cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
De novo donor-specific HLA antibodies are associated with early and high-grade bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome and death after lung transplantation

Background The development of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibody responses has been associated with worse clinical outcomes, such as bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) and death, in lung transplant recipients (LTRs). However, the role of donor-specific HLA antibody (DSA) responses as a risk factor for poor outcomes remains controversial. Methods We prospectively screened 445 LTRs for DSA at our institution at the time of surveillance bronchoscopies for the first 2 years after transplantation between 2003 and 2008, and evaluated clinical outcomes. For this purpose, we used the combination of panel-reactive antibodies (PRA) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the Luminex single-antigen bead (SAB) assay (One Lambda, Canoga Park, CA). Results We detected de novo DSA (dnDSA) in 58 of 445 (13%) LTRs in our cohort. Freedom from BOS was significantly reduced in LTRs with dnDSA versus those without dnDSA ( p p p p p Conclusions Taken together, our findings provide evidence that dnDSA is associated with accelerated BOS kinetics and severity, as well as death due to BOS after lung transplantation. In addition, these data support regular monitoring for the development of dnDSA in LTRs and underscore the need for novel strategies to mitigate the increased risk of poor outcomes associated with dnDSA.
EFFECT OF HORIZONTAL RESOLUTION IN A FINITE-DIFFERENCE MODEL OF THE GENERAL CIRCULATION

Abstract The effect is studied of varying the horizontal grid resolution on the simulation of January climate in the NCAR general circulation model. The six-layer model with a 3-km thickness was used for this experiment. For a fixed vertical resolution three different versions of the model were programmed, having horizontal grid increments of 10°, 5°, and 2.5° in longitude and latitude. The model includes various physical processes operating in the atmosphere including a hydrological cycle, solar and terrestrial radiation, and boundary layers; but the dynamic effect of orography was suppressed. Results from the three runs with different horizontal resolution were compared by computing various zonally averaged meteorological variables including mean and eddy meridional fluxes of momentum, heat, and water vapor. It is shown that the zonally averaged temperature and specific humidity fields are simulated well by the three different resolution models. However, for the simulation of the wind field the 10° mesh...
Cherenkov telescopes as optical telescopes for bright sources: today's specialized 30-m telescopes?

Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs) use large-aperture (� 10 30 m) optical telescopes with arcminute angular resolution to detect TeV gamma-rays in the atmosphere. I show that IACTs are well-suited for optical observations of bright sources (V < 8 10), because these sources are brighter than the sky background. Their advantages are especially great on rapid time-scales. Thus, IACTs are ideal for studying many phenomena optically, including transiting exoplanets and the brightest gamma-ray bursts. In principle, an IACT could achieve millimagnitude photometry of these objects with second-long exposures. I also consider the potential for optical spectroscopy with IACTs, finding that their poor angular resolution limits their usefulness for high spectral resolutions, unless complex instruments are developed. The high photon collection rate of IACTs is potentially useful for precise polarimetry. Finally, I briefly discuss the broader possibilities of extremely large, low resolution telescopes, including a 10 arcsec resolution telescope and spaceborne telescopes.
Antitrust Marathon IV: With Authority

The Antitrust Marathons explore enduring issues of competition and consumer policy on a comparative basis through roundtable discussions of senior officials, practitioners, and academics in more depth than is possible in traditional conference format. Each Antitrust Marathon includes special issue papers and the edited transcript of the roundtable discussion. Antitrust Marathon IV held in Dublin, Ireland in October 2009 focused on how to integrate competition and consumer regulation and enforcement; concurrent regulation between competition authorities and sectoral regulations; competition policy and financial regulation in light of the global financial crisis; and institutional design questions of judicial, administrative, and mixed model for competition policy.
Adaptation to load variations of a planar biped: Height control using robust adaptive control

Abstract “Turkey Walking” is a simple bipedal walking algorithm which is constructed using a control language called virtual model control. Three virtual components are used to achieve height, posture and speed control. The algorithm was successfully applied to steady dynamic walking of a planar biped. This paper explores the disturbance adaptation aspect of the algorithm, in particular, how to maintain the desired height when an external load is added to the system. This paper proposes to use a robust adaptive controller (RAC) to achieve the desired height control. The resulting control algorithm is applied to a simulated biped that walks over both level and rolling terrains while it adapts to discrete changes in payload. The capability to walk successfully over rolling terrain indirectly demonstrates the robustness of the implementation.
Morphology of Mouse External Genitalia: Implications for a Role of Estrogen in Sexual Dimorphism of the Mouse Genital Tubercle

Purpose: We examined the role of androgens and estrogens in mammalian sexual differentiation by morphological characterization of adult wt and mutant mouse external genitalia. We tested the hypothesis that external genitalia development depends on androgen and estrogen action.Materials and Methods: We studied serial sections of the external genitalia of the CD-1 and C57BL6 wt strains of adult mice (Charles River Laboratories, Wilmington, Massachusetts). We recorded linear measurements of key structures in each specimen, including the urethra, erectile tissue, bone and cartilage. We used similar methodology to analyze mice mutant for estrogen receptor α (αERKO) and androgen receptor (XTfm/Y) (Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine).Results: Morphology in XTfm/Y adult murine external genitalia was remarkably similar to that in wt females. Bone and clitoral length was similar in wt females and XTfm/Y mice. Conversely the αERKO clitoris was 59% longer and bone length in αERKO females was many-fold longer than ...
Regeneration Next: Toward Heart Stem Cell Therapeutics

