cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Infrastructure and resources for an aging population: embracing complexity in translational research

The population of the United States and most industrialized nations is undergoing rapid expansion of persons aged 65 years and older. This group experiences more illness, disability, and dependency than young adults and consumes the majority of heath care resources. This demographic change presents a number of challenges to current research infrastructure aimed at translating discoveries to improved human health. Key issues include the need to expand the workforce trained in aging research, development of specific resources and harmonization of measures and outcomes, and a culture change within the scientific community. In particular, complexity must be represented within research design and embraced as an important aspect of review panel critiques.
Enacting caring pedagogy in the infant classroom

This single case study was undertaken to explore how an infant head teacher meets the needs of the infants, who express their desire to be cared for, in their caring encounters. Natural daily interactions between infants and the teacher were observed for approximately 10 weeks. Through the qualitative data analysis, the results of this study challenged the prevalent, simplistic image of a caring teacher and argued that a caring classroom is highly professional and educational and the infant teacher provides ‘extraordinary’ care to young ones. Furthermore, this study revealed the crucial role of reciprocity in caring encounters between the teacher and the infants, highlighting the impact of the ‘one cared for’ in the context of teaching and learning as well as the importance of modelling and mentoring caring pedagogy in the infant classroom.
Improved signal processing for distributed sensing network based on chirped laser dispersion spectroscopy

Centralized detection in a network of Chirped Laser Dispersion Spectroscopy (CLaDS) sensors requires efficient signal processing. The optimization of CLaDS processing and development of a custom digital signal processing unit in place of restricting conventional bench-top instruments is discussed.
Reporting the Use of Multiple Imputation for Missing Data in Higher Education Research

Higher education researchers using survey data often face decisions about handling missing data. Multiple imputation (MI) is considered by many statisticians to be the most appropriate technique for addressing missing data in many circumstances. In particular, it has been shown to be preferable to listwise deletion, which has historically been a commonly employed method for quantitative research. However, our analysis of a decade of higher education research literature reveals that the field has yet to make substantial use of this technique despite common employment of quantitative analysis, and that in research where MI is used, many recommended MI reporting practices are not being followed. We conclude that additional information about the technique and recommended reporting practices may help improve the quality of the research involving missing data. In an attempt to address this issue, we develop a set of reporting recommendations based on a synthesis of the MI methodological literature and offer a discussion of these recommendations oriented toward applied researchers. The recommended MI reporting practices involve describing the nature and structure of any missing data, describing the imputation model and procedures, and describing any notable imputation results.
Complex regional pain syndrome

Summary Complex regional pain syndrome—RSD—is a condition that causes much pain and suffering. Effective therapy is available but at times it is lengthy, involves some trial and error, and is costly in human as well as financial terms. The development of special interest groups, increased communication of improved therapeutic techniques, as well as a better understanding of the disease, has resulted in more and more successful outcomes, especially since the introduction of interventional techniques. It is quite impressive that behavioral techniques need to be used simultaneously with medical and interventional techniques. Functional restoration aided by physical therapy remains an essential component of patients' therapeutic regimens in addition to interventional techniques.
The importance of fire as a natural ecological factor in Itasca State Park, Minnesota

and 1922 at State Park. Twenty-one of these fires were of major consequence. A fire occurred on the average of every 8.8 yr with “major” fires every 10.3 yr. Any specific location in the park was affected by fire about every 22 yr. Individual burns varied in size from 580 acres to approximately 31,960 acres (99% of the park). Sixteen of the 21 “major” fires resulted in the regeneration of pine forests. Management programs involving intensive fire control have resulted in a serious departure from natural conditions.
Rimming flow: numerical simulation of steady, viscous, free-surface flow with surface tension

Flow in a partly liquid-filled, rotating, horizontal cylinder is analysed by means of finite-element numerical simulation. Of alternative methods for locating the free surface, a boundary collocation scheme with Newton-Raphson iteration converges. This method forces the residual in the normal-stress boundary condition to zero at a finite set of points on the liquid meniscus. Solutions of the steady, two-dimensional, incompressible flow problem show circumferential variation of the liquid-film thickness and corresponding pressure and velocity fields, including recirculation zones. The complications of an unknown meniscus location and a nonlinear normal-stress condition when surface tension is significant are illustrated. The finite-element method proves an effective and convenient tool for such flows, in which inertial, gravitational, pressure, viscous and capillary forces are all important.
Evolved Tumor Suppression: Why Are We So Good at Not Getting Cancer?

