cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
4D PET: Beyond Conventional Dynamic PET Imaging

In this paper, we review novel techniques in the emerging field of spatiotemporal 4D PET imaging. We will discuss existing limitations in conventional dynamic PET imaging which involves independent reconstruction of dynamic PET datasets. Various approaches that seek to attempt some or all of these limitations are reviewed in this work, including techniques that utilize iterative temporal smoothing, advanced temporal basis functions, principal components transformation of the dynamic data, wavelet-based techniques as well as direct kinetic parameter estimation methods. Extension of 4D PET to 5D PET in which the additional dimension of (respiratory or cardiac) gating is considered has also been discussed.
Maturation of non-linear interactions: bispectral analysis of CA1 and the dentate gyrus

One of the goals of the authors' lab is the development of quantitative measures of normal brain maturation. In this paper the authors discuss some preliminary studies using bispectral techniques as a measure of nonlinear interactions between and within the hippocampal subfields CA1 and the dentate gyrus during normal development.
The limits of the wage impact of discrimination

In spite of almost 40 years of active enforcement efforts by the EEOC, as well as the strong intervention by the plaintiff bar, the most popular benchmark by which we measure the influence of prejudice on wages paid to female and minority workers has changed very little. This paper maintains that to a large extent this seeming immunity of discriminatory wage gaps to the legal remedies provided by Title VII results from the mismeasurement of those effects. An alternative to the standard Oaxaca decomposition of the wage gap is offered which allows us to put plausible ranges around the true impact of antidiscrimination laws. Not only does this reduce the residual impact of the discrimination that appears to withstand Title VII remedies, it also suggests that the pre-Title VII impact of discrimination on wages accounted for little of the gap observed at the time of its passage. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Geologic framework of the Kuluncak-Sofular Area, East-Central Turkey, and K-Ar ages of igneous rocks

The Kuluncak-Sofular area, located about midway between Sivas and Malatya in east-central Turkey is underlain by a variety of sedimentary, volcanic, and intrusive rocks. The sedimentary rocks have been deposited on a pre-Campanian serpentinite basement and include Cretaceous conglomerate, graywacke, tuff, and limestone; Eocene arkosic sandstone, conglomerate, and limestone; and Miocene limestone and dolomite. K-Ar ages determined for volcanic and intrusive rocks from the same area are 75.5 m.y. for alkalic diabase that intrudes the Upper Cretaceous sedimentary rocks; 74.3 and 71.1 m.y. for trachyte that partly overlies and partly intrudes the same Upper Cretaceous sequence; 65.2 m.y. for alkalic syenite that intrudes Upper Cretaceous limestone; 18.7 to 16.8 m.y. for andesite and basalt that overlie middle to late Eocene sedimentary rocks; and 14.1 m.y. for a dacite plug that cuts Miocene limestone.
"Then It Will Be Good": Negative Life Events and Resilience in Ugandan Youth

Youths (N = 57; mean age = 13.83 years) residing near Tororo, Uganda, were interviewed to obtain quantitative and qualitative data pertaining to negative life events, adjustment problems, coping, s...
Predicate-based test generation for computer programs

The author first describes a number of existing testing strategies for simple predicates and then explains why intuitive extensions of such strategies are ineffective or impractical for testing compound predicates, which are predicates with one or more AND/OR operators. Two fault-based testing strategies for compound predicates are defined, BOR (Boolean operator) testing and BRO (Boolean and relational operator) testing. It is shown that for a predicate with n, n>0, AND/OR operators, at most n+2 (2*n+3) tests are needed to satisfy BOR (BRO) testing. Preliminary experimental results indicate that BOR and BRO testing are effective for the detection of various types of faults in a predicate and provide more specific guidance than branch testing for test generation. >
Adding PCs to SLC control system

The SLAC Controls Department has interfaced IBM-Compatible PCs to the SLC Control System, for use by the Final Focus Test Beam (FFTB) experimenters, who are building new accelerator equipment and developing and testing it at their home institutions. They will bring the equipment to SLAC and integrate it into the control system using a new software package. The machine physicists and operators will use the existing SLC control system applications and database device types to control and monitor the equipment. The PCs support a limited control enviroment: they run DOS and exchange messages with the existing control system via TCP/IP over ethernet, using the new SLC Area Message Service. This mechanism will also allow SLC to implement other commercial device controllers that can communicate over ethernet and run the same software interface code. >
Internal bores: an improved model via a detailed analysis of the energy budget