Stem cell biology holds great promise for a new era of cell-based therapy, sparking considerable interest among scientists, clinicians, and their patients. However, the translational arm of stem cell science is in a relatively primitive state. Although a number of clinical studies have been initiated, the early returns point to several inherent problems. In this regard, the clinical potential of stem cells can only be fully realized by the identification of the key barriers to clinical implementation. Here, we examine experimental paradigms to address the critical steps in the transition from stem cell biology to regenerative medicine, utilizing cardiovascular disease as a case study.
HHV8-Negative Primary Effusion Lymphoma of B-Cell Lineage: Two Cases and a Comprehensive Review of the Literature

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a rare extranodal lymphoma that typically presents in a body cavity in the absence of a detectable tumor mass and that occurs predominantly in immunosuppressed individuals. The neoplastic lymphoid cells are frequently infected with human herpes virus 8 (HHV8), also known as Kaposi sarcoma herpes virus (KSHV). We describe two HIV-negative patients who presented with primary effusion lymphoma of B-cell lineage involving the pleural cavity, but whose tumor cells lacked infection by HHV8. We review the English language literature of HHV8-negative PEL of B-cell lineage and compare these lymphomas to HHV8-associated PEL with regard to clinical and pathological characteristics, therapy, and outcome.
The role of endogenous PACAP in motor stimulation and conditioned place preference induced by morphine in mice

Rationale The neuropeptide pituitary adenylyl cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP) and its receptors (PAC1 and VPAC2) are expressed in the ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens, raising the possibility that PACAP could be a potential modulator of the mesolimbic dopaminergic system.
The GEANT low energy Compton scattering (GLECS) package for use in simulating advanced Compton telescopes

Abstract Compton γ-ray imaging is inherently based on the assumption of γ-rays scattering with free electrons. In reality, the non-zero momentum of target electrons bound in atoms blurs this ideal scattering response in a process known as Doppler broadening. The design and understanding of advanced Compton telescopes, thus, depends critically on the ability to accurately account for Doppler broadening effects. For this purpose, a Monte Carlo package that simulates detailed Doppler broadening has been developed for use with the powerful, general-purpose GEANT3 and GEANT4 radiation transport codes. This paper describes the design of this package, and illustrates results of comparison with selected experimental data.
Intracellular Ca2+ Release in Flow-Induced Contraction of Venous Smooth Muscle

Abstract We designed the present study to determine whether Ca 2+ release from intracellular stores contributes to flow-induced contraction. We carried out experiments on segments of rabbit facial vein under isometric conditions. Intraluminal flow by perfusion of physiological salt solution (10 to 80 μL/min) caused contraction in this vessel, which was significantly inhibited by (1) 30-minute pretreatment with 10 μmol/L ryanodine, the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+ channel opener, and (2) 30-minute pretreatment with concomitant application of 20 mmol/L caffeine and 1 μmol/L cyclopiazonic acid in Ca 2+ -free medium to deplete the sarcoplasmic reticulum. In comparison, contraction initiated by 300 nmol/L histamine was significantly attenuated by the same interventions. K + (25 mmol/L)–induced contraction was unaffected by ryanodine but was reduced after depletion of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. The phospholipase C inhibitor 2-nitro-4-carboxyphenyl- N,N -diphenylcarbamate (10 μmol/L) inhibited contractions induced by flow and histamine but not by K + . These findings indicate that Ca 2+ release from intracellular stores, presumably via the phosphatidylinositol pathway, contributes to flow- and histamine- but not raised K + –induced contractions in this vessel.
High electron mobility in nickel bis(dithiolene) complexes

The charge-carrier mobilities for three Ni bis(dithiolene) complexes have been determined using the steady-state space-charge limited current technique. A high mobility of 2.8 cm2 V–1 s–1 was observed for one compound, which exhibits a π-stacked columnar structure, in an annealed unsymmetrical melt-processed device. Energy-level considerations and field-effect transistor measurements suggest that this value represents an electron mobility. However, saturation mobilities measured for this compound in spin-coated field-effect transistors were found to be over two orders of magnitude lower than the space-charge limited current values. X-Ray diffraction shows a difference in morphology between thick melt-processed and thin spin-coated films and, therefore, a significant change in intermolecular packing between the device types may explain the discrepancy in mobilities obtained using the two techniques.
Unraveling Reduces the Scope of an Entry Level Labor Market: Gastroenterology with and Without a Centralized Match

From 1986 through 1997 the entry-level market for American gastroenterologists was organized by a centralized clearinghouse. Before, and since, it has been conducted via a decentralized market in which appointment dates have unraveled to well over a year before the start of employment. The career paths of gastroenterologists therefore offer a unique opportunity to examine the difference between the market when appointments are decentralized and early, versus when they are made later via a centralized clearinghouse. (Most centralized clearinghouses remain in use once established, and so there is no way to separate changes due to the clearinghouse from other changes that may have taken place over time.) We find that, both before and after the years in which the centralized clearinghouse was used, gastroenterologists are less mobile, and more likely to be employed at the same hospital in which they were internal medicine residents, than when the clearinghouse was in use. This suggests that the clearinghouse serves not only to coordinate the timing of appointments, but that it also increases the scope of the market, compared to decentralized markets with early appointments and exploding offers. This has implications for theories of market failure due to unraveling over time.
One bad apple: experimental effects of psychological conflict on social resilience.

