cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integrating AGV schedules in a scheduling system for a flexible manufacturing environment

In a job shop where machining time takes a comparable amount as material transportation time, it is no longer realistic to ignore the scheduling of material transportation systems such as automated guided vehicles (AGVs). The authors' algorithm discussed in this paper integrates AGV schedules into a heuristic-based scheduling algorithm to achieve the maximum amount of flexibility and optimization for a flexible manufacturing environment. Furthermore in order to allow their system to achieve different optimization goals such as shortest schedules or schedules that require the minimum computation time, the authors' system architecture consists of individual modules of heuristics so that one or any combination of these modules can be used. The authors then discuss how they control the use of these heuristic modules to achieve the best results with some experimental data. >
Less potassium coming out, less sodium going in: Phenotyping ROMK knockout rats

See related article, pp 288–294 The Dahl salt-sensitive rat represents a widely studied model of salt-sensitive hypertension.1 In the current work, Zhou et al2 phenotype a renal outer medullary potassium channel (ROMK) homozygous (−/−) and heterozygous (+/−) knockout rat on a Dahl salt-sensitive background. The authors performed a series of hemodynamic and metabolic studies to address the effects of genetically manipulating ROMK in the Dahl salt-sensitive rat. This model represents a major advance in tools available to study the role of ROMK in renal development, Na homeostasis, and blood pressure regulation. It is another of a growing number of −/− rats generated by zinc finger nucleases, which will eventually replace the need to study −/− mice. For this reason alone, the study should be considered a major accomplishment, as the literature on renal physiology and blood pressure regulation mostly comes from rats, and our ability to study rats is far more sophisticated than it is for mice. ROMK is expressed in the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle (TALH) and principal cells of the collecting duct.3 Both segments play a critical role in salt homeostasis and therefore blood pressure. In the TALH, both transcellular and paracellular pathways are involved in salt reabsorption. Transcellular absorption occurs when Na+, K+, and Cl− enter the cells via the apical Na/K/2Cl cotransporter (NKCC2) and exit via Na+/K+ ATPase. ROMK, located in the apical membrane of the TALH, recycles K+ back to …
Compressive Sensing Could Accelerate 1H MR Metabolic Imaging in the Clinic

By using compressive sensing–based reconstruction, we have demonstrated a potential reduction in acquisition time by up to 80% or more for hydrogen 1 MR spectroscopic imaging, with negligible loss of information as evaluated on the basis of clinically relevant metrics.
Analysis of efficiency of magnetic stimulation

Magnetic stimulation can activate excitable tissues noninvasively. However, this method requires high energy to operate and can produce equipment heat that leads to inefficient stimulation. In this study, a comprehensive optimization of efficiency for magnetic stimulation has been conducted. A total of 16,781 coil designs were tested in order to determine the optimal coil geometry and inductance for neural excitation. Induced electric fields were calculated to find the optimal stimulation site (OSS) of a given coil. The threshold energy of a magnetic pulse for neural excitation was then calculated based on the transmembrane responses of a nerve model. Simulation results show that there exists an optimal inductance, as a consequence of an optimal pulse duration, corresponding to a minimum threshold energy. A longer pulse width is required to obtain the maximum efficiency for axons with slower membrane dynamics, a longer coil-to-fiber distance, and greater values of resistance (R) and capacitance (C) of the resistance-inductance-capacitance circuit. The optimal geometry features a minimum coil height, suggesting a flat coil design for optimal efficiency. The dimension of the optimal coil design increases with the coil-to-fiber distance. Moreover, the cloverleaf design achieves the highest efficiency for infinitely long fibers whereas the butterfly design is optimal for terminating or bending fibers.
Nanocomposite particles for the preparation of advanced nanomaterials

New composites based on nano-size particles provide a promising route to the fabrication of novel materials for advanced technology applications. To produce desired materials, it is important to control the composition and distribution of nanoclusters within the bulk or surface coating of nanostructured materials. Towards this purpose, we have developed a novel method of processing nanocomposite materials utilizing colloidal chemistry techniques to tailor their microstructure. Unique composite aggregates of nanoparticles with a core-shell structure were prepared using a special scheme of controlled polymer adsorption. Polymers which specifically adsorb on both nano- and micron- size particles are used as tethers to enable desired coating of the later particles with the former and to enhance the cluster integrity. Nanocomposite particles consisting of micron-size alumina or silicon nitride as cores and nano-size alumina, titania, or iron oxide as shell particles have been successfully prepared using this process. The surface charge of the core particles is reversed after the adsorption of polyacrylic acid polymers. This promotes the interaction between the core and the shell particles and therefore nanoparticles added subsequently to the core particle suspension coat on core particles by electrostatic as well as possibly hydrogen bonding bridging mechanisms. Success of the process depends to a large extent on the absence of homoflocculation of nanoparticles and this is achieved by removing all the unadsorbed free polymers from the bulk solution before introducing them to coat on the polymer coated core particles. Coating itself is estimated by monitoring change in the zeta potential of core-shell structure. The coating scheme as well as the characterization of these nanocomposite particles are discussed in detail. This processing scheme provides a simple way for the preparation of both bulk and surface coatings with these engineered nanostructured particles as building blocks.
An iterative Riemann solver for systems of hyperbolic conservation laws, with application to hyperelastic solid mechanics

