cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Extension of nonrandom two-liquid segment activity coefficient model for electrolytes

The nonrandom two-liquid segment activity coefficient model of Chen and Song (Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2004, 43, 8354) has shown to be a simple and practical tool for chemists and engineers to correlate and estimate solubilities of organic nonelectrolytes in support of chemical and pharmaceutical process design. In this paper, the model is extended for the computation of ionic activity coefficients and solubilities of electrolytes, organic and inorganic, in common solvents and solvent mixtures. In addition to the three types of molecular parameters defined for organic nonelectrolytes, i.e., hydrophobicity X, polarity Y, and hydrophilicity Z, an electrolyte parameter, E, is introduced to characterize both local and long-range ion−ion and ion−molecule interactions attributed to ionized segments of electrolytes. Successful representations of mean ionic activity coefficients and solubilities of electrolytes, inorganic and organic, in aqueous and nonaqueous solvents are presented.
A description of nurses' decision-making in managing electrocardiographic monitor alarms

Aims and objectives To describe the cues and factors that nurses use in their decision-making when responding to clinical alarms. Background Alarms are designed to be very sensitive, and as a result, they are not very specific. Lack of adherence to the practice standards for electrocardiographic monitoring in hospital settings has been observed, resulting in overuse of the electrocardiographic monitoring. Monitoring without consideration of clinical indicators uses scarce healthcare resources and may even produce untoward circumstances because of alarm fatigue. With so many false alarms, alarm fatigue represents a symptom of a larger problem. It cannot be fixed until all of the factors that contribute to its existence have been examined. Design This was a qualitative descriptive study. Method This study was conducted at an academic medical centre located in the Northeast United States. Eight participants were enrolled using purposive sampling. Nurses were observed for two three-hour periods. Following each observation, the nurse was interviewed using the critical decision method to describe the cognitive processes related to the alarm activities. Qualitative data from the conducted interviews were analysed via an a priori framework founded in the critical decision method. Results This study reveals information, experience, guidance and decision-making as the four prominent categories contributing to nurses' decision-making in relation to alarm management. Managing technology was a category not identified a priori that emerged in the data analysis. Conclusion Nurses revealed a breadth of information needed to adequately identify and interpret monitor alarms, and how they used that information to put the alarms into the particular context of an individual patient's situations. Relevance to clinical practice Understanding the cues and factors nurses use when responding to cardiac alarms will guide the development of learning experiences and inform policies to guide practice.
Self-adaptive automatic data base design

Physical data base design, the selection of organizational structures and access mechanisms for a data base, is one of the most important responsibilities of a Data Base Administrator (DBA). A DBA often has difficulty in performing this task; he lacks the information needed to choose a design that is well matched to the data base's mode of use.This paper presents the design principles of an automatic system that has the ability to choose the physical design for a data base and to adapt this design to changing requirements. The components of such a system include: an information gathering module that collects global statistics on the overall usage pattern of the data base; a predictor that projects observed usage statistics into the future; a design evaluator that computes a figure of merit for any proposed design; and a heuristic proposer that synthesizes a small set of candidate designs for detailed consideration. These principles have been applied to the design of a system that selects secondary indices for an inverted file system.
Orbital angular momentum Hall effect via multiple-filamentation in nonlinear Kerr Media

We demonstrate that the orbital angular momentum Hall effect occurs during multiple-filamentation in Kerr media. Counter-rotating instabilities accumulate different phases and result in the spatial separation of copropagating orthogonal-polarization optical vortices of different helicity.
Affective decision-making deficits, linked to a dysfunctional ventromedial prefrontal cortex, revealed in 10th grade Chinese adolescent binge drinkers.

The primary aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that adolescent binge drinkers, but not lighter drinkers, would show signs of impairment on tasks of affective decision-making as measured by the Iowa Gambling Test (IGT), when compared to adolescents who never drank. We tested 207 10th grade adolescents in Chengdu City, China, using two versions of the IGT, the original and a variant, in which the reward/punishment contingencies were reversed. This enables one to distinguish among different possibilities of impaired decision-making, such as insensitivity to long-term consequences, or hypersensitivity to reward. Furthermore, we tested working memory capacity using the Self-ordered Pointing Test (SOPT). Paper and pencil questionnaires were used to assess drinking behaviors and school academic performance. Results indicated that relative to never-drinkers, adolescent binge drinkers, but not other (ever, past 30-day) drinkers, showed significantly lower net scores on the original version of the IGT especially in the latter trials. Furthermore, the profiles of behavioral performance from the original and variant versions of the IGT were consistent with a decision-making impairment attributed to hypersensitivity to reward. In addition, working memory and school academic performance revealed no differences between drinkers (at all levels) and never-drinkers. Logistic regression analysis showed that after controlling for demographic variables, working memory, and school academic performance, the IGT significantly predicted binge-drinking. These findings suggest that a “myopia” for future consequences linked to hypersensitivity to reward is a key characteristic of adolescents with binge-drinking behavior, and that underlying neural mechanisms for this “myopia” for future consequences may serve as a predisposing factor that renders some adolescents more susceptible to future addictive behaviors.
Developmental regulation of phospholipid secretion by fetal type II pneumocytes

