cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Taste Bud Homeostasis in Health, Disease, and Aging

The mammalian taste bud is an onion-shaped epithelial structure with 50–100 tightly packed cells, including taste receptor cells, supporting cells, and basal cells. Taste receptor cells detect nutrients and toxins in the oral cavity and transmit the sensory information to gustatory nerve endings in the buds. Supporting cells may play a role in the clearance of excess neurotransmitters after their release from taste receptor cells. Basal cells are precursor cells that differentiate into mature taste cells. Similar to other epithelial cells, taste cells turn over continuously, with an average life span of about 8–12 days. To maintain structural homeostasis in taste buds, new cells are generated to replace dying cells. Several recent studies using genetic lineage tracing methods have identified populations of progenitor/stem cells for taste buds, although contributions of these progenitor/stem cell populations to taste bud homeostasis have yet to be fully determined. Some regulatory factors of taste cell differentiation and degeneration have been identified, but our understanding of these aspects of taste bud homoeostasis remains limited. Many patients with various diseases develop taste disorders, including taste loss and taste distortion. Decline in taste function also occurs during aging. Recent studies suggest that disruption or alteration of taste bud homeostasis may contribute to taste dysfunction associated with disease and aging.
Error Correction during Text Entry with Word-Processing Systems

To answer questions related to keying errors and error corrections, performance data were collected from typists as they keyed text into a simulated word-processing system. Data are presented on the frequency of error detection, the amount of time spent correcting errors, the number of characters erased per error correction, and the types of errors corrected. Comparisons are also made between corrected and uncorrected errors.
Parts entropy methods for robotic assembly system design

Assembly tasks require the feeding, acquisition, orientation, and mating of parts subject to contact forces. Positional entropy provides an efficient tool for describing an assembly task and its system implementation in terms of the uncertainty in position and orientation of parts as the assembly sequence progresses. A parts entropy measure H Q (X) may be calculated from the probability distribution of parts positions and orientations at a given assembly step defined over an ensemble of repeated assembly tasks. The part entropy may be reduced mechanically by containerization, fixturing, manipulation, or product redesign. The part entropy may also be reduced using sensors (typically vision or tactile) by reducing the conditional entropy H Q (X/Y) due to the sensory measurement. The information obtained about part position may be defined in terms of the mutual information I(X;Y). In these terms, the goal of an assembly system is to reduce the joint entropy among parts by mating them in stable configurations. The positional entropy concept provides a unifying tool for assessing the relative effectiveness of systems designs which incorporate both mechanical and sensor-based techniques. The approach may also provide a useful ingredient for quantitative assessment of product designs, complexity of assembly procedures, and flexibility of assembly systems. An example of the use of positional entropy for analysis of an electronic assembly task is given.
Nanoengineered Quantum Dot Active Medium for Thermally-Stable Laser Diodes

The influence of a nanoengineering procedure on the properties of single- and multi-layer self-assembled InAs quantum dot (QDs) has been studied using photoluminescence, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and electroluminescence. Optical properties of QDs were optimized by shape engineering via adjustment of a GaAs overlayer thickness prior to a heating (truncation) step. TEM micrographs have confirmed that the employed growth procedure results in truncated pyramidal QDs covered entirely by AlAs with smooth top interfaces. Truncated QDs with two-monolayer-thick AlAs capping have demonstrated a strong blue shift of ground state (GS) energies and up to 10 meV larger separation between GS and first excited state energy levels as compared to non-capped QDs. We believe that AlAs capping, in combination with truncation procedure, results in significant suppression of carrier transport between QDs within the same layer as well as between QD layers. A record high characteristic temperature for GS lasing threshold, T0 = 380 K up to 55 °C, as well as a maximum saturated gain of 16 (5.3 per layer) cm−1, were measured for a 1.22 μm edge-emitting lasers with this truncated triple layer QD gain medium. A maximum saturated gain, 27 (3.9 per layer) cm−1, and T0 = 110 K have been demonstrated in a 1.19 μm lasers with truncated seven layer QD medium.
Chemomechanics of complex materials: challenges and opportunities in predictive kinetic timescales

What do nanoscopic biomolecular complexes between the cells that line our blood vessels have in common with the microscopic silicate glass fiber optics that line our communication highways, or with the macroscopic steel rails that line our bridges? To be sure, these are diverse materials which have been developed and studied for years by distinct experimental and computational research communities. However, the macroscopic functional properties of each of these structurally complex materials pivots on a strong yet poorly understood interplay between applied mechanical states and local chemical reaction kinetics. As is the case for many multiscale material phenomena, this chemomechanical coupling can be abstracted through computational modeling and simulation to identify key unit processes of mechanically altered chemical reactions. In the modeling community, challenges in predicting the kinetics of such structurally complex materials are often attributed to the so-called rough energy landscape, though rigorous connection between this simple picture and observable properties is possible for only the simplest of structures and transition states. By recognizing the common effects of mechanical force on rare atomistic events ranging from molecular unbinding to hydrolytic atomic bond rupture, we can develop perspectives and tools to address the challenges of predicting macroscopic kinetic consequences in complex materials characterized by rough energy landscapes. Here, we discuss the effects of mechanical force on chemical reactivity for specific complex materials of interest, and indicate how such validated computational analysis can enable predictive design of complex materials in reactive environments.
Advanced sensorless drive technique for multiphase BLDC Motors