The law of natural selection can be used to understand cancer development at the level of species as well as at the level of cells and tissues. Through this perspective, I seek to explain: (i) Why the lack of sufficient selective pressure to prevent cancers in old age helps explain the exponential increase in cancer incidence in the elderly. (ii) Why the evolution of long-lived animals necessitated the acquisition of potent tumor suppressive mechanisms. (iii) How the requirement to prevent inappropriate somatic cell expansion and cancer has constrained developmental and tissue architectural modalities. (iv) How the evolution of well-adapted stem cells with complex niche requirements has conferred resistance to oncogenic mutations, as phenotype-altering genetic change is almost always disadvantageous within a well-adapted cell population. (v) How the impairment of stem cell fitness, as occurs in old age, can promote selection for adaptive mutations and cancer initiation. (vi) Why differential maintenance of stem cell fitness may explain how different vertebrate species with enormous differences in life span and body size similarly avoid cancer through reproductive years.
Energy-saving Based Innovative Product Design Method

This paper presents a research on the development of an innovative product design method with an aim to consider the energy-saving issue throughout the entire product life cycle. The research is based on a comprehensive analysis of regular product design procedures to extract the design information that correlates with energy consumption, itemize and quantify the information, and eventually build up mathematical models for final optimization. The result of this research will be used as guidelines for regular product design and achieving energy- saving design result. The objectives of the research are in threefold: (1) establishing a mechanism that can explicitly demonstrate the product design information that includes energy consumption throughout all stages of product life cycle; (2) modeling energy parameters with quantitative mathematical expressions; (3) developing a decision making system to optimize product design in terms of energy-saving. A concept called Design Unit (DU) will be introduced as a new method to describe product design information related with energy consumption. The axiomatic design theory will be integrated with DU concept, and becomes an important standard for optimizing product design. An new concept called Energy Factor will be introduced briefly in this paper.
Structural Properties of Self-Assembled Poly(zinc-bisquinoline)

Poly(zinc-bisquinoline) synthesized via a reactive self-assembly technique has been used as an active transport and emitting layer in light emitting diodes. This small molecule self-assembly, pioneered in their laboratory, was shown for the first time to produce pinhole-free films as thin as 400 {angstrom}. The ellipsometric trajectory and the refractive index of zinc bisquinoline self-assembled films on silicon were determined using spectroscopic ellipsometry. Psi and Del values were extrapolated at 633nm and 70 deg incidence for films ranging in thicknesses from 0 nm to 125 nm and plotted with model trajectories of 1.65, 1.70, and 1.75 refractive indices. Thin films over 20 nm followed a trajectory having similar refractive indices between 1.65 and 1.70, indicative of homogeneous films. A refractive index of 1.68 {+-} 0.01 at 633 nm was found to be among the highest reported values for a self-assembled metallorganic multilayer. Atomic force microscopy of a 90 {angstrom} film on silicon substrates with mean square roughness of c.a. 12 {angstrom} showed an approximate roughness of 14--17 {angstrom}.
High Resolution Ozone Mapping Using Instruments on the Nimbus 7 Satellite and Secondary Information

The high natural variability of ozone concentrations across space-time and the different levels of accuracy of the algorithms used to generate data from measuring instruments can not be confronted satisfactorily by conventional interpolation techniques. This work suggests that the Bayesian Maximum Entropy (BME) method can be used efficiently to assimilate salient (although of varying uncertainty) physical knowledge bases about atmospheric ozone in order to generate and update realistic pictures of ozone distribution. On theoretical grounds, BME relies on a powerful scientific methodology that does not make any of the restrictive modelling assumptions of previous techniques and integrates a wide range of knowledge bases. A study is discussed in which BME assimilates data sets generated by measuring instruments on board the Nimbus 7 satellite as well as uncertain measurements and secondary information in terms of total ozonetropopause pressure empirical equations. The BME total ozone analysis eliminates major sources of error and produces high spatial resolution maps that are more accurate and informative than those obtained by conventional interpolation techniques.
The Matricellular Protein CCN1 Is Essential for Cardiac Development

The matricellular protein CCN1 (formerly named CYR61) regulates cell adhesion, migration, proliferation, survival, and differentiation through binding to integrin receptors and heparan sulfate proteoglycans. Here we show that Ccn1-null mice are impaired in cardiac valvuloseptal morphogenesis, resulting in severe atrioventricular septal defects (AVSD). Remarkably, haploinsufficiency for Ccn1 also results in delayed formation of the ventricular septum in the embryo and persistent ostium primum atrial septal defects (ASD) in ≈20% of adults. Mechanistically, Ccn1 is not required for epithelial-to-mesenchymal transformation or cell proliferation and differentiation in the endocardial cushion tissue. However, Ccn1 deficiency leads to precocious apoptosis in the atrial junction of the cushion tissue and impaired gelatinase activities in the muscular component of the interventricular septum at embryonic day 12.5, when fusion between the endocardial cushion tissue and the atrial and ventricular septa occurs, indic...
Intraocular light scatter in patients with retinitis pigmentosa.