Abstract Surfactant sufficiency is dependent upon adequate synthesis and secretion of surfactant by the type II alveolar epithelium. Our laboratory has previously shown that basal secretion of surfactant phospholipid by differentiated fetal type II cells is lower than the basal secretion by adult cells. The purposes of this study were to determine if undifferentiated fetal type II cells can secrete phosphatidylcholine, to determine if terbutaline, a β-adrenergic agonist, stimulates secretion of surfactant phospholipids by undifferentiated fetal cells and to examine the effects of differentiation on secretion of surfactant phospholipids by fetal cells. Constitutive (basal) secretion of phosphatidylcholine increased linearly as a function of time in both undifferentiated and differentiated cells, but the rate of secretion was greater in differentiated cells than the rate of secretion in undifferentiated cells. Terbutaline caused a concentration-dependent increase in secretion in both undifferentiated and differentiated cells. Maximal effective concentration and EC50 were similar for undifferentiated (10−6 M, 0.2 μM) and differentiated (10−5 M, 0.3 μM) cells. The relative stimulation of secretion above control values was greater for undifferentiated cells. The kinetics of terbutaline stimulation varied significantly with cellular differentiation. Terbutaline resulted in 230% stimulation of secretion in undifferentiated cells at 30 min followed by a decline in the response to terbutaline at 60 to 120 min. In contrast, terbutaline stimulated secretion by differentiated cells showed a sustained linear increase from 0 to 120 min. This regulation of stimulated secretion is not present in undifferentiated cells. We conclude that undifferentiated type II cells are capable of the secretion of phosphatidylcholine and that terbutaline stimulates secretion by undifferentiated cells. Furthermore, basal secretion increases as a function of differentiation of type II cells and the regulation of stimulated secretion seen in differentiated cells is not developed in undifferentiated cells. The developmental regulation of the secretion of surfactant is complex and probably involves both excitatory as well as inhibitory mechanisms which develop at different stages of differentiation of the type II cell.
The independent effects of socio-demographic and programmatic factors on economic strain among parents in a Child Savings Accounts program

Abstract This study examines the independent effects of socio-demographic variables and program social services on the degree of economic strain among lower income parents who had an opportunity to open child savings in a subsidized savings accounts program known as Saving for Education, Entrepreneurship, and Downpayment (SEED). SEED is a policy, practice and research initiative designed to test the efficacy of and inform policy for a national system of asset-building accounts for children and youth. Findings suggest that overall, the degree of economic strain was not significantly different at baseline and at the second wave between parents who opened accounts and those who did not open accounts for their children. However, household income, having a household savings account, and receipt of means-tested welfare programs affected the degrees of economic strain. Implications are directed toward helping lower income families effectively participate in child savings programs.
Economically Disadvantaged Children’s Transitions Into Elementary School Linking Family Processes, School Contexts, and Educational Policy

Working from a core perspective on the developmental implications of economic disadvantage, this study attempted to identify family-based mechanisms of economic effects on early learning and their potential school-based remedies. Multilevel analysis of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten Cohort revealed that the accumulation of markers of economic disadvantage reduced math and reading testing gains across the primary grades. Such disparities were partially mediated by corresponding differences in children’s socioemotional problems, parenting stress, and parents’ human capital investments. These patterns appeared to be robust to observed and unobserved confounds. Various teacher qualifications and classroom practices were assessed as moderators of these family mediators, revealing teacher experience in grade level as a fairly consistent buffer against family-based risks for reading.
Adaptive Variable Switching Frequency Digital Controller Algorithm to Optimize Efficiency

An adaptive digital controller with maximum efficiency point tracking to optimize DC-DC converter switching frequency is presented in this paper. The adaptive-frequency-optimization (AFO) method changes the DC-DC converter switching frequency while tracking the converter minimum input power (maximum efficiency) point under variable conditions including variable load and variable input voltage. The AFO digital controller continuously finds the optimum switching frequency that result in the minimum total loss while converter parameters and conditions vary. In this paper, the AFO method is discussed analyzed and its digital control algorithm and experimental implementation are presented.
Optimal control of differential inclusions in infinite-dimensional spaces

