cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variance reduction in Fourier spectra and their corresponding images with the use of support constraints

The use of support constraints for improving the quality of Fourier spectra and their associated images is discussed as well as the relationship between the two domains. Theoretical relationships are derived that predict the noise reduction in both the image domain and the Fourier domain achieved by single and repeated application of support constraints for the case of wide-sense stationary Fourier-domain noise. It is shown that the application of support constraints can increase noise inside the support constraint if the application is not done correctly. An iterative algorithm is proposed that enforces support constraints in such a way that noise is never increased inside the support constraint and the algorithm achieves the minimum possible noise in a finite number of steps.
Collaborating with Community Organizations: Consumer Health Information Projects Sponsored by the National Library of Medicine

The Internet has been a powerful tool to enable the National Library of Medicine to disseminate consumer health information in a cost-effective and systematic way. The Library has also identified community organizations as an effective partner for reaching consumers with health information. This is particularly true for minority and underserved populations that are often difficult to reach. This article provides examples of the diversity of organizations that are involved in NLM-funded information access for their communities and the types of partnerships exhibited in those projects.
Prediction and prevention of type 1 diabetes: progress, problems, and prospects.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) arises from selective immunologically mediated destruction of the insulin-producing β-cells in the pancreatic islets of Langerhans with consequent insulin deficiency.1,2 This occurs in genetically susceptible individuals and is a cellular-mediated process, presumably a specific reaction to one or more β-cell proteins (autoantigens), although probably initiated by some environmental factor(s). There is consequent progressive impairment of β-cell function and decline in β-cell mass. A secondary humoral immune response is characterized by the appearance of autoantibodies that serve as markers of the immune damage to β-cells.3,4,5 This insidious T1D disease process evolves over a period of years.6 The decline in β-cell function and mass is evidenced metabolically by loss of first-phase insulin response to an intravenous glucose challenge,7,8 and later by the appearance of impairment in glycemic regulation, manifested as dysglycemia—usually as impaired glucose tolerance, but occasionally as impaired fasting glucose.9 Ultimately, the clinical syndrome of T1D becomes evident when the majority of β-cells have been destroyed and frank hyperglycemia supervenes. Given this sequence of events, for which it is possible to envision intervention to interdict the process, it is not surprising that much research effort has been expended to identify individuals at risk of the disease. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2007) 81, 768–771. doi:10.1038/sj.clpt.6100179; published online 28 March 2007
Stochastic differential games with constrained state estimators

Attention is given to stochastic differential games in which the two controllers have available only noise-corrupted output measurements. Consideration is restricted to the case in which the system is linear, the cost functional quadratic, and the noises corrupting the output measurements are independent, white, and Gaussian. A solution to this problem is presented under the constraint that each controller is limited to a linear dynamic system of fixed dimension for the generation of his estimate of the system state. The optimal controls are shown to satisfy a separation theorem, the optimal estimators are shown to be closely related to Kalman filters, and the various terms in the optimal cost are shown to be readily assignable to the appropriate contributing sources.
Initial characterizations of nontransformed and transformed [3H ]aldosterone-type I receptor complexes in brain cytosol.

Incubation of [3H]aldosterone-type I receptor complexes in mouse brain cytosol with the chaotropic anion thiocyanate increased the fraction of receptors retained by DNA-cellulose from less than 10% to over 40%, whereas it decreased the fraction retained by protamine sulfate from more than 90% to less than 10%. Thiocyanate-induced transformation to the DNA-binding species was also accompanied by a 2.1-fold decrease in the rate of [3H]aldosterone dissociation from type I receptors as well as by an increase in the apparent positive charge and hydrophobicity of the surface of these receptors, as revealed by DEAE Bio-Gel ion exchange and pentyl agarose hydrophobic interaction chromatography. Sucrose density gradient sedimentation and Sephacryl S-300 gel exclusion chromatography revealed a reduction in the sedimentation coefficient and Stokes radius of the steroid-receptor complex from 9.6S and 8.0 nm before to 4.7S and 6.1 nm after transformation, respectively. These changes in hydrodynamic parameters were fou...
Effect of target impedance and control loop design on VRM stability

Stability analysis of a VRM used in a typical microprocessor power supply application is presented. With every generation of microprocessors, the decreasing voltages, increasing currents and di/dts are demanding faster VRM transient responses. This analysis focuses on the influence of constantly dropping target impedances and increasing crossover frequencies on the output of multi-phase, high-frequency synchronous rectifier type DC-DC converters. Attempts are made to relate the switching frequency of the VRM to its stability regime. Results are summarized with guidelines on feedback loop stabilization under diminishing target impedances.
Surface preparation of non-polar single-crystalline AlN substrates