Internal bores, or internal hydraulic jumps, arise in many atmospheric and oceanographic phenomena. The classic single-layer hydraulic jump model accurately predicts the bore height and propagation velocity when the difference between the densities of the expanding and contracting layers is large (i.e. water and air), but fails in the Boussinesq limit. A two-layer model, which conserves mass separately in each layer and momentum globally is more accurate in the Boussinesq limit, but it requires for closure an assumption about the loss of energy across a bore. It is widely believed that bounds on the bore speed can be found by restricting the energy loss entirely to one of the two layers, but under some circumstances, both bounds overpredict the propagation speed. A front velocity slower than both bounds implies that, somehow, the expanding layer is gaining energy. We directly examine the flux of energy within internal bores using two- and three-dimensional direct numerical simulations and find that although there is a global loss of energy across a bore, a transfer of energy from the contracting to the expanding layer causes a net energy gain in the expanding layer. The energy transfer is largely the result of turbulent mixing at the interface. Within the parameter regime investigated, the effect of mixing is much larger than non-hydrostatic and viscous effects, both of which are neglected in the two-layer analytical models. Based on our results, we propose an improved two-layer model that provides an accurate propagation velocity as a function of the geometrical parameters, the Reynolds number, and the Schmidt number.
Optimal pipeline decomposition and adaptive network mapping to support distributed remote visualization

This paper discusses algorithmic and implementation aspects of a distributed remote visualization system that optimally decomposes and adaptively maps the visualization pipeline to a wide-area shared or dedicated network. The first node of the system typically generates or stores raw data sets, and a remote client resides on the last node equipped with a display device ranging from a personal desktop to a powerwall. Intermediate nodes include workstations, clusters, or rendering engines, which can be located anywhere on the network. We employ a regression method to estimate the effective bandwidth of a transport path. Based on link measurements, node characteristics, and module properties, we strategically organize visualization pipeline modules into groups and dynamically assign the groups to various network nodes to achieve minimal total delay or maximal frame rate. We propose polynomial-time algorithms using the dynamic programming method to compute optimal solutions for the problems of pipeline decomposition and network mapping under different constraint conditions. The proposed remote visualization system is implemented and deployed at several geographically distributed nodes for experimental testing. The proposed decomposition and mapping scheme is generic and can be applied to other distributed applications whose computing components form a linear arrangement.
Pregnancy and Childbirth in Tibet: Knowledge, Perspectives, and Practices

To Tibetans life does not begin at birth, but rather at conception. After death, a being’s consciousness… wanders in an intermediate realm until impelled by the forces of its own karma to enter a womb at the instant of conception. Gestation is a hazardous time when women try to consume foods and seek spiritual means to prevent any harm coming to their growing baby. Once born, the child must fight for survival against daunting odds. Infancy is fraught with more hazards than any other stage of the life course, and the infant mortality rate in Nubri is frightfully high. Nearly one in every four children born alive does not live to see his or her first birthday. (Childs 2004: 38)
Red-Mediated Recombination in Bacteriophage Lambda

Among unreplicated encapsidated lambda chromosomes “crossovers” are nonuniformly distributed along the chromosome (Jordan and Mesleson, 1965). They are concentrated at the ends, especially the right end (Fig. 1). Among replicated chromosomes, however, crossovers are uniformly distributed as judged from the congruity of the linkage map and the microscopically examined chromosome (Fig. 2). The explanation for this difference between replicated and unreplicated chromosomes is that recombination throughout lambda, except at the ends, is dependent on extensive DNA synthesis (Stahl et al., 1972a). The dependence of recombination on synthesis and the resulting nonuniform crossover distribution along unreplicated chromosomes is conspicuous only in the presence of the Red system, the general recombination system of the phage (Stahl et al., 1974).
Countering terrorism

Al-Qai'da's embrace of new information technologies and systems has transformed it from a relatively insignificant group of terrorists into a robust global movement. In his talk, Dr. Jarret Brachman will identify the latest ways that al-Qa'ida and its supporters look to leverage technology for recruitment, fundraising, radicalization and operational coordination. Drawing on actual counterterrorism investigations, Brachman will highlight specific examples of how al-Qa'ida harnessed information technology. He will also identify potential insertion points for the ISI community to, working in concert with law enforcement, intelligence and security professionals, frustrate, collapse and even co-opt al-Qa'idapsilas global E-infrastructure.
IMPACT OF STAKEHOLDER-DRIVEN INSTITUTIONAL CHANGES ON HEART FAILURE OUTCOMES

Heart failure (HF) accounts for >1 million hospitalizations in the US annually and is the number one admission diagnosis for Veterans treated within the Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System. Interventions for improving HF outcomes have been examined but generalizing strategies between hospitals
Alternative Splicing for Mechanical Resilience: The Softening Effect of Filamin’s Hinge

Alternative splicing within proteins is common but not well understood in its influence on protein structure and stability. Filamins are ubiquitous actin-crosslinking proteins with two dozen Immunolgobulin (Ig) repeats and one alternatively-spliced ‘hinge’ that has been hypothesized to add flexibility. The hinge is also predicted to perturb folding. The molecular mechanics of filamins are probed here by AFM-forced extension, with a particular focus on the ∼30 aa hinge between repeats R15 and R16. After re-examining full-length filamin to clarify the single molecule limit for AFM experiments on long chains, short concatemers of (R15-R16)m and (R15-hinge-R16)m were studied by both AFM and solution structural methods. AFM shows that the hinged isoform extends and unfolds at smaller forces (60 pN) than the hinge-less form (80 pN), implying that the alternative splicing introduces a random coil that softens both adjacent domains. Circular Dichroism confirms that the hinge is a random coil, and thermal unfolding in solution suggests a weak destabilization by the hinge. Together with the rate-dependence of forced extension in AFM, the results reveal added resilience as the unfolding transition shifts to longer lengths upon insertion of the alternatively spliced hinge.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
The Commerce Geophysical Lineament and Its Possible Relation to Mesoproterozoic Igneous Complexes and Large Earthquakes in the Central Illinois Basin