This paper studies a general optimal control problem of Bolza for nonconvex differential inclusions with endpoint constraints in reflexive and separable Banach space. First, we construct a sequence of discrete approximation problem for the original Bolza problem and prove that optimal solutions to discrete approximations strongly converge in W/sup 1,2/ to a given intermediate relaxed local minimizer (in particular, to a strong minimizer) for the original continuous-time problem. Then, based on generalized differentiation, necessary optimality conditions are obtained for the discrete approximation problems under fairly general assumptions. Finally, the established stability of discrete approximations and advanced tools of variational analysis in infinite dimensions allow us to derive necessary optimality conditions in the Euler-Lagrange form for the constrained differential inclusions under consideration. The results obtained are expressed in terms of nonconvex normal cones, subdifferentials, and coderivatives of the initial nonsmooth data.
Probable Loop Diuretic–Induced Pancreatitis in a Sulfonamide-Allergic Patient

Objective:To report the case of a patient with a prior allergy to a sulfonamide antibiotic who subsequently developed the same reaction when administered various loop diuretics.Case Summary:A 57-year-old female with cardiomyopathy and “sulfa” (trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole) allergy documented as pancreatitis presented with symptoms consistent with pancreatitis after use of furosemide. She subsequently developed similar symptoms after multiple rechallenges with various loop diuretics including furosemide, bumetanide, and torsemide. The patient was placed on ethacrynic acid until she was desensitized to furosemide. She had been receiving oral furosemide for 5 months at the time of this report, with no complications. According to the Naranjo probability scale, this reaction was probable.Discussion:Reactions associated with arylamine sulfonamide–containing antibiotics have been commonly reported; however, cross-reactions with non-arylamine sulfonamide–containing medications have been rare. The time delay by w...
Sequence Variations of MicroRNAs in Human Cancer: Alterations in Predicted Secondary Structure Do Not Affect Processing

Expression levels of microRNAs (miRNAs) are globally reduced in cancer compared with matched normal tissues, and miRNA function has recently been implicated in tumorigenesis. To test whether epigenetic silencing contributes to miRNA suppression in tumors, lung cancer cells were treated with inhibitors of DNA methylation or histone deacetylation. No significant alteration in miRNA expression was detected using microarray profiling. To search for tumor-associated mutations that could affect processing and expression of mature miRNAs, a panel of 91 cancer-derived cell lines was analyzed for sequence variations in 15 miRNAs implicated in tumorigenesis by virtue of their known target transcripts (let-7 family targeting oncogenic Ras) or their localization to sites of frequent chromosomal instability (miR-143, miR-145, miR-26a-1, and miR-21). No mutations were detected within any of the short mature miRNA sequences. In addition to previously reported polymorphisms, 1 sequence variant in a precursor miRNA and 15 variants in primary miRNA (pri-miRNA) transcripts were identified. Despite pri-miRNAs having dramatic changes in the predicted secondary folding structure flanking putative cleavage sites, processing and miRNA maturation were not affected in vivo. Thus, genetic variants in miRNA precursors are common in cancer cells but are unlikely to have physiologic significance.
Optomechanical spectroscopy with broadband interferometric and quantum cascade laser sources

The spectral tunability of semiconductor–metal multilayer structures can provide a channel for the conversion of light into useful mechanical actuation. Responses of suspended silicon, silicon nitride, chromium, gold, and aluminum microstructures are shown to be utilized as a detector for visible and IR spectroscopy. Both dispersive and interferometric approaches are investigated to delineate the potential use of the structures in spatially resolved spectroscopy and spectrally resolved microscopy. The thermoplasmonic, spectral absorption, interference effects, and the associated energy deposition that contributes to the mechanical response are discussed to describe the potential of optomechanical detection in future integrated spectrometers.
S1P signaling: new therapies and opportunities.