Past research suggests that small groups are self-organizing systems, and that social resilience may be measured as the meta-flexibility of group dynamics: the ability to shift back and forth from flexiblity to rigidity in response to conflict. This study extends these prior results, examining the impact of experimentally induced internal conflict and group-level conflict resolution on group dynamics—whether one bad apple can spoil the bunch. Six experimental groups with four members each participated in a series of four 25 min discussions. The first two discussions served as a baseline condition. Internal conflict was induced to one or more group members prior to discussion three, with the prediction that higher levels of conflict induction would lead to significant drops in group flexibility—creating a press on the group’s resilience, whereas conflict resolution in discussion four was expected to allow for a rebound in group flexibility. Consistent with prior research, the turn-taking dynamics of each the 24 groups were distributed as inverse power laws (R 2 ¼ 0.86–0.99) providing evidence for self-organization. Furthermore, there were significant study-wise negative correlation between levels of personality conflict and two measures of flexibility: information entropy (r ¼ 20.47, p ¼ 0.019) and fractal dimension (r ¼ 20.42, p ¼ 0.037). Altogether, these results suggest that: (i) small groups are self-organizing systems with structure and flexibility providing social resilience and (ii) individual conflict is able to spread to higher level social dynamics, creating pressure on social resilience. Practical implications for assessment of, and intervention with, psychosocial resilience are discussed.
Displacement and Geometrical Characteristics of Earthquake Surface Ruptures: Issues and Implications for Seismic-Hazard Analysis and the Process of Earthquake Rupture

There now exist about three dozen historical earthquakes for which in- vestigators have constructed maps of earthquake rupture traces accompanied by de- scriptions of the coseismic slip observed along the fault strike. The maps and slip distributions are compiled here to place observational bounds on aspects of seismic- hazard analysis and fault mechanics. Analysis leads to an initial statistical basis to predict the end points of rupture and the amount of surface slip expected at sites along the strike during earthquakes on mapped faults. The observations also give support to the ideas that there exists a process zone or volume of about 3-4 km in dimension at the fronts of large laterally propagating earthquake ruptures within which stress changes may be sufficient to trigger slip on adjacent faults, and that the ultimate length of earthquake ruptures is controlled primarily by the geometrical complexity of fault traces and variations in accumulated stress levels along faults that arise due to the location of past earthquakes. To this may be added the observation that the form of earthquake surface-slip distributions is better described by asymmetric rather than symmetric curve forms and that earthquake epicenters do not appear to correlate in any systematic manner to regions of maximum surface slip observed along strike. Online Material: Maps of surface ruptures, digitized values and curve fits to surface-slip distributions, and notes and references for Tables 1 and 2.
Evaluating Porosity Parameters for Porosity–Property Relations

Porosity parameters are considered from the standpoint of a map of the volume fraction porosity (P) and the ratio of normalized radii of the pore (rp) and the solid particles, webs, or ligaments (rs) defining the pores. For pore structures derived from uniform stacking of identical spherical particles or bubbles, this “map” turns out to be a single S-shaped curve showing (1) very significant constraints on porosity variations achievable, and (2) rp/rs contains no information not already given by P, but (3) P or rp/rs do not fully characterize the porosity. Of other interrelated porosity factors, i.e, open vs closed or inter- vs intragranular nature, coordination number of the pores or particles, the shape (e.g., curvature) of the pores, and the minimal solid area (i.e., minimum web cross sections or the bond area between particles) representing some porosity characteristics independent of P or rp/rs, it is concluded that the minitics solid area is the most appropriate one. For more complex ideal and real pore structures, (1) the above map starts from the ideal P vs rp/rs curve at the two extremes of P (0 and 1), but becomes a moderate band in-between, with the ideal P vs rp/rs curve at, or near, the mean of this band, and (2) a second parameter is still needed, and the minimum solid area is still the most appropriate one.
Elliptic Equations: Single Boundary Measurements

