cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kinematics of Specifically Captured Circulating Tumor Cells in Bio-Functionalized Microchannels

The attachment kinematics of cancer cells under hydrodynamic loading in antibody-functionalized microchannels has been studied. Epithelial-cell-adhesion-molecule antibodies are immobilized on the microchannel surface for specific capture of the target cancer cells from homogeneous cell suspensions. The specific interaction between the cancer cell receptors and the immobilized antibodies under static conditions is demonstrated. The capture efficiency of the target cells from homogeneous suspensions under applied hydrodynamic flow field has been investigated, revealing a characteristic shear stress. Applying a lower stress allows the capture of most target cells, while the capture efficiency drops sharply with an increasing shear stress. The captured cells are spatially distributed along the microchannel; both the velocity and the distance travelled by cells prior to capture are measured. The characteristic time and length scales for cell capture are determined, and a log-normal statistical distribution is proposed to describe the observations. Furthermore, a first-order kinetic model for receptor-ligand bond formation provides a rough estimate of the cell adhesion rate constant. Under a low shear stress, the on-rate is much higher than the off-rate, allowing capture of most loaded cells. The off-rate constant increases exponentially with an increasing shear stress, such that above the characteristic stress level, most loaded cells avoid capture.
THE TREATMENT OF HYPERTENSION AND DYSLIPIDEMIA IN DIABETES MELLITUS

ripheral vascular disease are two to four times more likely in patients who have diabetes mellitu~.2~,*~ In 50-year-old survivors, who largely escaped the premature macrovascular disease, absence or cessation of smoking, lower body mass index (BMI), normal or controlled blood pressure, and absence of dyslipidemia are more common than in case-matched patients who die prematurely of vascular complication^.^^ In type 1 diabetes, hypertension often is associated with nephropathy, although it can and does occur in the absence of renal disease, and, as in type 2 diabetes, is associated with increased cardiovascular disease and mortality and morbidity. Metabolically controlled type 1 patients usually have normolipidemia when studied with conventional testing. In contrast, hypertension, unrelated to nephropathy, develops in nearly 50% of patients with type 2 diabetes, and such patients commonly manifest the stigmata of the insulin resistance syndrome.22 A portion of these abnormalities includes obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and abnormalities of fibronolysis and fibrin~genesis.~~ Epidemiologic and observational studies have clearly linked cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. In many studies, hyperglycemia is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Clinical trial data have now established the cardiovascular and cerebro
Complexities in the Roles of Reading Specialists

As public schools have changed, so have the roles of reading specialists who work within schools. This article describes the findings of a study that examined the challenges of 12 reading specialists from elementary to high school level in both urban and rural schools. The researchers found that reading specialists work in a variety of instructional models, and their roles are misunderstood by administrators and classroom teachers. Additionally, they have limited contact with parents and deal with behavior problems from students, but are not necessarily provided with support systems for dealing with many of the complexities inherent in their work.
Telemedicine for Reach, Education, Access, and Treatment (TREAT): linking telemedicine with diabetes self-management education to improve care in rural communities.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to examine diabetes-related behavioral and psychosocial outcomes as well as patient satisfaction with the Telemedicine for Reach, Education, Access, and Treatment (TREAT) model.MethodsTREAT employs telemedicine services provided by an endocrinologist at an urban area in partnership with a diabetes educator in a rural area, working together with patients and primary care providers (PCPs). Thirty-five patients with type 2 diabetes were referred by PCPs and received glycemic management and education in the TREAT model. A diabetes educator operated the videoconferencing equipment, remained with the patient to receive and review plan communicated by the endocrinologist during the visit, coordinated services, administered surveys, and provided self-management education and support. Empowerment, self-care, diabetes distress, adherence to monitoring, and patient satisfaction were assessed by survey at baseline and follow-up.ResultsThere was significant improvement in empowerme...
Accelerating virtual surgery simulation for congenital aural atresia

In this paper, we proposed a new efficient implementation for simulation of surgery planning for congenital aural atresia. We first applied a 2-level image segmentation schema to classify the inner ear structures. Based on it, several 3D texture volumes were generated and sent to graphical pipeline on a PC platform. By exploiting the texturingmapping capability on the PC graphics/video board, a 3D image was created with high quality showing the accurate spatial relationships of the complex surgical anatomy of congenitally atretic ears. Furthermore, we exploited the graphics hardware-supported per-fragment function to perform the geometric clipping on 3D volume data to interactively simulate the procedure of surgical operation. The result was very encouraging.
Computational study of the W260A activating mutant of Src tyrosine kinase