A surface preparation technique has been developed for non-polar m-plane aluminum nitride (AlN) single crystalline substrates. Chemical surface treatments were conducted on chemomechanically polished m-plane oriented AlN substrate surfaces. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to characterize the surface chemistry after each processing step. A layer of mixed aluminum oxide-hydroxide was identified on ambient air-exposed surfaces. Analysis of the oxygen core level spectra showed oxygen in three bonding states, identified by the binding energies and relative separation of the fitted peaks as O2−, OH− and H2O. Molar ratios of different components showed the oxide to be dominantly bonded in the OH− state. Wet etching reduced the amount of surface oxides. Ammonia annealing at 1100 °C converted the aluminum oxide-hydroxide layer to AlN. Although the overall amount of the oxide on the surface was reduced by surface treatments, the nature of the oxide remained predominantly of the OH−character. (© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Image Inpainting Based on Geometrical Modeling of Complexwavelet Coefficients

The restoration of missing regions in images (inpainting) is mathematically an interpolation problem and has many important applications. This paper proposes a novel iterative inpainting algorithm based on the interpolation of the complex wavelet transform (CWT) coefficients with simple geometrical models on the magnitude and phase of the coefficients. The geometrical models describe the directionality and uniformity of the CWT magnitudes and the linearity of the CWT phases around edges and within texture areas. Both piecewise smooth signals and structured textures can be interpolated accurately with the proposed models. Motivated by the iterative reconstruction of an image from its CWT magnitude or phase, we propose an inpainting algorithm with iterative magnitude and phase estimation and CWT reconstruction. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm achieves high PSNR and appealing visual quality with low computation complexity.
Systematics of the Pezizomycetes—the operculate discomycetes

The Pezizomycetes (order Pezizales) is an early diverging lineage within the Pezizomycotina. A shared derived character, the operculate ascus, supports the Pezizales as monophyletic, although functional opercula have been lost in certain taxa. Phylogenetic relationships within Pezizales were studied using parsimony and Bayesian analyses of partial SSU and LSU rDNA sequences from 100 taxa representing 82 genera and 13 of the 15 families currently recognized. Three primary lineages are identified that more or less correspond to the A, B and C lineages resolved in previous analyses using SSU rDNA: (A) Ascobolaceae and Pezizaceae; (B) Discinaceae-Morchellaceae and Helvellaceae-Tuberaceae; (C) Ascodesmidaceae, Glaziellaceae, Pyronemataceae, Sarcoscyphaceae and Sarcosomataceae. In contrast the monotypic Rhizinaceae and Caloscyphaceae are resolved as two independent lineages. Bayesian analyses support a relationship among Rhizina and two species of Psilopezia (Pyronemataceae). Only lineage C is highly supported. The B and C lineages form a strongly supported monophyletic group. None of these lineages corresponds to earlier proposed suborders. The A and B lineages are supported by certain morphological features (e.g. ascus bluing reaction in iodine, cytology of spores and paraphyses, septal pore structures and excipulum structure); these characters have been subject to homoplasy. Lineage C is the largest and most heterogeneous, and no unifying morphological features support its recognition. The Pyronemataceae, in which almost half of the species in the order are found, is not monophyletic because the Ascodesmidaceae and Glaziellaceae are nested within it. The relationships among all families in the C lineage remain uncertain. The origin of various forms of ascomata, including hypogeous forms (truffles and truffle-like), epigeous cleistothecia, simple reduced apothecia and highly elaborate, stipitate forms (helvelloid and morchelloid), are discussed.
Imazamox application timing for small broomrape (Orobanche minor) control in red clover

Abstract Broomrapes (Orobanche spp.) are chlorophyll-lacking root parasites of many dicotyledonous species and cause severe damage to vegetable and field crops from several botanic families such as Fabaceae, Solanaceae, Compositae, and Umbelliferae. In Oregon, small broomrape has been identified as a parasite of red clover. In Oregon field studies, small broomrape control was excellent when imazamox was applied postemergence to red clover but preemergence to small broomrape. Temperature is one of the main factors that affect broomrape development. The objective of this study was to optimize small broomrape chemical control in red clover based on growing degree days (GDD). The study was conducted in controlled temperature conditions. Red clover plants were grown in soil artificially infested with small broomrape seeds. Imazamox was applied at 800, 1,000, 1,200, and 1,400 GDD. There was no injury to red clover from any imazamox treatment at any of the application timings. Small broomrape shoot emergence was...
Assessing NETS.T Performance in Teacher Candidates: Exploring the Wayfind Teacher Assessment.

