. However, studies on predicting postnatal brain image evolution remain scarce, which is very challenging due to the dynamic tissue contrast change and even inversion in postnatal brains. In this paper, we unprecedentedly propose a dual image intensity and anatomical structure (label) prediction framework that nicely links the geodesic image metamorphosis model with sparse patch-based image representation, thereby defining spatiotemporal metamorphic patches encoding both image photometric and geometric deformation. In the training stage, we learn the 4D metamorphosis trajectories for each training subject. In the prediction stage, we define various strategies to sparsely represent each patch in the testing image using the training metamorphosis patches; while progressively incrementing the richness of the patch (from appearance-based to multimodal kinetic patches). We used the proposed framework to predict 6, 9 and 12-month brain MR image intensity and structure (white and gray matter maps) from 3 months in 10 infants. The proposed framework showed promising preliminary prediction results for the spatiotemporally complex, drastically changing brain images.
Finasteride is effective for the treatment of central serous chorioretinopathy

PurposeTo evaluate the safety and efficacy of finasteride treatment in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC).MethodsRetrospective review of 29 eyes of 23 patients who were treated with finasteride for CSC. Previous medical and ocular history, steroid use, length of finasteride treatment, additional treatments for CSC, visual acuity (VA), central macular thickness (CMT), and presence of subretinal fluid (SRF) throughout the follow-up period, and the occurrence of any complications were recorded.ResultsInitial VA was 0.29±0.31 logMAR, and a trend towards improved VA was noted after 3 months (0.25±0.36 logMAR; P=0.07). VA was significantly improved at the final follow-up (0.23±0.27 logMAR; P=0.024). Initial CMT was 354±160 μm, and was significantly reduced after 1 month of treatment (284±77 μm; P=0.002) and this was maintained to the end of follow-up (247±85 μm; P=0.001). A significant reduction in SRF presence was found at all time points, with an overall 75.9% rate of complete resolution. Following discontinuation, SRF recurrence was noted in 37.5% of cases. No adverse events were recorded.ConclusionsFinasteride is a safe and effective treatment for CSC. It may be a possible new option for the initial management of patient with CSC, and a suggested treatment approach is presented.
Pseudorandom Number Generators in a Four-Bit Computer System

James C. Reber, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA Pseudorandom number generators can be introduced easily in the context of a four-bit computer system that allows students to explore and understand their properties. At the university we do this in a freshman-level mathematics course required of computer science majors that introduces logic, numeration, matrices, combinatorics, probability, and series. After considering arithmetic in bases 2, 8, 10, and 16 (including subtraction by complements), we introduce a simple four-bit computer system, show it behaves "just like" arithmetic modulo 16, and introduce pseudo-random number generators modulo 16. First, we consider a four-bit computer system that uses binary representation for positive integers, and two's complements for negative integers. Here are the possible numbers with the corresponding decimal numbers they represent:
Resolution of racemic amino acids by gas chromatography. III. n-Butyl ester derivatives.

The resolution of racemic amino acids as their l-menthyl ester derivatives was carried out by gas chromatography. Seven stationary phases were studied for the chromatographic separation. The effect of N-perfluoroacyl groups and ester groups on the resolution of racemic amino acids was examined. Relation between separation factor and structure of amino acids has also been discussed.
Recent advances in atypical parkinsonian disorders.

Recent advances in epidemiologic, diagnostic, pathologic, and management aspects of atypical parkinsonian disorders are reviewed and placed in perspective. The implications of considering progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal degeneration as tauopathies, and multiple system atrophy and dem
Plant Protection in the American Economy: The Ounce of Prevention

Plant protection is vital to our national strength and is becoming essential for the well-being of the free world. The problems of plant protection and our opportunities for solving them are changing rapidly because of increased technology originating from a tremendous flow of scientific discovery. It is thus necessary that we continuously and thoroughly examine all aspects of this area.
Clinical Characteristics and Laboratory Dection on Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis in Children

