cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A comprehensive optimization model of the heat exchanger network retrofit problem

Abstract This paper addresses the problem of determining the optimal retrofit of an existing heat exchanger network, when the placement/reassignment of existing exchangers to different process stream matches their need for additional area, the creation of new process stream matches, the cost of stream repiping, and other issues which must be considered. A mixed integer non-linear programming (MINLP) model is proposed that incorporates all possible process stream matches, network configurations, and existing exchanger reassignments in a single mathematical formulation. In addition, it is shown how heat exchanger rating equations, repiping costs, and varying heat transfer coefficients can be included in this model. The proposed model simultaneously evaluates the required area of each existing and potential process stream match, the required additional area of each potential match-exchanger assignment, and the estimated repiping cost, while optimizing the selection of process stream matches, the network configuration, and the match-exchanger assignments. The resulting solution of this mathematical model provides the optimal selection of process stream matches, their heat loads, and their total required area, the optimal network configuration, and the optimal assignment of existing heat exchangers to new or existing process stream matches, based upon the cost of moving an exchanger and the actual required additional area. It is shown that this mixed integer non-linear programming (MINLP) formulation can be solved efficiently by applying the Generalized Benders Decomposition technique. The properties of the decomposition are discussed, and the method is illustrated with an example problem.
Common Symptoms in Advanced Cancer

Anorexia and cachexiaIntroductionAnorexia and cachexia are a major cause of morbidity and mortality inadvanced cancer. Involuntarily weight loss is characteristic of solid tumors,particularly those that are derived from foregut organs. Eighty percent ofpatients who have upper gastrointestinal cancers and 60% of patients whohave lung cancer have lost a substantial amount of weight at diagnosis [1,2].In contrast, hematologic malignancies, breast cancer, and hindgut malig-nancies are not associated with anorexia and cachexia or develop symptomsandsignslateinthecourseofillness[3].Cachexiaismorecommoninchildrenand the elderly and becomes more evident with advanced stages; cachexia ispresent in 50% ofpatients who haveactive cancer and80% ofpatients at thetimeofdeath[1].Patientswhohavecancerwhoexperience5%ormoreweightloss have a signiﬁcantly shorter survival than those who do not have weightloss [1]. Weight loss decreases the tolerance to radiation, chemotherapy andsurgery.Cachexiareducesperformancestatusanddeterminesqualityoflifetoa greater extent than pain in advanced cancer [4]. The detrimental eﬀects ofcatabolismthatareassociatedwithcachexiaareresponsiblefor20%ofcancerdeaths [1,2].Anorexia occurs in advanced cancer, despite an increased need forcalories. Cancer disengages the normal balance between appetite signals and
Building a better sticky trap: description of an easy-to-use trap and pole mount for quantifying the abundance of adult aquatic insects

AbstractInsect emergence is a fundamental process in freshwaters. It is a critical life-history stage for aquatic insects and provides an important prey resource for terrestrial and aquatic consumers. Sticky traps are increasingly being used to sample these insects. The most common design consists of an acetate sheet coated with a nondrying adhesive that is attached to a wire frame or cylinder. These traps must be prepared at the deployment site, a process that can be time consuming and difficult given the vagaries of field conditions. Our goals were to develop a sturdy, low-cost sticky trap that could be prepared in advance, rapidly deployed and recovered in the field, and used to estimate the flight direction of insects. We used 150-mm Petri dishes with lids. The dishes can be coated cleanly and consistently with Tangle-Trap® adhesive. Deploying traps is simple and requires only a pole set near the body of water being sampled. Four dishes can be attached to the pole using Velcro and aligned in 4 differe...
Ethical Issues Raised in Addressing the Needs of People With Serious Mental Disorders in Complex Emergencies

Recent manmade and natural disasters highlight weaknesses in the public health systems designed to protect populations from harm and minimize disruption of the social and built environments. Emergency planning and response efforts have, as a result, focused largely on ensuring populations' physical well-being during and after a disaster. Many public health authorities including the World Health Organization, have recognized the importance of addressing both mental and physical health concerns in emergency plans. Individuals with mental disorders represent a notable proportion of the overall population, and anticipating their needs is critical to comprehensive emergency planning and response efforts. Because people with serious mental disorders historically have been stigmatized, and many individuals with mental disorders may be unable to care for themselves, ethical guidance may be of assistance to those engaged in emergency planning and response. This article considers several broad categories of ethical issues that arise during emergencies for people with serious mental disorders and offers recommendations for ways in which emergency planners and other stakeholders can begin to address these ethical challenges. Language: en
TERT Promoter Mutations Occur Early in Urothelial Neoplasia and Are Biomarkers of Early Disease and Disease Recurrence in Urine