Tyrosine kinases are enzymes playing a critical role in cellular signaling. Mutations causing increased in kinase activity are often associated with cancer and various pathologies. One example in Src tyrosine kinases is offered by the substitution of the highly conserved tryptophan 260 by an alanine (W260A), which has been shown to cause an increase in activity. Here, molecular dynamics simulations based on atomic models are carried out to characterize the conformational changes in the linker region and the catalytic (kinase) domain of Src kinase to elucidate the impact of the W260A mutation. Umbrella sampling calculations show that the conformation of the linker observed in the assembled down-regulated state of the kinase is most favored when the kinase domain is in the inactive state, whereas the conformation of the linker observed in the re-assembled up-regulated state of the kinase is favored when the kinase domain is in the unphosphorylated active-like state. The calculations further indicate that there are only small differences between the WT and W260A mutant. In both cases, the intermediates states are very similar and the down-regulated inactive conformation is the most stable state. However, the calculations also show that the free energy cost to reach the unphosphorylated active-like conformation is slightly smaller for the W260A mutant compared with WT. A simple kinetic model is developed and submitted to a Bayesian Monte Carlo analysis to illustrate how such small differences can contribute to accelerate the trans-autophosphorylation reaction and yield a large increase in the activity of the mutant as observed experimentally.
Selective Activation of C=C Bond in Sustainable Phenolic Compounds from Lignin via Photooxidation: Experiment and Density Functional Theory Calculations

Lignocellulosic biomass can be converted to high-value phenolic compounds, such as food additives, antioxidants, fragrances and fine chemicals. We investigated photochemical and heterogeneous photocatalytic oxidation of two isomeric phenolic compounds from lignin, isoeugenol and eugenol, in several nonprotic solvents, for the first time by experiment and the density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Photooxidation was conducted under ambient conditions using air, near-UV light and commercial P25 TiO2 photocatalyst, and the products were determined by TLC, UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, HPLC-UV and HPLC-MS. Photochemical and photocatalytic oxidation of isoeugenol proceeds via the mild oxidative "dimerization" to produce the lignan dehydrodiisoeugenol (DHDIE), while photooxidation of eugenol does not proceed. The DFT calculations suggest a radical stepwise mechanism for the oxidative "dimerization" of isoeugenol to DHDIE as was calculated for the first time.
Counting on Grandmothers: Black Mothers' and Fathers' Reliance on Grandmothers for Parenting Support:

This article examines Black young adult parents' reliance on grandmothers for parenting support. The sample of 487 parents, 18 to 34 years old, was drawn from the National Survey of Black Americans. Parents most often nominated grandmothers as the person they could count on for child care assistance and parental guidance. Mothers and fathers did not differ in their overall nominations of grandmothers. However, mothers were more likely than fathers to rely on grandmothers for both child care assistance and parenting advice. Fathers were more likely than mothers to rely on grandmothers for child care assistance only. Factors affecting parents' reliance on grandmothers for parenting support varied by gender. For mothers, family closeness, the number of generations in multigeneration family lineages, residence in the rural South, and family proximity were related to increased reliance on grandmothers for parenting support. Among fathers, being employed and family proximity increased their reliance on grandmot...
CGI-58 knockdown in mice causes hepatic steatosis but prevents diet-induced obesity and glucose intolerance

Mutations of Comparative Gene Identification-58 (CGI-58) in humans cause triglyceride (TG) accumulation in multiple tissues. Mice genetically lacking CGI-58 die shortly after birth due to a skin barrier defect. To study the role of CGI-58 in integrated lipid and energy metabolism, we utilized antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) to inhibit CGI-58 expression in adult mice. Treatment with two distinct CGI-58-targeting ASOs resulted in ∼80–95% knockdown of CGI-58 protein expression in both liver and white adipose tissue. In chow-fed mice, ASO-mediated depletion of CGI-58 did not alter weight gain, plasma TG, or plasma glucose, yet raised hepatic TG levels ∼4-fold. When challenged with a high-fat diet (HFD), CGI-58 ASO-treated mice were protected against diet-induced obesity, but their hepatic contents of TG, diacylglycerols, and ceramides were all elevated, and intriguingly, their hepatic phosphatidylglycerol content was increased by 10-fold. These hepatic lipid alterations were associated with significant decreases in hepatic TG hydrolase activity, hepatic lipoprotein-TG secretion, and plasma concentrations of ketones, nonesterified fatty acids, and insulin. Additionally, HFD-fed CGI-58 ASO-treated mice were more glucose tolerant and insulin sensitive. Collectively, this work demonstrates that CGI-58 plays a critical role in limiting hepatic steatosis and maintaining hepatic glycerophospholipid homeostasis and has unmasked an unexpected role for CGI-58 in promoting HFD-induced obesity and insulin resistance.
Multilevel fast multipole algorithm for electromagnetic scattering by large complex objects

The fast multipole method (FMM) and multilevel fast multipole algorithm (MLFMA) are reviewed. The number of modes required, block-diagonal preconditioner, near singularity extraction, and the choice of initial guesses are discussed to apply the MLFMA to calculating electromagnetic scattering by large complex objects. Using these techniques, we can solve the problem of electromagnetic scattering by large complex three-dimensional (3-D) objects such as an aircraft (VFY218) on a small computer.
Modulation of cholesterol levels in broiler meat by dietary garlic and copper