New inversions of existing magnetic and gravity data lead to insights on upper crustal structures in the central Illinois basin. The results of 2D and 3D inversion techniques suggest that the source of the Commerce geophysical lineament follows the southeast boundary of a dense and magnetic, northeast-trending igneous center, named the Vincennes igneous center. Thus the Commerce geophysical lineament, defining the 5- to 10-km-wide Commerce deformation zone, appears to have influenced the structural development of the Vincennes igneous center. Overlying this igneous center is the Centralia seismic-reflection sequence, expressed as highly coherent reflectors (McBride and Kolata, 1999). We suggest that the buried Vincennes igneous center is the source of inferred volcanic units of the Centralia sequence and is related to a rifted margin or a Proterozoic plate boundary. A comparison of gravity and magnetic fields over the Vincennes igneous center and the St. Francois Mountains igneous center in southeastern Missouri suggests that the associated sources in these regions are similar in composition and perhaps origin. Such a conclusion, although speculative, suggests that ∼1.47 Ga-year-old volcanic fields of high-silica rocks, with more abundant mafic components at depth, characterize basement in the regions of the Vincennes igneous center and the St. Francois Mountains. Further, we conclude that the Commerce deformation zone evolved in the Mesoproterozoic (1.1 to 1.5 Ga) as a major cratonic rheological boundary and was the focus of episodic reactivation related to varying stress regimes throughout its history. Spatial relations of the Commerce deformation zone with large Pleistocene and Holocene earthquakes suggest that the zone represents a major rheological boundary intimately related to both surface and deep structures and to the seismic hazard of the Illinois basin region. Assuming recent right-lateral slip along the Commerce deformation zone, we propose that a jog or left step in the Vincennes area leads to thrusting or a restraining bend, where associated stress accumulations may have resulted in nearby large prehistoric earthquakes and may also be the nucleation sites of future large earthquakes.
Human Factors Issues in Military System Design

A definition of the elements of human factors is provided to facilitate an understanding of the human factors issues across the military services. Issues for symposium discussion are raised in three broad categories: policy, management, and technology.
Effects of nutrients, temperature and relative humidity on germination and longevity of the ascospores of Chaetomium thermophile var. coprophile.

Ascospores of C. thermophile var. coprophile germinated in distilled water; addition of nutrients increased the percent germinating and also shortened the latent period. A vesicle emerged through t...
Status of beverage intake among children and adolescents in summer of the urban areas of Nanjing City

[Objective]To study the drinking frequency,volume and related factors of all kinds of beverage among children in Nanjing City,and provide the basis for carrying out nutrition education and intervention[Methods]The method of questionnaire survey was used to collect the data of basic situation and beverage intake of 288 children and adolescents in Nanjing City.[Results] The average water consumption and the average bottled water consumption were respectively 603 ml and 630 ml,the average consumption of carbonated beverage,fruit and vegetable juices,milk and yoghurt were 483 ml,396 ml,310 ml and 152 ml,respectively.With the growth of age,the drinking frequency differences of boiled water,milk,bottled water,carbonated beverage were statistically significant,while carbonated beverage drinking situation presented gender differences,family income levels had no effect on beverage intake.[Conclusion]Nutrition education and behavioral intervention should be conducted widely in children and their family.It should instruct the children and adolescents to have sufficient quantities of drinking daily and make a reasonable choice of drinks to promote children and adolescents to develop good drinks intake habits.
Investigation on Influence of Drainage from Mihualing Tunnel on Surrounding Environment

[Objective]To understand the influence of drainage from Mihualing tunnel of Nanning-Kunming Railway on the surrounding environment,to solve the related problems such as drinking water safety for people and livestock.[Methods]The field investigation was conducted on surrounding environment of Mihualing tunnel,and water quality and soil were tested and analyzed according to the national standard methods.[Results]The drainage water of tunnel showed alkaline,the level of iron and manganese in water exceed the national standards,so drinking water for people and livestock was not safe.The farmland soil showed alkaline,and crop yield decreased severely.[Conclusion]The tunnel drainage has different degrees of influence on surrounding environment.
Prostate Cancer Detection Using Composite Impedance Metric