We evaluated the level of intraocular light scatter in a group of patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) who had minimal or no lens opacities, since such patients not infrequently complain of photoaversion. Intraocular light scatter was measured in 20 patients with RP who were < 60 years of age and who had no more than a trace of posterior subcapsular (PSC) lens opacity by slit-lamp evaluation. Measurements of intraocular straylight were made using a van den Berg Straylightmeter. Results from the patients with RP were compared with those of a control group of 30 subjects with normal vision whose ages were similar to those of the patients with RP. Seventeen of the 20 patients with RP had straylight levels that were above the range of age-similar normal control subjects. In some patients, the straylight parameter was increased by a factor of 2.5 above the normal mean for the patient's age and by as much as four to five times the normal mean for 20-yr-old subjects. There was a statistically significant correlation (r = −0.73, P < 0.01) between the patients' log relative elevation in the straylight parameter and their log visual field areas. Our findings indicate that patients with RP can have increased levels of intraocular light scatter despite minimal or no clinically observable PSC lens opacities. The increased intraocular straylight, which is likely due at least in part to subclinical abnormalities in lens morphology, can accentuate the visual disability of patients with RP in the presence of glare sources. Copyright © 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.
Obesity: criteria and classification

Obesity is defined as an excess accumulation of body fat. To measure fat in the body accurately is difficult, and no method is easily available for routine clinical use. Traditionally, overweight and obesity have been evaluated by anthropometric measurement of weight-for-height. More recently, BMI has been used. The normal range is 19-24.9 kg/m2, overweight is 25-29.9 kg/m2, and obesity >/= 30 kg/m2. Not only is the total amount of fat an individual carries important, but also where the fat is distributed in the body. Fat in a central or upper body (android) distribution is most related to health risk. The most accurate way to measure central obesity is by magnetic resonance imaging or computer-assisted tomography scanning, but this approach is too expensive for routine use. Simple anthropometric measurements can be used, such as waist circumference. A waist circumference of greater than 1020 mm in men and 880 mm in women is a risk factor for insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. There is a clear genetic predisposition for obesity. The genetic contribution to obesity is between 25 and 40 % of the individual differences in BMI. For the overwhelming majority of individuals, the genetic predisposition will not be defined by one gene, but by multiple genes. Eventually, classification of obesity may be done by genetic means, but this approach will require more knowledge.
The mode matching technique for electromagnetic scattering by cylindrical waveguides with canonical terminations

The problem of scattering by open ended cavities is important in EM analysis because jet engine inlets are significant contributors to the radar cross-section (RCS) of aircraft configurations. Numerous studies have been published relating to the scattering analysis of ducts with rectangular and cylindrical cross-sections. Although these methods have been quite successful in modeling simple, large geometries, they are not suited for characterizing ray reflections from complex jet engine terminations which have irregular boundaries and edges. With this in mind, the motivation in the paper is to present methods for the characterization of irregular engine-like terminations placed at the back end of the duct. Specifically, the mode matching (MM) procedure is applied to two different cavity terminations, namely an array of straight and curved blades. The challenge in the latter case is the expansion of the fields propagating within the array of curved grooves and an analytical solution to this problem is given for the first time.
Hippocampal activity during recognition memory co-varies with the accuracy and confidence of source memory judgments.

It has been proposed that the hippocampus selectively supports retrieval of contextual associations, but an alternative view holds that the hippocampus supports strong memories regardless of whether they contain contextual information. We employed a memory test that combined the ‘Remember/Know’ and source memory procedures, and that allowed test items to be segregated both by memory strength (recognition accuracy) and, separately, by the quality of the contextual information that could be retrieved (indexed by the accuracy/confidence of a source memory judgment). As measured by fMRI, retrieval-related hippocampal activity tracked the quality of retrieved contextual information and not memory strength. These findings are consistent with the proposal that the hippocampus supports contextual recollection rather than recognition memory more generally.
Finding the Right Level of Posthospital Care "We Didn't Realize There Was Any Other Option for Him"

Many families considering posthospital care options are ill-prepared and in need of guidance. They may not know the range of available options, the relative benefits of each, or have considered their therapeutic goals. Physicians should be informants, advocates, and facilitators of this big leap for their patients. Making a good long-term care decision requires information and structure, but such decisions are often made under great time pressure as part of a hospital discharge. Professional intervention and guidance by an informed but disinterested facilitator may be needed, but hospital discharge planners may not be well suited for this role because their mandate is a rapid discharge. Physicians have 2 crucial roles in these transitions: to ensure the seamless delivery of primary care and to advocate for and facilitate, however possible, better decision making. Physicians need at least a rudimentary knowledge of the array of options and the implications of each. Even if the physician cannot serve as the planning facilitator, the physician should ensure that this task is done well. This review describes the range of options and the implications of each option for long-term care in the United States. It suggests the need for evaluating each patient's care goals, family circumstances and resources, and clinical status to determine if more aggressive medical care might improve an individual's clinical trajectory.
Could plasma sphingolipids be diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease?