Development of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1P1) modulators to dampen inflammation and its sequelae is becoming increasingly promising for treating medical conditions characterized by significant immunopathology. As shown by the non-selective S1P receptor modulator FTY720 (fingolimod [Gilenya®]) in the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), the ability to use S1P1 modulation to precisely block immune cell traffic—immunomodulation—while maintaining immunosurveillance, has opened therapeutic opportunities in various other immune-derived chronic pathologies, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), lupus, psoriasis, as well as, potentially, in early acute viral respiratory infection. Proof-of-concept studies across validated animal models with S1P receptor modulators highly selective for S1P1, such as BAF-312 (Siponimod), KRP-203, ONO-4641 (Ceralifimod), ponesimod and RPC-1063, and emerging clinical trials for safety and efficacy in humans, particularly in MS, ulcerative colitis (UC) and psoriasis, have set the stage for us to consider additional testing in various other autoimmune diseases.
Understanding Presidential Power in Argentina: a Study of the Policy of Privatisation in the 1990s

This article focuses on the political and institutional process by which the privatisation policy was approved in Argentina during the 1990s. It concentrates mainly on the relationships that the President maintained with Congress and the political parties sitting in it. By looking through the lens of the privatisation case-study, the article aims to analyse the institutional capacity of Argentine democratic presidents to enact policy reforms. The article shows that the Presidency's constitutional resources in combination with the President's strong base of partisan support permitted the adoption of the innovative privatisation policy at an institutional level. However, the article also explains that the political and institutional resources of the Presidency were not invariable and permanent. Rather, the approval of the privatisation policy shows that policy-making processes involve a dialogue between President and Congress, an institutional interchange that can serve either to enhance or to constrain the powers of the President. By showing that congressional intervention should not be underestimated, this article claims that the Argentine presidential regime is better characterised as one of limited centralism than as an example of hyper-presidentialism. The first characterisation not only acknowledges the complexity of the institutional relations, but also the fact that, given a situation of presidential centralism, institutional relations are variable and, most importantly, contingent upon political conditions.
Integral representation of linear free-surface potential flows for bottom pressure calculation

A numerical method for evaluating the steady, finite-depth Green function and a new boundary-integral representation of velocity in a potential flow region are presented in this paper. Unlike the classical formulation using Green identity where the velocity potential φ in the fluid domain is given in terms of boundary values of φ and its normal derivative, the new representation defines the velocity components u and v directly in terms of the velocity distribution at the boundary control surface. This difference is very useful when the near-field flow is computed using a RANS solver, and far-field flow parameter such as bottom pressure is desired. Typical RANS solution does not involve the potential φ and is not very accurate in the far field because of numerical damping, coarse grid, and inexact radiation conditions. However, RANS solution can be used to prescribe the velocity distribution at a control surface enclosing the ship. This control surface is large enough so that the flow outside can be considered linear and potential. The new integral representation can be applied to this outer potential flow region to quickly compute the velocity components and pressure on the seafloor. The new representation is similar to that given in [1] for infinite fluid depth, but it differs in one important aspect. Instead of using a Fourier-Kochin formulation, the new representation expresses the velocity explicitly in terms of the derivatives of the Green function. This was done intentionally to take advantage of the new numerical method for the Green function.
Short-term and long-term cellular and molecular events following UV irradiation of skin: implications for molecular medicine

Acute ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of normal human skin results in several clinical effects, including sunburn inflammation (erythema) and tanning, histological changes such as thickening of the epidermis, and local or systemic immunosuppression. Chronic UV irradiation leads to photoaging, sustained immunosuppression and photocarcinogenesis. Photocarcinogenesis involves the accumulation of genetic changes, as well as immune system modulation, and ultimately leads to the development of skin cancers. Recent advances in molecular and cellular biology have clarified the mechanisms of photocarcinogenesis, including the formation of DNA photoproducts, DNA repair, the mutation of proto-oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes, and UV-induced immunosuppression. Further investigation and a better understanding of photocarcinogenesis are critical to the development of effective prevention and intervention strategies for human skin cancer.
Sex steroids have differential effects on growth and gene expression in primary human prostatic epithelial cell cultures derived from the peripheral versus transition zones

The majority of human prostate cancers arise from the peripheral zone (PZ). Prostate epithelial stem cells have been localized to the basal epithelial cell compartment. In addition, basal cells have been shown to maintain luminal epithelial cell differentiation and may mediate signals between the stromal and luminal cell compartments. Therefore, the study of adult prostate basal cells derived from different prostate zones may give insights into the mechanisms underlying normal and abnormal prostate growth. We herein compare the basal and sex steroid-stimulated expression and activity of several genes/proteins that are known to be critical in prostate cancer development in primary cultures of basal cells derived from the transition zone (TZ) and PZ of prostatectomy specimens. Our results demonstrate that prostate basal cells derived from the PZ versus TZ are more viable in culture, particularly in response to sex steroid addition. PZ cells exhibit higher telomerase activity and increased expression levels of androgen receptor, the anti-apoptotic protein bcl-2, and the dominant-negative splice variant of Kruppel-like Factor 6. PZ cells have lower basal expression levels of estrogen receptor-beta, the pro-apoptotic protein Bax, and cell-cycle inhibitor proteins (p53, p21 waf1/Cip1 ). Finally, we demonstrate divergent responses to sex hormones in the two basal cell populations. The gene expression pattern in the PZ cells may partially explain the predominance of prostate cancer development in this region.
ORE-MINERAL TEXTURES AND THE TALES THEY TELL