To effectively integrate digital technol - ogies in K-12 schools, teachers must be provided with undergraduate ex- periences that strongly support these integration resources and strategies. The National Educational Technol - ogy Standards for Teachers (NETST) provide a framework for teacher candidates and inservice teachers to identify their accomplishments in this realm. Using the NETST to deliver undergraduate teacher education curriculum, and requiring teacher candidates to document their abilities related to the NETST can support meaningful development for the can- didates. This study examines the use of the Wayfind Teacher Assessment as a tool for determining the profi- ciencies of teacher candidates in their final year of preparation in relation - ship to the NETST. (Keywords: as- sessment, ISTE NETST, teacher can- didate, technology, Wayfind Teacher Assessment)
Examining the Dominance of Deterrence Discourse in India

This paper examines how the discourse of deterrence came to dominate Indian thinking about nuclear weapons over the last four decades. It will lay out the domestic conditions and the external factors that combined to produce this outcome. It will also discuss the threat posed to regional and global stability by the routine and unexamined invocation of deterrence in India today. It will end with policy implications.
Divisors of Zero in Polynomial Rings

(1943). Divisors of Zero in Polynomial Rings. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 50, No. 1, pp. 7-8.
On Everett's Formulation of Quantum Mechanics

Everett wanted a formulation of quantum mechanics that (i) took the linear dynamics to be a complete and accurate description of the time-evolution of all physical systems and (ii) logically entailed the same subjective appearances predicted by the standard formulation of quantum mechanics. While most everyone would agree with this description of Everett's project, there is little agreement on exactly how his relative-state formulation was supposed to work. In this paper, I consider two very different readings of Everett: the bare reading and the splitting-worlds reading. What distinguishes these is their interpretation of the wave function and how one accounts for the experiences of observers. The difficulty in interpreting Everett, however, is illustrated by the fact that neither reading is entirely compatible with his own description of his project.
Congenital Deformities and the Olmec Were-Jaguar Motif

Although previous studies of Olmec iconography have correctly recognized the importance of the jaguar element and its conceptual origins in the shaman-jaguar transformation complex of beliefs, they have not explained why the Olmec expression of feline features should be different from their expression in other prehistoric American art styles sharing origins in the same complex of beliefs, nor why the Olmec chose to express them in the form of an infant were-jaguar, often held in the arms of a seated adult male. It is here suggested that the majority of the attributes of the were-jaguar motif can best be explained by analogy with the congenital deformities manifested in and associated with multifactorial neural tube defects. The apparent fusion of the portrayal of these defects with the portrayal of feline elements suggests that the art style and religious beliefs were being manipulated for political reasons, which would be most likely in a chiefdom form of sociopolitical organization. Reasons for stylistic variation in the portrayal of the were-jaguar and its widespread distribution are discussed.
Identifying Dominant Biogeochemical Processes Regarding theNitrogen Cycle in Active and Passive Zones of a Restored Wetland through WetQual Model

A. Sharifi, L. Kalin, M. M. Hantush, J. J. Maynard, A. T. O’Geen and R. A. Dahlgren 1 School of Forestry and wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, 602 Duncan Dr., Auburn, AL 36849; Sharifi@auburn.edu 2 School of Forestry and wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, 602 Duncan Dr., Auburn, AL 36849; Latif@auburn.edu 3 National Risk Management Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 26 West martin Luther King Dr.,Cincinnati, OH 45268; hantush.mohamed@epa.gov 4 USDA ARS Jornada Experimental Range, P.O. Box 30003, MSC 3JER, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003; jmaynard@nmsu.edu 5 Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616; atogeen@ucdavis.edu 6 Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616; radahlgren@ucdavis.edu
Surveillance and analysis of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome in Zibo City

OBJECTIVE Epidemiological characteristics and epidemiology of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome(SFTS) in Zibo city were studied to provide a reference for the development of preventive strategies against SFTS.METHODS Epidemiological surveys were conducted on SFTS cases reported between 2008 and 2011.Specimens of some of the cases were collected to determine the contents of nucleic acids and antibodies,from which epidemiologic characteristics of the cases were analyzed.Meanwhile,serum specimens of healthy individuals and host animals in high prevalence areas were collected and the total SFTSV antibodies in the specimens were determined by using the double antigen sandwich ELISA technique.RESULTS A total of 118 suspected cases of SFTS were reported between 2008 and 2011;54 of the cases were examined in the laboratory and 33 cases were confirmed to be novel Bunyavirus infection.Most of the patients were from the countryside and between the age of 40 and 79;peak outbreak season was between May and October.Antibody-positive rates of healthy individuals and goats were 1.27% and 84.42%,respectively.CONCLUSION Zibo city is considered an epidemic area of SFTS,and latent infection of novel Bunyavirus still exists in the area.Goats are possibly the primary host for the virus.
Expression and clinical relevance of serum vascular endothelial growth factor in colon cancer

Objective To investigate the level of Serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) in colon cancer patients and its clinical significance. Methods ELISA method was used to detect serum VEGF content in fifty six colon cancer patients and twenty three normal control persons. Results Serum VEGF level in colon cancer patients were significantly higher than those of in control group, serum VEGF levels in patients with distant metastasis was significantly higher than those without metastasis. Conclusion There is certain clinical significance of detecting serum VEGF level for the diagnosis of colon cancer, which can reflect progress of the disease and is closely related to the invasion and metastasis of colon cancer.
The Thought of Strengthening Students’ Honesty Education in High Vocational Colleges