In this paper, we present a general iterative method for the solution of the Riemann problem for hyperbolic systems of PDEs. The method is based on the multiple shooting method for free boundary value problems. We demonstrate the method by solving one-dimensional Riemann problems for hyperelastic solid mechanics. Even for conditions representative of routine laboratory conditions and military ballistics, dramatic differences are seen between the exact and approximate Riemann solution. The greatest discrepancy arises from misallocation of energy between compressional and thermal modes by the approximate solver, resulting in nonphysical entropy and temperature estimates. Several pathological conditions arise in common practice and modifications to the method to handle these are discussed. These include points where genuine nonlinearity is lost, degeneracies, and eigenvector deficiencies that occur upon melting.
Determining representative volume elements of asphalt concrete mixtures without damage

This study presents a simple method to define the representative volume elements (RVEs) of asphalt concrete mixtures without damage. Three currently used asphalt concrete mixtures (two dense-graded Superpave® mixtures with different nominal maximum aggregate sizes of 9.5 and 12.5 mm and one stone matrix asphalt mixture with a nominal maximum aggregate size of 19.0 mm) were selected and evaluated. To address the significant heterogeneity of asphalt concrete mixtures properly in defining RVEs, several geometrical factors, such as area fraction, gradation, orientation, and the distribution of aggregate particles in asphalt concrete mixtures, were all considered together by using two-dimensional images of actual asphalt concrete inner structures produced by digital-image processing. Geometrically defined RVEs were then supported by finite element simulations to check whether effective nondamage material properties obtained from the RVEs, such as the linear viscoelastic dynamic modulus, were representative of ...
The Role of Thinking Style and Innovative Intentions for Optimal Creativity and Innovation in Organizations

This study represents the confluence of two research streams under the organizational change rubric: linear/nonlinear thinking style-that is the notion that people tend to be either linear, nonlinear or balanced thinkers-and innovative intentions and resulting behaviors in organizations. It was hypothesized that a balanced linear/nonlinear thinking style and the inclination towards more innovative intentions and resulting behaviors in organizations are strongly related. The results of an analysis of four French and American business course student populations (n = 73) found a significant relationship in the predicted direction between balanced linear/nonlinear thinking style and innovative intention measures. A second wave of data collection involved six sections of graduate project management classes with a majority of engineering students. The results of the combined sample (n=124) mirrored the first wave results. Balanced thinking style and occupation-free measures of innovative intentions were significantly related. Important implications of the results are discussed for cross-functional innovative teams and directions for future work.
Low-power digital systems based on adiabatic-switching principles

Adiabatic switching is an approach to low-power digital circuits that differs fundamentally from other practical low-power techniques. When adiabatic switching is used, the signal energies stored on circuit capacitances may be recycled instead of dissipated as heat. We describe the fundamental adiabatic amplifier circuit and analyze its performance. The dissipation of the adiabatic amplifier is compared to that of conventional switching circuits, both for the case of a fixed voltage swing and the case when the voltage swing can be scaled to reduce power dissipation. We show how combinational and sequential adiabatic-switching logic circuits may be constructed and describe the timing restrictions required for adiabatic operation. Small chip-building experiments have been performed to validate the techniques and to analyse the associated circuit overhead. >
Methodology for modelling SPMD hybrid parallel computation

This research defines and analyzes a methodology for deriving a performance model for SPMD hybrid parallel applications. Hybrid parallelism combines shared memory and message passing computing models. This work extends the current practice of application performance modelling by development of a methodology for hybrid applications with these procedures. Creation of a model based on complexity analysis of an application code and its data structures. Enhancement of a static complexity model by dynamic factors to capture execution time phenomena, such as memory hierarchy effects. Quantitative analysis of model characteristics and the effects of perturbations in measured parameters. These research results are presented in the context of a hybrid parallel implementation of a sparse linear algebra kernel. A model for this kernel is derived and analyzed using the methodology. Application of the model on two large parallel computing platforms provides case studies for the methodology. Operating system issues, machine balance factor, and memory hierarchy effects on model accuracy are examined. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Calcium and phosphorus dynamics in pregnancy