Activating mutations occur in the promoter of the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene in 66% of muscle-invasive urothelial carcinomas. To explore their role in bladder cancer development and to assess their utility as urine markers for early detection, we sequenced the TERT promoter in 76 well-characterized papillary and flat noninvasive urothelial carcinomas, including 28 pTa low-grade transitional cell carcinomas (TCC), 31 pTa high-grade TCCs, and 17 pTis carcinoma in situ lesions. We also evaluated the sequence of the TERT promoter in a separate series of 14 early bladder neoplasms and matched follow-up urine samples to determine whether urine TERT status was an indicator of disease recurrence. A high rate of TERT promoter mutation was observed in both papillary and flat lesions, as well as in low- and high-grade noninvasive urothelial neoplasms (mean: 74%). In addition, among patients whose tumors harbored TERT promoter mutations, the same mutations were present in follow-up urines in seven of eight patients that recurred but in none of the six patients that did not recur (P < 0.001). TERT promoter mutations occur in both papillary and flat lesions, are the most frequent genetic alterations identified to date in noninvasive precursor lesions of the bladder, are detectable in urine, and seem to be strongly associated with bladder cancer recurrence. These provocative results suggest that TERT promoter mutations may offer a useful urinary biomarker for both early detection and monitoring of bladder neoplasia.
Identifying reliable independent components via split-half comparisons

Independent component analysis (ICA) is a family of unsupervised learning algorithms that have proven useful for the analysis of the electroencephalogram (EEG) and magnetoencephalogram (MEG). ICA decomposes an EEG/MEG data set into a basis of maximally temporally independent components (ICs) that are learned from the data. As with any statistic, a concern with using ICA is the degree to which the estimated ICs are reliable. An IC may not be reliable if ICA was trained on insufficient data, if ICA training was stopped prematurely or at a local minimum (for some algorithms), or if multiple global minima were present. Consequently, evidence of ICA reliability is critical for the credibility of ICA results. In this paper, we present a new algorithm for assessing the reliability of ICs based on applying ICA separately to split-halves of a data set. This algorithm improves upon existing methods in that it considers both IC scalp topographies and activations, uses a probabilistically interpretable threshold for accepting ICs as reliable, and requires applying ICA only three times per data set. As evidence of the method's validity, we show that the method can perform comparably to more time intensive bootstrap resampling and depends in a reasonable manner on the amount of training data. Finally, using the method we illustrate the importance of checking the reliability of ICs by demonstrating that IC reliability is dramatically increased by removing the mean EEG at each channel for each epoch of data rather than the mean EEG in a prestimulus baseline.
A novel intervention using interactive technology and personal narratives to reduce cancer disparities: African American breast cancer survivor stories

Purpose There has been a paucity of interventions developed for African American women to address persistent health disparities between African American and Caucasian breast cancer patients. We developed and piloted a technologically innovative, culturally targeted, cancer-communication intervention for African American breast cancer patients using African American breast cancer survivor stories.
Specific interaction of lymphocyte function-associated antigen 3 with CD2 can inhibit T cell responses

Accessory cell surface molecules, such as T cell antigen CD2 and its ligand lymphocyte function-associated antigen 3 (LFA-3; CD58), are critical costimulatory pathways for optimal T cell activation in response to antigens. Interaction of CD2 with cell surface LFA-3 not only increases T cell/accessory cell adhesion, but also induces signal transduction events involved in the regulation of T cell responses. In this report, we show that specific interactions of LFA-3 with CD2 can result in T cell unresponsiveness to antigenic or mitogenic stimuli in vitro. By deletion of certain regions of the extracellular domain of LFA-3, we localized the CD2 binding site to the first domain of LFA-3. We then demonstrated that a soluble, purified first domain-LFA-3/IgG1 fusion protein (LFA3TIP) interacts with CD2 and binds to the same CD2 epitope as purified multimeric or cell surface-expressed LFA-3. LFA3TIP inhibits tetanus toxoid, hepatitis B surface antigen, anti-CD3 mAb, Con A, and phytohemagglutinin P-induced T cell proliferation, as well as xenogeneic and allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reactions (MLR). Unlike anti-LFA-3 or anti-CD2 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) which inhibit T cell responses by blocking LFA-3/CD2 binding, LFA3TIP is capable of rendering T cells unresponsive to antigenic stimuli in situations where T cell activation is independent of CD2/LFA-3 interactions. Furthermore, LFA3TIP, but not blocking anti-CD2 mAbs, is capable of inducing T cell unresponsiveness to secondary stimulation in allogeneic MLR. This inhibition of T cell responses by LFA3TIP occurs through a different mechanism from that of mAbs to LFA-3 or CD2.
The nucleosome repeat length increases during erythropoiesis in the chick

Abstract During erythropoiesis in the chick, the nucleosome repeat length increases from 190 base pairs to 212 base pairs. This increase is correlated with a dramatic increase in the concentration of the red cell specific histone H5 (from 0.2 molecules per nucleosome to 1 molecule per nucleosome) and with no change in the concentration of H1 (1 molecule per nucleosome).
Electrical slow waves in the mouse oviduct are dependent on extracellular and intracellular calcium sources.

