cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simplified method of scatter correction using a beam-stop-array algorithm for cone-beam computed tomography breast imaging

In flat-panel detector-based cone-beam computed-tomography breast imaging (CBCTBI) systems, scatter is an important factor that degrades image quality. It has been shown that despite the use of a large air gap, scatter still causes problems when imaging breast phantoms with our CBCTBI prototype. As a result, linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) distortion is obvious in the reconstruction; it appears as cupping artifacts and contrast loss. A simplified beam-stop array (BSA) algorithm is presented in this paper to solve this problem practically and efficiently. When the breast is positioned along the rotational axis, the scatter profiles from different views along a circular orbit are similar, and thus it is possible to use only one x-ray shot with the BSA in place for scatter pattern estimation, and this BSA image is used to generate a scatter pattern for all projections. The result of this scatter correction algorithm is compared with the reconstruction image over a small field of view, where scatter is assumed to be negligible, and the relative reconstruction error (RRE) is evaluated. The reconstruction is not sensitive to the estimation of scatter profile curvature, but is sensitive to the estimation of scatter intensity. It is shown as well that for any angular position where the BSA image is taken, the RRE is very small. The results show that the BSA algorithm works well for our CBCTBI prototype system with almost unchanged x-ray exposure.
Rheological studies of creep and creep recovery of unligated fibrin clots: comparison of clots prepared with thrombin and ancrod.

Mechanical creep and creep recovery in small shearing deformations have been studied in unligated clots formed with both thrombin and ancrod. In thrombin clots, both A binding sites (which interact with “a” sites to link monomer units within a protofibril) and B sites (which interact with “b” sites to form links between protofibrils) are exposed to enable formation of linkages; in ancrod clots, only the A sites are exposed. Fine clots (with minimal lateral aggregation of protofibrils), coarse clots (with substantial aggregation of fibril bundles), and clots of intermediate coarseness were compared. Fine thrombin clots showed less creep at short times but more creep at long times than coarse or intermediate clots and had more irrecoverable deformation relative to the initial elastic deformation. Ancrod clots had greater irrecoverable deformation than the corresponding thrombin clots, both fine and coarse. The permanent deformation in fine ancrod clots was enormous, corresponding almost to fluid character; the rate of permanent deformation was larger than that in fine thrombin clots by more than two orders of magnitude. For all types of clots, differential measurements of compliance (or its reciprocal, elastic modulus), as well as the applicability of the Boltzmann superposition principle to calculation of creep recovery, showed that the overall density of structure remained constant throughout the mechanical history; i.e., if structural elements were breaking, they were reforming at the same rate in different configurations. The possibility that the weakness of ancrod clots is attributable to partial degradation of α-chains rather than absence of Bb linkages was eliminated by comparisons of clots made with thrombin, ancrod, and ancrod plus thrombin; the last two showed identical partial degradation of α-chains (by gel electrophoresis), but the first and third had essentially identical initial elastic moduli and creep behavior. Two alternative mechanisms for irrecoverable deformation in fine clots are discussed, involving rupture of protofibrils and slippage of twisted segments, respectively.
Biologics and Behcet's: Disease Diversity and Trial Design

In this issue of OII, a team of talented investigators from the US National Institutes of Health reports that a promising biological therapy, daclizumab, failed to improve the outcome of the uveitis associated with Behcet’s disease over standard therapy in a well-designed, prospective, randomized trial. We can learn much from this report. Behcet’s disease was once one of the most virulent forms of uveitis imaginable. In 1970, Mamo reported that most Lebanese patients with Behcet’s disease had visual acuity of 20/200 or less within one year of the onset of eye symptoms. 1 Subsequently, well-designed, randomized, controlled trials established the efficacy of either azathioprine 2 or cyclosporine 3 for the uveitis associated with Behcet’s disease. More recently, both alpha interferon 4 and anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha therapy with infliximab 5 have been reported to be dramatically effective in this disease. But daclizumab therapy, which is directed against the IL-2 receptor on activated T lymphocytes, has also been shown in well-designed, prospective trials to be an effective therapy for uveitis. 6‐8 So why does it fail in Behcet’s disease? Many uveitis trials are underpowered, meaning that appreciating efficacy could be missed just by virtue of the study size. Most uveitis trials are not randomized and are retrospective. The report by Buggage and colleagues in this issue has none of these failings. It is randomized and prospective. Although a larger trial might have revealed statistical significance in favor of the biologic, this is very unlikely when the trend is that untreated patients fared better than those treated with daclizumab. Traditionally, many journals have been reluctant to publish “negative” results, i.e., trials which fail to reach the primary endpoint. Thankfully, the more recent trend is to recognize that a well-designed negative trial provides valuable information for clinicians. Immunologic disease has different phases. In animal models, it is always far easier to prevent a disease as opposed to treating effectively an established disease. It should be apparent that what initiates an immune response and what sustains damage within a localized tissue might differ substantially. Similarly, what could maintain remission in relatively inactive disease could differ from what is able to treat active disease. The failing in this trial is unlikely to be due simply to this explanation since, for the majority of patients, the trial was a test of the ability to sustain remission and daclizumab had previously demonstrated efficacy in other forms of uveitis for which remission had been established.
Mode of Action of Streptomycin on Type b H. influenzae. I. Origin of Resistant Organisms.