In this chapter we consider the elliptic second-order differential equation \(Au = f\quad \mathrm{in}\;\varOmega,f = f_{0} -\sum \limits _{j=1}^{n}\partial _{j}f_{j}\) with the Dirichlet boundary data \(u = g_{0}\quad \mathrm{on}\;\partial \varOmega.\) We assume that A = div(−a∇) + b ⋅ ∇ + c with bounded and measurable coefficients a (symmetric real-valued (n × n) matrix) and complex-valued b and c in L ∞ (Ω). Another assumption is that A is an elliptic operator; i.e., there is ɛ0 > 0 such that a(x)ξ ⋅ ξ ≥ ɛ0 | ξ | 2 for any vector \(\xi \in \mathbb{R}^{n}\) and any x ∈ Ω. Unless specified otherwise, we assume that Ω is a bounded domain in \(\mathbb{R}^{n}\) with the boundary of class C2. However, most of the results are valid for Lipschitz boundaries.
Studies on the Artificial Aging of Vulcanized Rubber. I. Depolymerization during the Heat-Aging

Abstract 1. Aging in nitrogen results in very little deterioration below about 80° C., whereas deterioration is rapid above this temperature. 2. There is no metamorphic point in the curve representing aging in nitrogen. 3. During aging in air below 80° C., disaggregation is brought about by oxygen, aside from an independent effect of sulfur; above this temperature depolymerization takes place through the agency of heat. Depolymerization and disaggregation are most rapid at the metamorphic point.
Inhomogeneity during deflation of excised canine lungs. II. Alveolar volumes.

Factors both intrinsic and extrinsic to the lung may cause inhomogeneity of alveolar pressures during deflation. Wilson et al. (J. Appl. Physiol. 59: 1924-1928, 1985) predicted that any such inhomogeneity would be limited by interdependence of regional expiratory flows. To test this hypothesis and to explore how the pleural pressure gradient might affect inhomogeneity of alveolar pressures, we deflated at submaximal flows excised canine lobes that first were suspended in air and then were immersed in foams that simulated the vertical gradient of pleural pressure. Interregional inhomogeneity of regional transpulmonary pressures was measured with use of an alveolar capsule technique. Flow-dependent inhomogeneity of alveolar pressures was present, with differences in alveolar pressure quickly relaxing to a constant limiting value at each flow. Foam immersion increased inhomogeneity at a given flow. We conclude that factors intrinsic to the lung cause significant inhomogeneity of alveolar pressures at submaximal expiratory flows and that this inhomogeneity is enhanced by the extrinsic gradient of pleural pressure. These observations are consistent with the interdependence of flow proposed by Wilson et al.
Differences in the design and sale of e-cigarettes by cigarette manufacturers and non-cigarette manufacturers in the USA

Background Three categories of e-cigarette brands have emerged within the US market: e-cigarette brands developed by cigarette manufacturers, brands acquired by cigarette manufacturers and brands with no cigarette manufacturer affiliation. In the absence of federal regulatory oversight of e-cigarettes, we assessed differences in e-cigarette products and sales practices across these categories. Methods Brand websites for top-selling e-cigarette brands from each of these categories were examined in October of 2015 to compare website access restrictions, online sales practices and products sold, including e-cigarette model type (eg, ‘cigalike’ vs advanced systems) and options available (eg, flavoured, nicotine free). Results Website access to brands developed by cigarette manufacturers was restricted to users aged 21 years or older, and one website required user registration. In addition, these brands were exclusively reusable/rechargeable ‘cigalikes.’ Limited flavour options were available for these products, and nicotine-free options were not sold. In contrast, brands acquired by cigarette manufacturers and brands with no cigarette manufacturer affiliation generally required website visitors to be 18, offered a nicotine-free option, and most offered disposable products and an array of flavoured products (eg, fruit/candy flavours). Conclusions This exploratory study finds differences in e-cigarette products and sales practices across these three e-cigarette brand categories, with brands developed by cigarette manufacturers adopting a particularly distinctive product and sales strategy. Anticipated regulation of e-cigarettes in the USA may be influencing these product and sales decisions.
High-Quality Metadata and Repository Staffing: Perceptions of United States–Based OpenDOAR Participants

ABSTRACTDigital repositories require good metadata, created according to community-based principles that include provisions for interoperability. When metadata is of high quality, digital objects become sharable and metadata can be harvested and reused outside of the local system. A sample of U.S.-based repository administrators from the OpenDOAR initiative were surveyed to understand aspects of the quality and creation of their metadata, and how their metadata could improve. Most respondents (65%) thought their metadata was of average quality; none thought their metadata was high quality or poor quality. The discussion argues that increased strategic staffing will alleviate many perceived issues with metadata quality.
Accessory Growth Factor Requirements of the Members of the Genus Pasteurella.