Understanding the etiopathological processes of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in the preclinical and early clinical stages will be important in developing new therapeutic targets and biomarkers. There is growing consensus that nonamyloid targets will be necessary to reverse or slow AD progression. Lipidomic, metabolomic and targeted approaches have identified pathways and products of sphingolipid metabolism that are altered early in the course of AD and contribute to the neuropathological alterations associated with AD, including amyloid-β production, tau formation and neurodegeneration. In this article, we briefly review the current literature on the role of sphingolipids in the underlying pathophysiology of AD, and then discuss the current state of translating these findings to clinical populations and the potential utility of plasma sphingolipids as diagnostic and/or prognostic indicators of AD.
Dietary-fat-induced taurocholic acid promotes pathobiont expansion and colitis in Il10 −/− mice

The composite human microbiome of Western populations has probably changed over the past century, brought on by new environmental triggers that often have a negative impact on human health. Here we show that consumption of a diet high in saturated (milk-derived) fat, but not polyunsaturated (safflower oil) fat, changes the conditions for microbial assemblage and promotes the expansion of a low-abundance, sulphite-reducing pathobiont, Bilophila wadsworthia. This was associated with a pro-inflammatory T helper type 1 (T(H)1) immune response and increased incidence of colitis in genetically susceptible Il10(−/−), but not wild-type mice. These effects are mediated by milk-derived-fat-promoted taurine conjugation of hepatic bile acids, which increases the availability of organic sulphur used by sulphite-reducing microorganisms like B. wadsworthia. When mice were fed a low-fat diet supplemented with taurocholic acid, but not with glycocholic acid, for example, a bloom of B. wadsworthia and development of colitis were observed in Il10(−/−) mice. Together these data show that dietary fats, by promoting changes in host bile acid composition, can markedly alter conditions for gut microbial assemblage, resulting in dysbiosis that can perturb immune homeostasis. The data provide a plausible mechanistic basis by which Western-type diets high in certain saturated fats might increase the prevalence of complex immune-mediated diseases like inflammatory bowel disease in genetically susceptible hosts.
Flashproxy: transparently enabling rich web content via remote execution

It is now common for Web sites to use active Web content, such as Flash, Silverlight, or Java applets, to support rich, interactive applications. For many mobile devices, however, supporting active content is problematic. First, the physical resource requirements of the browser plug-ins that execute active content may exceed the capabilities of the device. Second, plug-ins are simply not available for many devices. Finally, active code and the plug-ins that execute it often contain security flaws, potentially exposing a user's device or private data to harm.This paper explores a proxy-based approach for transparently supporting active Web content on mobile devices. Our approach uses a proxy to splice active content out of Web pages and replace it with an AJAX-based remote display component. The spliced active content executes within a remote sandbox on the proxy, but it appears embedded in the Web page on the mobile device's browser.To demonstrate the viability of this approach, we have designed, implemented, and evaluated Flashproxy. By using Flashproxy, any mobile Web browser that supports JavaScript transparently inherits the ability to access sites that contain Flash programs. The major challenge in Flashproxy is in trapping and handling interactions between the Flash program and its execution environment, including browser interactions. Flashproxy uses binary rewriting of Flash bytecode to interpose on such interactions, redirecting them through a JavaScript-based RPC layer to the user's browser. Our evaluation of Flashproxy shows that it is transparent, performant, and compatible with nearly all Flash programs that we examined.
Freezing behavior of stratospheric sulfate aerosols inferred from trajectory studies

Based on the trajectory analysis presented in this paper, a new mechanism is described for the freezing of the stratospheric sulfate aerosols. Temperature histories based on 10-day back trajectories for six ER-2 flights during AASE-I (1989) and AAOE (1987) are presented. The mechanism requires, as an initial step, the cooling of a H2SO4/H2O aerosol to low temperatures. If a cooling cycle is then followed up by a warming to approximately 196-198 K, the aerosols may freeze due to the growth of the crystallizing embryos formed at the colder temperature. The HNO3 absorbed at colder temperatures may increase the nucleation rate of the crystalling embryos and therefore influence the crystallization of the supercooled aerosols upon warming. Of all the ER-2 flights described, only the polar stratospheric clouds (PSC), observed on the flights of January 24, and 25, 1989 are consistent with the thermodynamics of liquid ternary solutions of H2SO4/HNO3/H2O (type Ib PSCs). For those two days, back trajectories indicate that the air mass was exposed to sulfuric acid tetrahydrate (SAT) melting temperatures about 24 hours prior to being sampled by the ER-2. Temperature histories, recent laboratory measurements, and the properties of glassy solids suggest that stratospheric H2SO4 aerosols may undergo a phase transition to SAT upon warming at approximately 198 K after going through a cooling cycle to about 194 K or lower.
Target tracking and identification using an extended-Kalman-filter-based associative memory