The main purpose of this paper is to develop a new position sensorless drive method for multiphase brushless DC (BLDC) motors. A BLDC motor with higher number of phases has several advantages. It can reduce the ampere-turns and torque pulsation and increase the efficiency and iron utilization. Also, it is well used for fault tolerant motor drive systems as in military applications. With the developed speed-independent, new position information that is computed in a microprocessor, highly accurate sensorless operation can be realized for multiphase BLDC motors. The operational principle of the proposed sensorless drive for multiphase BLDC motors is theoretically analyzed and the performance is demonstrated by computer simulations and experiments in detail.
PARAMETER SETTING IN LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

PARAMETER SETTING IN LANGUAGE ACQUISITION. Dalila Ayoun. New York: Continuum, 2003. Pp. x + 212. $110.00 cloth.This book presents an overview of the parameter setting theory of learnability in first (L1) and second (L2) language acquisition within the generative linguistic framework. It also attempts to challenge and refine common assumptions underlying the model. The book comprises five central chapters as well as short introductory and concluding chapters. The introductory chapter summarizes the general aim of the book and the specific aims of the chapters to follow. In chapter 2, Ayoun presents historical background on the concept of parameter throughout different versions of generative linguistics and distinguishes the standard notion of parameter from the notions of associated clusters of structures, microparameters (referring to structures), and macroparameters (which apply to a family of typologically different languages). This chapter also reviews the concept of parameter setting for language changes, creole formation, computational linguistics, and neurolinguistics, ending with a brief discussion of Universal Grammar and the Critical Period Hypothesis. In brief, this chapter argues that the parameter setting approach is a model worthy of further development and refinement, capable of explaining and predicting a wide range of phenomena in linguistic theory and its applications despite misunderstandings and lack of clarity in the field.
REDUCING ELECTRON CONTAMINATION FOR PHOTON BEAM-QUALITY SPECIFICATION

The percentage depth dose at 10 cm in a 10×10‐cm2photon beam at an SSD of 100 cm, %dd(10), is a better beam‐quality specifier for radiotherapy beams than the commonly used values of TPR 10 20 or nominal accelerating potential. The presence of electron contamination affects the measurement of %dd(10) but can be removed by the use of a 0.1‐cm lead filter, which reduces surface dose from contaminant electrons from the accelerator by more than 95% for radiotherapy beams with energies from 60Co to 50 MV. The filter performs best when it is placed immediately below the head. An electron‐contamination correction factor is introduced to correct for electron contamination from the filter and air. It converts the %dd(10) which includes the electron contamination with the filter in place [hereafter %dd(10)m], into %dd(10) for just the photons in the filtered beam. The correction factor is a linear function of %dd(10)m for all filtered beams with %dd(10)m>70%. A small correction for the photon filtering effect converts the pure photon %dd(10) for the filtered beam into that for the unfiltered beam, which can be used to determine stopping‐power ratio. Calculations show that the values of water‐to‐air stopping power ratio in the unfiltered beam are related to the values of %dd(10)m in the filtered beam by a cubic function. The uncertainty of stopping‐power ratios in unfiltered beams for the same value of the %dd(10)m is within 0.2% for all beams.
Parametric Fortran – A Program Generator for Customized Generic Fortran Extensions

We describe the design and implementation of a program generator that can produce extensions of Fortran that are specialized to support the programming of particular applications. Extensions are specified through parameter structures that can be referred to in Fortran programs to specify the dependency of program parts on these parameters. By providing parameter values, a parameterized Fortran program can be translated into a regular Fortran program.
Source-Dependent and Source-Independent Controls on Plutonium Oxidation State and Colloid Associations in Groundwater

