cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Micromechanical Model for Slit-damaged Braided Fabric Air-beams

A micromechanical model has been developed that will allow the study of a slit-damaged braided fabric air-beam structure. As such, the relevant system of non-dimensional ordinary differential equations is derived and solutions are given for the stress concentration near the broken yarns. This knowledge will contribute to the prediction of damage growth and the ability to compare different fabric materials for their damage tolerance. A simplification of the analysis has been shown to be possible when a parameter, e, the ratio of yarn tensions due to inflation to the yarn stiffness is small, approaching zero. In such a case, the equations for the braided fabric can be reduced to those of the plain weave fabric, so that the stress concentrations are the same as those for woven fabrics. As it turns out, an important result of the present analysis is that the stress concentration factor is, in fact, independent of the parameter, e, and the helix angle of the braided fabrics. This means that much of what has been learned in the study of damage in woven fabrics can be used for braided fabrics.
Effectiveness of Alpha-toxin Fab Monoclonal Antibody Therapy in Limiting the Pathology of Staphylococcus aureus Keratitis

AbstractPurpose: To investigate the effectiveness of a high-affinity human monoclonal antibody Fab fragment to Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin (LTM14 Fab) as therapy for S. aureus keratitis.Methods: A single topical drop of the LTM14 Fab antibody to alpha-toxin alone, or in 0.006% benzalkonium chloride (BAK), was applied every 30 min to S. aureus-infected rabbit corneas from 9 to 14 hours post-infection. Erosions and pathology were measured at 15 h post-infection.Results: LTM14 Fab with BAK limited corneal erosions better than LTM14 Fab alone (p = 0.036), and both limited erosions compared to untreated eyes (p ≤ 0.0001). Overall pathology was similar in all groups (p ≥ 0.070), but iritis and chemosis were reduced by treatment (p ≤ 0.036).Conclusions: The high-affinity human monoclonal Fab fragment antibody (LTM14 Fab) to S. aureus alpha-toxin was effective in reducing corneal damage during S. aureus keratitis.
Twenty-Eight Years of the US-LTER Program: Experience, Results, and Research Questions

The U.S. Long Term Ecological Research (US-LTER) program consists of 26 research sites involving a wide range of ecosystem types and concentrates on the interactions of multiple ecosystem processes that play out at time scales spanning decades to centuries. Long-term data sets from programs such as US-LTER provide a context to evaluate the pace of ecological change, to interpret its effects, and to forecast the range of future biological responses to change.
Movement toward a predominantly electronic journal collection

Purpose – To address the UNLV Libraries movement toward a predominantly electronic journal collection including evaluation of library collection and reevaluation of organizational structure, staff resources and workflow to find the best ways to provide library users with timely and reliable access to electronic resources.Design/methodology/approach – A range of UNLV Libraries initiatives in building and managing electronic resources is described to demonstrate how the library moved from a predominantly print environment to a predominantly electronic environment. The paper consists of sections: development of the electronic resources collection, reengineering acquisitions/periodicals, new responsibilities and new skills, next steps, and conclusion.Findings – Since 1999, the composition of the Libraries journal collection has been dramatically changed. The percentage of print‐only subscriptions decreased from 59 percent in 1990 to 20 percent in 2004, while electronic journals jumped from 35 percent to 75 pe...
Systems cancer medicine: towards realization of predictive, preventive, personalized and participatory (P4) medicine.

A grand challenge impeding optimal treatment outcomes for cancer patients arises from the complex nature of the disease: the cellular heterogeneity, the myriad of dysfunctional molecular and genetic networks as results of genetic (somatic) and environmental perturbations. Systems biology, with its holistic approach to understanding fundamental principles in biology, and the empowering technologies in genomics, proteomics, single-cell analysis, microfluidics, and computational strategies, enables a comprehensive approach to medicine, which strives to unveil the pathogenic mechanisms of diseases, identify disease biomarkers and begin thinking about new strategies for drug target discovery. The integration of multi-dimensional high throughput “omics” measurements from tumor tissues and corresponding blood specimens, together with new systems strategies for diagnostics, enables the identification of cancer biomarkers that will enable presymptomatic diagnosis, stratification of disease, assessment of disease progression, evaluation of patient response to therapy, and the identification of reoccurrences. While some aspects of systems medicine are being adopted in clinical oncology practice through companion molecular diagnostics for personalized therapy, the mounting influx of global quantitative data from both wellness and diseases, is shaping up a transformational paradigm in medicine we termed predictive, preventive, personalized, and participatory (P4) medicine, which requires new strategies, both scientific and organizational, to enable bringing this revolution in medicine to patients and to the healthcare system. P4 medicine will have a profound impact on society—transforming the healthcare system, turning around the ever escalating costs of healthcare, digitizing the practice of medicine and creating enormous economic opportunities for those organizations and nations that embrace this revolution
Microsomal Antigen-Reactive Lymphocyte Lines and Clones Derived From Thyroid Tissue of Patients With Gravesr' Disease*