Honesty education is one of the basic contents in our civil moral education.Analyzed from current situation of high vocational students’ honesty,this paper expounds the reason for students’ losing honesty.Therefore,it further puts forward some measures to strengthen high vocational students’ honesty education.
Application prospect analysis for 1 000 kV/220 kV UHV transformer

UHV is a promising technology for the development of grid. 1 000 kV/220 kV transformer will shorten electric distance between power supplies and load, which will lead to lower cost and smaller occupation for transmission project. But it can also raise short circuit current level. Thus it is essential to analyze the prospect of 1 000 kV step-down 220 kV transformer comprehensively. This paper compares the cost of direct step-down scheme by using 1 000 kV/220 kV transformer and the conventional step down scheme by using 1 000 kV/500 kV in series with 500 kV/220 kV transformer for the same transmission capacity. The short circuit current level of the two aforementioned schemes are also analyzed by PSASP for different gird develop stages. The requirements for using 1 000 kV/220 kV transformer are finally summarized as a practice reference.
Measurement of the susceptibility of Culex pipiens pallens and Musca domestica to common insecticides in urban Henan province

Objective To determine the susceptibility of Culex pipiens pallens and Musca domestica to common insecticides in Henan province. Methods The dipping method and the topical application method were used to measure the susceptibility of Cx. pipiens pallens and M. domestica to commonly used insecticides. Results In Zhumadian city, the resistance ratio of Cx. pipiens pallens to common insecticides was 1.36-67.37, and Cx. pipiens pallens had the highest resistance to deltamethrin. The resistance ratio of M. domestica was 6.36 to greater than 443.39, and M. domestica had the highest resistance to propoxur. In Nanyang city, the resistance ratio of Cx. pipiens pallens was 1.33-40.26, and Cx. pipiens pallens had the highest resistance to beta-cypermethrin. The resistance ratio of M. domestica was 6.34 to greater than 443.39, and M. domestica had the highest resistance to propoxur. Conclusion Cx. pipiens pallens populations in investigated cities were still sensitive to temephos and fenobucarb but resistant to deltamethrin and beta-cypermethrin. M. domastica had developed different resistances to all insecticides. It is important to use insecticides appropriately to prevent the development of resistance in mosquitoes and houseflies.
Profile of Mis Research: Methodology and Journal Preference

MIS research is emerging as an eclectic and diverse body of literature. Frameworks have been developed to define and direct research efforts. Considerable variation in research methodology, however, creates problems of effective comparison and evaluation of merit by senior academics from more traditional fields called upon to apply standards for promotion and tenure of MIS faculty. A taxonomy is developed to categorize the contributions of MIS scholars to allow effective comparison and appreciation of contribution. The taxonomy is tested by using it to categorize the contributions of MIS scholors in fifteen journals noted for publication of MIS research. Journal research methodology preferences are illustrated and summarized.
Comparison of Outcomes of Laser Trabeculoplasty Performed by Optometrists vs Ophthalmologists in Oklahoma

Importance Oklahoma is one of the few states where optometrists have surgical privileges to perform laser trabeculoplasty (LTP). Optometrists in other states are lobbying to obtain privileges to perform LTP and other laser procedures. Little is known whether outcomes of patients undergoing this procedure by optometrists are similar to those undergoing LTP by ophthalmologists. Objective To compare outcomes of LTPs performed by ophthalmologists with those performed by optometrists to determine whether differences exist in the need for additional LTPs. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective longitudinal cohort study used a health care claims database containing more than 1000 eyes of Medicare enrollees with glaucoma who underwent LTP in Oklahoma from January 1, 2008, through December 31, 2013. For each procedure, the data specify the type of eye care professional who performed the LTP. The rate of LTPs performed by ophthalmologists that required 1 or more additional LTPs in the same eye was compared with the rate of LTPs performed by optometrists. Regression models determined factors affecting risk of undergoing more than 1 LTP in the same eye. Main Outcomes and Measures Proportion of enrollees requiring additional LTPs, hazard ratio with 95% CIs of undergoing additional LTPs. Results A total of 1384 eyes of 891 eligible patients underwent LTP from January 1, 2008, through December 31, 2013. There were 1150 eyes that received LTP (83.1%) by an ophthalmologist and 234 eyes (16.9%) that had the procedure performed by an optometrist. The mean (SD) age at the initial LTP was 77.7 (7.5) years for enrollees with ophthalmologist-performed LTP and 77.6 (8.0) years for those with optometrist-performed LTP ( P = .89). Among the 1384 eyes receiving LTP, 258 (18.6%) underwent more than 1 LTP in the same eye. The proportion of eyes undergoing LTP by an optometrist requiring 1 or more subsequent LTP session (35.9%) was more than double the proportion of eyes that received this procedure by an ophthalmologist (15.1%). Medicare beneficiaries undergoing LTP by optometrists had a 189% increased hazard of requiring additional LTPs in the same eye compared with those receiving LTP by ophthalmologists (hazard ratio, 2.89; 95% CI, 2.00-4.17; P Conclusions and Relevance Considerable differences exist among the proportions of patients requiring additional LTPs comparing those who were initially treated by ophthalmologists with those initially treated by optometrists. Health policy makers should be cautious about approving laser privileges for optometrists practicing in other states until the reasons for these differences are better understood.
Leveraging seed dictionaries to improve dictionary learning

