cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Surgical pathology specimens for gross examination only and exempt from submission: a College of American Pathologists Q-Probes study of current policies in 413 institutions.

○ Objective.-To survey the scope of current written institutional policies for types of surgical pathology specimens exempt from submission to the laboratory and those that may be examined by gross inspection only. Design and Setting.-In the first quarter of 1997, a total of 413 voluntary participant institutions enrolled in the College of American Pathologists Q-Probes quality improvement program completed a checklist of 115 proffered specimens. Also included was a questionnaire defining demographic, practice, and reimbursement variables. Main Outcome Measures.-The number and types of specimens exempt from submission and submitted for gross examination only based on written institutional policy rather than on unapproved actual practices. Results.-Most institutions had a written policy for types of specimens deemed exempt from submission to pathology (87.1%) and for types of specimens subject to gross examination only (76.6%). There was a wide range of numbers of specimen types with a median number of 17 (range, 240) in the exempt category and 29 (range, 6-57) in the category of gross examination only. Significantly higher absolute counts of specimens exempt from submission to pathology were reported by institutions with a greater surgical pathology volume in 1996 and by nonteaching institutions. No aspect of practice was associated with numbers of specimens for gross examination only. Conclusions.-This Q-Probes study creates a multi-institutional reference database of current practices to assist pathologists and clinical staff in the development of written guidelines pertaining to surgical pathology specimen submission exceptions and gross-only examinations.
Predicting protein folding pathways at the mesoscopic level based on native interactions between secondary structure elements.

Since experimental determination of protein folding pathways remains difficult, computational techniques are often used to simulate protein folding. Most current techniques to predict protein folding pathways are computationally intensive and are suitable only for small proteins. By assuming that the native structure of a protein is known and representing each intermediate conformation as a collection of fully folded structures in which each of them contains a set of interacting secondary structure elements, we show that it is possible to significantly reduce the conformation space while still being able to predict the most energetically favorable folding pathway of large proteins with hundreds of residues at the mesoscopic level, including the pig muscle phosphoglycerate kinase with 416 residues. The model is detailed enough to distinguish between different folding pathways of structurally very similar proteins, including the streptococcal protein G and the peptostreptococcal protein L. The model is also able to recognize the differences between the folding pathways of protein G and its two structurally similar variants NuG1 and NuG2, which are even harder to distinguish. We show that this strategy can produce accurate predictions on many other proteins with experimentally determined intermediate folding states. Our technique is efficient enough to predict folding pathways for both large and small proteins at the mesoscopic level. Such a strategy is often the only feasible choice for large proteins. A software program implementing this strategy (SSFold) is available at http://faculty.cs.tamu.edu/shsze/ssfold .
Iterative map equalization and decoding in wireless mobile coded OFDM

Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system suffers extra performance degradation in fast fading channels due to intercarrier interference (ICI). Combining frequency domain equalization and bit-interleaved coded modulation (BICM), the iterative receiver is able to harvest both temporal and frequency diversity. Realizing that ICI channels are intrinsically ISI channels, this paper proposes a soft-in soft-out (SISO) maximum a posteriori (MAP) equalizer by extending Ungerboeck's maximum likelihood sequence estimator (MLSE) formulation to ICI channels. The SISO MAP equalizer employs BCJR algorithm and computes the bit log-likelihood ratios (LLR) for the entire received sequence by efficiently constructing a trellis that takes into account of the ICI channel structure. A reduced state (RS) formulation of the SISO MAP equalizer which provides good performance/complexity tradeoff is also described. Utilizing the fact that ICI energy is clustered in adjacent subcarriers, frequency domain equalization is made localized. This paper further proposes two computational efficient linear minimum mean square error (LMMSE) based equalization methods: recursive q-tap SIC-LMMSE equalizer and recursive Sliding-Window (SW) SIC-LMMSE equalizer respectively. Simulations results demonstrate that the iterative SISO RS-MAP equalizer achieves the performance of no ICI with normalized Doppler frequency fdTs up to 20.46% in realistic mobile WiMAX environment.
Insulin-like Growth Factor I (IGF-I) Induces Unique Effects in the Cytoskeleton of Cultured Rat Glomerular Mesangial Cells:

SUMMARY Resident glomerular mesangial cells (MCs) have complex cytoskeletal organizations that maintain functional and structural integrity. The ability of cells to replicate, coordinate movement, change shape, and interact with contiguous cells or extracellular matrix depends on cytoskeletal organization. MCs synthesize insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I), express IGF-I receptors, and respond to IGF-I with increased proliferation. We noted that IGF-I treatment of mesangial cells was associated with a change in morphology. Therefore, these studies were undertaken to define specific IGF-I-mediated changes in cytoskeletal protein organization. Rat MCs were propagated from birth in culture without supplemental insulin. Quiescent, subconfluent cultures were treated with IGF-I (100 nM) for 1 hr. Rearrangements in f-actin, a -smooth muscle actin, b -actin, vimentin, and vinculin were seen by fluorescence microscopy. As the cytoskeleton rearranged, a -smooth muscle actin dissociated from the f-actin bundles and b -actin became polymerized under the leading lamellar edge. Ultrastructural changes were consistent with increased membrane turnover and metabolic activity. The normally sessile mesangial cell was induced by IGF-I to express a woundhealing phenotype characterized by movement and increased pinocytosis. These changes are different from those induced by insulin and have important implications for mesangial cell function. ( J Histochem Cytochem 45:583‐593, 1997) T he cytoskeleton plays a critical role in determining cell shape and in trafficking stimuli that alter both gene expression and cell behavior. By virtue of its critical position between the extracellular matrix (ECM) and the nuclear matrix, the cytoskeleton transduces signals from outside the cell by integrins that attach to the ECM or with receptors for soluble ligands including hormones, cytokines, and growth factors (BenZe’ev 1991; Watson 1991; Ingber and Folkman 1989). When ligands engage their respective receptors, components of the cytoskeleton rapidly rearrange. Grossly, this can be reflected by a change in cell shape. Ultrastructurally, it is associated with reorganization of cytoplasmic organelles. Moreover, as attachments between the cytoskeleton and the nuclear matrix reorganize, certain regions of the chromatin are peripher
CD14 Influences Host Immune Responses and Alternative Activation of Macrophages during Schistosoma mansoni Infection

Antigen-presenting cell (APC) plasticity is critical for controlling inflammation in metabolic diseases and infections. The roles that pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) play in regulating APC phenotypes are just now being defined. We evaluated the expression of PRRs on APCs in mice infected with the helminth parasite Schistosoma mansoni and observed an upregulation of CD14 expression on macrophages. Schistosome-infected Cd14−/− mice showed significantly increased alternative activation of (M2) macrophages in the livers compared to infected wild-type (wt) mice. In addition, splenocytes from infected Cd14−/− mice exhibited increased production of CD4+-specific interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-5, and IL-13 and CD4+Foxp3+IL-10+ regulatory T cells compared to cells from infected wt mice. S. mansoni-infected Cd14−/− mice also presented with smaller liver egg granulomas associated with increased collagen deposition compared to granulomas in infected wt mice. The highest expression of CD14 was found on liver macrophages in infected mice. To determine if the Cd14−/− phenotype was in part due to increased M2 macrophages, we adoptively transferred wt macrophages into Cd14−/− mice and normalized the M2 and CD4+ Th cell balance close to that observed in infected wt mice. Finally, we demonstrated that CD14 regulates STAT6 activation, as Cd14−/− mice had increased STAT6 activation in vivo, suggesting that lack of CD14 impacts the IL-4Rα-STAT6 pathway, altering macrophage polarization during parasite infection. Collectively, these data identify a previously unrecognized role for CD14 in regulating macrophage plasticity and CD4+ T cell biasing during helminth infection.
Generalized Information Theory: Emerging Crossroads of Fuzziness and Probability

Motivated primarily by some fundamental methodological issues emerging from the study of complex systems, a research program whose objective is to study uncertainty and uncertainty-based information in all their manifestations was introduced in the early 1990s under the name "generalized information theory" (GIT) [1]. In GIT, as in classical, probability-based information theory, uncertainty is the primary concept and information is defined in terms of uncertainty reduction. This restricted meaning of the concept of information is described in GIT by the qualified term "uncertainty-based information." In GIT, contrary to classical information theory, uncertainty is viewed as a broader concept than the concept of probability. The purpose of introducing GIT in this plenary lecture is to examine, within the conceptual framework of GIT, the distinct roles of probability and fuzziness in dealing with uncertainty.
Driving Status and Three-Year Mortality Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Background. Driving cessation can lead to myriad negative consequences for older adults. The purpose of these analyses was to examine driving status as a predictor of mortality among community-dwelling older adults. Methods. This prospective cohort study included 660 community-dwelling adults ranging in age between 63 and 97 years. Between 2000 and 2004, participants completed performance-based assessments of vision, cognition, and physical abilities and indexes of health, depression, self-effi cacy, and driving habits. Follow-up telephone interviews were completed approximately 3 years later. Results. Among community-dwelling older adults, older age, health, poor near visual acuity, depressive symptoms, compromised cognitive status, and being a nondriver are associated with increased risk for a 3-year mortality. Nondrivers were four to six times more likely to die than drivers during the subsequent 3-year period. Conclusions. The ability to drive represents both a sign of cherished independence and underlying health and wellbeing for older adults. Retaining this ability is an important health concern in the United States.
A Differential Fluorescent Receptor for Nucleic Acid Analysis