1. Of fourteen patients with type b H. influenzae infections treated with streptomycin alone ten recovered promptly; in three of the four remaining cases failure was proved to be due to emergence of resistance of the organisms to streptomycin. 2. The rapid development of resistance to 1000 units of streptomycin per cc. during treatment argues against metabolic adaptation of the bacteria. 3. Careful study of large samples of initial bacterial populations shows resistant members in all ten strains examined. The incidence varies from 1 in 1.1 billion to 1 in 13.8 billion organisms. 4. The proportion of resistant members is not significantly higher, before treatment, in patients who do poorly than in those who respond promptly. 5. The results indicate that emergence of resistance is the result of a selective process; after elimination of sensitive members the very few resistant ones, apparently present in all strains, make up most or all of the population in the cultures taken after commencement of treatment. 6. The survival of organisms which can grow in high concentrations of streptomycin, either in patients or in vitro , is influenced more by the size of the bacterial population than by any other known factor. 7. Since the bacterial population is relatively small in those patients with mild or moderately severe infections the likelihood of a significant number of very resistant members being present is remote. 8. The traits responsible for resistance of the organisms are apparently inherited: ( a ) The resistant state of one strain has been transmitted in vitro without change in degree through over one hundred subcultures in the absence of streptomycin, ( b ) Persistence of resistant organisms in the nasopharynx of one patient during a one year period raises an important public health problem.
Operative technique for repair of tracheoinnominate artery fistula

Abstract Tracheoinnominate artery fistula is a relatively rare but highly lethal complication for long-term tracheostomy patients that occurs with an estimated incidence of 1 out of every 150 tracheostomies performed. Appropriate operative technique during tracheostomy and meticulous postoperative care usually prevent this devastating lesion. When tracheoinnominate fistula is suspected, immediate evaluation under general anesthesia in the operating suite, followed by prompt thoracotomy and repair, is essential for the survival of these patients. (J VASC SURG 1985;2:332-4.)
UNCERTAINTY RESOLUTION AND MULTI‐PERIOD INVESTMENT DECISIONS

It is demonstrated in this paper that early uncertainty resolution is preferred to delayed uncertainty resolution when comparing sets of uncertain cash flow sequences in an N-period setting. The implicit and often unwarranted assumptions regarding uncertainty resolution which are made in the three widely used methods in capital budgeting problems are demonstrated. Finally, it is demonstrated that the generally accepted procedure for measuring uncertainty resolution is restrictive in its underlying assumptions.
Membrane binding of plasmid DNA and endocytic pathways are involved in electrotransfection of mammalian cells.

Electric field mediated gene delivery or electrotransfection is a widely used method in various studies ranging from basic cell biology research to clinical gene therapy. Yet, mechanisms of electrotransfection are still controversial. To this end, we investigated the dependence of electrotransfection efficiency (eTE) on binding of plasmid DNA (pDNA) to plasma membrane and how treatment of cells with three endocytic inhibitors (chlorpromazine, genistein, dynasore) or silencing of dynamin expression with specific, small interfering RNA (siRNA) would affect the eTE. Our data demonstrated that the presence of divalent cations (Ca2+ and Mg2+) in electrotransfection buffer enhanced pDNA adsorption to cell membrane and consequently, this enhanced adsorption led to an increase in eTE, up to a certain threshold concentration for each cation. Trypsin treatment of cells at 10 min post electrotransfection stripped off membrane-bound pDNA and resulted in a significant reduction in eTE, indicating that the time period for complete cellular uptake of pDNA (between 10 and 40 min) far exceeded the lifetime of electric field-induced transient pores (∼10 msec) in the cell membrane. Furthermore, treatment of cells with the siRNA and all three pharmacological inhibitors yielded substantial and statistically significant reductions in the eTE. These findings suggest that electrotransfection depends on two mechanisms: (i) binding of pDNA to cell membrane and (ii) endocytosis of membrane-bound pDNA.
Exercise Doppler Echocardiography

