cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Image while scan (IWS): An adaptive Gabor spectrum estimation approach

We extend the classical ISAR imaging methodology by introducing a rotating transmit-receive antenna structure that allows us to simultaneously perform target imaging and surface surveillance operations. The inherent problem of processing only a limited number of pulses (per range-bin) is overcome by characterizing the received Doppler signals via a Kalmanized sparse Gabor representation that allows us to accurately capture the spectral information contained in the radar signals at different levels of resolution while also affording us the ability to adapt the representation based on the radar signals received in successive frames. We demonstrate the performance of our spectrum estimation methodology by testing it on real radar data, and comparing it with linear prediction (Burg's method) and sinusoidal Bayesian spectrum estimation algorithms. We find that our approach offers important advantages over previous approaches to Doppler spectrum estimation, while also potentially enabling the incorporation of wavelet thresholding strategies in order to suppress noise present in radar signals due to environmental and systemic factors.
Clinical efficacy and cost benefit of pulse flow oxygen in hospitalized patients.

Pulse flow oxygen administered during early inspiration is a promising approach to oxygen conservation. Previous short-term studies show equivalent arterial PO 2 , 55 to 60 percent oxygen savings, and no reduction of nasal humidity when compared with continuous flow nasal cannula oxygen. This study compares the clinical efficacy of pulse flow and continuous flow oxygen in 100 patients recently hospitalized for diseases requiring O 2 therapy. In an unblinded crossover design, pulse and continuous O 2 were administered alternately during four 5 1/2-hour periods. Oxygen saturation was monitored continuously during the 23-hour study. Mean SaO 2 on pulse flow (95.6 ±2.7 percent) was clinically the same as continuous flow (95.3 ± 2.6 percent). Mean SaO 2 on pulse flow during the 30 minutes before or after each crossover (95.5 ± 3.3 percent) was similar to continuous flow during the 30 minutes near crossover (95.3 ±3.1 percent). It is concluded that the two delivery systems produce similar levels of SaO 2 over the course of a day and night. Analysis of potential cost savings achieved by use of the device for a 350-bed hospital suggests a savings of about $50,000 yearly when accompanied by termination of oxygen humidification. (Chest 1990; 97:369–72)
Human-Currency Interaction: learning from virtual currency use in China

What happens when the domains of HCI design and money intersect? This paper presents analyses from an ethnographic study of virtual currency use in China to discuss implications for game design, and HCI design more broadly. We found that how virtual currency is perceived, obtained, and spent can critically shape gamers' behavior and experience. Virtual and real currencies can interact in complex ways that promote, extend, and/or interfere with the value and character of game worlds. Bringing money into HCI design heightens existing issues of realness, trust, and fairness, and thus presents new challenges and opportunities for user experience innovation.
Simulating birth to investigate clinician-applied loads on newborns.

Abstract This report describes the design, development and testing of a force-measuring birth simulator. Designed to mimic the feel of an obstetric emergency, the simulator is named shoulder dystocia birth model (SDBM). The SDBM consists of a simply supported overhung beam, instrumented with two strain gauges and one commercially-available sensor, all of which are embedded in a maternal manikin that rests on a height-adjustable scissors jack. Rigidly affixed to the free end of the beam, a model of a newborn head protrudes from the manikin to allow physicians to simulate the loads they exert when delivering a newborn. A microcomputer-based data acquisition system monitors, analyses and processes the output from the gauges and the sensor in real time. The system measures axial force and vertical force to within 2% accuracy and the end-moment to within 5% accuracy. Testing with 15 University of Maryland clinicians simulating routine, difficult and SD deliveries reveals average peak force magnitudes of 68 N, 118 N and 172 N and average peak moment magnitudes of 138 N.cm, 384 N.cm and 621 N.cm, respectively. The standard deviations for these average peak values are large indicating wide variation in perceived loads required to deliver. Confirming clinical observation, average peak forces for some difficult and many shoulder dystocia deliveries exceed the force necessary to induce clavicle fracture at birth.
Airport cities and metropolitan labor markets: an extension and response to Cidell

Using Census 2000 CTPP tract-level data for the 51 largest U.S. metropolitan areas, airport cities—agglomerations of employment anchored by airports—are placed in the context of metropolitan spatial form in order to understand their emergence and function. Major airports anchor significant concentrations of employment which average one-third to one-half the size of the respective CBDs, depending upon the operationalization, while 80% of the airports anchor employment agglomerations. Airport cities are anchored by airports but not driven by aviation. The relationship between spatial form and economic function suggests that need for airport access determines the location of transportation-providing employment while spatial employment filtering, based on urban land costs and agglomeration benefits, are responsible for the presence of transportation-supporting and transportation-using employment, such as producer services.
Cell surface glycoengineering improves selectin-mediated adhesion of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs): Pilot validation in porcine ischemia-reperfusion model

