cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Venous hypertension associated with a posterior fossa dural arteriovenous fistula: Another cause of bithalamic lesions on MR images

Summary: We report a case of a posterior fossa arteriovenous fistula (AVF) with bithalamic hyperintensity on MR images. The thalamic abnormality improved after surgery, suggesting reversible venous hypertension as the pathogenesis of the finding, as opposed to infarction. This manifestation of a posterior fossa AVF should be considered in the differential diagnosis of bilateral thalamic disease.
Low-rank matrix completion with geometric performance guarantees

The low-rank matrix completion problem can be stated as follows: given a subset of the entries of a matrix, find a low-rank matrix consistent with the observations. There exist several low-complexity algorithms for low-rank matrix completion which focus on the minimization of the Frobenius norm of the matrix projection residue. This optimization framework has inherent difficulties: the objective function is not continuous and the solution set is not closed. To address this problem, we propose a geometric objective function to replace the Frobenius norm: the new objective function is continuous everywhere and the solution set is the closure of the solution set of the Frobenius metric. Furthermore, using the geometric objective function and a simple gradient descent procedure, we are able to preclude the existence of local minimizers, and hence establish strong performance guarantees for special completion scenarios, which do not require matrix incoherence or large matrix size.
Smart clocks have a hand in the smart grid

Clock synchronization is becoming an increasingly important characteristic of modern wide area monitoring and control systems such as the power grid. It provides an opportunity to coordinate control actions and measurement instants across hundreds of miles and numerous network topologies. Devices and networks have advanced to a point where synchronization across a wide area can be achieved within 1 μs of UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). Along with these advances in clock synchronization must come a shift in the way analysis is performed. Modeling techniques must incorporate the effects of a clock synchronized device, and control techniques can leverage the knowledge of ”time” to achieve unique results. This paper discusses various ways in which clock synchronization affects analysis and performance of the power grid, and presents a few projects related to the technology. Preliminary work has demonstrated the ability of various commercially available devices to provide reliable 1 μs synchronization of clocks, and large variation across devices in terms of clock performance under transient events.
Quantitative Ultrasound Provides Insight into How Electrical Impedance Myography Measurements are Impacted by Disease. (P3.018)

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate how electrical impedance myography (EIM) correlates with quantitative ultrasound (QUS) in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). BACKGROUND: EIM is a non-invasive, child-friendly, quantitative technique for the evaluation of muscle, and early studies have shown that EIM is very sensitive to alterations in structure and composition of neuromuscular disease states. However, the relationship between the EIM data and the pathological alterations in various disease states is still being investigated. Here, we used QUS to better understand how EIM data relate to structural alterations in DMD. DESIGN/METHODS: Twenty-five subjects with DMD and 25 healthy subjects, aged 2-14 years, underwent measurements using EIM and QUS on six muscles. For EIM, the 50/200 kHz phase ratio, a metric that reduces the influence of subcutaneous fat on the measurements, was assessed. QUS was obtained by defining a region of interest on the ultrasound image and obtaining the grayscale level using image processing software. RESULTS: Both EIM and QUS distinguished DMD subjects from controls (p≤0.018). The phase ratio in DMD subjects had a moderate negative correlation with GSL in three muscles and the six-muscle average (rho values=-0.42 to -0.49, p< 0.035). The phase ratio did not vary significantly in DMD patients, but it increased with age in controls (rho values=0.66-0.93, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: EIM phase ratio correlates with muscle GSL in several muscles in DMD patients. The correlation with age in normal but not dystrophic muscle suggests that EIM identifies characteristics of normal growth that are lost in DMD. Further study of the two techniques, both alone and in combination, may provide new useful outcome measures for clinical trials in DMD. Disclosure: Dr. Shklyar has nothing to disclose. Dr. Geisbush has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mijailovic has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pasternak has nothing to disclose. Dr. Visyak has nothing to disclose. Dr. Szelag has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wu has nothing to disclose. Dr. Zaidman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Darras has received personal compensation for activities with UpToDate Inc., Isis Pharmaceuticals, and Athena Diagnostics. Dr. Darras has received research support from PTC Therapeutics Inc. Dr. Rutkove has received personal compensation for activities with Skulpt, Inc. as a consultant. Dr. Rutkove has received royalty payments from UpToDate, and Springer, Inc. Dr. Rutkove has received compensation for serving on the board of directors of Skulpt, Inc. Dr. Rutkove holds stock and/or stock options in Skulpt, Inc.
Formation of Metastable Disordered Ni3Al by Pulsed Laser-Induced Rapid Solidification

