cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Accounting for spatially variable resolution in electrical resistivity tomography through field-scale rock-physics relations

A number of issues impact electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) inversions: how ERT measurements sample the subsurface, the nature of subsurface heterogeneity, the geometry selected for data collection, the choice of data-misfit criteria, and regularization of the inverse problem. Lab-scale rock-physics models, typically used to estimate solute concentration from ERT, do not accommodate or account for these issues and therefore produce inaccurate geophysical estimates of solute concentrations. In contrast, the influence of measurement sensitivity and inversion artifacts can be captured by pixel-based rock-physics relationships, determined using numerical analogs that recreate the field-scale ERT experiment based on flow and transport modeling and a priori data. In the 2D synthetic example presented here, where ERT is used to monitor the transport of a saline tracer through the subsurface, improved estimates of concentration are obtained when field-scale rock-physics relationships based on numerical analogs are used.
The software knowledge base

We describe a system for maintaining useful information about a software project. The “software knowledge base” keeps track of software components and their properties; these properties are described through binary relations and the constraints that these relations must satisfy. The relations and constraints are entirely user-definable, although a set of predefined libraries of relations with associated constraints is provided for some of the most important aspects of software development (specification, design, implementation, testing, project management).The use of the binary relational model for describing the properties of software is backed by a theoretical study of the relations and constraints which play an important role in software development.
Internal nutrient fluxes in a Puerto Rican rain forest

Throughfall and soil solution chemistry were studied for 1 y in a tropical montane forest in the Luquillo Mountains of Puerto Rico. Passage of pre- cipitation through the forest canopy resulted in an increase in the concentration and flux of all solutes except H' and NO3-. Throughfall chemistry showed no strong seasonal patterns, but concentrations of many solutes declined during weeks of high rainfall. Enrichment in throughfall relative to precipitation was similar to values reported recently for several other tropical sites, with the exception of NH4+, which was particularly high at this site. Based on net throughfall deposition of Cl-, dry deposition of marine aerosols appears to be a relatively minor component (c. 15%) of total deposition. In soil solution, no seasonal patterns in concentration were evident and variability was highest for elements with high biological activity (especially N). Concentrations and fluxes of K+ and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) showed the largest declines as throughfall passed through the soil profile; concentrations of most other elements increased or were relatively constant. Declining DOC flux through the soil profile appears to be due to sorption processes similar to those observed in many temperate forests. Concentrations and fluxes of HCO3- and SiO2 increased substantially in soil solution, but never approached those observed in the stream. This suggests that additional weathering must occur as groundwater moves from this ridgetop site to the stream.
Polyelectrolyte Effects on the Rheological Properties of Concentrated Cement Suspensions

Polyelectrolyte species, known as superplasticizers, dramatically affect the rheological properties of dense cement suspensions. We have studied the influence of sulfonated naphthalene formaldehyde condensate (SNF) and carboxylated acrylic ester (CAE) grafted copolymers of varying molecular architecture on the surface (e.g., adsorption behavior and zeta potential) and rheological properties of concentrated cement suspensions of white portland cement and two model compounds, β-Ca2SiO4 and γ-Ca2SiO4. The adsorption of SNF species was strongly dependent on cement chemistry, whereas CAE species exhibited little sensitivity. The respective critical concentrations (Φ*) in suspension required to promote the transition from strongly shear thinning to Newtonian flow (flocculated → stable) behavior were determined from stress viscometry and yield stress measurements. Theoretical analysis of interparticle interactions suggested that only colloidal particles in the size range of ≤1 μm are fully stabilized by adsorbed polyelectrolyte species. Our observations provide guidelines for tailoring the molecular architecture and functionality of superplasticizers for optimal performance.
Escherichia coli hemagglutinin response of adult volunteers to ingested E. coli 055 B5.

SummaryThe E. coli hemagglutinin response of adult volunteers to ingestion of E. coli 055 and a “normal” strain of E. coli, respectively, was determined. 1. Increase in E. coli 055 hemagglutinin titers was observed in all subjects following administration of living organisms in large numbers and in two-thirds of individuals who received smaller numbers. 2. None of the controls who received milk without E. coli showed such an antibody response, nor did the volunteers who ingested large numbers of killed 055 organisms or viable bacteria of a “normal” strain of E. coli. 3. Good correlation was found between increases of E. coli 055 hemagglutinin titers and the appearance of bacterial O agglutinins. 4. The E. coli hemagglutination test proved to be more sensitive than the conventional bacterial agglutination test, inasmuch as the former method with the postfeeding serum specimens yielded antibody titers which were from 5 to 20 times higher and detected antibodies in prefeeding serum specimens which were not d...
Optimizing Craniofacial CT Technique