Promising results are emerging in clinical trials focused on stem cell therapy for cardiology applications. However, the low homing and engraftment of the injected cells to target tissue continues to be a problem. Cellular glycoengineering can address this limitation by enabling the targeting of stem cells to sites of vascular injury/inflammation. Two such glycoengineering methods are presented here: i. The non-covalent incorporation of a P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) mimetic 19Fc[FUT7(+)] via lipid-protein G fusion intermediates that intercalate onto the cell surface, and ii. Over-expression of the α(1,3)fucosyltransferse FUT7 in cells. Results demonstrate the efficient coupling of 19Fc[FUT7(+)] onto both cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), with coupling being more efficient when using protein G fused to single-tailed palmitic acid rather than double-tailed DOPE (1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine). This non-covalent cellular modification was mild since cell proliferation and stem-cell marker expression was unaltered. Whereas coupling using 19Fc[FUT7(+)] enhanced cell capture on recombinant P-selectin or CHO-P cell surfaces, α(1,3)fucosylation was necessary for robust binding to E-selectin and inflamed endothelial cells under shear. Pilot studies confirm the safety and homing efficacy of the modified stem cells to sites of ischemia-reperfusion in the porcine heart. Overall, glycoengineering with physiological selectin-ligands may enhance stem cell engraftment.
Interaction of thrombospondin with platelet glycoproteins GPIa-IIa and GPIIb-IIIa.

Abstract The interaction of human thrombospondin (TSP) with GPIa-IIa and GPIIb-IIIa was studied. The binding for both proteins became time-independent after 60 min. A 7-fold excess concentration of unlabelled GPIa-IIa added either initially, or after time-dependent binding, resulted in a 50% inhibition of GPIa-IIa bound to TSP. GPIa-IIa and GPIIb-IIIa specifically bound TSP since: (a) the binding of GPIIb-IIIa to TSP was dependent on the presence of 1 mM MgCl2 and 1 mM CaCl2, whereas binding of GPIa-IIa was ion-independent. (b) The binding was saturable, with dissociation constants of 0.69 +/- 0.17 microM and 3.77 +/- 1.02 microM for GPIa-IIa and GPIIb-IIIa respectively. (c) GPIIb-IIIa and GPIa-IIa did not significantly bind to BSA. (d) GPIIb-IIIa bound fibrinogen ion-specifically, whereas little or no binding of GPIa-IIa was detectable. (e) Both GPIIb-IIIa and GPIa-IIa bound collagen in an ion-independent manner. (f) GPIIb-IIIa did not compete with GPIa-IIa for binding to TSP. (g) Binding of GPIa-IIa to TSP was inhibited with anti-(GPIa-IIa) (6F1), whereas mouse IgG and anti-(GPIIb-IIIa) (AP-2) had no effect. (h) The interaction of GPIa-IIa with TSP is 5.5-fold more favourable than that of GPIIb-IIIa suggesting that GPIa-IIa may be a preferred binding protein for TSP-mediated platelet adhesion.
The Price-Perceived Quality Relationship: Experimental Evidence:

Although it is generally agreed that the price and perceived quality of a product are highly related, there is still a paucity of empirical evidence demonstrating the form of this relationship. Specifically, price is thought to serve as an indicant of quality whenever there is little previous experience with the product or potential risk or uncertainty involved in its use [4, 7, 8, 10]. Stafford and Enis [9, p. 456] adroitly summarize this area of research when they state: "It appears obvious to us that if price data provide the only clue to product quality, then perceived quality should be expected to vary directly with price." Recent studies, however, suggest this relationship might not be quite so direct. In a study using three brands of beer (physically identical except for price and brand name) McConnell [5] found a nonlinear price-perceived quality relationship, although its exact form was unspecified. Gabor and Granger [2, 3] had consumers state the highest and lowest prices at which they would consider purchasing certain inexpensive foods and nondurables (e.g., nylon stockings). They then determined sets of upper and lower price limits for each of the products and concluded that within these limits price may well serve as an indicant of quality, but above and below them, respectively, the product will be perceived as being too expensive or of questionable quality. Such results imply the priceperceived quality relationship may be direct or monotonic only within certain intervals, but perhaps nonlinear or even discontinuous outside of these intervals. Given this lack of evidence concerning the nature of the price-perceived quality relationship the purpose of this study was to experimentally investigate this relationship for a specific product in an attempt to document its underlying nature. Specifically, it was hypothesized that for a product about which there is a lack of information, (1) price would serve as a major determinant of quality perception, and (2) this price-perceived quality relationship would be nonlinear. METHODOLOGY Product
Analysis of influenza monitoring results in Wuxi City from 2011-2013

[Objective]To explore the epidemical features and the variation of advantage seasonal influenza strains in Wuxi City,and provide evidence for influenza control.[Methods] All ILI case data from 2 sentinel hospitals between 2011-2013 were collected. Real-time PCR was used to conduct the nucleic acid detection. All data were collected and analyzed.[Results]During2011-2013, the average ILI attendance rate was 1.64%. Age group of 0-5 year(68.98%)was the main part of ILI cases. Etiology data showed that the average positive rate was 11.17%, among which 35.88% were influenza B, 15.51% were H1N1, 48.61% were seasonal H3N2. Seasonal H1N1 positive cases were not found. Influenza strains were different between age groups( χ2=27.799,P 0.01).[Conclusion]The influenza epidemic intensity in Wuxi City is at normal level from 2011-2013. Seasonal H3N2 and influenza B virus are advantaged seasonal influenza strains alternatively since April 2011. Enhanced control and prevention should be done in higher influenza positive rates groups.
DIGITÁLNÍ GENEALOGIE A BADATELSKY ORIENTOVANÁ VÝUKA INFORMATIKY NA ZÁKLADNÍ ŠKOLE

