cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design and Application of Compliant Mechanisms for Surgical Tools

This paper introduces the benefits of exploiting elasticity in the engineering design of surgical tools, in general, and of minimally invasive procedures, in particular. Compliant mechanisms are jointless mechanisms that rely on elastic deformation to transmit forces and motion. The lack of traditional joints in these single-piece flexible structures offers many benefits, including the absence of wear debris, pinch points, crevices, and lubrication. Such systems are particularly amenable to embedded sensing for haptic feedback and embedded actuation with active-material actuators. The paper provides an overview of design synthesis methods developed at the Compliant Systems Design Laboratory and focuses specifically on surgical applications. Compliant systems have potential to integrate. well within the constraints of laparoscopic procedures and telerobotic surgery. A load-path representation is used within a genetic algorithm to solve two gripper example problems. In addition, the paper illustrates the design and construction of an organ (kidney) manipulator for use in minimally invasive procedures.
A miniaturized, circularly polarized antenna for an active 433.92MHz RFID handheld reader

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology has been popular for its wide variety of applications over the past decade. In one of these applications, an RFID system has been used as a handheld device for easier asset tracking. Unlike handheld RFID readers in the passive UHF (865 – 956 MHz) band, however, active 433.92 MHz RFID handheld readers are not common. One of main reasons is that the antennas in 433.92 MHz are physically larger than are those in an 865 – 956 MHz system. Most commercialized 433.92 MHz handheld RFID readers that do exist use Linearly Polarized (LP) antennas, such as a quarter-wavelength whip [1, 2], and the gain of the whip in handheld readers is only −3 dBi [3] due to the small size of the ground plane in a handheld device [3]. Rhyu et al. presented an omni-directional, low-profile LP RFID reader antenna for the 433.92-MHz application [4]; however, the designed antenna is not appropriate for handheld applications because of the large size of the antenna and ground plane. Circular Polarization (CP) of the RFID reader antenna is also preferred, in order to enhance the detectability of the tag antenna, which is generally placed arbitrarily, and the tag antenna is normally LP. Recently, Choi et al. suggested a CP RFID reader antenna in passive UHF (900 MHz band) for a handheld application [5].
Finding 3D motifs in ribosomal RNA structures

The identification of small structural motifs and their organization into larger subassemblies is of fundamental interest in the analysis, prediction and design of 3D structures of large RNAs. This problem has been studied only sparsely, as most of the existing work is limited to the characterization and discovery of motifs in RNA secondary structures. We present a novel geometric method for the characterization and identification of structural motifs in 3D rRNA molecules. This method enables the efficient recognition of known 3D motifs, such as tetraloops, E-loops, kink-turns and others. Furthermore, it provides a new way of characterizing complex 3D motifs, notably junctions, that have been defined and identified in the secondary structure but have not been analyzed and classified in three dimensions. We demonstrate the relevance and utility of our approach by applying it to the Haloarcula marismortui large ribosomal unit. Pending the implementation of a dedicated web server, the code accompanying this article, written in JAVA, is available upon request from the contact author.
Expanded Thermochromic Color Changes in VO2 Thin Film Devices Using Structured Plasmonic Metal Layers

We investigate metallic thin films on VO 2 and show that the magnitude of the reflected color change in that visible portion of the spectrum as VO 2 undergoes the insulating to metallic phase transition can be controlled by changing the type of metal, the thickness of the metal and by patterning the metal at the nano scale. We consider the role of surface plasmas in the metal film and show that in the near infrared, the magnitude of the reflectivity increase for metal coated VO 2 films, but decrease for uncoated VO 2 thin films. This is explained in the context of Fresnel equations and considering the large change in the imaginary part of the dielectric constant as the VO 2 changes state from the insulating to metallic phase.
High-Level Transgene Expression in Nonhuman Primate Liver with Novel Adeno-Associated Virus Serotypes Containing Self-Complementary Genomes

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors are being considered for in vivo applications of gene therapy in the treatment of a variety of disorders. This study evaluates the biology of second-generation vectors based on the novel serotypes AAV7 and AAV8 and containing self-complementary genomes in the nonhuman primate liver. Stable levels of transgene expression were achieved in cynomolgus macaques and suggest efficiencies at least 2 log higher than what could be achieved with AAV2 vectors using traditional single-stranded genomes. Analysis of DNAs from tissues revealed high levels of vector in the liver that appeared proportional to the relative amounts of transgene expression.
Modeling of nMOS transistors for simulation of hot-carrier-induced device and circuit degradation