Prostate cancer (PCa) recurrences are often predicted by assessing the status of surgical margins (SM)– positive surgical margins (PSM) increase the chances of biochemical recurrence by 2-4 times which may lead to PCa recurrence. To this end, an electrical impedance acquisition system with a microendoscopic probe was employed in an ex-vivo study of human prostates. This system measures the tissue bioimpedance over a range of frequencies (1 kHz to 1MHz), and computes a number of Composite Impedance Metrics (CIM). A classifier trained using CIM data can be used to classify tissue as benign or cancerous. The system was used to collect the impedance spectra from 14 excised prostates, which were obtained from men undergoing radical prostatectomy, for a total of 23 cancerous and 53 benign measurements. The data revealed statistically significant (p < 0.05) differences in the impedance properties of the benign and tumorous tissues, and among the measurements taken on the apical, base, and lateral surface of the prostate. Further, in the leave-one-patient-out cross validation, a maximum predictive accuracy of 90.79% was achieved by combining high frequency CIM phase data to train a support vector machine classifier with a radial basis function kernel. The observations are consistent with the physiology and morphology of benign and malignant prostate tissue. CIMs were found to be an effective tool in distinguishing benign from cancerous tissues.
Unattended Sleep Studies in a VA Population: Initial Evaluation by Chart Review Versus Clinic Visit by a Midlevel Provider.

Objectives Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent disorder that is associated with multiple medical consequences. Although in-laboratory polysomnography is the gold standard for the diagnosis of OSA, portable monitors have been developed and studied to help increase efficiency and ease of diagnosis. We aimed to assess the adequacy of a midlevel provider specializing in sleep medicine to risk-stratify patients for OSA based on a chart review versus a comprehensive clinic evaluation before scheduling an unattended sleep study. Methods This study was an observational, nonrandomized, retrospective data collection by chart review of patients accrued prospectively who underwent an unattended sleep study at the Sleep Health Center at the Memphis Veterans Affairs Medical Center during the first 13 months of the program (May 1, 2011-May 31, 2012). A total of 205 patients were included in the data analysis. Results Analysis showed no statistically significant differences between chart review and clinic visit groups (P = 0.54) in terms of OSA diagnosis. Although not statistically significant, the analysis shows a trend toward higher mean age (50.3 vs 47.4 years; P = 0.10) and lower mean body mass index (34.4 vs 36.0; P = 0.08) in individuals who were evaluated during a comprehensive clinic visit. A statistically significant difference is seen in terms of the pretest clinical probability of OSA being moderate or high in 62.2% of patients in the clinic visit group and 95.7% in the chart review group, with a χ2P ≤ 0.0001. Conclusions In the Veterans Health Administration's system, the assessment of pretest probability may be determined by a midlevel provider using chart review with equal efficacy to a comprehensive face-to-face evaluation in terms of OSA diagnosis via unattended sleep studies.
Differentiating Cyberbullies and Internet Trolls by Personality Characteristics and Self-Esteem

Cyberbullying and internet trolling are both forms of online aggression or cyberharassment; however, research has yet to assess the prevalence of these behaviors in relationship to one another. In addition, the current study was the first to investigate whether individual differences and self-esteem discerned between self-reported cyberbullies and/or internet trolls (i.e., Never engaged in either, Cyberbully-only, Troll-only, Both Cyberbully and Troll). Of 308 respondents solicited from Mechanical Turk, 70 engaged in cyberbullying behaviors, 20 engaged in only trolling behaviors, 129 self-reported both behaviors, and 89 self-reported neither behavior. Results yielded low self-esteem, low conscientiousness, and low internal moral values for both cyberbullying and trolling behaviors. However, there were differentiating factors between individuals who only engaged in cyberbullying behaviors (high on neuroticism) vs. trolling-only behaviors (high on openness to experience). Individuals who engaged in both behaviors scored higher on extraversion, lower on agreeableness, and lower on self-esteem compared to individuals who engaged in neither behavior.
Seismicity During the Initial Stages of the Guy‐Greenbrier, Arkansas, Earthquake Sequence

We analyze the background seismicity, initiation, and earliest stages of the Guy-Greenbrier, Arkansas, earthquake sequence, which was potentially induced by wastewater injection starting in July 2010, during the 3-month time period 2010-06-01 to 2010-09-01. High-resolution observations of low-magnitude seismicity, and the high-quality Arkansas public well database, facilitate detailed analysis of spatial and temporal correlations between earthquakes, wastewater injection, and hydraulic fracturing. We detected 14,604 earthquakes, with magnitudes −1.5≤ML≤2.9, using two sensitive, waveform-similarity-based event detection methods in parallel: Fingerprint And Similarity Thresholding (FAST), and template matching. We located the 1,740 largest earthquakes that form 16 spatially compact clusters, using P and S phases from 3 stations with the double-difference relocation algorithm and an improved velocity model constrained by the location of quarry blasts. We enhanced the temporal resolution of these event clusters by assigning smaller unlocated events to a cluster based on waveform similarity. Most clustered earthquakes during this time were both spatially and temporally correlated with hydraulic fracturing stimulation at several production wells. For one cluster, microseismicity was correlated with individual stages of stimulation. Many other wells had no detectable nearby seismicity during stimulation. We found a smaller number of events located on the Guy-Greenbrier Fault that were likely induced by wastewater injection. The concurrent presence of seismicity induced by hydraulic fracturing and wastewater injection presents a challenge for attribution and seismic hazard characterization, but the combination of precision seismology and high-quality well information allows us to disentangle the effects of these two processes.
Application of artificial neural network for accelerated optimization of ultra thin organic solar cells