Objective To analyze the clinical and laboratory features in children with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis(ADEM).Methods The clinical manifestations,laboratory examination and prognosis of 22 children with ADEM in our hospital from January 2000 to September 2004 were reviewed retrespectively,and these 22 patients′s had typical clinical manifestation with MRI abnormal and corticost-riod was effective for treatment.Results Of 22 patients included in this study,14 patients(63.6%) had forerunner case history,17 had ataxia(77.3%) and 16 had conscious disturbance(72.7%).Eleven cases had abnormal cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) examinations,9 cases had mild raised protein,and 2 cases were had lymphocytic pleocytosis.Abnormal MRI occurred in all cases (22cases),thalamic involvement was found in 9 cases(40.9%),and 18 patients(88.9%) had normal EEG.All patients were administered with corticostriod,and 2 cases were followed by treatments of intravenous immunoglobulin(IVIG).The death rate was 4.5%,about 27.2% of the patients had sequal.Conclusions ADEM is a common inflammation dymyelinating disease in nervous system.It has various clinical manifestations.MRI examination is the specific diagnosis means for ADEM.Corticostriod is effective for treatment of ADEM,and has a satisfactory prognosis.But sequals usually occurs in some serious cases,even death.ADEM is easily confused with viral encephalitis and multiple sclerosis.Generally,ADEM has forerunner case history of viral infection,ataxia in early-onset,and MRI shows extensive mulifocality lesion,deep gray matter usually is involved.The absence of oligoclonal bands is always the hint of ADEM.
Modular and Chemically Responsive Oligonucleotide "Bonds" in Nanoparticle Superlattices.

Chemical bonds are a key determinant of the structure and properties of a material. Thus, rationally designing arbitrary materials requires complete control over the bond. While atomic bonding is dictated by the identity of the atoms, nanoparticle superlattice engineering, where nanoparticle “atoms” are held together by DNA “bonds”, offers a route to design crystal lattices in a way that nature cannot: through altering the oligonucleotide bond. Herein, the use of RNA, as opposed to DNA, is explored by synthesizing superlattices in which nanoparticles are bonded by DNA/DNA, RNA/RNA, and DNA/RNA duplexes. By moving beyond nanoparticle superlattices assembled only with DNA, a new degree of freedom is introduced, providing programmed responsiveness to enzymes and greater bond versatility. Therefore, the oligonucleotide bond can have programmable function beyond dictating the structure of the material and moves nanoparticle superlattices closer to naturally occurring biomaterials, where the line between struct...
Numerical Local Irreducible Decomposition

Globally, the solution set of a system of polynomial equations with complex coefficients can be decomposed into irreducible components. Using numerical algebraic geometry, each irreducible component is represented using a witness set thereby yielding a numerical irreducible decomposition of the solution set. Locally, the irreducible decomposition can be refined to produce a local irreducible decomposition. We define local witness sets and describe a numerical algebraic geometric approach for computing a numerical local irreducible decomposition for polynomial systems. Several examples are presented.
Dystopic Visions of Hitler’s Victory: ‘The Future is Our Business’

By the time England prepared for a German invasion in 1940, Storm Jameson was envisioning an unabridged, unrevised replay of the Great War. Her reading of continuous world war would not suffice, however, to explain her apocalyptic vision of high-tech escalations of terror compulsively repeating the savagery of the past. But as she foresaw it, a Second World War ‘forces us to think about the catastrophes of the past, the destruction of cities, the collapse of empires, the return of poverty and barbarism’, as a future that would meld ‘London and Nineveh in the same breath’ (‘Crisis’, p. 136). While she would build this eschatology into her speculative fiction of the forties, it would also be tempered by reconfiguring the universal icons of good and evil that were typically written into the heart of other dystopias. Jameson’s aim was to deconstruct such icons because they all too often gave rise to the foundational and romantic myths which supported supremacist ideologies and politics. Although many other dystopias of the period drew upon the rise of Hitler and warned of international crisis, unlike Jameson’s analysis of power politics, their focus on weapon technology would draw readers’ attention away from the human consequences of Europe’s current antagonisms.1
Case Studies and Outbreaks: Fresh Produce