Differential receptors use an array of sensors to recognize analytes. Each sensor in the array can recognize not one, but several analytes with different rates, so a single analyte triggers a response of several sensors in the array. The receptor thus produces a pattern of signals that is unique for each analyte, thereby enabling identification of a specific analyte by producing a "fingerprint" pattern. We applied this approach for the analysis of DNA sequences of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains that differ by single nucleotide substitutions in the 81-bp hot-spot region that imparts rifampin resistance. The technology takes advantage of the new multicomponent, selfassembling sensor, which produces a fluorescent signal in the presence of specific DNA sequences. A differential fluorescent receptor (DFR) contained an array of three such sensors and differentiated at least eight DNA sequences. The approach requires only one molecular-beacon-like fluorescent reporter, which can be used by all three sensors. The DFR developed in this study represents a cost-efficient alternative to molecular diagnostic technologies that use fluorescent hybridization probes.
7 to 30V state-of-art power device implementation in 0.25 /spl mu/m LBC7 BiCMOS-DMOS process technology

The performance of low-to-medium voltage power devices (7 V-30 V) implemented in an advanced 0.25 /spl mu/m BiCMOS-DMOS process is presented. The devices were optimized for a range of applications in this voltage group. In particular, the lateral DMOS devices have a capability of operating with the drain fully isolated from the substrate. The Rsp-BVdss performance for these devices is shown to be very competitive with respect to similar technologies. This performance is achieved without sacrificing the requirements for square electrical and lifetime safe operating area (SOA).
Miniaturized Plate Readers for Low-Cost, High-Throughput Phenotypic Screening

We present a miniaturized plate reader for measuring optical density in 96-well plates. Our standalone reader fits in most incubators, environmental chambers, or biological containment suites, allowing users to leverage their existing laboratory infrastructure. The device contains no moving parts, allowing an entire 96-well plate to be read several times per second. We demonstrate how the fast sampling rate allows our reader to detect small changes in optical density, even when the device is placed in a shaking incubator. A wireless communication module allows remote monitoring of multiple devices in real time. These features allow easy assembly of multiple readers to create a scalable, accurate solution for high-throughput phenotypic screening.
Optimal power flow analysis of energy storage for congestion relief, emissions reduction, and cost savings

AC optimal power flow (OPF) simulations are used to study the effects of large-scale energy storage systems on a power system. The economic effects are analyzed under several different conditions, and CO 2 emission reductions offered by the use of storage are considered. The modified IEEE 25-bus Reliability Test System with energy storage and solar photovoltaic generation is simulated using commercial OPF software. The total fuel and emissions costs, and the cost of renewable energy, are analyzed. The net cost savings and unit cost savings provided by energy storage are presented as an economic estimate for constructing an energy storage system. Congestion relief appears to be an economically-promising application for currently-available energy storage systems.
Effects of Tai Chi on a Functional Arm Reaching Task in Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

This study quantified the effect of aging and the long-term practice of Tai Chi on upper limb movement control, indicated by performance outcome (temporal) and performance production (amplitude) measures, on a multiplanar stand-reaching (i.e., functional) task. Twelve Tai Chi practitioners (TCPs), 11 age-matched older nonpractitioners (ONPs), and 12 young subjects performed cued, flexion-reaching, and abduction-reaching tasks using a custom set-up. Surface EMG and acceleration data sampled from wireless sensors rendered performance outcome (reaction time, burst duration, time to peak, and movement time) and performance production (normalized EMG amplitude and peak acceleration) measures. Young subjects and TCPs demonstrated better performance outcome and performance production than ONPs. Relative-effect computations (i.e., the effect of Tai Chi expressed as a percentage of the effect of aging) showed that TCPs exhibited approximately 20-60% (flexion) and 20-100% (abduction) improvement in reaching task performance compared with ONPs. Tai Chi practitioners displayed better arm movement control than ONPs on a relatively challenging and functional stand-reaching task.
Solid Solution Formation and Ce3 + Luminescence in Silicate Garnets

In this article, we discuss the crystal chemistry and luminescence properties of Ce 3+ activated silicate garnets. Our results indicate that the two previously reported end members of this family, Lu 2 CaMg 2 Si 3 O 12 and Ca 3 Sc 2 Si 3 O 12 , form a complete solid solution, and Sc 3+ primarily substitutes for Mg 2+ in the octahedral sites with charge compensation by Ca 2+ substitution in the dodecahedral sites. Within this solid solution, there is a continuous shift in the lowest energy Ce 3+ 4f → 5d excitation band and the Ce 3+ 5d → 4f emission band toward higher energy as the composition is varied between Lu 2 CaMg 2 Si 3 O 12 and Ca 3 Sc 2 Si 3 O 12 .
Hoxc8 initiates an ectopic mammary program by regulating Fgf10 and Tbx3 expression and Wnt/β-catenin signaling