Plutonium (Pu) was characterized for its isotopic composition, oxidation states, and association with colloids in groundwater samples near disposal basins in F-Area of the Savannah River Site and compared to similar samples collected six years earlier. Two sources of Pu were identified, the disposal basins, which contained a 24Pu/l39Pu isotopic signature consistent with weapons grade Pu, and 244Cm, a cocontaminant that is a progenitor radionuclide of 24Pu. 24Pu that originated primarily from 244Cm tended to be appreciably more oxidized (Pu(V/VI)), less associated with colloids (approximately 1 kDa - 0.2 microm), and more mobile than 239Pu, as suggested by our prior studies at this site. This is not evidence of isotope fractionation but rather "source-dependent" controls on 240Pu speciation which are processes that are not at equilibrium, i.e., processes that appear kinetically hindered. There were also "source-independent" controls on 239Pu speciation, which are those processes that follow thermodynamic equilibrium with their surroundings. For example, a groundwater pH increase in one well from 4.1 in 1998 to 6.1 in 2004 resulted in an order of magnitude decrease in groundwater 239Pu concentrations. Similarly, the fraction of 239Pu in the reduced Pu(III/IV) and colloidal forms increased systematically with decreases in redox condition in 2004 vs 1998. This research demonstrates the importance of source-dependent and source-independent controls on Pu speciation which would impact Pu mobility during changes in hydrological, chemical, or biological conditions on both seasonal and decadal time scales, and over short spatial scales. This implies more dynamic shifts in Pu speciation, colloids association, and transport in groundwater than commonly believed.
Identification of upstream promoter elements mediating early transcription from the 35,000-molecular-weight protein gene of Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus

Site-directed mutagenesis was used to examine the organization of cis-acting regulatory elements that comprise the promoter of the early 35,000-molecular-weight protein gene (35K protein gene) encoded by the EcoRI-S region of the baculovirus Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus. The promoter fragment, extending from positions -226 to +12 relative to the early RNA start site (position +1), was fused to the reporter gene encoding chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) and then inserted into the genome of recombinant viruses (3.96 map units) in order to ascertain the role of regulatory elements in the context of a normal infection. A combination of deletions and linker insertions revealed that early transcription was mediated by a basal (minimum) promoter, consisting of the TATA element (positions -30 to -25), that was in turn responsive to an upstream activating region located between -90 and -30. The TATA element exerted the single greatest influence on the level of early promoter activity and contained all information necessary to direct transcription from a site located 30 nucleotides downstream. The upstream activating region provided a 10- to 15-fold stimulation of transcription from the early +1 start site that was mediated by distinct DNA elements. These regulatory elements included two GC motifs (centered at positions -81 and -54, respectively), composed of alternating G and C residues, and a CGT motif (position -40) that contained the core sequence A(A/T)CGT(G/T). Each motif was required for full promoter activity during the early phase of infection. This organization that employs diverse cis-acting stimulatory elements is typical of promoters responsive to RNA polymerase II and may facilitate increased expression of A. californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus genes early in infection when the level of viral DNA for transcription is critically low.
Vascular Responses to Chlamydia pneumoniae Infection

Chlamydia pneumoniae is an obligate intracellular pathogen that has been found in atherosclerotic lesions and chronic infection has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. C. pneumoniae infects all of the cell types in normal and diseased blood vessels. In this chapter, we discuss the receptors that mediate the cellular uptake of C. pneumoniae and the unique intracellular developmental cycle of C. pneumoniae including conversion to a persistent phenotype. We further discuss the specific in vitro responses of vascular cells to C. pneumoniae infection with a focus on the role of toll-like receptors and induction of cytokine expression as well as effects on cellular metabolism and turnover. We also discuss the in vivo responses including the effects on vascular reactivity and atherosclerosis and include discussion of the results of clinical trials with antibiotics for reducing cardiovascular disease end points. We conclude the chapter by discussing how C. pneumoniae infection can have indirect systemic effects that could have an impact on the progression of vascular disease.
Dynamical properties of AlN nanostructures and heterogeneous interfaces predicted using COMB potentials

Abstract A new empirical variable charge potential has been developed for AlN within the third-generation charge optimized many-body (COMB3) potential framework. The potential is able to reproduce the fundamental physical properties of AlN, including cohesive energy, elastic constants, defect formation energies, surface energies and phonon properties of AlN obtained from experiments and first-principles calculations. The thermodynamic properties of the Al(1 1 1)-AlN ( 1 0 1 ¯ 0 ) and Al 2 O 3 (0 0 0 1)-AlN ( 1 0 1 ¯ 0 ) interfaces and the tensile response of AlN nanowires and nanotubes are investigated in classical molecular dynamical (MD) simulations using this COMB3 potential. The results demonstrate that the potential is well suited to model heterogeneous materials in the Al–O–N system. Most importantly, the fully transferrable potential parameters can be seamlessly coupled with existing COMB3 parameters of other elements to enable MD simulations for an even wider range of heterogeneous materials systems.
Skeletal light-scattering accelerates bleaching response in reef-building corals