Ore minerals have been the resource base for all metal used by humankind since the dawn of history. Total world production of refined metals has been approximately 62 billion tonnes, and today, annual production exceeds 1.3 billion tonnes. Ore minerals, whether concentrated in ore deposits or dispersed as accessory minerals, can provide valuable information on the origins, histories and, in some case, futures of the metals. The same metals that serve society in myriad uses also have the potential to become major pollutants if released into the environment by combustion or weathering. The textures preserve a record of the means by which the minerals formed, provide insights as to the effective means of extracting the metals, and yield clues as to the future release of some metals. Each texture tells a tale with regard to origin, use, and future of the metal-bearing phases. Understanding these tales requires careful sampling, preparation, analysis, and interpretation. The techniques of analysis and interpretation of ore minerals may also be applied to such anthropogenic materials as artifacts and potential pollutants.
Adaptive silver films for surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy of biomolecules

The interaction of biological molecules with a typical substrate for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) often leads to their structural and functional changes. In this paper we describe SERS substrates, called adaptive silver films (ASFs), in which the biomaterial and the substrate act in concert to produce excellent Raman enhancement through local restructuring of the metal surface while at the same time preserving the properties (such as conformational state and binding activity) of the analyte. These adaptive substrates show great promise for SERS spectroscopy of many different types of biomolecules, and we provide several current examples of their use. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Lymphoma transformation: genetic relatedness, stealth lymphomas, and the final frontier.

“When the cells in the blood are morphologically identical with those of the tumor, a genetic relationship between the blood changes and the organ changes is generally assumed. If (less frequently) the leukemic cells are of entirely different structure from those of the tumor, a relationship is less firmly established. In every instance the interpretation is difficult, and the diagnosis frequently in doubt.”
Web Appendix to: 'Tax Inertia: A General Framework with Specific Application to Contemporary Business Tax Reform'

This is the web appendix to the paper “Tax Inertia: A General Framework with Specific Application to Contemporary Business Tax Reform”, which is available at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2618187.
Aposematic signals in North American black widows are more conspicuous to predators than to prey

The iconic red hourglass of the black widow spiders (genus Latrodectus) is traditionally considered an aposematic signal, yet experimental evidence is lacking. Here, we present data that suggest that black widow coloration may have evolved to be an aposematic signal that is more conspicuous to their vertebrate predators than to their insect prey. In choice experiments with wild birds, we found that the red-and-black coloration deters potential predators: Wild birds were ~3 times less likely to attack a black widow model with an hourglass than one without. Using visual-system appropriate models, we also found that a black widow’s red-and-black color combo is more apparent to a typical bird than a typical insect. Additionally, an ancestral reconstruction reveals that red dorsal coloration is ancestral in black widows and that at some point some North American widows lost their red dorsal coloration. Behaviorally, differences in red dorsal coloration between 2 North American species are accompanied by differences in microhabitat that affects how often a bird will view a black widow’s dorsal region. All observations are consistent with a cost–benefit trade-off of being more conspicuous to predators than to prey. We suggest that limiting detection by prey may help explain why red and black aposematic signals occur frequently in nature.
Spermatophores of the Blattaria

A comparative study of the spermatophores, and their modes of attachment, of 29 species of Blattaria shows distinct differences in the 2 phyletic lineages: Blattoidea and Blaberoidea. An apparent true bursa copulatrix, for retention of the spermatophore, has evolved only in some of the ovoviviparous and viviparous Blaberidae, and reaches its highest development in members of the panchloroid complex. Reduction in size or loss of sclerites of the female's genital chamber probably resulted from the trend toward the development of a bursa copulatrix.
Divergence of mouse brain interferon responses following virulent or avirulent Newcastle disease virus inoculation.