The role of Hox genes in the formation of cutaneous accessory organs such as hair follicles and mammary glands has proved elusive, a likely consequence of overlapping function and expression among various homeobox factors. Lineage and immunohistochemical analysis of Hoxc8 in mice revealed that this midthoracic Hox gene has transient but strong regional expression in ventrolateral surface ectoderm at E10.5, much earlier than previously reported. Targeted mice were generated to conditionally misexpress Hoxc8 from the Rosa locus using select Cre drivers, which significantly expanded the domain of thoracic identity in mutant embryos. Accompanying this expansion was the induction of paired zones of ectopic mammary development in the cervical region, which generated between three and five pairs of mammary placodes anterior to the first wild-type mammary rudiment. These rudiments expressed the mammary placode markers Wnt10b and Tbx3 and were labeled by antibodies to the mammary mesenchyme markers ERα and androgen receptor. Somitic Fgf10 expression, which is required for normal mammary line formation, was upregulated in mutant cervical somites, and conditional ablation of ectodermal Tbx3 expression eliminated all normally positioned and ectopic mammary placodes. We present evidence that Hoxc8 participates in regulating the initiation stages of mammary placode morphogenesis, and suggest that this and other Hox genes are likely to have important roles during regional specification and initiation of these and other cutaneous accessory organs.
Differences in blood composition between deceased and living donors: Could it affect crossmatches?

Until recently, most deceased donor crossmatches performed in our laboratory used cells isolated from node or spleen. However, due to changes at the OPO level it has become difficult to obtained pre-harvest node for crossmatches and donor blood is now routinely used. Since donors often receive blood transfusions and drugs in an attempt to save their lives, the effect of these factors on blood composition needs to be evaluated. We analyzed blood samples collected from deceased and living donors for white blood cell count (WBC) and percentage of lymphocytes, monocytes, and granulocytes using the COULTER® ACT diff2™ Analyzer. We found that deceased donors had a markedly different blood composition than living donors. The WBC count of deceased donor (14.2 × 103 cells/ μ L) was statistically higher than that of living donor (6.58 × 103 cells/ μ L, p 0.05). Further, deceased donors had a significantly lower percentage of lymphocytes (13.1% vs 25.3%) and higher percentage of granulocytes (81.8% vs 66.7%) in their blood than living donors. No statistical difference was found in the percentage of monocytes. The observed differences in blood composition resulted in changes in cell preparation when the samples were separated using Ficoll. After Ficoll separation, cell preparations obtained from the blood of deceased donors had an average composition of 34.8% lymphocytes, 16.4% monocytes and 48.7% granulocytes, while cell preparations from living donors had an average of 82.8% lymphocytes, 9.3% monocytes and 7.8% granulocytes. The changes in percentage of lymphocytes and granulocytes were statistically significant ( p 0.05 ). Our data indicates that blood composition varies between deceased and living donors and that Ficoll alone may not be an optimal isolation method for deceased donor blood. An excessive amount of granulocytes in cell preparations may affect crossmatch results as the expression of HLA may differ between lymphocytes and granulocytes. Additionally, this raises the questions as to whether the factors influencing the blood compartment of deceased donors also affect the expression of HLA class I and II on lymphocytes. Further studies will be needed to address whether the expression of HLA class I and II on lymphocytes isolated from decease donors differs from that of lymphocytes isolated from living donors.
Initiation of living polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether by the “H2O”/n-Bu4NTiCl5 system

Living carbocationic polymerization (LC⊕Pzn) of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBuVE) is readily initiated by adventitious moisture (“H2O”) in the presence ofn-Bu4NTiCl5 in CH2Cl2 solvent at-20 °C to yield high molecular weight polymers (up to 100,000 g/mole) with narrow molecular weight distributions\(\bar M_W /\bar M_N = 1.1\). The number of macromolecules remains constant and reflects the number of “H2O” molecules in the charge. Thede facto initiator is most likely HCl formedin situ by the partial hydrolysis ofn-Bu4NTiCl5. Surprisingly the overall polymerization rates obtained in the presence of purposely added initiator, MeCH(Oi-Bu)Cl, were lower than in the absence of it,i. e., with “initiator free” system. Experiments carried out in the presence of the proton trap, 2,6-di-tert-butylpyridine (DtBP), and alcohols were analyzed to explain the findings. The observed rates may be explained by reactions between “H2O” and the various ingredients in the system prior to initiation.
Plant Feeding by a Predaceous Insect, Podisus acutissimus

Podisus acutissimus Stal is a predaceous pentatomid found only in the SW United States and Mexico. The prey is unknown (Butler and Werner 1960), the insect has rarely been collected in the field, and the species has been sparingly reported in the literature. Butler and Werner (1957 and 1960) collected 23 of the insects in 381 samples taken during 1954–56 from alfalfa, cotton. barley, sorghum, and other plants in the Arizona counties of Maricopa, Pinal, Pima, Santa Cruz, Cochise, and Greenlee. We have collected only 16 P. acutissimus in a total of 76,897 sweeps made weekly in alfalfa in Pima County. P. acutissimus was present in June through September 1970, October and November 1971, and April 1972. (These collections were made in a search for several insect species, of which P. acutissimus was 1.)
Empirical Antibiotic Therapy for Fever in Neutropenic Patients