Spontaneous contractions of the myosalpinx are critical for oocyte transport along the oviduct. Slow waves, the electrical events that underlie myosalpinx contractions, are generated by a specializ...
Mechanical properties of acellular peripheral nerve

Abstract Background Acellular nerve has been used in experimental models as a peripheral nerve substitute. Our objective was to determine the difference in tensile strength between fresh and chemically treated acellularized peripheral nerve. Materials and methods F344 rat sciatic nerves were either fresh or acellularized and tested either whole (Part A) or transected and repaired (Part B). For all constructs, the mean ultimate stress, mean ultimate strain, Young’s modulus, and total mechanical work to fracture were calculated. Results The average ultimate strains for Groups A-1 and A-2 were 0.480 ± 0.117 and 0.810 ± 0.114, respectively. The Young’s moduli in Groups A-1 and A-2 were 576 ± 160 and 580 ± 150 kPa, respectively. In Groups A-1 and A-2, the normalized work to failure was 0.35 ± 0.14 and 1.11 ± 0.38 N. The specimens in Group B-1 withstood an average ultimate stress of 780 ± 280 kPa. The specimens in Group B-2 withstood an average ultimate stress of 405 ± 20 kPa. The average ultimate strains for Groups B-1 and B-2 were 0.319 ± 0.087 and 0.266 ± 0.019, respectively. The Young’s moduli in Groups B-1 and B-2 were 4,030 ± 1360 and 2,290 ± 280 kPa, respectively. The normalized work to failure in Groups B-1 and B-2 was calculated as 0.22 ± 0.04 and 0.11 ± 0.02 N. Conclusions Although adequately robust for reconstructive procedures, the acellular peripheral nerve had decreased tensile strength compared with fresh nerve either when tested whole or when transected and repaired.
mHealth in the Wild: Using Novel Data to Examine the Reach, Use, and Impact of PTSD Coach

Background: A majority of Americans (58%) now use smartphones, making it possible for mobile mental health apps to reach large numbers of those who are living with untreated, or under-treated, mental health symptoms. Although early trials suggest positive effects for mobile health (mHealth) interventions, little is known about the potential public health impact of mobile mental health apps. Objective: The purpose of this study was to characterize reach, use, and impact of “PTSD Coach”, a free, broadly disseminated mental health app for managing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Methods: Using a mixed-methods approach, aggregate mobile analytics data from 153,834 downloads of PTSD Coach were analyzed in conjunction with 156 user reviews. Results: Over 60% of users engaged with PTSD Coach on multiple occasions (mean=6.3 sessions). User reviews reflected gratitude for the availability of the app and being able to use the app specifically during moments of need. PTSD Coach users reported relatively high levels of trauma symptoms (mean PTSD Checklist Score=57.2, SD=15.7). For users who chose to use a symptom management tool, distress declined significantly for both first-time users (mean=1.6 points, SD=2.6 on the 10-point distress thermometer) and return-visit users (mean=2.0, SD=2.3). Analysis of app session data identified common points of attrition, with only 80% of first-time users reaching the app’s home screen and 37% accessing one of the app’s primary content areas. Conclusions: These findings suggest that PTSD Coach has achieved substantial and sustained reach in the population, is being used as intended, and has been favorably received. PTSD Coach is a unique platform for the delivery of mobile mental health education and treatment, and continuing evaluation and improvement of the app could further strengthen its public health impact. [JMIR Ment Health 2015;2(1):e7]
Co-regulation of alternative splicing by diverse splicing factors in Caenorhabditis elegans

Regulation of alternative splicing is controlled by pre-mRNA sequences (cis-elements) and trans-acting protein factors that bind them. The combinatorial interactions of multiple protein factors with the cis-elements surrounding a given alternative splicing event lead to an integrated splicing decision. The mechanism of multifactorial splicing regulation is poorly understood. Using a splicing-sensitive DNA microarray, we assayed 352 Caenorhabditis elegans alternative cassette exons for changes in embryonic splicing patterns between wild-type and 12 different strains carrying mutations in a splicing factor. We identified many alternative splicing events that are regulated by multiple splicing factors. Many splicing factors have the ability to behave as splicing repressors for some alternative cassette exons and as splicing activators for others. Unexpectedly, we found that the ability of a given alternative splicing factor to behave as an enhancer or repressor of a specific splicing event can change during development. Our observations that splicing factors can change their effects on a substrate during development support a model in which combinatorial effects of multiple factors, both constitutive and developmentally regulated ones, contribute to the overall splicing decision.
GaN Switching Devices for High-Frequency, KW Power Conversion

Large periphery GaN HEMT switches were designed and fabricated using field-plated gates on semi-insulating SiC substrates. The device layout was designed to handle both large currents and support the high bias conditions required for 100V switching. Blocking voltage of >200V was achieved on devices with saturation currents of 0.8A/mm. The switching characteristics of devices with gate periphery of 30-60mm were measured with both resistive and inductive loads, and showed rise- and fall-times of <25ns. Turn-on and turn-off switching losses of 11 muJ were measured at 100V/11A switching in resistive load. Maximum switching currents of 8 and 23A were measured with an inductive load at 60 and 40V, respectively. These results are the first demonstration of high-power (920W), high-speed (<25ns) switching of GaN devices for kW power conversion applications
Random walk distances in data clustering and applications

In this paper, we develop a family of data clustering algorithms that combine the strengths of existing spectral approaches to clustering with various desirable properties of fuzzy methods. In particular, we show that the developed method "Fuzzy-RW," outperforms other frequently used algorithms in data sets with different geometries. As applications, we discuss data clustering of biological and face recognition benchmarks such as the IRIS and YALE face data sets.
Gastrointestinal Hormones in Chronic Pancreatitis