Over the last two decades, there has been a marked increase in the number of computed tomography (CT) studies performed in the United States, with a resultant increase in the radiation dose delivered to patients. Hence there is an urgent need to optimize CT protocols and to get familiar with the factors affecting the CT radiation dose and with available dose reduction options. This article discusses the basic physics related to CT technique and describes current and future methods of dose reduction. Also briefly described are other CT techniques applicable in the maxillofacial region, such as three-dimensional CT, cone beam CT, and dual-energy CT.
An Antimicrobial Stewardship Program's Real-World Experience with Fidaxomicin for Treatment of Clostridium difficile Infection: A Case Series

Study Objective To evaluate real-world clinical and economic outcomes in patients with Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) treated with fidaxomicin. Design Retrospective case series. Setting Academic medical center. Patients A total of 61 patients with CDI who were treated with fidaxomicin monotherapy or combination therapy from September 2011 to December 2012. Measurements and Main Results Data on demographics, infection characteristics, and clinical and economic outcomes were evaluated. Clinical cure was defined as resolution of diarrhea (less than or equal to three unformed stools for at least 2 consecutive days) maintained for the duration of therapy with no further requirement for CDI therapy and was achieved in 44 (72.1%) patients. Clinical cure was significantly higher for patients receiving fidaxomicin monotherapy compared with fidaxomicin combination therapy (25/29 [86.2%] patients vs 19/32 [59.4%] patients, p=0.04). Clinical cure was similar in patients with a first or prior CDI episode (65.5% vs 78.1%, p=0.27) and in patients with severe versus nonsevere disease (68.4% vs 73.8%, p=0.66). Recurrence occurred in 6 (13.6%) of the 44 patients who achieved clinical cure. Mortality attributable to CDI was 11.5%, and 30-day readmission rate was 4.9%. Median cost accrued during CDI was $19,483/patient. Conclusion Our real-world experience with fidaxomicin significantly differs from the findings of phase III clinical trials. Fidaxomicin is also associated with substantial costs. Multicenter studies are needed to determine the optimal role of fidaxomicin in the treatment of CDI.
Single dendrite-targeting interneurons generate branch-specific inhibition.

Microcircuits composed of dendrite-targeting inhibitory interneurons and pyramidal cells are fundamental elements of cortical networks, however, the impact of individual interneurons on pyramidal dendrites is unclear. Here, we combine paired recordings and calcium imaging to determine the spatial domain over which single dendrite-targeting interneurons influence pyramidal cells in olfactory cortex. We show that a major action of individual interneurons is to inhibit dendrites in a branch-specific fashion.
Unique Method of Ocular Ultrasound Using Transparent Dressings

Abstract Background Utilizing bedside ocular ultrasound to aid in diagnosing pathology such as retinal detachment, lens disruption, ocular foreign bodies, or increased intracranial pressure is becoming more pervasive in the Emergency Department. To eliminate an air interface, one must apply ultrasound gel between the patient's skin and the probe. In ocular ultrasound, this practice results in discomfort for the patient as gel seeps into their eyes. To limit patient discomfort, many physicians do not apply a sufficient amount of gel for the examination. This can result in decreased image quality and may cause the ultrasonographer to apply greater pressure to the eye to obtain a satisfactory image. This can be harmful to patients with a ruptured globe and may also be painful to the patient. Discussion Traditionally, the first step in ocular ultrasound is to place a generous amount of water-soluble ultrasound gel on the eyelid to eliminate the air interface. The authors promote a different and simple technique. A transparent dressing is placed over a closed eye. A generous amount of ultrasound gel is applied to the dressing. A linear ultrasound probe is then placed on the gel and a standard ultrasound scan is obtained. Transparent dressings, which are used as sterile coverings for i.v. sites, have been found to allow satisfactory ultrasound transmission. These products remove the air interface between the eyelid and the dressing. This allows ultrasound gel to be placed on the transparent dressing and not directly on the eyelid, potentially eliminating discomfort for the patient, and creating an easier cleanup. Because a generous amount of ultrasound gel is applied, the ultrasonographer is able to apply minimal pressure on the eye to complete the study, which may decrease harm to the patient's eye. When finished, the transparent dressing is removed. There is no cleanup or patient irritation. Conclusion This article demonstrates a unique method of ocular ultrasound. The technique can be easily incorporated into emergency bedside ocular ultrasound.
T12 — Timed arrays

Summary form only given. The term “phased array” implies a narrow band approach due to the term “phased”. Thus, this short course title replaces “phased” with “timed” and concentrates on any aspect of an antenna array that must be viewed from a time perspective. A timed perspective is needed when wideband signals are important. Phase shifters no longer sufficiently align the signals when adding them together. Time is also important if the array is change states such as for adaptive arrays or reconfigurable arrays. In these cases, components change array properties in order to meet some performance standard. This short course explains a variety of issues related to antenna arrays in the time domain.
Unfolding the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase RNase H domain – how to lose a molecular tug-of-war