Abstract 1. The renal handling of calcium and of phosphorus was studied in 24 women in the sixth, seventh, or eighth month of pregnancy. 2. Serum calcium levels were lower than in nongravid women; the reduction of serum calcium was quantitatively accounted for by a decrease in serum albumin. Protein-binding was not altered by pregnancy. 3. The filtered calcium load, tubular resorption of calcium, and urinary excretion of calcium were not significantly altered by pregnancy. 4. Phosphate filtration and net tubular reabsorption were likewise not altered by pregnancy. 5. Effects of 2 Gm. of calcium taken by mouth varied with the preparation used: (a) calcium lactate produced hypercalcemia with the increment of serum calcium being normally distributed between the protein-bound and free fractions; (b) nonfat milk increased urinary calcium excretion but not the serum calcium level; (c) calcium sulfate and dicalcium phosphate effected no change in serum or urine calcium content; (d) all of the oral calcium preparations raised serum phosphate levels and decreased phosphaturia, with the most potent compound being calcium lactate; and (e) the cause of the phosphate antidiuresis without discernible hypercalcemia at a time when phosphaturia is normally maximal is unknown.
Health Literacy Mediates the Relationship Between Age and Health Outcomes in Patients With Heart Failure

Background—Previous studies have linked frequent rehospitalizations for heart failure (HF) and increased mortality with older age, higher severity of HF, lack of an evidence-based medication regimen, and inadequate health literacy. However, the pathway between age and health outcomes in patients with HF remains unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to test whether the association between age and health outcomes can be explained by severity of HF, evidence-based medication use, and health literacy in patients with HF. Methods and Results—This was a longitudinal study of 575 rural patients with HF recruited from outpatient clinics and hospitals. Demographics, clinical data, and health literacy were collected at baseline. HF readmissions and cardiac mortality were followed for 2 years; 57% of patients were ≥65 years of age. Older patients with HF were more likely to have low health literacy and less likely to be prescribed angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or β-blockers. Using Kaplan–Meier...
Dynamics and system bifurcation in autonomous induction generators

An autonomous induction generator has limited output power capability, the limit of which is determined by the values of the rotor speed, per-phase shunt excitation capacitor and the load. For self-excitation to be sustained, certain minimum airgap flux linkage and load impedance are required. This paper sets forth, using concepts of bifurcation theory, how these limits are affected by system parameters. The dynamic voltage collapse phenomena arising from loading the generator above the attainable maximum load or changing the load impedance to a lower than critical value and the process of self-excitation are also investigated. Theoretical analyses are supported by experimental results. >
Uniform Bimetallic Nanocrystals by High-Temperature Seed-Mediated Colloidal Synthesis and Their Catalytic Properties for Semiconducting Nanowire Growth

A general procedure to prepare uniform gold-based bimetallic nanocrystals (NCs) is reported. The method relies on a seed-mediated approach in which deposition and in-situ alloying of a second metal (Ag, Pt, Hg, Sn, Cd) onto monodisperse Au seeds are performed at relatively high temperatures, giving access to bimetallic NCs of tunable compositions and properties. The position of the plasmon resonance in the original Au NCs is tunable over a wide range (∼300–520 nm) of the electromagnetic spectrum. We demonstrate the catalytic properties of these monodisperse NCs for growing single-crystalline semiconductor nanowires of uniform, small diameter (∼15–30 nm) via a vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) mechanism at low temperatures. This seeded-mediated approach is not restricted to Au but can be extended to several other combinations, making this procedure a straightforward method to prepare highly monodisperse and controllable multimetallic nanocrystals for optical and catalytic applications.
Aggregate-MAX Top-k Nearest Neighbor Searching in the L1 Plane

We study the aggregate/group top-k nearest neighbor searching for the Max operator in the plane, where the distances are measured by the L1 metric. Let P be a set of n points in the plane. Given a ...
Titration Streptomycin Therapy for Bilateral Meniere's Disease: A Preliminary Report

Intramuscular dosages of streptomycin sulfate were titrated in eight patients with bilateral Meniere's disease in an attempt to alleviate disabling vertigo and hearing loss. It appears possible to eliminate the vertiginous episodes, preserve or improve hearing, and avoid ataxia and oscillopsia in most of these individuals. At present we consider this treatment regimen our first choice of therapy in people with bilateral active Meniere's disease or in patients whose only hearing ear is actively fluctuating and in whom associated disabling vertigo is present. Great caution and supervision should be exercised in the use of streptomycin titration therapy in the individual with bilateral Meniere's disease, as further experience is required to determine the efficacy of this form of management.
Low-dose aspirin, smoking status, and the risk of spontaneous preterm birth.

Objective We evaluated the relationship between aspirin supplementation and perinatal outcomes for potential effect modification by smoking status. Study Design A secondary analysis of two multicenter trials for which prophylactic aspirin supplementation was given to either low- or high-risk women for prevention of preeclampsia (PE). We examined the effect of aspirin by smoking status using the Breslow–Day test. Primary outcomes for this analysis were PE and preterm birth (PTB) Results The effect of prenatal aspirin on the risk of PE did not differ by smoking status (relative risk [RR] 95% confidence interval [CI] for smokers; RR 95% CI for nonsmokers) in low-risk (Breslow–Day p = 0.32) or high-risk (RR 95% CI for smokers; RR 95% CI for nonsmokers) (Breslow–Day p = 0.58) women. Among women at low risk for PE, the effect of aspirin supplementation on PTB was not different for nonsmokers (RR 1.00 [95% CI 0.8–1.3]) or smokers (RR 0.80 [95% CI 0.4–1.7]), (Breslow–Day p = 0.54). Aspirin was protective for PTB in nonsmokers (RR 0.80 [95% CI 0.7–0.9]), but not in smokers (RR 1.1 [95% CI 0.9–1.4]) in the high-risk group (Breslow–Day p = 0.03). Aspirin was also associated with increased spontaneous and early PTB and NICU admission in smokers and not nonsmokers in the high-risk group only. Conclusion Aspirin supplementation was associated with worse outcomes related to preterm birth in smokers in a high-risk but not low-risk cohort.
Role of Marine Fungi in the Biochemistry of the Oceans. V. Patterns of Constitutive Nutritional Growth Responses