Thyroid mononuclear cells (TMC) were maintained in long term cocultures with thyroid fibroblasts and thyroid epithelial cells from patients with Gravesr' disease, using medium supplemented with thyroid microsomal antigen (McAg) and IL-2. The TMC consisted predominantly of T4+ (CD4+, helper) and, to a lesser extent, T8+ (CD8+, cytotoxic/suppressor) lymphocytes, with a small number of macrophages and natural killer cells. The average T4+ to T8+ ratio was 3.2. From these cultures we obtained thyroid T cell lines and clones reactive to thyroid antigens. T Cell lines were tested in a microproliferation assay using thyroglobulin (Tg), McAg, tetanus toxoid, and IL-2. Of 14 lines from 6 patients, 2 proliferated in response to McAg when TMC plus thyroid fibroblasts were used as antigen-presenting cells. Clones of thyroid lymphocytes were obtained by culturing cells at limiting dilution with IL-2, McAg, and different types of autologous accessory cells. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells plus skin fibroblasts provi...
The P-Norm Push: A Simple Convex Ranking Algorithm that Concentrates at the Top of the List

We are interested in supervised ranking algorithms that perform especially well near the top of the ranked list, and are only required to perform sufficiently well on the rest of the list. In this work, we provide a general form of convex objective that gives high-scoring examples more importance. This "push" near the top of the list can be chosen arbitrarily large or small, based on the preference of the user. We choose lp-norms to provide a specific type of push; if the user sets p larger, the objective concentrates harder on the top of the list. We derive a generalization bound based on the p-norm objective, working around the natural asymmetry of the problem. We then derive a boosting-style algorithm for the problem of ranking with a push at the top. The usefulness of the algorithm is illustrated through experiments on repository data. We prove that the minimizer of the algorithm's objective is unique in a specific sense. Furthermore, we illustrate how our objective is related to quality measurements for information retrieval.
The optimal-location query

We propose and solve the optimal-location query in spatial databases. Given a set S of sites, a set O of weighted objects, and a spatial region Q, the optimal-location query returns a location in Q with maximum influence. Here the influence of a location l is the total weight of its RNNs, i.e. the total weight of objects in O that are closer to l than to any site in S. This new query has practical applications, but is very challenging to solve. Existing work on computing RNNs assumes a single query location, and thus cannot be used to compute optimal locations. The reason is that there are infinite candidate locations in Q. If we check a finite set of candidate locations, the result can be inaccurate, i.e. the revealed location may not have maximum influence. This paper proposes three methods that accurately compute optimal locations. The first method uses a standard R*-tree. To compute an optimal location, the method retrieves certain objects from the R*-tree and sends them as a stream to a plane-sweep algorithm, which uses a new data structure called the aSB-tree to ensure query efficiency. The second method is based on a new index structure called the OL-tree, which novelly extends the k-d-B-tree to store segmented rectangular records. The OL-tree is only of theoretical usage for it is not space efficient. The most practical approach is based on a new index structure called the Virtual OL-tree. These methods are theoretically and experimentally evaluated.
Hydrolysis kinetics of Reactive Blue 19-Vinyl Sulfone

Abstract The hydrolysis kinetics of Reactive Blue 19-Vinyl Sulfone (RB 19-VS) were studied in phosphate buffer over a pH range of 4–11 and a temperature range of 25–85°C. The hydrolysis of RB 19-VS is base-mediated and leads to quantitative formation of the 2-hydroxyethylsulfone (RB 19-OH). The half-life for RB 19-VS at pH = 7.0 at 25°C was calculated to be 46 years.
Low-Dose Rabbit Antithymocyte Globulin Induction Therapy Results in Prolonged Selective Lymphocyte Depletion Irrespective of Maintenance Immunosuppression

Rabbit antithymocyte globulin therapy (rATG) is a potent lymphocyte-depleting agent commonly used following renal transplantation to reduce the risk of acute rejection. Standard doses (7-10 mg/kg) of rATG result in profound lymphopenia and predispose patients to infection and malignancy. The effects of lower doses of rATG (LoD-rATG, 3-5 mg/kg) on peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) are as yet unknown. In this prospective clinical trial, PBL subsets were characterized by flow cytometry over 12 months following LoD-rATG therapy. All patients were initially treated with standard doses of tacrolimus, mycophenolic acid, and prednisone. At 3 months, patients were randomized to either lower doses of tacrolimus or sirolimus to examine the effects of maintenance immunosuppression on PBL reemergence. LoD-rATG therapy resulted in prolonged suppression of CD19+ B cells, total CD3+ T cells, as well as naive and memory CD4+ T cell and CD4/CD25/Foxp3+ T-regulatory subsets irrespective of chronic immunosuppressive therapy. Selective depletion was only noted in the CD4CD45RA+ naive T-cell subset resulting in an altered memory/naive CD4+ ratio. LoD-rATG failed to deplete CD8+ T cells, which increased their relative contribution to the total CD3+ pool. All other lymphocyte subsets maintained near normal proportions. Thus, LoD-rATG therapy may lessen the adverse effects of full dose rATG while maintaining overall efficacy.
Dynamic regulation of endothelial NOS mediated by competitive interaction with α-actinin-4 and calmodulin