The authors present an accurate one-dimensional device model for the simulation of nMOS transistors with hot-carrier-induced oxide damage. The model uses a realistic charge density distribution profile to account for the localization of the oxide-interface charge near the drain. Model simulation results obtained for nMOS transistors with hot-carrier-induced oxide damage demonstrate good agreement with the experimental data. The amount and the location of the hot-carrier-induced oxide damage are simulated by using only a few parameters, which simplifies the implementation of the model in a reliability simulation environment. The proposed model has been implemented in the iSMILE circuit simulator, and the capabilities of the model have been explored by various circuit simulation examples. The damaged-MOSFET model presented offers a simple and accurate approach for simulating the circuit behavior after hot-carrier damage. >
Thread-level parallelism and interactive performance of desktop applications

Multiprocessing is already prevalent in servers where multiple clients present an obvious source of thread-level parallelism. However, the case for multiprocessing is less clear for desktop applications. Nevertheless, architects are designing processors that count on the availability of thread-level parallelism. Unlike server workloads, the primary requirement of interactive applications is to respond to user events under human perception bounds rather than to maximize end-to-end throughput. In this paper we report on the thread-level parallelism and interactive response time of a variety of desktop applications. By tracking the communication between tasks, we can focus our measurements on the portions of the benchmark's execution that have the greatest impact on the user. We find that running our benchmarks on a dual-processor machine improves response time of mouse-click events by as much as 36% and 22% on average---out of a maximum possible 50%. The benefits of multiprocessing are even more apparent when background tasks are considered. In our experiments, running a simple MP3 playback program in the background increases response time by 14% on a uniprocessor while it only increases the response time on a dual processor by 4%. When response times are fast enough for further improvements to be imperceptible, the increased idle time after interactive episodes could be exploited to build systems that are more power efficient.
Randomized Partition Trees for Nearest Neighbor Search

The $$k$$ k -d tree was one of the first spatial data structures proposed for nearest neighbor search. Its efficacy is diminished in high-dimensional spaces, but several variants, with randomization and overlapping cells, have proved to be successful in practice. We analyze three such schemes. We show that the probability that they fail to find the nearest neighbor, for any data set and any query point, is directly related to a simple potential function that captures the difficulty of the point configuration. We then bound this potential function in several situations of interest: when the data are drawn from a doubling measure; when the data and query distributions are identical and are supported on a set of bounded doubling dimension; and when the data are documents from a topic model.
A consensus surface activation marker signature is partially dependent on human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Nef expression within productively infected macrophages

The high prevalence of HIV-associated comorbidities including neurocognitive disorder, high levels of residual inflammatory mediators in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid and the resurgence of HIV replication upon interruption of antiviral treatment in HIV-1 infected individuals, strongly suggests that despite therapy HIV persists in its cellular targets which include T-lymphocytes and cells of the myeloid lineage. These reservoirs present a major barrier against eradication efforts. Knowledge of the molecular mechanisms used by HIV to modulate innate macrophage immune responses and impair viral clearance is quite limited. To explore the role of HIV in potentially modulating macrophage function through changes in protein expression, we used single-cell analyses with flow cytometry to determine whether, in unpolarized cultures, macrophage surface marker phenotype was altered by HIV infection in a manner that was independent of host genetic background. These analyses revealed that at several time points post-infection, GFP + HIV-infected macrophages were significantly enriched in the CD14+ fraction (3 to 5-fold, p = .0001) compared to bystander, or uninfected cells in the same culture. However, the enrichment and higher levels of CD14 on HIV expressing macrophages did not depend on the production of HIV Nef. Sixty to eighty percent of macrophages productively infected with HIV after day 28 post-infection were also enriched in the population of cells expressing the activation markers CD69 (2 to 4-fold, p < .0001) and CD86 (2 to 4-fold, p < .0001 ) but suppressed amounts of CD68 (3 to 10-fold, p < .0001) compared to bystander cells. Interestingly, there was no enrichment of CD69 on the surface of HIV producing cells that lacked Nef or expressed a variant of Nef mutated in its SH3-binding domain. These findings suggest that HIV actively regulates the expression of a subset of surface molecules involved in innate and inflammatory immune signaling in primary human macrophages through Nef-dependent and Nef-independent mechanisms acting within productively infected cells.
Analytical Potential of Nonresonance Line Flameless Atomic Absorption Spectrometry for Lead Determination

The use of nonresonance lines in atomic absorption has usually been restricted to those elements which have a fairly closely spaced multiplet ground state or in theoretical studies to give a measure of the temperature of a flame. Our research into the use of porous graphite flameless atomizer sample cups as air filters pointed to a need for a way to occasionally reduce the sensitivity of these devices for lead determinations. In these analytical applications, air to be sampled is first drawn through the walls of a porous Woodriff furnace cup or a porous carbon rod atomizer tube and then the cup (or tube) is placed directly into the atomizer for the lead determination without any chemical or physical pretreatment of the sample.
TGIF Inhibits Retinoid Signaling