Male Ross x Ross 208 chickens were fed from hatching to 21 d of age either a control diet (based on corn and soybean meal) or the control diet supplemented with 0, 1.5, 3.0, and 4.5% of a commercial garlic powder in Experiments 1 and 2. Once the dose-response relationship was established, 3% garlic powder or 63 or 180 mg/kg copper as cupric citrate or cupric sulfate pentahydrate were supplemented to the diet (Experiments 3, 4, 5, and 6). In the first two experiments, reductions of plasma cholesterol (P = 0.006) and triacylglycerols (P = 0.013) and liver (P = 0.012) and breast muscle (P = 0.165) cholesterol were observed in garlic-supplemented birds. Feeding either garlic powder or copper (63 and 180 mg/kg) resulted in reduced levels of plasma cholesterol, liver cholesterol, blood reduced glutathione, and breast and thigh muscle cholesterol. Differences were significant at P < 0.05 in at least one experiment. 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl reductase activity was decreased due to dietary garlic (P = 0.0369), but not by pharmacological levels of dietary copper (P = 0.982). The activity of fatty acid synthetase was decreased in birds fed copper (P = 0.035). Both garlic and copper supplements decreased cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity (P = 0.024 and P = 0.022, respectively). The results of these trials confirm the findings that garlic and copper alter lipid and cholesterol metabolism. However, they do not work by the same mechanism. Feeding dietary garlic or copper for 21 d reduced cholesterol levels of broiler meat without altering growth of the chickens or feed efficiency.
Drosophila as a Model for Neurodegenerative Disease: Roles of RNA Pathways in Pathogenesis

Human neurodegenerative diseases, including the polyglutamine diseases like Huntington's disease and Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3, are late-onset progressive neurodegenerative disorders for which few cures or treatments are available. To develop new approaches to the understanding of and foundation for therapeutics for these diseases, we are using Drosophila as a model. In these studies, we have expressed the human disease gene for the polyglutamine disorder Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 in flies. Expression of a normal, non-mutant protein with a short polyglutamine stretch has no effect, but expression of a disease form of the protein with an expanded polyglutamine confers late-onset progressive neurodegeneration.
Ion Transport by Mitochondria

The inner membrane of the mitochondrion fulfills several crucial roles in cell metabolism. It segregates the enzymes and metabolites of the major energy-yielding metabolic pathways from alternative reactions in the cytosol and, at the same time, provides pathways for regulated interchange of metabolites between the matrix and nonmitochondrial compartments.(1,2) In addition, a large body of evidence suggests that the primary mode of energy coupling in the mitochondrion consists of pH and electrical gradients across(3) or within(4) the inner membrane of the mitochondrion. It has become apparent that the movement of protons, anions, and cations across the inner membrane can profoundly affect both energy coupling and the regulation of metabolism. It is also clear that we have only begun to understand the pathways that are available to these components in the mitochondrial membrane, and we can expect that future work will provide a complete explanation of the mechanism and control features of these processes.
The Power of a Destination: How Assessment of Clear and Measurable Learning Outcomes Drives Student Learning

This monograph is designed as a practical tool for helping professional responsibility teachers to develop effective and efficient assessment practices. A carefully structured program of assessment - the identification of discrete legal research skills outcomes, with defined levels of proficiency - and tools for assessing those proficiencies, can provide both incentive and structure necessary to effectively preparing students for the daunting responsibilities and challenges of becoming ethical balanced attorneys. The assessment approach to teaching can give faculty and students alike an energy and confidence that will fundamentally change how we think about teaching and learning in law school.
Alcoholic Hepatitis: Risk Factors, Pathogenesis, and Approach to Treatment

Background Alcoholic hepatitis (AH) is an inflammatory disorder of the liver characterized clinically by jaundice, hepatomegaly, and abdominal pain, and histologically by macrovesicular steatosis and necroinflammation. Methods This clinical review will cover what is known about the pathogenesis, clinical presentation, current treatments, and novel therapies for AH. Results The pathogenesis and treatment of AH remain areas of active research. Although abstinence is the cornerstone of therapy for all stages of alcoholic liver disease, corticosteroids have shown modest short-term benefits in treatment of severe AH. Conclusions Improved understanding of the pathogenesis of AH has expanded the range of potential treatments for this devastating disease. Several novel therapies are also currently in various stages of testing through clinical trials.
Business Method Patents Challenge the Purpose and Intent of the Patent System

In ways that could not have been predicted even a few years ago, the patent system is in crisis. A series of unplanned mutations have transformed patents into a positive threat to the digital and internet economy. The patent office has grown entangled in philosophical confusion of its own making; it has become a ferocious generator of litigation; and many technologists believe that is has begun to choke the very innovation it was meant to reward. This article examines the sources and purposes of patent law, the history of software patents, and how such patents in fact challenge the purpose and intent of the patent system. Due to a number of phenomena discussed in the article, thesystem has actually impeded innovation. The conclusions include recommendations for modifying the patent system to better accommodate thecompeting interests of inventor reward and public benefit.
Electrochromic nickel hydroxide films and the effects of foreign metal ions