Alpha-actinins are critical components of the actin cytoskeleton. Here we show that alpha-actinins serve another important biological function by binding to and competitively inhibiting calcium-dependent activation of endothelial NOS (eNOS). Alpha-actinin-2 was found to associate with eNOS in a yeast two-hybrid screen. In vascular endothelial cells, which only express alpha-actinin-1 and -4, alpha-actinin-4 interacted and colocalized with eNOS. Addition of alpha-actinin-4 directly inhibited eNOS recombinant protein, and overexpression of alpha-actinin-4 inhibited eNOS activity in eNOS-transfected COS-7 cells and bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs). In contrast, knockdown of alpha-actinin-4 by siRNA increased eNOS activity in BAECs. The alpha-actinin-4-binding site on eNOS was mapped to a central region comprising the calmodulin-binding domain, and the eNOS-binding site on alpha-actinin-4 was mapped to the fourth spectrin-like rod domain, R4. Treatment of endothelial cells with a calcium ionophore, A23187, decreased alpha-actinin-4-eNOS interaction, leading to translocation of alpha-actinin-4 from plasma membrane to cytoplasm. Indeed, addition of calmodulin displaced alpha-actinin-4 binding to eNOS and increased eNOS activity. These findings indicate that eNOS activity in vascular endothelial cells is tonically and dynamically regulated by competitive interaction with alpha-actinin-4 and calmodulin.
Economic Evaluation of Four Treatments for Low-back Pain: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: We sought to compare total outpatient costs of 4 common treatments for low-back pain (LBP) at 18-months follow-up. Methods: Our work reports on findings from a randomized controlled trial within a large medical group practice treating HMO patients. Patients (n 681) were assigned to 1 of 4 treatment groups, ie, medical care only (MD), medical care with physical therapy (MDPt), chiropractic care only (DC), or chiropractic care with physical modalities (DCPm). Total outpatient costs, excluding pharmaceuticals, were measured at 18 months. We did not perform a cost-effectiveness analysis because previously published findings showed no clinically meaningful difference in outcomes among the 4 treatment groups. Thirty-seven participants were lost to follow-up at 18 months, leaving a final sample size of n 654. Results: Adjusting for covariates, DC was 51.9% more expensive than MD (P 0.001), DCPm 3.2% more expensive than DC (P 0.76), and MDPt 105.8% more expensive than MD (P 0.001). The adjusted mean outpatient costs per treatment group were $369 for MD, $560 for DC, $579 for DCPm, and $760 for MDPt. Conclusions: This study is the first randomized trial to show higher costs for chiropractic care without producing better clinical outcomes, but our findings are likely to understate the costs of medical care with or without physical therapy because of the absence of pharmaceutical data. Physical therapy provided in combination with medical care and physical modalities provided in combination with chiropractic care do not appear to be cost-effective strategies for treatment of LBP; they produce higher costs without clinically significant improvements in outcome.
A low-frequency digital spectrum analyzer for laboratory instruction

The design and implementation of a low-frequency spectrum analyzer is described. The design features a low-cost spectrum analyzer for use in the electrical engineering senior year communications laboratory. The frequency range of the spectrum analyzer extends from under 1 Hz up to 20 kHz. It covers the spectral region of interest in speech processing and baseband data transmission, and provides the students with a flexible signal analysis tool. >
AID Binds Cooperatively with UNG and Msh2-Msh6 to Ig Switch Regions Dependent upon the AID C Terminus

Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is induced in B cells during an immune response and is essential for both class-switch recombination (CSR) and somatic hypermutation of Ab genes. The C-terminal 10 aa of AID are required for CSR but not for somatic hypermutation, although their role in CSR is unknown. Using retroviral transduction into mouse splenic B cells, we show that the C terminus is not required for switch (S) region double-strand breaks (DSBs) and therefore functions downstream of DSBs. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation, we show that AID binds cooperatively with UNG and the mismatch repair proteins Msh2-Msh6 to Ig Sμ and Sγ3 regions, and this depends on the C terminus and the deaminase activity of AID. We also show that mismatch repair does not contribute to the efficiency of CSR in the absence of the AID C terminus. Although it has been demonstrated that both UNG and Msh2-Msh6 are important for introduction of S region DSBs, our data suggest that the ability of AID to recruit these proteins is important for DSB resolution, perhaps by directing the S region DSBs toward accurate and efficient CSR via nonhomologous end joining.
On the distribution of peak-to-average power ratio for non-circularly modulated OFDM signals

In this paper we investigate the distribution of the peak-to-average power ratio for non-circularly modulated OFDM system. In contrast to circularly modulated OFDM systems, we find the following characteristics for non-circularly modulated OFDM symbols: i) they do not converge to complex Gaussian sequence asymptotically; and ii) the correlation among OFDM symbol powers does not diminish as the number of subcarriers goes to infinity. We further derive, based on the above two observations, an expression for the distribution of peak-to-average power ratio for non-circular constellation. While not in closed form, the obtained expression allows easy numerical evaluation. For the special case of BPSK, the expression can be simplified to a form that admits closed-form approximation. We show that the analytical prediction matches well with empirical result obtained through simulation.
Basic Theory and Decomposition of the Parametric Space

