cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluating load flow capability with thermostically controllable building loads

Through demand side management programs, buildings are increasingly being used to provide respite where generation inadequacies exist. Buildings are commonly dispatched as thermostatically controllable loads by adjusting internal temperature setpoints. Thermal load variations can be attributed to the HVAC equipment and are highly dependent on internal-external temperature gradients as well as equipment capacities. Since buildings are also connected to the electric grid, thermal load variations in a given building can have significant impacts on all interconnected buildings and the electrical grid. The primary focus of this paper is the analysis of load flow capability of the electric grid with thermostatically controlled building loads. The load flow capability will be evaluated through temperature distances to bus voltage, branch current and building specific temperature-load limits.
Deception in prison assessment of substance abuse.

The relationship of The Paulhus Deception Scales (PDS; Paulhus, 1998) to the Texas Christian University Drug Screen I (Simpson & Knight, 1998) was investigated in participants screened for a voluntary in-prison substance abuse treatment program. Mean PDS scores for 35 female and 277 male prison inmates were significantly higher than the inmate norms in the test manual. All three PDS scale scores were negatively related to symptom endorsement and to the diagnosis of drug dependence. Almost 37% of participants produced protocols of questionable validity, with 22% faking-good and 14.7% faking-bad. However, over 90% of participants obtained scores that were not covered by the manual's profile typology. These findings underline the importance of deception to correctional assessment and the need for more information on the psychometrics and operating characteristics of the PDS in correctional settings.
Mesotheliomas of the Pleura

(1) Eight cases of tumor of the pleural are presented. All are believed to be of mesothelial origin. Six were diffuse, two solitary. One diffuse tumor may have been primary in the peritoneum with spread to the pleura. All cases with diffuse tumors are dead two to 40 months from onset of symptoms. Both cases with solitary types are living one year and four years after surgery. (2) The diffuse tumor must be differentiated from metastatic carcinoma. This is done by exclusion of all possible primary sites. A fairly typical clinical picture is highly suggestive. This consists of rapid onset of symptoms, marked dyspnea, pleuritic type pain, and massive bloody pleural effusion.
Virtual tools with attributes for robotic based intermediate manufacturing processes

This paper describes an interactive system for specifying robotic tasks using virtual tools which allows an operator to reach into a live video scene and direct robots to use corresponding real tools in complex scenarios that involve integrating a variety of otherwise autonomous technologies. This attribute rich virtual tools concept provides a human-machine interface that is robust to unanticipated developments and tunable to the specific requirements of a particular task. This interactive specification concept is applied to intermediate manufacturing processes.
The contribution of chirality and crosslinker concentration to reflection wavelength tuning in structurally chiral nematic gels

Tunable reflective material systems are potentially useful in a range of applications including displays, optical filters, photonics, and sensing. Presented here is a systematic study of thermally induced reflection wavelength tuning in structurally chiral nematic gels. The tuning is enabled by a swelling/de-swelling/re-swelling transition driven by order/disorder transitions in the liquid crystal and the liquid crystalline polymer network. By preparing liquid crystal polymer networks from single component liquid crystal monomers we isolate the contribution of chemical chirality and the crosslink density of the liquid crystal polymer network to thermally-induced reflection wavelength tuning. Further elucidating the fundamental relationships between the composition of the polymer network and the resulting optical properties is a key step towards enabling advancement and optimization necessary to realize the utility of this mechanism in devices such as mirrorless lasers.
A generalized duration forecasting model of test-and-fix cycles

Rework is inherent in product development, but estimation of the duration and required resources for rework cycles is inhibited by task size variation, process capacity variation, and the process characteristics of dynamism and concurrency. This difficulty is especially evident in testing of software-intensive systems. Dynamic modeling of test-and-fix cycles has addressed this problem by providing good forecasting of test phase durations and by providing good results in supporting resource allocation and process improvement decisions. A generalized model of test-and-fix phases has been produced from an analysis of commonality and variation in six project models. The generalized model can be configured to support test phase planning of duration and resources. This paper extends the work reported in ICSSP 2012 by reporting results of experiments on managing test-and-fix projects through work-in-process limits and through test case prioritization. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Liquidity Risk, Market Valuation, and Bank Failures

We propose a model that links the conditional probability of bank failure to insolvency and liquidity risks, and show that liquidity risk affects bank failures through systematic and idiosyncratic channels. Empirical results based on U.S. bank data between 1985 and 2011 show that this model outperforms typical accounting-ratio-based models. We find that systematic liquidity risk was a major predictor of bank failures in 2008 and 2009. This finding has important implications for the new international standards on liquidity risk management.
Video-intuboscopy: a new aid to routine and difficult tracheal intubation