Clanek představuje možnosti realizace badatelsky orientovane výuky ve výuce informatiky s využitim digitalni genealogie, jeho soucasti je i tematický a casový plan konkretniho projektu využiti badani v elektronických archivech ve výuce informatiky na druhem stupni zakladni skoly. Clanek dale informuje o možnostech využiti internetu a digitalnich forem archivalii při genealogickem výzkumu a tvorbě rodokmenů. Popisuje jednotlive druhy matrik a v nich uvedene matricni udaje a předevsim předklada podrobný postup prace s digitalnimi matrikami vcetně možnosti generovani různých genealogických výstupů a kompletni webove prezentace rodokmenu.
Cell Configuration, Substratum and Growth Control

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of cell configuration, substratum, and growth control. Cell shape plays an important role in growth control. While measurements of cell shape appear tightly coupled to growth control, it should not be misconstrued that shape itself has anything to do with the mechanism of its effect. The experiments discussed in the chapter suggest that several different phenomena of cell culture may be linked because they are all mediated by cell shape. Thus, anchorage dependence, density dependent inhibition of growth, and the response to wounding, may be explained by the changes that they bring about in cell shape. Whatever the mechanism by which poly(HEMA) reduces adhesivity of polystyrene, cells respond by a change in shape. There is a link between cell shape and tumor angiogenesis. Because tumor cells seem to be able to escape the controls of cell shape on growth, they reach cell densities and a level of crowdedness not attainable by normal cells. The cost of such high cell density appears in the greatly increased demand for oxygen and nutrients, and for a means of diffusing away wastes.
Ultrasonic Evaluation of Breast Masses

Fifteen patients with breast masses ranging in size from 1.5 to 18 cm. were evaluated by compound B-mode ultrasonic scanning utilizing a 2.25 and 5 megaHertz transducer. The masses were classified as cystic, solid or complex (cvstic and solid). A diagnostic accuracv of 100% was obtained in 12 confirmed cases.
LACTIC ACID FERMENTATION OF SOYBEAN MILK

Growth rates of 8 Lactobacillus acidophilus strains and four Lactobacillus bulgaricus strains were compared in soybean milk and soybean milk enriched with glucose, lactose, and sucrose. Four L. acidophilus strains grew well in soybean milk; the remainder grew better in soybean milk supplemented with glucose or lactose. In general, soybean milk was not an adequate media for strains of L. bulgaricus. Almost all these cultures, however, could adapt themselves to the environments of the media tested. A soybean milk drink fermented by L. acidophilus NRRL B-1910 was prepared and evaluated by a taste panel. The drink had a refreshing sweet-sour taste, and the beany flavor of soybeans was masked by the fermentation process.
Analysis of bending region physics in determining electrospun fiber diameter: effect of relative humidity on evaporation and force balance

This paper explores the role of the bending region and relative humidity (RH) in determining the resulting electrospun fiber diameter through a combined experimental and modeling analysis. Analysis of experimental measurements on PEO/water and PVP/alcohol solutions indicates that the bending region is significant in determining the final fiber diameter. A model is developed, to determine the dominant process physics of the bending region, predicting the final fiber diameter to be within 6% of experimental observations. The experimental analysis reveals that stretching in the bending region accounts for 40–60% of the stretching in the electrospinning process and the significant impact that RH has on fiber diameters. Our modeling analysis reveals the role of both evaporation and stretching in the bending region, and how RH influences both the jet length (stretching time) and force balance to determine the final fiber diameter.
In-situ stress analysis for aluminum-induced crystallization of germanium as a function of anneal ramp time

The effects of annealing ramp-rate during aluminum-induced crystallization were observed in-situ, and play a vital role in initial grain formation and termination, respectively. The absolute Al and Ge thickness, as well as the ratio between them, were varied in an attempt to minimize both the initial stress in the film as well as the stress induced while the anneal progressed. It was found that bilayer films with 300 nm of Al and 200 nm of Ge, annealed at a ramp-up rate of 1 °C/s and a ramp-down rate of 0.1 °C/s, produced the largest grains (∼90 μm) compared to samples with either thinner Al layers, thicker Ge layers, or different ramp-up or ramp-down rates that were also analyzed in this study.
A first principles kinetic Monte Carlo investigation of the adsorption and mobility of gadolinium on the (100) surface of tungsten