The human pancreas consists of both exocrine and endocrine components, is responsible for the proper digestion of specific food nutrients, and regulates the metabolism of absorbed nutrients. The exocrine and endocrine pancreas are linked not only anatomically and embryologically but also vascularly and functionally. The gastrointestinal hormones regulate the secretion and synthesis of all digestive enzymes in the pancreatic acini (enteroacinar axis) and the secretions of pancreatic islet hormone, particularly insulin (enteroinsular axis). Recently, many islet vascular studies in experimental animals have provided evidence of a coexisting parallel and serial (insuloacinar) angioarchitecture [38]. This arrangement of the islet capillary blood flow to the periinsular acinar plexus has led to the proposal that exocrine pancreatic function is partly regulated by the endocrine islets and their hormones [16]. This functional relationship, enteroacinar axis, enteroinsular axis, and insuloacinar axis are all affected in chronic pancreatitis and can lead to pancreatic exocrine and endocrine defficiency.
Stability of Conidia of an Entomopathogenic Fungus, Nomuraea rileyi , in and on Soil

The half-life of conidia of Nomuraea rileyi (Farlow) Samson layered on the surface of soil and exposed outdoors (at a rate equivalent to the number of conidia produced on a cadaver), was ca. 40 days. About 10% of the original infectivity was lost after 10 days and 99.9% was lost after 250 days of exposure. A residual infectivity of 0.1 % is equivalent to ca. 6 million conidia. In another study, the half-lives of conidia buried and on the soil surface were 90 and 65 days, respectively. After 11 days of exposure, 10% of the original infectivity was lost from both the buried and soil-surface samples, respectively; after ca. 350 and 450 days, ca. 99% was lost in the buried and soil-surface samples, respectively. Results from both studies indicate that conidia can overwinter in the soil and that enough viable conidia to initiate an epizootic are available from larvae that died the previous field season.
Neuropsychological Correlates of Parietal Atrophy in Logopenic Progressive Aphasia (P02.029)

Objective: To examine the association between parietal lobe atrophy and visuospatial/visuoconstructional ability in logopenic progressive aphasia (LPA). Background LPA is characterized by impaired single-word retrieval and repetition of sentences and phrases. It is associated with left posterior perisylvian or parietal atrophy and hypoperfusion or hypometabolism in these same regions on SPECT or PET. Despite known parietal lobe involvement, no studies to date have examined visuospatial functioning in this population. Design/Methods: Fifteen subjects ranging in age from 49 to 83, recruited as part of a larger study of speech and language disorders, received a consensus diagnosis of LPA by two Speech and Language Pathologists. Participants completed the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (Rey-O, copy trial only) and cube analysis subtest of the Visual Object and Space Perception battery (VOSP). Subjects underwent scanning at 3T. We used SPM5 to examine the association between Rey-O and VOSP performances and gray matter volume. Results: Lower Rey-O performances were associated with reduced gray matter volume in medial and lateral parietal and occipital regions, left > right (p right), and scattered areas of the temporal and posterior frontal lobes bilaterally (p Conclusions: Cognitive impairment affecting visuospatial function has not been emphasized in LPA. We found that subjects with LPA experience impairment in visuospatial and visuoconstructional abilities that is associated with gray matter loss in posterior brain regions, left greater than right. The stronger findings with the Rey-O may reflect the greater demands that this task places on higher-order visuospatial planning and organization. Supported by: NIH/NIDCD R01-DC010367-02. Disclosure: Dr. Machulda has nothing to disclose. Dr. Whitwell has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dean has nothing to disclose. Dr. Micklewright has nothing to disclose. Dr. Duffy has nothing to disclose. Dr. Strand has nothing to disclose. Dr. Josephs has nothing to disclose.
Molecular Dynamics Prediction of the Thermal Conductivity of Si/Si1−xGex Superlattices

Molecular dynamics simulations and the non-equilibrium direct method are used to predict the effective cross-plane thermal conductivity of Si/Si1 −x Gex superlattices modeled by the Stillinger-Weber potential. The experimentally observed thermal conductivity design space and the methodology of making the thermal conductivity prediction with the direct method are reviewed. Preliminary results for the thermal conductivity prediction of a Si/Si0.7 Ge0.3 at a temperature of 500 K are discussed.© 2007 ASME
Clinical analysis of acute appendicitis in infants

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of acute appendicitis in infants.Methods Retrospectively analyzed the datas of 95 cases of infant acute appendicitis those who got therapy in our hospital during January 2008 and December 2012,summarized the clinical features of acute appendicitis in infants,discussed its diagnosis and treatment methods. Results Among the 95 cases of acute appendicitis,51children appeared atypical abdominal pain,accounting for 53. 68%. 22 cases of acute appendicitis didn't found abnormal under B-mode ultrasonic diagnostic equipment,accounting for 23. 16%. 23 cases were diagnosed as appendiceal abscess by B-mode ultrasonic diagnostic equipment,accounting for 24. 21%. 16 cases of perforated appendix and accounting for16. 84%. Conclusions The sympotoms of acute appendicitis in infants are atypic,it's easily to delay in diagnosis and have high perforation rate. So suspected acute appendicitis in infants should be examined carefully and repeatedly,once diagnosed,should do emergency surgery.
Anticoagulation Management and Monitoring during Pediatric Extracorporeal Life Support: A Review of Current Issues.