Video-intuboscopy gives a video display of the view from the tip of the tracheal tube during conventional laryngoscopy, and was developed particularly to assist the immediate management of unexpected difficult intubation. A lightweight, malleable video-optical intubation stylet transmits the view from the stylet tip onto a monitor. It is inserted in the tracheal tube before starting anaesthesia, and the view from the tracheal tube tip enables the anaesthetist to verify tracheal tube position in the trachea. During difficult intubation the video view is used to guide the tracheal tube into the trachea. When used to allow confirmation of tracheal placement, the system did not interfere with conventional intubation procedures. The method showed the subglottic airway, gave immediate confirmation of tracheal tube position, and aided teaching and supervision. The method was used to guide intubation in two patients with unanticipated grade 3 laryngoscopic views. Intubation was simple, rapid and atraumatic, without the need for head, neck or laryngeal manipulation. Tracheal placement was instantly confirmed using the video view from the stylet tip. Clinical studies are required to define the value of this new intubation technique.
STING+: an approach to active spatial data mining

Spatial data mining presents new challenges due to the large size of spatial data, the complexity of spatial data types, and the special nature of spatial access methods. Most research in this area has focused on efficient query processing of static data. This paper introduces an active spatial data mining approach which extends the current spatial data mining algorithms to efficiently support user-defined triggers on dynamically evolving spatial data. To exploit the locality of the effect of an update and the nature of spatial data, we employ a hierarchical structure with associated statistical information at the various levels of the hierarchy and decompose the user-defined trigger into a set of sub-triggers associated with cells in the hierarchy. Updates are suspended in the hierarchy until their cumulative effect might cause the trigger to fire. It is shown that this approach achieves three orders of magnitude improvement over the naive approach that re-evaluates the condition over the database for each update, while both approaches produce the same result without any delay. Moreover this scheme can support incremental query processing as well.
Programmable microfluidic synthesis of spectrally encoded microspheres

Spectrally encoded fluorescent beads are an attractive platform for assay miniaturization and multiplexing in the biological sciences. Here, we synthesize hydrophilic PEG–acrylate polymer beads encoded with lanthanide nanophosphors using a fully automated microfluidic synthesis device. These beads are encoded by including varying amounts of two lanthanide nanophosphors relative to a third reference nanophosphor to generate 24 distinct ratios. These codes differ by less than 3% from their target values and can be distinguished from each other with an error rate of <0.1%. The encoded bead synthesis strategy we have used is readily extensible to larger numbers of codes, potentially up to millions, providing a new platform technology for assay multiplexing.
GJB2-associated hearing loss: systematic review of worldwide prevalence, genotype, and auditory phenotype

Objectives/Hypothesis To perform a systematic review of GJB2-associated hearing loss to describe genotype distributions and auditory phenotype. Data Sources 230 primary studies identified from Pubmed. Review Methods Pubmed was searched systematically to screen broadly for any study reporting on genotype and carrier frequencies for biallelic GJB2-associated hearing loss in defined populations around the world. Genotype and audiometric data were extracted and subjected to meta-analysis to determine genotype distributions, carrier frequencies, rates of asymmetric or progressive hearing loss, and imaging abnormalities. Results A total of 216 articles comprising over 43,000 hearing-loss probands were included. The prevalence of biallelic GJB2-associated hearing loss was consistent across most of the 63 countries examined, with different mutations being predominant in different countries. Common mutations were found in greater than 3% of the general population worldwide. Meta-analysis of 48 case-control studies demonstrated a two-fold higher carrier frequency among hearing-impaired individuals compared to normal-hearing controls for truncating alleles, but not V37I. Progression, asymmetry, and imaging abnormalities were present in 14% to 19% of individuals with GJB2-associated hearing loss. Conclusion GJB2 mutations are highly prevalent around the world. The multiple predominant mutations present in different populations attest to the importance of this gene for normal cochlear function and suggests an evolutionary heterozygote advantage. The unusually high carrier rate for truncating mutations among hearing-impaired individuals is consistent with either the presence of complementary mutations or a carrier phenotype. The significant rate of asymmetry and progression highlights the importance of diagnostic workup and close follow-up for this highly variable condition. Laryngoscope, 124:E34–E53, 2014
Optimal image reconstruction based on general PDE models

The problem of model-based optimal reconstruction of an image from its samples is studied. It is assumed that the image signal is described by a linear PDE (partial differential equation) model from which a sequence of output frames is available. These frames need not have rectangular boundaries or be uniformly sampled. Under the criterion that the image to be reconstructed is the one that is created by an unknown input signal with minimum energy, the authors obtain a unique optimal solution by interpolating the image samples with a recently formulated generalized spline called the PDL/sub g/ spline. It is possible to show that such a reconstruction corresponds to a minimum-mean-squares estimate of the image, given its samples. The authors also derive an algorithm for finding the optimal solution in an explicit and closed form. They include some computer simulation results to show the quality of the images obtained with the method. >
Intermittent exposure of rats to 2450 MHz microwaves at 2.5 mW cm2: behavioral and physiological effects.