At the forefront of ecosystems adversely affected by climate change, coral reefs are sensitive to anomalously high temperatures which disassociate (bleaching) photosynthetic symbionts (Symbiodinium) from coral hosts and cause increasingly frequent and severe mass mortality events. Susceptibility to bleaching and mortality is variable among corals, and is determined by unknown proportions of environmental history and the synergy of Symbiodinium- and coral-specific properties. Symbiodinium live within host tissues overlaying the coral skeleton, which increases light availability through multiple light-scattering, forming one of the most efficient biological collectors of solar radiation. Light-transport in the upper ~200 μm layer of corals skeletons (measured as ‘microscopic’ reduced-scattering coefficient, $$ \mu ^{\prime}_{{S,m}} $$ ), has been identified as a determinant of excess light increase during bleaching and is therefore a potential determinant of the differential rate and severity of bleaching response among coral species. Here we experimentally demonstrate (in ten coral species) that, under thermal stress alone or combined thermal and light stress, low- $$ \mu ^{\prime}_{{S,m}} $$ corals bleach at higher rate and severity than high- $$ \mu ^{\prime}_{{S,m}} $$ corals and the Symbiodinium associated with low- $$ \mu ^{\prime}_{{S,m}} $$ corals experience twice the decrease in photochemical efficiency. We further modelled the light absorbed by Symbiodinium due to skeletal-scattering and show that the estimated skeleton-dependent light absorbed by Symbiodinium (per unit of photosynthetic pigment) and the temporal rate of increase in absorbed light during bleaching are several fold higher in low- $$ \mu ^{\prime}_{{S,m}} $$ corals. While symbionts associated with low- $$ \mu ^{\prime}_{{S,m}} $$ corals receive less total light from the skeleton, they experience a higher rate of light increase once bleaching is initiated and absorbing bodies are lost; further precipitating the bleaching response. Because microscopic skeletal light-scattering is a robust predictor of light-dependent bleaching among the corals assessed here, this work establishes $$ \mu ^{\prime}_{{S,m}} $$ as one of the key determinants of differential bleaching response.
Data-Driven Learning for Beginners: The Case of German Verb-Preposition Collocations.

Research on data-driven learning (DDL), or teaching and learning languages with the help of electronic corpora, has shown that it is both effective and efficient. Nevertheless, DDL is still far from common pedagogical practice, not least because the empirical research on it is still limited and narrowly focused. This study addresses some gaps in that research by exploring the effectiveness of DDL for teaching low-proficiency learners lexico-grammatical constructions (verb-preposition collocations) in German, a morphologically rich language. The study employed a pretest-posttest design with intact third- and fourth-semester classes for German as a foreign language at a US university. The same collocations were taught to each group during one class period, with one group at each course level taking a paper-based DDL lesson with concordance lines from a native-speaker corpus and the other one taking a traditional rule-based lesson with textbook exercises. These constructions were new to third-semester students, whereas fourth-semester students had been exposed to them in the previous semester. The results show that, whereas the DDL method and the traditional method were both effective and resulted in lexical and grammatical gains, DDL was more effective for teaching new collocations. The study thus argues in favor of using paper-based DDL in the classroom at lower proficiency levels and for languages other than English.
Hydrogeophysical Surveys Of The Trinity And Edwards Aquifers At Camp Bullis, Northern Bexar County, Texas, 2006

In 2002, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Army, began hydrogeologic studies of Camp Bullis in northern Bexar County, Texas, with mapping of hydrogeologic features and hydrostratigraphic units (Clark, 2003) at a scale of 1:24,000. In 2003, a USGS-contracted helicopter electromagnetic (HEM) resistivity and magnetic survey was flown over Camp Bullis and the adjacent Camp Stanley (Figure 1). This paper describes the integrated ground electrical and electromagnetic geophysical surveys that were conducted in 2006 in order to follow up on the previous studies and to map hydrogeologic features in more detail. The goal of the project is to better understand the hydrogeologic framework and structure of the Trinity and Edwards aquifers within the study area. The Edwards aquifer is classified as a sole-source water supply for the city of San Antonio.
Radiation prevention for head CT scan in children

Objective:To evaluate the importance and necessity of radiation protection for head CT scan in children.Methods:According to age,children were divided into four stages.and appropriate scan parameter was selected.Then diagnostic images were got an the same time radiation prevention was performed.Results:Decreasing radiation level of child Subjects could effeotively protect them from radiation.Conclusion:Radiation prevention must beenhanced in children CT scan.
Abstract B51: Modeling the intrinsic and extrinsic influences on breast cancer phenotypic heterogeneity using mouse models and three-dimensional bioprinting