Abstract An accurate characterization of lanthanide adsorption and mobility on tungsten surfaces is important for pyroprocessing. In the present study, the adsorption and diffusion of gadolinium on the (100) surface of tungsten was investigated. It was found that the hollow sites were the most energetically favorable for the adsorption. It was further observed that a magnetic moment was induced following the adsorption of gadolinium on the tungsten surface and that the system with adsorbed hollow sites had the largest magnetization. A pathway for the surface diffusion of gadolinium was determined to occur by hopping between the nearest neighbor hollow sites via the bridge site and the activation energy for the hop was calculated to be 0.75 eV. The surface diffusion process was further assessed using two distinct kinetic Monte Carlo models; one that accounted for lateral adsorbate interactions up to the second nearest neighbor and one that did not account for such interatomic interactions in the adlayer. When the lateral interactions were included in the simulations, the diffusivity was observed to have a strong dependence on coverage (for the coverage values being studied). The effects of lateral interactions were further observed in a one-dimensional simulation of the diffusion equation where the asymmetry in the surface coverage profile upon its approach to a steady state distribution was clear in comparison with the simulations which did not account for those interactions.
Who Gained Health Insurance Coverage under the ACA, and Where Do They Live?

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is credited with reducing the number of uninsured by 20 million and bringing the uninsurance rate to a historic low. In this brief, we take a detailed look at changes in health insurance coverage among the nonelderly population from 2010 to 2015. We use data from the American Community Survey to compute uninsured rates for the nation, individual states, and demographic groups. We find that gains in coverage were large and broad-based for all Americans under 65, for both men and women, and across subgroups based on race/ethnicity, levels of educational attainment, and states. Congress is now considering options to repeal the ACA; removal of key provisions without new policies capable of maintaining these coverage gains would result in millions of Americans, of all ages and backgrounds and in all states, losing health insurance.
Artful Resources: Adaptation and Reconstruction in Drama

There is an obvious relation between the imitation and adaptation of literary works. The focus of the essay is the adaptation of early Spanish modern works —including Don Quijote and plays by Cervantes, Lope de Vega, and Juan Ruiz de Alarcon— and Miguel de Unamuno’s Niebla into dramatic texts in English. Adaptation becomes a method of reading, analysis, and interpretation, as well as a form of communication among authors.
Interleukin-3 (IL-3) stimulates the clonal growth of pulmonary alveolar macrophage of the mouse: role of IL-3 in the regulation of macrophage production outside the bone marrow

Interleukin-3 (IL-3) is one of the hematopoietic growth factors that regulates the growth and differentiation of pluripotent stem cells, thereby leading to the production of all the major blood cell types. The role of IL-3 in the regulation of pulmonary alveolar macrophage (PAM) production was investigated. IL-3 stimulated the proliferation and clonal growth of murine PAM with a dose-response curve similar to that of bone marrow granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming cells. The IL- 3-induced colony formation by cells outside the bone marrow appeared to be unique to PAM; IL-3 failed to cause colony formation by both peritoneal exudate macrophages (PEM) and blood monocytes. Unlike bone marrow stem cells, PAM are unipotential and in vitro gave rise to only mononuclear phagocytes under the influence of IL-3. Nevertheless, cells derived from PAM cultures in media containing IL-3 displayed a high degree of heterogeneity in terms of their Fc receptor-mediated phagocytic activity. At low concentrations, IL-3 induced a synergistic response with colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1), which resulted in an enhanced proliferative capacity of PAM. A synergistic effect was also observed by short-term exposure of PAM to IL-3 followed by incubating with CSF-1 alone. This study shows that IL-3 exhibited a macrophage growth factor activity unique to PAM.
A Functional Approach to Assessing Consent for Biospecimen Research.

How best to approach secondary research with biospecimens was one of the most contentious issues addressed in the recent rulemaking process to amend the federal Common Rule. Dickert and colleagues'...
Effects of color in filmed behavior sequences on description and elaboration by liberian schoolboys

Scanlon (1967,1970) found significant color effects when he content analyzed and compared written accounts about achromatic and chromatic versions of the same television programs. The present study which replicated many aspects of Scanlon’s studies but used more rigorous and systematic procedures, confirms Scanlon’s idea as a useful one but does not support Scanlon’s findings. It appears that for some simple cognitive tasks, a chromatic presentation seems to elicit more verbal responses than an achromatic version.
Development and Analysis of a Spiral Theory-based Cybersecurity Curriculum: (Abstract Only)