Halosphaeria mediosetigera, Culcitalna achraspora, and Humicola alopallonella, cellulolytic marine isolates, were grown in shake flasks in a variety of liquid artificial seawater media designed to demonstrate the value of 38 inorganic and organic compounds as nitrogen (N) sources and 79 organic compounds as carbon (C) sources. Inoculum production and experimental growth was standardized and gravimetrically quantitated. The effects of tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (THAM) buffer on growth and pH changes in the presence of quantitative variations of the best nitrogen sources were assessed. High C/N source ratios, ranging from 18 to 55, were preferred. While pH remained stable in the presence of THAM, omission of the buffer confirmed the acidogenic nature of NH4+ salts, pH values of 3.0 or less being recorded. Patterns of C source utilization were compared, emphasizing the effect of sugar derivatives, with those of terrestrial cellulolytic species. In spite of generic differences, marine test organisms responded with remarkable similarity. Generally, all inorganic N sources, urea, valine, leucine, alanine, arginine, glutamate, glutamine, aspartate, asparagine, hypoxanthine, and xanthine promoted significant growth for all three species with glucose as the C source. Cultures proved far more selective in their use of C sources, good growth occurring consistently only in the presence of glucose, fructose, mannose, cellobiose, and xylose. Those organic substrates which acted as good N sources were unable to furnish required C even in the presence of sparking quantities of glucose. Carbohydrate, substituted carbohydrate, and glycoside utilization patterns compared favorably with those of terrestrial species. In the absence of explicit permeability data, it is suggested that these cultures are narrowly saccharolytic, but may be only insignificantly proteolytic, lipolytic, nucleolytic, or ligninolytic. Broader studies are required before adaptive recalcitrance can be used to describe marine fungi in general.
Ants of Barbados (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Abstract The Caribbean region is considered a threatened biodiversity hotspot because of its high levels of biotic endemism and widespread habitat destruction. On Caribbean islands, as elsewhere in the world, ants are a critical component of virtually every terrestrial ecosystem. Nonetheless, the ants of most Caribbean islands remain poorly known. Here, we reviewed historical accounts, compiled published and unpublished ant records, and collected new specimens to document the diversity of ants on the Caribbean island of Barbados, including summary accounts for each species. We expected Barbados to have a relatively depauperate native ant fauna with few endemic species because of high isolation, young age, flat terrain, and high degree of habitat destruction. Furthermore, we expected to find many exotic ants, introduced throughout a long history of international commerce dating back to the 1600s. Our investigations increased the list of ant taxa known from Barbados to 69 (46 New World and 23 Old World). Of...
Inhibitor of p52 NF-κB subunit and androgen receptor (AR) interaction reduces growth of human prostate cancer cells by abrogating nuclear translocation of p52 and phosphorylated ARser81

Accumulating evidence shows that androgen receptor (AR) activation and signaling plays a key role in growth and progression in all stages of prostate cancer, even under low androgen levels or in the absence of androgen in the castration-resistant prostate cancer. Sustained activation of AR under androgen-deprived conditions may be due to its interaction with co-activators, such as p52 NF-κB subunit, and/or an increase in its stability by phosphorylation that delays its degradation. Here we identified a specific inhibitor of AR/p52 interaction, AR/p52-02, via a high throughput screen based on the reconstitution of Gaussia Luciferase. We found that AR/p52-02 markedly inhibited growth of both castration-resistant C4-2 (IC50 ∼6 μM) and parental androgen-dependent LNCaP (IC50 ∼4 μM) human prostate cancer cells under low androgen conditions. Growth inhibition was associated with significantly reduced nuclear p52 levels and DNA binding activity, as well as decreased phosphorylation of AR at serine 81, increased AR ubiquitination, and decreased AR transcriptional activity as indicated by decreased prostate-specific antigen (PSA) mRNA levels in both cell lines. AR/p52-02 also caused a reduction in levels of p21(WAF/CIP1), which is a direct AR targeted gene in that its expression correlates with androgen stimulation and mitogenic proliferation in prostate cancer under physiologic levels of androgen, likely by disrupting the AR signaling axis. The reduced level of cyclinD1 reported previously for this compound may be due to the reduction in nuclear presence and activity of p52, which directly regulates cyclinD1 expression, as well as the reduction in p21(WAF/CIP1), since p21(WAF/CIP1) is reported to stabilize nuclear cyclinD1 in prostate cancer. Overall, the data suggest that specifically inhibiting the interaction of AR with p52 and blocking activity of p52 and pARser81 may be an effective means of reducing castration-resistant prostate cancer cell growth.
Conservative Management (Packing) of Hemorrhage Complicating Mediastinoscopy