Formation of the mature HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) p66/p51 heterodimer requires subunit-specific processing of the p66/p66′ homodimer precursor. Since the ribonuclease H (RH) domain contains an occult cleavage site located near its center, cleavage must occur either prior to folding or subsequent to unfolding. Recent NMR studies have identified a slow, subunit-specific RH domain unfolding process proposed to result from a residue tug-of-war between the polymerase and RH domains on the functionally inactive, p66′ subunit. Here, we describe a structural comparison of the isolated RH domain with a domain swapped RH dimer that reveals several intrinsically destabilizing characteristics of the isolated domain that facilitate excursions of Tyr427 from its binding pocket and separation of helices B and D. These studies provide independent support for the subunit-selective RH domain unfolding pathway in which instability of the Tyr427 binding pocket facilitates its release followed by domain transfer, acting as a trigger for further RH domain destabilization and subsequent unfolding. As further support for this pathway, NMR studies demonstrate that addition of an RH active site-directed isoquinolone ligand retards the subunit-selective RH′ domain unfolding behavior of the p66/p66′ homodimer. This study demonstrates the feasibility of directly targeting RT maturation with therapeutics.
Spin-polarized, orbital-selected hole gas at the EuO/Pt interface

Using density functional theory, we explore the magnetic behavior of a EuO/Pt heterostructure. The calculations suggest that the heterostructure could be used as a spin filter, as the Schottky barriers in the spin-up and spin-down channels are calculated to be 1.42 and 2.18 eV, respectively. We discover that the interfacial and second layer of EuO, both have a reduced magnetic moment, while the remainder of the oxide maintains bulk magnetization. These first two layers support a localized mid-gap electronic state that protects the remainder of EuO from losing charge into the large work function Pt, which in turn results in the magnetic moment reduction. Our calculations are consistent with recent experimental results of Barbagallo et al. [Phys. Rev. B 84, 075219 (2011)].
Viscoelastic strain response (ViSR) ultrasound in pre-clinical and clinical application

Viscoelastic Strain Response (ViSR) ultrasound is a novel acoustic radiation force (ARF)-based imaging method that noninvasively interrogates the viscoelastic properties of tissue by measuring the relaxation time constant for constant stress in the Voigt biomechanical model. The time constant is defined as the ratio of coefficient of viscosity to elastic modulus, so ViSR differentiates tissue with disparate viscosities and elasticities. ViSR ultrasound is performed by delivering two successive ARF impulses to a single region of exciation (ROE) and tracking the micrometer-scale displacements induced by the propagating longitudinal waves. ViSR does not rely on transverse wave propagation, which can be disrupted and difficult to track in heterogeneous and/or geometrically complex media. Another advantage to ViSR ultrasound is a large axial range relative to conventional ARF Impulse (ARFI) ultrasound.In this overview, ViSR methods are discussed and demonstrated in calibrated viscoelastic tissue mimicking materials. ViSR ultrasound is then applied to differentiating fatty and fibrous deposition in muscle in a golden retriever muscular dystrophy (GRMD) dog model and in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) with correlation to standard physical testing. ViSR is also applied to delineating the structure and composition of atherosclerotic plaques in a hypercholesterolemic pig model with histochemical validation. ViSR’s key advantages and disadvantages are discussed in regard to its general clinical utility.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Multiple Styles of Self-Control Predict College Students' Alcohol Consumption

Two hundred thirty-nine college students were administered Higgins' Revised Self-Control Scale, Huang, DeJong, Schneider, and Towvim's Composite Drinking Scale, and our own Multiple Styles of Self-...
Feasible Time Range Analysis of Wide Fleet for Continuous Descent Arrival

In this paper, the feasible time range for the specified flight range defined from the RTA frozen waypoint to meter fix is analyzed using Trajectory Performance Analyzer framework using optimal control approach. Time cost and fuel cost are used to obtain the performance limit trajectories. To get a realistic feasible time range, several uncertainties such as descent weight and wind variation which affect trajectory performance significantly are considered. The final feasible time range of the specific aircraft type is determined by the intersection of all kind of variation results. Feasible time ranges of all arrival aircraft at KATL are calculated with specific wind case and the result shows that there exists common feasible time range for all aircraft can fly. In order to extend common feasible time range, -optimal solution concept is proposed. By this trajectory performance bound analysis in descent phase, common feasible time range of wide fleet with northwest route in Atlanta center is obtained. By analysis of top of descent point of each aircraft, marginal point at which RTA should be fixed for the success of CDA is obtained. For the application of CDA procedure in heavy traffic condition, time based CDA operation concept is proposed using single transit time strategy for all fleet. The single transit time for all fleet is determined within the common feasible time range. The numerical evaluation shows that single transit time flight in descent phase guarantees the conflict free flight if the required minimum separation for CDA procedure in TRACON is kept.
MO-FG-207A-00: Radiation and Cancer: Reality, Extrapolations, Myths & Practice