The current emphasis on cybersecurity worldwide, demonstrates the importance of this topic. This poster describes a unique NSF funded project that aims to create cybersecurity education opportunities at Virginia Tech (VT). It is a collaborative effort among faculty and graduate students in the Engineering Education, Computer Science (CS), Electrical and Computer Engineering (includes two majors, Electrical Engineering (EE) and Computer Engineering (CPE)) Departments, and the Hume Center in the College of Engineering at VT. The goal is to integrate cybersecurity modules into eight required CS and CPE courses, from freshman to junior levels, utilizing Jeremy Bruner's spiral-theory-based1,2 curriculum model. A spiraling theme of "handling threats to software for securing information" is chosen that will be returned to repeatedly as learners advance in their knowledge and intellectual capacity. Cybersecurity goals of the Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability, Authenticity, Anonymity, Assurance (CIA/AAA) triad, as appropriate for various academic levels, are adopted to develop the cybersecurity modules. Each module engages students in an authentic activity that reinforces the cybersecurity concepts. The project includes an engineering education research component, which is focused on evaluating the effectiveness of the curriculum in enhancing students' knowledge, skills, and motivation in cybersecurity concepts. The first year of the project has been completed by introducing cybersecurity modules into four courses (CS: Introduction to Software Design, and Software Design and Data Structures, and CPE: Engineering Problem Solving with C++, and Data Structures and Algorithms) impacting ~1600 students. The details of curriculum development, implementation and, preliminary findings of the research will be presented.
The Role of Obedience in Child Faith Formation: Insights from the Teachings and Practices of John Wesley

This article explores Wesley's directive to “break the will” of the child in order to achieve obedience, which he saw as the foundation for faith formation, and offers implications of this directiv...
Interdisciplinary Team-Based Management of Heart Failure

Multidisciplinary team disease management has evolved into consensus ‘best practice’ in the care of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). The mission of disease management for patients with CHF is to shift care from the hospital to the clinic and to the home, optimize quality of care in concert with consensus guidelines, reduce admissions by 40% and improve functional status and quality of life. The Partners Heart Care program has been operational for 5 years and enrolled hundreds of patients throughout the Partners Health Care System in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. This program enrolls patients following hospital discharge in a physician-directed multidisciplinary interventional care program, run by nurse practitioners, which incorporates several levels of care dependent upon patient acuity. Following clinical stabilization and optimal titration of oral therapy in concert with consensus care guidelines, patients transition to a longitudinal care program. The primary responsibility for the clinical care of patients in all phases of the program resides with nurse practitioners and primary care physicians, with heart failure specialists serving as consultants on an as-needed basis. Data on pre-specified program outcomes such as quality of care, mortality, hospital admissions, functional status, procedure use and costs are collected prospectively and provide benchmarks for continuous quality improvement. The most critical lesson learned in development to date is the necessity of precise tailoring of the program to local patient and provider needs with local oversight and management.
On the Limiting Proportion of Types

Consider a system into which units of random “type” enter at fixed points in time. Suppose each unit is endowed with a lifetime whose distribution is specific to its type, during which it is “active” (present in the system), and after which it is inactive (deleted from the system). Some unit types may tend to remain active for longer periods than others, and thus the limiting proportion of a given type within the active population may differ from the probability that an entering unit is of that type. The relation between the probabilities of types and the limiting proportion of types is shown to depend on the life distributions in a manner determined by the arrival time sequence.
Folding Polyominoes from One Level to Two

For any given polyomino, is it possible to cut it into pieces and then hinge the pieces, so that the polyomino folds up into a similar version of itself but two levels thick? While we don't know ho...
Tussilagone, a major active component in Tussilago farfara, ameliorates inflammatory responses in dextran sulphate sodium-induced murine colitis

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronically relapsing inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. Current IBD treatments are associated with poor tolerability and insufficient therapeutic efficacy, prompting the need for alternative therapeutic approaches. Recent advances suggest promising interventions based on a number of phytochemicals. Herein, we explored the beneficial effects of tussilagone, a major component of Tussilago farfara, in mice subjected to acute colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). Treatment with tussilagone resulted in a significant protective effect against DSS-induced acute colitis in mice via amelioration of weight loss, and attenuation of colonic inflammatory damage. Additionally, the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 and the activity of myeloperoxidase in colonic tissues were significantly reduced in tussilagone-treated mice. Furthermore, immunohistochemical analysis revealed that tussilagone treatment reduced the numbers of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and increased the numbers of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in nuclei of colonic tissues. Taken together, tussilagone treatment attenuated DSS-induced colitis in mice through inhibiting the activation of NF-κB and inducing Nrf2 pathways, indicating that tussilagone is a potent therapeutic candidate for treatment of intestinal inflammation.
Sex-Specific Protection Against Diet-Induced Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in TRPV1 Null Mice

Abstract Objectives TRPV1 channels have been linked to the development and progression of diabetes at multiple levels, including control of appetite and weight, regulation of pancreatic function, thermogenesis, metabolism and energy homeostasis. Despite this, little information is known regarding its role in liver homeostasis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Methods and Results To better understand the role of TRPV1 in liver metabolism, we explored the effects of a high fat/sugar diet (Western, 24-week regimen) in male and female wild type (WT) and TRPV1-null (V1KO) mice. Our data reveal that loss of the TRPV1 gene makes mice susceptible to diet-induced obesity and induces NAFLD. V1KO mice displayed gross phenotypic and gross morphological changes including insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, increased body mass and central adiposity on a western diet compared to WT counterparts. Western fed V1KO mice exhibited gross changes in liver morphology and size compared to western fed WT mice, which were supported with histological H&E and Oil Red O staining. Accompanying the liver changes, Western fed V1KO mice exhibited altered lipid profiles as demonstrated by elevated hepatic triglyceride, cholesterol and free fatty acid levels compared to western fed WT mice. Interestingly, female V1KO mice fed a western diet displayed significant protection against diet-induced obesity and the progression of NAFLD compared to their male counterparts. Taken together, these data suggest that loss of TRPV1 promotes fat accumulation, NAFLD development and changes in liver lipid profiles in male mice, the extent to which is less severe in female V1KO mice. Conclusion In conclusion, TRPV1 may be a protective therapeutic target for the prevention of NAFLD development in diet-induced obesity.
Germline variants and family history in caucasian and African-American prostate cancer.