Thin films of Ni3Al formed by co-evaporation onto insulating substrates form a single phase fcc disordered lattice upon rapid solidification following excimer laserinduced melting with an interface velocity of ~4 m/s. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses exhibit no superlattice diffraction at room temperature. Resistivity measurements, indicating that the disordered phase has a higher resistivity and much smaller temperature coefficient at room temperature than the stable ordered (L12) phase, permit us to monitor phase changes and ordering on a fast time-scale. Subsequent annealing recovers long-range order, with resistivity measurements indicating that reordering begins just below 300°C.
Repair and Replacement Decisions for Warranted Products Under Markov Deterioration

An important problem in maintenance planning is the repair versus replacement problem which consists of a sequence of decision points over time, whereby decisions are made to repair or replace a machine based on its condition. This problem can be further complicated by prevailing failure characteristics, and costs. The failure modes for many machines are such that failure emerges through a series of deterioration levels rather than as an abrupt event. Zuo et al. [12] presented a policy for multistage deterioration for machines under warranty. This paper extends that work by treating a larger, more general state space with time parameters at each state. This approach allows for a more cost effective policy. We consider a piece of equipment, such as a production machine that is reviewed for repair verses replacement at various times. The machine is sold with a free repair warranty (FRW) policy. So if it fails during the warranty period, it is maintained at the expense of the manufacturer. Two kinds of repairs are adopted: minimal repair, and replacement. We assume that there is no form of maintenance provided between failures, and the manufacturer decides on the repair action to be taken once a failure and warranty claim is filed. The approach is to model the process as a continuous time Markov Chain. The state decision variables are based on the expected costs to the manufacturer for failures and repairs occurring during the warranty period. The criterion for an optimum policy is to minimize the expected total cost to the manufacturer during the warranty period. A development of the method is provided for the case of three functioning states. Under the policy, if a machine fails early in the warranty period, and it's deterioration before failure is large, it is economic to replace that machine with a new one.
EFFECTS OF SELF-CARE INSTRUCTION ON ASTHMATIC CHILDREN

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a nursing instructional program designed to promote self-care in asthmatic children. A pretest-posttest control group design was used with a sample composed of 28 second, third, and fourth grade asthmatic children drawn from 12 schools in a southwestern United States school district. Half of the children (n = 13) were instructed in the self-administration of breathing exercises, self-medication, and basic knowledge of asthma and served as the experimental group. The other half (n = 15) were instructed only in the basic knowledge of asthma and served as the control group. Both instructional programs were conducted in groups, included both parents and children, and were held weekly over a 3- to 4-week period. The child's health locus of control and level of responsibility in self-care activities were measured before the initiation of the instruction and following its completion. Change scores of each of the measures were computed. Performance of th...
Phase Equilibria in the System NaF‐ThF4‐UF4

Phase equilibria in the condensed system NaF-ThF4-UF4 were determined by cooling-curve and thermal-gradient quenching experiments from the liquidus to ∼450°C. A phase diagram of the ternary system was constructed, showing three singular points and eleven invariant points, including two eutectics, occurring in association with the primary phases of ten solid solutions and two pure solids. The eutectic mixture having the composition 75.5NaF-10.5ThF4-14UF4 (mole %) melts at 575°C, the lowest liquidus temperature in the system. Except for NaF, NaF-ThF4, and ThF4-UF4 solid solutions, phases crystallizing from molten NaF-ThF4-UF4 mixtures are solid solutions formed by interchange of U4+ and Th4+ ions in NaF-ThF4 and NaF-UF4 compounds. No ternary compounds were found. Phase diagrams of the systems NaF-ThF4 and NaF-UF4, revised in the course of this study to include the newly identified phases, 7NaF.2ThF4 and 7NaF.2UF4, are presented. X-ray diffraction and optical data are given for the pure crystal phases, 4NaF.ThF4, 7NaF.2ThF4, 7NaF.2UF4, 3NaF.UF4, and for 3NaF.2ThF4-5NaF.3UF4 solid solutions. The system is unique among the fluoride systems reported in containing so wide a variety of substitutional solid solutions and in containing a continuous solid solution formed of binary compound pairs 3NaF.2ThF4 and 5NaF.3UF4 which are isomorphous but of different stoichiometry.
Some Reflections Weber's Typology of Herrschaft

SINCE constructive typology is achieving in the sixties a greater degree of respectability among various social scientists than ever before, it is perhaps meaningful to discuss some tentative reinterpretations within Weber's famous typology of authority in order to eliminate a few apparent contradictions, thus increasing its applicability. In spite of these obvious minor difficulties, charismatic, traditionalistic, and legal-rational types of authority are usable and purposeful conceptual tools capable of covering the whole universe of social phenomena related to power. Sociologists have a vested interest in the continued use of constructive typology as a scientific method. If we are concerned with the critical attitudes of scientists and scholars outside our own group, constructive typology seems to be the most demonstrable defense of our existence, our raison d'etre. Otherwise, the sociological fraternity might be pictured by our critics, and perhaps sometimes by ourselves, in the words of Howard Becker, as "a little psychiatry, a little Marxism, a little 'social-mindedness,' a little free thought-'and they all live together in a funny little house.'" 1 In this paper reference will be made consistently to constructive typology. In order to avoid confusion-to use McKinney's words"the term 'constructed' type is used here in preference to the designations 'ideal' and 'pure' types. The terms ideal and pure have been misinterpreted so frequently that it seems advisable to follow Howard Becker's usage and refer to these types as 'constructed types.' "2 The present writer shares with McKinney the conviction that
LMP1 Promotes Expression of Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF1) To Selectively Activate IGF1 Receptor and Drive Cell Proliferation

Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) is a gammaherpesvirus that infects the majority of the human population and is linked to the development of multiple cancers, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) is considered the primary oncoprotein of EBV, and in epithelial cells it induces the expression and activation, or phosphorylation, of the epidermal growth factor receptor kinase. To identify effects on additional kinases, an unbiased screen of receptor tyrosine kinases potentially activated by LMP1 was performed. Using a protein array, it was determined that LMP1 selectively activates insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R). This activation takes place in fibroblast, epithelial, and nasopharyngeal cell lines that express LMP1 stably and transiently. Of note, LMP1 altered the phosphorylation, but not the expression, of IGF1R. The use of LMP1 mutants with defective signaling domains revealed that the C-terminal activating region 2 domain of LMP1 increased the mRNA expression and the secretion of the ligand IGF1, which promoted phosphorylation of IGF1R. IGF1R phosphorylation was dependent upon activation of canonical NF-κB signaling and was suppressed by IκBα and a dominant negative form of TRAF6. Inhibition of IGF1R activation with two small-molecule inhibitors, AG1024 and picropodophyllin (PPP), or with short hairpin RNA (shRNA) directed against IGF1R selectively reduced proliferation, focus formation, and Akt activation in LMP1-positive cells but did not impair LMP1-induced cell migration. Expression of constitutively active Akt rescued cell proliferation in the presence of IGF1R inhibitors. These findings suggest that LMP1-mediated activation of IGF1R contributes to the ability of LMP1 to transform epithelial cells. IMPORTANCE EBV is linked to the development of multiple cancers in both lymphoid and epithelial cells, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a major cancer that develops in specific populations, with nearly 80,000 new cases reported annually. LMP1 is consistently expressed in early lesions and continues to be detected within 50 to 80% of these cancers at later stages. It is therefore of paramount importance to understand the mechanisms through which LMP1 alters cell growth and contributes to tumorigenesis. This study is the first to determine that LMP1 activates the IGF1R tyrosine kinase by regulating expression of the ligand IGF1. Additionally, the data in this paper reveal that specific targeting of IGF1R selectively impacts LMP1-positive cells. These findings suggest that therapies directed against IGF1R may specifically impair the growth of EBV-infected cells.
Motivating And Managing Generation X And Y On The Job While Preparing For Z: A Market Oriented Approach

This article examines the factors that have motivated Generation X and Y over time and the emerging attributes that will be impacting Generation Z. More specifically, two hundred recent graduates and Executive MBA students (Generation X) as well as undergraduates (Generation Y) at Fordham University Schools of Business were surveyed recently and were asked to rank six (out of twenty five) factors they consider most important in motivating them to do their best work on the job. When comparing Generation X and Generation Y, the results are very similar. Both groups rank Respect for me as a person and Good Pay to be their top motivators. While both groups have similar motivators in their top six including Chance for promotion, Opportunity to do interesting work and Opportunity for self-development and improvement, Generation Y differs greatly as Getting along well with others on the job ranked third in their top six. This factor is considered a “hybrid factor” that crosses motivation and maintenance needs. While this “hybrid factor” does not appear as an important motivator among the Baby Boom generation, it is projected that Getting along well with others on the job will be a critical factor especially among Generation Z for a variety of reasons predominately their technical background.
Toward a constructive theory of generalized spline functions

This paper is divided into two parts. In the first part we define a rather general class of piecewise functions, and discuss some of its basic algebraic and structural properties. In the second part, we specialize to a (still quite general) class of Tchebycheffian splines and discuss their zero properties and approximation powers.
A Computational and Experimental Study of Metal and Covalent Organic Frameworks Used in Adsorption Cooling