Summary Doppler echocardiography is a promising technique for evaluating left ventricular performance during exercise. The method is inexpensive and relatively simple to perform and analyze. Studies of reasonable quality can be performed even at high workloads. Peak velocity of blood flow, acceleration, and stroke volume are parameters clearly related to the function of the left ventricle and can be used to show changes due to ischemia induced by exercise. A number of potential problems exist in applying Doppler echo to the assessment of left ventricular function. It is assumed that the interrogating beam of ultrasound is parallel to flow, and that the flow profile is relatively flat. Neither of these assumptions may be true, however, and the orientation of the ultrasound beam and flow could change during exercise. Problems exist in measuring aortic area. Deterioration of signal quality during exercise may make determination of the onset and termination of flow difficult, and outlining the flow velocity integral may be inaccurate. Despite these potential limitations, the method appears to work remarkably well. The ability to accurately detect changes in function as opposed to absolute function may be the best way to apply this method. Further work needs to be done to establish the precise determinates of ascending aortic blood flow and their relationship to preload, afterload, and contractility. Just as ejection fraction is not a pure indicator of left ventricular contractility, neither is aortic blood flow. In particular, afterload appears to have a major influence on blood flow velocity. Further study is clearly warranted to place the results of exercise Doppler measurements of ascending aortic blood flow into clinical perspective.
N-way planar high-power combiner design for RF power amplifiers

The complete design using a novel technique for an N-way planar high-power combiner is introduced for radio-frequency (RF) power amplifiers (PAs) at high-frequency (HF) range for the first time. On the basis of this design technique, a three-way planar combiner is simulated, designed and built on a ceramic-based material that allowed a surface-mount application. Design charts for a thermally reliable operation under high-power conditions are given. The simulated and measured results are compared and found to be very close. The design technique for planar combiners introduced here can be used for RF PAs to obtain power level in the several-kilowatt range in HF communication for industrial and military applications.
Minimally invasive ventral herniorrhaphy: an analysis of 6,266 published cases

Background Over 300,000 ventral abdominal wall hernias are repaired each year in the United States; many of these operations are done with a minimally invasive approach. Despite these numbers, there are few controlled data that evaluate the minimally invasive method of ventral hernia repair. Methods A review of over 6,000 published cases of minimally invasive ventral herniorrhaphy was performed in order to determine major outcome statistics for this procedure. Results The mean follow-up period was 20 months. The operative mortality was 0.1%. The mean recurrence rate (weighted) was 2.7%, and the major complication rate (mostly bowel injury and infection) was 3%. Conclusion The results from published cases of minimally invasive ventral herniorrhaphy appear to be competitive with the historical results of open ventral herniorrhaphy. The major caveats of this review are that most of the data are (1) retrospective/uncontrolled and (2) obtained from specialized centers.
CpG Oligodeoxynucleotides Act as Adjuvants for Pneumococcal Polysaccharide-Protein Conjugate Vaccines and Enhance Antipolysaccharide Immunoglobulin G2a (IgG2a) and IgG3 Antibodies

Pneumococcal polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccines elicit antipolysaccharide antibodies, but multiple doses are required to achieve protective antibody levels in children. In addition, the immunogenicity of experimental multivalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines varies with different polysaccharide serotypes. One strategy to improve these vaccines is to incorporate an adjuvant to enhance their immunogenicity. Synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides containing unmethylated CpG motifs (CpG ODN) are adjuvants that promote T-cell and T-dependent antibody responses to protein antigens, but it has been unclear whether CpG ODN can enhance polysaccharide-specific antibody responses. The present studies demonstrate significant adjuvant activity of CpG ODN for antibody responses against Streptococcus pneumoniae polysaccharide types 19F and 6B induced by conjugates of 19F and 6B with the protein carrier CRM197. BALB/c ByJ mice were injected with 19F-CRM197 or 6B-CRM197 with or without CpG ODN, and sera were tested for anti-19F or anti-6B antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The polysaccharide-specific antibody response to 19F-CRM197 alone was predominantly of the immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) and IgM isotypes, but addition of CpG ODN markedly increased geometric mean titers of total anti-19F antibody (23-fold), anti-19F IgG2a (26-fold), and anti-19F IgG3 (>246-fold). The polysaccharide-specific antibody response to 6B-CRM197 alone consisted only of IgM, but addition of CpG ODN induced high titers of anti-6B IgG1 (>78-fold increase), anti-6B IgG2a (>54-fold increase), and anti-6B IgG3 (>3,162-fold increase). CpG ODN also increased anti-CRM197 IgG2a and IgG3. Adjuvant effects were not observed with control non-CpG ODN. Thus, CpG ODN significantly enhance antipolysaccharide IgG responses (especially IgG2a and IgG3) induced by these glycoconjugate vaccines.
A two-observation Kalman framework for maximum-likelihood modeling of noisy time series

Modeling a noisy time series requires the dual estimation of both the model parameters and the underlying clean time series. Most approaches estimate the model parameters by minimizing the mean squared prediction error, but estimate the time series by minimizing another cost function. We justify the use of the same maximum-likelihood cost for both parameter and time series estimation, and present a new weight update procedure for recursive minimization of this cost. This learning algorithm uses a two-observation form of the extended Kalman filter, and provides a natural extension of the dual extended Kalman filter procedure previously developed by the authors.
Effects of Non‐Sexist Curriculum Intervention on Children's Sex Role Learning