Anticoagulation is an imperfect science and is even more complicated in neonates and young children. The addition of the extracorporeal life support (ECLS) foreign circuit adds an additional layer of complexity. Anticoagulation goals during ECLS are to maintain a clot-free circuit and a hemostatically balanced patient. Unfractionated heparin (UFH) is the default gold standard anticoagulant as no large studies have been performed on any other anticoagulants. This review will focus on the advantages and disadvantages of the various methods to monitor UFH anticoagulation, discuss alternative anticoagulants as well as examine bleeding and thrombotic complications during ECLS.
Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip 1: Child

DDH is a multifactorial condition with a spectrum of abnormalities that can very from mild changes that spontaneously resolve to severe changes that are incapacitating later in life. It may present at birth or become apparent months or years later. Imaging has an important role in both diagnosis and follow up of patients undergoing treatment. Goals of treatment are to achieve congruency of the femoral head and acetabulum and normalise the distribution of biomechanical forces about the joint. The ultimate aim of treatment is to reduce the incidence of symptoms and secondary degeneration later in life.
On the definiteness of graph Laplacians with negative weights: Geometrical and passivity-based approaches

The positive semidefiniteness of Laplacian matrices corresponding to graphs with negative edge weights is studied. Two alternative proofs to a result by Zelazo and Burger (Theorem 3.2), which provides upper bounds on the magnitudes of the negative weights in terms of effective resistances within which to ensure definiteness of the Laplacians, are provided. Both proofs are direct and intuitive. The first employs purely geometrical arguments while the second relies on passivity arguments and the laws of physics for electrical circuits. The latter is then used to establish consensus in multi-agent systems with generalized high-order dynamics. A numerical example is given at the end of the paper to highlight the result.
Cachita’s streets: the virgin of charity, race and revolution in Cuba

This book examines Cuban devotion to their patron saint, la Virgen de la Caridad, or the Virgin of Charity and how religious, racial and governmental politics influence religious practice and proce...
Abstract 5359: Antitumor efficacy of EC1456 in patient derived xenograft models of ovarian, endometrial, NSCLC and TNBC

EC1456, a potent folate-targeted tubulysin conjugate, is currently being evaluated in a phase 1 dose escalation study in patients with advanced solid tumors. To assist in upcoming cancer indication selection decisions for advanced trials, we tested EC1456 against eight patient-derived xenograft (PDX) cancer models. Thus, EC1456 was evaluated as a single agent or in combination with standard of care (SOC) treatments against two folate receptor (FR)-positive models each of ovarian, endometrial, non-small cell lung (NSCLC) and triple negative breast (TNBC) tumor models. Nude mice engrafted subcutaneously with PDX tumors received 4 μmol/kg/week EC1456 for two weeks, following a once a week (SIW) or two times a week (BIW) schedules, either alone or in combination with 15 mg/kg, SIW x 2 Paclitaxel (ovarian and endometrial), 1 mg/kg SIW x 2 eribulin mesylate (TNBC) or 15 mg/kg, SIW docetaxel (NSCLC). EC1456 alone demonstrated tumor growth suppression or stasis in most of the tumor models and significantly greater anti-tumor activity (including cures) with no detectable increase in toxicity when tested in combination with the SOC agents. Overall, EC1456 significantly augmented the growth inhibitory effects of SOC treatments against all four PDX cancer indications examined, thus lending support to future clinical development of this novel FR-targeted agent. Citation Format: Joseph A. Reddy, Alicia Bloomfield, Christina Taylor, Katherine Hargett, Melissa Nelson, Christopher Leamon. Antitumor efficacy of EC1456 in patient derived xenograft models of ovarian, endometrial, NSCLC and TNBC. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 5359. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-5359
Reanalysis of Reported Associations of Beryllium and Lung Cancer in a Large Occupational Cohort.

Objective The aim of this study was to verify and extend reported associations of beryllium exposure and lung cancer by reanalyzing data from a large occupational cohort at three beryllium processing plants. Methods We used standardization and Poisson regression to evaluate the effect of cumulative and maximum exposure, unlagged, and lagged 10 years, adjusting for plant, employment tenure, and date of hire. Exposure was modeled either categorically or continuously using splines. Results Categorical analyses displayed previously reported effect patterns, but not the spline analysis, which provided a more consistent picture of risk across all analyzed groups. Conclusions We found modestly but monotonically increasing risk in the full cohort, by duration of tenure, and within most subgroups defined by plant and date of hire. Regression-based point-wise confidence bands, however, did not clearly separate risk for low versus high exposure groups.
How Videogames Express Ideas

What are the exact aspects of the videogame medium, the precise features or combinations of features that lend themselves to expressing ideas and meaning? To chart this out, I begin with an American legal case that serves as a foundation for the basic issues involved and then move on to show how this relates to some of the broader attitudes the world of videogame discourse. Based on this, I break down the expressive strategies of videogames into three aspects—non-playable sequences, rule-based systems, and the relationship between the two—which I then illustrate with examples proving that videogames can indeed be an expressive medium.
Wire-EDM: a potential manufacturing process for gamma titanium aluminides in future aero engines