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have recently attracted enormous interest over the past few years due to their potential applications in energy storage and gas separation. However, there have been few reports on MOFs for adsorption cooling applications. Adsorption cooling technology is an established alternative to mechanical vapor compression refrigeration systems. Adsorption cooling is an excellent alternative in industrial environments where waste heat is available. Applications also include hybrid systems, refrigeration, powerplant dry cooling, cryogenics, vehicular systems and building HVAC. Adsorption based cooling and refrigeration systems have several advantages including few moving parts and negligible power consumption. Key disadvantages include large thermal mass, bulkiness, complex controls, and low COP (0.2–0.5). We explored the use of metal organic frameworks that have very high mass loading and relatively low heats of adsorption, with certain combinations of refrigerants to demonstrate a new type of highly efficient adsorption chiller. An adsorption chiller based on MOFs suggests that a thermally-driven COP>1 may be possible with these materials, which would represent a fundamental breakthrough in performance of adsorption chiller technology. Computational fluid dynamics combined with a system level lumped-parameter model have been used to project size and performance for chillers with a cooling capacity ranging from a few kW to several thousand kW. In addition, a cost model has been developed to project manufactured cost of entire systems. These systems rely on stacked micro/mini-scale architectures to enhance heat and mass transfer. Presented herein are computational and experimental results for hydrophyilic MOFs, fluorophilic MOFs and also flourophilic Covalent-organic frameworks (COFs).Copyright © 2015 by ASME
The genomic sequence of lymphocryptovirus from cynomolgus macaque

Lymphocryptoviruses such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) cause persistent infections in human and non-human primates, and suppression of the immune system can increase the risk of lymphocryptovirus (LCV)-associated tumor development in both human and non-human primates. To enable LCV infection as a non-clinical model to study effects of therapeutics on EBV immunity, we determined the genomic DNA sequence of the LCV from cynomolgus macaque, a species commonly used for non-clinical testing. Comparison to rhesus macaque LCV and human EBV sequences indicates that LCV from the cynomolgus macaque has the same genomic arrangement and a high degree of similarity in most genes, especially with rhesus macaque LCV. Genes showing lower similarity were those encoding proteins involved in latency and/or tumor promotion or immune evasion. The genomic sequence of LCV from cynomolgus macaque should aid the development of non-clinical tools for identifying therapeutics that impact LCV immunity and carry potential lymphoma risk.
Erythropoietic (congenital) porphyria: A rare abnormality of the normoblasts.

1. In 5 patients with erythropoietic (congenital) porphyria, unstained bone marrow preparations were studied and photographed by fluorescence and absorption microscopy. The same marrow slides were also studied after ordinary staining. 2. Two morphologically different varieties of normoblasts were observed, which were designated as normal and abnormal cells. Normoblasts of the abnormal variety exhibited nuclear inclusion bodies containing hemoglobin. 3. Red fluorescence, indicative of porphyrin, was found only in normoblasts belonging to the abnormal cell variety. Normal normoblasts failed to exhibit red fluorescence. 4. The red fluorescence originated predominantly from the normoblastic nucleus. The fluorescence intensity of the cytoplasm was usually very low. Polychromatophilic erythrocytes also exhibited only weak fluorescence. 5. These findings indicate the coexistence of two different lines of normoblasts. The nuclei of cells belonging to the abnormal line probably form excessive amounts of porphyrins and may release them into the plasma in the course of cellular maturation. It is believed that these cells carry the abnormal trait representing the "inborn error of metabolism." 6. A critical review of all cases of porphyria, reported as "congenital," has shown that on the basis of the presented data, it was possible to establish the diagnosis of erythropoietic (congenital) porphyria beyond reasonable doubt in but 34 instances. Nineteen of the patients were female, fourteen were male. In a few families, more than one case was observed in the same generation, but in no instance was the disease recognized in subsequent generations. 7. Erythropoietic porphyria is a congenital disease, entirely distinct from hepatic photosensitive ("cutanea tarda") porphyria. No evidence has been found of a genetic mixture of these two forms of porphyria.
Padé unitarization and the production of WL+WL- and ZL0ZL0 pairs at high-energy colliders.

Using the Pade unitarized one-loop {ital W}{sup +}{ital W{minus}} and {ital Z}{sup 0}{ital Z0} scattering amplitudes, we investigate the production of gauge boson pairs at high-energy {ital pp} colliders. We focus on the case where the Higgs boson mass parameter {ital m}{sub {ital H}} is large ({ital m}{sub {ital H}}{approx gt}10 TeV), in which case the Higgs sector is strongly interacting and the Pade {ital s}-wave amplitude develops a resonance at a relatively low mass {mu}{similar to}1 TeV. This resonance is narrower than an elementary Higgs boson of the same mass. We show that the difference in the widths is discernible in the gauge boson invariant mass plots.
Incidence of postoperative delirium following myocardial revascularization. A prospective study.