Most state-of-the-art dictionary learning algorithms (DLAs) are iterative, and must begin with an initial estimate of the dictionary, referred to as the seed. A seed can be generated randomly, but it has been shown that choosing a more intelligent seed often yields a better solution. For example, a seed inferred using data from a related problem, or one handcrafted based on a priori knowledge of the problem at hand can yield better solutions. Seed dictionaries appear to encode valuable a priori information however, most DLAs discard the seed after initialization. This work investigates the questions of whether the information encoded in a good seed can be leveraged further, by potentially using the seed to influence learning after initialization. This is achieved by modifying the popular DLA K-SVD to use the seed as a prior during learning, by penalizing differences between the learned dictionary and the seed. The resulting algorithm, referred to as Seed Shrinkage Dictionary Learning (SSDL), is examined against K-SVD on image denoising experiments using several benchmark images. The results indicate that utilizing the seed as a prior in this way consistently yields improved denoising performance in our experiments. This simple approach motivates the development of more sophisticated approaches that leverage a priori information in useful seeds.
Bochdalek-type Diaphragmatic Hernia Leading to High-grade Kidney Obstruction

A 94-year-old female presented with sharp right flank pain. Imaging demonstrated herniation of the right renal pelvis and proximal ureter into a large diaphragmatic hernia. She underwent ureteral stent placement with resolution of her symptoms. Congenital diaphragmatic hernias can cause a variety of pulmonary, cardiac, and gastrointestinal symptoms. This is 1 of only 3 cases in the literature of unilateral kidney obstruction due to herniation of the renal pelvis and proximal ureter into a Bochdalek-type diaphragmatic hernia. Ureteral stenting is a good option to decompress the kidney. Hernia reduction and primary diaphragm repair remain the definitive treatment.
Identifying fusion transcripts using next generation sequencing

Fusion transcripts (i.e., chimeric RNAs) resulting from gene fusions have been used successfully for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic applications. In addition, many fusion transcripts are found in normal human cell lines and tissues, with some data supporting their role in normal physiology. Besides chromosomal rearrangement, intergenic splicing can generate them. Global identification of fusion transcripts becomes possible with the help of next generation sequencing technology like RNA-Seq. In the past decade, major advancements have been made for chimeric RNA discovery due to the development of advanced sequencing platform and software packages. However, current software tools behave differently in terms of specificity, sensitivity, time, and computational memory usage. Recent benchmarking studies showed that none of the tools are inclusive. The development of high performance (accurate and fast), and user-friendly fusion detection tool/pipeline is still an open quest. In this article, we review the existing software packages for fusion detection. We explain the methods of the tools, and discuss various factors that affect fusion detection. We summarize conclusions drawn from several comparative studies, and then discuss some of the pitfalls of these studies. We also describe the limitations of current tools, and suggest directions for future development. WIREs RNA 2016, 7:811-823. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1382 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Image-based characterization of microfocus x-ray target failure

X-ray targets in microfocus x-ray tubes fail primarily due to sublimation and evaporation of tungsten while exposed to the electron beam. The temperature at the point of impact of the electron beam depends on the beam energy (200-300 kV), the beam current (<10 mA), the cross section (<1 mm) and the intensity profile. In order to preserve the target for a reasonable lifetime, temperatures at the spot do not typically exceed 2500 C. As tungsten evaporates from the surface of the target, the surface starts to pit and this can affect the x-ray production in multiple ways: the photon flux decreases, the heel effect is enhanced, the effective spot size changes shape and/or size. Indirectly, the target damage incurred over time or due to intense use will undermine the image quality by reducing image contrast, changing the resolution or degrading the signal to noise ratio. A detailed description of how x-ray target damage is incurred and the potential impact on image quality is reviewed in detail. Experimental results showing the target damage and associated loss of image quality are discussed.
Immune Suppression Mediated by Myeloid and Lymphoid Derived Immune Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment Facilitates Progression of Thyroid Cancers Driven by HrasG12V and Pten Loss