e16548Background: Family history (FH) is a well-documented risk factor for prostate cancer (PCa). Previously, germline pathogenic variants (PVs) have been identified in metastatic PCa. The goal of ...
Abstract TP342: Protective Effects of the Lipophilic Dadmdft Iron Chelator Against Brain Hemoglobin Toxicity

Background and Purpose: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a devastating form of stroke, and therapies are largely non-existent. Among the deleterious processes occurring after ICH, iron toxicity is suggested to contribute to secondary injury. There is a pressing need for the continued development of new iron-chelating agents that can selectively remove released iron after ICH from brain tissues especially vulnerable to iron-induced toxicity. The DADMDFT analogue [( S )-4,5-dihydro-2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-4-thiazolecarboxylic acid] used here is a more lipophilic iron chelator that achieves higher concentrations in the plasma and has a longer half-life than most commonly used chelators. Methods: The DADMDFT-treated mice were subjected to intrastriatal injection of stroma-free hemoglobin. Infarct volume and ferric iron distribution were assessed by using Cresyl violet and Perls’ staining respectively. Knowing that hemoglobin can activate microglial cells, thus microglial activation was monitored by Iba1 immunohistochemistry. Behavioral functions were evaluated by rotarod and neurological deficit score at 24 and 72h after hemoglobin injection. Results: We found that DADMDFT treatment at 75 and 150μmol/kg both significantly reduced the lesion volume after hemoglobin intrastriatal injection. Moreover, around the lesion site, smaller accumulation of iron was observed after DADMDFT treatment in contrast to the vehicle group. Our quantitative analyses indicated that there were more activated microglial cells at peri-lesion area with DADMDFT treatment at the dose of 75 and 150μmol/kg, as compared to the vehicle-treated group. In behavioral tests, DADMDFT treatment significantly prolonged the latency to fall during the rotarod test at 150μmol/kg at 24h after injection. In addition, DADMDFT of 75 and 150μmol/kg significantly improved the neurological deficit score at 24 and 72h after injection. Conclusions: We found that the lipophilic DADMDFT can protect brain tissue from hemoglobin toxicity. The potential mechanism of its protective effects is that DADMDFT treatment could help maintaining the cell number and phagocytosis function of activated microglia around the lesion site, which could promote the clearance of toxic ferric iron.
Accuracy of Jet Direction on Doppler Echocardiography in Identifying the Etiology of Mitral Regurgitation in Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Background Mitral valve regurgitation (MR) mediated by systolic anterior motion (SAM) in obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is traditionally characterized by a posteriorly directed jet on Doppler echocardiography. Many believe that MR in the absence of a posteriorly directed jet signals the presence of intrinsic mitral valve (MV) disease. Methods A total of 709 adult patients with obstructive HCM who underwent septal myectomy were evaluated; 330 of these patients had >2 + MR preoperatively and constituted the study group. SAM-mediated MR was defined as MR that was eliminated or substantially reduced by myectomy for relief of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction with no need for MV intervention. Results On preoperative transthoracic echocardiography, 168 of 258 patients with SAM-mediated MR and nine of 28 patients with intrinsic MV disease had isolated posterior jets, corresponding to sensitivity and specificity of 65.1% and 67.9% for identifying SAM-mediated MR; the positive predictive value was 94.9% and the negative predictive value was 17.4%. On prebypass transesophageal echocardiography, 169 of 284 patients with SAM-mediated MR and five of 28 patients with intrinsic MV disease had isolated posterior jets, corresponding to sensitivity and specificity of 59.5% and 82.1%; the positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 97.1% and 16.7%. Conclusion A posteriorly directed jet of MR in obstructive HCM correlates highly with SAM as the underlying pathophysiologic mechanism, but because of the low negative predictive value, clinicians should be cautious in using the jet direction of MR on preoperative transthoracic echocardiography to guide the decision for concomitant MV surgery during septal myectomy for HCM.
Preoperative Sinonasal Symptom Scores Predict Post-Surgery, Post-Aspirin Desensitization Disease Status in Aspirin Exacerbated Respiratory Disease

Author(s): Kuan, Edward C; Kennedy, William P; Patel, Neil N; Kohanski, Michael A; Tong, Charles C; Kennedy, David W; Palmer, James; Adappa, Nithin D; Bosso, John V
Abstract 5002: Investigating the role of NF- κB signaling and immune checkpoint blockade therapy in melanoma