Abstract In this study, we show that design optimization of solar cells can be accelerated using neural networks (NN) effectively. We consider an organic thin film solar cell consisting of a poly(3-hexylthiophene):(6,6)-phenyl-C61-butyric-acid-methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM) absorber, an antireflective indium tin oxide (ITO) layer and an aluminum back reflector layer. Zinc oxide (ZnO) and molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) interlayers are also used as electron and hole transfer layers. Silver nanotextures are embedded within absorber layer to create near field effects thus enhancing optical absorption. Optical properties of structures at sub-wavelength scales are measured by numerically solving first principle electromagnetic equations, e.g., by means of finite difference time domain and finite element methods. These methods are time-consuming, and therefore limit the possibility of exhaustive optimization. Surrogate modeling can be used to overcome this challenge. In the present work, we design a two-layer NN surrogate model to estimate the optical absorptivity of the cell for any given geometry vector as well as any radiation wavelength. After the preliminary optimization which utilizes NN, the result of optimization is obtained within narrowed optimization bounds obtained from the results of surrogate based optimization. A 325% of enhancement in absorption is obtained as a result of optimization.
Advances in Pancreatic Cancer, Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms, and Pancreatitis.

According to the theme of the Golden Jubilee Issue of our journal, we present a commentary on landmark contributions reported in the journal on pancreatic cancer, pancreatic cysts, and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) and pancreatitis.
Safety of orogastric tubes in foregut and bariatric surgery.

Orogastric tubes have traditionally aided foregut procedures with sizing and organ protection. The rise of bariatric surgery has led to the creation of novel medical devices aimed at facilitating the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. While approved by the FDA, the long-term safety profile of these devices in the general population is often unknown. This review looks at complications associated with novel Orogastric Tubes compared to the traditional bougie. We performed a review of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database for complications associated with the traditional bougie, Boehringer Labs ViSiGi 3D® and the Medtronic GastriSail™ since 2011. In addition, we looked for reported cases in the literature of complications with these devices. Overall complication rates reported in the MAUDE database varied in number and severity. The bougie had seven reported complications, one of which was an organ perforation. The ViSiGi 3D® had zero reported complications. The GastriSail™ had 36 total reported complications with 17 perforations. A literature review shows that rates of bougie complications are extremely rare with no case reports or reviews of complications from the novel orogastric tubes. The complication rates between the traditional bougie and novel devices vary in number and severity, with the GastriSail™ having the highest reported complication rate. Despite rigorous testing for FDA approval, ongoing research into performance of new medical devices in the general population remains important.
Left Ventricular Mass

Left ventricular (LV) mass is the weight of the left ventricle, typically estimated using echocardiography, and is thought to represent the cumulative effect of blood pressure on the heart. It is closely related to body size, greater in men than in women, and increases with age. LV hypertrophy (defined as a LV mass that exceeds the normal range) is seen in about 30% of individuals with hypertension and is more common in older and more obese patients. The importance of LV mass also lies in the fact that it is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity; in fact, no other biological variable apart from age predicts cardiac risk better than LV hypertrophy.
Measurements of Intestinal Permeability Using Low Molecular Weight Polyethylene Glycols (PEG 400): I. Chemical analysis and biological properties of PEG 400

A new approach to the measurement of intestinal permeability in man has been developed, using low molecular weight polyethylene glycol (PEG 400) as probe molecules. PEG 400 (range of molecular weight 232 to 594) is a mixture of water-soluble molecules of different sizes which can be extracted readily from biological fluids and analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography. PEG 400 is nontoxic, not degraded by intestinal bacteria, not metabolized after absorption, and rapidly excreted in urine. The differentsized molecular components cross the intestinal epithelium at different rates, allowing characterization of the passive permeability properties of the mucosa.
Blood and Muscle Metabolites: Clues to Flow

In the previous chapter I discussed splanchnic blood flow, which can be determined by direct measures because the organ has discrete vascular connections, or the organ filters specific molecules such as inulin by the kidney. Furthermore, it is possible to measure turnovers of metabolites by measuring flow and concentration in the artery and vein that supply and drain the organ. Determination of flow characteristics and metabolite fluxes of skeletal muscle is a more intractable problem because blood supply is so diffuse. There has been only one direct and specific measurement of changes in muscle metabolite, i.e., decline and increase of muscle O2 and lactate concentration [LA] in harbor seals during forced submersions (Fig. 3.5). The difficulty of the problem is reflected perhaps in the fact that the experiments, which were done over 40 years ago (Scholander et al. 1942), have not been repeated on other species as is the case of so many other experiments involving forced submersion. The most common method of analysis of muscle condition has been the indirect determination of changes in blood metabolites. As will be seen later in this chapter, that is the basis for the conclusions about blood flow and fuel consumption in natural dives.
Improving seismic fault detection by super-attribute-based classification