There has been increasing use of CT scans globally. This increased use is not in itself of concern, and largely reflects the remarkable clinical benefits of CT. Inappropriate use of CT is, however, of concern, particularly as the potential for carcinogenic effects is yet to be fully understood. The first major media attention to cancer risk from CT scan arose from a series of papers and an Editorial published in AJR in 2001. This was followed by another series of papers in 2007 and associated media attention to the estimation of the number of cancer deaths that may occur in US as a result of radiation exposure from CT. In recent years there have been a series of papers and position statements suggesting that these predictions need to be worded very carefully. This is because they may lead to sensationalistic articles in the public media that might cause some patients and parents to refuse medical imaging procedures, placing them at substantial risk by not receiving the clinical benefits of the prescribed imaging. There is a considerable body of work within the field of cognitive psychology that indicates that a discussion of risk may lead to bias in how parents would interpret information and potentially refuse indicated examinations. It follows that discussion of any potential risk of imaging should be accompanied by a discussion of the corresponding benefit of imaging or the harm if imaging is not done. Studies reported in the literature both for CT scans and for fluoroscopy suggest that when this is done, patients or parents do not refuse needed imaging. Learning Objectives: 1. To understand the global usage of diagnostic x-rays and CT and issues and approaches for safety 2. To learn about science behind current dose effects relationship and risk estimates at the level of few CT scans and the uncertainties in estimating risks from CT scans 3. To understand how issues of CT scan risks are perceived by patients and physicians and how they can be better presented to them
Costs: Analytical Framework

The use of cost adjustments as guides to managerial decision making is determined partly by the nature of relevant managerial objectives and partly by managerial beliefs about the patterns of unit cost adjustment through time. The latter provides the basis for estimating prospective changes and the former provides the criteria for defining the way in which management should seek to modify expected adjustments. Together, they provide a useful framework for appraising past changes and the modification of expectations found to be seriously at odds with desired performance.
Li-ion Battery Separators, Mechanical Integrity and Failure Mechanisms Leading to Soft and Hard Internal Shorts.

Separator integrity is an important factor in preventing internal short circuit in lithium-ion batteries. Local penetration tests (nail or conical punch) often produce presumably sporadic results, where in exactly similar cell and test set-ups one cell goes to thermal runaway while the other shows minimal reactions. We conducted an experimental study of the separators under mechanical loading, and discovered two distinct deformation and failure mechanisms, which could explain the difference in short circuit characteristics of otherwise similar tests. Additionally, by investigation of failure modes, we provided a hypothesis about the process of formation of local “soft short circuits” in cells with undetectable failure. Finally, we proposed a criterion for predicting onset of soft short from experimental data.
Optimal wireless receiver structure for omnidirectional inductive power transmission to biomedical implants

In order to achieve omnidirectional inductive power transmission to biomedical implants, the use of several orthogonal coils in the receiver side (Rx) has been proposed in the past. In this paper, the optimal Rx structure for connecting three orthogonal Rx coils and the power management is found to achieve the maximum power delivered to the load (PDL) in the presence of any Rx coil tilting. Unlike previous works, in which a separate power management has been used for each coil to deliver power to the load, different resonant Rx structures for connecting three Rx coils to a single power management are studied. In simulations, connecting three Rx coils with the diameters of 3 mm, 3.3 mm, and 3.6 mm in series and resonating them with a single capacitor at the operation frequency of 100 MHz led to the maximum PDL for large loads when the implant was tilted for 45o. This optimal Rx structure achieves higher PDL in worst-case scenarios as well as reduces the number of power managements to only one.
Abstract B81: Results of a randomized trial to increase breast and cervical cancer screening among Hispanic women that reside along the U.S.- Mexico border

Breast cancer is the most common neoplasm among Hispanic women in terms of incidence and mortality. Despite a lower incidence and mortality compared to non-Hispanic White women, breast tumors in Hispanics are more likely to present at a larger size and more advanced stage disease. Cervical cancer has a higher incidence and mortality among Hispanic women compared to non-Hispanic White women. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a promotora-administered educational intervention to promote breast and cervical cancer screening among postreproductive age, medically-underserved Hispanic women living in a predominantly rural county along the U.S.-Mexico border. All interviews and subject contacts were carried out by female, bilingual community health workers (promotoras) from the same communities that were being surveyed. Women age 50 or older were eligible to participate in this study. A total of 1,255 contacts were made in order to identify 639 eligible individuals, and enroll 504 participants for the baseline survey. Of those, 393 subjects chose to participate in the follow-up portion of the study. Women were randomly assigned into one of two groups, educational-intervention or usual care. Proportions of subjects utilizing breast and cervical cancer screening services were calculated. The primary outcomes were self-reported mammogram and Pap smear screening. Logistic regression analysis was used to compute odds ratios for comparisons between intervention and control groups. Sixty seven percent of the women that participated in the promotora-intervention had a pap smear within the last year, compared to 51% from the usual care arm. In addition, 77% of the women that participated in the promotora-intervention had a mammogram within the last year, compared to 63% from the usual care arm. The intervention group was 2.0 times more likely to have had a mammogram within 1 year as compared to the usual care group (p=0.004). Also, the intervention group was 1.9 times more likely to have had a Pap smear within 1 year as compared to the usual care group (p=0.002). We found that Hispanic women living along U.S.-Mexican Border that participated in the intervention were more likely to have participated in breast and cervical cancer screening programs than those who were in the usual care arm. A promotora-based educational intervention can be used to increase breast and cervical cancer screening compliance among Hispanic women.
Progressive Disordered Movements in an Infant Leads to Rare Diagnosis

Desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma (DIG) is a supratentorial superficially-located cystic neuroepithelial tumor. It is an exceedingly rare tumor with an incidence of <0.1% of central nervous tumors; approximately 60 cases have been reported in the literature. We present a case of a three-month-old infant with progressive disordered movements described as intermittent upper body stiffening with associated eye blinking, drooling, and change in level of alertness. A seizure was witnessed in the emergency department, after which the child was sent for imaging studies. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a large solid and cystic mass in the temporal region measuring 8.6cm × 7.9cm × 5.1cm. The infant underwent complete surgical resection, and post-surgical pathology revealed a diagnosis of DIG. The patient had an excellent post-operative course in the months following discharge. At his last well-child visit, no neurological deficits were appreciated and the infant was meeting expected milestones for his age.
Parallel blind deconvolution reconstruction using phase diversity for three-dimensional imaging

Phase diversity (PD) is the special case of multiframe blind deconvolution algorithm, where an object is observed with a stack intentionally defocused image. The known defocused information between phases is used to estimate the object and aberration function. This paper presents a parallel three-dimensional (3-D) wavefront aberration estimation using blind deconvolution. We used multiplane PD for widefield fluorescence microscopy images of 3-D objects. Parallel multiplane PD yields a speedup factor of 4.33 with respect to the counterpart sequential algorithm for an image size of 256×256. We used the outcome of the PD algorithm to generate 3-D point cloud data from images from one view.
PPH AND BIOLOGICAL GLUE IN PATIENTS WITH HIGH RISK OF BLEEDING IN STAPLED HEMORRHOIDOPEXY

ABSTRACT Background: Stapled hemorrhoidopexy is a common treatment for grade 3 hemorrhoids. Patients with conditions that increase the risk of bleeding, as cardiac stents usage with clopidogrel bissulfate and liver cirrhosis, should receive an extra care in surgical procedures due to the high risk of bleeding. For this reason and for patients with third degree hemorrhoids we propose the use of stapled hemorrhoidopexy followed by the use of biological glue. Aim: Assess surgical outcomes in patients with hemorrhoids and high risk of bleeding submitted to stapled hemorrhoidopexy followed by biological glue. Methods: Between 2005 and 2015, 22 patients were analyzed, in a retrospective cohort study. Results: From 22 patients submitted to stapled hemorrhoidopexy followed by the use of biological glue, only one (4.5%) presented bleeding in the surgical postoperative. Patients do not have any other complications and pain in the postoperative period. The median (IQR) operation duration was 55 (12) min and the median (IQR) length of hospital stay after surgery was 3 (2) days. Conclusion: Patients with high risk of bleeding submitted to stapled hemorrhoidopexy followed by the use of biological glue presented very low rates of bleeding in the postoperative period.
Representations of U(N)

The unitary group U(N) consists of all N ×N complex matrices U that satisfy the unitarity condition $${U}^{{_\ast}}U = I.$$ It is a group under matrix multiplication, and, being a subset of the linear space of all N ×N complex matrices, it is a topological space as well. Multiplication of matrices is, clearly, continuous.
Sensitivity and specificity of oral HPV detection for HPV-positive head and neck cancer.

Abstract Background The incidence of HPV-related head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HPV-HNSCC) is increasing. Oral samples are easy and non-invasive to collect, but the diagnostic accuracy of oral HPV detection methods for classifying HPV-positive HNSCC tumors has not been well explored. Methods In a systematic review, we identified eight studies of HNSCC patients meeting our eligibility criteria of having: (1) HPV detection in oral rinse or oral swab samples, (2) tumor HPV or p16 testing, (3) a publication date within the last 10 years (January 2007–May 2017, as laboratory methods change), and (4) at least 15 HNSCC cases. Data were abstracted from each study and a meta-analysis performed to calculate sensitivity and specificity. Results Eight articles meeting inclusion criteria were identified. Among people diagnosed with HNSCC, oral HPV detection has good specificity (92%, 95% CI = 82–97%) and moderate sensitivity (72%, 95% CI = 45–89%) for HPV-positive HNSCC tumor. Results were similar when restricted to studies with only oropharyngeal cancer cases, with oral rinse samples, or testing for HPV16 DNA (instead of any oncogenic HPV) in the oral samples. Discussion Among those who already have HNSCC, oral HPV detection has few false-positives but may miss one-half to one-quarter of HPV-related cases (false-negatives). Given these findings in cancer patients, the utility of oral rinses and swabs as screening tests for HPV-HNSCC among healthy populations is probably limited.
Ares: Automatic Disaggregation of Historical Data