One of the theoretical approaches which appears repeatedly in the literature is based on reduction of a vector-valued objective function to a family of scalar-valued objective functions [see, e.g., Geoffrion, 1968, and DaCunha, Polak, 1967].
GEOGRAPHIC VARIATION IN THE LIFE HISTORY OF MASTOCARPUS PAPILLATUS (RHODOPHYTA)1

Variation in the geographic distribution of the life histories of Mastocarpus papillatus was investigated. Carpospores were isolated from 377 female gametophytes collected from eight localities on the Pacific coast of Baja California, Mexico, and California, U.S.A., and grown in laboratory culture. All carpospores from a single female gave rise either to basal discs with gametophyte-like uprights or crustose plants formerly referred to the genus Petrocelis. Early stages in the development of each type of germling were observed, and environmental factors affecting development were suggested. Based on carpospore germlings, females from each location were scored as having either the 1) sexual life history (crustose germlings) or 2) direct-development life history (discoid germlings with uprights). All females from the two southernmost locations in Baja California exhibited the sexual life history. In the three locations from the central-southern California coast, 70-95% of the females exhibited the sexual life history and the remainder exhibited the direct-development life history. In two of the three populations from the central-northern California coast, 70-90% of the females exhibited the direct-development life history and the remainder the sexual life history. In the third location from the central-northern California coast, the northernmost location sampled in the current study, 60% of the females exhibited the sexual life history and 40% the direct-development life history. The relative ecological advantages and disadvantages of the life histories are unknown as are the environmental factors that produced the ratios of sexual to direct-development females observed at each location.
Payment Delays: Bias in the Yield Curve

Most empirical research has found positive liquidity or term premiums. This paper shows that a completely spurious premium may be embedded in the observed yield curve. If payment delays - say, those due to check-clearing or brokerage accounts - in the government securities markets are priced, but are not explicitly incorporated into pricing equations, they cause divergences between the true time until maturity and the maturity reported in the financial press. This, in turn, causes yield curves constructed from observed rates to slope up, even if all forward rates are equal and if Hicks' pure-expectations theory (1946 - hereafter, PET) is true. These payment delays cause some estimators of premiums to have positive expected values, even if the PET is true. These apparent premiums are not only positive, but they also vary in a manner consistent with important empirical results. Therefore, the evidence concerning liquidity premiums must be re-examined. Our results do not dispel all of the empirical evidence against the pure-expectations theory. They do, however, serve to caution researchers against dismissing the bias payment delays may induce.
Localization by chromosome microdissection of a recurrent breakpoint region on chromosome 6 in human B-cell lymphoma

Deletion of the long arm of chromosome 6 (6q) is one of the most common chromosomal alterations in human B-cell lymphomas. Conventional cytogenetic banding analysis and loss-of-heterozygosity (LOH) studies have detected several common regions of deletion ranging across the entire long arm (6q), with no defined recurrent breakpoint yet identified. We describe here a strategy combining chromosome microdissection and fluorescence in situ hybridization (Micro-FISH) to determine a minimal region of deletion along chromosome 6. Seven clinical cases and one cell line of follicular lymphoma containing a t(14;18) and one case of diffuse lymphoma, also with a t(14;18), were used for this study. All nine cases had previously defined abnormalities of chromosome 6 determined by cytogenetic analysis. The results of chromosome dissection were unexpected and in contrast to the suggestion of disparate breakpoints by conventional chromosome banding. Specifically, Micro-FISH analysis provided evidence for a common breakpoint at 6q11 in seven of nine cases. After Micro-FISH analysis, all of the presumed simple deletions of chromosome 6 were carefully reanalyzed and shown to actually represent either nonreciprocal translocations (three cases), interstitial deletions (five cases), or isochromosome (one case). The recurrent proximal breakpoint (6q11) was detected in seven of nine cases, with the minimal region of deletion encompassing 6q11 to 6q21. By analogy to other tumor systems, the identification of recurring breakpoints within 6q11 may suggest that a gene(s) important to the genesis or progression of follicular lymphoma can be localized to this band region.
A General Approach to Sequence-Controlled Polymers Using Macrocyclic Ring Opening Metathesis Polymerization

A new and general strategy for the synthesis of sequence-defined polymers is described that employs relay metathesis to promote the ring opening polymerization of unstrained macrocyclic structures. Central to this approach is the development of a small molecule “polymerization trigger” which when coupled with a diverse range of sequence-defined units allows for the controlled, directional synthesis of sequence controlled polymers.
Probing Transient Electric Fields in Photoexcited Organic Semiconductor Thin Films and Interfaces by Time-Resolved Second Harmonic Generation

We have probed photoinduced charge separation dynamics in organic semiconductor thin films and at their interfaces by femtosecond time-resolved second harmonic generation (TR-SHG), using the model systems of fullerene (C70) thin films and copper phthalocyanine (CuPc)/C70 interfaces. In neat C70 thin films, the formation of an internal electric field on a ∼10-ps time scale following photoexcitation is attributed to the photo-Dember effect, namely, charge separation resulting from a gradient in excitation density and the differential electron/hole mobility. When an ultrathin film of the electron donor CuPc was deposited on top of the C70 film, an additional interfacial charge separation channel occurring on the ultrafast time scale of ∼0.1 ps was observed. We discuss how SHG fields from different origins can interfere to give the overall transient response.
Race, Class, and Family Structure: The Case of Family Income

African Americans continue to represent one of the most disadvantaged groups in the United States, lagging behind whites on most measures of well-being. Most explanations for the black-white dispar...
Impact of obesity and exercise on chemotherapy-related fatigue.