Major hemorrhage is an uncommon complication of mediastinoscopy. Although there is a paucity of published data on the management of this problem, sternotomy and arterial repair is usually considered the treatment of choice. Two major hemorrhagic complications (1 definite and 1 possible pulmonary artery tear) occurred in a series of 324 mediastinoscopies. Mediastinoscopic gauze packing successfully controlled the hemorrhage.
Grassland communities in the USA and expected trends associated with climate change

Grasslands, including managed grazinglands, represent one of the largest ecosystems on the planet. Managed grazinglands in particular tend to occupy marginal climatic and edaphic resource zones, thus exacerbating responses in net primary productivity relative to changes in system resources, including anthropogenic factors. Climate dynamism, as evident from the fossil record, appears to be a putative feature of our planet. Recent global trends in temperature and precipitation patterns seem to differ from long-term patterns and have been associated with human activities linked with increased greenhouse gas emissions; specifically CO 2 . Thus grasslands, with their diverse floristic components, and interaction with and dependence upon herbivores, have a remarkable ability to persist and sustain productivity in response to changing resource conditions. This resistance and resilience to change, including uncertain long-term weather conditions, establishes managed grasslands as an important means of protecting food security. We review responses of grassland communities across regions of the USA and consider the responses in productivity and system function with respect to climatic variation. Research is needed to identify plant resources and management technologies that strengthen our ability to capitalize upon physiological and anatomical features prevalent in grassland communities associated with varying growing conditions.
Two-Dimensional Averaging Techniques

This chapter describes two-dimensional (2D) averaging techniques. Averaging of images for the purpose of noise elimination may be achieved by photographic superposition. In electron microscopy, the method of averaging by photographic superposition has been introduced, and this is applied to structures with both translational and rotational symmetries. Averaging over a correctly aligned set of images is equivalent to the result of the Fourier filtration of a regular 2D montage of that set using appropriately placed δ-functions as mask. Historically, two-dimensional averaging of molecules presenting the same view has been an important first step in the development of methods for extraction of quantitative information from a single macromolecule. The chapter commences with an introduction to various sources of noise. It discusses the principle of averaging, digitization and selection of particles, alignment methods, reference free techniques, concept of resolution, validation of the average image or rank sum analysis, and concept of outlier rejection.
Ectopic Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Coated Scaffolds Create An In Vivo Leukemia Niche in NOD/SCID Mice.

Abstract Abstract 559 Introduction: Different cellular components of the normal hematopoietic niche have been identified. However, the niche for malignant hematopoiesis remains to be elucidated. Recent work of other groups has suggested that hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) within the bone marrow anchor themselves in place by attaching to osteoblasts and/or vascular sinusoid endothelial cells. We have recently identified mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) as niche-maker cells and found a crucial role of the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis in this process. Stromal Derived Factor-1 (SDF-1/CXCL12) regulates stem cell trafficking and the cell cycle via its receptor CXCR4. Methods: Polyurethane scaffolds, coated in vitro with human bone marrow MSC, were implanted subcutaneously in non-irradiated NOD/SCID mice. CD34+ HSC or primary AML cells (from a leukapheresis product) were injected either in situ or retro-orbitally in the mice and analyzed for engraftment. The mice were treated twice per week with in situ injections of SDF-1, AMD3100 (a CXCR4 antagonist) or PBS (control). After 2 to 4 weeks, the scaffolds were processed and evaluated for cell survival in the mesenchymal niche by immunohistochemistry. Results: We created in vitro MSC-coated scaffolds that retained inoculated AML cells in the presence of SDF-1, while AML cells seeded on empty scaffolds were not retained. In vivo in NOD/SCID mice, the MSC-coated scaffolds, in the presence of SDF-1 enabled homing of both in situ injected normal CD34+ HSC and retroorbital- or in situ injected primary human AML cells. The scaffolds were vascularized and showed osteoclasts and adipocytes present, suggestive of an ectopic human bone marrow microenvironment in the murine host. Finally, the SDF-1-treated scaffolds showed proliferation of the MSC stromal layer with multiple adherent AML cells, while in the AMD3100-treated scaffolds the stromal lining was thin and disrupted at several points, leaving AML cells free floating in proximity. The PBS-treated control-scaffold showed a thin single cell MSC stromal layer without disruption, with few AML cells attached. Conclusion: The preliminary data of this functional ectopic human microenvironment in NOD/SCID mice suggest that AMD3100 (a CXCR4 antagonist) can disrupt the stem cell niche by modulation of the mesenchymal stromal. Further studies are needed to define the role of mesenchymal stem cells in maintaining the hematopoietic/leukemic stem cell niche in vivo. Download : Download high-res image (206KB) Download : Download full-size image In Vivo Leukemia Stem Cell Niche: (A) Empty polyurethane scaffold. (B)Vascularization in SQ implanted MSC-coated scaffold (s) niche in NOD/SCID mice. (C) DAB Peroxidase (brown) human CD45 positive nests of AML cells (arrows) 1 week after direct in situ AML injection. (D) Human CD45 positive myeloid cells adhere to MSC in vivo (arrows). Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
A Functional MicroRNA Screening Method for Organ Morphogenesis