Intermetallic TiAl-based alloys represent an important class of lightweight and high-temperature structural materials, ideal for future aircraft engines, with a potential to replace the extensively used nickel-based superalloy Inconel 718. However, due to their improved strength, the manufacturing of components from conventional machining processes is nearly impossible and results in high tool wear. Recent advancements in wire electric-discharge-machining (wire-EDM) technology have made the process capable of cutting hard materials with accuracy, confirming to tight quality standards, meeting huge production targets, in a flexible and an inexpensive manner. In Germany, recent research on wire-EDM of Inconel 718 has shown negligible white layer and an acceptable fatigue performance, in producing the fir tree slots in jet engines. This paper reviews the feasibility of wire-EDM as the preferred machining process over traditional broaching process, for gamma titanium aluminides in future jet engine components.
Main Results and Implications

This chapter summarizes the main results of the book. It derives implications for policies and programs, data and research. Overall, this book offers a new understanding and analysis of the links between disability and wellbeing through the human development model and panel data. The book shows that disability needs to be considered from multiple angles including aging, gender, health, and poverty. It also suggests that disability policies are unlikely to be conducive to human development for all if they focus exclusively on changing the environment and are based on an oppressed minority group approach. This book concludes with a call for inclusion and prevention interventions as the sustainable solutions to the deprivations associated with impairments and health conditions.
The impact of neurally adjusted ventilatory assist mode on respiratory severity score and energy expenditure in infants: a randomized crossover trial

Examine respiratory severity scores (RSS) (mean airway pressure × fraction of inspired oxygen) and resting energy expenditure (REE) on neurally adjusted ventilatory assist (NAVA) compared with synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation with pressure controlled and supported breath (SIMV (PC)PS). A randomized, crossover trial in a level IV neonatal intensive care unit. Twenty-four patients were ventilated with NAVA or SIMV (PC) PS for 12 h and then crossed over to the alternative mode for 12 h. The primary outcome (RSS) and additional secondary respiratory outcomes were analyzed. RSS and measured REE were not different between modes. On NAVA, peak inspiratory pressures were lower (17.8 vs 19.9 cmH2O (P<0.05)) without higher oxygen requirements. Respiratory rates were higher on NAVA (52 vs 39 (P<0.05)), estimated work of breathing (WOB) (0.01 vs 0.04 J l−1 (P<0.05)) was improved. NAVA mode can be safe without increase in RSS or REE. Although respiratory rates were higher, this was offset by lower peak inspiratory pressures and WOB during NAVA.
Brain functional BOLD perturbation modelling for forward fMRI and inverse mapping

Purpose To computationally separate dynamic brain functional BOLD responses from static background in a brain functional activity for forward fMRI signal analysis and inverse mapping. Methods A brain functional activity is represented in terms of magnetic source by a perturbation model: χ = χ0 +δχ, with δχ for BOLD magnetic perturbations and χ0 for background. A brain fMRI experiment produces a timeseries of complex-valued images (T2* images), whereby we extract the BOLD phase signals (denoted by δP) by a complex division. By solving an inverse problem, we reconstruct the BOLD δχ dataset from the δP dataset, and the brain χ distribution from a (unwrapped) T2* phase image. Given a 4D dataset of task BOLD fMRI, we implement brain functional mapping by temporal correlation analysis. Results Through a high-field (7T) and high-resolution (0.5mm in plane) task fMRI experiment, we demonstrated in detail the BOLD perturbation model for fMRI phase signal separation (P + δP) and reconstructing intrinsic brain magnetic source (χ and δχ). We also provided to a low-field (3T) and low-resolution (2mm) task fMRI experiment in support of single-subject fMRI study. Our experiments show that the δχ-depicted functional map reveals bidirectional BOLD χ perturbations during the task performance. Conclusions The BOLD perturbation model allows us to separate fMRI phase signal (by complex division) and to perform inverse mapping for pure BOLD δχ reconstruction for intrinsic functional χ mapping. The full brain χ reconstruction (from unwrapped fMRI phase) provides a new brain tissue image that allows to scrutinize the brain tissue idiosyncrasy for the pure BOLD δχ response through an automatic function/structure co-localization.
CLINICAL FEATURES AND OUTCOMES OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION IN PATIENTS HOSPITALIZED WITH ACUTE PANCREATITIS

We sought to evaluate the prevalence, predictors and outcomes of AF in patients hospitalized with acute pancreatitis. This study was conducted using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database for years 2009-2013. We identified all adults above 18 years of age with acute pancreatitis using the ICD
Issues in achieving noise limited performance in a passive multi-static radar system

A passive, multi-static radar system was developed and deployed in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. This system used reflections of a UHF High Definition Television (HDTV) broadcast signal to detect fixed and rotary-wing aircraft. The goal of this program was to demonstrate the system concept, and to provide a test bed for various algorithmic approaches to achieving noise-limited performance with a high-power, non-cooperative illuminator.
SoS-RSC: A Sum-of-Squares Polynomial Approach to Robustifying Subspace Clustering Algorithms

This paper addresses the problem of subspace clustering in the presence of outliers. Typically, this scenario is handled through a regularized optimization, whose computational complexity scales polynomially with the size of the data. Further, the regularization terms need to be manually tuned to achieve optimal performance. To circumvent these difficulties, in this paper we propose an outlier removal algorithm based on evaluating a suitable sum-of-squares polynomial, computed directly from the data. This algorithm only requires performing two singular value decompositions of fixed size, and provides certificates on the probability of misclassifying outliers as inliers.
Economics of onion production in Nashik district of Maharashtra.