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) treatments, such as anti-PD1, improves survival in patients with metastatic melanoma. Despite durable response rates, 40-50% of patients show no benefit. Implicated in acquired resistance is the downregulation of antigen presentation, via dysfunction of the interferon-receptor pathway. However, little is known about intrinsic response mechanisms to ICB. The NF-κB-pathway is important for immune response as a key transcription factor for several antigen presentation proteins and cytokine/chemokine production. This study explored NF-κB signaling in patients with favorable, or unfavorable responses to anti-PD1 therapy. Fifty-two patients with metastatic melanoma were grouped into complete or partial responders (CR/PR; n = 6 and 15, respectively), and stable or progressive disease (SD/PD; n = 16 and 15, respectively). Consistent with other studies, tumor mutational burden assessed by whole exome sequencing (WES) was higher in the CR/PR group (p = 0.03). WES analysis also showed an enrichment of variants in NF-κB-pathway related genes within the CR/PR group (14/21, 67%) compared with SD/PD patients (6/31, 19%), p = 0.001. Notably, the hotspot variants G34E/R and G41E in NFKBIE, a negative regulator of NF-κB, were found exclusively in patients with complete or partial response to ICB (5/21, 24%). RNA-seq analysis of 19 tumors showed that the TNFα/NF-κB signaling pathway is upregulated in the CR/PR group, and highly expressed genes included CD83, HLA-DQB, and NFATC1. Therefore we hypothesized that when activated, particularly within the melanoma cells, this pathway contributes to an anti-tumor immune response. Using HEK293 cells, we demonstrated NFKBIEG34E increased NF-κB activity compared with the wildtype, upon TNFα stimulation. Consistently, flow cytometry also show an increase of targets of NF-κB transcription such as CD83, MHC class II, and PDL1. Similarly, the melanoma cell line A375, which harbors the NFKBIEG34E mutation, showed increases in protein expression when stimulated with TNFα and INFγ. Furthermore, progression free survival increased in patients that had tumors with an NF-κB-pathway variant compared with patients that were pathway wildtype (p = 0.03). Patients harboring tumors with NF-κB-pathway variants also had a greater response by RECIST criteria compared with wildtype. Taken together, our results suggest that an increase of pro-immunogenic NF-κB signaling in the tumor may contribute to the favorable response to ICB, highlighting a role for CD83 in the tumor microenvironment that merits further examination. Citation Format: Keith Wells, Jennifer Hintzsche, Carol M. Amato, Richard Tobin, Victoria Vorwald, Martin McCarter, Yiqun Shellman, Aik Choon Tan, William Robinson. Investigating the role of NF- κB signaling and immune checkpoint blockade therapy in melanoma [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 5002.
Does This Patient Have Parkinson Disease or Essential Tremor

In the elderly patient with tremor, the differential diagnosis is usually between essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson disease (PD). A careful history and examination are the keys to the diagnosis. Essential tremor is a bilateral action tremor of the upper limbs whereas PD begins unilaterally and is a rest tremor. A handwriting sample can usually distinguish PD from ET as the former is small (micrographic) but atremulous whereas writing in ET is tremulous but normal sized. In ET, there are no signs aside from tremor but in PD, the tremor is accompanied by bradykinesia and rigidity.
COMPUTER GRAPHICS APPLICATIONS IN ELECTROMAGNETIC COMPUTER MODELING

ABSTRACT ABSTRACT The use of computer graphics as an integral part of the solution process in electromagnetic computer modeling is as yet relatively undeveloped. In this paper we consider now and in what ways computer graphics might be employee in EM modeling. First, we summarize plotting quantities, variables, and formats that can be used. Then, we provide a selection of representative examples to illustrate various graphics applications. It is our nope to stimulate increased attention to an area that we believe can contribute significantly to the more effective use of computer modeling.
RKKY interaction between Ce ions in Ce x La 1-x B 6

Ce ions in (Ce{sub x}La{sub 1-x})B{sub 6} have a {Gamma}{sub 8} ground multiplet, which is fourfold degenerate and has orbital and spin content. The interaction between Ce ions is of the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) type, which competes with the Kondo screening. The conduction states of the compound are described by three approximately ellipsoidal pockets centered at the X points of the cubic lattice. The RKKY interaction is calculated considering the interference of the three pockets. The interaction strength strongly depends on the relative position of the ions, as well as on the relative orientation of the line joining two ions to the cubic crystalline field axis. The sixteen states of a pair of Ce ions are split by the RKKY interaction into a singlet, a triplet, and a twelvefold degenerate level. The ground state is always either a singlet or a triplet, depending on the sign of the interaction. Using the exact Bethe ansatz solution of a model for a pair of interacting impurities with {Gamma}{sub 8} ground multiplet, we calculate the occupation of the levels, the magnetic-field susceptibility, the specific-heat {gamma} coefficient, and the Wilson ratio for the ground state as a function of the ratio of the RKKY couplingmore » strength to the Kondo temperature along the main crystallographic directions. As a consequence of the RKKY splitting a pair of impurities always has a quadrupolar moment. The implication of the interactions on the quadrupolar order of CeB{sub 6} is also discussed.« less
How the COVID-19 pandemic could reduce near-retirees' Social Security benefits