Received 18 April 2005/Returned for modification 17 June 2005/Accepted 4 November 2005 TGIF (TG-interacting factor) represses transforming growth factor (TGF-)-activated gene expression and can repress transcription via a specific retinoid response element. Mutations in human TGIF are associated with holoprosencephaly, a severe defect of craniofacial development with both genetic and environmental causes. Both TGF- and retinoic acid signaling are implicated in craniofacial development. Here, we analyze the role of TGIF in regulating retinoid responsive gene expression. We demonstrate that TGIF interacts with the ligand binding domain of the RXR retinoid receptor and represses transcription from retinoid response elements. TGIF recruits the general corepressor, CtBP, to RXR, and this recruitment is required for full repression by TGIF. Interaction between TGIF and RXR is reduced by the addition of retinoic acid, consistent with a role for TGIF as an RXR transcriptional corepressor. We created a Tgif null mutation in mice and tested the sensitivity of mutant mice to increased levels of retinoic acid. Tgif mutant embryos are more sensitive to retinoic acid-induced teratogenesis, and retinoid target genes are expressed at a higher level in tissues from Tgif null mice. These results demonstrate an important role for TGIF as a transcriptional corepressor, which regulates developmental signaling by retinoic acid, and raises the possibility that TGIF may repress other RXR-dependent transcriptional responses.
Functional Properties of Perigeniculate Inhibition of Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus Thalamocortical Neurons In Vitro

The properties of the inhibitory influence of neurons in the perigeniculate (PGN) nucleus on thalamocortical cells were examined with intracellular recordings in the ferret geniculate slice maintained in vitro. Activation of PGN neurons with the local application of glutamate caused IPSPs in thalamocortical neurons that were mediated by both GABAA and GABAB receptors, as well as the activation of spindle waves. With low intensity stimulation of the PGN, local application of bicuculline to the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGNd) strongly inhibited evoked and spindle-associated IPSPs, indicating that these are largely mediated by GABAA receptors. The generation of GABAB receptor-mediated IPSPs in thalamocortical cells that were large enough to generate rebound low threshold Ca2+ spikes required substantially increased activation of the PGN with glutamate. The activation of synchronous bicuculline-induced slowed oscillations in thalamocortical neurons required the block of GABAA receptors in the LGNd as well as in the PGN. These results indicate that bursts of action potentials in PGN neurons can result in the activation of both GABAA and GABAB receptors in thalamocortical neurons, with the strong activation of GABAB receptors requiring an intense, simultaneous discharge of a number of PGN neurons. Functionally, these results suggest that PGN neurons inhibit thalamocortical cells preferentially through the activation of GABAA receptors, although the strong activation of GABAB receptors may occur under pathological conditions and contribute to the generation of abnormal, synchronous slow oscillations.
Multiscale Modeling of Wave Propagation: FDTD/MD Hybrid Method

Atomic levelprocesses oftenplay an important role in the way a material responds to an external field. Thus in order to model the behavior of materials accurately, it is necessary to develop simulation techniques which can effectively couple atomistic effects to the macroscopicproperties of the model system and vice-versa. In other words, a multiscale methodology needs to be developed to bridge the different length and time scales. In this work we study thepropagation of an elastic wave through a coupled continuum-atomistic medium. The equations of motion for the wavepropagation through the continuum are solved using the Finite Difference Time Domain Method (FDTD). Simultaneously we use Molecular Dynamics (MD) to examine the effect of the wavepacket on the atomic dynamics and the effect of atomic dynamics on thepropagation of the wave. The handshaking between the FDTD region and the MD region is concurrent.
Design of the PEP-II Low-Energy Ring

The PEP-II Project, a collaboration of SLAC, LBL, and LLNL, began construction in January 1994. Since the Conceptual Design Report (CDR) was issued in June 1993, considerable progress has been made at refining and optimizing the Low-Energy Ring. Lattice design has progressed considerably, with solutions obtained for the chromatic correction of the IR and new, more relaxed, parameters for the required wigglers. Based on the latter change, the number of RF stations was reduced from 5 to 4. A new concept for the are vacuum system has been adopted, based on an antechamber configuration with discrete photon stops pumped by titanium sublimation pumps. Designs for the are dipoles and quadrupoles have been developed in collaboration with IHEP (Beijing) and these magnets are now being fabricated there. A new configuration for the high-power wiggler photon dumps has been developed and is in the detailed design phase.
Third-Party Actors and the Success of Democracy: How Electoral Commissions, Courts, and Observers Shape Incentives for Election Manipulation and Post-Election Protest