Studies of the electrochromic properties of nickel hydroxide and related nickel oxide materials have revealed promising characteristics for smart window applications including a high coloration efficiency throughout the visible region' 8. In addition, good durability in electrochromic switching (over 5000 coloration/bleaching cycles with no significant degradation in response) has been reported for sputtered nickel oxide films7. However, there have also been some unfavorable reports about the durability of electrochromic nickel hydroxide films3'5'8. For example, a significant deterioration in the electrochromic response of cathodically deposited nickel hydroxide films has been observed in less than 500 cycles3. Estimates of the number of coloration/bleaching cycles needed for automotive smart window applications are in the range of 105 cycles--enough to allow switching once per mile during a 100,000 mile car lifetime.
Imaging and Imagining Space: How Popular Culture Shapes Our Expectations of Outer Space

It is remarkable to think that visual phenomena that we take for granted today, and that seem self-evident and in no need of further explanation, appear in history only at a specific point in time. Today it is possible, for example, to create and reproduce photographic images of lightning flashes and the Milky Way. In regard to such images, the usual thought is that an image simply represents what already exists. In this chapter, we look into this commonly held belief, because in the history of images this simple relationship between a phenomenon and its representation is called into question by a theoretical perspective that claims the contrary, namely, that images can and do, to some extent, also have an impact on that which is being represented. The fact that people did not always depict phenomena, such as lightning or the Milky Way, and facts about the way they began to do so, allow inferences about their perception of these things (Baigrie 1996; Daston and Galison 2007; Galsion and Jones 1998).
Mantle convection, the asthenosphere, and Earth's thermal history

Calculations of mantle convection generally use constant rates of internal heating and uniform core-mantle boundary temperature while thermal history calculations allow these properties to vary with time but only provide an average mantle temperature. Here I consider 3D spherical convection calculations that run for the age of the Earth with heat producing elements that decrease with time, a cooling core boundary condition, and a mobile lid. The mantle temperature cools with time from a moderately hot initial temperature. I find that the mobile versus stagnant lid has the most significant effect on the average temperature as a function of time in the models, but the lithosphere has less of an effect on the planform, or pattern of hot and cold anomalies. I find the same low-degree (one upwelling or two upwelling) patterns of temperature anomalies with a mobile lid that have previously been found in stagnant-lid calculations. While having less of an effect on the mean mantle temperature, the viscosity of the asthenosphere has a profound effect on the pattern of temperature anomalies, even in the deep mantle. If the asthenosphere is weaker than the upper mantle by more than an order of magnitude, then the low degree (one or two giant upwellings) structure results. If the asthenosphere is less than an order of magnitude weaker than the upper mantle, then the planform has narrow cylindrical upwellings and
Proteomic Evidence for In-Frame and Out-of-Frame Alternatively Spliced Isoforms in Human and Mouse

In order to find evidence for translation of alternatively spliced transcripts, especially those that result in a change in reading frame, we collected exon-skipping cases previously found by RNA-Seq and applied a computational approach to screen millions of mass spectra. These spectra came from seven human and six mouse tissues, five of which are the same between the two organisms: liver, kidney, lung, heart, and brain. Overall, we detected 4 percent of all exon-skipping events found in RNA-seq data, regardless of their effect on reading frame. The fraction of alternative isoforms detected did not differ between out-of-frame and in-frame events. Moreover, the fraction of identified alternative exon-exon junctions and constitutive junctions were similar. Together, our results suggest that both in-frame and out-of-frame translation may be actively used to regulate protein activity or localization.
Follow the Money: Essays on International Taxation – Introduction

Publicity about tax avoidance techniques of multinational corporations and wealthy individuals has moved discussion of international income taxation from the backrooms of law and accounting firms to the front pages of news organizations around the world. In the words of a top Australian tax official, international tax law has now become a topic of barbeque conversations. Public anger has, in turn, brought previously arcane issues of international taxation onto the agenda of heads of government around the world. Despite all the attention, however, issues of international income taxation are often not well understood. This Introduction outlines a collection of essays, written over the past two decades, that reveals how current international tax policy came into place nearly a century ago, critiques the inadequate principles still being used to make international tax policy, identifies and dissects the most prevalent tax avoidance techniques, and offers important suggestions for reform. The book is available for free download via the Yale Law School Library Documents Collection Center.
Red cell velocity during functional hyperemia: implications for rheology and oxygen transport.