This study investigated the effects of non-sexist curriculum intervention on preschool children's sex role learning. Twenty-four boys and twenty-four girls were equally divided among three pro grams: non-sexist curriculum, male director; non-sexist curriculum, female director; and control curriculum, female director. Subjects in the non-sexist programs were presented with a curriculum designed to increase children's role options, whereas control subjects received no such instruction. Sex role discrimination and preference were assessed at the beginning and end of a six-month period with the Sex Role Learning Index (SERLI) and the It Scale for Children (ITSC). Results revealed that in comparison to the control group, subjects in the non-sexist programs exhibited less stereotypic responses on SERLI measures of object discrimination, adult activity preference, and child activity preference. While the programs did not differ on ITSC preference following the intervention, the ITSC results indicated that boys increased significantly more than girls in their preference for same-sex activities during the six-month period. Implications of the study were dis cussed, and a comparison was made of the two measures of children's sex role learning.
Dynamical Simulations of Supernovae Collapse and Nuclear Collisions via the Test Particle Method — Similarities and Differences

Test particle methods have been applied very successfully to the numerical simulation of heavy ion reactions at intermediate and high beam energies. Here we will show that the same techniques can be used successfully to simulate the dynamics of the collapse of type II supernovae precursors. We will focus special attention on the effects of collective angular momentum on the resulting supernova dynamics.
Front Speed in the Burgers Equation with a Random Flux

We study the large-time asymptotic shock-front speed in an inviscid Burgers equation with a spatially random flux function. This equation is a prototype for a class of scalar conservation laws with spatial random coefficients such as the well-known Buckley–Leverett equation for two-phase flows, and the contaminant transport equation in groundwater flows. The initial condition is a shock located at the origin (the indicator function of the negative real line). We first regularize the equation by a special random viscous term so that the resulting equation can be solved explicitly by a Cole–Hopf formula. Using the invariance principle of the underlying random processes and the Laplace method, we prove that for large times the solutions behave like fronts moving at averaged constant speeds in the sense of distribution. However, the front locations are random, and we show explicitly the probability of observing the head or tail of the fronts. Finally, we pass to the inviscid limit, and establish the same results for the inviscid shock fronts.
Cavopulmonary anastomosis induces pulmonary expression of the angiotensin II receptor family

Abstract Background: Cavopulmonary anastomosis is used for palliation of cyanotic cardiac lesions. Postoperative development of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations can be significant in 10% to 25% of patients. To study the basis for formation of arteriovenous malformations, we developed an ovine model that reliably induces their development 8 weeks after cavopulmonary anastomosis. Previously, we found that cavopulmonary anastomosis inhibits the expression of pulmonary angiotensin-converting enzyme and suppresses angiotensin II production. Objective: This study examines the role of the angiotensin II receptors, type 1 and type 2, in this setting of pulmonary vascular remodeling. Methods: Lambs, aged 40 to 50 days, underwent cavopulmonary anastomosis. In age-matched control animals, a sham operation was performed. Messenger RNA and protein expression in lung specimens was measured at successive time points after cavopulmonary anastomosis or sham operations (n = 3 at each time point). Results: Angiotensin type 1 mRNA was maximally upregulated 2-fold at 5 weeks after cavopulmonary anastomosis ( P =.006). Expression of angiotensin type 1 protein was increased at least 2-fold at 2, 5, and 15 weeks after cavopulmonary anastomosis ( P =.005). Cavopulmonary anastomosis also increased angiotensin type 2 mRNA and protein expression at least 2-fold at 2 and 5 weeks ( P =.02) after surgical intervention. At 15 weeks, expression of angiotensin type 2 mRNA and protein was unchanged from that seen in control animals. Immunolocalization in pulmonary tissue sections 2 weeks after cavopulmonary anastomosis revealed markedly enhanced staining of angiotensin II receptor type 1 in vascular smooth muscle and angiotensin II receptor type 2 in the endothelium of pulmonary arteries. Conclusions: Rapid elevation in the expression of the type 1 and 2 angiotensin II receptors in the affected pulmonary vasculature after cavopulmonary anastomosis suggests their involvement in the pathologic vascular remodeling that occurs after cavopulmonary anastomosis. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2002;123:655-60
Hemispheric control of motor function: a whole brain echo planar fMRI study

The aim of this study was to explore whether recruitment of the ipsilateral motor cortex during non-dominant motor movement reflects left hemispheric control of motor function or simply the greater complexity or unfamiliarity of the motor task. BOLD fMRI was performed in normal right-handers during two motor tasks: (1) sequential finger movements (SM task) with the right or left hand; and (2) random finger movements (RM task) with the right hand. In all subjects, activation was predominantly in the contralateral motor areas (primary sensorimotor, lateral premotor, parietal and supplementary motor regions) and ipsilateral cerebellum. While the ipsilateral motor areas were also activated, single subject analysis revealed these areas to be more extensive and to be seen in more subjects during the non-dominant hand SM task and dominant hand RM task than during the more familiar dominant hand SM task. Similarly, group analysis also revealed ipsilateral activation in the primary sensorimotor and lateral premotor areas, but only during the non-dominant SM task and the dominant hand RM task. Non-dominant hand movements, perhaps because they are less 'automatic', appear to require more cortical activity similar to complex tasks with the dominant hand, and result in greater recruitment of ipsilateral cortical motor areas and striatum. The study also illustrates how potentially meaningful subtleties seen on individual maps may be obscured with group averaging approaches.
You're Only as Old as Your Arteries: Translational Strategies for Preserving Vascular Endothelial Function with Aging