Breast cancer patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy often develop fatigue from their treatment that may persist for months. While the positive effects of physical activity in cancer patients are increasingly recognized, the impact of obesity on chemotherapy-induced fatigue has not been well studied. Female age 35–75 years with stage I-III breast cancer receiving adjuvant chemotherapy were enrolled in an IRB-approved study. Patient fatigue was self-reported using a 14-question fatigue symptom inventory. Patients were queried about fatigue and their level of exercise before, during, and after completion of chemotherapy. BMI was measured prior to their first cycle of chemotherapy. Of the 47 evaluable patients, 37 reported performing exercise on a regular basis. Following chemotherapy, 53 % of the exercise group and 80 % of the non-exercise group displayed a worsening of their FS. In patients with a BMI 25, the FS after chemotherapy was 25.96 in the exercise group versus 32.6 in the non-exercise group. Our study indicates a trend towards fatigue reduction with exercise even in patients who are overweight. Thus, an elevated BMI at diagnosis does not preclude a breast cancer patient from experiencing the same positive effects from exercise on chemotherapy-related fatigue as patients with normal BMIs. This indicates an important role of physicians in the primary care setting to encourage patients to initiate physical activity when offering cancer-screening services.
Analysis of heart rate variability of 0～14 years old healthy children

Objective:To assess the normal range of the time-domain index of heart rate variability(HRV) in healthy children from 0~14 years old." Method:Continuous electrocardiographic monitorization by 24-hour Holter recordings was performed in 2230 healthy children to analyze the difference of HRV with sinus rhythm.Time-domain indexs included SDNN SDANN SDNN index rMSSD and PNN_50.Two thousand and two hundred and thirty healthy children were divided into 5 groups according to their ages as group 1,n=371,1 month old;group 2,n=53,1 month-1 year old;group 3,n=157,1-3 years old;group 4,n=366,3-6 years old;group 5,n=1283,6-14 years old.HRV was analyzed and compared among different groups and compared to the normal level of adults in Western.Result:①Significant differences of SDNN SDANN SDNN index RMSSD PNN_50 were found in different groups.Time-domain indexs increased with age.②No difference were shown between male and female in group 1,2 and 3.SDNN,SDANN and SDNN index changed significantly between male and female in group 4 and 5.③Significant differences were found between our results and the normal lelves of Western adults.Conclusion:Time-domain index increased with age.Significant differences in HRV between male and female in group 4 and 5 suggest the variance in the development of autonomic nervous system between male and female.HRV indicates the activity of autonomic nervous system and risk factor of several diseases.It is important to establish normal range of HRV in children with different ages.
Tyrosine phosphorylation of pp125FAK and paxillin in aortic endothelial cells induced by mechanical strain

The objective of this study was to determine whether focal adhesion proteins pp125FAK (focal adhesion kinase) and paxillin are phosphorylated on tyrosine and might play a role in the morphological change and cell migration induced by strain. Bovine aortic endothelial cells (EC) were subjected to 10% average strain at 60 cycles/min. Cyclic strain increased the tyrosine phosphorylation of pp125FAK at 30 min (3.4-fold) and 4 h (5.9-fold) and the tyrosine phosphorylation of paxillin at 4 h (2.0-fold). Confocal microscopy showed that, after 4-h exposure to strain, EC began to elongate and F-actin, pp125FAK, and paxillin aligned, although they randomly distributed in static condition. Tyrosine kinase inhibitor tyrphostin A25 (100 microM) inhibited not only the tyrosine phosphorylation of pp125FAK and paxillin but also the redistribution of pp125FAK and paxillin, morphological change, and migration of EC induced by strain. These data demonstrate that cyclic strain induced tyrosine phosphorylation and reorganization of pp125FAK and paxillin and suggest that these focal adhesion proteins play a specific role in cyclic strain-induced morphological change and migration.
Airborne Networks with Multi-beam Smart Antennas: Towards a QOS-Supported, Mobility-Predictive MAC

Airborne networks require throughput-efficient MAC for mission-oriented communications. The use of multi-beam smart antennas (MBSAs) could provide the network with better throughput performance since all beams can send out data concurrently. In this paper, we propose a two-layer MAC design for MBSA-based airborne network. In the upper layer, we use TDMA-like schedule control to separate the packet collision domains in multi-beam data transmissions. In the lower layer, we use the CSMA/CA based scheme that is compatible with conventional 802.11 protocols. Such a two-layer scheme significantly reduces the packet contentions and thus improves the throughput. In addition, in order to support mission priorities in the network, we introduce the QoS-oriented MAC control in both upper and lower layers. Furthermore, a mesh network time synchronization method is proposed to guarantee the beam synchronization. A Hierarchical Dirichlet Process (HDP) enhanced Hidden Markov Model (HMM) is used for mobility prediction in each beam (direction) of a node. These approaches could better exploit the benefits of MBSAs. The simulation results show that our proposed MAC protocol outperforms the standard 802.11 DCF and general MBSA-based MAC designs. The validation of the QoS control, synchronization and prediction schemes are also evaluated. It turns out that these schemes could greatly improve the overall performance of the airborne networks.
MO‐AB‐204‐00: Interoperability in Radiation Oncology: IHE‐RO Committee Update