Previous reports assessing the incidence of postcardiotomy delirium have examined cognitive function in piatients who underwent various types of cardiac surgery. The authors evaluated the incidence of postcardiotomy delirium following myocardial revascularization, specifically. Fifty-nine patients undergoing elective, first-time cardiac surgery were given a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests preoperatively and then six days postoperatively. According to DSM-III criteria, none of the 59 patients exhibited signs of delirium on day 6. While in the intensive care unit on postoperative day 1, four patients (6.8%) showed transient signs of confusion that resolved either spontaneously or after appropriate medical/surgical intervention.
Oxide Formation on Rare Earth/Transition Metal Thin Films

The formation of oxides on rare earth/transition metal thin film alloys (FeTbCo and modifications thereof) has been explored by a combination of AES, XPS and RBS. The primary focus of these studies has been the interaction of H20 with the clean surface of the thin film alloys, and with pure iron and terbium thin films. Clear differences are observed between the chemisorption, product uptake profiles for H2O on Fe, Tb, and FeTbCo thin films and on FeTbCo thin films where a fourth metal (Pt) was incorporated into the alloy matrix.
Even a Skilled Manager Can Experience Bad Luck: The Likelihood of Short-Term Underperformance During Periods of Long-Term Outperformance

A common risk that plan sponsors face is incorrectly terminating an effective strategy. Even funds that outperform over the long term can experience subperiods of short-term underperformance. This paper uses a sample of 525 institutional large-cap equity strategies to analyze the likelihood of underperformance during shorter subperiods within long-term periods of outperformance. Of our sample’s 2,381 observations of outperforming twentyyear periods, none were immune to five-year periods of underperformance. Less than 11 percent outperformed consistently over all seven-year subperiods. If plan sponsors routinely terminate managers that underperform over a five-year period, then none of the outperforming funds in our sample would have been retained by any plan, despite being long-term outperforming funds. In fact, the stricter the short-term performance measures, the greater the likelihood of incorrectly terminating funds that have long-term outperformance. Likewise, long-term underperforming funds experience the good luck of shorter subperiods of outperformance. Our analysis helps to inform plan sponsors’ investment policies and actions regarding actively managed funds. Ascribing the long-term outperformance to skill, we identify short-term underperformance to be the result of bad luck. Investment policies based on performance are susceptible to actions driven by a manager’s luck rather than skill and can be costly for a plan; they can lead to direct rebalancing or transition costs and indirect costs due to resources needlessly diverted to search activity.
Anatomy and Function of the Gut Immune System

The intestinal immune system is faced with a difficult task of appropriately responding to the complex variety of foreign substances in the digestive tract, including innocuous dietary antigens, the commensal microbiota, and potential pathogens. To manage this task the intestinal immune system uses a network of organized and diffuse lymphoid tissues that coordinate responses to maintain homeostasis. Aggregates of immune cell populations of various sizes and compositions are scattered along the entire length of the small and large intestines, and function as induction sites for immune responses directed toward the luminal content. In addition to these organized lymphoid structures, the tissue compartments in closest proximity to the luminal content, the epithelium, and the underlying lamina propria contain a large number of effector cells that act locally to maintain and promote intestinal barrier function as well as sampling luminal antigens and migrate to the mesenteric lymph nodes to induce antigen-specific responses to acquired antigens. In this article we will review the anatomical organization and current understanding of how the different structures and compartments contribute to maintaining intestinal homeostasis.
Divergence and Diversification, Quantitative Genetics of

A key question in evolutionary biology is understanding how the genetic properties of populations affect long-term patterns of adaptation, divergence, and diversification. Quantitative genetics provides a framework for understanding how genetic variation within populations allows phenotypic divergence via genetic drift and natural selection. This article examines whether or not the structure of genetic variation within populations provides meaningful insight into the evolutionary processes and patterns of divergence and diversification across evolutionary lineages.
The Reductive Cleavage Mechanism and Complex Stability of Glutathionyl‐Cobalamin in Acidic Media

The mechanisms of the electrode reduction of vitamin B12a and the reductive cleavage of glutathionyl cobalamin (GSCbl) were investigated with digital simulations in acid media at pH 3.78 and 2.78. Even though the pH is quite acidic, the 1-electron reduction of B12a goes through the base-on form in a step-wise sequence forming base-on vitamin B12r which then is protonated to the base-off form, and finally reduced in another 1-electron step to vitamin B12s Unlike the case of B12a, the GSCbl is found to go by a 1-electron overall mechanism. In this case, electronic structure calculations at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level for a model GSCbl complex show that the one-electron adduct is a radical anion with the unpaired electron in a corrin ring π* orbital. When the axial 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole dissociates, the Co(III)-S bond will break forming Vitamin B12s and the GS• radical. This reductive cleavage mechanism is the same as in the case of alkylcobalmins and is relevant to the biological mechanism of the B12 trafficking chaperone proteins, CblC, for processing GSCbl in B12 dependent enzyme reactions. Finally, we determined conditional stability constants for the formation of the GSCbl complex, Kobs, which are 4.4±0.5×103 M−1 and 9.9±0.1×102 M−1 at pH 3.78 and 2.78, respectively.
The Computational Extraction of Spatio-Temporal Formal Structures in the Interactive Dance Work `22'