The number of foodborne outbreaks linked to the consumption of fresh produce has been on the rise (Gould et al. 2013). Over 45 % of outbreaks of known etiology reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) between 1998 and 2008 were caused by foodborne viruses, especially human norovirus (HuNoV) and to a lesser extent hepatitis A virus (HAV) (Gould et al. 2013). In one recent study, a majority of viral outbreaks were attributed to the consumption of leafy vegetables (35 %) or fruits and nuts (15 %) (Painter et al. 2013). Contamination of fresh produce may occur prior to distribution in the wholesale or retail market through contaminated irrigation water, poor hygiene of harvesters, and/or during the processing and packaging steps due to improperly sanitized equipment or wash water. Contamination during production and processing has recently led to large scale outbreaks of HuNoV associated with strawberries in 2012 (Bernard et al. 2014; Made et al. 2013) and of HAV in green onions in 2003 (Wheeler et al. 2005).
St. Kitts and Montserrat

Chapter 7 introduces St. Kitts before offering insight into the challenges of PAWI religious leaders attempting to enforce institutional control over a Charismatic church that defected from its stronghold. The religious leader must unevenly negotiate between congregational freedom and pastoral authority, or risk losing legitimacy. Another look at Charismatic leaders show how their struggles help facilitate supernatural gifts that leads to a tragic scene of a miraculous healing attempt highlighting how Pentecostal leaders understand worldly and otherworldly diseases. The section on Montserrat provides analysis on the origins of the Pentecostal movement in the Caribbean leading to a discussion on Pentecostalism and the social issues they need to address in order to remain relevant, including gender equality. The section ends with insights on the emerging leaders of the Charismatic movement and its ideas for the future.
The Wells Fargo Cross-Selling Scandal

In this Closer Look, we examine the tensions between corporate culture, financial incentives, and employee conduct as illustrated by the Wells Fargo cross-selling scandal. In 2016, Wells Fargo admitted that employees had opened as many as 2 million accounts without customer authorization over a five-year period. We discuss the factors that contributed to the scandal, the repercussions for the bank, and its response. We ask:• How did the company’s incentive system contribute to the scandal?• Would the system have worked better if coupled with additional metrics or controls?• What systems should have been put in place to identify and escalate potential problems earlier?• What steps should senior management have taken to better contain the fallout?• Is an inside or outside CEO successor better positioned to help the bank recover?• How do you maximize the positive contribution that incentives make to culture while minimizing potentially negative outcomes?The Stanford Closer Look series is a collection of short case studies through which we explore topics, issues, and controversies in corporate governance and executive leadership. In each study, we take a targeted look at a specific issue that is relevant to the current debate on governance and explain why it is so important. Larcker and Tayan are co-authors of the books “Corporate Governance Matters” and “A Real Look at Real World Corporate Governance.”
Abstract 1581: A study of pulmonary and peripheral vein blood as sources of circulating tumor cells in early lung cancer

Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers world-wide. It is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage with low survival rates. Early detection and intervention can have a profound impact in improving survival. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs), or cells shed by the tumor into the blood circulation, offer a less invasive method of tumor biopsy. Surgical lobectomy for early stage lung cancers provides access to the pulmonary vein (PV) draining the affected lobe, and is presumably an enriched source of CTCs shed by the primary lung tumor. Analyzing peripheral (Pe) and pulmonary vein (PV) blood combined could potentially shed light onto optimal markers and disease progression. We hypothesize that blood from the pulmonary vein has a higher abundance of CTCs than peripheral blood, thereby providing a larger yield of CTCs from early lung cancer patients for downstream analysis. A cohort of greater than 30 lung cancer patients was enrolled in a pilot study. PV and Pe blood specimens from these patients were obtained at different time points in the perioperative time period, and were processed through a high-throughput microfluidic device, the OncoBean Chip that isolates CTCs by immuno-affinity based capture. A higher number of PV CTCs were detected than from Pe. In addition, rare CTC clusters were observed in the PV blood in some cases, which were further characterized for protein expression. Gene expression analysis was performed for comparison of CTCs obtained from these two different sources. Evaluating different CTC sources along the venous drainage of a tumor could potentially offer an insight into CTC biology and spread of the disease. Citation Format: Vasudha Murlidhar, Rishindra M. Reddy, Ebrahim Azizi, Lili Zhao, Svetlana Grabauskiene, Zhuo Zhang, Nithya Ramnath, Jules Lin, Andrew C. Chang, Philip W. Carrott, William R. Lynch, Mark B. Orringer, Max S. Wicha, Nallasivam Palanisamy, David G. Beer, Sunitha Nagrath. A study of pulmonary and peripheral vein blood as sources of circulating tumor cells in early lung cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1581. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1581
Conjoint representation of texture ensemble and location in the parahippocampal place area