Endothelial dysfunction develops with age and increases the risk of age-associated vascular disorders. Nitric oxide insufficiency, oxidative stress, and chronic low-grade inflammation, induced by upregulation of adverse cellular signaling processes and imbalances in stress resistance pathways, mediate endothelial dysfunction with aging. Healthy lifestyle behaviors preserve endothelial function with aging by inhibiting these mechanisms, and novel nutraceutical compounds that favorably modulate these pathways hold promise as a complementary approach for preserving endothelial health.
Predictors and Correlates of Homework Completion and Treatment Outcomes in Parent–Child Interaction Therapy

Behavioral parent training has been demonstrated to be an effective treatment for child behavior problems; however, lack of parent engagement can limit the effectiveness of treatment. Understanding more about predictors and correlates of a specific measure of parent engagement—homework completion—in parent training can help to improve treatment effectiveness and treatment outcomes. We examined predictors of homework completion, as well as the relationship between homework completion, treatment correlates, and treatment outcomes in an open trial of parent–child interaction therapy (PCIT), a behavioral parent training program. Participants included 53 families (mean child age = 4.40 years, SD = 1.43) who received PCIT in a community mental health center serving demographically (i.e., SES, ethnicity) diverse families. Homework completion varied significantly between mothers and fathers but did not vary with other demographic family characteristics. Parents who completed treatment showed a somewhat greater likelihood of completing homework throughout treatment and a significantly greater likelihood of completing homework during the first phase of treatment. Additionally, parents who completed more homework were more likely to report higher levels of treatment satisfaction and showed a trend toward completing treatment in fewer sessions. Our findings suggest that homework has some benefits for treatment outcomes. Despite the benefits of homework, rates of adherence to homework were variable and below optimal levels. Study findings have implications for further understanding the role of homework in behavioral parent training programs.
Outcomes of Active Surveillance for Ductal Carcinoma in Situ: A Computational Risk Analysis

BACKGROUND Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a noninvasive breast lesion with uncertain risk for invasive progression. Usual care (UC) for DCIS consists of treatment upon diagnosis, thus potentially overtreating patients with low propensity for progression. One strategy to reduce overtreatment is active surveillance (AS), whereby DCIS is treated only upon detection of invasive disease. Our goal was to perform a quantitative evaluation of outcomes following an AS strategy for DCIS. METHODS Age-stratified, 10-year disease-specific cumulative mortality (DSCM) for AS was calculated using a computational risk projection model based upon published estimates for natural history parameters, and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results data for outcomes. AS projections were compared with the DSCM for patients who received UC. To quantify the propagation of parameter uncertainty, a 95% projection range (PR) was computed, and sensitivity analyses were performed. RESULTS Under the assumption that AS cannot outperform UC, the projected median differences in 10-year DSCM between AS and UC when diagnosed at ages 40, 55, and 70 years were 2.6% (PR = 1.4%-5.1%), 1.5% (PR = 0.5%-3.5%), and 0.6% (PR = 0.0%-2.4), respectively. Corresponding median numbers of patients needed to treat to avert one breast cancer death were 38.3 (PR = 19.7-69.9), 67.3 (PR = 28.7-211.4), and 157.2 (PR = 41.1-3872.8), respectively. Sensitivity analyses showed that the parameter with greatest impact on DSCM was the probability of understaging invasive cancer at diagnosis. CONCLUSION AS could be a viable management strategy for carefully selected DCIS patients, particularly among older age groups and those with substantial competing mortality risks. The effectiveness of AS could be markedly improved by reducing the rate of understaging.
Absent but Not Gone Interdependence in Couples’ Quality of Life Persists After a Partner’s Death

Spouses influence each other’s psychological functioning and quality of life. To explore whether this interdependence continues after a person becomes widowed, we tested whether deceased spouses’ characteristics were associated with their widowed partners’ later quality of life using couples drawn from a multinational sample of aging adults. Independent subsamples (ns = 221 and 325) were assessed before and after a spouse’s death. Regressions revealed that deceased partners’ quality of life prior to their death positively predicted their spouses’ quality of life after the partners’ death, even when we controlled for spouses’ prior quality of life to account for environmental factors shared within couples. Further, widowed participants’ quality of life was lower than nonwidowed couples’ 2 years before and after their partners’ death, but was equivalent 4 years prior. Finally, the strength of the association between partners’ earlier quality of life and participants’ later quality of life did not differ between widowed and nonwidowed participants. These findings suggest that interdependence in quality of life continues after one’s partner has passed away.
Agent-based simulation of the diffusion dynamics and concentration of toxic materials from quantum dots-based nanoparticles