AbstractFault interpretation is one of the routine processes used for subsurface structure mapping and reservoir characterization from 3D seismic data. Various techniques have been developed for co...
Abstract 1199: Identification of candidate regulators of genomic instability in human lung adenocarcinoma through a new cross-speciesin silicoanalysis

(a) Chromosome instability (CIN), a type of genomic instability that is mitotic error-driven, has a deep impact on carcinogenesis and cancer recurrence. High CIN is a marker for poor prognosis in various cancers, including lung adenocarcinoma. In the tumor genome, CIN can be indicated with Copy Number Alterations (CNA) as its surrogate indicator. Although a diverse array of genes can cause CIN at the cellular level, genes responsible for tumor CNA remain elusive. In this study, we set out to identify genes whose expression shows correlation with CNA in human lung adenocarcinoma. (b) We employed a novel cross-species in silico analysis. Our previous lung RNAseq results from lung cancer-prone CIN mice indicated 348 misregulated genes (92 up-regulated, 256 down-regulated; 2-fold cutoff, P (c) MMP13 (Matrix Metalloprotease 13) is a protease involved in the breakdown of extracellular matrix. NUF2 (yeast NUF2 Kinetochore Protein homolog) is involved in the mitotic process, the misregulation of which directly leads to CIN. CCL22 (C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 22), ZNF366 (Zinc Finger Protein 366), and GPR114 (G protein-coupled receptor 114, aka ADGRG5) are generally markers for subsets of immune cells (likely dendritic cells). This result led us to further hypothesize that infiltration of CCL22-, ZNF336-, and/or GPR114-positive immune cells inhibits pre-tumor cells and tumor cells with high CNA. (d) The removal mechanism of cells with genomic instability is poorly understood. This is the first time that candidate markers for the immune cells directly or indirectly involved in removal of CIN cells have been identified. This study may aid in fine-tuning cancer-preventive immunotherapy that targets lung cells with genomic instability. Citation Format: Chinthalapally V. Rao, Mudassir Farooqui, Yuting Zhang, Gaurav Kumar, Janani Panneerselvam, Nagendra Yarla, Adam S. Asch, Hiroshi Y. Yamada. Identification of candidate regulators of genomic instability in human lung adenocarcinoma through a new cross-species in silico analysis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1199.
CLIMATE AND CLIMATE CHANGE | Global Impacts of the Madden–Julian Oscillation

As its convection center moves from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, the Madden–Julian Oscillation affects global weather, climate, and many other phenomena in the Earth system.
AN EMPIRICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE DYNAMIC EFFECTS OF POLICE SPENDING ON VIOLENT AND PROPERTY CRIME

The study estimates the dynamic effects of shocks to police expenditures on measures of violent and property crime rates using annual U.S. state‐level data for the period 1960–2015. We employ a structural panel VAR model and achieve identification by imposing the restriction that police spending responds to structural shocks to crime with at least a lag of 1 year. Results indicate that a shock to police spending leads to (a) persistent and significant decreases in violent and property crime rates and (b) significant and persistent negative impacts on crime rates in periods of high crime but little impacts in periods of low crime. Variance decompositions show that shocks to police spending account for moderate to large proportions of the variability of U.S. state‐level crime rates. Our findings are robust across separate measures of violent and property crime rates, as well as to the inclusion of additional variables to the baseline panel VAR model. (JEL K42)
A post-acquisition standardization method for positron emission tomography images

We propose a new standardization method to mitigate the undesired effects of factors such as body weight, duration of radiotracer uptake period, partial volume effects, etc., that impede accurate quantitative analysis of PET images. We introduce new metrics for evaluation and comparison among different standardization methods. The proposed standardization method can improve disease quantification from PET images, as PET is one of the major clinical imaging tools used to evaluate patients with cancer and other disorders. It is based on the MRI standardization method proposed by Nyul et al., but modified for application to PET images. A new approach is proposed to remove the unwanted effect of the tail of image histograms by finding an optimal maximum percentile from the coefficient variations of metabolic activity of reference healthy organs. We show that after applying our standardization method, the coefficient of variation among the mean metabolic activities of healthy organs decreases compared to that obtained from non-standardized images.
A multicenter phase II study of nivolumab +/- ipilimumab for patients with metastatic sarcoma (Alliance A091401): Results of expansion cohorts.

11511Background: In the open-label multicenter phase II study, A091401, nivolumab (N) and nivolumab+ipilimumab (N+I) demonstrated a confirmed response rate (RR) of 5% and 16%, respectively in patie...
Impaired estrogen signaling underlies regulatory T cell loss-of-function in the chronically inflamed intestine.