Nashik district is leading in onion production it covers 12.38 per cent of total in the State. A sample of 80 onion growers was selected randomly from 4 villages in Niphad tahsils of Nashik district of Maharashtra State. Onion cultivation is concentrated in the eastern part of the Nashik district. The selected cultivators were classified into three categories i.e. small (below 2 ha), medium (2-4 ha) and large (above 4 ha) based on land holding size of the farmers. The primary data were collected by survey method with the help of pre-tested schedule of questionnaire through personal interview. In view of this, an attempt in this study is made to study profitability and resource productivity in onion production in Nashik district. The average price received was Rs. 910.20, Rs. 977.00 and Rs. 1020.00 per quintal for small, medium and large farmers, respectively. The average net returns over cost ‘A’, cost ‘B’ and cost ‘C’ obtained was only cost ‘A’ Rs. 4121.39, Rs. 6653.29 and Rs. 4810.12 and negative return s obtained were cost ‘B’ and cost ‘C’ Rs. -3215.31, Rs. -1349.56 Rs. -3636.60, Rs.- 7346.81, Rs. -5338.56 and Rs. -6920.60 for small, medium and large farmers, respectively. The average cost of production per quintal of onion were worked out of be at cost ‘A’, cost ‘B’ and cost ‘C’ was Rs. 818.61, Rs. 831.41 and Rs. 915.65 for small farmers, Rs. 981.65, Rs. 1006.53 and Rs. 1098.88 for medium farmers and Rs.1073.46, Rs.1093.81 and Rs. 1170.12 for large farmers. The average input-output ratio at cost ‘A’, cost ‘B’ and cost ‘C’ were worked out to be 1:1.11, 1:1.17, 1:1.11 and 1:0.92,1:0.97, 1:0.92 and 1:0.84, 1:0.89, 1:0.87 for in large farmers followed by medium and small farmers group.
Technoeconomic Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment of an Integrated Biomass Gasification Combined Cycle System

Life cycle assessment quantifies the environmental impacts of all processes used in transforming a raw material to a final product. Performed in conjunction with a technoeconomic feasibility study, the total economic and environmental benefits and drawbacks of a process can be quantified. This technique can be used in project decisionmaking, in allocating research and capital dollars, and in comparing the viability of different projects. Additionally, life cycle assessment can distinguish between truly environmentally friendly processes which either mitigate or eliminate upstream emissions and energy consumption, and those that are only environmentally conscious in their final production step.
Molecular diagnosis of multidrug resistance.

The phenomenon of drug resistance is a major problem in the treatment of cancer. Although there is more than one pathway by which cells acquire drug resistance, one of the best characterized is mediated by P-glycoprotein (Pgp) [1,2]. In humans, this protein is encoded by the mdr1 gene. Pgp acts as an energy-dependent efflux pump, decreasing intracellular accumulation of natural-product chemotherapeutic agents, thereby conferring resistance. Several other classes of drugs have been shown to inhibit Pgp-mediated efflux of these chemotherapeutic agents, thus increasing their cytotoxicity.
Analysis and imaging of boron distribution in maize by quantitative neutron capture radiography

Quantitative neutron capture radiography (QNCR) of 10B found in pre-dried maize samples has been conducted. Calibration standards constructed from filter paper mimicked plant tissues to reduce confounding matrix effects. A mathematical track elimination method improves the LOD as well as the visual contrast image at low boron concentration levels. The LOD for total boron is 1.7 µg/g in a 4 mm2 region of interest (ROI). The w(B) in five individual maize tassel meristems has been determined to be 14.9 µg/g - 21.2 µg/g.
Indigeneity in Geoengineering Discourses: Some Considerations

Indigenous peoples are referenced at various times in communication, debates, and academic and policy discussions on geoengineering (i.e. geoengineering discourses). The discourses I have in mind f...
Disruption of specific flavonoid genes enhances the accumulation of flavonoid enzymes and end-products in Arabidopsis seedlings.