When and how do third-party actors — most prominently electoral commissions, courts, and observers — contribute to the integrity of the electoral process? We approach these questions by studying how third-party actors shape politicians’ incentives to comply with the outcomes of elections. Third-parties are most beneficial in close elections, when the threat of a post-election confrontation alone fails to ensure self-enforcing compliance with election outcomes. Our analysis highlights that third-parties do not need to be impartial to be politically consequential, that it is third-parties with a moderate pro-incumbent bias that will be in the interest of not only the opposition but also the incumbent, and that incumbents adopt politically consequential third-party institutions when they fear that their narrow victory might not be recognized and result in a costly post-election confrontation. Extensions of our model discuss the role of repression, examine the differences between commissions, courts, and observers, and clarify not only the potential but also the limits to institutional solutions to the problem of electoral compliance in new and transitioning democracies.
Simulation-Based Optimization of Virtual Nesting Controls for Network Revenue Management

Virtual nesting is a popular capacity control strategy in network revenue management. In virtual nesting, products (itinerary-fare-class combinations) are mapped (“indexed”) into a relatively small number of “virtual classes” on each resource (flight leg) of the network. Nested protection levels are then used to control the availability of these virtual classes; specifically, a product request is accepted if and only if its corresponding virtual class is available on each resource required. Bertsimas and de Boer proposed an innovative simulation-based optimization method for computing protection levels in a virtual nesting control scheme [Bertsimas, D., S. de Boer. 2005. Simulation-based booking-limits for airline revenue management. Oper. Res.53 90--106]. In contrast to traditional heuristic methods, this simulation approach captures the true network revenues generated by virtual nesting controls. However, because it is based on a discrete model of capacity and demand, the method has both computational and theoretical limitations. In particular, it uses first-difference estimates, which are computationally complex to calculate exactly. These gradient estimates are then used in a steepest-ascent-type algorithm, which, for discrete problems, has no guarantee of convergence. In this paper, we analyze a continuous model of the problem that retains most of the desirable features of the Bertsimas-de Boer method, yet avoids many of its pitfalls. Because our model is continuous, we are able to compute gradients exactly using a simple and efficient recursion. Indeed, our gradient estimates are often an order of magnitude faster to compute than first-difference estimates, which is an important practical feature given that simulation-based optimization is computationally intensive. In addition, because our model results in a smooth optimization problem, we are able to prove that stochastic gradient methods are at least locally convergent. On several test problems using realistic networks, the method is fast and produces significant performance improvements relative to the protection levels produced by heuristic virtual nesting schemes. These results suggest it has good practical potential.
On the craft modeling in engineering and science

Abstract This qualitative essay deals with a clarification of different ways in which the term “model” is used in engineering and science. The related concepts of assumption, approximation, and simplification are discussed. The power and limitations of dimensional analysis are appraised in the context of scaling for coordinate transformation in theoretical models and for experiment design in physical models.
Reducing power requirements of instruction scheduling through dynamic allocation of multiple datapath resources

The "one-size-fits-all" philosophy used for permanently allocating datapath resources in today's superscalar CPUs to maximize performance across a wide range of applications results in the overcommitment of resources in general. To reduce power dissipation in the datapath, the resource allocations can be dynamically adjusted based on the demands of applications. We propose a mechanism to dynamically, simultaneously and independently adjust the sizes of the issue queue (IQ), the reorder buffer (ROB) and the load/store queue (LSQ) based on the periodic sampling of their occupancies to achieve significant power savings with minimal impact on performance. Resource upsizing is done more aggressively (compared to downsizing) using the relative rate of blocked dispatches to limit the performance penalty. Our results are validated by the execution of SPEC 95 benchmark suite on a substantially modified version of Simplescalar simulator, where the IQ, the ROB, the LSQ and the register files are implemented as separate structures, as is the case with most practical implementations. For the SPEC 95 benchmarks, the use of our technique in a 4-way superscalar processor results in a power savings in excess of 70% within individual components and an average power savings of 53% for the IQ, LSQ and ROB combined for the entire benchmark suite with an average performance penalty of only 5%.
Pygmy Chimpanzee Systematics

The biological understanding of any group of organisms is greatly facilitated by having its phylogeny available. That phylogeny, in both its cladistic and temporal aspects, is most readily derived, at least for living and recently extinct forms, from comparative studies of proteins and nucleic acids. The pygmy chimpanzee (Pan paniscus) provides a particularly intriguing test case for these claims, there having been a great deal of difficulty in understanding the species in its own right, as well as in developing an appreciation of what, if anything, it has to tell us about our own evolution.
TSV RF de-embedding method and modeling for 3DIC

TSV (Thru-Silicon-Via) for 3D packaging technique is a further passive component, for connecting two dies by stacking. RF characteristics of TSV with modeling up to 50GHz are presented in this paper, where a L-2L de-embedding method (double delay) is in use, which is the first applied for TSV on-wafer measurement. Furthermore, a new T-model is proposed for modeling a single TSV of 28nm CMOS process.
Nanofiber-supported phospholipid bilayers