The necessity for administering empirical antibiotic therapy to febrile neutropenic patients has been well-established; however, no single regimen has been uniformly accepted. During the past decade, gram-positive organisms, often methicillin-resistant, have emerged as significant pathogens. The routine use of vancomycin may be appropriate at some institutions, but its widespread use may lead to resistance. The role of aminoglycosides as part of routine empirical regimens is controversial, and single extended-spectrum β-lactam agents are often adequate therapy. Not all β-lactam agents are equally effective, and some gram-negative pathogens, such as Xanthomonas maltophilia, are resistant to many of them
Computed Tomography Imaging of Solid Tumors Using a Liposomal-Iodine Contrast Agent in Companion Dogs with Naturally Occurring Cancer.

Objectives Companion dogs with naturally occurring cancer serve as an important large animal model in translational research because they share strong similarities with human cancers. In this study, we investigated a long circulating liposomal-iodine contrast agent (Liposomal-I) for computed tomography (CT) imaging of solid tumors in companion dogs with naturally occurring cancer. Materials and Methods The institutional animal ethics committees approved the study and written informed consent was obtained from all owners. Thirteen dogs (mean age 10.1 years) with a variety of masses including primary and metastatic liver tumors, sarcomas, mammary carcinoma and lung tumors, were enrolled in the study. CT imaging was performed pre-contrast and at 15 minutes and 24 hours after intravenous administration of Liposomal-I (275 mg/kg iodine dose). Conventional contrast-enhanced CT imaging was performed in a subset of dogs, 90 minutes prior to administration of Liposomal-I. Histologic or cytologic diagnosis was obtained for each dog prior to admission into the study. Results Liposomal-I resulted in significant (p 1 cm) demonstrated a heterogeneous pattern of intra-tumoral signal with visibly higher signal enhancement at the post-24 hour time point. Extra-hepatic, extra-splenic tumors, including histiocytic sarcoma, anaplastic sarcoma, mammary carcinoma and lung tumors, were visualized with a heterogeneous enhancement pattern in the post-24 hour scan. Conclusions The long circulating liposomal-iodine contrast agent enabled prolonged visualization of small and large tumors in companion dogs with naturally occurring cancer. The study warrants future work to assess the sensitivity and specificity of the Liposomal-I agent in various types of naturally occurring canine tumors.
Facilitating Children and Adolescents’ Psychological Well-Being: A Practitioners’ Model and Research Example

The concern for emotional well-being in children and adolescents has been increasing in the past few years. This chapter presents information from two studies. The first is a qualitative ethnographic study that is part of the larger international project investigating the definition of psychological well-being cross-culturally, and it explores educational professionals’ perceptions of emotional well-being. The second study is a correlational study of adolescents’ perceptions of social support and future expectations. The participants across studies were seven school psychologists and five principals from the southern San Francisco Bay Area, California (study 1); and 206 African American students who attended school in an urban south central region of the USA (study 2). The results of both studies suggest that values, priorities, social supports, and socialization processes in the community, schools, and family impact the emotional well-being of children and adolescents.
Going rogue: nifty assignment

Rogue is a first person role play computer game in which the player is an adventurer pursued by different monsters. The player starts at the uppermost level of an unmapped dungeon (maze). The goal is to fight one's way to the bottom level, retrieve the Amulet of Yendor, (as well as other treasures), then ascend to the surface. The game was first developed by Michael Toy and Glenn Wichman around 1980 (it was a favorite on college systems in the early to mid-1980s.) There are multiple versions in multiple languages. A demonstration video can be found here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBNgfrxD3qE).
The Physiological Basis of Executive Function and Working Memory

The term “executive function” has been used to capture the highest order of cognitive abilities, including the planning, flexibility, organization and regulation necessary for the execution of an appropriate behavior. Executive function, although an elusive cognitive domain, may be highly dependent on working memory, which refers to the temporary storage and manipulation of information. The physiology of working memory is beginning to be mapped in both monkey and human studies at the neuroanatomical and neurochemical levels. Working memory is likely subserved by a distributed network of brain regions in which the prefrontal cortex is critical, subserving the process of maintaining representations across time. There is also a relationship between dopaminergic projections in the brain and working memory. Improved understanding of the physiological basis of executive functioning and working memory will provide a narrower view of prefrontal cortical function and may lead to new therapies in patients with cogn...
Multi-objective planning with multiple high level task specifications

We present an algorithm to solve a sequential stochastic decision making problem whereby a robot is subject to multiple objective functions and is asked to complete a number of subgoals specified using a subset of linear temporal logic. Each subgoal is associated with a desired satisfaction probability that will be met in expectation by the policy produced by the algorithm. Our method relies on the theory of constrained Markov Decision Processes and on methods coming from the realm of formal verification. The key idea is the definition of a product operation that can recursively incorporate more and more subgoals into the underlying planner. Ultimately, a policy is computed solving a linear program and we outline conditions for the existence and correctness of the solution. Our findings are validated in various simulation scenarios.
Economic losses from repetitive strain injuries