We address the challenge of reconstructing historical counts from aggregated, possibly overlapping historical reports. For example, given the monthly and weekly sums, how can we find the daily counts of people infected with flu? We propose an approach, called ARES (Automatic REStoration), that performs automatic data reconstruction in two phases: (1) first, it estimates the sequence of historical counts utilizing domain knowledge, such as smoothness and periodicity of historical events; (2) then, it uses the estimated sequence to learn notable patterns in the target sequence to refine the reconstructed time series. In order to derive such patterns, ARES uses an annihilating filter technique. The idea is to learn a linear shift-invariant operator whose response to the desired sequence is (approximately) zero-yielding a set of null-space equations that the desired signal should satisfy, without the need for the accompanying data. The reconstruction accuracy can be further improved by applying the second phase iteratively. We evaluate ARES on the real epidemiological data from the Tycho project and demonstrate that ARES recovers historical data from aggregated reports with high accuracy. In particular, it considerably outperforms top competitors, including least squares approximation and the more advanced H-FUSE method (42% and 34% improvement based on average RMSE, respectively).
Abstract B18: The carcinogen-induced NTCU model: A preclinical mouse model for lung cancer interception

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality due in part to an inability to diagnose and intercept the disease at its earliest and potentially most curable stage. In order to improve lung cancer prevention and early detection, a detailed understanding of both the genomic alterations driving carcinogenesis and the mechanisms by which altered cells escape immune surveillance is required. Toward this goal, our group is profiling RNA and DNA from bronchial premalignant lesions (PMLs), precursors of lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSCC), to identify alterations associated with their development and progression. Results from the analysis of 197 human endobronchial biopsies representing all histologic grades profiled by RNA-Seq, identified a class of high-grade PMLs with high activity of pathways associated with epithelial proliferation and differentiation. Among this class of PMLs, progression-associated pathways included immunoproteasome, antigen processing, immune inhibition, and macrophage activation. Further elucidation of the epithelial and immune changes that characterize progression of PMLs and testing of interception strategies based on these human findings require a preclinical model with similar histology and molecular alterations. The N-nitrosotris-(2-choroethyl)urea (NTCU) mouse model of LUSCC is a promising preclinical model that develops histologically comparable PMLs to those found in humans; however, the molecular alterations associated with these histologic changes have not yet been characterized. In order to establish molecular concordance between NTCU-treated mouse and human PMLs, we isolated RNA from 40 fresh-frozen whole lung sections and laser capture microdissected (LCM) tissue from SWR/J and A/J mice treated with NTCU. We profiled by RNA-Seq tissue that represented a range of histologic grades including normal (n=9), metaplasia/mild dysplasia (n=8), moderate/severe dysplasia (n=19), and carcinoma in situ/SCC (n=4). RNA-Seq data was aligned to mm9 and gene-level counts were summarized using Ensembl annotation. After removing samples of low quality, linear modeling adjusting for sample quality, sample type, and mouse strain was used to identify differentially expressed genes associated with histologic grade. Immune cell abundance was estimated using CIBERSORT and EnrichR was used to identify pathways associated with histologic grade. Concordance between the mouse data and human data was established using GSEA and GSVA. We identified 596 genes differentially expressed with increasing histologic severity across all mouse samples (FDR Citation Format: Sarah Mazzilli, Sherry Zhang, Gang Liu, Marc Lenburg, Avrum Spira, Jennifer Beane. The carcinogen-induced NTCU model: A preclinical mouse model for lung cancer interception [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Advances in Modeling Cancer in Mice: Technology, Biology, and Beyond; 2017 Sep 24-27; Orlando, Florida. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(10 Suppl):Abstract nr B18.
Some Spectral Theory

In this section we recall quickly some relevant results in spectral theory. For details, see Rudin [1] or Dunford-Schwartz [1,2]. Then we go on and use these to prove Theorems 1.3 and 1.4.
Platelet surface-bound IgG in patients with immune and nonimmune thrombocytopenia