The natural cell cytoskeleton provides critical mechanical support for lipid bilayers using a network of actin fibers. As a step towards fabricating artificial cells, functional nanofiber networks were created to mimic the chemical and mechanical environment provided by the actin network. Lipid bilayers were formed on a random nanofiber mat made from ∼131 nm diameter polycaprolactam nanofibers modified to be highly hydrophilic by coating with 6.6 nm of silica (SiO2). The nanofiber-supported bilayers were characterized using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) and electrophysiological recordings and found to be comparable to bilayer recordings from natural membranes. The nanofiber-supported bilayers were also more stable than conventional, unsupported, black lipid bilayers.
Przewalski's horse — putting the wild horse back in the wild

Efforts are under way to re-establish free-living populations of Przewalski's horse Equus przewalskii from zoo-bred individuals. The time is opportune to begin such initiatives as there are more than 660 individuals dispersed in over 70 zoological collections. In addition, the captive population is now increasing rapidly and has the potential to provide reasonable numbers of animals for reintroduction programmes without jeopardizing the maintenance of the population that serves as an ex-situ gene pool nucleus.
Enzalutamide in chemo-naïve castration-resistant prostate cancer: effective for most but not for all

Continued research in the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) has allowed for a clearer understanding of this disease entity and further treatment advances. In a study recently published by Beer et al. in the New England Journal of Medicine, another advance to treatment was demonstrated for the androgen receptor (AR) signaling inhibitor, enzalutamide, in patients with chemotherapy-naive metastatic CRPC. Although a large majority of patients responded favorably to enzalutamide in the prechemotherapy setting, a small but significant proportion of patients demonstrated no meaningful benefit to this agent. This highlights an important concept in the understanding of this disease: inherent and acquired resistance to AR-targeting therapies.
Decision support for safe AI design

There is considerable interest in ethical designs for artificial intelligence (AI) that do not pose risks to humans. This paper proposes using elements of Hutter's agent-environment framework to define a decision support system for simulating, visualizing and analyzing AI designs to understand their consequences. The simulations do not have to be accurate predictions of the future; rather they show the futures that an agent design predicts will fulfill its motivations and that can be explored by AI designers to find risks to humans. In order to safely create a simulation model this paper shows that the most probable finite stochastic program to explain a finite history is finitely computable, and that there is an agent that makes such a computation without any unintended instrumental actions. It also discusses the risks of running an AI in a simulated environment.
The 2009 Pandemic H1N1 and Triple-Reassortant Swine H1N1 Influenza Viruses Replicate Efficiently but Elicit an Attenuated Inflammatory Response in Polarized Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells

The pandemic H1N1 virus of 2009 (2009 H1N1) produced a spectrum of disease ranging from mild illness to severe illness and death. Respiratory symptoms were frequently associated with virus infection, with relatively high rate of gastrointestinal symptoms reported. To better understand 2009 H1N1 virus pathogenesis in humans, we studied virus and host responses following infection of two cell types: polarized bronchial and pharyngeal epithelial cells, which exhibit many features of the human airway epithelium, and colon epithelial cells to serve as a human intestinal cell model. Selected 2009 H1N1 viruses were compared to both seasonal H1N1 and triple-reassortant swine H1N1 influenza viruses that have circulated among North American pigs since before the 2009 pandemic. All H1N1 viruses replicated productively in airway cells; however, in contrast to seasonal H1N1 virus infection, infection with the 2009 H1N1 and triple-reassortant swine H1N1 viruses resulted in an attenuated inflammatory response, a weaker interferon response, and reduced cell death. Additionally, the H1N1 viruses of swine origin replicated less efficiently at the temperature of the human proximal airways (33°C). We also observed that the 2009 H1N1 viruses replicated to significantly higher titers than seasonal H1N1 virus in polarized colon epithelial cells. These studies reveal that in comparison to seasonal influenza virus, H1N1 viruses of swine origin poorly activate multiple aspects of the human innate response, which may contribute to the virulence of these viruses. In addition, their less efficient replication at human upper airway temperatures has implications for the understanding of pandemic H1N1 virus adaptation to humans.
Modeling of Affinity Chromatography

Affinity chromatography has seen rapid growth in recent years. It is a powerful tool for the purification of enzymes, antibodies, antigens, and many other proteins and macromolecules that are of important use in scientific research and development of novel biological drugs. Affinity chromatography not only purifies a product, but also concentrates the product to a considerable extent [32]. Over the years, this subject has been reviewed by many people, including Chase [32], and Liapis [93]. Affinity chromatography is also called biospecific adsorption, since it utilizes the biospecific binding between the solute molecules and immobilized ligands. The monovalent binding between a ligand and a solute macromolecule is generally considered as following second order kinetics expressed by Eqs. (3–32) and (3–33).
Global Health Opportunities in Obstetrics and Gynecology Training: Examining Engagement through an Ethical Lens