In this paper we propose a framework for the computational extraction of spatial and time characteristics of a single choreographic work. Computational frameworks can aid in revealing non-salient compositional structures in modern dance. The computational extraction of such features allows for the creation of interactive works where the movement and the digital feedback (graphics, sound etc) are integrally connected at deep level of structures. It also facilitates a better understanding of the choreographic process. There are two key contributions in this paper: (a) a systematic analysis of the observable and non-salient aspects of solo dance form, (b) computational analysis of spatio-temporal phrasing structures guided by critical understanding of observable form. Our analysis results are excellent indicating the presence of rich, latent spatio-temporal organization in specific semi- improvisatory modern dance works that may provide rich structural material for interactivity.
Synthesis of realistic subcortical anatomy with known surface deformations

Statistical shape analysis is an actively studied field which has been playing an important role in the morphometric analysis of anatomical structures. Many algorithms have been proposed to compare the shape of anatomical structures across populations and a number of theoretical and technical advances have been developed on the subject. Unfortunately, there is very little work on the evaluation and validation of these new techniques. In contrast, comprehensive and objective evaluation frameworks have been designed for closely related fields such as image segmentation, registration or denoising, and play an important role in evaluating the quality of newly proposed algorithms. One possible reason may lie in the difficulty of generating a large set of synthetic shapes which are anatomically realistic, and another set of similar shapes with statistical difference from the previous group. In this work, we try to solve this shape synthesis problem, the outcome of which could be used for the purpose of evaluating shape analysis algorithms. Our method is based on two key components. First, a manifold learning algorithm is applied to a set of known control shapes, giving us the ability to generate an infinite number of new shapes. Second, a multi-scale clustering algorithm allows us to apply known, consistent and realistic deformations to input shapes surfaces. Our framework can thus provide arbitrarily many shapes (of the same organ/structure) with "ground truth" deformations. We present several synthetic, but anatomically derived, shape sets of varying complexity.
Identification of key features using topological data analysis for accurate prediction of manufacturing system outputs

Abstract Topological data analysis (TDA) has emerged as one of the most promising approaches to extract insights from high-dimensional data of varying types such as images, point clouds, and meshes, in an unsupervised manner. To the best of our knowledge, here, we provide the first successful application of TDA in the manufacturing systems domain. We apply a widely used TDA method, known as the Mapper algorithm, on two benchmark data sets for chemical process yield prediction and semiconductor wafer fault detection, respectively. The algorithm yields topological networks that capture the intrinsic clusters and connections among the clusters present in the data sets, which are difficult to detect using traditional methods. We select key process variables or features that impact the system outcomes by analyzing the network shapes. We then use predictive models to evaluate the impact of the selected features. Results show that the models achieve at least the same level of high prediction accuracy as with all the process variables, thereby, providing a way to carry out process monitoring and control in a more cost-effective manner.
Conversations about research at the University of Iowa

Communication in the sciences is becoming increasingly important. The public needs honest brokers of accurate scientific information to disseminate technical knowledge and evidence-based solutions for complex problems. This project, a collection of science stories for a broad audience, began with the goal to infuse society with accurate scientific information in a language salient for a general audience. These stories are a collection of conversations about scientific research and translations of peer-reviewed, technical publications to reach non-scientist audiences. The collection, Conversations about Research at the University of Iowa, gives much-needed recognition of the research done in a range of departments at the University of Iowa, including Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Medicine, Mathematics, Computer Science, and Management Sciences. The research represented in these stories covers a plethora of topics, including stem cells and stroke, an algorithm to predict box office movie success, online advertisement blockers, Parkinson’s disease and deep brain stimulation, mathematical modeling of myeloma and osteoarthritis, the physics behind improved light-emitting diodes, freshwater mussels as a defense against nitrogen pollution, and numerous other captivating research projects conducted at the University of Iowa.Audio essay
Concept for maritime near-surface surveillance using water Raman scattering

We discuss a maritime surveillance and detection concept based on Raman scattering of water molecules. Using a range-gated scanning lidar that detects Raman scattered photons from water, the absence or change of signal indicates the presence of a non-water object. With sufficient spatial resolution, a two-dimensional outline of the object can be generated by the scanning lidar. Because Raman scattering is an inelastic process with a relatively large wavelength shift for water, this concept avoids the often problematic elastic scattering for objects at or very close to the water surface or from the bottom surface for shallow waters. The maximum detection depth for this concept is limited by the attenuation of the excitation and return Raman light in water. If excitation in the UV is used, fluorescence can be used for discrimination between organic and non-organic objects. In this paper, we present a lidar model for this concept and discuss results of proof-of-concept measurements. Using published cross section values, the model and measurements are in reasonable agreement and show that a sufficient number of Raman photons can be generated for modest lidar parameters to make this concept useful for near-surface detection.
Power allocation for shared transponders: A statistical optimal control paradigm