Lost employment income and inability to perform household activities can have a devastating impact on the individual suffering from repetitive strain injury.
Author Response to Reviews of Grief : Contemporary Theory and the Practice of Ministry

The purpose of this article is to respond to three reviews in Pastoral Psychology of the author’s text, Grief: Contemporary Theory and the Practice of Ministry (Kelley 2010). This article considers in particular the grief born of injustice, the need for pastoral caregivers to cultivate skills and sensitivities for grief ministry in multicultural and multireligious settings, and the centrality for many of a secure relationship with the Divine as a primary source of hope after loss.
Magnetic reconnection with a fast perpendicular sheared flow

Magnetic reconnection at the Earth's low latitude magnetopause near the flank region is likely associated with a large sheared flow, being frequently quasi-perpendicular to the antiparallel magnetic field components. The magnitude of a fast sheared flow can be super-Alfvenic and even overcome the local fast mode speed. A scaling analysis implies a contradiction between the Walen relation and the balance of the total pressure for magnetic reconnection with a super-critical perpendicular sheared flow. This study uses one-, and two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) simulations to demonstrate that the traditional reconnection layer violates the Walen relation, but still maintains the total pressure balance in such a configuration. The results show an expanded outflow region, consistent with the presence of divergent normal flow, and a significant decrease of the plasma density as well as the thermal pressure in the outflow region. In contrast, the magnitude of the magnetic field in the outflow region matches the value in the inflow region due to the total pressure balance, which is fundamentally different from the classical reconnection layer under sub-Alfvenic perpendicular sheared flow conditions. In three dimensional geometry, the fast sheared flow without being stabilized by the magnetic field is expected to be Kelvin-Helmholtz unstable. However, the three-dimensional MHD simulation suggests that such structure can be KH stable. Although, the presence of surface waves modulates some two-dimensional features, the major characteristics of the expanded outflow region are likely to be observed by in-situ satellites.
Erosion Problems On U.S. Army Training Lands

Accelerated erosion of lands being used for military training is one of the largest environmental challenges encountered by U.S. Army land managers. A survey of land management professionals from ten representative U.S. Army installations, spanning the entire geography of the United States, provided current insights into the challenge of erosion management. The response to the survey forms the foundation for this chapter.
Female Mexican Immigrants in the United States: Cultural Knowledge and Healing

Mexican American immigrant women have faced many adversities historically, resulting in significant injuries to their physical and psychological selves. In attempts to heal from such injuries, thes...
Direct perception and the predictive mind

Predictive approaches to the mind claim that perception, cognition, and action can be understood in terms of a single framework: a hierarchy of Bayesian models employing the computational strategy of predictive coding. Proponents of this view disagree, however, over the extent to which perception is direct on the predictive approach. I argue that we can resolve these disagreements by identifying three distinct notions of perceptual directness: psychological, metaphysical, and epistemological. I propose that perception is plausibly construed as psychologically indirect on the predictive approach, in the sense of being constructivist or inferential. It would be wrong to conclude from this, however, that perception is therefore indirect in a metaphysical or epistemological sense on the predictive approach. In the metaphysical case, claims about the inferential properties of constructivist perceptual mechanisms are consistent with both direct and indirect solutions to the metaphysical problem of perception (e.g. naive realism, representationalism, sense datum theory). In the epistemological case, claims about the inferential properties of constructivist perceptual mechanisms are consistent with both direct and indirect approaches to the justification of perceptual belief. In this paper, I demonstrate how proponents of the predictive approach have conflated these distinct notions of perceptual directness and indirectness, and I propose alternative strategies for developing the philosophical consequences of the approach.
Segmented helical antenna with reconfigurable polarization

A novel polarization reconfigurable segmented helical antenna is explored. The antenna has two stable states, right-hand circular polarization (RHCP) state and left-hand polarization (LHCP) state. The sense of polarization of this antenna can be switched easily by mechanical rotation. The proposed antenna is analyzed using simulations and measurements.
Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Uveitis

Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is a recently developed, noninvasive, dye-less imaging modality, which can image moving blood within retinal vessels [1]. Blood flow is resolved using the split-spectrum amplitude decorrelation signal [1] (a normalized measure of variation) in sequential B-scans associated with erythrocyte movement through a vessel. It allows for the reconstruction of the vascular patterns of choroidal and retinal vessels. The OCT angiograms are primarily shown in en face views in which each pixel represents the maximum flow value detected within the relevant anatomy layers. Clinical studies of retinal vasculature have long relied on fluorescein angiography to provide important details about the retinal microvasculature. However, the injected fluorescein carries well-documented side effects, and fluorescein angiography images are two dimensional and thus unable to adequately visualize the deeper retinal networks. The inherent advantages of OCT angiography appear to be the ability to optically dissect and visualize the flow in various layers of the retina, the high-resolution obtainable, and the freedom and safety of not having to use an injected dye [1]. Furthermore, an OCTA scan can be completed in seconds rather than minutes.
Social motivation in schizophrenia: The impact of oxytocin on vigor in the context of social and nonsocial reinforcement