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy and is predicted to be the 4th most commonly diagnosed cancer by 2030. Approximately one-half of follicular thyroid carcinomas (FTC) contain genetic alterations in RAS family members. Furthermore, Cowden’s disease, which is characterized by loss of PTEN, predisposes for the development of FTC in humans. We have shown that thyroid specific expression of HrasG12V at endogenous levels and Pten inactivation (HrasG12V/Pten-/-/TPO-cre mice) leads to the development of FTCs that closely recapitulate human disease, with complete penetrance at one year. In patients, FTCs metastasize via the bloodstream to distant sites, frequently the lungs, bones and brain. The first objective of the study was to determine if these mice developed de novo metastasis to relevant sites. Indeed, spontaneous metastasis to the lungs was observed in 56% of HrasG12V/Pten-/-/TPO-cre mice. We next sought to identify the cellular components within the tumor microenvironment (TME) of FTC that contribute to tumor progression and metastasis via FACS analysis. Surprisingly, a large amount of immune infiltrate was observed. HrasG12V/Pten-/-/TPO-cre thyroid tumors were comprised of 68.5 ± 11.79% CD45+ cells, in stark contrast to wild-type (WT) thyroids which were comprised of 17.6% CD45+ cells. Further, 53.1 ± 10.9% of the CD45+ cells from HrasG12V/Pten-/-/TPO-cre thyroid tumors were of myeloid-lineage (CD11b+), consisting of macrophages (F4/80+Gr-1-) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (F4/80-Gr-1+). Further, HrasG12V/Pten-/-/TPOcre tumors contained Arginase-1 positive cells as determined by immunohistochemical analysis, supporting an immunosuppressive TME in HrasG12V/Pten-/-/TPO-cre thyroid tumors. We next evaluated whether or not cytotoxic (CD8+) or helper T cells (CD4+) were recruited to HrasG12V/Pten-/-/TPO-cre tumors. The majority of T cells in these tumors were double positive for CD4 and CD25, markers of immune suppressive regulatory T cells (Treg). Additionally, we identified Foxp3 positive cells by immunohistochemical analysis of tumor sections, indicating a functional suppressive Treg phenotype in vivo. HrasG12V/Pten-/-/TPO-cre tumor cell lines displayed increased secretion of SDF-1, I-TAC, CCL9/10, and MCP5, cytokines that have been reported to play a direct role in the chemotaxis of immune cells and thus could contribute to the increased recruitment of myeloid and lymphoid derived cells in HrasG12V/Pten-/-/TPO-cre tumors. These studies are the first to identify and implicate the interaction between tumor cells and immune cells in Ras-driven thyroid cancer progression, which we hope will lead to the development of more effective therapeutic approaches for aggressive forms of thyroid cancer that target the TME.
Infant pitch perception: Missing fundamental melody discrimination

Although recent results show that 3-month-olds can discriminate complex tones by their missing fundamental, it is arguable whether they are discriminating on the basis of a perceived pitch. A defining characteristic of pitch is that it carries melodic information. This study investigated whether 3-month-olds, 7-month-olds, and adults can detect a change in a melody composed of missing fundamental complexes. Participants heard a seven-note melody and learned to respond to a change that violated the melodic contour. To ensure that participants were responding on the basis of pitch, the notes in the melody had missing fundamentals and varied in spectral content on each presentation. In experiment I, all melodies had the same absolute pitch, while in experiment II, the melodies were randomly transposed into one of three different keys on each presentation. Almost all participants learned to ignore the spectral changes and respond to the changed note of the melody in both experiments, strengthening the argument that complex tones elicit a sense of musical pitch in infants. These results provide evidence that complex pitch perception is functional by 3 months of age.
Integration of Immune Cell Populations, mRNA-Seq, and CpG Methylation to Better Predict Humoral Immunity to Influenza Vaccination: Dependence of mRNA-Seq/CpG Methylation on Immune Cell Populations.

The development of a humoral immune response to influenza vaccines occurs on a multi-systems-level. Due to the orchestration required for robust immune responses when multiple genes and their regulatory components across multiple cell types are involved, we examined an influenza vaccination cohort using multiple high-throughput technologies. In this study, we sought a more thorough understanding of how immune cell composition and gene expression relate to each other and contribute to inter-individual variation in response to influenza vaccination. We first hypothesized that many of the differentially expressed genes observed after influenza vaccination result from changes in the composition of participants’ PBMCs, which were assessed using flow cytometry. We demonstrated that differentially expressed genes in our study are correlated with changes in PBMC composition. We gathered differentially expressed genes from 128 other publically available PBMC-based vaccine studies and identified that an average of 57% correlated with specific cell subset levels in our study (permutation used to control false discovery), suggesting that the associations we’ve identified are likely general features of PBMC-based transcriptomics. Second, we hypothesized that more robust models of vaccine response could be generated by accounting for the interplay between PBMC composition, gene expression, and gene regulation. We employed machine learning to generate predictive models of B-cell ELISPOT response outcomes and hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) antibody titers. The top HAI and B-cell ELISPOT model achieved an area under the receiver operating curve of 0.64 and 0.79, respectively, with linear model coefficients of determination of 0.08 and 0.28. For the B-cell ELISPOT outcomes, CpG methylation had the greatest predictive ability, highlighting potentially novel regulatory features important for immune response. B-cell ELISOT models using only PBMC composition had lower performance (AUC = 0.67), but highlighted well-known mechanisms. Our analysis demonstrated that each of the three datasets (cell composition, mRNA-Seq, and DNA methylation) may provide distinct information for the prediction of humoral immune response outcomes. We believe these findings are important for the interpretation of current omics-based studies and set the stage for a more thorough understanding of inter-individual immune responses to influenza vaccination.
Computational Analysis on Down-Regulated Images of Macrophage Scavenger Receptor.

