cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A novel mechanism for Wnt activation of canonical signaling through the LRP6 receptor

LDL receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6) is a Wnt coreceptor in the canonical signaling pathway, which plays essential roles in embryonic development. We demonstrate here that wild-type LRP6 forms an inactive dimer through interactions mediated by epidermal growth factor repeat regions within the extracellular domain. A truncated LRP6 comprising its transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains is expressed as a constitutively active monomer whose signaling ability is inhibited by forced dimerization. Conversely, Wnts are shown to activate canonical signaling through LRP6 by inducing an intracellular conformational switch which relieves allosteric inhibition imposed on the intracellular domains. Thus, Wnt canonical signaling through LRP6 establishes a novel mechanism for receptor activation which is opposite to the general paradigm of ligand-induced receptor oligomerization.
Ethical Perceptions and Customer-Orientation of Taiwanese Automobile Sales Companies

This study examines ethical training, perceptions of ethical behavior, sales person customer-orientation, and company differences between the four largest automobile firms in Taiwan. Low levels of ethical training were reported and certain activities, such as selling more expensive autos, giving preferential treatment, and misinforming customers, were perceived as being more ethical. Overall, sales person customer-orientation varied by company and supported the earlier reported ethical positions.
Disparity in utilization of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators in treatment of heart failure based on sex and race

Evaluation of: Hernandez AF, Fonarow GC, Lang L et al.:Sex and racial differences in the use of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators among patients hospitalized with heart failure.JAMA298(13), 1525-1532 (2007) [1] . Disparity of utilization of proven therapies for treatment of cardiac disease according to gender and ethnicity has been well documented in various aspects of cardiac care. Implanted cardiac defibrillators (ICDs) are devices that have been proven to prevent sudden cardiac death. This retrospective study examined ICD use in heart-failure patients who had an indication for ICD implantation, from the "Get with the Guidelines" program. The patients were stratified by gender and ethnicity (Black vs White). The overall rate of utilization (or intention for utilization) of ICDs was 35%, while among women and Black people the rate was significantly lower, at 27 and 23%, respectively, with the lowest rate being for Black women (28%). These findings suggest a bias against implantation of such devices in women and Black people, which is not explained by clinical variables.
Cross-domain metadata management in data intensive distributed computing environment

As the the size of scientific datasets grows, it becomes imperative that cross-domain metadata management system needs to be developed to facilitate interdisciplinary scientific research. Three key issues need to be addressed: the development of a cross-domain metadata schema; the implementation of a metadata management system based on this schema; the integration of the metadata system into existing infrastructure with reasonable performance and scalability. In this paper, we give an overview of the research we have done as part of the PetaShare project to address the above mentioned problems.
A systematic review of associations among religiosity/spirituality and adolescent health attitudes and behaviors.

Purpose: To systematically review and synthesize literature concerning the relationships among religiosity, spirituality, health attitudes, and health behaviors in adolescents. Methods: Forty-three studies between 1998 and 2003 were systematically reviewed to (a) deter- mine if the studies were based on conceptual or theoretical frameworks, (b) identify the types of religiosity and spirituality measures used as well as their effects on health attitudes and behaviors, (c) evaluate the quality of these measures, (d) determine categories and frequency of measures of health attitudes and behaviors, (e) evaluate the quality of the research designs, and (f) determine the effects of religiosity or spirituality on adolescent health attitudes and behaviors. Results: Over half (n 26) the studies were atheoretical or had an unclear framework and the other half were based on a wide variety of conceptual and theoretical models. A total of 37 distinct religiosity/spirituality variables were identified and varied in specificity. Less than half (n 21) reported reliability of the measures and only seven contained information about validity of the measures. All 43 studies included measures of health-risk behaviors and/or attitudes but only seven addressed health-promoting behaviors. Most studies (84%) showed that measures of religiosity/ spirituality had positive effects on health attitudes and behaviors. Conclusions: The variety of studies and measures indicate that religiosity and spirituality may be important correlates of adolescent health attitudes and behaviors. Although the majority of the studies reviewed were well designed, there was no consistency in the theoretical bases and operational definitions of religiosity/spirituality phenomena. © 2006 Society for Adolescent Med- icine. All rights reserved.
Purification of neutral lipid fractions by thin-layer chromatography on aluminum oxide.

Two-stage thin-layer chromatography on Aluminum Oxide G has been used to separate triglycerides, cholesterol, cholesterol esters, and diglycerides from contaminating fatty acids present in the lipid mixtures. Negligible hydrolysis of glycerol esters occurs. The method is particularly useful in metabolic experiments conducted in vitro, in which radioactive fatty acids are employed as precursors.
Performance restoration of dusty photovoltaic modules using electrodynamic screen

Dust accumulation on optical surfaces of solar collectors is been known to cause significant losses in energy yield. The most commonly-practiced methods of cleaning solar collectors use water-based agents. This paper, however, addresses the mitigation of soiling losses on a photovoltaic cell using the electrodynamic screen (EDS) in a laboratory environment. A model for the EDS model with two stacked layers of transparent dielectric coatings is developed using finite element analysis (FEA) software, and the behavior of the electric field on the EDS surface is thoroughly examined. For the reported experiments, an EDS sample has been integrated into a PV cell for dust mitigation. Experimental results show the restoration of the short-circuit current (Isc) to more than 90% of the pre-dust value after 10 trials using standard test dust and EDS cleaning. The tests were conducted in an environmentally-controlled chamber at various applied voltages and inclination angles. In some cases, dust coagulations were observed after several cleaning cycles. To evaluate the performance of the EDS in dust-particle removal, we have studied the particle size distribution on the EDS surface after each dust deposition and cleaning cycle using a custom-built dust-deposition analyzer.
Sensitivity of Rogue Wave Prediction to the Oceanic Stratification