SummaryMice were inoculated ic with CG-179, a strain of NDV which by this route causes 100% lethal encephalitis within 9 days, and with Hickman, a strain which is avirulent by this route. Measurement of interferon activity in the brain at daily intervals following inoculation revealed that following CG-179 two peaks of activity occurred—one at 24 hr and the other at 120 to 144 hr. This unusual biphasic response did not occur in the brains of mice inoculated with Hickman strain. In these mice interferon activity in the brain peaked at 24 hr and then disappeared rapidly. Neither infective virus nor viral antigen could be detected in the brains after inoculation with either strain. There appeared to be no difference between viral strains in the order of magnitude of the first peak of interferon activity. No biphasic activity was detected in spleens or sera of mice after either ic or iv inoculation of CG-179. Possible differences between the 2 strains of NDV are discussed as well as possible explanations for ...
Accounting for selection bias in association studies with complex survey data

Obtaining representative information from hidden and hard-to-reach populations is fundamental to describe the epidemiology of many sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. Unfortunately, simple random sampling is impractical in these settings, as no registry of names exists from which to sample the population at random. However, complex sampling designs can be used, as members of these populations tend to congregate at known locations, which can be enumerated and sampled at random. For example, female sex workers may be found at brothels and street corners, whereas injection drug users often come together at shooting galleries. Despite the logistical appeal, complex sampling schemes lead to unequal probabilities of selection, and failure to account for this differential selection can result in biased estimates of population averages and relative risks. However, standard techniques to account for selection can lead to substantial losses in efficiency. Consequently, researchers implement a variety of strategies in an effort to balance validity and efficiency. Some researchers fully or partially account for the survey design, whereas others do nothing and treat the sample as a realization of the population of interest. We use directed acyclic graphs to show how certain survey sampling designs, combined with subject-matter considerations unique to individual exposure-outcome associations, can induce selection bias. Finally, we present a novel yet simple maximum likelihood approach for analyzing complex survey data; this approach optimizes statistical efficiency at no cost to validity. We use simulated data to illustrate this method and compare it with other analytic techniques.
Toward a language of mixed reality in the continuity style

If mixed and augmented reality (MAR) is to one day operate as a communications medium on par with film and television, it must evolve a set of conventions that will allow for meaningful communication between its users. These sets of conventions, often referred to as media languages, bear many similarities to the pattern languages discussed in architecture, human–computer interaction, and other fields. This work introduces the possibility of building a language of MAR based on the notion of scale, which is common to both media and pattern languages. Using examples from previously published work, the idea of transitioning across different scales is posited as the mixed reality equivalent of a fundamental technique of film editing: the cut. A number of possibilities for creating meaningful scale transitions in MAR are also discussed.
Tectonic smoothing and mapping

Large-scale mapping has become the key to numerous applications, e.g. Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) for autonomous robots. Despite of the success of many SLAM projects, there are still some challenging scenarios in which most of the current algorithms are not able to deliver an exact solution fast enough. Urban 3D reconstruction is another popular application for large-scale mapping and has received considerable attention recently from the computer vision community. At the heart of urban reconstruction problems is Structure from Motion (SfM). Due to the wide availability of cameras, especially on handhold devices, SfM is becoming a more and more crucial technique to handle a large amount of images. I will present a novel batch algorithm, namely Tectonic Smoothing and Mapping (TSAM). I will show that the original SLAM graph can be recursively partitioned into multiple-level submaps using the nested dissection algorithm, which leads to the cluster tree, a powerful graph representation. By employing the nested dissection algorithm, the algorithm greatly minimizes the dependencies between two subtrees, and the optimization of the original graph can be done using a bottom-up inference along the corresponding cluster tree. To speed up the computation, a base node is introduced for each submap and is used to represent the rigid transformation of the submap in the global coordinate frame. As a result, the optimization moves the base nodes rather than the actual submap variables. I will also show that TSAM can be successfully applied to the SfM problem as well, in which a hypergraph representation is employed to capture the pairwise constraints between cameras. The hierarchical partitioning based on the hypergraph not only yields a cluster tree as in the SLAM problem but also forces resulting submaps to be nonsingular. I will demonstrate the TSAM algorithm using various simulation and real-world data sets.
Status of Lidar Remote Sensing Program within NASA

The status of the NASA tunable solid state laser program will be reviewed as a follow on to the overview presented since the last tunable solid state laser workshop. Three program themes will be presented including: 1) tunable solid state laser technology·2) LASE (Laser Atmospheric Sensing Experiment) 3) LITE (Laser in Space Technology Experiment). In addition· recent system level requirements for lidar systems technology which have emerged over the past year for the environmental observations systems platform will be presented and related to the technology program currently being implemented. The proximity operations workshop was conducted in February·1985. Implications for a laser radar system to conduct berthing and docking experiments from the Shuttle Orbiter and for providing range and range rate measurements will be reviewed.
The Gut Speaks: Reframing the Role of Pediatric Gastroenterologists Caring for Children With Autism and Gastrointestinal Symptoms.