You’ve experienced the frustration: vendor A’s device claims to work with vendor B’s device, but the practice doesn’t match the promise. Getting devices working together is the hidden art that Radiology and Radiation Oncology staff have to master. To assist with that difficult process, the Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) effort was established in 1998, with the coordination of the Radiological Society of North America. Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) is a consortium of healthcare professionals and industry partners focused on improving the way computer systems interconnect and exchange information. This is done by coordinating the use of published standards like DICOM and HL7. Several clinical and operational IHE domains exist in the healthcare arena, including Radiology and Radiation Oncology. The ASTRO-sponsored IHE Radiation Oncology (IHE-RO) domain focuses on radiation oncology specific information exchange. This session will explore the IHE Radiology and IHE RO process for; IHE solicitation process for new profiles. Improving the way computer systems interconnect and exchange information in the healthcare enterprise Supporting interconnectivity descriptions and proof of adherence by vendors Testing and assuring the vendor solutions to connectivity problems. Including IHE profiles in RFPs for future software and hardware purchases. Learning Objectives: 1. Understand IHE role in improving interoperability in health care. 2. Understand process of profile development and implantation. 3. Understand how vendors prove adherence to IHE RO profiles. S. Hadley, ASTRO Supported Activity
Voluntary adolescent drinking enhances excitation by low levels of alcohol in a subset of dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area.

Enhanced dopamine (DA) neurotransmission from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the ventral striatum is thought to drive drug self-administration and mediate positive reinforcement. We examined neuronal firing rates in slices of mouse midbrain following adolescent binge-like alcohol drinking and find that prior alcohol experience greatly enhanced the sensitivity to excitation by ethanol itself (10-50 mM) in a subset of ventral midbrain DA neurons located in the medial VTA. This enhanced response after drinking was not associated with alterations of firing rate or other measures of intrinsic excitability. In addition, the phenomenon appears to be specific to adolescent drinking, as mice that established a drinking preference only after the onset of adulthood showed no change in alcohol sensitivity. Here we demonstrate not only that drinking during adolescence induces enhanced alcohol sensitivity, but also that this DA neuronal response occurs over a range of alcohol concentrations associated with social drinking in humans.
Neural Geometry Revealed by Neurocomputer Analysis of Multi-Unit Recordings

A basic goal of neurocomputing is to identify, from biological neural nets, the mathematics intrinsic to neural net function. This is not only a basic research goal — but fundamental to electronic implementation to neurocomputers. To experimentally measure neural geometry, from up to ten cerebellar Purkinje cells of locomotory cats, multi-electrode recordings were obtained and the metric tensors of the functional manifold were calculated. The covariant metric tensor was calculated by cross-correlation analysis and the contravariant metric tensor was obtained by its Moore-Penrose inverse. For analysis of massively parallel data, a transputer-based neurocomputer was built. Results demonstrate the non-Euclidean geometry intrinsic to neural nets and its modifiability with learning.
Nicotine withdrawal-induced inattention is absent in alpha7 nAChR knockout mice.

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the USA, but quit attempts result in withdrawal-induced cognitive dysfunction and predicts relapse. Greater understanding of the neural mechanism(s) underlying these cognitive deficits is required to develop targeted treatments to aid quit attempts. We examined nicotine withdrawal-induced inattention in mice lacking the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) using the five-choice continuous performance test (5C-CPT). Mice were trained in the 5C-CPT prior to osmotic minipump implantation containing saline or nicotine. Experiment 1 used 40 mg kg−1 day−1 nicotine treatment and tested C57BL/6 mice 4, 28, and 52 h after pump removal. Experiment 2 used 14 and 40 mg kg−1 day−1 nicotine treatment in α7 nAChR knockout (KO) and wildtype (WT) littermates tested 4 h after pump removal. Subsets of WT mice were killed before and after pump removal to assess changes in receptor expression associated with nicotine administration and withdrawal. Nicotine withdrawal impaired attention in the 5C-CPT, driven by response inhibition and target detection deficits. The overall attentional deficit was absent in α7 nAChR KO mice despite response disinhibition in these mice. Synaptosomal glutamate mGluR5 and dopamine D4 receptor expression were reduced during chronic nicotine but increased during withdrawal, potentially contributing to cognitive deficits. The α7 nAChR may underlie nicotine withdrawal-induced deficits in target detection but is not required for response disinhibition deficits. Alterations to the glutamatergic and dopaminergic pathways may also contribute to withdrawal-induced attentional deficits, providing novel targets to alleviate the cognitive symptoms of withdrawal during quit attempts.
What is the place of lecture in higher education