Breast cancer cells exhibit intertumoral and intratumoral heterogeneity due to both tumor cell intrinsic and extrinsic influence. We have been modeling phenotypic heterogeneity in breast cancer using multiple model systems to interrogate the causes of this heterogeneity as well as its effects on therapeutic resistance. Toward this end, we generated a novel, genetically-engineered mouse model of triple negative breast cancer driven by loss of PTEN in combination with low-level deregulated c-Myc expression. Expression of deregulated Myc significantly accelerates tumorigenesis in this model. Histologic and global gene expression analyses reveal that this model generates predominately two phenotypic groups within triple negative breast cancer. One group is composed of fibrotic tumors that have increased ECM deposition as well as increased alpha-Smooth Muscle Actin (SMA) and Fibroblast Associated Protein (FAP) expression in the stroma. These tumors express a Claudin-low molecular signature and have high p-SMAD3 expression. The second group is composed of adenocarcinomas that have less stromal involvement and decreased ECM deposition. In preliminary studies, the more fibrotic tumors exhibit increased resistance to targeted therapeutics. To better understand if this resistance is due to intrinsic or extrinsic influence, we are generating primary cultures of both the tumor and stromal cells from these mice. Through additional in vitro and in vivo studies, we will interrogate the mechanisms of therapeutic resistance. To build upon this approach, we are also utilizing three-dimensional bioprinting to model the heterogeneity of tumor/stroma interactions with human cell lines or primary cultures. For this model, we surround breast cancer cells with stromal cells of the tumor microenvironment, including fibroblasts and endothelial cells. As the structures mature over the course of 1-3 weeks, the cells within these tissues self-organize and respond to extrinsic signals. In this system, we can assess the contribution of distinct cell types to the overall histology of the tissues as well as interrogate the mechanisms driving specific phenotypes by manipulating either the tumor or stromal cells prior to printing. Together, analysis of both the mouse models and bioprinted human tissues will help reveal nodes of crosstalk between breast tumor cells and cells within the microenvironment that affect baseline phenotypic heterogeneity and/or therapeutic efficacy. Citation Format: Ellen M. Langer, Xiaoyan Wang, Juan Liang, Brittany L. Allen-Petersen, Nicholas D. Kendsersky, Tyler Risom, Carl Pelz, Rosalie C. Sears. Modeling the intrinsic and extrinsic influences on breast cancer phenotypic heterogeneity using mouse models and three-dimensional bioprinting. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Breast Cancer Research; Oct 17-20, 2015; Bellevue, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2016;14(2_Suppl):Abstract nr B51.
Inhibition of mitochondrial superoxide generation in rat alveolar macrophages by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate potential role of protein kinase C

We have observed that lucigenin-derived chemiluminescence (CL) measures superoxide anion (O2-) production from two major cellular compartments in rat alveolar macrophages (AMs): extracellular O2- produced by NADPH oxidase; and intracellular O2- produced by the reduction of molecular oxygen by the mitochondrial electron transport chain. Although the treatment of AMs with 30 ng/mL 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) increases the production of O2- by NADPH oxidase, the net result of TPA addition monitors is a decrease in lucigenin-derived CL resulting from inhibition of mitochondrial-derived O2- production. Since protein kinase C (PKC) has been shown to be the cellular receptor through which TPA mediates its effects, it was postulated that activation of PKC inhibits mitochondrial-derived O2- production as measured by lucigenin-derived CL. Studies performed with 50 microM H-7 (a PKC inhibitor) support this hypothesis by blocking the inhibition of mitochondrial-derived CL by TPA, while HA-1004, a negative control for H-7, had no effect on the system. These results suggest that mitochondrial respiration may be modulated by the actions of PKC. Moreover, this observation suggests a novel mechanism whereby chemicals which activate PKC may affect cellular function through modulation of mitochondrial activity.
Assessing nutritional status in elderly patients

The physician can incorporate nutritional assessment of the elderly patient into office practice by considering two questions. First, is the patient at nutritional risk due to disease, disability or medication? Second, is the patient at risk of disease and disability because of poor nutritional status? The four primary components of the nutritional assessment are summarized by the mnemonic ABCD, with A standing for anthropometric measurements such as height and weight; B for biochemical parameters such as the serum albumin level and the hemoglobin count; C for clinical evaluation, including an assessment of functional, social and mental status, the medical history and the physical examination, and D for dietary history, such as the use supplements and the adequacy of the diet.
TU-FG-BRC-00: Radiation and Immunotherapy: How to Ignite Long Term Anti-Cancer Response

There is substantial current interest in the potential of radiation therapy for synergizing with novel immunotherapies to transform irradiated tumor into an immunogenic hub with capacity to ignite a powerful and adaptive longterm anti-cancer response. Interest stems from new insights into fundamental mechanisms underlying interactions between cancer, radiation and the immune system. Radically new immunotherapy approaches have been proposed, which target the immune system, rather than the cancer itself. Promising preliminary results on subsets of patients have led to a surge in research and clinical trials investigating the potential for combining new immunomodulatory agents with radiation therapy. In this symposia, we undertake a basic review of key topics and questions relating to the potential for combining radiation therapy and new immunotherapy approaches, including a focus on opportunities for medical physicists. Learning Objectives: 1. Gain insight into approaches to combining immunotherapy and radiation therapy. 2. Review latest clinical trial data investigating radiation and immunotherapy. 3. Consider how radiation therapy can better stimulate immunogenicity. 4. Explore opportunities for medical physicists in radiation and immunotherapy M Oldham has funding support from Immunolioght Llc
On Diagnostic Accuracy in Audiology: Central Site of Lesion and Central Auditory Processing Disorder Studies.