This study aims to describe global health training (GHT) programs through the ethical lens suggested by the Working Group on Ethics Guidelines for Global Health Training (WEIGHT). A total of 35 GHT programs were identified, and general information was obtained online. Semi-structured telephone interviews of key members of 19 programs were then conducted and transcribed. The interview guide was constructed using WEIGHT recommendations. Transcript data were grouped according to domains: reciprocity, trainee selection and preparedness, needs assessments, and ethical questions. Many programs expressed difficulty in building reciprocal relationships due to imbalanced power structures. Eleven programs reported no formal application process for selecting trainees. Twelve (63%) programs reported only a single day of preparation. Nine (47%) programs did not conduct a formalized needs assessment of partner sites. Ethical considerations varied from concerns for safety to inadequate training for residents. This study reveals the limited preparedness curricula and lack of formalized needs assessments among several programs. Although many programs make an effort to build reciprocal exchanges with host partners, experiences for foreign trainees within the United States are limited, and U.S. residents are often tasked with duties above their training level abroad. This study demonstrates the need to restructure how GHT programs are formed and operated.
Salvage of chronic instability of the syndesmosis with distal tibiofibular arthrodesis: functional and radiographic results.

Background: Failure to treat an injury of the syndesmosis after an ankle fracture can lead to a poor functional outcome and posttraumatic arthritis. The results after reconstruction of an ankle with an incongruous mortise, chronic diastasis of the syndesmosis, and arthritis remain unknown. The purpose of the present study was to review the radiographic and clinical results of salvaging this condition through reduction and arthrodesis of the distal tibiofibular articulation. Methods: Ten patients (mean age, fifty-four years) with chronic syndesmotic instability who underwent salvage by a single surgeon were evaluated retrospectively. Five parameters of mortise and syndesmotic alignment were measured on weight-bearing radiographs that were made preoperatively and at the time of the latest follow-up. The extent of arthritis in the ankle was graded with use of an established classification system. Clinical rating scores that were recorded preoperatively and at the time of the latest follow-up were culled from the medical records and were compared. Each patient’s stated satisfaction with the operation and willingness to undergo the operation again were retrieved from the medical records. Results: After a mean duration of follow-up of forty-one months (minimum, two years), the medial clear space, talocrural angle, and talar tilt had improved. No ankle demonstrated progression of arthritis on the basis of the radiographic grade. The clinical rating score improved significantly because of improvements in the pain, activity, maximum walking distance, and gait subscales. Two patients had a total of three additional procedures. Both had prominent implants removed, and one subsequently underwent an ankle arthroscopy. All patients reported satisfaction with and a willingness to undergo the procedure again. At the time of the latest follow-up, no patient had undergone an ankle arthrodesis. Conclusions: The significant improvements in the radiographic and functional measures of outcome that were observed in this small cohort suggest that chronic syndesmotic instability after ankle fracture can be salvaged with reduction and arthrodesis of the distal tibiofibular articulation. Furthermore, the reconstruction of an incongruous and arthritic ankle is an alternative to and may postpone the subsequent need for ankle arthrodesis or arthroplasty. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Abstract 224: Formation of Cholesterol-Enriched Nascent HDL Requires Helices 5 and 7

Heart disease claims nearly 400,000 individuals in the US per year. Large population studies have repeatedly demonstrated an inverse relationship between HDL concentration and risk. Despite the strong correlation, pharmacological trials that raise plasma HDL have shown little efficacy, suggesting that HDL function should be monitored. Studies were initiated into the mechanism of cholesterol efflux leading to nascent HDL (nHDL) formation. The most productive cholesterol removal occurs when lipid-poor apoA-I, the main structural protein in nHDL, forms particles after interacting with ABCA1. ApoA-I acquires cholesterol and phospholipid at the cell surface forming 10-12 nm diameter nHDL whose composition resembles lipid rafts. Because lipidated apoA-I has a significantly different 3-D conformation compared to its lipid-poor counterpart, the structural modifications leading to nHDL formation were investigated. First, we completed a 3-D solution structure of lipid-poor apoA-I using lysine specific chemical cross-linking in conjunction with specifically engineered double cysteine-containing apoA-I mutants. Strategically placed cysteines form disulfide bonds (locked) when residues are within ~0.5 nm. If no disulfide bond formed (unlocked) then the two cysteines were separated by more than ~0.5 nm. Both methods rely on mass spectrometry to identify amino acid sequence and distance constraints within each 10 repeating helices comprising 80% of full-length apoA-I. By comparing lipid-poor apoA-I conformation to our previously described 3-D structure of apoA-I on 10-12 nm nHDL, we formulated a series of hypothetical helical domain transitions that might drive protein-lipid interaction and particle formation. To test, 10 different double cysteine mutants were employed in either their “locked” (oxidized) or “unlocked” (reduced) state by evaluating their ability to form recombinant HDL using synthetic phospholipid or to form nHDL using HEK cells. After determining HDL particle yield, size and composition from all locked and unlocked double cysteine apoA-I mutants we conclude that both the N- and C-terminal ends of apoA-I are essential for the first steps in lipid acquisition, but that the central helices 5, 6 and 7 are essential for nHDL formation.
Feasibility Study on Task-based Language Teaching in the English Teaching of Second-grade Colleges