Experiential negative symptoms-including diminished motivation-have a profound impact on functional outcomes in schizophrenia. Animal research suggests that abnormalities in dopaminergic regulation can negatively impact effort exertion, a translational model that has been applied to individuals with schizophrenia. Paradigms that assess effort-based decision making, for example, suggest less likelihood of choosing high effort tasks that are high in probability of success, and this preference varies with negative symptoms and impaired functioning. Although asociality is another well-documented component of experiential negative symptoms, it is unclear whether diminished motivation for monetary reward extends to the social domain. To test this question, the authors designed the Social Vigor Task (SVT)-a measure of effort exertion in the context of live social encouragement. They further examined the effect of oxytocin, a neuropeptide implicated in social behavior, on vigor. Forty-two individuals with schizophrenia and 43 healthy controls completed the SVT twice: once after intranasal administration of saline placebo and again after oxytocin. Both groups showed similar increases in vigor in response to social encouragement, suggesting effort in the social context is spared in schizophrenia. Group differences in the effect of social encouragement on vigor varied by point-based reward rate and trial length. Oxytocin did not increase vigor during social encouragement in either group. Within the schizophrenia group, clinician-rated passive social withdrawal, but not active social avoidance, was negatively associated with vigor. Results suggest that people with schizophrenia show normative levels of effort in the context of social encouragement; low approach motivation, however, relates to lower effort. (PsycINFO Database Record
From MRFS to CNNS: A novel image restoration method

Markov Random Fields (MRFs) are one of the most widely used probabilistic graphic model in image restoration. However, MRFs still require designing of clique potential function and lack of a canonical parameter learning method. To overcome these disadvantages of MRFs, we propose a novel image restoration architecture leveraging Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). The central point shown here is that CNNs can be viewed as generalized MRFs, which gives a novel explanation for CNNs's excellent performance from a statistical perspective. Furthermore, all ingredients for image restoration via CNNs are presented in this paper. Specifically, a learning framework and reconstruction method are constituted through minimizing KL-divergence and half-quadratic regularization respectively. Finally, simulations show that the proposed method, referred as Image Restoration based on CNNs (IR-CNNs), outperforms the state-of-the-art image restoration methods based on MRFs.
Monitoring the Seed-Mediated Growth of Gold Nanoparticles Using in Situ Second Harmonic Generation and Extinction Spectroscopy

In situ second harmonic generation (SHG) coupled with extinction spectroscopy is used for real-time monitoring of seed-mediated growth dynamics of colloidal citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles in water. The time-dependent in situ SHG results capture an early stage of the growth process where a large enhancement in the SHG signal is observed, which is attributed to the formation of plasmonic hot spots from a rough and uneven nanoparticle surface. The temporal peak in the SHG signal is followed by a decay that is fit to an exponential function to characterize the size-dependent nanoparticle growth lifetime, which varies from 0.45 to 1.7 min for final nanoparticle sizes of 66 and 94 nm, respectively. This early growth stage also corresponds to a broadening of the plasmon spectra, as monitored using time-dependent in situ extinction spectroscopy. Over the course of the seed-mediated growth reaction, the nanoparticle becomes more thermodynamically stable through surface reconstruction resulting in a smoother...
Can We Be Positive About Russell’s Negative Facts?

In his The Philosophy of Logical Atomism, Russell entertained the existence of negative facts such as Socrates not being alive and a hippopotamus not being in this room. He seemed to think that he needed negative facts to serve as truthmakers for statements such as “A hippopotamus is not in this room” and falsemakers for statements such as “Socrates is alive”. In this paper, I explore Russell’s arguments for negative facts as well as the extent of his commitment to them. By looking more closely at a number of his works, I find that his commitment to negative facts was less thoroughgoing than commonly thought. I also outline five different ontological accounts of negative facts—in terms of a negative constituent, an absence, a negative universal, a negative exemplification relation, and a negative particular—and show that, due to Russell’s commitments and constraints, he was not able to embrace any of them. I conclude by considering a couple of alternative non-ontological approaches to negative facts.
Association between BMI changes and mortality risk in children with end-stage renal disease