Due to their favorable electrical and optical properties, quantum dots (QDs) nanoparticles have found numerous applications including nanomedicine. However, there have been concerns about their potential environmental impacts. The objective of this study is to develop an agent-based simulation model for predicting the diffusion dynamics and concentration of toxic materials released from QDs. Reaction kinetics is used to model the stability of surface capping agent particularly due to oxidation process. The diffusion of toxic Cd2+ ions in aquatic environment was simulated using an adapted Brownian motion algorithm. A calibrated parameter to reflect sensitivity to reaction rate is proposed. The model output demonstrates the stochastic spatial distribution of toxic Cd2+ ions under different values of proxy environmental factor parameters.
Pecvd Grown p-i-n Si and Si,Ge Thin Film Photodetectors For Integrated Oxygen Sensors

Recent efforts to advance photoluminescence (PL)-based oxygen sensors have focused on developing compact, field-deployable devices. This has led to organic light emitting device (OLED)-based sensors with a structurally integrated [OLED excitation source]/[sensing film] module. To additionally integrate a photodetector (PD), PECVD for fabrication of thin-film p-i-n and n-i-p Si- and Si,Ge-based PDs was employed. O2 concentrations are advantageously determined by monitoring the effect of O2 on shortening the PL decay time  of an oxygen-sensitive dye, rather than on quenching its PL intensity. This approach, which employs pulsed OLEDs, eliminates the need for frequent sensor calibration, minimizes issues associated with background light, and eliminates the need for optical filters, which lead to bulkier sensors. However, it requires PDs with response times significantly shorter than . Therefore, the development of thin-film PDs focused on decreasing their response time, and understanding the factors affecting it. In this paper we show that boron diffusion during growth from the p+ to the i layer increases the response time of PECVD grown p-i-n PDs. Incorporating a SiC buffer layer and fabricating superstrate structures, where the p+ layer is grown last, decrease it. Additionally, ECR fabricated PDs show a slower response in comparison to VHF PECVD-grown PDs.
Forcing of a Two-Dimensional, Weakly-Compressible Subsonic Free Shear Layer

Forcing of a two-dimensional, weakly-compressible subsonic shear layer has been experimentally demonstrated. The measurements were made in a new compressible shearlayer facility that mixes highand low-speed flows with speeds up to M = 1. The forcing was performed using voice-coil actuators mounted at the trailing edge of the splitter plate separating the highand low-speed flows at the inlet to the mixing section. The ability of the forcing actuator to organize the shear layer into large-amplitude vortical structures was verified from Malley-probe measurements of shear-layer turbulent spectra, flow visualization, and optical wavefront measurements. The ramifications of the results on adaptive-optic control of the optical aberrations imposed by the shear layer are discussed.
Presumed Second Focus of Lung Immunoglobulin G4–Related Disease Found to be Adenocarcinoma

We describe a patient presenting with bilateral radiologically similar lung lesions initially diagnosed as immunoglobulin (Ig) G4-related disease from biopsy of one lesion, but radiographic changes 6 months later prompted biopsy of the second lesion and showed adenocarcinoma. No case of lung IgG4-related disease and a distant lung malignancy has been previously reported. This is notable because lung IgG4-related disease often manifests in multiple thoracic locations but is diagnosed from a representative biopsy specimen.
Self-Management of Arthritis Symptoms by Complementary and Alternative Medicine Movement Therapies

Abstract Objectives: This study describes the association between current use of different complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) movement therapies (MTs) and arthritis symptoms (pain, fatigue, difficulty with physical function, and feelings of helplessness). Methods: By using a cross-sectional design, 2140 participants with arthritis or chronic joint symptoms completed a survey about CAM use. Adjusted means for arthritis symptoms were reported by current use of CAM MTs and current use of yoga. Results: Approximately 19% (n = 398) of the total respondents were “currently using” some form of MT. Of those reporting current use, 89.2% of the participants reported current use of yoga. After adjustment for a variety of characteristics, relative to participants who reported no current CAM MT use, participants with current use of CAM MT had significantly increased pain symptoms and a higher level of perceived helplessness. Conclusions: This descriptive study indicates that patients with arthritis or chroni...
Anatomy of the Auditory Brainstem