Muscle blood flow increases during work. Any associated change in blood velocity that occurs during functional hyperemia can have profound effects on wall shear rate and arteriolar hemoglobin satur...
Transforming the P4 process to enhance mechanical and fracture properties of ULKs

Porous ultra-low-k (ULK) dielectrics hold promise for improving microprocessor performance, but these materials suffer from poor mechanical properties [1] and susceptibility to plasma damage during integration [2, 3). The post-porosity plasma protection (P4) process has emerged as a promising strategy for the protection of ULKs against plasma-induced damage [2, 3), but has not been shown to improve fracture properties. In this work, we transform the P4 process to provide ULKs with dual protection against both plasma damage and mechanical stresses. We infiltrate polymers with a wide range of molecular weights (1 – 103 kg/mol) into porous ULKs, leading to fracture toughness values equal to that of dense silica (10 J/m2). The polymer infiltration process results in a high level of fill (∼100%) and confinement of polymer chains to dimensions far smaller than their bulk radius of gyration. This confinement alters the conformations and inter-molecular interactions of the polymer phase, resulting in novel fracture behavior that has important implications for the reliability and fracture properties of filled ULKs and other materials containing confined polymers.
Electrochemical Etching and Characterization of Sharp Field Emission Points for Electron Impact Ionization

A new variation of the drop-off method for fabricating field emission points by electrochemically etching tungsten rods in a NaOH solution is described. The results of studies in which the etching current and the molarity of the NaOH solution used in the etching process were varied are presented. The investigation of the geometry of the tips, by imaging them with a scanning electron microscope, and by operating them in field emission mode is also described. The field emission tips produced are intended to be used as an electron beam source for ion production via electron impact ionization of background gas or vapor in Penning trap mass spectrometry applications.
Testing Approaches for Stress Relaxation Cracking in Gamma-Prime Strengthened Ni-Base Alloys

Increasing the efficiency and reducing the emissions of coal-fired power plants is most economically accomplished by increasing maximum steam temperatures and pressures. Designs have progressed beyond the temperatures where typical power plant steels are useful and Ni-based superalloys are being investigated for use in the highest temperature areas. Construction with superalloys is common in the aerospace industry where solution annealing heat treatments following welding may be done in a furnace. In power plant construction, solution annealing is difficult with standard postweld heat treatment techniques and directly aging weldments without solution annealing has been studied. The practice of directly aging weldments does not allow for residual stress relaxation to occur before gamma prime precipitation. Simultaneous stress relaxation and precipitation can lead to stress relaxation cracking via a creep mechanism. There is very limited experience with superalloys regarding power plant construction and there is some evidence that stress relaxation cracking could be a problem. Stress relaxation cracking testing approaches, which are not standardized, can be categorized as self-restrained or externally-loaded. Tests typical of each approach are currently underway. Externally-loaded tests typically achieve failure in a short duration by applying uniaxial loads (or strains) and this practice allows some level of quantification. Self-restrained tests require much longer times but can be used to study triaxial stress states. Ongoing testing of a number of Ni-base alloys including 740H, 282, 617, 718 and Waspaloy is reviewed.
Opportunities for industrial uses of agricultural products

The search for and development of non-fuel industrial uses of agricultural commodities is an ongoing endeavour. New technologies which can involve chemically, enzymatic ally, or genetically modifying agricultural products will be required in order meet the requirements of the products of the future, and to continue the eventual switch to an economy based on renewable resources. Adhesives, lubricants, polymers, and inks are some of the industries where we may see even more petrochemical replacement in the near future.
Extended least squares based adaptive control: Robustness analysis

While the standard Least Squares parameter estimation algorithm is applicable for the control of linear stochastic systems in white noise, the Extended Least Squares algorithm is popularly used when the noise is colored. In this paper we examine whether this algorithm, designed to have good stochastic performance, is in fact robust to small unmodeled dynamics and bounded disturbances.
Investment Policy at the Hewlett Foundation (2005)

SUBJECT AREAS: Asset allocation, Asset management, Charities, Foundations, Hedge Funds, Diversification, Investment management, Investments, Real estate investment, Risk management CASE SETTINGS: California; Non-profit institutions This case presents opportunities for students to discuss the design of asset allocation policies for long-term investors, the design and implementation of return overlay (or "alpha transport") strategies, evaluation of performance and risk exposure of hedge fund strategies, portfolio diversification, and investments in non-liquid assets. In early January 2005, Laurance Hoagland Jr., VP and CIO of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (HF), and his investment team met to finish their recommendations to the HF Investment Committee for a new asset allocation policy for the foundation's investment portfolio. If the proposal was approved, HF would adopt a new asset allocation policy that included a substantial reduction in the overall exposure of the investment portfolio to domestic public equities and a significant increase in the allocation to absolute return strategies and TIPS. Hoagland and this team also needed to decide on a complementary recommendation to the HF Investment Committee to pledge approximately 5% of the total value of the portfolio to Sirius V, the latest fund at Sirius Investments, which specialized in global distressed real estate investments.
Abstract 145: Use of Bromocriptine in the Management of Peripartum Cardiomyopathy: A Systematic Review

Background: Prolactin metabolites have been shown to possibly be cardio-toxic in humans and play a role in the pathogenesis of Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM). Some studies have demonstrated medic...
A team-based approach for coverage control of moving sensor networks