Long-Evans male adult rats were intermittently exposed for 14 weeks to continuous wave (CW) 2450-MHz microwaves at an average power density of 2.5 mW/cm2. The mean specific absorption rate was 0.70 W/kg (± 0.02 SEM). The rats were exposed 7 h/day, 7 days/week in a radiation chamber with a monopole above ground, while housed in Plexiglas cages. Weekly measures of body mass and food intake did not indicate statistically significant effects of microwave irradiation. Assessments of threshold for electric-footshock detection revealed a significant difference between microwave and sham-exposed animals. Assessments of cholinesterase and sulfhydryl groups in blood and 17-ketosteriods in urine did not distinguish the two groups of rats. Behavioral measures made at the end of the 14-week exposure included an open-field test, shuttlebox avoidance performance, and schedule-controlled lever-pressing for food pellets. Statistically significant differences between microwave- and sham-exposed rats were observed for these measures. Examination of adrenal tissue, plasma electrolytes, and organ masses after 14 weeks of exposure revealed no difference between the two groups of rats.
On the Secular Density Rises in NBI-heated H-mode Plasmas in NSTX

Plasma-wall interaction analysis is developed at the National Spherical Torus Experiment. At present, poloidally separated recycling and neutral pressure measurements are used to characterize recycling flux trends. The causes of monotonic density increases observed in initial phases of H-mode discharges at t ≤ 0.2―0.6 s appear to be the monotonically increasing source in the divertor, and particle containment time τ* p long in comparison with discharge duration. The ratio of the wall flux to divertor flux is low throughout the density increase phase except in the initial segment, when dN e /dt is highest and magnitudes of the wall and divertor fluxes are similar. .
Optimum Design of Reliable IC Power Networks Having General Graph Topologies

This paper deals with the problem of sizing integrated circuit power and ground distribution systems external to the logic modules constituting an integrated circuit. Several constraints associated with the reliability of the power and ground distribution systems are formulated. Algorithms are developed to determine the widths of the power and ground routes so that the area required by the routes is minimized subject to the constraints imposed. Run time results are included.
Involvement of Stress-Related Genes polB and PA14_46880 in Biofilm Formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Chronic infections of Pseudomonas aeruginosa are generally established through production of biofilm. During biofilm formation, production of an extracellular matrix and establishment of a distinct bacterial phenotype make these infections difficult to eradicate. However, biofilm studies have been hampered by the fact that most assays utilize nonliving surfaces as biofilm attachment substrates. In an attempt to better understand the mechanisms behind P. aeruginosa biofilm formation, we performed a genetic screen to identify novel factors involved in biofilm formation on biotic and abiotic surfaces. We found that deletion of genes polB and PA14_46880 reduced biofilm formation significantly compared to that in the wild-type strain PA14 in an abiotic biofilm system. In a biotic biofilm model, wherein biofilms form on cultured airway cells, the ΔpolB and ΔPA14_46880 strains showed increased cytotoxic killing of the airway cells independent of the total number of bacteria bound. Notably, deletion mutant strains were more resistant to ciprofloxacin treatment. This phenotype was linked to decreased expression of algR, an alginate transcriptional regulatory gene, under ciprofloxacin pressure. Moreover, we found that pyocyanin production was increased in planktonic cells of mutant strains. These results indicate that inactivation of polB and PA14_46880 may inhibit transition of P. aeruginosa from a more acute infection lifestyle to the biofilm phenotype. Future investigation of these genes may lead to a better understanding of P. aeruginosa biofilm formation and chronic biofilm infections.
Tests of the Dynamic Field Theory and The Spatial Precision Hypothesis: Capturing a Qualitative Developmental Transition in Spatial Working Memory.

This study tested a dynamic field theory (DFT) of spatial working memory and an associated spatial precision hypothesis (SPH). Between 3 and 6 years of age, there is a qualitative shift in how children use reference axes to remember locations: 3-year-olds' spatial recall responses are biased toward reference axes after short memory delays, whereas 6-year-olds' responses are biased away from reference axes. According to the DFT and the SPH, quantitative improvements over development in the precision of excitatory and inhibitory working memory processes lead to this qualitative shift. Simulations of the DFT in Experiment 1 predict that improvements in precision should cause the spatial range of targets attracted toward a reference axis to narrow gradually over development, with repulsion emerging and gradually increasing until responses to most targets show biases away from the axis. Results from Experiment 2 with 3- to 5-year-olds support these predictions. Simulations of the DFT in Experiment 3 quantitatively fit the empirical results and offer insights into the neural processes underlying this developmental change.
Application of a neuro-fuzzy network for gait event detection using electromyography in the child with Cerebral palsy

An adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) with a supervisory control system (SCS) was used to predict the occurrence of gait events using the electromyographic (EMG) activity of lower extremity muscles in the child with cerebral palsy (CP). This is anticipated to form the basis of a control algorithm for the application of electrical stimulation (ES) to leg or ankle muscles in an attempt to improve walking ability. Either surface or percutaneous intramuscular electrodes were used to record the muscle activity from the quadriceps muscles, with concurrent recording of the gait cycle performed using a VICON motion analysis system for validation of the ANFIS with SCS. Using one EMG signal and its derivative from each leg as its inputs, the ANFIS with SCS was able to predict all gait events in seven out of the eight children, with an average absolute time differential between the VICON recording and the ANFIS prediction of less than 30 ms. Overall accuracy in predicting gait events ranged from 98.6% to 95.3% (root mean-squared error between 0.7 and 1.5). Application of the ANFIS with the SCS to the prediction of gait events using EMG data collected two months after the initial data demonstrated comparable results, with no significant differences between gait event detection times. The accuracy rate and robustness of the ANFIS with SCS with two EMG signals suggests its applicability to ES control.
The establishment of a multi-chip module foundry at RIT

Faculty from the Rochester Institute of Technology's (RIT's) College of Engineering and College of Science have formed a group aimed at advanced multichip module (MCM) packaging of high-speed electronics systems. The authors discuss the cooperation between university, industry, and ultimately the government in an attempt to open up the field of MCM design, fabrication, and use in an educational setting. This group has begun fabrication of both a process evaluation module and actual application-specific modules. The key aspect of the RIT MCM effort is the establishment of an MCM foundry at RIT. The foundry would not be a large-volume foundry, but would provide for internal and supported external MCM fabrication needs. RIT offers a unique fabrication opportunity for MCMs and would like to work with other companies and universities to maximize the exposure of this technology. >
Loneliness Impairs Daytime Functioning But Not Sleep Duration

Objective: To assess the prospective association between daily feelings of loneliness and subsequent feelings of daytime dysfunction indicative of poor sleep quality. Design: Three consecutive end-of-day diaries were completed by a population-based sample of 215 adults (mean age 57.5 years, SD 4.4). Diary questions probed sleep duration, daytime dysfunction (i.e., fatigue, low energy, sleepiness), loneliness, physical symptoms, and depressed affect experienced that day. Chronic health condition data and body mass index were also obtained. Autoregressive cross-lagged panel models were used to examine the magnitude of reciprocal prospective associations between loneliness and daytime dysfunction. Main Outcome Measures: Unstandardized path coefficients adjusted for race/ethnicity, sleep duration, marital status, household income, chronic health conditions, and health symptom severity. Results: Daily variations in loneliness predicted subsequent feelings of daytime dysfunction (B 0.16, p .05), and daytime dysfunction predicted subsequent loneliness (B 0.07, p .05), adjusted for covariates. Loneliness continued to predict subsequent daytime dysfunction when depressed affect was held constant. Conclusion: The effect of loneliness on daytime dysfunction was independent of sleep duration, suggesting that the same amount of sleep is less salubrious when individuals feel more socially isolated.
Connexin43 Is Dispensable for Phagocytosis

Macrophages that lack connexin43 (Cx43), a gap junction protein, have been reported to exhibit dramatic deficiencies in phagocytosis. In this study, we revisit these findings using well-characterized macrophage populations. Cx43 knockout (Cx43(-/-)) mice die soon after birth, making the harvest of macrophages from adult Cx43(-/-) mice problematic. To overcome this obstacle, we used several strategies: mice heterozygous for the deletion of Cx43 were crossed to produce Cx43(+/+) (wild type [WT]) and Cx43(-/-) fetuses. Cells isolated from 12- to 14-d fetal livers were used to reconstitute irradiated recipient animals. After reconstitution, thioglycollate-elicited macrophages were collected by peritoneal lavage and bone marrow was harvested. Bone marrow cells and, alternatively, fetal liver cells were cultured in media containing M-CSF for 7-10 d, resulting in populations of cells that were >95% macrophages based on flow cytometry. Phagocytic uptake was detected using flow cytometric and microscopic techniques. Quantification of phagocytic uptake of IgG-opsonized sheep erythrocytes, zymosan particles, and Listeria monocytogenes failed to show any significant difference between WT and Cx43(-/-) macrophages. Furthermore, the use of particles labeled with pH-sensitive dyes showed equivalent acidification of phagosomes in both WT and Cx43(-/-) macrophages. Our findings suggest that modulation of Cx43 levels in cultured macrophages does not have a significant impact on phagocytosis.
Application of Hull-Spence Theory to the Discrimination Learning of Children