Since preliminary work in this laboratory has shown that most of the members of the Pasteurella group could not be cultivated ini'synthetic" mediums composed of amino acids, inorganic salts and glucose, a study of the accessory growth factor requirements of these organisms was undertaken. The organisms commonly included in this group are: (1) the hemorrhagic septicemia strains, which at present are designated according to their zoological source, such as Pasteurella avicida, Pasteurella boviseptica, etc., (2) Pasteurella pestis, (3) Pasteurella pseudotuberculosis and (4) Pasteurella tularense. Pasteurella hemolytica is the name suggested by Newsom and Cross1 for those organisms isolated from cases of hemorrhagic septicemia in animals, which nevertheless show certain physiological characteristics different from the typical forms (Past, avicida, Past, boviseptica, etc.). There has been some discussion as to whether or not the causative agent of tularemia belongs in the genus Pasteurella.
Polymer-Based Protein Engineering Enables Molecular Dissolution of Chymotrypsin in Acetonitrile

While most effective in aqueous environments, enzymes are also able to catalyze reactions in essentially anhydrous organic media. Enzyme activity in organic solvents is limited as a result of inefficient substrate binding, lack of solubility, and inactivation by hydrophilic anhydrous solvents. With these facts in mind, atom transfer radical polymerization was used to synthesize chymotrypsin-poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (CT-pDMAEMA) conjugates designed to be soluble and active in acetonitrile. CT-pDMAEMA solubility in organic solvents and the rate of CT-pDMAEMA-catalyzed transesterification in acetonitrile were examined at a range of water (0–15 M) and propanol (0.01–5 M) concentrations. The conjugates were soluble at the molecular scale in several organic solvents, exhibited good substrate binding with N-acetyl l-phenylalanine thiophenylester (KM as low as 17 mM), and had an activity (peak activity 330 μM/min/mg enzyme) many orders of magnitude higher than that of the insoluble native enzyme.
Texas’ Stand Your Ground Law: An Historical Perspective

In the aftermath of the Treyvon Martin shooting in Florida, Stand Your Ground laws have acquired an unsavory reputation. These laws and their close cousin, castle doctrine, have an interesting history, especially with respect to protecting victims of domestic violence. Texas’ Stand Your Ground law differs substantially from that of Florida, with much greater restraints on use of deadly force.
Cucumber Pale Fruit

A disease in cucumber characterized particularly by a light green color of the fruits, but also with affected flowers and young leaves, was observed in 1963 in two glasshouses in the western part of the Netherlands. Since that time, the disease, now called pale fruit disease, has been observed in different places throughout that country (Van Dorst and Peters, 1974).
In Cell Footprinting Coupled with Mass Spectrometry for the Structural Characterization of a Membrane Protein

Footprinting methods coupled with mass spectrometry have been used in recent years to analyze protein-protein and protein-ligand interactions and regions of protein conformational change. The footprinting method fast photochemical oxidation of proteins (FPOP) utilizes hydroxyl radicals to oxidatively modify solvent accessible sites in proteins. We have extended the use of FPOP as an in cell method where we can directly probe the structure of proteins in their native cellular environment. In cell FPOP would be especially useful for the study of membrane proteins owing to the difficulty in purifying and solubilizing these proteins for in vitro studies. We have used in cell FPOP coupled with mass spectrometry to identify the lipid binding region of the adaptor protein angiomotin (Amot). Amot can control cell shape and migration through its membrane binding ability. Identifying the lipid binding regions of Amot will aid in understanding its role in membrane trafficking. By oxidatively modifying MC7 cells transfected with membrane bound Amot and cells transfected with the S175A Amot mutant, which is localized in the cytosol, we can determine the lipid binding region from the changes in solvent accessibility that occurs upon lipid binding. High resolution mass spectrometry is used to identify oxidatively modified residues and for quantitation of oxidation levels. This study demonstrates the efficacy of in cell FPOP as a method for analyzing membrane proteins.
The Use of the Electronic Health Record in Behavioral Health Quality Improvement Initiatives

Implementation of electronic health records (EHRs) has become the gold standard in health care delivery and as a result there has been wide proliferation of these systems over the past decade. EHRs can improve providers’ clinical decision making, increase patient satisfaction, enhance documentation, and increase adherence to evidence-based guidelines when used effectively. Although EHRs were initially envisioned primarily as a mechanism to improve patient care, their use has also now been extended to health care quality improvement efforts. A practical overview of how to best use EHRs to implement behavioral health quality improvement programs is provided. Applications in both integrated and specialty service delivery settings are discussed.
Benchmarking transverse spin relaxation based oxygenation measurements in the brain during hypercapnia and hypoxia.

Purpose To simultaneously assess reproducibility of three MRI transverse relaxation parameters ( R2′, R2*, and R2) for brain tissue oxygenation mapping and to assess changes in these parameters with inhalation of gases that increase and decrease oxygenation, to identify the most sensitive parameter for imaging brain oxygenation. Materials and Methods Forty-eight healthy subjects (25 male, ages 35 ± 8 years) were scanned at 3.0 Tesla, each with one of four gases (mildly and strongly hypercapnic and hypoxic) administered in a challenge paradigm, using a gas delivery setup designed for patient use. Cerebral blood flow mapping with arterial spin labeling, and simultaneous R2′, R2*, and R2 mapping with gradient-echo sampling of free induction decay and echo (GESFIDE) were performed. Reproducibility in air and gas-induced changes were evaluated using nonparametric analysis with correction for multiple comparisons. Results Our gas delivery setup achieved stable gas challenges as shown by physiological monitoring. Test–retest variability of R2′, R2*, and R2 were found to be 0.24 s−1 (8.6% of mean), 0.24 s−1 (1.3% of mean), and 0.15 s−1 (1.0% of mean), respectively. Strong hypoxia produced the most conclusive oxygenation-driven relaxation change, inducing increases in R2′ (25 ± 13%, P = 0.03), R2* (5 ± 2%, P = 0.02), and R2 (2 ± 2%, NS). Conclusion We benchmarked the intra-scan test–retest variability in GESFIDE-based transverse relaxation rate mapping. Using a reliable framework for gas challenge paradigms, we recommend strong hypoxia for validating oxygenation mapping methods, and the use of tissue R2′ change, instead of R2* or R2, as a metric for studying brain tissue oxygenation using transverse relaxation methods. Level of Evidence: 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 1 J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2017;46:704–714
Refractory CML: Not all forms of resistance are equal