The present paper proposes a new team-based approach that allows for forming multiple teams of agents within the coverage control framework. The objective function defined for this purpose tends to minimize the accumulative distance from each agent while reckoning with the given density function that defines the probability of events in the environment to be covered. The proposed team-based approach via the defined optimization problem allows for forming teams of agents when for a variety of reasons, e.g., heterogeneity in their embedded communication capabilities or the dynamics, it is required to keep the similar agents together in the same team. To realize this, the overall objective function is defined as the accumulated sensing cost of individual agents belonging to different teams. The defined collective cost function captures the interdependency of the teams Voronoi cells on the position of the agents that can be viewed as the impact of the dynamic boundaries on the agents. A gradient descent-based controller is designed to ensure the locally optimum configuration of the teams and agents within each team. The convergence of the proposed method is studied to ensure the stability of the implemented controller in both teams and agents final configuration. In addition, a new formation control approach is proposed using the team-based framework to impose either the same or different formation structures while performing the underlying coverage task. It is shown that maintaining the desired configuration through the proposed formation control is achieved at the cost of sacrificing the sensing performance. Finally, the proposed coverage and formation methods are examined via a numerical example where multiple heterogeneous teams of agents with potentially different number of agents are deployed.
Retinal Vascular Branching in Healthy and Diabetic Subjects.

Purpose To measure the effect of nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) on retinal branching. To compare vascular branching in healthy and diabetic subjects with established biophysical models. Methods Vascular bifurcations in arteries and veins were imaged in 17 NPDR and 26 healthy subjects with the Indiana adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope (AOSLO). Vessel measurements were grouped according to parent vessel diameters into large (≤50 ∼ <100 μm) and small (≤20 ∼ <50 μm) sizes. Vessel diameters and bifurcation angles were measured manually. Vascular diameters were compared with predictions of Murray's law using curve fitting. For analysis of bifurcation angles, two models from Zamir were compared: one based on the power required for blood pumping, the other based on drag force between blood and vascular wall. Results For normal larger vessels, the exponent relating the parent and daughter branching diameters was significantly less than the value of 3 predicted by Murray's law (arteries: 2.59; veins: 1.95). In NPDR, the best-fit exponent was close to 3 for arteries but close to 2 in healthy subjects in veins, (arteries: 3.09; veins: 2.16). For both small arteries and veins, diabetics' exponent differed from healthy subjects (P < 0.01). Bifurcation angles in the healthy subjects (78° ± with a standard error (SE) of 0.9°) were not much different than in NPDR (79° ± SE 1.3°). The model based on minimizing pumping power predicted the measurements better than the one minimizing the vascular drag and lumen surface area. Conclusions The relation between parent and daughter branch diameters changes in diabetes, but the branching angles do not.
Data mining approach for arranging and clustering the agro-tourism activities in orchard

Abstract The paper attains to finding the association among interested activities in orchard that stimulate the tourists to travel. The knowledge obtained in this study is applying data mining techniques to create the association rule in order to find out the pattern of activities for orchard tourism. The evoked set of activities is the most frequent set which travelers would like to do when they visit orchard. The tool of analyzing the association rules is Rapid Miner 7.3. The result shows that the highest recommended activity is reaping and tasting the fruit. Another activities, which also are recommended to be arranged more into orchard, consist of walking, shopping, and feeding animal in the orchard.
Production of Single Contracting Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes: Matrigel Mattress Technique

This unit describes the published Matrigel mattress method. Briefly, we describe the preparation of the mattress, replating of the human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CM) on the Matrigel mattress, and hiPSC-CM mattress maintenance. Adherence to this protocol will yield individual, robustly shortening hiPSC-CMs, which can be used for downstream applications. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Organic and Aqueous Redox Speciation of Cu (III) periodate Oxidized Transuranium Actinides

A hexavalent group actinide separation process could streamline used nuclear fuel recycling and waste management. The limiting factor to such a process compatible with current fuel dissolution practices is obtaining and maintaining hexavalent Am, AmO22+, in molar nitric acid because of the high reduction potential of the Am(VI)/Am(III) couple (1.68 V vs SCE). Two strong oxidants, sodium bismuthate and Cu3+ periodate, have demonstrated quantitative oxidation of Am under molar acid conditions, and better than 50% recovery by diamyl amylphosphonate (DAAP) is possible under these same conditions. This work considers the use of Cu3+ periodate to oxidize Np(V) to Np(VI) and Pu(IV) to Pu(VI) and to recover these elements by extraction with DAAP. A metal:oxidant ratio of 1:1.2 and 1:3 was necessary to quantitatively oxidize Np(V) and Pu(IV), respectively, to the hexavalent state. Extraction of hexavalent Np, Pu, and Am by 1 M DAAP in n-dodecane was measured using ultraviolet–visible (PuO22+, AmO22+) and near-infr...
MicroRNAs as biomarkers for human glioblastoma: progress and potential