Commentary on: Kushak RI, Buie TM, Murray KF, et al. Evaluation of intestinal function in children with autism and gastrointestinal symptoms. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2016;62:687–91.Almost 20 years ago, Mel Heyman and I co-authored a cautionary commentary aimed at encouraging our fellow pediatri
Summary and Current Status

The nuclear matter equation of state (EOS) plays an important role in our understanding of nuclear bulk properties, as well as processes taking place in the stellar environments (i.e. dynamics of supernovae collapse and structure of neutron stars). The EOS also sheds light on the phase transitions taking place in the heavy ion collision reactions. Its exact determination is being pursued extensively, both experimentally and theoretically. Nuclear incompressibility is an important parameter of the nuclear matter EOS. The centroid energy of one of the nuclear compression modes – the isoscalar Giant Monopole Resonance (ISGMR) – is a direct experimental tool to constrain the value of nuclear matter incompressibility.
Pathways to Courageous Resistance: Ordinary People, Groups, and Institutions Confront Injustice

In April 1994, the east African country of Rwanda exploded into a nightmare of mass killing. Following the lead of the Presidential Guard and military, the fiercely ethnocentric Hutu Interahamwe militia, purporting to be saving the country from disloyal Tutsi and Hutu moderates, urged the Hutu majority to purge the country of the “cockroach” Tutsi minority. Many Hutu civilians began killing their countrymen encouraged by incendiary rhetoric on the radio. Hundreds of thousands of unarmed men, women and children were slaughtered over a 100 day period, “Neighbors hacked neighbors to death in their homes, and colleagues hacked colleagues to death in their workplaces. Doctors killed their patients and schoolteachers killed their pupils. Within days, the Tutsi populations of many villages were all but eliminated”(Gourevitch 1998, 115).
Probing the subsurface karst features using time-frequency decomposition

AbstractThe high-resolution mapping of karst features is of great importance to hydrocarbon discovery and recovery in the resource exploration field. Currently, however, there are few effective methods specifically tailored for such a task. The 3D seismic data can reveal the existence of karsts to some extent, but a precise characterization cannot be obtained. I have developed an effective framework for accurately probing the subsurface karst features using a well-developed time-frequency decomposition algorithm. More specifically, I have introduced a frequency interval analysis approach for obtaining the best karsts detection result using an optimal frequency interval. A high-resolution time-frequency transform was preferred in the proposed framework to capture the inherent frequency components hidden behind the amplitude map. Although the single-frequency slice could not provide a reliable karst depiction result, the summation over the selected frequency interval could obtain a high-resolution and high-...
CW DFB-QCL- and EC-QCL-based sensor for simultaneous NO and NO2 measurements via frequency modulation multiplexing using multi-pass absorption spectroscopy

Nitrogen oxides (NOx), including nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) play important roles in determining the photochemistry of the ambient atmosphere, controlling the production of tropospheric ozone, affecting the concentration levels of the hydroxyl radical, and forming acid precipitation. A sensor system capable of simultaneous measurements of NO and NO2 by using a commercial 76 m astigmatic multi-pass gas cell (MPGC) was developed in order to enable fastresponse NOx detection. A continuous wave (CW), distributed-feedback (DFB) quantum cascade laser (QCL) and a CW external-cavity (EC) QCL were employed for targeting a NO absorption doublet at 1900.075 cm-1 and a NO2 absorption line at 1630.33 cm-1, respectively. Both laser beams were combined and transmitted through the MPGC in an identical optical path and subsequently detected by a single mid-infrared detector. A frequency modulation multiplexing scheme was implemented by modulating the DFB-QCL and EC-QCL at different frequencies and demodulating the detector signal with two Labview software based lock-in amplifiers to extract the corresponding second-harmonic (2f) components. Continuous monitoring of NO and NO2 concentration levels was achieved by locking the laser frequencies to the selected absorption lines utilizing a reference cell filled with high concentrations of NO and NO2. The experimental results indicate minor performance degradation associated with frequency modulation multiplexing and no cross talk between the two multiplexed detection channels. The performance of the reported sensor system was evaluated for real time, sensitive and precise detection of NO and NO2 simultaneously.
Nationally representative equations that include resistance and reactance for the prediction of percent body fat in Americans