The joint problem of tracking and identification of a target from a airplane is considered. A new powerful combined technique using the extended Kalman filter and an associative memory is used for solving the problem. During tracking of the target it can be identified as one of a finite set of targets, using its feature pattern. Targets can also be identified when only a partial feature vector is available. These techniques are demonstrated through an example, and future research studies are discussed. >
Mechanisms regulating variability of the single photon responses of mammalian rod photoreceptors

Variability in the single photon responses of rod photoreceptors limits the accuracy with which the number and timing of photon absorptions are encoded. We investigated how much single photon responses of mammalian rods fluctuate and what mechanisms control these fluctuations. Mammalian rods, like those of toads, generated responses to single photons with trial-to-trial fluctuations 3-4 times smaller than other familiar signals produced by single molecules. We used the properties of the measured fluctuations to constrain models for how the single photon responses are regulated. Neither feedback control of rhodopsin's activity nor saturation within the transduction cascade were consistent with experiment. The measured responses, however, could be explained by multistep shutoff of rhodopsin or a combination of multistep shutoff and saturation.
Structural and microanalytical imaging of biological materials by scanning microscopy with heavy-ion probes.

ION-SOLID INTERACTIONS AND CONTRAST MECHANISMS IN ION MICROSCOPy 327 Fundamental Processes.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... .. .. ... . . . ......... . . . . . . ...... 327 Contrast Due to Secondary Emissions ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . ...... . . .... . . .... . . . . . . .... ... . . . . . 328
Sex Differences in Knee Flexion Angle During a Rapid Change of Direction While Running

Background:Females experience greater overall rates of athletic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury than males. The specific mechanisms of the predisposition remain unclear.Hypothesis:Modeling ...
Learning accuracy and availability of humans who help mobile robots

When mobile robots perform tasks in environments with humans, it seems appropriate for the robots to rely on such humans for help instead of dedicated human oracles or supervisors. However, these humans are not always available nor always accurate. In this work, we consider human help to a robot as concretely providing observations about the robot's state to reduce state uncertainty as it executes its policy autonomously. We model the probability of receiving an observation from a human in terms of their availability and accuracy by introducing Human Observation Providers POMDPs (HOP-POMDPs). We contribute an algorithm to learn human availability and accuracy online while the robot is executing its current task policy. We demonstrate that our algorithm is effective in approximating the true availability and accuracy of humans without depending on oracles to learn, thus increasing the tractability of deploying a robot that can occasionally ask for help.
Contextual Predictors of Injection Drug Use Among Black Adolescents and Adults in US Metropolitan Areas, 1993-2007.

Objectives. We sought to determine whether contextual factors shape injection drug use among Black adolescents and adults.Methods. For this longitudinal study of 95 US metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), we drew annual MSA-specific estimates of the prevalence of injection drug use (IDU) among Black adolescents and adults in 1993 through 2007 from 3 surveillance databases. We used existing administrative data to measure MSA-level socioeconomic status; criminal justice activities; expenditures on social welfare, health, and policing; and histories of Black uprisings (1960–1969) and urban renewal funding (1949–1974). We regressed Black IDU prevalence on these predictors by using hierarchical linear models.Results. Black IDU prevalence was lower in MSAs with declining Black high-school dropout rates, a history of Black uprisings, higher percentages of Black residents, and, in MSAs where 1992 White income was high, higher 1992 Black income. Incarceration rates were unrelated.Conclusions. Contextual factors ...
Circulating antispermatozoa immunoglobulin G in men after vasectomy.

The sera of vasectomized men for evidence of spermatozoa agglutination immobilization and passive hemagglutination are examined. Also the authors prepared immunoglobulin G (IgG) from these samples to determine whether this substance produced similar effects. Blood samples from 10 men aged 35-52 years who had undergone vasectomy 14 to 27 months previously were compared with samples from 22 nonvasectomized men aged 19 to 46 years. Fresh samples of semen were obtained from 8 donors; spermatozoa counts were 80-250 million/ml and motility 80-90% after 1 hour. Immobilization agglutination and passive hemagglutination tests were done with sera from all. In addition IgG was fractionated from the sera of the 10 vasectomized men and 8 of the controls. Techniques are described. Sera from the vasectomized men reduced mean spermatozoa motility to 28%; from nonvasectomized men to 74%. IgG from the vasectomized men produced similar effects. The sera and the IgG from vasectomized men also caused 20-40% spermatozoa agglutination and 20-40% hemagglutination. IgG from the sera of nonvasectomized men did not reduce motility nor produce agglutination or passive hemagglutination. Results show that an antibody IgG may be produced against human semen in men after vasectomy. Antigens from the genital tract damaged by vasectomy may enter the blood and stimulate the reticuloendothelial system. A possible adverse effect could be decreased fecundity in men who undergo reanastomosis of the vas deferens after vasectomy.
Mechanical Energy Dissipation in a Multifunctional Battery System