Polyclonal antibodies were developed against the flavonoid biosynthetic enzymes, CHS, CHI, F3H, FLS, and LDOX from Arabidopsis thaliana. These antibodies were used to perform the first detailed analysis of coordinate expression of flavonoid metabolism at the protein level. The pattern of flavonoid enzyme expression over the course of seedling development was consistent with previous studies indicating that chalcone synthase (CHS), chalcone isomerase (CHI), flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H), and flavonol synthase (FLS) are encoded by ‘early’ genes while leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase (LDOX) is encoded by a ‘late’ gene. This sequential expression may underlie the variations in flavonoid end-products produced during this developmental stage, as determined by HPLC analysis, which includes a shift in the ratio of the flavonols, quercetin and kaempferol. Moreover, immunoblot and HPLC analyses revealed that several transparent testa lines blocked at intermediate steps of the flavonoid pathway actually accumulated higher levels of specific flavonoid enzymes and end-products. These results suggest that specific intermediates may act as inducers of flavonoid metabolism.
DREAMers: Growing Up Undocumented in the United States of America

America’s DREAMers have created an immigration debate that is complex and affects families, employment, the economy, public infrastructure, and education. Since Plyer v. Doe (1982), the courts have ruled that undocumented children are entitled to the same right to attend public primary and secondary schools as do US citizens and permanent residents. This court decision has engendered a compelling case for these students to also be eligible for postsecondary education. The status of roughly one million undocumented youth changes when they graduate from high school and they become ineligible for financial aid. While some states have passed laws that allow them to receive state aid, the US House of Representatives and the Senate have never passed the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act in the same congressional session, thus making high school graduates ineligible for any financial aid to pursue higher education. The end result of the legislative failure was the creation of the DREAMers movement that led to the enactment of the Deferred Action for Child Arrivals (DACA) (presidential executive order in June 2012). This executive order is currently in political limbo with serious implications for institutions of higher education obligated to adhere to state and federal regulations. This chapter will review the economic issues, the challenges, and the ramifications of immigration policy that DREAMers face as they attempt to enroll in postsecondary institutions, as well as address the role of colleges and universities in not only embracing the significant immigrant population in this country and providing educational opportunities but in capitalizing on and retaining the US government’s investment in the human, social, and intellectual development of this population.
The novel function of the Ph1 gene to differentiate homologs from homoeologs evolved in Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccoides via a dramatic meiosis-specific increase in the expression of the 5B copy of the C-Ph1 gene

The Ph1 gene is the principal regulator of homoeologous chromosome pairing control (HECP) that ensures the diploid-like meiotic chromosome pairing behavior of polyploid wheat. The HECP control was speculated to have evolved after the first event of polyploidization. With the objective to accurately understand the evolution of the HECP control, wild emmer wheat accessions previously known to differ for HECP control were characterized for the structure and expression of the candidate Ph1 gene, C-Ph1. The C-TdPh1-5A and 5B gene copies of emmer wheat showed 98 and 99% DNA sequence similarity respectively with the corresponding hexaploid wheat copies. Further, the C-TdPh1-5B carried the C-Ph1-5B specific structural changes and transcribed three splice variants as observed in the hexaploid wheat. Further, single nucleotide changes differentiating accessions varying for HECP control were identified. Analyzed by quantitative expression analysis, the wild emmer accessions with HECP control showed ~ 10,000-fold higher transcript abundance of the C-TdPh1-5B copy during prophase-I compared to accessions lacking the control. Differential transcriptional regulation of C-TdPh1-5B splice variants further revealed that C-Ph1-5Balt1 variant is mainly responsible for differential accumulation of C-Ph1-5B copy in accessions with HECP control. Taken together, these results showed that the HECP control evolved via transcriptional regulation of splice variants during meiosis.
Cyclin D1 expression and novel mutational findings in Rosai-Dorfman disease

Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) is an enigmatic histiocytic disorder classically diagnosed by a distinctive combination of pathological features: emperipolesis, or migration of intact haematological cells through the voluminous cytoplasm of lesional histiocytes, and expression of S100 by these histiocytes. The pathogenesis has long been elusive until the recent detection of recurrent and mutually exclusive mutations in several oncogenes in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Based on these findings, we investigated a cohort of 21 RDD patients and found that the lesional histiocytes in 86% (18/21) of patients exhibited strong and diffuse nuclear Cyclin D1 expression, which not only may provide a diagnostic marker for this sometimes pathologically challenging disease, but also probably reflects constitutive MAPK pathway activation because we additionally identified phosphorylated-ERK expression in 90% (19/21) of cases. Further, we performed massively parallel sequencing on a subset (6/18) of the CyclinD1 positive cases, identifying several mutations that have not been previously reported in RDD. Taken together, our findings bolster the concept of RDD as a disease of MAPK activation in a substantial percentage of cases and enhance the current understanding of the pathogenesis of RDD.
Clouds and Precipitation

This chapter introduces the theoretical basis of the seven microphysical processes and the terms of their sub-processes. It discusses the concepts of conservation of total water mass, as well as bulk-parameterizations and spectral cloud models. The various cloud types and cloud morphology as a result of their microphysical properties and formation processes are presented as well. Furthermore, links to applications in remote sensing, and links to the role of clouds in atmospheric chemistry are given.
Defining social skills

Abstract The current chapter tackles the challenge of defining social skills. Existing definitions of both social skills and social competence are reviewed and synthesized. In addition, prominent models of social skills and competence are presented, and the utility of each perspective is discussed. Finally, the models are distilled to four core target skill areas: communication skills, emotion regulation, cognitive skills, and social problem solving. Each target skill area is defined and linked to adjustment and intervention across the lifespan.