This study investigates how the parahippocampal place area (PPA) represents texture information within a scene context. We claim that texture is represented in the PPA at multiple levels: the textu...
Antifungal Efficacy of an Intravenous Formulation Containing Monomeric Amphotericin B, 5-Fluorocytosine, and Saline for Sodium Supplementation

Purpose Amphotericin B (AmB) and 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) exhibit additive to synergistic activity against systemic mycoses. Incompatibility of prescribed formulations precludes concomitant IV administration, a route with distinct advantages. Previously, we used PEG-DSPE micelles to produce a reformulation of Fungizone (AmB-SD), AmB solubilized by sodium deoxycholate, called mAmB-90. Herein, we describe a second reformulation that facilitates co-delivery of mAmB-90 and 5-FC, and evaluate the effect of PEG-DSPE micelles on the combination’s activity against Candida albicans.
Pediatric Predispositional Genetic Risk Communication: Potential Utility for Prevention and Control of Melanoma Risk as an Exemplar

Predispositional genetic testing among minor children is intensely debated due to the potential benefits and harms of providing this type of genetic information to children and their families. Existing guidelines on pediatric genetic testing state that predispositional testing could be appropriate for minors if preventive services exist that mitigate children’s risk for or severity of the health condition in question. We use the example of hereditary melanoma to illustrate the rationale for and potential application of genetic risk communication for an adult-onset cancer to a pediatric population where childhood behaviors may reduce risk of disease later in life. We draw from the adult melanoma genetic risk communication and pediatric health behavior change literatures to suggest ways in which genetic test reporting and complementary education could be delivered to children who carry a hereditary risk for melanoma and their families in order to foster children’s engagement in melanoma preventive behaviors. Genetic discoveries will continue to yield new opportunities to provide predispositional genetic risk information to unaffected individuals, including children, and could be delivered within programs that provide personalized and translational approaches to cancer prevention.
Blood vessel characterization using virtual 3D models and convolutional neural networks in fluorescence microscopy

We report an automated method for characterization of microvessel morphology in micrographs of brain tissue sections to enable the facile, quantitative analysis of vascular differences across large datasets consisting of hundreds of images with thousands of blood vessel objects. Our objective is to show that virtual 3D parametric models of vasculature are adequately capable of representing the morphology of naturally acquired data in neuropathology. In this work, we focus on three distinct morphologies that are most frequently observed in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) human brain tissue samples: single blood vessels showing no (or collapsed) significant lumen (“RoundLumen-”); single blood vessels with distinct lumen (“RoundLumen+”); two blood vessels bundled together in close proximity (“Twins”). The analysis involves extraction of features using pre-trained convolutional neural networks. A hierarchical classification is performed to distinguish single blood vessels (RoundLumen) from Twins; followed by a more granular classification between RoundLumen- and RoundLumen+. A side-by-side comparison of the virtual and natural data models is presented. We observed that classification models built on the virtual data perform well achieving accuracies of 92.8% and 98.3% for the two aforementioned classification tasks respectively.
Characterizing Single Polymeric and Protein Nanoparticles with Surface Plasmon Resonance Imaging Measurements

Near-infrared surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRI) microscopy is used to detect and characterize the adsorption of single polymeric and protein nanoparticles (PPNPs) onto chemically modified gold thin films in real time. The single-nanoparticle SPRI responses, Δ%RNP, from several hundred adsorbed nanoparticles are collected in a single SPRI adsorption measurement. Analysis of Δ%RNP frequency distribution histograms is used to provide information on the size, material content, and interparticle interactions of the PPNPs. Examples include the measurement of log-normal Δ%RNP distributions for mixtures of polystyrene nanoparticles, the quantitation of bioaffinity uptake into and aggregation of porous NIPAm-based (N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogel nanoparticles specifically engineered to bind peptides and proteins, and the characterization of the negative single-nanoparticle SPRI response and log-normal Δ%RNP distributions obtained for three different types of genetically encoded gas-filled protein nanostruc...
Racial and ethnic differences in health care utilization for childhood eczema: An analysis of the 2001-2013 Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys

Background Eczema is a common chronic inflammatory disease of the skin. Studies suggest differences in disease prevalence and severity by race/ethnicity. Our knowledge of health care utilization for eczema among different racial/ethnic groups remains limited. Objective To evaluate health care utilization for childhood eczema among different racial/ethnic groups in the United States. Methods We performed a cohort study of non-Hispanic white (reference), non-Hispanic black, and Hispanic white individuals under the age of 18 years with caregiver-reported eczema (N = 2043) pooled from the 2-year longitudinal cohorts of the 2001-2013 Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys. Health care utilization outcomes were evaluated over the 2-year follow-up period by race/ethnicity using multivariable regression. Results Among all children with eczema, non-Hispanic blacks were less likely than whites to report an ambulatory visit for eczema (adjusted odds ratio [ORadj] 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.51-0.92). Among those with ≥1 ambulatory visit for eczema, non-Hispanic blacks reported more visits (adjusted incidence rate ratio [IRRadj] 1.68; 95% CI 1.10-2.55) and prescriptions (IRRadj 1.22; 95% CI 1.01-1.46) than whites and were more likely than whites to report a dermatology visit (ORadj 1.82; 95% CI 1.06-3.14) for eczema. Limitations We used caregiver- or self-reported data. Conclusion Our findings suggest disparities in health care utilization for eczema among non-Hispanic black children despite utilization patterns suggestive of more severe disease.
Engineering of fluorescent reporters into redox domains to monitor electron transfers.

Abstract The rate of electron transfer through multicomponent redox systems is often monitored by following the absorbance change due to the oxidation of the upstream pyridine nucleotide electron donor (NADPH or NADH) that initiates the process. Such coupled assay systems are powerful, but because of problems regarding the rate-limiting step, they sometimes limit the kinetic information that can be obtained about individual components. For peroxiredoxins, such assays have led to widespread underestimates of their catalytic power. We show here how this problem can be addressed by a protein engineering strategy inspired by some bacterial and eukaryotic thioredoxins for which a significant fluorescence signal is generated during oxidation that provides a highly sensitive tool to directly measure electron transfers into and out of these domains. For the N-terminal domain of AhpF (a flavoprotein disulfide reductase) and Escherichia coli glutaredoxin 1, two cases not having such fluorescence signals, we have successfully added “sensor” tryptophan residues using the positions of tryptophan residues in thioredoxins as a guide. In another thioredoxin-fold redox protein, the bacterial peroxiredoxin AhpC, we used chemical modification to introduce a disulfide-bonded fluorophore. This modified AhpC still serves as an excellent substrate for the upstream AhpF electron donor but now generates a strong fluorescence signal during electron transfer. These tools have fundamentally changed our understanding of the catalytic power of peroxiredoxin systems and should also be widely applicable for improving quantitative assay capabilities in other electron transfer systems.
The fraction of dietary lactose available for fermentation in the cecum and colon of pigs.

SUMMARY Fourteen market-weight pigs of each breed, Hampshire and Chester White, were used to estimate the fraction of lactose in a 40% dried whey diet (30% lactose) which becomes available for microbial fermentation in the cecum and colon. Approximately 32 and 30% of the lactose consumed in a 1-hr feeding flowed into the large intestine over the ensuing 5 hr in Hampshire and Chester White pigs, respectively. The emptying rates of Cr-EDTA from the stomach were higher than for dry matter during the first 3 hours, ltowever, lactose and Cr-EDTA left the stomach at the same rate. More than 70% of the Cr-EDTA consumed had passed into the large intestine by 5 hours. The pH of cecal and colonic contents decreased (P<.05) with time after feeding and the dry matter of the colonic contents also decreased (P<.05) with time after feeding. These results indicate that a substantial fraction of lactose is available for