Signaling of 17β-estradiol (estrogen) through its two nuclear receptors, α and β (ERα, ERβ), is an important mechanism of transcriptional regulation. Although ERs are broadly expressed by cells of the immune system, the mechanisms by which they modulate immune responses remain poorly understood. ERβ-specific signaling is reduced in patients with chronic inflammatory diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus and inflammatory bowel disease, and our previous work suggests that dysregulation of ERβ-specific signaling contributes to enhanced intestinal inflammation in female SAMP/YitFC mice, a spontaneous model of Crohn’s disease-like ileitis. The present study builds on these prior observations to identify a nonredundant, immunoprotective role for ERβ-specific signaling in TGF-β–dependent regulatory T cell (Treg) differentiation. Using a strain of congenic SAMP mice engineered to lack global expression of ERβ, we observed dramatic, female-specific exacerbation of intestinal inflammation accompanied by significant reductions in intestinal Treg frequency and function. Impaired Treg suppression in the absence of ERβ was associated with aberrant overexpression of Tsc22d3 (GILZ), a glucocorticoid-responsive transcription factor not normally expressed in mature Tregs, and ex vivo data reveal that forced overexpression of GILZ in mature Tregs inhibits their suppressive function. Collectively, our findings identify a pathway of estrogen-mediated immune regulation in the intestine, whereby homeostatic expression of ERβ normally functions to limit Treg-specific expression of GILZ, thereby maintaining effective immune suppression. Our data suggest that transcriptional cross-talk between glucocorticoid and steroid sex hormone signaling represents an important and understudied regulatory node in chronic inflammatory disease.
Development of a Novel Curing Accelerator-Blowing Agent for Formulating Epoxy Rigid Foam Containing Aminated-Lignin

In this work, a novel ultra-accelerator was developed by mixing calcium carbonate with nitric acid, which acted as a blowing agent and remarkably stimulated the foam hardening. Softwood kraft ligni...
Research and Application of Unit Automatic Monitoring Integration Based on Grid Side in Gas Turbine Power Plant

In view of the original independent grid-related parameters scattered in electrical and thermal equipment, such as the AVC, PMU, primary frequency and DCS, this paper improves the operation reliability of grid-connected power plant equipment, achieves the visualization and retrace ability of grid-related parameters through the centralized monitoring, multidimensional, real-time tracking, intelligent alarm, report customization and log function. Secondly, using these real-time big data, the primary frequency regulation index of the unit is calculated and analyzed in real time, which improves the authenticity and correctness of the primary frequency regulation and AVC, thus to ensure the regulation performance and the stability of the output power frequency.
Putting situational impairments in context: developing guidance for situational impairments and severely constraining situational impairments by examining parallel domains

Mobile device use is omnipresent in everyday life spawning design to account for the increased complexity and diversity of “Situationally Induced Impairments and Disabilities (SIID)”. Although SIIDs frequently impact interactions, little research has attempted to provide generalizable guidance supporting users when these events occur. Situational impairment events may produce challenges similar to those faced by users with Health Induced Impairments and Disabilities. This study conducted an exhaustive literature review from Assistive Technology and Accessibility research and parallel domains, and found that existing guidance on designing for “impairments” can inform designing for “temporary” impairments created by the mobile interaction context. Guidance identified was validated by a panel of mobile interaction experts with a novel adaptation of the consensus-seeking approach known as the Delphi method. This research presents preliminary guidelines to support mobile interface designers and researchers to better recognize and effectively account for the new complexity present during mobile interaction.
Effects of transcranial alternating current stimulation on spiking activity in computational models of single neocortical neurons

Neural oscillations are a key mechanism for information transfer in brain circuits. Rhythmic fluctuations of local field potentials control spike timing through cyclic membrane de- and hyperpolarization. Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation method which can directly interact with brain oscillatory activity by imposing an oscillating electric field on neurons. Despite its increasing use, the basic mechanisms of tACS are still not fully understood. Here, we investigate in a computational study the effects of tACS on morphologically realistic neurons with ongoing spiking activity. We characterize the membrane polarization as a function of electric field strength and subsequent effects on spiking activity in a set of 25 neurons from different neocortical layers. We find that tACS does not affect the firing rate of investigated neurons for electric field strengths applicable to human studies. However, we find that the applied electric fields entrain the spiking activity of large pyramidal neurons at < 1mV/mm field strengths. Our model results are in line with recent experimental studies and can provide a mechanistic framework to understand the effects of oscillating electric fields on single neuron activity. They highlight the importance of neuron morphology in responsiveness to electrical stimulation and suggest that large pyramidal neurons are most likely the prime target for tACS.
Efficacy and Quality Attributes of Antimicrobial Agent Application via a Commercial Electrostatic Spray Cabinet To Inactivate Salmonella on Chicken Thigh Meat.