Thiolated-graphene quantum dots (SH-GQDs) were developed and assessed for an efficient preventive means against atherosclerosis and potential toxicity through computational image analysis and animal model studies. Zebrafish (wild-type, wt) were used for evaluation of toxicity through the assessment of embryonic mortality, malformation and ROS generation. The amounts of SH-GQDs uptaken by mouse macrophage cells (Raw264.7) were analyzed using a flow cytometer. For the time-dependent cellular uptake study, Raw264.7 cells were treated with SH-GQDs (200 μg/ml) at specific time intervals (0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10 and 24 h). The efficacy of SH-GQDs on DiO-oxLDL efflux by Raw264.7 cells was evaluated (DiO, 3,3′-dioctadecyl-oxacarbocyanine) based on the percentage of positive cells containing DiO-oxLDL. TEER of human primary umbilical vein endothelial cells (hUVECs) were examined to assess the barrier function of the cell layers upon being treated with oxLDL. SH-GQDs significantly enhanced the efflux of oxLDL and down-regulated macrophage scavenger receptor (MSR) in Raw264.7. The ROS levels stimulated by oxidative stress were alleviated by SH-GQDs. oxLDL (10 μg/ml) significantly impaired the barrier function (TEER) of adherence junctions, which was recovered by SH-GQDs (10 μg/ml) (oxLDL: 67.2 ± 2.2 Ω-cm2 for 24 h; SH-GQDs: 114.6 ± 8.5 Ω-cm2 for 24 h). The mortality rate (46% for 1 mg/ml) of the zebra fish increased, as the concentrations and exposure duration of SH-GQDs increased. SH-GQDs exerted negligible side effects. SH-GQDs have target specificity to macrophage scavenger receptor (MSR) and efficiently recovered the ROS levels and TEER. SH-GQDs did not induce endothelial cell layer disruption nor affected zebrafish larvae survival.
Why Now? Explaining the Timing of International Militarized Engagements Over Territory

An important topic in the militarized international territorial conflict literature has been identifying factors that increase its likelihood. The focus in these investigations has often been on the presence of territorial claims and on why the disputed land is valued – that is, whether the land is economically or strategically important or whether it is valued because it means something to the disputants (i.e. ethnic, religious, ancestral importance). A limitation of all such claim- and value-based explanations is, however, that these are static phenomena that are continuously present from one year to the next, if not over decades. In contrast, militarized engagements over territory tend to be comparatively rare and take place during some years but not others. The extant explanations therefore tend to both over-predict the incidences of actual militarized conflict and fail to account for the conflict’s timing. To deal with these problems, prior works have often relied on the changes in the relative power distribution to explain the over time variation in the incidence of fights over territory. While this strategy has proved empirically fruitful (i.e. the relative power variable is almost always significant), the theoretical issue nevertheless remains because notable changes in relative power distribution tend to be quite infrequent. In this project, I instead focus on the domestic political factors in order to explain the timing of militarized territorial conflict. I take particular note of the dynamic variables such as the domestic political situation and argue that the state of domestic politics provides important motivations for the leaders with respect to the timing of militarized territorial conflicts. Empirical analyses covering all state pairs in the post-World War II period provide much support for this domestically-based explanation of the timing of territorial fights, even when the traditional correlates of territorial conflict (i.e. territorial claims and relative power) are taken into account.
Clinical and Ultrasound Sequelae of Nonvisualized Calf Veins on Duplex Ultrasound for Suspected Deep Vein Thrombosis

ObjectivesCalf veins are not visualized in up to 40% of lower extremity venous duplex ultrasounds (DUS). Little is known about the clinical implications of nonvisualized calf veins. We sought to in...
iSpy? Tailored versus Invasive Ads and Consumers’ Perceptions of Personalized Advertising

Abstract This research examines consumers’ perceptions of personalized advertising (PA), a new and emerging trend in online advertising, within the context of social networking sites. The practice holds great promise but has been associated with a number of privacy issues, and thus needs further investigation. Utilized as a theoretical lens by which to conduct our investigation, privacy calculus theory is used and extended via its integration with constructs from other streams of literature. Both antecedents and outcomes regarding consumer privacy concerns toward PA are empirically investigated, in order to help uncover the factors that determine whether the practice is perceived favorably or invasively by consumers. We also assess what effects those perceptions have on consumers’ behavioral intentions toward PA. The results show that a number of factors, such as invasiveness, privacy control, perceived usefulness, and consumer innovativeness influence consumers’ behavioral intentions concerning PA. Implications of these results for managers, researchers, and consumers are discussed.
Comments on the Artificiality of Actual Amount Adsorbed