In this paper, we report on a multifunctional battery assembly, which possesses abalanced combination of energy storage capability and resistance to electrical failure under mechanical impact loading. The Granular Battery Assembly (GBA) presented here exhibits a mechanical response that emerges from features of granular and cellular media. We demonstrate that for the specific GBA embodiment considered in the present study, the electrical reliability following a mechanical loading event is substantively increased compared to that of plain battery cells. The increased reliability is due to the sacrificial material elements interspersed between the battery units, attributing energy absorption and local stress limiting.
Viral RNAs versus the Cellular RNA Decay Machinery: Some RNA viruses disarm the cellular machinery that inactivates RNA, others hijack host factors to protect viral RNA against their effects

Understanding the interactions between RNA viruses and the cellular mRNA decay machinery can yield important insights into the biology of many families of viruses and their host cells and may provide novel pathways for drug design. Viral suppression of host cellular exonucleases and the sponging of host stability factors also seem to be crucial for pathogenesis.
Abstract P4-03-04: Dynamic tomographic optical breast imaging (TOBI) for neoadjuvant chemotherapy monitoring

Background: Dynamic Diffuse optical imaging using near-infrared light was shown to be promising method for neoadjuvant therapy monitoring as an alternative functional imaging that is low-cost, non-invasive, portable, safe and simple to operate. While optical breast imaging methods rely on "static" assessments of tissue oxy- and deoxy- hemoglobin concentration without contrast agents, they are insufficient for clinical applications. Dynamic tomographic optical imaging induces tumor-sensitive hemodynamic variations, as a contrast mechanism, driven by fractional mammographic compression. These tumor contrast measurements are governed by interlay of tissue biomechanics and oxygen metabolism. In this study we seek to evaluate the predictive value of these biomarkers with respect to treatment outcome. Methods: A group of 22 patients with locally advanced breast cancer were scanned using our dynamic TOBI system before and during neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In this analysis we focused on pre-treatment, day 7 and day 30 post-treatment dynamic TOBI scans. Both breasts are compressed in turn to 4-8 lbs of force (depending on size) and optical images are acquired every 2 seconds over 2 minutes. We calculate the time course of oxy (HbO), deoxy (HbR)and total (HbT) hemoglobin concentration as well as the hemoglobin oxygen saturation (SO2). Regions of interest are defined in the optical images to correspond to the radiology identified tumor location, and the healthy tissue in the same breast, respectively. We compare the time courses in the two regions at baseline, day 7 and 30 days after initiation of treatment. Results: In this analysis we present results from 10 patients including 6 responders (defined as greater than 50% reduction in the largest tumor axis from baseline imaging and final pathology) and 4 non-responders. As the compression plates are held in place the tissue collagen matrix begins to stretch, effectively reducing the compression force. At baseline, all patients exhibit a decrease followed by delayed recovery in HbT, and SO2 in the tumor area, in contrast to immediate recovery in surrounding tissue. At day 7 and 30, this contrast is maintained in non-responders ( Conclusions: These initial results suggest that dynamic optical breast imaging can detect changes due to treatment and have predictive value for the treatment outcome. DTOBI can show the difference in hemodynamic response to compression between tumor and normal tissue and demonstrates the feasibility of using dynamic optical breast tomography for neoadjuvant chemotherapy monitoring. ongoing. Citation Format: Sajjadi AY, Singh B, Deng B, Boas DA, Moy B, Schapira L, Bardia A, Specht MC, Carp SA, Isakoff SJ. Dynamic tomographic optical breast imaging (TOBI) for neoadjuvant chemotherapy monitoring. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-03-04.
Attomole-level Genomics with Single-molecule Direct DNA, cDNA and RNA Sequencing Technologies

With the introduction of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies in 2005, the domination of microarrays in genomics quickly came to an end due to NGS's superior technical performance and cost advantages. By enabling genetic analysis capabilities that were not possible previously, NGS technologies have started to play an integral role in all areas of biomedical research. This chapter outlines the low-quantity DNA and cDNA sequencing capabilities and applications developed with the Helicos single molecule DNA sequencing technology.
Diversity Intelligence and Career Development

DQ has the potential to positively impact the career development of all employees. Some employees have been denied career development opportunities because of a lack of understanding of their ability to learn and attain new knowledge, skills, and abilities. Many false assumptions are held by leaders that have been allowed to hinder the career development potential of protected class group members.
Delaware Longitudinal Study of Fraction Learning Implications for Helping Children With Mathematics Difficulties