ABSTRACT Salmonella is a foodborne pathogen associated with poultry meat. This study aimed to determine the efficiency and quality attributes of two antimicrobial agents to reduce Salmonella on raw chicken meat when applied individually and in combination using an electrostatic spray cabinet. Thus, 5 log CFU/g of nonpathogenic, rifampin-resistant Salmonella Typhimurium was inoculated on skinless, boneless, raw chicken thigh meat and passed through an electrostatic spray cabinet while being sprayed with 5% lauric arginate (LAE), and 100, 1,000, 1,500, and 1,750 ppm of peracetic acid (PAA). Spraying of 5% LAE for 45 s significantly reduced Salmonella by 5 log (P < 0.05). The 1,500 ppm of PAA reduced Salmonella significantly within 45 s (1.157 log). Spraying of 1,500 ppm of PAA followed by LAE within 15 s reduced Salmonella significantly more than vice versa (P < 0.05). The color, water holding capacity, and texture did not differ significantly but resulted in significantly strong aroma and flavor. Both LAE and PAA efficiently reduced Salmonella when applied in an electrostatic spray cabinet on raw chicken thigh meat. The results suggest that the sequential order of application of antimicrobial agents is important to improve the safety and quality of raw chicken thigh meat. HIGHLIGHTS
Language and Literacy

Barriers in communication between doctors and patients arise from differences in language, culture, and health literacy. Communication barriers contribute to poor quality of care for patients with limited English proficiency, which can be mitigated with appropriate language assistance. Low health literacy is widespread and associated with difficulty taking medications and with mortality risk. Sociocultural differences between patient and provider can be exacerbated by language discordance or assumptions regarding health literacy, and can create misunderstanding and distrust. Exploring such differences with humility can promote a therapeutic patient–provider relationship. This chapter provides emergency providers with strategies to simplify and clarify medical communication to benefit patients regardless of their primary language, cultural background, or literacy level.
Improving Patient-Provider Continuity in a Large Urban Academic Primary Care Network

Abstract Objective: Although patient-provider continuity improves care delivery and satisfaction, poor continuity with primary care providers (PCP) often exists in academic centers. We aimed to increase patient empanelment from 0% to 90% and then increase the percent of well-child care (WCC) visits scheduled with the PCP from 25.6% to 50%, without decreasing timely access that might result if patients waited for PCP availability. Methods: Nationwide Children's Hospital Primary Care Network cares for >120,000 mostly Medicaid-enrolled patients across 13 offices. Before 2017, patients were empaneled to an office, not individual PCPs. We empaneled patients to PCPs, reduced provider floating, implemented continuity-promoting scheduling guidelines, scheduled future WCC visits for patients ≤15 months during check-in for their current one, and encouraged online scheduling. We tracked the percentage of all WCC visits that were scheduled with the patient's PCP and the percentage of subsequent WCC visits for patients ≤15 months that were scheduled during the current visit, and provided feedback to schedulers. We followed emergency department (ED) utilization and visit show rates. WCC visit completion rates were tracked using HEDIS metrics. Results: Patient empanelment increased from 0% to >90% (p Conclusions: WCC continuity more than doubled after interventions and was associated with decreased ED utilization, higher show rates, and increased timely WCC completion.
Evidence for Three-Dimensional Radiative Effects in Modis Cloud Optical Depths Retrieved at Back Scattering View Angles

This study addresses the question whether 1D radiative transfer theory describes well the angular distribution of shortwave cloud reflection. The statistical analysis of a large set of MODIS observations indicates that in oblique backward scattering directions, cloud reflection is stronger than 1D theory would predict. After considering a variety of possible causes, the paper concludes that the most likely reason for the increase lies in 3D radiative interactions. The results' main implication is that cloud optical depths retrieved at back scattering view angles larger than about 50 degrees tend to be overestimated and should be used only with great caution.
Establishment of Polarity in Epithelial Cells of the Developing Nephron

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the components of a polarized renal epithelial cell, the mechanisms by which they are established and maintained, and what is known of the developmental aspects of this process. Establishment of these surface membrane apical and basolateral domains is a multistage process involving cell–cell and cell–extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions, together with multiple intracellular targeting steps. These dynamic events require the proper organization of the cytoskeleton in general and the actin cytoskeleton in particular. Any alteration that disrupts the polarity of the surface membrane domains will prevent normal cell function and may result in organ dysfunction and potentially a disease state. With the availability of new developmental techniques and the tremendous growth in the understanding of the establishment and maintenance of epithelial polarity elsewhere, substantial progress should soon be made in the understanding of this aspect of kidney development and function. Of particular importance here are new data regarding protein scaffolds and their potential role in mediating the establishment of polarity in developing epithelial cells of the nephron.
A New Normal? American Economic Policymaking After The Great Recession

This essay reviews recent literature on American economic policymaking. It first asks, what light can contemporary research on economic policymaking shed on current circumstances? Second, where do policy process researchers go from here? This paper explores the extant literature under three broad themes. The first will deal with the extensive research into income inequality. The second will discuss the electoral implications of economic conditions. The third will analyze the institutional responses to economic developments. The final section will offer suggestions for future scholarship.