The increasing repertoire of microRNAs expressed during organ development and their role in regulating organ morphogenesis provide a compelling need to develop methods to assess microRNA function using various in vitro and in vivo experimental models. Methods to assess microRNA function during organ morphogenesis include transfection of microRNA inhibitors (antagomirs) and activators (mimics) into mouse embryonic explanted organs using liposomes, which can potentially result in low efficiency of transfection and off-target effects. We devised a method to assess microRNA function in explanted organs by transfecting antagomirs and mimics using peptide-based nanoparticles, increasing functional microRNA targeting efficiency, and decreasing off-target effects. Our method can be applied to a variety of embryonic organs that can be explanted and provides an alternative to efficiently and functionally prioritize microRNAs during organ morphogenesis for further in vivo genetic approaches. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Exploiting Injustice in Mutually Beneficial Market Exchange: The Case of Sweatshop Labor

Mutually beneficial exchanges in markets can be exploitative because one party takes advantage of an underlying injustice. For instance, employers of sweatshop workers are often accused of exploiting the desperate conditions of their employees, although the latter accept the terms of their employment voluntarily. A weakness of this account of exploitation is its tendency for over-inclusiveness. Certainly, given the prevalence of global and domestic socioeconomic inequalities, not all exchanges that take place against background injustices should be considered exploitative. This paper offers a framework to identify exploitation in mutually beneficial exchange, focusing on the case of sweatshop labor. It argues that an employer can be viewed as taking unfair advantage of an underlying injustice if and only if the employer’s surplus from the exchange in the unjust state of affairs exceeds the surplus it could maximally obtain in a just state of affairs. The paper illustrates the applicability of this framework using three different conceptions of justice and argues that it is superior to microlevel accounts of exploitation that regard background justice as irrelevant. The paper concludes by describing some normative implications that follow from judging an exchange exploitative.
A ΓÇ£Colored GirlΓÇ¥ in the World

Review of the book American Cocktail: A ΓC£Colored GirlΓC¥ in the World, byAnita Reynolds with Howard Miller
Maintaining Bone Health During Hormonal Therapy for Prostate Cancer

Alibhai and colleagues report a systematic review of therapies to maintain bone health in patients receiving hormonal therapy for prostate cancer. The editorialists discuss the findings and the nee...
The Scientific Work We Love: A Duplex Theory of Scientific Impact and Its Application to the Top-Cited Articles in the First 30 Years of APS Journals.

This article proposes a duplex theory for understanding the scientific impact of contributions to psychological science. I argue that articles that we “love” can be understood in terms of (a) triangular elements of intimacy, passion, and commitment and (b) types of stories that characterize high-impact articles. Certain kinds of stories (e.g., review articles) are more likely to have lasting impact, on average, than other kinds of stories (e.g., data-driven empirical articles).
21st century California drought risk linked to model fidelity of the El Niño teleconnection

Greenhouse gas induced climate change is expected to lead to negative hydrological impacts for southwestern North America, including California (CA). This includes a decrease in the amount and frequency of precipitation, reductions in Sierra snow pack, and an increase in evapotranspiration, all of which imply a decline in surface water availability, and an increase in drought and stress on water resources. However, a recent study showed the importance of tropical Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) warming and an El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO)-like teleconnection in driving an increase in CA precipitation through the 21st century, particularly during winter (DJF). Here, we extend this prior work and show wetter (drier) CA conditions, based on several drought metrics, are associated with an El Nino (La Nina)-like SST pattern. Models that better simulate the observed ENSO-CA precipitation teleconnection also better simulate the ENSO-CA drought relationships, and yield negligible change in the risk of 21st century CA drought, primarily due to wetting during winter. Seasonally, however, CA drought risk is projected to increase during the non-winter months, particularly in the models that poorly simulate the observed teleconnection. Thus, future projections of CA drought are dependent on model fidelity of the El Nino teleconnection. As opposed to focusing on adapting to less water, models that better simulate the teleconnection imply adaptation measures focused on smoothing seasonal differences for affected agricultural, terrestrial, and aquatic systems, as well as effectively capturing enhanced winter runoff. California, drought-ridden between 2012 and 2016, may be less drought-prone in the future than previously thought. Robert Allen from the University of California Riverside, and co-author Ray Anderson, use a suite of climate models to show that those able to better capture relationships with El Nino—changes in the temperature of the tropical Pacific Ocean—provide more reliable estimates of future drought conditions in the US southwest. During winter, the ‘good’ models predict more rainfall, higher river levels and increasing soil moisture. This wintertime rain offsets drying trends predicted for the rest of the year, leading to small changes in overall drought risk. However, such increasing seasonality—reduced drought risk in winter, but enhanced drought risk during the dry seasons—poses new challenges to ensure year-round water security in California.
Microarchitecture choices and tradeoffs for maximizing processing efficiency