Publisher Summary This chapter illustrates the application of a recently published theory of discrimination learning to the behavior of children in several different types of discrimination learning problems. The theory under consideration is a modification of the classical discrimination behavior theory first published by Spence. Research to date has proved the original Spence theory to have a remarkably broad scope and, with the introduction of response-produced cues, to be applicable to the behavior of children in a wide range of situations. One of the major criticisms of the Spence theory, and of the Hull-Spence theory in general, pertains to the apparent impalpability of many of its variables. The chapter provides a summary of the fundamental aspects of the theory, including the nature of the prediction equations, details of parameters estimation, and several measures of goodness of theoretical fit. Several different discrimination experiments and the theoretical fits that have been made to their results are described. A discussion of the adequacy of the theory in applications to date and a projection of some additional applications has also been provided.
Genetic algorithm for analysis of abdominal aortic aneurysms in radiology reports

An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a problem in which the wall of the artery that supplies blood to the abdomen and lower extremities expands under pressure or balloons outward. Patients must undergo surgery to repair such an aneurysm, and there is currently no known indicator of long-term success or failure from this surgery. Our work uses a genetic algorithm to analyze radiology reports from these patients to look for common patterns in the language used as well as common features of both successful and unsuccessful surgeries. The results of the genetic algorithm show that patients with complications or unusual characteristics can be identified from a set of radiology reports without the use of search keywords, clustering, categorization, or ontology. This allows medical researchers to search and identify interesting patient records without the need for explicitly defining what "interesting" patient records are.
Metabolic stress is a barrier to Epstein-Barr virus-mediated B-cell immortalization

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is an oncogenic herpesvirus that has been causally linked to the development of B-cell and epithelial malignancies. Early after infection, EBV induces a transient period of hyperproliferation that is suppressed by the activation of the DNA damage response and a G1/S-phase growth arrest. This growth arrest prevents long-term outgrowth of the majority of infected cells. We developed a method to isolate and characterize infected cells that arrest after this early burst of proliferation and integrated gene expression and metabolic profiling to gain a better understanding of the pathways that attenuate immortalization. We found that the arrested cells have a reduced level of mitochondrial respiration and a decrease in the expression of genes involved in the TCA cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. Indeed, the growth arrest in early infected cells could be rescued by supplementing the TCA cycle. Arrested cells were characterized by an increase in the expression of p53 pathway gene targets, including sestrins leading to activation of AMPK, a reduction in mTOR signaling, and, consequently, elevated autophagy that was important for cell survival. Autophagy was also critical to maintain early hyperproliferation during metabolic stress. Finally, in assessing the metabolic changes from early infection to long-term outgrowth, we found concomitant increases in glucose import and surface glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) levels, leading to elevated glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, and suppression of basal autophagy. Our study demonstrates that oncogene-induced senescence triggered by a combination of metabolic and genotoxic stress acts as an intrinsic barrier to EBV-mediated transformation.
A Gift of Life Deserves Compensation: How to Increase Living Kidney Donation With Realistic Incentives

Treatment for end-stage renal (kidney) disease (ESRD) is the only government-funded health care in the United States that has no financial need- or age-based criteria; inclusion in the program (Medicare) is solely based on diagnosis. If a person has ESRD, treatment is covered by Medicare. No other criteria must be met, but the best treatment option, a transplant, is not available for most patients. Compared with dialysis, a kidney transplant significantly prolongs life and improves quality of life, but kidneys are scarce in large part because federal law prohibits the buying and selling of organs. The average waiting time for a kidney transplant in the United States approaches 5 years; in some parts of the country, it is closer to 10 years. A significant number of transplant candidates die while waiting for an altruistic donation that never comes. Allowing the sale of kidneys from living donors would greatly increase the supply of kidneys and thereby save lives and minimize the number of patients suffering on dialysis. Arthur J. Matas, MD, is professor of surgery and director of the kidney transplant program at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Matas has been a practicing transplant surgeon for more than 25 years and is the immediate past president of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons. The National Organ Transplant Act of 1984 was passed to, among other things, prohibit the sale of organs in the face of apprehension that the growing commercialization of medicine would result in human beings being treated as commodities rather than individuals. Whether such concerns were well founded or not, the act was clearly overbroad in its prohibition of the sale of organs. It's time to loosen those restrictions in order to save lives. The best way to increase the supply of kidneys without drastically changing the existing allocation system is to legalize a regulated system of compensation for living kidney donors. Such a system could be established using the infrastructure already in place for evaluating deceased donors and allocating their organs. The only change required to ease and probably even solve the organ shortage is some form of payment for donors. The potential practical and theoretical concerns with compensated donation can be overcome, and alternative proposals will not do enough to solve the shortage. Upon careful analysis, it is clear that the benefits of a regulated system of compensated donation (chiefly, increasing the number of donated kidneys) outweigh any risks.
Studies on Phenylpyruvic Oligophrenia. Phenylpyruvic Acid Content of Blood