A quirk in the Social Security benefit formula interacting with the sharp economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic could cause certain groups of near-retirees to suffer significant and permanent reductions to their Social Security retirement benefits. A sudden decline in the Social Security Administration (SSA)'s measure of economywide average wages in the year a worker turns 60 causes the Social Security benefit formula to devalue all the worker's earnings prior to age 60, resulting in a lower measure of career-average earnings and a lower benefit in retirement. A middle-income worker aged 60 in 2020 could receive an annual Social Security benefit reduction of around 9%, with losses through retirement approaching $46,000. Individuals becoming eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits would be subject to similar reductions in percentage terms. Several methods are discussed to reduce or eliminate the likelihood of similar benefit ‘notches’ occurring in the future.
Mandated Disclosure, Stock Returns, and the 1964 Securities Acts Amendments

The 1964 Securities Acts Amendments extended the mandatory disclosure requirements that had applied to listed firms since 1934 to large firms traded Over-the-Counter (OTC). We find several pieces of evidence indicating that investors valued these disclosure requirements, two of which are particularly striking. First, a firm-level event study reveals that OTC firms most impacted by the 1964 Amendments had abnormal excess returns of about 3.5 percent in the weeks immediately surrounding the announcement that they had begun to comply with the new requirements. Second, we estimate that the most affected OTC firms had abnormal excess returns ranging between 11.5 and 22.1 percent in the period between when the legislation was initially proposed and when it went it went into force, relative to unaffected listed firms and after adjustment for the standard four-factor model. While we cannot determine how much of shareholders' gains were a transfer from insiders of these same companies, our results suggest that mandatory disclosure causes managers to more narrowly focus on the maximization of shareholder value.
Error simulation modeling to assess the effects of bias and precision on bilirubin measurements used to screen for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.

Objectives Error simulation models have been used to understand the relationship between analytical performance and clinical outcomes. We developed an error simulation model to understand the effects of method bias and precision on misclassification rate for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia using an age-adjusted risk assessment tool. Methods For each of 176 measured total bilirubin (TSBM) values, 10,000 simulated total bilirubin (TBS) values were generated at each combination of bias and precision conditions for coefficient of variation (CV) between 1 and 15%, and for biases between -51.3 μmol/L and 51.3 μmol/L (-3 and 3 mg/dL) fixed bias. TBS values were analyzed to determine if they were in the same risk zone as the TSBM value. We then calculated sensitivity and specificity for prediction of ≥75th percentile for postnatal age values as a function of assay bias and precision, and determined the rate of critical errors (≥95th percentile for age TSBM with Results A sensitivity >95% for predicting ≥75th percentile bilirubin values was observed when there is a positive fixed bias of greater than 17.1 μmol/L (1.0 mg/dL) and CV is maintained ≤10%. A specificity >70% for predicting 0.2% until negative bias was -17.1 μmol/L (-1 mg/dL) or lower. Conclusions A positive systematic bias of 17.1 μmol/L (1 mg/dL) may be optimal for balancing sensitivity and specificity for predicting ≥75th percentile TSB values. Negative systematic bias should be avoided to allow detection of high risk infants and avoid critical classification errors.
Diabetic Retinopathy Classification using a Combination of EfficientNets

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is a diabetes complication that affects vision. It is caused by damage to the blood vessels of retina. Early and accurate detection of DR is crucial to reduce likelihood of progression to proliferative retinopathy and blindness. This paper proposes a method for classifying the severity of DR using deep learning. Experiments were conducted by blending the members of EfficientNet for classification of the diabetic retinopathy image as no DR, mild, moderate, severe, or proliferative DR. The models have been trained using different datasets and best model achieved a quadratic kappa score of 0.924377 on the APTOS test dataset. The results are promising and warrant further investigation. The presented model has the potential aid in fast diagnosis for better early detection of DR.
Vegetative life on Venus? Or investigations with algae which grow under pure CO 2 in hot acid media at elevated pressures.

Experiments are described with algae grown in pure CO2 under pressure with an acidic nutrient medium at elevated temperatures. One species found in hot-springs was observed to grow. If the planet Venus has acidic polar seas as we suggest, they may harbor photosynthetic life.
Laboratory approach to investigation of anemia in pregnancy.

Anemia is a global health problem in all age groups. According to World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 40% of pregnant women are anemic. Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) due to nutritional deficiency is the most common cause. The incidence of IDA varies worldwide depending on the socioeconomic status, but it remains the leading cause even in developed countries. Physiologic anemia of pregnancy due to relatively higher expansion of blood volume in comparison with elevated red blood cell mass also occurs frequently. Complete blood count (CBC) in the first trimester is recommended for all pregnant women to screen for anemia. The screening of pregnant women for IDA in absence of anemia is still debatable. If IDA is suspected, ferritin level of <30 ng/ml is diagnostic. Iron supplementation is recommended for all pregnant women to compensate the increased demand.