Although specialized anatomical features are present in the auditory systems of many echolocating bats, the basic structure of their central auditory system is the same as that of other mammals. In all species a well-defined tonotopic organization is preserved throughout successive levels. The bat differs from other mammals mainly in that its range of hearing extends to unusually high frequencies and that certain frequencies that are important for echolocation are overrepresented. The cochlear nucleus conforms to the general mammalian plan and consists of three major divisions that give rise to divergent projections to the superior olivary complex, to the nuclei of the lateral lemniscus and directly to the inferior colliculus. However, in echolocating bats, certain cell groups within these pathways are unusually large and well differentiated. In the introduction we pointed out that some pathways are designed to provide convergence of signals from the two ears whereas others provide separation of the inputs from the two ears; we refer to these two types of pathways as binaural and monaural, respectively. Virtually all of the brainstem auditory pathways, whether binaural or monaural, converge at a common destination in the inferior colliculus. Thus, in every species, a major challenge in the study of auditory pathways is the question of how signals, relayed via many different parallel routes, interact in the mid-brain to produce an output that synthesizes the information from all these sources.
Abstract 4527: Cellular stress response 1 down-regulates the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor and platelet-derived growth factor receptor through inactivation of splicing factor 3A3

Cellular stress response 1 (CSR1) is a tumor suppressor gene that plays an important role in regulating cell death. In this report, we showed that the N-terminus of CSR1 interacts with splicing factor 3A, subunit 3 (SF3A3). The SF3A3 binding motif was identified in the region of amino acids 62-91 of CSR1 through cell-free binding analyses. The interaction between CSR1 and SF3A3 led to migration of SF3A3 from nucleus to cytoplasm. The cytoplasmic redistribution of SF3A3 significantly reduced the splicing efficiency of epidermal growth factor receptor and platelet-derived growth factor receptor. Induction of CSR1 or down-regulation of SF3A3 also significantly reduced the splicing activity of oxytocin reporter gene both in vivo and in vitro. Mutant CSR1 that lacks the SF3A3 binding motif contained no RNA splicing regulatory activity, while the peptide corresponding to the SF3A3 binding motif in CSR1 interfered with the wild type CSR1 mediated inhibition of RNA splicing. Interaction of CSR1 and SF3A3 is essential for CSR1 mediated cell death. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating that RNA splicing is negatively regulated by redistribution of a splicing factor. Citation Format: Jian-Hua Luo, Ze-Hua Zuo, Yan P. Yu. Cellular stress response 1 down-regulates the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor and platelet-derived growth factor receptor through inactivation of splicing factor 3A3. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4527.
Scheduling jobs with non-uniform demands on multiple servers without interruption

We consider the problem of scheduling jobs with varying demands on multiple servers. Each server has a certain computing capacity and can schedule multiple jobs simultaneously as long as the jobs' total demand does not exceed the server's capacity. This scenario arises commonly in virtualization, cloud computing, and MapReduce (or Hadoop). We study this problem with the requirement that jobs must be scheduled non-preemptively, meaning that every job must be completed without interruption once it gets started. Often, preemption is out of choice since preempting a job can be prohibitively costly or is not allowed due to system constraints. We focus on the popular objective of minimizing total completion time of jobs. This problem is NP hard hence we study heuristics with provable approximation guarantees. Succinctly, the interaction between two orthogonal quantities, jobs demands and sizes makes the scheduling decision significantly more challenging. In this paper we propose novel algorithms for scheduling jobs with non-uniform demands on multiple homogeneous servers without preemption. We first observe that the Smallest Volume First (SVF) algorithm that favors jobs with smaller volumes could perform very poorly in general. However, we show that SVF yields a nearly optimal schedule when the system is overloaded and jobs have demands considerably smaller than servers' capacities. This result supports the intuition that SVF should work well unless some jobs with high demands occupy the servers for long, blocking other jobs. Building on this intuition and using reduction to geometric packing problems, we develop algorithms that are constant approximation for all instances for the first time. Prior to our work, there was no theoretical study on this problem even for the single server case.
Basic Tools for Image Fourier Analysis

Publisher Summary An understanding of frequency domain and linear filtering concepts is essential to be able to comprehend significant topics such as image and video enhancement, restoration, compression, segmentation, and wavelet-based methods. Exploring these ideas in a 2D setting has the advantage that frequency domain concepts and transforms can be visualized as images, often enhancing the accessibility of ideas. The basic theories in two dimensions (2D) are founded on the same principles. However, there are some extensions. For example, a 2D frequency component, or sinusoidal function, is characterized not only by its location and its frequency of oscillation but also by its direction of oscillation. The 2D DSFT is the basic mathematical tool for analyzing the frequency domain content of 2D discrete-space images. However, it has a major drawback for digital image processing applications: the DSFT of a discrete-space image is continuous in the frequency coordinates; there are uncountably infinite numbers of values to compute. As such, discrete (digital) processing or display in the frequency domain is not possible using the DSFT unless it is modified in some way. Fortunately, this is possible when the image is of finite dimensions.
The Role of the RET Protooncogene in Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the role played by RET Proto-oncogene in Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2 (MEN2). The RET proto-oncogene is a tyrosine kinase receptor that regulates neuronal differentiation and kidney development and which is expressed in the neural crest during early embryonic life. Migration of RET-positive cells from the neural crest leads to development of the gastrointestinal neuronal system and the dorsal sympathetic system. Two broad categories of mutations cause hereditary MTC or MEN 2. The most common are extracellular mutations of the cysteine-rich dimerization domain and the less common are mutations that change single amino acids in the intracellular tyrosine kinase domain. The extracellular domain mutations associated with MEN 2 or familial MTC affect codons 609, 611, 618, 620, 630, and 634, and change a highly conserved cysteine to another amino acid. Mutations at codon 634 mutations are most common, accounting for approximately 80% of all mutations in MEN 2, where a single change (TGC to CGC; cysteine to arginine) accounts for approximately 50% of all RET mutations found in hereditary MTC. Missense mutations of RET cause transformation by one of two different mechanisms. Mutations of the extracellular domain (609, 611, 618, 620, 630, and 634) cause dimerization and activation of the receptor, presumably in the absence of GDN. Effective therapeutic options for treatment of the neoplastic components of MEN 2 have been limited to surgical removal of neoplastic components.
The Galileo Project