The introduction of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib mesylate (Gleevec) has profoundly changed the treatment paradigm for patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).
Real-Time 3D Color Flow Doppler for Guidance of Vibrating Interventional Devices:

The goal of this investigation was to examine the feasibility of guiding interventional devices using piezoelectric buzzers to create velocity sources, which were imaged and tracked with real-time ...
Changing travel behavior of Asian immigrants in the U.S.

Abstract Travel of Asian immigrants in the U.S. has rarely been investigated, although their transportation assimilation process could be different from other immigrant groups. This research uses the 2001 and 2009 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) data to examine how Asian immigrant travel behavior changes over time. Based on cohort analysis and regression analysis, two types of temporal changes are analyzed: The first type of change occurs as immigrants stay in the U.S. for several years, and the second type of change happens in the initial status between the more recent arrivals and those who arrived earlier. Along the first temporal dimension, this research finds travel differences between recent Asian immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for fewer than four years and native-born Asian Americans, but the differences are inconsistent between 2001 and 2009. Meanwhile, established Asian immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for more than four years assimilate into the automobile culture with similar travel patterns as native-born Asian Americans. Along the second temporal dimension, recent immigrants in 2009 do not have greater transportation mobility than recent immigrants in 2001: travel differences between recent immigrants and native-born Asians were smaller in 2001 than in 2009. The results indicate that Asian immigrant travel behavior differs from that of other immigrant groups and shed light on how to improve transportation services for a diverse and multicultural population.
Abstract P336: Excreted Living Renal Proximal Tubule Cells (RPTC) Demonstrate Increased Sodium and Bicarbonate Transport in Inverse Salt Sensitive Individuals Using a Patch Clamp Instrument

In our previous clinical studies of salt sensitivity of blood pressure, we have demonstrated that approximately 11% of study participants have a paradoxical increase in ≥7mm of Hg blood pressure on a low NaCl diet (5 meq/day) vs a high NaCl diet (300 meq/day). We define these participants as having inverse salt sensitivity (ISS) while salt resistant (SR) participants demonstrate ≤7mm Hg. RPTCs from 2 ISS and 2 salt resistance (SR) participants were patch clamped and ramp currents were recorded using a voltage ramp protocol from -100 to +45 mV within 200 ms in at least 5 experiments for each cell line. Activity of sodium transporters was probed by exchanging an 80 mM Na + with a 140 mM Na + buffer. Na + transport was significantly increased during the low salt to high salt exchange (ISS1: 80mM Na+ 90.6 ± 17.78 pA VS 140 mM Na, 192.8 ± 47.67 pA, n=9, P + buffer in ISS cells was significantly increased when compared to salt resistant (SR) (normal) participants indicating ISS cells have more sodium channel activity than SR cells (ISS 2.07 ± 0.01, n=2 VS SR 1.3 ± 0.1, n=2, P + gluconate to NaHCO3, while SR cells didn’t show any difference when switching Na + gluconate to NaHCO3 (ISS1: Gluconate 461.5 ± 226.6 pA VS 1932 ± 658.7 pA, n=8, P / gluconate ratios, ISS cells demonstrated an increased ratio over the SR cells (ISS 8.65 ± 2.35, n=2 VS SR 1.11 ± 0.01, n=2, p=0.08) indicating a sodium bicarbonate transporter is hyperactive in ISS cells. Many transporters can be contribute to ISS, therefore we will selectively silence the sodium and bicarbonate transporters to determine which one(s) contribute to the etiology of ISS which then could be targeted for therapeutic intervention.
"On-off" thermocontrol of solute transport. I. Temperature dependence of swelling of N-isopropylacrylamide networks modified with hydrophobic components in water.