The goal of the present article is to synthesize findings to date from the Delaware Longitudinal Study of Fraction Learning. The study followed a large cohort of children ( N = 536) between Grades 3 and 6. The findings showed that many students, especially those with diagnosed learning disabilities, made minimal growth in fraction knowledge and that some showed only a basic grasp of the meaning of a fraction even after several years of instruction. Children with low growth in fraction knowledge during the intermediate grades were much more likely to fail to meet state standards on a broad mathematics measure at the end of Grade 6. Although a range of general and mathematics-specific competencies predicted fraction outcomes, the ability to estimate numerical magnitudes on a number line was a uniquely important marker of fraction success. Many children with mathematics difficulties have deep-seated problems related to whole number magnitude representations that are complicated by the introduction of fractions into the curriculum. Implications for helping students with mathematics difficulties are discussed.
A multi-slice simulation algorithm for grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering

Grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) is an important technique in the characterization of samples at the nanometre scale. A key aspect of GISAXS data analysis is the accurate simulation of samples to match the measurement. The distorted-wave Born approximation (DWBA) is a widely used model for the simulation of GISAXS patterns. For certain classes of sample such as nanostructures embedded in thin films, where the electric field intensity variation is significant relative to the size of the structures, a multi-slice DWBA theory is more accurate than the conventional DWBA method. However, simulating complex structures in the multi-slice setting is challenging and the algorithms typically used are designed on a case-by-case basis depending on the structure to be simulated. In this paper, an accurate algorithm for GISAXS simulations based on the multi-slice DWBA theory is presented. In particular, fundamental properties of the Fourier transform have been utilized to develop an algorithm that accurately computes the average refractive index profile as a function of depth and the Fourier transform of the portion of the sample within a given slice, which are key quantities required for the multi-slice DWBA simulation. The results from this method are compared with the traditionally used approximations, demonstrating that the proposed algorithm can produce more accurate results. Furthermore, this algorithm is general with respect to the sample structure, and does not require any sample-specific approximations to perform the simulations.
Energy Return on Investment as Master Driver of Evolution

I repeat: “Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution” Theodosius Dobzhansky (1973). This chapter is about energy and evolution. We start with a brief review of Darwinian evolution, then build on that by first considering another important question in ecology relating to the distribution and abundance of species. I do this through a summary of some of the most important history on this issue.
On spatial spillover in feedforward and feedback noise control

Abstract Active feedback noise control for rejecting broadband disturbances must contend with the Bode integral constraint, which implies that suppression over some frequency range gives rise to amplification over another range at the performance microphone. This is called spectral spillover . The present paper deals with spatial spillover , which refers to the amplification of noise at locations where no microphone is located. A spatial spillover function is defined, which is valid for both feedforward and feedback control with scalar and vector control inputs. This function is numerically analyzed and measured experimentally. Obstructions are introduced in the acoustic space to investigate their effect on spatial spillover.
A Flatness Based Approach to Optimization in Fed-Batch Bioreactors

Abstract A trajectory optimization scheme based on the property of differential flatness is proposed in this paper. A dynamic optimization problem is transformed into a lower dimensional nonlinear programming problem through the use of flat outputs. The optimization scheme is demonstrated on the optimization of biomass and product in fed-batch bioreactors. The proposed scheme is also used in conjunction with a nonlinear Luenberger observer to generate the optimal trajectories under parametric uncertainty.
Internal Capital Markets and Product Pricing: Evidence from Weather and Life Insurance Premiums

I identify the effects of financial constraints on firms’ product pricing decisions, using insurance groups containing both life and property & casualty (P&C) divisions. Following P&C divisions’ losses, life divisions change prices in a manner that can generate more immediate financial resources: premiums fall (rise) for life policies that immediately increase (decrease) insurers’ financial resources. Premiums change more in groups that are more constrained. Life divisions increase transfers to P&C divisions, suggesting P&C divisions’ shocks are transmitted to life divisions. Results hold when instrumenting for P&C divisions' losses with exposure to unusual weather damages, implying that the effects are causal.
Improving reverse time migration angle gathers by efficient wavefield separation

ABSTRACTAngle-domain common-image gathers (ADCIGs) play an important role for migration quality control and velocity analysis. ADCIGs can be constructed by using optical flow to compute propagation...
LIMITS ON ADC POWER DISSIPATION

The need for low power A/D conversion in a large number of applications has fueled a trend towards ever-improving ADC power efficiency. This article investigates practical limits to this development by analyzing the minimum power needed in the constituent building blocks of today’s ADCs. A comparison with state-of-the-art experimental data shows that future improvements in power efficiency may be limited to less than one order of magnitude, unless future work strives to depart from traditional paradigms on a circuit and system level.
Species’ habitats in relation to climate, evolution, migration and conservation