Task-based language teaching is an important language teaching model proposed by many scholars after many years'study and practice.This thesis tries to analyze its current situation and problem from the points of view of both teachers and students,hoping to put forward a new way of teaching. Finally,some feasible suggestions will be put forward to promote the college English teaching.
Probe melting analysis for rapid detection of streptomycin-resistant mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the utility of probe melting analysis(PMA) in rapid detection of streptomycin-resistant mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis(MTB).The method was first evaluated by analyzing a reference panel containing 37 standard non-tuberculous mycobacterium(NTM) isolates.The results showed that PMA could specifically detect TB except one NTM strain,whereas this had no impact on its specificity.The analytical sensitivity was studied by purified genomic DNA of a reference strain H37Rv and the results showed that down to 5-50 copies per reaction of MTB genomic DNA could be repeatedly detected.The clinical performance was evaluated by analyzing 906 clinical isolates for rpsL and rrs mutations.The results showed 103 samples gave mutant results,which were in concordance with sequencing analysis.Of 18 samples gave heterozygous results and 17 samples failed to give signal.Among the 37 isolates with drug susceptibility results,all the susceptible samples were found to harbor no mutations,while 7 of 16 resistant samples were mutation positive.These results demonstrated that PMA was specific,and could detect all common rpsL and rrs mutations causing streptomycin-resistance.This technique has the potential to be used for rapidly screening streptomycin-resistant mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates.
Constructing Recidivism Risk for Sentencing

“Evidence-based sentencing” informs criminal sentencing determinations by using statistically derived risk assessment tools to predict a defendant’s likelihood of committing future crimes. By relying on data-driven risk assessment tools, this practice applies Big Data techniques to sentencing. This Article challenges the perception that such risk assessment tools neutrally classify a defendant’s recidivism risk. Scientists who construct such tools necessarily make normative choices and embed them in the tools’ design. Such choices – including how the scientists formulate the data set, how they define “recidivism” and which factors they select to create a risk tool’s underlying algorithm – all require subjective judgment calls and can introduce inadvertent bias. Rendered invisible once tools have been created, decisions about how to select, process and analyze data amount to distinct, if unintended, sentencing policy choices when judges use such risk assessment tools through evidence-based sentencing. That data scientists make such calls present three unique concerns. First, tool creators face diverging interests when exercising their discretion. Data scientists tend to make design choices based on data robustness and tool accuracy, but such interests can conflict with or even contradict sentencing policy. Second, tool creators are ill-equipped to resolve existing racial disparities in the criminal justice system, but their design choices potentially replicate and exacerbate these disparities significantly. Finally, tool creators have little incentive to disclose the policy and data choices made, leading to misuse of and misrepresentation about the value of their seemingly objective and scientifically derived information. A partial solution lies in requiring more transparency about the recidivism risk tools' design. Additionally, those with criminal justice expertise must be included in the tool design process. This Article calls for disclosure of data processing decisions and risk assessment tool assumptions, and review by trained governmental entities to translate the design choices for consumption by judges and probation officers in states that permit evidence-based sentencing. Recognizing the intricate and problematic connection between Big Data and evidence-based sentencing, this Article concludes by considering obstacles to even this modest call for oversight in such a new and sometimes inaccessible area of criminal justice reform.
THz induced keV Electron Emission from Metallic Nanotips

Intense, single-cycle THz pulses have been employed to explore field emission from tungsten nano-tips. Electrons with several keV energies are observed. Comparison of the emissions from tips with various tip radius provides insight into the emission mechanism and local electron-field interactions.
Principles of operation for a fast, low-voltage digital switch

Reduced energy dissipation in device switching may be the most critical attribute for the success of any new switch which can replace the field effect transistor for digital logic. There are two very distinct physical approaches to this goal. The first approach is to store less energy in the device to distinguish digital logic states. The second approach is to conserve the stored energy from switching event to switching event by implementing near-adiabatic switching protocols and energy-conserving logic circuits. Here I focus on the first approach which is broadly compatible with well-established circuit families. Since the stored energy is 1/2 CV2, it is highly desirable to reduce the power supply voltage. However, minimum supply voltages for conventional FETs must be many times kT/e in order to maintain an acceptably large distinction between ON and OFF currents, and are already severely constrained by this limit. Altering the device physics to improve the subthreshold slope is essential for the realization of fast logic at very low voltages. Thermal voltage noise sets the true low-voltage limit for such devices [1], and at room temperature that limit is far below the roughly 1V limit for low-voltage operation of fast FETs of conventional design.
Bleeding in continuous flow left ventricular assist device recipients: an acquired vasculopathy?