BACKGROUND In the field of audiology a test protocol (index test) is used to determine the presence or absence of a target condition. The value of an index test rests in its diagnostic accuracy. Results from an index test must be verified through the use of a reference standard. The clinician and researcher should determine the quality and applicability of diagnostic accuracy studies. The Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD) statement was published in response to the low quality of research conducted across many fields of study. It provides guidelines for the development and interpretation of diagnostic accuracy studies. PURPOSE The primary purpose of this article is to assess the degree to which the main principles of diagnostic accuracy studies are used for the detection of central auditory nervous system lesions and a central auditory processing disorder (CAPD). The secondary purpose is to compare the design of these studies to select key guidelines from the STARD statement. The third purpose of this article is to present an argument against the reassignment of diagnostic accuracy values of a particular index test for one target condition (e.g., a central site of lesion) to a different target condition (e.g., a CAPD). RESULTS A review of diagnostic accuracy literature on the detection of a central site of lesion reveals the use of a reference standard for the independent verification of the index test results. However, diagnostic accuracy studies involving index tests for the detection of a CAPD show that independent verification of index test results is nonexistent or at best questionable. CONCLUSION For a particular index test, while the diagnostic accuracy for detection of a central site of lesion may have been determined appropriately, it is inappropriate to reassign these diagnostic accuracy values to a different diagnostic target such as a CAPD.
Chile: Pinochet’s Not Too Silent Revolution

Henry Kissinger, the consummate geopolitician and the secretary of state for the Nixon and Ford administrations, considered the Soviet Union a problem, Chile a nuisance, and Cuba something in between. To Pinochet, Chile was a problem, Cuba a nuisance, and the Soviet Union the problem of the United States. These two divergent perspectives would place the United States and Chile on a collision course. Those working in Chile on behalf of and in behalf of Cuba and the Soviet Union were Pinochet’s enemies. Years later, many in the know would recall that Pinochet was not one of the original and inner plotters to overthrow the Allende regime. In fact, as Allende’s last army chief of staff, Pinochet was vacillating until the chief of the navy gave him the ultimatum either to join or to get off.1 The armed forces were stricken with the fear of the immediate Marxist takeover of the country, especially by followers of the Movimiento Izquierda Revolucionario (MIR), and were prepared to oppose the Allende government and the extreme leftist supporters at all cost. One of the founders of the MIR was Allende’s nephew, for whom the president had respect and admiration, but whom he was unable to control. It was suspected that the Marxists and other leftists were receiving a small amount of financial and material aid from Cuba and Eastern bloc countries including the Soviet Union. This connection was sufficient for the armed forces.
Coming Out in Class: Challenges and Benefits of Active Learning in a Biology Classroom for LGBTQIA Students

Seven students who identified as part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA) community from an active-learning biology class were interviewed. It was fou...
Urethane therapy in leukemia.

1. The results of urethane therapy in 24 cases of leukemia are described. 2. The average daily dose is 4 Gm. orally or intravenously. 3. The drug is irregularly effective. Chronic myelogenous leukemia appears more responsive than the lymphatic variety. 4. Acute leukemias are not significantly altered in course by urethane. 5. Urethane produces a fall in the total leukocyte count in a majority of all types of leukemia. Clinical improvement does not necessarily follow. 6. Nausea is the most frequent side effect of urethane therapy. Possible marrow aplasia is the most dangerous toxic effect. 7. Urethane is of definite, but of limited value in the treatment of chronic leukemia. In some instances, it compares favorably with x-ray therapy, but in general, it is less dependable, particularly in its frequent failure to induce optimum return of normal red cell and platelet values, and optimum regression of organ infiltration.
Quantifying Trust for Robust Fusion While Spectrum Sharing in Distributed DSA Networks

In this paper, we quantify the trustworthiness of secondary nodes that share spectrum sensing reports in a distributed dynamic spectrum access network. We propose a spatio-spectral anomaly monitoring technique that effectively captures anomalies in the spectrum sensing reports shared by individual cognitive radio nodes. Based on this, we propose an optimistic trust model for a system with a normal risk attitude and using approximation to the Beta distribution. For a more conservative and risk averse system, we propose a multinomial Dirichlet distribution-based conservative trust framework. Using a machine learning approach, we classify malicious nodes with a high degree of certainty regardless of their aggressiveness of attacks or variations introduced by the wireless environment. Subsequently, we propose two instantaneous fusion models: 1) optimistic trust-based fusion and 2) conservative trust-based fusion, which exclude untrustworthy sensing reports from participating nodes during spectrum data fusion. Our work considers random, deterministic, and preferential (ON–OFF) attack models to demonstrate the utility of our proposed model under varied attack scenarios. Through extensive simulation experiments, we show that the trust values help identify malicious nodes with a high degree of certainty.
Cascade Production of Lactic Acid from Universal Types of Sugars Catalyzed by Lanthanum Triflate.