Few studies have examined how changes in BMI [body mass index] over time associate with risk of adverse outcomes in children receiving renal replacement therapy [RRT]. The objective of this study was to examine the association between annualized changes in BMI and the risk of death in children treated with RRT. We performed a retrospective cohort study of 1182 pediatric dialysis and transplant patients in the Pediatric Growth and Development Special Study of the United States Renal Data System. Quintiles of annualized change in BMI z-score (with cutoffs of − 0.50, − 0.13, 0.09, 0.57) were used as the primary predictor, with the middle quintile (− 0.13 to 0.09) serving as the reference category. Cox models were used to examine the association between exposure and death, with time of analysis starting from the second BMI measurement. Median follow-up time to death or censoring was 6 years. Median age was 14.6 years, and 61% of children had a functional graft at cohort entry. There was a U-shaped association between BMI change and mortality risk: a large decline in annualized BMI z-score change (> − 0.50) was associated with an increased risk of death (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.54 (95% CI 1.17–2.03), p = 0.002). A large increase in annualized BMI z-score change (> 0.57) was also associated with an increased risk of death (aHR 1.44 (95% CI 1.07–1.92), p = 0.02). No interaction was noted between annualized BMI change and initial treatment modality (dialysis or transplant, p = 0.15). Maintenance of a stable BMI in pediatric patients receiving RRT may be associated with improved survival.
Long-Term Stability of Vascularized Adipofascial Flaps in Facial Reconstruction

Objectives: To determine the quantitative volume change over time of vascularized adipofascial anterolateral thigh (AFALT) free flaps in facial reconstruction, and to evaluate patient factors that ...
Plan Generosity in Health Insurance Exchanges: What the Affordable Care Act Can Teach Us About Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up Policy Implementation

The landmark United States health care reform law, the Affordable Care Act, contained the seeds of a natural experiment in policy implementation. The law envisioned the creation of online marketplaces that would offer affordable health insurance plans to consumers. It intended each state to develop its own exchange but stipulated that the federal government would create exchanges if states opted not to do so. In 2014, 27 federal, 16 state, and 7 partnership exchanges launched. I use the variation in implementation across states to test whether a top-down or bottom-up framework more closely explains the observed outcomes. The study examines if state, federal, or partnership exchanges were most effective at offering generous plans based on premiums, deductibles, and copayments. The results unambiguously indicate that state exchanges were most successful. The findings align closely with the bottom-up implementation perspective, which focuses on the influence of discretion at lower-levels of implementation hierarchies.
A Hardware-Based Architecture-Neutral Framework for Real-Time IoT Workload Forensics

Beneath the potential benefits of the rapidly growing Internet of Things (IoT) technology lurk security risks. In this article, we propose a hardware-based generic framework for IoT workload forensics, an infrastructural technique to securely monitor and ensure delivered IoT services in accordance with specifications and regulatory compliance. In particular, this technique identifies digital workloads being executed in real time through dynamic program behavior modeling based on architecture-level data, fulfilled by dedicated machine learning hardware, without the intervention of high-level software, e.g., the OS and/or the hypervisor. In contrast to the conventional software-based solutions, whose effectiveness may be undermined by software attacks, and which introduce significant runtime overhead, a hardware-based framework enables a secure, prompt and non-intrusive solution. The proposed framework was evaluated on Zedboard, a Zynq-7000 FPGA embedding an ARM Cortex-A9 core. Experimental results using Mibench workload benchmark reveal an average workload identification accuracy of 96.37 percent with insignificant area/power overhead.
Analyzing Huawei as a Chinese Multinational Operating in Three Worlds: Domestic Policy Instrument, Global Economic Agent, and Foreign Policy Target

Windsor offers a three-world framework within which to evaluate Huawei Technologies Company as a Chinese multinational. In one world, Huawei is arguably a domestic policy instrument for the Chinese communist regime. In another world, Huawei is an independent global economic agent. In a third world, Huawei is a target of US foreign policy in the context of a trade war, technological competition, and geo-political competition between the US and China. Windsor’s purpose is to explore how to interpret potentially conflicting information about Huawei and its founder and chief executive officer Ren Zhengfei. The three-world procedure helps to maintain a critical and balanced appraisal of this information. One possible interpretation is that Zhengfei and Huawei attempt to balance Chinese and US pressures in order to maintain autonomy. Even if this interpretation is reasonable, the fundamental issue would be what would happen if the Chinese regime simply decides to assert control of Huawei.
Training residents in robotic thoracic surgery

With growing integration of robotic technology in thoracic surgery, the need for structured training has never been greater with trainees expressing desire for additional experience. Determining the ideal education program is challenging as the collective experience is still relatively early and growing with many experienced surgeons still becoming facile with the platform. Understanding differences between robotic and thoracoscopic approaches including lung retraction and dissection, use of carbon dioxide insufflation, and lack of tactile feedback serves as the foundation for building a skillset. Currently, there is no standard accepted curriculum for residents. Inclusion of these trainees in structured programs has been shown to be safe with equivalent patient outcomes. There are multiple curricula under development, all of which incorporate use of simulation technology, dual console, and clear, graduated responsibilities within operations. These include introduction to the robotic system prior to progressing to bedside assistance and finally to time as console surgeon. The importance of clear definition of training milestones with deliberate graduation to more complex tasks once competency has been demonstrated cannot be overstated. It is crucial for surgeons practicing robotic surgery to make efforts to further the training of residents, but there has not been any perfect and suitable program identified yet.