Durable mechanical circulatory support (MCS) has long held appeal as a solution to the growing imbalance between donor availability for heart transplantation and the increasing population of advanced heart failure (HF) as—unlike donor organs—it can be produced and utilized on demand. Despite steady and at times remarkable progress over the past half century, MCS did not become a reality until the advent of the continuous flow left ventricular assist devices (CF LVAD) in the early 2000s. It is now clear that CF LVADs improve not only survival but also functional capacity and quality of life in medically refractory HF. This has translated into exponential growth in CF LVAD utilization and for the first time in 2012, this therapy outpaced heart transplantation. While there will be continued refinement to this technology over the coming years, the overall principle will remain unchanged—a rotary pump with only one moving part to propel blood from the ventricle to the aorta. For this reason, the issue of hemocompatibility, i.e., the consequences of blood elements interfacing with the device during transit, will continue to challenge the field. Hemo(mal)compatibility during CF LVAD has to balance two opposing effects: device thrombosis and mucosal bleeding. While device thrombosis in an intravascular cavitary device was predictable and remains of concern, mucosal bleeding during CF LVAD was unanticipated and remains poorly understood.
Biometric authentication using photoplethysmography signals

This paper considers signals from the cardiovascular system for possible use in biometric authentication. The signals of particular interest here derive from photoplethysmography (PPG), which refers to the use of illumination-based sensors that are sensitive to volumetric changes as blood travels through the body. Photoplethysmography sensors have been developed for the fingertip and the ear lobe, and they provide a convenient, noninvasive means of measuring heart rate and heart-rate variability. We demonstrate in this paper that PPG-based signals also have the potential to be used for biometric authentication, even though PPG signals appear to convey much less information than their electromagnetic counterparts, electrocardiograms (ECG). Through a novel decomposition into a sum-of-Gaussians representation, we present experimental results that indicate rank-1 accuracies of 90% and 95% with 2 seconds and 8 seconds of PPG test signal data, respectively. To our knowledge, this paper is the first to demonstrate robust PPG-based authentication for subjects with different emotional states.
Improving school readiness of high-risk preschoolers: Combining high quality instructional strategies with responsive training for teachers and parents

Abstract This study evaluated whether the combination of two proven interventions, one in Head Start classrooms (The Early Education Model, TEEM) and one in the home (Play and Learning Strategies, PALS) resulted in enhanced effects on at-risk 3- to 5-year-old children’s school readiness skills when compared to either of these interventions alone. Teachers and parents were trained to use a responsive style and strategies that supported children’s school readiness skills with the goal of providing children consistency in responsive practices across the school and home environments. The study was conducted in 77 classrooms with teachers randomized to either the TEEM (n = 39) or No TEEM (i.e., control or business as usual, n = 38) conditions. Six to eight children in each classroom were randomly assigned to either have their parents receive PALS (n = 314; 210 after attrition) or to a No PALS condition (n = 309; 221 after attrition) resulting in four conditions: TEEM/PALS, TEEM/No PALS, No TEEM/PALS, and No TEEM/No PALS. Results showed greater gains in the TEEM teachers’ language and literacy instructional practices and sensitivity compared to control teachers, but there were few significant findings for child cognitive outcomes. Parents receiving PALS, as compared to those without PALS, showed greater increases across play and book reading contexts in numerous responsive behaviors linked to the attachment and socio-cultural theories. Children whose parents received PALS versus those whose parents did not showed greater gains in direct measures of print knowledge and self-regulation and in social and language skills observed during interactions with their parent. Interactive effects of TEEM plus PALS were seen for increased engagement in shared book reading but not for other cognitive or social outcomes.
Two Arguments for Impossiblism and Why It isn’t Impossible to Refute them

This paper examines two arguments against the possibility of moral responsibility—the first directly from the work of Galen Strawson and the next inspired by Strawson’s argument. Both of these arguments are found wanting, and their shortcomings are used as a springboard to sketch a positive libertarian view of moral responsibility and defend that view against preliminary objections.
Reply to 'Comment on: Long-term outcomes of neovascular glaucoma treated with and without intravitreal bevacizumab'.

Reply to ‘Comment on: Long-term outcomes of neovascular glaucoma treated with and without intravitreal bevacizumab’
How We Should Conceive of Creation: Natural Birth as an Ethical Guidepost for Neonatal Rescue.

Philosophically, biologically, and colloquially, “creation” belongs properly to the act of conception. After the new human organism comes into existence, all subsequent changes in its life cycle ar...