SummaryPhenylpyruvic acid was demonstrated in the blood of 39 patients affected with phenylpyruvic oligophrenia. The values ranged from 0.31 to 1.78 mg per 100 ml of plasma. A significant increase of phenylketonemia was observed following ingestion of DL-phenylalanine, the D form causing considerably greater increase than the L isomer. Feeding of phenylpyruvic acid resulted in a sharp increase of phenylketonemia. The significance of these findings is briefly discussed.
Excimer Laser Induced Crystallization of Amorphous Silicon Near Threshold

Using a suitably homogenized excimer laser beam, we have shown that the threshold for crystallization of amorphous silicon is well defined and exhibits a square root dependence on the laser energy density above threshold. This sharp threshold behavior can be exploited in a number of ways.
Unique Boron Carbide Nanoparticle Nanobio Interface: Effects on Protein-RNA Interactions and 3-D Spheroid Metastatic Phenotype

Aim: The effect of boron carbide (B4C) nanoparticles (NP) on protein-RNA complexes and metastatic phenotype of 3-D tumor spheroids was investigated. Materials and Methods: Characterization was performed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), zeta potential (ZP), 2-dimensional fluorescence difference spectroscopy (2-D FDS), gel electrophoresis, MTT, haemolysis and 3-D tumor spheroid assays. Results: TEM showed NP were homogenous (≤50 nm) and spherical in shape. Zeta potential (ζ) of NP (-43.3) shifted upon protein:RNA interaction (+26.9). Protein:RNA complex interaction with NP was confirmed by 2-D FDS, demonstrating excitation/emission blue shift and lowered fluorescence intensity, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), where presence of B4C ablated visualization of the complex. B4C NP cytotoxicity was less than zinc oxide by MTT assay, protected haemolysis and effected 3-D tumor spheroid metastatic phenotype. Conclusion: Nanobio interface of B4C nanoparticles is unique and its anticancer potential may be mediated by altering protein and RNA interactions.
Extracting configuration parameter interactions using static analysis

Complex software systems come with a huge number of configuration parameters for tuning their performance as well as functionality. It is a challenge for the users of such systems to understand how various parameters interact, and causing them to use the default configuration settings to avoid problems. Studies show that a lot of performance optimization opportunities are missed when complex software systems are run with the default configuration settings. This paper proposes a graph-based representation of configuration parameter interactions that are extracted using a scaleable static analysis approach. Experimental results obtained with a case study on a data analysis framework, Apache Hadoop, suggest that the proposed approach is effective in capturing some of the interactions at the component level.
Concomitant Duodenogastric and Gastroesophageal Reflux: The Role of Twenty-Four-Hour Gastric pH Monitoring

Duodenogastric reflux can occur in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (Pellegrini et al. 1978; Little et al. 1984; DeMeester 1985a). Its presence is suggested symptomatically by epigastric pain, nausea, and vomiting in addition to heartburn and regurgitation; endoscopically by a large bile lake or evidence of gastritis; and functionally by a normal 24-h esophageal pH monitoring test in a patient with a mechanically defective lower esophageal sphincter (LES), i.e., LES pressure less than 6 mmHg, LES overall length 2 cm or less, and LES intraabdominal length 1 cm or less (Toye and Williams 1965; Ritchie 1984; DeMeester 1985 b).
Maintaining primacy of the patient perspective in the development of patient-centered patient reported outcomes

The objectives of this study were to describe and demonstrate a new model of developing patient reported outcomes (PROs) that are patient-centered, and to test the hypothesis that following this model would result in a qualitatively different PRO than if the typical PRO development model were followed. The typical process of developing PROs begins with an initial list of signs or symptoms originating from clinicians or PRO developers; patient validation of this list ensures that the list (i.e., the new PRO) is interpretable by patients, but not that patient perspectives are central or even represented. The new model begins with elicitation from clinicians and patients independently and separately. These perspectives are formally analyzed qualitatively, and the results are iteratively integrated by researchers, supporting clinical relevance and patient centeredness. We describe the application of this new model to the development of a PRO for urinary signs and symptoms in individuals with neuropathic bladder, and test the hypothesis that the two processes generate qualitatively different instruments using a national validation sample of 300 respondents. Of its 29 items, the new instrument included 13 signs/symptoms derived from existing clinical practice guidelines, with 16 others derived from the patient/focus groups. The three most-endorsed items came from the patients, and the three least-endorsed items came from clinical guidelines. Thematic qualitative analysis of the elicitation process, as well as the results from our national sample, support the conclusion that the new model yields an instrument that is clinically interpretable, but more patient-centered, than the typical model would have done in this context.
Developing Comprehensive Computational Parameter Sets To Describe the Performance of Pyridine-Oxazoline and Related Ligands