Recognizing the alignment of the linear-quadratic class of stochastic systems with performance uncertainties for reliability increases, the statistical optimal control theory proactively synthesizes feedback control mechanisms leading towards risk-averse control strategies that effectively shape the probability densities of Chi-squared random performance measures. In this paper, selective sub-channel gains providing the solution to the problem of power allocation for shared satellite transponders are designed to address transponder nonlinearities, multilink terminals, and potential uplink noise jamming. The statistical optimal control is expected to benefit selective sub-channel gains with performance reliability and should be considered as an important part in power allocation for nonlinear distorted multi-carrier transponders pertaining to future development of military and civil satellite communications.
Relating the Commonalities and Robustness Characteristics of EMC and ESD Tests

Components and systems must be qualified in terms of a set of electrical robustness characteristics. In this high-level presentation the various test methods of ESD and EMC will be related in terms of their application to various electronic entities, certain robustness environments and energy profiles, and transport / interaction with electronics. This will include component and system level ESD as well as EMC tests, in terms of EOS/ESD Association, IEC and ISO standards. These will include but not necessarily be limited to JS-001 and JS-002 (HBM and CDM component level), IEC 61000-4-2, −4-4, −4-5; ISO 10605, and ISO 7637–2 and −3.
Human Problem Solving in 2010

This paper presents a bibliography of 100 references related to human problem solving, arranged by subject matter. The references were taken from PsycInfo database. Journal papers, book chapters, and dissertations are included. The topics include human development, education, neuroscience, and research in applied settings, as well as animal studies.
Facial nerve venous malformation: A radiologic and histopathologic review of 11 cases

Objective The purpose of this article was to provide a combined pathologic and radiologic review of previous pathologically diagnosed facial nerve "hemangiomas" to confirm that these lesions are most characteristic of venous malformations rather than neoplasms. Study Design Retrospective radiologic, clinical, and histopathologic review of all patients with a previous pathologically diagnosed facial nerve hemangioma of the temporal bone who underwent computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were included. A consensus radiologic review for characteristic features and pathologic analysis was performed. Materials and Methods A panel of 4 neuroradiologists retrospectively analyzed CT and MRI exams for 11 facial nerve hemangiomas and provided a consensus agreement on the characteristic imaging features. Concurrently, two neuropathologists reevaluated archived tissue specimens from these lesions and applied additional immunohistochemical and histochemical stains including D240, CD31, smooth muscle actin (SMA), Verhoeff Van Gieson (VVG) and glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1). Results Lesions were composed of dilated vascular spaces with a simple, CD31-positive endothelial lining and a smooth muscle component. All lesions were negative for markers found in arterial and lymphatic malformations and infantile hemangiomas. They had characteristic radiologic features previously ascribed to facial nerve hemangiomas. Namely, these lesions are typically T1 isointense or hypointense and T2 hyperintense relative to cerebral cortex and heterogeneously enhance on MRI. Bony canal expansion and erosion, intralesional calcification, and intracranial extension are common. Conclusions On the basis of this radiologic and pathologic review, these lesions are best characterized as venous malformations. Level of Evidence 4.
Screening and referral practices for autism spectrum disorder in primary pediatric care.

OBJECTIVES: To examine screening practices for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), subsequent referrals, and diagnostic outcomes within a large network of primary pediatric care practices. METHODS: Rates of ASD screening with the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) at 18- and 24-month well-child visits were examined among 290 primary care providers within 54 pediatric practices between June 2014 and June 2016. Demographic, referral, and diagnostic data were abstracted from the medical records for all children who failed the M-CHAT (ie, score of ≥3) at either or both visits. RESULTS: Rates of M-CHAT screening were 93% at 18 months and 82% at 24 months. Among 23 514 screens, scores of 648 (3%) were ≥3 (386 at 18 months, 262 at 24 months) among 530 unique children who failed 1 or both screenings. Among screen-failed cases, 18% received a diagnosis of ASD and 59% received ≥1 non-ASD neurodevelopmental disorder diagnosis within the follow-up period. Only 31% of children were referred to a specialist for additional evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: High rates of ASD-specific screening do not necessarily translate to increases in subsequent referrals for ASD evaluation or ASD diagnoses. Low rates of referrals and/or lack of follow-through on referrals appear to contribute to delays in children’s receipt of ASD diagnoses. Additional education of primary care providers regarding the referral process after a failed ASD screening is warranted.
Activation of Gold on Metal Carbides: Novel Catalysts for C1 Chemistry.