This thesis is concerned with hardware approaches for maximizing the number of independent instructions in the execution core and thereby maximizing the processing efficiency for a given amount of compute bandwidth. Compute bandwidth is the number of parallel execution units multiplied by the pipelining of those units in the processor. Keeping those computing elements busy is key to maximize processing efficiency and therefore power efficiency. While some applications have many independent instructions that can be issued in parallel without inefficiencies due to branch behavior, cache behavior, or instruction dependencies, most applications have limited parallelism and plenty of stalling conditions. This thesis presents two approaches to this problem, which in combination greatly increases the efficiency of the processor utilization of resources. The first approach addresses the problem of small basic blocks that arise when code has frequent branches. We introduce algorithms and mechanisms to predict multiple branches simultaneously and to fetch multiple non-continuous basic blocks every cycle along a predicted branch path. This makes what was previously an inherently serial process into a parallelized instruction fetch approach. For integer applications, the result is an increase in useful instruction fetch capacity of 40% when two basic blocks are fetched per cycle and 63% for three blocks per cycle. For floating point benchmarks, the associated improvement is 27% and 59%. The second approach addresses increasing the number of independent instructions to the execution core through simultaneous multi-threading (SMT). We compare to another multithreading approach, Switch-on-Event multithreading, and show that SMT is far superior. Intel Pentium 4 SMT microarchitecture algorithms are analyzed, and we look at the impact of SMT on power efficiency of the Pentium 4 Processor. A new metric, the SMT Energy Benefit is defined. Not only do we show that the SMT Energy Benefit for a given workload with SMT can be quite significant, we also generalize the results and build a model for what other future processors' SMT Energy Benefit would be. We conclude that while SMT will continue to be an energy-efficient feature, as processors get more energy-efficient in general the relative SMT Energy Benefit may be reduced.
Cardioprotection during ischemia by coronary collateral growth.

Ischemic heart diseases (IHD) cause millions of deaths around the world annually. While surgical and pharmacological interventions are commonly used to treat patients with IHD, their efficacy varie...
Therapeutic Hypothermia in the Pediatric ICU

Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is a complex therapy that has been shown to be robustly neuroprotective in experimental models of various neurologic conditions but has thus far been incompletely translated into patient care. Fever exacerbates neurologic injury and can contribute to worse patient outcomes. Patient temperature following neurologic insults has therefore become a vital sign to be continuously monitored and regulated. Targeted temperature management (TTM) encompasses both TH and the active prevention of fever (controlled normothermia). In this article, key literature is reviewed with a focus on traumatic brain injury (TBI) and hypoxic-ischemic brain injury, common situations associated with high morbidity and mortality in which clinicians are charged with the difficult task of making management decisions when the evidence is less than clear.
Analysis of the operation and power quality of a microgrid with photovoltaic sources

The electric power system is much different now than it used to be decades ago. Smart grid technologies have advanced the capabilities of the power system by applying power-electronic based components and automatic control strategies. The inclusion of power electronics and smart applications in the grid introduces new technical challenges that need to be addressed to deliver acceptable power quality to end users. This paper proposes a method to assess the power quality of distributed energy resources connected to the grid. The method was applied to a solar-powered microgrid. We discuss aspects of the module design that complied with the limits established in the IEEE Std. 519-2014, “IEEE Recommended Practice for Harmonic Control in Electric Power Systems”, and IEEE Std. 1547a-2014, “IEEE Standard for Interconnecting Distributed Resources with Electric Power Systems”. Finally, we discuss the implications of the disturbances as those observed during experimentation in the overall power quality of the grid-connected system.
Microfluidic analysis of fentanyl-laced heroin samples by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy in a hydrophobic medium

Opioid overdose deaths resulting from heroin contaminated with the potent opioid agonist fentanyl, are currently a serious public health issue. A rapid and reliable method for identifying fentanyl-laced heroin could lead to reduced opioid overdose. Herein, we describe a strategy for detecting fentanyl at low concentrations in the presence of heroin, based on the significant hydrophobicity of fentanyl compared to heroin hydrochloride, by preferentially extracting trace concentrations of fentanyl using ultrasound-assisted emulsification microextraction using octanol as the extracting phase. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), is enabled by exposing the analyte to silver nanoparticle-coated SiO2 nanoparticles, designed to be stable in mixtures of octanol and ethanol. The sample is then loaded into an SU8/glass microfluidic device that is compatible with non-aqueous solutions. The SERS-active nanoparticles are aggregated by dielectrophoresis using microelectrodes embedded in the microfluidic channels, and the nanoparticle aggregates are interrogated using Raman spectroscopy. Using this method, we were able to reliably detect fentanyl from samples with as low as 1 : 10 000 (mol/mol) fentanyl-to-heroin ratio, improving the limits of detection of fentanyl-laced heroin samples by two orders of magnitude over current techniques. The described system could also be useful in chemical detection where rapid and robust preconcentration of trace hydrophobic analytes, and rapid SERS detection in non-aqueous solvents is indicated.
Autonomous Aerial Robotic Exploration of Subterranean Environments relying on Morphology–aware Path Planning