The applicability of computational descriptors extracted from metal pyridine-oxazoline complexes to relate both site and enantioselectivity to structural diversity was investigated. A group of computationally derived features (e.g., metal NBO charges, steric descriptors, torsion angles) were acquired for a library of pyridine-oxazoline ligands. Correlation studies were employed to examine steric/electronic features described by each descriptor, followed by application of the said descriptors in modeling the results of two reaction types, the site-selective redox-relay Heck reaction and the enantioselective Carroll rearrangement, affording simple, well-validated models. Through experimental validation and extrapolation, parameters derived from ground state metal complexes were found to be advantageous over those from the free ligand.
Contributions of bone morphogenetic proteins in cardiac repair cells in three-dimensional in vitro models and angiogenesis

One of the main efforts in myocardial tissue engineering is towards designing cardiac tissues able to rescue the reduction in heart function once implanted at the site of myocardial infarction. To date, the efficiency of this approach in preclinical applications is limited in part by our incomplete understanding of the inflammatory environment known to be present at the site of myocardial infarct and by poor vascularization. It was recently reported that polarized macrophages known to be present at the site of myocardial infarction secrete bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs)-2 and -4 causing changes in the expression of cardiac proteins in a 2D in vitro model. Here, these findings were extended towards cardiac tissues composed of human embryonic stem cell derived cardiomyocytes embedded in collagen gel. By preconditioning cardiac tissues with BMPs, constructs were obtained with enhanced expression of cardiac markers. Additionally, after BMP preconditioning, the resulting cardiac-tissues were able to sustain diffusion of the BMPs with the added benefit of supporting human umbilical vein endothelial cell tube formation. Here, a model is proposed of cardiac tissues preconditioned with BMPs that results in stimulation of cardiomyocyte function and diffusion of BMPs able to support angiogenesis. This platform represents a step towards the validation of more complex bioengineered constructs for in vivo applications.
A review on simulation of methane production from gas hydrate reservoirs: Molecular dynamics prospective

Abstract Hydrate reservoirs have steadily emerged as an important contributor in energy storage. To better understand the role of hydrates in gas production, it is vital to know the challenges related to the hydrate dissociation. To highlight the main technical challenges, further research and engineering investigations are needed for interactions between the molecules, phase behaviours, and detailed mechanisms of hydrate formation and dissociation. This review paper describes the gas hydrate reservoirs, hydrate dissociation, and previous research works related to gas engineering. This study briefly presents the key theoretical concepts and drawbacks of different techniques/kinetics of decomposition; consisting of depressurising, thermal stimulation, chemical injection, and gas swapping. This will be followed by the theory on the molecular dynamics simulation and its application in various decomposition methods. Owing to the limitations of existing experimental and theoretical approaches, development of more accurate theoretical models and equations of state (EOSs) is inevitable. The molecular dynamics simulation strategy has been used as a strong research tool with adequately small scales in both space and time. The practical implication of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation in hydrate dissociation methods is illustrated at the end of this study for further clarification. The complex nature of hydrates clearly implies that new potential functions for current MD tools are required to satisfactorily comprehend the hydrate molecular structure and mechanisms of hydrate decomposition.
Race as an Open Field: Exploring Identity beyond Fixed Choices:

This paper uses new, nationally representative data to examine how Americans describe their own racial and ethnic identities when they are not constrained by conventional fixed categories. Recent w...
Arctic Fisheries Management in the Twenty-First Century

The Arctic Ocean continues to warm, and sea ice retreat means that previously frozen, unexplored areas of the Central Arctic are now navigable and accessible. While commercial fishermen have trawled Arctic waters for decades, they have never had access to the 1.1 million square zone in the Central Arctic. Though a regulatory regime composed of international law, national regulations, and regional frameworks currently governs Arctic fisheries, many gaps and shortcomings preclude full coverage of the Arctic Ocean, including a lack of compliance and enforcement mechanisms. The time is ripe to assess the Arctic’s marine ecosystem and harmonize Arctic fisheries laws and regulations to promote sustainable commercial fishing in the future.
Generation of a Lineage II Powassan Virus (Deer Tick Virus) cDNA Clone: Assessment of Flaviviral Genetic Determinants of Tick and Mosquito Vector Competence.

Abstract The Flavivirus genus comprises a diverse group of viruses that utilize a wide range of vertebrate hosts and arthropod vectors. The genus includes viruses that are transmitted solely by mosquitoes or vertebrate hosts as well as viruses that alternate transmission between mosquitoes or ticks and vertebrates. Nevertheless, the viral genetic determinants that dictate these unique flaviviral host and vector specificities have been poorly characterized. In this report, a cDNA clone of a flavivirus that is transmitted between ticks and vertebrates (Powassan lineage II, deer tick virus [DTV]) was generated and chimeric viruses between the mosquito/vertebrate flavivirus, West Nile virus (WNV), were constructed. These chimeric viruses expressed the prM and E genes of either WNV or DTV in the heterologous nonstructural (NS) backbone. Recombinant chimeric viruses rescued from cDNAs were characterized for their capacity to grow in vertebrate and arthropod (mosquito and tick) cells as well as for in vivo vecto...
Survival Benefit of Adjuvant Brachytherapy After Hysterectomy With Positive Surgical Margins in Cervical Cancer.