One of the most central topics in instructional communication is the manner in which instructors and students orally communicate about course content. This communication can take place in the form ...
A two-stage stochastic optimization model for scheduling electric vehicle charging loads to relieve distribution-system constraints

Abstract Electric vehicles (EVs) hold promise to improve the energy efficiency and environmental impacts of transportation. However, widespread EV use can impose significant stress on electricity-distribution systems due to their added charging loads. This paper proposes a centralized EV charging-control model, which schedules the charging of EVs that have flexibility. This flexibility stems from EVs that are parked at the charging station for a longer duration of time than is needed to fully recharge the battery. The model is formulated as a two-stage stochastic optimization problem. The model captures the use of distributed energy resources and uncertainties around EV arrival times and charging demands upon arrival, non-EV loads on the distribution system, energy prices, and availability of energy from the distributed energy resources. We use a Monte Carlo-based sample-average approximation technique and an L-shaped method to solve the resulting optimization problem efficiently. We also apply a sequential sampling technique to dynamically determine the optimal size of the randomly sampled scenario tree to give a solution with a desired quality at minimal computational cost. We demonstrate the use of our model on a Central-Ohio-based case study. We show the benefits of the model in reducing charging costs, negative impacts on the distribution system, and unserved EV-charging demand compared to simpler heuristics. We also conduct sensitivity analyses, to show how the model performs and the resulting costs and load profiles when the design of the station or EV-usage parameters are changed.
Outcomes of shoulder arthroplasty in haematopoietic stem cell transplant patients

With the growing population of patients undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCTs), the demand for shoulder arthroplasty (SA) in this population can be expected to increase. No studies in the literature have examined the outcomes of SA in HSCT patients. A retrospective review of 11 SAs in 10 patients with previous HSCT was performed. We characterized the clinical outcomes, survivorship, and peri-operative complication rates in patients who underwent SA after receiving a HSCT. We also performed a subanalysis based on implant and transplant type. Seven of ten patients died with average two and five year post-operative patient survival rates of 70% +/− 14% and 47% +/− 17%, respectively. At average follow up of 4.2 years of the seven patients with two year followup, pain and range of motion improved with SA (p = 0.0625–0.2500). At final follow-up, five of seven shoulders were rated as satisfactory or excellent with modified Neer ratings. Two and five year survival rates free of re-operation were 100% +/− 0% and 67% +/− 27%, respectively. There were no other complications. No differences in outcomes were seen based on implant or transplant type besides RSA being associated with greater mortality risk (p = 0.0424, hazard ratio = 10.6). Patients with previous HSCT who undergo SA can expect to have good pain relief, range of motion improvement, subjective satisfaction, and low peri-operative complication rate with appropriate choice of implant. However, surgeons must inform patients about realistic post-operative outcomes given the high post-operative mortality rate. Level of Evidence: Level IV, Prognosis.
Mechanically dynamic PDMS substrates to investigate changing cell environments

Mechanics of the extracellular matrix (ECM) play a pivotal role in governing cell behavior, such as cell spreading and differentiation. ECM mechanics have been recapitulated primarily in elastic hydrogels, including with dynamic properties to mimic complex behaviors (e.g., fibrosis); however, these dynamic hydrogels fail to introduce the viscoelastic nature of many tissues. Here, we developed a two-step crosslinking strategy to first form (via platinum-catalyzed crosslinking) networks of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and then to increase PDMS crosslinking (via thiol-ene click reaction) in a temporally-controlled manner. This photoinitiated reaction increased the compressive modulus of PDMS up to 10-fold within minutes and was conducted under cytocompatible conditions. With stiffening, cells displayed increased spreading, changing from ∼1300 to 1900 μm2 and from ∼2700 to 4600 μm2 for fibroblasts and mesenchymal stem cells, respectively. In addition, higher myofibroblast activation (from ∼2 to 20%) for cardiac fibroblasts was observed with increasing PDMS substrate stiffness. These results indicate a cellular response to changes in PDMS substrate mechanics, along with a demonstration of a mechanically dynamic and photoresponsive PDMS substrate platform to model the dynamic behavior of ECM.
A facial recognition method based on DMW transformed partitioned images

A new approach based on applying the Two Dimensional Discrete Multiwavelet Transform (2D DMWT) to the partitioned faces is proposed in this paper for face recognition. First, the input facial image is divided into six parts in the preprocessing step to reduce the effect of the unnecessary information (background) on the system performance. Then, the 2D DMWT is applied to each part for feature extraction and dimensionality reduction. Finally, the l2-Norm is applied for further data compression. These features are classified using a Neural Network (NN) classifier. The proposed techniques are evaluated using four databases, namely, ORL, YALE, FERET, and FEI. These databases cover a wide variety of facial variations, such as facial expressions, rotations, illuminations, etc. K-fold Cross Validation is used to analyze the experimental results. The proposed system is shown to improve the recognition rates as well as reduce the storage requirements compared to the existing approaches.
The Global Urban History Project

This paper introduces Planning Perspectives readers to the Global Urban History Project (GUHP), a new initiative to support sustained conversations in the field of global urban history that has imp...
'Pretos e Brancos': Brito Camacho e o olhar antropológico da literatura colonial