The artificiality of the actual amount adsorbed (AAA) estimated from the experimentally measured Gibbsian surface excess (GSE) of a gas is discussed. The use of AAA for calculation of isosteric heat of adsorption or mixed gas adsorption isotherms using ideal adsorbed solution theory can be misleading and incorrect. The GSE, on the other hand, can be unambiguously used to describe all practical aspects of adsorption science and technology.
A Microforce-Sensing Mobile Microrobot for Automated Micromanipulation Tasks

This paper presents a microforce-sensing mobile microrobot ( $\mu $ FSMM) for use in automated micromanipulation tasks. The design consists of a planar vision-based microforce sensor end-effector, while the microrobot body is made of chemically etched nickel that is driven by an exterior magnetic field. With a known stiffness, the manipulation forces can be determined from observing the deformation of the end-effector through a camera attached to an optical microscope. After analyzing and calibrating the stiffness of a micromachined prototype, the mobility and in situ force-sensing capabilities are verified through real-time, closed loop, force controlled manipulation tests with automated path planning and navigation. The calibrated stiffness of the microforce sensor end-effectors fabricated is on the order of 10−3 N/m. The online (real time) force-sensing resolution is approximately $1.5~\mu \text{N}$ . The sensing range is 0–20 $\mu \text{N}$ along the two planar directions. In automated micromanipulation experiments with a microcomponent, the $\mu $ FSMM utilizes real-time force control to apply a prescribed force of $6~\mu \text{N}$ to a desired location on a fixed microobject. Similarly, in another automated micromanipulation experiment, the $\mu $ FSMM demonstrates the use of real-time force control to limit the manipulation forces experienced by the microobject to remain below a threshold of 12 $\mu \text{N}$ . Note to Practitioners —This paper was motivated by recent interest single-cell biological micromanipulation tasks that seek to understand the role of environmental forces on the mechanics of cell development (mechanobiology) and the biological mechanisms that control such behavior (mechanotransduction). In addition, tissue engineering applications require the safe micromanipulation of single cells to desired locations in the workspace for growing tissue scaffolds. The $\mu $ FSMM presented here can be easily inserted into existing biological testbeds to use for these aforementioned applications. The designed magnetic coil system is compatible with standard inverted optical microscopes, while a digital camera for real-time image processing is already standard in these testbeds. The developed software interface can be used to prescribe automated microforce controlled manipulations of single cells and tissues in the workspace to carry out these aforementioned tasks. This paper is also suitable for carrying out general automated micromanipulation and microassembly tasks with advanced manufacturing applications.
Adaptive Islanding and Self-Sufficiency of Block-Scale Microgrids

This paper discusses adaptive islanding via city-block-scale microgrids as a new paradigm in electric grid operations, which has the potential to vastly improve flexibility and resilience of the grid and facilitate renewable energy integration. We summarize advantages and challenges of adaptive islanding in general and the block scale in particular. We also present an approach to analyze microgrid self-sufficiency probabilistically using time-series simulations, and demonstrate the benefits of the block scale in an example with real household electric data.
Resection with Intent to Cure Pancreatic Cancer

Although controversy abounds regarding the diagnostic and management aspects of pancreatic malignancies, there is uniform agreement throughout the surgical community that resection offers the patient the only chance for cure, albeit rare. When evaluating the efficacy of any surgical procedure, it is worthwhile to remind ourselves of the three criteria for an acceptable cancer operation, regardless of the site of origin of the malignancy: 1. The operation should have a low operative mortality. 2. The operation should have an acceptable short- and long-term morbidity, i.e., it should not substantially reduce the quality of life. 3. The operation should afford the patient an improved long-term survival over other treatment modalities which are nonsurgical in nature (radio- and/or chemotherapy).
A Microworld for Weight and Energy Regulation

Prior to the development of modern computers, formal modeling of real-life systems was limited to pencil-and-paper mathematical formulations. This imposed certain limitations. For example, it was often necessary to make simplifying—even heroic—assumptions when dealing with complex phenomena (such as to assume that relations between system variables are well-behaving linear, straight-line relations). To render our models mathematically tractable, we often needed to break large systems into manageable “analytical bites” and analyze the simplified fragments in isolation, “with the hope that we [could] then re-assemble these chunks of partial knowledge into an understanding of the overall system.”49
Towards Natural-Language Understanding and Automated Enforcement of Privacy Rules and Regulations in the Cloud: Survey and Bibliography

In this paper we survey existing work on automatically processing legal, regulatory and other policy texts for the extraction and representation of privacy knowledge and rules. Our objective is to link and apply some of these techniques to policy enforcement and compliance, to provide a core means of achieving and maintaining customer privacy in an enterprise context, particularly where data is stored and processed in cloud data centres. We sketch our thoughts on how this might be done given the many different, but so far strictly distinct from one another, approaches to natural-language analysis of legal and other prescriptive texts, approaches to knowledge extraction, semantic representation, and automated enforcement of privacy rules.