We quantitated the amount of platelet surface-bound IgG using an 125I monoclonal anti-IgG assay in 149 patients with thrombocytopenia and 260 normal donors. The normal subjects had 122 +/- 5 molecules of IgG/platelet (mean +/- SE). Fifty-five patients with nonimmune thrombocytopenia had 338 +/- 37 molecules of IgG/platelet, whereas 67 patients with immune thrombocytopenia studied at the time of their initial evaluation had 4,120 +/- 494 molecules of IgG/platelet. An analysis of the distribution of values in these two groups indicated that 90% of the patients with immune thrombocytopenia had greater than 800 molecules of IgG/platelet, whereas only 7% of patients with nonimmune thrombocytopenia exceeded this amount. The immune thrombocytopenia patients included 39 idiopathic, 14 secondary, and 14 drug-induced disorders, and they did not significantly differ in their distribution of values for platelet IgG. The nonimmune thrombocytopenic patients included 12 cases with a platelet destructive mechanism; their platelet-bound IgG was similar to that of the other nonimmune patients. Twenty-seven patients with treatment resistant immune thrombocytopenia were also studied they had 2,100 +/- 670 molecules of IgG/platelet. Their values were significantly greater than those of the nonimmune thrombocytopenic patients and not significantly different from those of immune thrombocytopenic group. Their distribution of values was much broader, however, with 33% of patients having less than 800 molecules of IgG/platelet, suggesting possible alternate mechanisms in their thrombocytopenia. Thus, patients with immune thrombocytopenia have a high frequency of elevated IgG on the platelet surface which reflects the pathophysiology of this disorder. Quantitation of platelet-bound IgG provides a useful laboratory tool in the differential between immune and nonimmune thrombocytopenia.
The Efficacy of Transversus Abdominis Plane Block for Abdominal Hysterectomy Post-operative Analgesia

Introduction/background Abdominal hysterectomy is an open surgical procedure associated with considerable post-operative pain. Narcotics are often required during patient recovery but can result in adverse side effects. Transversus abdominis plane block (TAP block) is a regional anesthetic technique that is found to be an effective post-operative analgesia for many types of abdominal surgeries, including abdominal hysterectomies. However recent literature shows contradicting results regarding TAP block’s analgesic effect on recovery from abdominal hysterectomies. This study investigated the efficacy of TAP block to reduce narcotic consumption and improve pain scores in abdominal hysterectomy patients. Methods A single-center retrospective cohort study was performed. The inclusion criteria was patients who underwent abdominal hysterectomy at Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies (WPH) between January 12, 2015 and December 31, 2015. Exclusion criteria were patients who received a second surgery within the same hospitalization, experienced an in-hospital mortality event, received hysterectomy for known malignancy, stayed in the hospital less than 24 hours, and whose charts contained missing data points. Data collected were: age, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), length of hospital stay, total narcotic consumption (intra-operation, in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), first 24 hours after admittance, during entire hospital stay, total patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) quantity, and total oral narcotics quantity. All narcotics were converted into parental morphine units for analysis. Numeric pain rating scale (NPRS) scores at two, four, eight, 12, 16, 20, and 24 hours after leaving the PACU were collected. Two-tailed paired T-test was performed to compare the narcotic consumption and pain scores between the TAP block group and the non-TAP block group. Results WPH used ultrasound-guided bilateral TAP block for patients undergoing abdominal hysterectomies. 63 patient charts were evaluated with 32 in the TAP block group and 31 in the non-TAP block group. Narcotic consumption was significantly different in the PACU with TAP block group consuming less narcotics than non-TAP block group (5.05 vs 8.65 IV morphine equivalents, p=0.012). TAP block group’s mean narcotic consumption was not significantly lower than Non-TAP block group’s mean consumption during intra-operation, first 24 hours after admittance, and total hospital stay (p=0.419, p=0.533, p=0.754 respectively). Mean NPRS scores at all hours (2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24) displayed no statistical difference between the two groups. Total patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) and total overall oral narcotic usage showed no statistically significant differences between TAP block group and Non-TAP block group (p=0.252, 0.669 respectively). Conclusion The results of this study demonstrated that TAP block did reduce narcotic requirement in the PACU but did not exhibit superior analgesic efficacy after discharge from the PACU, nor reduce the total length of hospital stay.
The History of Urology at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System.

Abstract Objective The Section of Urology at the Minneapolis Veteran's Affairs (VA) Medical Center has a long history of contributions to Urology including the Gleason Score, Fuhrman Grading system, testicular tumor marker development and the birth of Endourology. The objective of this manuscript is to compile and present the Urologic history of the Minneapolis VA. Methods The Urologic literature and institutional records originating from the Minneapolis VA Medical Center from 1946-2017 were reviewed and presented herein. Results The Minneapolis VA Health Care System originated in 1921 and currently employs 5 Urologist who serve over 16,000 veterans per year. Historic achievements from the Minneapolis VA Section of Urology include the development of the Veteran's Affairs Cooperative Research Group (VACURG) which was instrumental to development of the Gleason grading system for prostate cancer in 1965. Additional urologic oncology achievements originating from the Minneapolis VA Section of Urology included the development of the diagnostic utility of tumor markers in testis cancer in 1976 and The Fuhrman Grading System in 1982. Perhaps the greatest contribution to the field of Urology was the birth of Endourology at the Minneapolis VA in the late 1970s under the direction of Dr. Paul Lange. Currently the Minneapolis VA is a premier center for Evidence Based Urology by housing Cochrane Urology and the U.S. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation network (US GRADE). Conclusion Since 1946, the section of Urology at the Minneapolis VA has contributed basic science, clinical technique and evidence based medicine to the field of Urology while providing care to the nation's veterans.
Modified Point-Kinetics Model for Neutron Precursors and Fission Product Behavior for Fluid-Fueled Molten Salt Reactors