Lignocellulosic biomass conversion into value-added platform chemicals in the non-toxic, water-tolerant Lewis acid, and water solutions bears the hallmark of green chemistry. Lactic acid derived from biomass is an important chemical building block for biodegradable polymers such as polylactide. Herein, a universal method of converting lignocellulosic sugars into lactic acid using catalytic amount of water-stable Lewis acid La(OTf) is demonstrated. The lignocellulosic sugars studied in this work include 1) pyrolytic sugars from pyrolysis oil, and 2) sugars derived from ionic liquid (IL)-pretreated biomass. Under moderate conditions (250 °C, 1 h), levoglucosan (major pyrolytic sugar), glucose, and xylose were converted into lactic acid with carbon-based molar yields of 75, 74, and 61 %, respectively. Furthermore, roughly 49 mol % (based on levoglucosan) and 74 wt % (relative to pretreated biomass) of lactic acid were obtained from the conversion of pyrolytic sugars and sugar-rich fraction after lignin removal from switchgrass, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first reported conversion of pyrolytic sugar into lactic acid by chemocatalysis and also lignocellulosic sugars are converted into lactic acid without hydrolysis. This approach could potentially be extended to other lignocellulosic sugars after simple removal of lignin from biomass pretreatment, rendering moderate to high yields of lactic acid.
Size exclusion chromatography of lignin: The mechanistic aspects and elimination of undesired secondary interactions.

Abstract Characterization of lignin and its degradation products, more specifically determination of their molecular weight (MW) distribution, is essential for assessment and applications of these potentially renewable phenolics. Several representative gel filtration and gel permeation systems were evaluated in this work focusing on understanding of undesired secondary non-SEC interactions while utilizing four sets of commercially available polymeric standards as well as low-MW lignin model compounds including diarene standards synthesized in-house. The gel permeation column with a nonpolar highly cross-linked porous polystyrene/divinylbenzene-based stationary phase provided the most effective separation by MW for both low and high MW model compounds. Notably, the column with a higher pore and lower particle size provided a better resolution towards polymeric standards, even though the particle size effect was downplayed in the earlier SEC studies of lignin. For two other evaluated gel filtration and gel permeation columns, the separation was strongly affected by functionalities of the analytes and correlated with the compounds’ pKa rather than MW. We showed that the separation on the stationary phases featuring polar hydroxyl groups led to specific column-analyte secondary interactions, perhaps based on their hydrogen bonding with lignin. Further, the SEC column evaluation yielded similar results with two sets of chemically different standards. This setup may be used as a general approach to selecting an applicable column for lignin SEC analysis. We confirmed the obtained results with a different independent method implementing a novel approach for lignin number-average MW (Mn) calculation based on laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LDI-TOF-MS) data. The determined Mn corroborated the SEC results.
Lensless imaging using silicon photonics optical phased arrays receivers (Conference Presentation)

The ability to integrate optical phased arrays (OPA) on a single silicon-photonics substrate offers a plethora of new opportunities in various fields, including projection and imaging. In this paper, we will discuss some of the trade-offs in the design of OPAs and their application. We investigate OPA receivers which can form and electronically steer a “gazing beam” in a desired direction. We will discuss various architectural and systems choices and present a one-dimensional (1D) OPA and a two dimensional (2D) OPA, as examples. We will demonstrate how an optical heterodyning approach can be used to improve the sensitivity of such OPA and form images directly from the surface of a silicon nano-photonic chip without any lens, additional optical components, or moving parts. We will discuss the design details of a 1D OPA RX camera with a field of view in excess of 60 with a gazing beam width of 0.74 based on a heterodyning architecture. We will also investigate the details of the design of a heterodyne 2D OPA lensless camera which can image with the gazing beam width of 0.75 and the ability to image a field of view of roughly 8 in azimuth and elevation. We will also discuss the concept and implementation of coherent imagers that can be used as highly precise 3D imagers. As an example, we will show 3D imaging at the distance of 0.5m with a resolution of 15um.
Use of patient specific 3D printed (3DP) neurovascular phantoms for mechanical assessment of devices used in image guided minimally invasive procedures

Patient-specific 3D printed phantoms (3DP) can reproduce accurate patient geometry and provide precise tools for Endovascular Image Guided Interventions (EIGI) simulations. We propose to build and test 3DP phantoms which mimic the arterial wall elasticity and surface properties and demonstrate their utility in comprehensive EIGI simulations. 3DP idealized and patient specific vascular phantoms were manufactured using Stratasys Objet 500 Connex 3. The idealized phantoms were created using a sine wave shape, patient specific phantoms were based on CT- angiography volumes. The phantoms were coated with a hydrophilic material to mimic vascular surface properties. We tested various endovascular procedures using an Interventional Device Testing Equipment (IDTE) 2000 and measured push/pull force used to actuate endovascular devices during EIGIs. The force needed to advance devices in neurovascular phantoms varied based on tortuosity, material and coating, ranging from -3 to 21 grams-force. Hydrophilic coating reduced maximum force from 21 to 4.8 grams-force in the same model. IDTE 2000 results of neurovascular models were compared to hand manipulation of guidewire access using a six-axis force sensor with forces ranging from -50 to 440 grams. The clot retriever tested in carotid models experienced most friction around tortuous bends ranging from -65 to -90 grams-force, with increasing rigidity of materials creating increased friction. Sine wave model forces varied from -2 to 105 grams. 3DP allows manufacturing of vascular phantoms with precise mechanical and surface properties which can be used for EIGI simulations for imaging protocol optimization and device behavior assessment.
Pediatric OCD in the era of RDoC.