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common malignant glioma. Despite innovative research efforts in tumor therapy, the outcome for most diagnosed patients remains poor; therefore, early diagnosis of GBM is the most effective method for achieving better patient outcomes. In recent years, combined research efforts including cellular, molecular, genetic, and bioinformatics methods have been used to investigate GBM, and the results show that variations in miRNA expression occur in GBM tissues and biological fluids. Some highly stable miRNAs circulate in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of both healthy individuals and diagnosed patients, thus raising the possibility that miRNAs may serve as novel diagnostic markers. In addition, increased understanding of the miRNA and mRNA interactions involved in GBM progression may lead to discovering predictive biomarkers, some of which are clinically relevant for targeted therapy and predicting prognosis. However, as this field is relatively new, some studies have yielded conflicting results. To progress in the field, different advanced techniques must be combined, including bioinformatics methods and molecular and cellular techniques. In addition, we must overcome the various challenges in non-invasive GBM biomarker detection. Here, we discuss the progress and potential of miRNAs as biomarkers for GBM and related signaling pathways. Studying the clinical relevance and applicability of these biomarkers may alter GBM patient diagnosis and treatment.
Use of sisomicin in surgical sepsis

Sisomicin, a newly developed aminoglycoside, was administered parenterally to 119 surgical patients with infections of the peritoneum and various wounds. The average dose was 1 mg/kg body weight/8 hours, as adjusted to serum creatinine levels. All patients were monitored for toxicity in the inner ear, kidneys, bone marrow, and liver. Final success of antibiotic therapy appeared to be primarily dependent upon the eventual establishment of surgical drainage, yet antibiotic therapy was exceedingly important up until then in maintainance of life and in pre-operative preparation. Bacteriologic analysis demonstrated a predominance of gram-negative rods, with susceptibility being greater to sisomicin than to other antibiotics as tested by disc and tube dilution methods. Specific drug toxicity was not encountered, except for a possible adverse contribution to pre-existing ischemic renal damage in two of the patients.
Lepsius, Carl Richard (1810–1884)

Karl Richard Lepsius, more commonly known as Richard Lepsius, is best remembered for having invented a standard phonetic alphabet that could be applied to the transcription of any language. The system that he innovated was a boon for missionaries and linguists alike, particularly those studying Africa. In the 1930s the Lepsius alphabet was superseded because it was deemed too complex to be of much practical value. Although Lepsius distinguished himself with this standard orthography, he was also recognized as a top Egyptologist and historian, and led an expedition to Egypt during the 1840s. While there, Lepsius interpreted and translated many Egyptian transcriptions, and collected artifacts to display in Berlin's Archaeological Museum.
Carcinoma of the breast arising in microglandular adenosis

Breast carcinoma arose in or in conjunction with microglandular adenosis (MGA) in 14 of 60 (23%) patients with MGA listed in the authors' files. This article describes the clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical features and prognosis of these carcinomas. The median patient age was 47 years (range, 26-68 years). All patients had a mass. Six (43%) had a family history of breast carcinoma. Lymph node metastases were found in 3 of 11 axillary dissections. Ten patients treated by mastectomy were recurrence-free, with a median follow-up of 57 months (range, 3-108 months). Two of three patients treated by excisional surgery were recurrence-free 12 and 105 months later. The third woman had bone metastases at 51 months and was alive 98 months after treatment. Carcinoma arose in the MGA in 13 patients. In these patients, in situ carcinoma was found in expanded MGA glands composed of cells with vesicular poorly differentiated nuclei. One patient with benign MGA had carcinoma develop in the opposite breast that was not associated with MGA. When it arose in MGA, basement membranes were present in benign MGA and in situ carcinoma but tended to be disrupted in invasive foci that appeared to be formed by coalescent MGA glands. Strong immunoreactivity for cytokeratin, S-100, and cathepsin D was detected in carcinomas. Two carcinomas had nuclear progesterone receptors, and one of these had estrogen receptors. One carcinoma had positive findings for HER-2neu, and four had immunoreactivity for p53 protein. The following conclusions were drawn from these observations: (1) carcinomas arising in MGA have a distinctive histopathologic pattern; (2) the carcinomas are composed of epithelial cells (cytokeratin positive, actin negative) that are strongly immunoreactive for S-100 protein and cathepsin D; and (3) with a median follow-up of nearly 5 years, patients with these carcinomas had a relatively favorable prognosis, despite histopathologic and immunohistochemical features usually associated with a poor prognosis.
PEDIATRIC EPILEPSY | Seizure-Induced Injury and the Two-Hit Hypothesis