Purpose We evaluated the use of brachytherapy (BT) in addition to external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and the resulting effect on survival in patients with cervical cancer after hysterectomy with positive surgical margins. Methods and Materials Patients with cervical cancer diagnosed from 2004 to 2015 who underwent hysterectomy followed by adjuvant EBRT were identified using the National Cancer Database. Only patients with positive surgical margins were included for analysis. Logistic regression was used to evaluate predictors of BT use and for propensity score matching. Survival was compared between patients receiving EBRT alone and those receiving EBRT combined with BT for adjuvant treatment. Survival analysis using log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards modeling was performed in the overall and propensity score–matched cohorts. Results We identified 1719 patients who underwent hysterectomy with positive surgical margins followed by adjuvant radiation therapy, of whom 778 (45.3%) received additional BT. Predictors of increased receipt of BT included age >55 years, private rather than government insurance, radiation treatment duration ≥7 weeks, EBRT dose ≥4500 cGy, and time between radiation and surgery ≤9 weeks. With a median follow-up of 3.8 years, 3-year overall survival was 79.4% in patients receiving BT compared with 71.9% in patients receiving EBRT alone (log-rank P Conclusions In women with positive margins after hysterectomy for cervical cancer, the combination of EBRT and BT showed significantly improved overall survival compared with EBRT alone. However, only 45.3% of patients in our cohort received BT.
Heating and Dynamic Enhancement in Metallic Weak Links

In this chapter we treat two contrasting examples of the longitudinal mode of quasiparticle disequilibrium. First, we treat the rather classical problem of heating effects in three-dimensional constriction weak links, which increase the Johnson noise, while reducing the critical current and energy gap. Second, we treat the more subtle nonequilibrium effects generated by a time-varying energy gap. These provide a kind of negative feedback effect which slows down the gap response time from τGL to τΔ, which may be orders of magnitude longer, and also provides a type of dynamic enhancement of superconductivity in current-driven metallic weak links.
The Effect of Context on Choice and Value

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the neural computations underlying choice behavior in situations where the contextual information is manipulated exogenously by the experimenter. This chapter also discusses how the underlying value signals are modulated by contextual information, focusing in particular on how reference-dependent and reference-independent values are represented in the orbitofrontal cortex. The task that the algorithm needs to perform is simply to multiply these two pieces of information, calculate what is called the expected value (EV) of the gamble, and choose the gamble with higher EV. It is irrelevant to the outcome of the algorithm whether the probability is entered as a number between 0 and 1 or stated as a percentage or, similarly, whether the monetary reward is expressed in dollars or euros. Exactly how the medial orbitofrontol cortex mOFC exerts a control on behavior, enabling a less context-dependent pattern of choice, has still not been fully understood. The critical manipulation was changing the default: in one condition subjects were required to hold down a button if the ball landed inside the two lines (IN) but to switch and press another button if the ball was outside (OUT).
Nutritional Support for the Cancer Patient

Cancer cachexia is a complex syndrome clinically manifest by progressive involuntary weight loss and diminished food intake and characterized by a variety of biochemical alterations. Importantly, cancer cachexia has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality and decreased response to therapy. The impact of cancer cachexia on patient outcome and healthcare resources continues to be significant. It is therefore important to identify those cancer patients who are malnourished in an attempt to reverse or at least abate the progression of malnutrition. The goal of nutritional supplementation is to translate repletion into clinical benefit, thereby decreasing morbidity or mortality and increasing the response rate to treatment. The focus of this chapter is to review the etiology of cancer cachexia, summarize the biologic and clinical effects of nutrition, define specific indications for nutrition in the cancer patient population, and explore new therapies available to reverse cancer cachexia.
Estimation of a censored food demand system and nutrient elasticities: a cross-sectional analysis of Sri Lanka

A nutritional transition is occurring in Sri Lanka, which steers people away from nutrient-rich diets, contributing to diet-related disease and poor economic performance. This study examines demogr...
Managing Environmental Sustainability

Sustainability management is undertaken by identifying a problem, developing a plan, setting goals, working on goals, assessing progress toward goals, and evaluating next steps. The United Nations has worked hard since its inception to focus on global environmental sustainability management, the latest iteration of which is the Sustainable Development Goals. Other organizations, such as the Rainforest Alliance and The International Organization for Standardization, have developed ways to benchmark sustainability initiatives around the globe within different economic sectors. At the national level, countries like China and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas have developed sustainability plans, and national organizations like the American Association for Sustainability in Higher Education help organizations benchmark across their own industry. State and local sustainability management occurs throughout many areas of the world, which was highlighted by the work of 100 Resilient Cities. At the personal level, we can all measure our resource use, such as our carbon footprint, to try to find ways to manage our own behavior to limit our impact on the planet.