Abstract The NIMH Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative was established with the goal of developing an alternative research classification to further research efforts in mental health. While RDoC acknowledges that constructs should be considered within a developmental framework, developmental considerations have not yet been well integrated within the existing RDoC matrix. In this paper, we consider RDoC in relation to pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a paradigmatic example of a neuropsychiatric disorder that often has onset in childhood but is also present across the lifespan. We discuss three RDoC subdomains with relevance to OCD as exemplars, providing for each construct a brief review of normative developmental changes, the state of construct-relevant research in pediatric OCD, and challenges and limitations related to developmental considerations within each subdomain. Finally, we conclude with a brief discussion of how RDoC may continue to evolve with regard to developmental considerations in order to further research in pediatric OCD.
Financing Clusters of Innovation: The Geography of Venture Capital Investment, US and UK

While considerable research has sought to understand financial and network foundations of entrepreneurial activity in places such as Silicon Valley and Boston, much has emphasized the urban ecology of talent and expertise. By contrast, this paper focuses upon the financing of clusters of innovation. In this respect, it is a contribution to the emerging synthesis of finance and economic geography initiated by Clark and Freeman, just as it is a contribution to understanding the distinctive attributes of American and British entrepreneurial communities. This paper considers the repercussions of information asymmetries in inherently high-risk and high-uncertainty knowledge markets supported by venture capitalists and other innovation investors. We find seven factors for consideration by decision-makers, public and private. In recent years venture capital research has proliferated within and across a multitude of disciplines; however, if inquiries remain undersocialized (and therefore unreflective of the reality of market decisions), their relevance for competitiveness initiatives will be limited if not misguided.
The case for a session state storage layer

This paper motivates the need for a session state storage layer. Session state is used in a large class of applications. Existing session state storage solutions often rely on ad-hoc choices such as databases or file systems, and exhibit various drawbacks such as poor failure/recovery behavior or poor performance, often because the solutions are too general. We present a design for a simple, fast, scalable, and fault-tolerant session state store that we believe accurately addresses the needs of session state retrieval, while avoiding the drawbacks of existing solutions.
Laboratory Measurements of Alkali Metal Containing Vapors Released during Biomass Combustion

Alkali metals, in particular potassium. have been implicated as key ingredients for enhancing fouling and slagging of heat transfer surfaces in power generating facilities that convert biomass to electricity. When biomass is used as a fuel in boilers, the deposits formed reduce efficiency, and in the worst case lead to unscheduled plant downtime. Blending biomass with other fuels is often used as a strategy to control fouling and slagging problems. Depending on the combustor, sorbents can be added to the fuel mixture to sequester alkali metals. Another possibility is to develop methods of hot gas cleanup that reduce the amount of alkali vapor to acceptable levels. These solutions to fouling and slagging, however, would greatly benefit from a detailed understanding of the mechanisms of alkali release during biomass combustion. Identifying these alkali vapor species and understanding how these vapors enhance deposit formation would also be beneficial.
Approaches to Prevention in Medical Education

In recent years there has been a rapid growth of interest in and knowledge about impaired physicians, and about the emotional, professional, and financial expenses they incur. Increasingly, as these costs have become dearer, attention has turned to preventive as well as to therapeutic programs. This chapter focuses on preventive measures used in educational settings, in medical schools and in a continuing medical education course.
Isolating Fracture-Induced Anisotropy From Background Anisotropy

A material may appear homogeneous and anisotropic when the scale of its fabric is smaller than the wavelengths that measure it. These structures can result from a variety of causes such as the thin layering in composites or stress resultant oriented microcracking. In the case of a stressed composite, the resultant anisotropy is a complex combination of the two component anisotropics. Hood and Schoenberg [1] showed theoretically that the effects of vertical fractures can be separated from a background that is already anisotropic. We propose an ultrasonic experiment designed to verify their theories. The vertical fracturing is scaled and simulated by the plate method of Hsu and Schoenberg [2] and superposed in a transversely isotropic (TI) material. The resultant material is presumed to have orthorhombic symmetry. Contact measurements are made to determine the elastic moduli. The results give the additional compliance that the fractures add to the system as well as the elastic properties of the original background material as if it had no vertical fractures.