Recurrent or prolonged seizures cause selective neuronal injury in vulnerable structures in animal models and in humans. Considerable evidence suggests that seizure-induced neuronal injury is epileptogenic. For example, a large fraction of animals that experience chemoconvulsant-induced status epilepticus and associated neuronal loss in limbic structures go on to develop spontaneous recurrent seizures. In contrast to adult animals, immature animals manifest little, if any, neuronal injury after status epilepticus. We and others have shown that even in the absence of seizure-induced injury, animals that experience status epilepticus, when immature, manifest enhanced injury and an enhanced behavioral response to status epilepticus later in life. We have termed this the two-hit phenomenon: a single apparently noninjurious event confers enhanced vulnerability to later life events. The mechanism of the two-hit phenomenon remains uncertain.
Solution rays for a class of complementarity problems

It is shown that when M is a copositive plus matrix, a linear complementarity problem (q, M) has a solution ray at every solution of the problem if and only if q belongs to the boundary of the set of all points p such that the complementarity problem is feasible.
The Life and Contributions of Neville Moray

This paper seeks, albeit incompletely, to provide a descriptive overview of the life and science of Neville Peter Moray. From his earliest contributions to the very foundations of cognitive psychology to his final works upon the ultimate purpose of humankind, he illuminated half a century of human knowledge with his erudition, his curiosity, and his manifest joie de vivre. The litany of his academic achievement is here leavened by some personal reflections of the character and influence of this unique scholar.
Multimodal visual/sound redundancy in ISIS videos: a close analysis of martyrdom and training segments

The influence of ISIS online media campaign prompts the need to rethink twenty-first century warfare, particularly in relation to the media battlefield. To build a better understanding of the strat...
Women's periconceptional lowered carbohydrate intake and NTD-affected pregnancy risk in the era of prefortification with folic acid.

Background A recent study observed women's restricted carbohydrate diet in the year before conception was associated with increased risk of neural tube defect (NTD)-affected pregnancies. That study corresponded to the era of postfortification of folic acid. Because folic acid and carbohydrate measures would derive from similar foods, investigators of that study could not determine whether the increased risk with restricted carbohydrate intake was a consequence of lower folate intake. We extend their novel observation by examining rigorous NTD data prior to folic acid fortification. Methods Data were derived from a population-based case-control study of fetuses and infants with NTDs among 1989-1991 California births. Interviews were conducted with mothers of 449 NTD cases and with mothers of 458 nonmalformed controls. A standard 100-item food frequency questionnaire was used to assess macro- and micronutrient intakes based on reported intakes 3 months before conception. Results Case mothers were twice as likely to have consumed a low carbohydrate (≤5th percentile intake among controls) diet with a crude odds ratio of 2.0 (95% confidence interval, 1.2-3.4). Adjustment for race/ethnicity, education, alcohol intake, and folic acid use made very little difference on the odds ratio. Adjustment for total energy intake appeared to be the only factor to slightly attenuate the odds ratio. Conclusion Our findings indicate that the association between low carbohydrate intake and NTD risk may not be wholly a function of low folic acid in the postfortification era. Such a finding offers new clues to pursue for the seemingly folate-insensitive NTDs that continue to occur.
Cannot Pass the Scope into the Cecum

Complete evaluation of the colon and rectum is essential during a colonoscopy. One of the major and basic steps is to reach the cecum, and cecal intubation is used as a quality metric in endoscopy. This chapter will discuss characteristics that lead to a difficult colonoscopy and reduce rates of cecal intubation and will provide techniques and maneuvers for reaching the cecum.
Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

Diaphragmatic hernia of the newborn is a congenital malformation due to an anomaly on the diaphragm’s development causing the herniation of the abdominal viscera into the thorax.
Post-presumption argumentation and the post-truth world: on the conspiracy rhetoric of Donald Trump

Building on the notion of post-truth, this essay suggests that Donald Trump—both as a candidate and president—has crafted a notion of post-presumption argumentation. While there are many theories o...
Call to Action: Librarians Promoting Health Literacy Assessments in Oral Communication

ABSTRACTEffective oral communication is an integral part in the healthcare system. Conveying messages may prove to be a difficult task when health literacy barriers are present. At the University o...
An Electrothermal Cu/W Bimorph Tip-Tilt-Piston MEMS Mirror with High Reliability

This paper presents the design, fabrication, and characterization of an electrothermal MEMS mirror with large tip, tilt and piston scan. This MEMS mirror is based on electrothermal bimorph actuation with Cu and W thin-film layers forming the bimorphs. The MEMS mirror is fabricated via a combination of surface and bulk micromachining. The piston displacement and tip-tilt optical angle of the mirror plate of the fabricated MEMS mirror are around 114 μm and ±8°, respectively at only 2.35 V. The measured response time is 7.3 ms. The piston and tip-tilt resonant frequencies are measured to be 1.5 kHz and 2.7 kHz, respectively. The MEMS mirror survived 220 billion scanning cycles with little change of its scanning characteristics, indicating that the MEMS mirror is stable and reliable.
Imaging of Lumen-Apposing Metal Stents in Abdominopelvic Applications.

OBJECTIVE. Lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMS) are increasingly being used for abdominopelvic drainage applications. The purpose of this article is to describe the normal imaging appearance of these...