The theory of how organisms and species relate to their habitats is deeply relevant not only to the study of long-term evolution but also to future conservation efforts. A species’ habitat consists of resources which comprise physical variables such as temperature, light, substrate and inorganic ions, and biotic variables such as prey, including plants for herbivores, host organisms and mates. Although species may be flexible in the range of resources under which they can live, no species can live in all environments. The limits of species’ habitat specificities with respect to variables such as temperature, rainfall, substrate, food and vegetation cover, can in principle be estimated and quantified for living species.
The SlothBot: A Novel Design for a Wire-Traversing Robot

This letter presents the SlothBot, a wire-traversing robot envisioned for long-term environmental monitoring applications. The SlothBot is a solar-powered, slow-paced, energy-efficient robot—hence its name—capable of moving on a mesh of wires by switching between branching wires. Unlike ground mobile robots or aerial robots employed in environmental monitoring applications, the use of wire-traversing robots allows for longer-term deployment because of the significantly lower energy consumption. Wire traversing, coupled with the use of solar panels, facilitates the self-sustainability of the SlothBot. Locomotion and wire-switching maneuvers are performed in a fail-safe fashion, inasmuch the robot is always firmly attached to the wires, even when switching between branching wires. This is achieved by employing a two-body structure featuring an actuated decoupling mechanism. In this letter, we show the design and the motion control of the SlothBot, together with the results of long-term monitoring experiments.
Nasal positive pressure with the SuperNO 2 VA™ device decreases sedation-related hypoxemia during pre-bariatric surgery EGD

Pre-operative esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is becoming routine practice in patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Many patients with morbid obesity have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which can worsen hypoxia during an EGD. In this study, we report our outcomes using the SuperNO2VA™ device, a sealed nasal positive airway pressure mask designed to deliver high-fraction inhaled oxygen and titratable positive pressure compared to conventional nasal cannula. Between June 2016 and August 2017, we conducted a prospective observational study that included 56 consecutive patients who presented for EGD prior to bariatric surgery. Airway management was done using either the SuperNO2VA™ (N = 26) device or conventional nasal cannula (N = 30). Patient demographics, procedure details, and outcomes were compared between the two groups. The SuperNO2VA™ group had a lower median age compared to the control group (38.5 vs. 48.5 years, p = 0.04). These patients had a higher body mass index (BMI) (47.4 vs. 40.5, IQR, p < 0.0001), higher ASA class (p = 0.03), and were more likely to have OSA (53.9% vs. 26.7%, p = 0.04). Desaturation events were significantly lower in the SuperNO2VA™ group (11.5% vs. 46.7%, p = 0.004) and the median lowest oxygen saturation was higher in the SuperNO2VA™ group (100% vs. 90.5%, p < 0.0001). This is the first study to report on the use of the SuperNO2VA™ device in bariatric patients undergoing pre-operative screening EGD. The use of the SuperNO2VA™ device offers a clinical advantage compared to the current standard of care. Our data demonstrate that patients with higher BMI, higher ASA classification, and OSA were more likely to have the SuperNO2VA™ device used; yet, paradoxically, these patients were less likely to have issues with desaturation events. Use of this device can optimize care in this challenging patient population by minimizing the risks of hypoventilation.
SAT-174 Loss of CEACAM1 in Endothelial Cells Causes Hepatic Fibrogenesis

Carcinoembryonic Antigen-related Cell Adhesion Molecule 1 (CEACAM1) has been implicated in physiological processes in the metabolic as well as in the vascular systems, as supported by the cardiometabolic abnormalities associated with insulin resistance that developed in global Ceacam1 null mutants. Given the role of CEACAM1 in maintaining vascular integrity, we aimed at identifying a role for CEACAM1-dependent pathways in endothelial cells in the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis. To this end, we generated endothelial cell-specific Ceacam1 knockout mice (VECadCc1-/-) and propagated them on the C57BL/6J genetic background. The mice remain insulin sensitive even at 12-months of age, as determined by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp analysis at 7 months and by insulin tolerance test. The mice display normoinsulinemia associated with intact insulin clearance and without hepatic steatosis. However, these VECadCc1-/- mutants display inflammatory foci in liver parenchyma, when stained by HE 2) increased capillarization, a liver injury event that precedes fibrogenesis, as shown by the ~2-fold increase in the mRNA levels of markers of capillarization (Gli1, Gli2, Gli3, iNOS, and osteopontin) in hepatic primary endothelial cells; 3) elevated levels of plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) that promotes fibrogenesis. Mechanistically, the rise in plasma ET-1 results from increased coupling of the Ras/MAPKinase pathway to insulin receptor and VEGFR via Shc, a Src homology 2 (SH2)-containing cytoplasmic adaptor protein that upon its binding to phosphorylated CEACAM1 undergoes sequestration. Thus, endothelial cell CEACAM1 plays a key role in preventing liver injury and resulting fibrogenesis.