Resistance and reactance collected by bioelectrical impedance (BIA) can be used in equations to estimate percent body fat at relatively low cost and subject burden. To our knowledge, no such equations have been developed in a nationally representative sample. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry assessed percent body fat from the 1999 to 2004 National Health and Nutrition Survey was the criterion method for development of sex-specific percent body fat equations using up to 6467 males or 4888 females 8–49 years of age. Candidate variables were studied in multiple mathematical forms and interactions using the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator. Models were fit in 2/3’s of the data and validated in 1/3 of the data selected at random. Final coefficients, R2 values and root mean square error (RMSE) were estimated in the full data set. Models that included age, ethnicity, height, weight, BMI and BIA assessments (resistance, reactance and height2/resistance) had R2 values of 0.831 in men and 0.864 in women in the full data set. RMSE measurements were between 2 and 3 body fat percentage points, and all equations showed low bias across groups formed by age, race/ethnicity or body mass index category. The addition of triceps skinfold and waist circumference increased the R2 to 0.905 in males and 0.883 in females. Adding other anthropometrics (plus menses in females) had little impact on performance. Reactance and resistance alone (in multiple mathematical forms) performed poorly with R2~0.2. Equations that included BIA assessments along with demographic and anthropometric variables provided percent body fat assessments that had high generalizability, strong predictive ability and low bias.
Incidence and risk of stomatitis to mTOR inhibitors in cancer patients: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

e17572 Background: Inhibitors of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway including everolimus and temsirolimus have been used extensively in cancer patients. Their use is associated with s...
Design strategies for improved velocity-selective pulse sequences

Over the years, a variety of MRI methods have been developed for visualizing or measuring blood flow without the use of contrast agents. One particular class of methods uses flow-encoding gradients associated with an RF pulse sequence to distinguish spins in flowing blood from stationary spins. While a strength of these particular methods is that, in general, they can be tailored to capture a desired range of blood flow, such sequences either do not provide a sharp transition from stationary spins to flowing spins, or else are long, generating relaxation losses and undesirable SAR, and have limited immunity to resonance offsets and to RF inhomogeneity. This article provides design methods for improving these longer RF pulse sequences, especially to provide improved immunity to RF inhomogeneity, and also to improve immunity to resonance offsets, as well as to minimize RF sequence length. These design methods retain the flexibility to capture a desired range of blood flow, with sharp transitions between stationary spins and flowing blood. These improvement strategies are demonstrated through Bloch equations simulations of examples of these new sequences in the presence of blood flow. Examples of improved sequences that should prove suitable for use at 3.0Tesla are presented.
Girl Child Marriage: A Persistent Global Women’s Health and Human Rights Violation

Child marriage, or the marriage of an individual under age 18, affects approximately 900 million individuals every year, of which 720 million are girls. The disproportionate burden for girls worldwide, which translates into a variety of negative, intergenerational health and social effects for girls and their children, indicates the gendered nature of this health and human rights issue. Declines in the practice of child marriage under age 15 have been seen in the last 30 years, but this change has been inadequate, evidenced by the continued high prevalence of child marriage under age 18 in South East Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Girls are married under age for a variety of reasons, including the financial need of the girls’ families, cultural desires to preserve sexual purity for marriage, religious beliefs, and external conflict. Additionally, lack of access to education, rural residence, unequal treatment of girls, and conditions of poverty are associated with the practice of child marriage. Strategies to address this global health concern must be multi-sectorial in nature, utilizing existing laws and government structures, evidence-based prevention programs, and evidence-based intervention programs for already married girls.
Fabrication of nanofibers and nanotubes for tissue regeneration and repair

Abstract Nanobioscience is the research area that focuses on small materials from submicrometric to nanometric scale able to interact with tissues at the molecular level with high degree of functional specificity and control. A large group of nanomaterials including nanotubes, nanofibers, liposomes, nanoparticles, polymeric micelles, and nanogels are currently investigating for this scope. Such materials can be manipulated to influence specific activities of biological systems at a molecular or even supramolecular level and responding to the cell environment also minimizing undesired side effects. Hence, promising strategies based on the use of nanotubes and/or nanofibers are emerging to trigger specific cell events in vitro and in vivo for the treatment of damaged or cancerous tissues. Nanotubes and nanofibers can be produced from various materials, such as carbon, synthetic polymers, biological macromolecules (i.e., DNA, proteins, and lipids), silicon, and glasses, case by case, through the implementation “ad hoc” of different process technologies. As a function of their peculiar composition and chemistry, they may be biodegradable or biostable with different response in the host tissue, thus playing a different role in the interface of cells with scaffolds or extracellular tissue analogues. In this chapter, we provide an overview of current studies based on the use of nanotubes and/or nanofibers in tissue repair and regeneration, by emphasizing the influence of processes and their parameters onto the ultimate properties of nanoscale systems for an effective validation in vitro and in vivo.