This article presents a review of recent uses of Au-carbide interfaces as catalysts for C1 Chemistry (CO oxidation, low-temperature water-gas shift and CO2 hydrogenation). The results of density-functional calculations and photoemission point to important electronic perturbations when small two-dimensional clusters of gold are bounded to the (001) surface of various transition metal carbides (TiC, ZrC, VC, Ta C and δ-MoC). On these surfaces, the C sites exhibited strong interactions with the gold clusters. On the carbide surfaces, the Au interacts stronger than on oxides opening the door for strong metal-support interactions. So far, most of the experimental studies with well-defined systems have been focused on the Au/TiC, Au/ δ-MoC and Au/beta-Mo2C interfaces. Au/TiC and Au/ δ-MoC are active and stable catalysts for the low-temperature water-gas shift reaction and for the hydrogenation of CO2 to methanol or CO. Variations in the behavior of the Au/δ-MoC and Au/beta-Mo2C systems clearly show the strong effect of the metal/carbon ratio on the performance of the carbide catalysts. This parameter substantially impacts the chemical behavior of the carbide and its interaction with supported metals, up to the point of modifying the reaction rate and mechanism of C1 processes.
A Combination of Cowpea Mosaic Virus and Immune Checkpoint Therapy Synergistically Improves Therapeutic Efficacy in Three Tumor Models

Immune checkpoint therapy (ICT) has the potential to treat cancer by removing the immunosuppressive brakes on T cell activity. However, ICT benefits only a subset of patients because most tumors are "cold", with limited pre-infiltration of effector T cells, poor immunogenicity, and low-level expression of checkpoint regulators. It has been previously reported that Cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) promotes the activation of multiple innate immune cells and the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines to induce T cell cytotoxicity, suggesting that immunostimulatory CPMV could potentiate ICT. Here it is shown that in situ vaccination with CPMV increases the expression of checkpoint regulators on Foxp3-CD4+ effector T cells in the tumor microenvironment. It is shown that combined treatment with CPMV and selected checkpoint-targeting antibodies, specifically anti-PD-1 antibodies, or agonistic OX40-specific antibodies, reduced tumor burden, prolonged survival, and induced tumor antigen-specific immunologic memory to prevent relapse in three immunocompetent syngeneic mouse tumor models. This study therefore reveals new design principles for plant virus nanoparticles as novel immunotherapeutic adjuvants to elicit robust immune responses against cancer.
Periodic Nanoslot Patterns as an Effective Approach to Improving the Thermoelectric Performance of Thin Films

For thermoelectric applications, thermoelectric $\mathrm{Si}$ thin films with periodic circular pores have been intensively studied because of the low price and earth abundance of $\mathrm{Si}$. In this work, a different periodic nanoporous pattern is investigated for its potential thermoelectric benefit, i.e., a $\mathrm{Si}$ thin film with periodic nanoslots. Inside such structures, the neck between adjacent nanoslots functions as the nanorestriction to suppress the phonon transport, leading to a dramatically reduced lattice thermal conductivity. When the neck width is still longer than the mean free paths of majority charge carriers, bulklike electron transport can be maintained so that the thermoelectric ZT can be enhanced. For the thermal designs of these porous thin films, a simple but accurate analytical model based on the mean-free-path modification with a characteristic length is derived and is used to predict their thermoelectric properties. For heavily doped $\mathrm{Si}$ films with the neck width reduced to 5 nm, the computed ZT can reach 0.58 at 1100 K. The proposed nanoslot pattern can be extended to general thin films and atomic thick materials to tune their transport properties.
Establishing the validity of surface topography for assessment of scoliosis: a prospective study

Descriptive survey. Compare radiographic parameters measured using surface topography (ST) with those obtained radiographically to determine the validity of ST for scoliotic assessment. While anterior–posterior radiography is the gold standard for diagnosing scoliosis, repeated radiographic use is associated with increased carcinogenicity. Studies have thus focused on radiation-free systems, including ST, to calculate the scoliotic angle. Seventeen patients ages 25–76 were included. Each patient received one AP radiograph and three repeated ST measurements over two months. Values were analyzed by two raters to determine comparability between ST and radiographic measurements. Interobserver reliability (ICC) was calculated and statistical significance was determined by the p-value of a paired two-tailed t-test. ICC showed excellent reliability (> 0.90). There was no significant difference (p > 0.40) in apical vertebral deviation/translation between conventional radiography (0.9 ± 0.8) and ST (1.2 ± 1.0). There was no significant difference (p > 0.30) in sagittal balance radiographic (4.0 ± 3.1) and ST (4.4 ± 3.3), and coronal balance radiographic (1.4 ± 1.3) and ST (1.1 ± 1.1) measurements. Significant difference (p < .001) was found between lumbar lordosis radiographic (52.6 ± 18.4) and ST (37.9 ± 16.6), kyphotic angle radiographic (35.1 ± 16.0) and ST (50.0 ± 11.9), and scoliotic angle radiographic (11.3 ± 12.4) and ST (17.7 ± 10.2) measurements. No significant difference was observed between various ST and radiographic measurements, including apical vertebral deviation, sagittal balance, and coronal balance. While a larger prospective study is needed to further assess the validity of ST, these initial measurements suggest the possibility of an effective and radiation-free adjunctive method of assessing balance in the coronal plane.