In this article I explore the connections between colonial literature and an­thropology during the first decades of the twentieth century. Through the analysis of Brito Camacho’s Pretos e Brancos (1926), I argue that some of the literary works that won the Contest of Colonial Literature are imbued with an anthropologic gaze. By this, I mean that colonial literature and anthropology were constituted as two intertwined colonial “knowledges” from the beginning of the colonial project. Both “knowledges” -literary and anthropological- served the objective of the construction and legitimi­zation of the Portuguese colonial empire. --- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22409/abriluff.2018n20a494
Affect, emotion, and media audiences: the case of resilient reception:

In this article, I place qualitative audience research in conversation with theories of affect. Informed by participant data from two qualitative audience studies I have conducted with lesbian, gay...
Caribbean Families: Social and Emotional Problems

Families from the English-speaking Caribbean now comprise 30% of immigrants in New York State. Given the increase of Caribbean referrals to psychiatric hospitals and mental health clinics, it is important to begin examining more seriously the needs of this immigrant group. The concept of mental illness, risk factors that can lead to mental disorders, commonly accepted psychopathological disorders, issues in assessment and treatment as they apply to this cultural group are discussed in this article. A model for treatment—the multiculutral/multimodal/multisystems approach is examined.
The emerging roles of BNP and accelerated cardiac protocols in emergency laboratory medicine.

BACKGROUND: The role of the clinical laboratory in emergency cardiac medicine is rapidly evolving; with recent redefinitions of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and unstable angina (UA) based on troponin levels, recommended acceleration of cardiac testing protocols, and increased clinical measurement of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP). We briefly review the background pathophysiology of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and congestive heart failure (CHF), along with an overview of the biochemistry and physiology of the natriuretic peptides. METHODS: The assay principles and performance characteristics of the rapid BNP assays are discussed. The performance characteristics of troponin assays are at the center of controversy regarding the redefinition of AMI and UA, and will be discussed. RESULTS: We review the rapidly expanding evidence regarding the clinical utility of BNP for CHF patients. While BNP has gained wide acceptance as a rapid diagnostic tool, considerable controversy remains concerning its potential for prognosis, screening, and therapeutic monitoring. Although a thorough discussion of the use of cardiac markers is well beyond the scope of this review, overviews of the redefinitions of AMI and UA, and the trend toward accelerated testing protocols to obtain a quicker diagnosis or ruling-out of AMI are included. In addition to accelerating the retesting of existing markers, a recent test for ischemia modified albumin (IMA) promises another quantum leap in cardiac diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS: The positive impact of these developments on the healthcare costs and overall improvement in the quality of healthcare delivery will be discussed. A brief analysis of the downstream costs of BNP testing is also offered. ABBREVIATIONS:ACS = acute coronary syndromes; AMI = acute myocardial infarction; BNP = B-type natriuretic peptide; CHF = congestive heart failure; COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; ECG = electrocardiogram; ED = emergency department; hsCRP = high sensitivity C-reactive protein; IMA = ischemia modified albumin; LV = left ventricular; MI = myocardial infarction; NCAB = National Academy of Clinical Biochemists; NPV = negative predictive value; NYHA = New York Heart Association; PE = pulmonary embolism; RAAS = renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system; RV = right ventricular; UIA = unstable I angina.
Textural quality assessment for fresh fruits and vegetables.

Texture is critical to the acceptability of fruits and vegetables, both fresh and cooked. This article focuses primarily on texture measurement of fresh (raw, uncooked) fruits and vegetables. It is important to remember that fruits and vegetables continue to metabolize, synthesize, and catabolize after harvest. In order to study the chemical and physiological mechanisms of textural changes during the development and senescence of fruits and vegetables, it is critical to be able to measure the texture. Although the term is widely used, texture is not a single, well-defined attribute. It is a collective term that encompasses the structural and mechanical properties of a food and their sensory perception in the hand or in the mouth.
Cloning and functional expression of an esterase gene in Aspergillus parasitcus.

Within the 80 kb aflatoxin pathway gene cluster characterized earlier, and between adhA and norA genes, we have identified an estA gene encoding an esterase from wild type strain Aspergillus parasiticus SRRC 143. The 1,500 bp genomic DNA and 945 bp cDNA sequences were determined for estA. Outside of the aflatoxin pathway gene cluster, an additional copy of the estA gene (named estA2) was also cloned from the same A. parasiticus strain. Comparison of the estA and estA2 sequences showed 9 substitutions within the 314 amino acid residues of their gene products, and no apparent defect was identified in theestA2. The estA gene is a homolog of the stcI gene identified in A. nidulans involved in the biosynthesis of sterigmatocystin and dihydro-sterigmatocystin for the conversion of versiconal hemiacetal acetate to versiconal. Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) experiments demonstrated that the estA is constitutively expressed. And only this estA gene, which is located within the aflatoxin pathway gene cluster, is expressed; no expression of the estA2 gene was detected under both aflatoxin conducive and non-conducive conditions. Possible reasons for the preferential expression of the estA over the estA2 gene have been discussed.