The swelling in water, as a function of temperature, of two series of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPA Am) polymer networks was studied. In the first series, n-butylmethacrylate (BMA) was copolymerized with NIPA Am, and in the second, polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMEG) was incorporated into NIPAAm network as a chemically independent interpenetrating network. With increasing BMA content in the poly(NIPAAm-co-BMA) network, the gel collapse point was lowered and the gels deswelled in a more gradual manner with increasing temperature. In the interpenetrating polymer networks (IPN) system, the gel collapse point was not significantly changed by the amount of incorporated PTMEG. In DSC thermograms of swollen samples, the shape and onset temperature of the endothermic peak corresponded to the gel deswelling behavior and gel collapse point. The temperature dependence of equilibrium swelling in water was shown to be a function of the gel composition in both network series. The synthesized networks formed a dense surface layer as the temperature increased past the gel collapse point. This dense layer retarded water efflux and thereby resulted in water pockets at the membrane surface.
Glycoprotein Storage Diseases and the Mucopolysaccharidoses

Complex carbohydrates are degraded under acidic conditions, in organelles known as lysosomes, by the sequential action of a number of exo- and endoglycosidases. Numerous human neurological and neurovisceral storage diseases, known collectively as the lysosomal storage diseases, have been found to result from the inherited deficiency of any one of these glycosidases. Two groups of these disorders, namely, the inborn errors of glycoprotein catabolism (the “oligosaccharidoses”) and the inborn errors of glycosaminoglycan catabolism (the “mucopolysaccharidoses”), will be discussed in this chapter. All are characterized at the light-microscopic or electron-microscopic level by the presence of numerous storage vacuoles (engorged lysosomes) containing either amorphous, granular, or electron-dense multilamellar material (multilamellar cytosomes, zebra bodies, Lafora bodies). Biochemically, they have been characterized by the isolation of a specific storage product or products and by a specific enzyme deficiency. The fundamental basis for the neurological degeneration is unknown, although recent studies (Purpura and Suzuki, 1976) indicate that secondary neuronal membrane changes (meganeurite and aberrant synapse formation) may be responsible.
High-Flow Nasal Cannula Practice Patterns Reported by Neonatologists and Neonatal Nurse Practitioners in the United States.

BACKGROUND High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) is widely used to treat neonatal respiratory conditions. Significant evidence emerged in recent years to guide practice, yet current practice patterns and their alignment with the evidence remain unknown. PURPOSE To examine current HFNC practice patterns and availability of clinical practice guidelines used in neonatal intensive care units in the United States. METHODS/ANALYSIS A nonexperimental, descriptive study was designed using a web-based survey to elicit a convenience sample of US neonatal providers. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, χ tests were used to test for differences among the categories, and post hoc comparisons among each combination of categories were conducted using a Bonferroni-corrected α of .05 to determine significance as appropriate. RESULTS A total of 947 responses were analyzed (626 neonatologists and 321 neonatal nurse practitioners). Univariate analyses suggested wide variations in practice patterns. One-third of the respondents used clinical guidelines, the majority utilized HFNC devices in conjunction with nasal continuous positive airway pressure, more than two-thirds used HFNC as a primary respiratory support treatment, and among all respondents, significant differences related to HFNC device types were reported. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE US providers revealed wide practice variations related to HFNC therapy. In addition, type of device used appears to impact practice patterns and approaches. Use of standardized guidelines was reported by one third of the respondents, and as such may be the contributing factor for wide practice variations. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH Future Research is needed to target aspects of practice where practice variations exist, or practice is not supported by evidence. Significant practice differences related to the device types should be considered in future research design.
Enhancing Crowd Wisdom Using Explainable Diversity Inferred from Social Media

A crowd sampled from a set of individuals can provide a more accurate prediction in aggregate than most individuals.This effect, referred to as wisdom of crowd, exists when crowd members bring diverse perspectives to decision making. Such diversity leads to uncorrelated prediction errors that cancel out in aggregate. As crowd members' judgments are often the result of solution strategies, diversity in solution strategies can enhance crowd wisdom. One of the most challenging tasks in sampling such a crowd is to determine the individual's solution strategy for a prediction problem. As participating individuals often share their perspectives through social media, we can use such data to identify an individual's solution strategy. In this paper, we propose a crowd selection approach using social media posts (tweets) indicating diverse solution strategies. We use tweet classification to identify participants' prediction strategies and categorize participants based on the binomial test to identify sets of participants that apply a similar strategy. We then form a diverse crowd by sampling participants from different sets. Using the domain of Fantasy Sports, we show that such a diverse crowd can outperform crowd selected at random and 90% of individual participants, and participant categorization schemes using word2vec. Further, we use a knowledge graph to investigate the factors forming such a diverse crowd and how these factors can lead to a better decision. Relative to bottom-up (data-driven) processes the approach presented here provides an explanation of diverse crowd behavior.
A new framework for parallel ranking & selection using an adaptive standard

When we have sufficient computational resources to treat a simulation optimization problem as a ranking & selection (R&S) problem, then it can be "solved." R&S is exhaustive search---all feasible solutions are simulated---with meaningful statistical error control. High-performance parallel computing promises to extend the R&S limit to even larger problems, but parallelizing R&S procedures in a way that maintains statistical validity while achieving substantial speed-up is difficult. In this paper we introduce an entirely new framework for R&S called Parallel Adaptive Survivor Selection (PASS) that is specifically engineered to exploit parallel computing environments for solving simulation optimization problems with a very large number of feasible solutions.
What Patients and Partners Want in Interventions That Support Sexual Recovery After Prostate Cancer Treatment: An Exploratory Convergent Mixed Methods Study