Fluid-fueled nuclear reactors, such as molten salt reactors (MSRs), have recently gained significant interest. These advanced reactors represent a potential revolutionary shift in the implementatio...
PerSoNet: Software-Defined Overlay Virtual Networks Spanning Personal Devices Across Social Network Users

New techniques are actively being researched to enable processing of information at the network's edge, closer to where data is generated. A nascent application enabled by such fog/edge computing model is that of community-based collaboration, where members pool personal resources together to accomplish a task, and data moves across edge resources. In such an environment, nodes that produce, store, and process data are often ephemeral, owned by different individuals, and distributed across multiple local networks. This poses new challenges at the network layer: how to automatically configure a network connecting distributed personal devices of social peers end-to-end, while enforcing privacy in communication among edge devices? We present PerSoNet, a novel virtual private network (VPN) that 1) automatically creates and manages private, authenticated overlay links across personal devices of social network peers, and 2) automatically manages software-defined networking (SDN) rules in software switches for packet forwarding, name resolution and mapping (for IP addresses and DNS names), and device network access control. PerSoNet abstracts away complexities, self-organizing a VPN that exposes IP/Ethernet network semantics, thereby enabling existing applications and middleware to be used in community-based fog/edge systems. In this work we describe the PerSoNet design and a prototype implementation based on SDN/OpenFlow and an open-source overlay. A prototype smart-task overlay application has also been built on top of PerSoNet to demonstrate its applicability and to evaluate key performance metrics of the system.
Analysis of Element Failures in Active Incoherent Microwave Imaging Arrays Using Noise Signals

An analysis of the effects of receiver element failures in active incoherent microwave imaging arrays is presented. Active incoherent microwave imaging is a new imaging method that uses transmission of noise signals combined with a sparse array using interferometric processing. In this method, the failure of individual receiver array elements results in gradual degradation of the image, rather than losses of pixels. This letter analyzes the image degradation in terms of the root-mean-square error (RMSE) of the image formed with randomly failed elements compared to the image formed with all elements. Measured data using a 5.85-GHz experimental imaging system show that RMSE below 10% can be maintained with failure rates extending up to 25%. Modeled image formation performance and the sidelobe level of the point spread function is shown to track well with the measured data for up to 50% element failures, indicating a robust method for predicting imaging performance.
Star performers and team performance: the moderating roles of team cohesion and pay dispersion

To what extent does accumulating star performers benefit teams? A growing body of literature on star performers has studied how such individuals benefit teams and their subsequent organizations, th...
The effect of lubricant additives on the tribological performance of oil and gas drilling applications up to 200 °C

Abstract Adding lubricant additives is a predictable method to decrease the frictional resistance in oil and gas drilling applications. In this work, tribological studies were carried out for drilling fluid with/without lubricant additives at different temperatures up to 200 °C and environmental pressure of 3.45 MPa. In pure fluid, additive A exhibited higher load capacity, compared to additive B at 200 °C. In drilling fluid, at 75 °C, all additives decreased the COF. However, at 125 °C and 175 °C, the additives did not decrease the COF but decreased the standard deviation of the COF values. SEM/EDS analyses were used to investigate the wear mechanisms and it was deduced that the viscosity of the drilling fluid played an important role in determining the friction and wear performance.
Why are narcissistic people cold? A cognitive account emphasizing the perceived momentousness of successes and failures

Abstract It seems generally accepted that people with elevated narcissism levels (“narcissistic people,” for short) are interpersonally colder. Most often, this coldness has been presumed to originate from “dark” mechanisms or deficiencies. We departed from these focal explanations; instead, we tested whether “narcissistic coldness,” defined here as the narcissistic tendency to feel less happy for successful others and less concern for unsuccessful others, could follow from an apparently innocent process. Specifically, we proposed that narcissistic people anticipate that success and failure is generally less momentous and (a) assume others are less affected by most success and failure and (b) often feel less happy for successful others and less concerned for unsuccessful others. Findings across three studies were consistent with these propositions. Narcissistic people anticipated that both the self and others will be less reactive to successes and failures (Studies 1–3); moreover, although narcissistic people indicated less warmth toward successful and unsuccessful others, these relations were eliminated after controlling for narcissistic people's assumptions that other people are less reactive to success and failure (Study 3). Hence, narcissistic coldness could, in part, have its origin in what we believe is reasonable disagreement about the momentous nature of events.