In this work the challenge of autonomous navigation, exploration and mapping in underground mines using aerial robots is considered. Despite the paramount importance of underground mine accessing, the relevant challenges of sensor degradation (darkness, dust, smoke) and broadly stringent navigation conditions due to particularly narrow geometries across very long drifts render typical navigation and planning methods insufficient. Towards a comprehensive solution, we present and extensively field test a variety of robot realizations implementing different sensor fusion and path planning strategies inside underground mine settings. We conclude and propose an optimized multi–modal sensor fusion approach combined with a local environment morphology–aware exploration path planning strategy that in their combination provide superior results in terms of navigation resourcefulness and resilience, exploration efficiency and mapping accuracy despite the large set of challenging conditions encountered.
Unconventional Defects in a Quasi-One-Dimensional KMn6Bi5

Quasi-one-dimensional (Q1D) structures comprising a compact array of indefinitely long 1D nanowires (NWs) are scarce, especially in a bulk device-scale showing metallic and semiconducting behaviors...
The Delineation of Fiducial Points for Non-Contact Radar Seismocardiogram Signals Without Concurrent ECG

Objective: Non-contact sensing of seismocardiogram (SCG) signals through a microwave Doppler radar is promising for biomedical applications. However, the delineation of fiducial points for radar SCG still relies on concurrent ECG which requires a contact sensor and limits the complete non-contact detection of SCG. Methods: Instead of ECG, a new reference signal, the radar displacement signal of heartbeat (RDH), was derived through the complex Fourier transform and the band pass filtering of the radar signal. The RDH signal was used to locate each cardiac cycle and mask the systolic profile, which was further used to detect an important fiducial point, aortic valve opening (AO). The beat-to-beat interval was estimated from AO-AO interval and compared with the gold standard, ECG R-to-R interval. Results: For the 22 subjects in the study, the evaluation of the AOs detected by RDH (AORDH) shows the average detection ratio can reach 90%, indicating a high ratio of the AORDH that are exactly the same as AO detected using the ECG R-wave (AOECG). Additionally, the left ventricular ejection time (LVET) values estimated from the ensemble averaged radar waveform through AORDH segmentation are within 2 ms of those through AOECG segmentation, for all the detected subjects. Further analysis demonstrates that the beat-to-beat intervals calculated from AORDH have an average root-mean-square-deviation (RMSD) of 53.73 ms when compared with ECG R-to-R intervals, and have an average RMSD of 23.47 ms after removing the beats in which AO cannot be identified. Conclusions: Radar signal RDH can be used as a reference signal to delineate fiducial points for non-contact radar SCG signals. Significance: This study can be applied to develop complete non-contact sensing of SCG and monitoring of vital signs, where contact-based SCG is not feasible.
Low Subcutaneous Adiposity and Mortality in Esophageal Cancer.

Background: Recent data suggest that subcutaneous adiposity represents an independent prognostic marker in cancer. We aimed to determine whether subcutaneous adiposity estimated by the subcutaneous adiposity tissue index (SATI) was associated with mortality in esophageal cancer. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of a prospectively enrolled cohort from 2009 to 2015 with esophageal cancer at two major cancer centers. CT scans for initial staging were used to quantify adiposity and skeletal muscle areas. Subjects were categorized as above or below median SATI using sex-specific values. Sarcopenia was defined using previously established skeletal muscle area cutoffs. Cox proportional hazards modeling was performed to determine associations between SATI and all-cause mortality. Results: Of the original 167 patients, 78 met inclusion criteria and had CT images available. Mean age was 67 years, 81.8% had adenocarcinoma, and 58.9% had stage 3 or 4 disease. Median follow-up time was 29.5 months. Overall 5-year survival was 38.9% [95% confidence interval (CI), 26.8–50.7]. Lower body mass index, higher Charlson comorbidity score, and more advanced stage were independently associated with low SATI. Patients with low SATI had increased mortality (unadjusted HR 2.23; 95% CI, 1.20–4.12), even when adjusted for sarcopenia or for percent weight loss. In a multivariable model including age, histology, stage, and receipt of curative surgery, the association between low SATI and mortality was attenuated (adjusted HR 1.64; 95% CI, 0.81–3.34). Conclusions: Low subcutaneous adiposity as estimated by SATI may be associated with increased mortality in esophageal cancer. Impact: Interventions to reduce loss of subcutaneous fat may improve survival in esophageal cancer.