Abstract Introduction Men treated for prostate cancer suffer from treatment-related sexual side effects that adversely affect their relationships and quality of life. Aim To investigate what prostate cancer survivors and their partners want from a sexual recovery intervention, and whether they consider an online tool acceptable for use in promoting sexual recovery. Methods This mixed-methods study included focus groups and interviews with both heterosexual and gay cancer survivors, as well as their partners. Focus groups and interviews probed experiences with treatment, side effects, and support received/needed for sexual recovery. Participants responded to proposed web-based intervention content. Interviews were analyzed with thematic content analysis. Their sexual function was assessed with validated measures. Main Outcome Measures Acceptability of online tools for promoting sexual recovery was evaluated. Results Participants included 14 patients and 10 partners (2 male). Patient and partner median age was 62 and 62.5 years, respectively. Treatment ranged from surgery alone to combined radiation and hormonal therapy. Qualitative data analysis yielded 5 main intervention needs: (i) pretreatment discussion of sexual side effects, rehabilitation, emotional impact and realistic expectations, (ii) improved sexual communication within couples, (iii) strategies for promoting sexual intimacy beyond penetrative intercourse, (iv) attentiveness to partners' needs, and (v) access to peer support. Gay men specifically expressed the need for improved provider understanding of their sexuality and experiences. Most considered a web-based approach to be acceptable. Conclusion Patients and partners value both pretreatment preparation for sexual recovery and support for sexual recovery for both after treatment. A web-based approach may help mitigate barriers to access to these support services. Mehta A, Pollack CE, Gillespie T., et. al. What Patients and Partners Want in Interventions That Support Sexual Recovery After Prostate Cancer Treatment: An Exploratory Convergent Mixed Methods Study. Sex Med 2019;7:184–191.
Cardiac Reverse Remodeling and Recovery in Dilated Cardiomyopathy Medication-Naive Patients Requiring Durable Left Ventricular Assist Device Support

Purpose Occasionally new onset cardiomyopathy patients (pts) present late, in such advanced disease stage that they cannot tolerate heart failure (HF) drug therapy. We investigated the cardiac recovery (CR) potential following a combination of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) and guideline-directed HF drug therapy in this medication-naive population. Methods Chronic advanced HF pts requiring durable continuous-flow LVAD were prospectively evaluated. Pts with acute HF (myocarditis etc) or post LVAD follow up Results Univariate analysis showed that “med-naive” pts were younger, more likely to be on intravenous vasoactive agents, temporary MCS and with lower INTERMACS profile before LVAD implantation. Interestingly, no differences were seen in HF symptoms duration or other comorbidities. Baseline and follow up hemodynamics were similar in both groups, besides higher right atrial pressure pre-LVAD in the “meds-naive” group (16 vs 11 mmHg; p=0.04). Baseline echocardiographic (including LV dilation) and biochemical parameters revealed no differences between the groups, besides lower LVEF and higher BNP in the “meds-naive” group (14 vs 19 %; p=0.03 and 2352 vs 1270; p=0.03, respectively). CR rates were significantly higher on “meds-naive” versus “meds-failed” group (50.0 vs 13.8 %; p=0.005). Despite higher cardiac recovery rates in the “meds-naive” group the time course and magnitude of the favorable functional and structural response was similar among the CR responders of each of the 2 groups. Conclusion Young pts with new onset dilated cardiomyopathy sometimes present late, with advanced disease stage, unable to tolerate HF medications and requiring durable LVAD support. This patient population appears to have a potential for CR up to 50% and this could be factored in decisions surrounding their long-term therapeutic options.
Secure Analytics and Resilient Inference for the Internet of Things

Internet of Things (IoT) applications for Smart Cities, such as systems for traffic control and pollution monitoring, increasingly rely on trustworthy and secure data analytics. Proper countermeasures are needed to ensure that IoT applications function reliably under security threats. This paper studies secure analytics and resilient inference for IoT in the context of recursive parameter estimation. A team of devices makes noisy measurements of an unknown parameter, and an attacker manipulates the measurement data of a subset of the devices. We present a resilient recursive estimation algorithm that processes the measurement streams to recover the value of the parameter, even when a subset of the devices fall under attack. The estimator is guaranteed to be strongly consistent – that is, the estimate converges almost surely to the value of the parameter – as long as less than half of the devices fall under attack. We illustrate the performance of the estimator through numerical examples.
Experimental verification of a MWIR/LWIR 3x continuous zoom lens (Rising Researcher Paper)

With new detectors that are capable of imaging across multiple wavelength bands, new methods need to be developed to reduce the lens count and improve performance across these multiple bands while minimizing the SWAP-c (Size, Weight, power and cost) of the system. One method that was proposed was using an update to the classical γν-ν diagram. This method which, uses instantaneous Abbe number and minimum dispersion wavelength to select materials that minimize the chromatic and thermal focal shift over the desired spectral region. A MWIR/LWIR lens was designed using this method to minimize the lens count. The lens has a continuous 3x zoom range. The lens was manufactured to determine the validity of the method that was used and to evaluate the new materials that are being developed. A comparison of the nominal design to the manufactured design is discussed. This includes a comparison of MTF performance.