The Galileo Project is an interdisciplinary, experimental performance piece derived via crowd-sourced collaboration. The resulting work is representative of mixed reality environments that utilize emerging digital technologies, 3D spatial audio manipulation, interactive computer programming of sound and lighting, and an organic actor. Through these interdisciplinary efforts, the project explores connections between audience, artist, reality and synthesis.
The clay/water interface and its role in the environment

Data are presented to show that the surfaces of a common clay mineral, montmorillonite, modify the properties of the nearby water to a depth of at least 3.5 nm and that the value of every water property depends exponentially on t, the thickness of the films of adsorbed water, but is independent of the character of the surfaces. The viscosity and yield point are among the properties of the water that are modified. A modification of either of these properties has a commensurate effect on the flow of water between adjacent surfaces. Data are also presented to show that the surface-induced modification of the water is responsible for the swelling of the clay mineral and affects its ability to adsorb solutes. The swelling of clay reduces the permeability of the soil and the adsorption of solutes by the clay reduces their mobility. Thus, clay-water interaction has a significant impact on the convective and diffusive transport of pollutants through the soil.
Data-Independent Mass Spectrometry Approach for Screening and Identification of DNA Adducts

Long-term exposures to environmental toxicants and endogenous electrophiles are causative factors for human diseases including cancer. DNA adducts reflect the internal exposure to genotoxicants and can serve as biomarkers for risk assessment. Liquid chromatography-multistage mass spectrometry (LC-MSn) is the most common method for biomonitoring DNA adducts, generally targeting single exposures and measuring up to several adducts. However, the data often provide limited evidence for a role of a chemical in the etiology of cancer. An “untargeted” method is required that captures global exposures to chemicals, by simultaneously detecting their DNA adducts in the genome; some of which may induce cancer-causing mutations. We established a wide selected ion monitoring tandem mass spectrometry (wide-SIM/MS2) screening method utilizing ultraperformance-LC nanoelectrospray ionization Orbitrap MSn with online trapping to enrich bulky, nonpolar adducts. Wide-SIM scan events are followed by MS2 scans to screen for mo...
Circularly polarized pifa array for simultaneous transmit and receive applications

A 2.45-GHz circularly-polarized planar inverted F antenna (PIFA) array antenna is designed for simultaneous transmit and receive (STAR) applications. The STAR array has eight elements and is configured such that four elements are used for transmitting (TX) and the other four for receiving (RX). The TX/RX beamforming networks (BFNs) consist of a 90° hybrid followed by two 180° hybrids. The RX BFN is utilized to reroute coupled TX to RX signals into the unused ports of the BFN to achieve high isolation. The array is simulated in HFSS, and then S-parameters are exported to AWR circuit simulator to incorporate the BFN and calculate system isolation. Measured results show that the fabricated antenna has >32 dB isolation with good efficiency and high quality patterns.
Combined spinal-epidural anesthesia for Cesarean section in a patient with peripartum dilated cardiomyopathy.

Purpose To report a case of peripartum dilated cardiomyopathy associated with morbid obesity and possible difficult airway presenting for elective Cesarean section, which was successfully managed with combined spinal-epidural anesthesia.
"Top-down" Does Not Mean "Voluntary".

Attention researchers have long debated the roles of top-down and bottom-up mechanisms in controlling attention. Theeuwes (2018) has argued that that top-down control is much less common than typically assumed and that a third mechanism—selection history—plays an underappreciated role in guiding visual attention. Although Theeuwes has made a strong case for the importance of selection history, his arguments for a limited role of top-down mechanisms involve conflating the terms “top-down” and “voluntary.” Cognitive psychologists typically use the term “top-down” processing to refer to any perceptual phenomenon that is influenced by context, learning, or expectation, which would include selection history. This highlights a broad problem in attention capture research: The terms used to describe attentional control are often poorly defined, and much current debate seems to be related to the meaning of words. To move forward in understanding the actual mechanisms of attentional control, we must agree on what terms such as “top-down” and “bottom-up” actually mean.