Oceanic rogue waves are short-lived very large amplitude waves (a giant crest typically followed or preceded by a deep trough) that appear and disappear suddenly in the ocean causing damage to ships and offshore structures. Assuming that the state of the ocean at the present time is perfectly known, then the upcoming rogue waves can be predicted via numerically solving the equations that govern the evolution of the waves. State of the art radar technology can now provide accurate wave height measurements over large spatial domains and when combined with advanced wave-field reconstruction techniques together render deterministic details of the current state of the ocean (i.e. surface elevation and velocity field) at any given moment of time with a very high accuracy. The ocean density is, however, stratified (mainly due to the salinity and temperature differences). This density stratification, with today’s technology, is very difficult to measure accurately. As a result, in most predictive schemes these density variations are neglected. While the overall effect of the stratification on the average state of the ocean may not be significant, here we show that these density variations can strongly affect the prediction of oceanic rogue wave. Specifically, we consider a broadband oceanic spectrum in a two-layer density stratified fluid and study, via extensive statistical analysis, the effects of the strength of the stratification (difference between densities) and the depth of the thermocline on the prediction of upcoming rogue waves.© 2015 ASME
Economic Impact of Obesity

Parallel to rising obesity rates is an increase in costs associated with excess weight. Estimates of future direct (medical) and indirect (nonmedical) costs related to obesity suggest rising expenditures that will impose a significant economic burden to individuals and society as a whole. This article reviews research on direct and indirect medical costs and future economic trends associated with obesity and associated comorbidities. Cost disparities associated with subsets of the population experiencing higher than average rates of obesity are explored. Finally, potential solutions with the highest estimated impact are offered, and future directions are proposed.
Complex Formed between Intramembrane Metalloprotease SpoIVFB and Its Substrate, Pro-σK.

Intramembrane metalloproteases (IMMPs) are conserved from bacteria to humans and control many important signaling pathways, but little is known about how IMMPs interact with their substrates. SpoIVFB is an IMMP that cleaves Pro-σK during Bacillus subtilis endospore formation. When catalytically inactive SpoIVFB was coexpressed with C-terminally truncated Pro-σK(1–126) (which can be cleaved by active SpoIVFB) in Escherichia coli, the substrate dramatically improved solubilization of the enzyme from membranes with mild detergents. Both the Pro(1–20) and σK(21–126) parts contributed to improving SpoIVFB solubilization from membranes, but only the σK part was needed to form a stable complex with SpoIVFB in a pulldown assay. The last 10 residues of SpoIVFB were required for improved solubilization from membranes by Pro-σK(1–126) and for normal interaction with the substrate. The inactive SpoIVFB·Pro-σK(1–126)-His6 complex was stable during affinity purification and gel filtration chromatography. Disulfide cross-linking of the purified complex indicated that it resembled the complex formed in vivo. Ion mobility-mass spectrometry analysis resulted in an observed mass consistent with a 4:2 SpoIVFB·Pro-σK(1–126)-His6 complex. Stepwise photobleaching of SpoIVFB fused to a fluorescent protein supported the notion that the enzyme is tetrameric during B. subtilis sporulation. The results provide the first evidence that an IMMP acts as a tetramer, give new insights into how SpoIVFB interacts with its substrate, and lay the foundation for further biochemical analysis of the enzyme·substrate complex and future structural studies.
Biohydrogen Production From Glycerol in Microbial Electrolysis Cells and Prospects for Energy Recovery From Biodiesel Wastes

The manufacture of biodiesel generates 10 wt% of glycerol as a byproduct. Currently, the majority of this waste glycerol is treated in wastewater treatment plants or incinerated. In this study, single chamber, membrane-free microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) was evaluated to produce hydrogen from pure glycerol and waste glycerol. At an applied voltage of 0.6 V, a maximum current density of 7.5 ± 0.4 A/m2 (238.6 ± 12.7 A/m3 ) was observed, the highest reported current density for a microbial electrochemical system operating on glycerol. Maximum current densities on 0.5% waste glycerin were 0.1–0.2 A/m2 , much lower than those on pure glycerol, possibly due to the high salt and soap concentration in the waste glycerol. The maximum hydrogen yield on 50 mM glycerol was 1.8 ± 0.1 mol hydrogen/mol glycerol at a hydrogen production rate of 1.3 ± 0.1 m3 /day/m3 . The presence of methanol in the waste glycerin reduced hydrogen yield by nearly 30%. The energy efficiency on 0.5% of waste glycerol reached 200% at an applied voltage of 0.6 V. Conversion of all of the waste glycerol currently generated annually in global biodiesel manufacture to hydrogen using optimized MEC technology could generate ∼ 180 million kg of H2 , representing a value of nearly $540 million, or the amount of H2 required for the production of 4.8 billion kg of green diesel. This study indicates that the generation of useful products (such as hydrogen) from waste glycerol will greatly increase the viability of the growing biodiesel industry.© 2011 ASME
A Survey of U.S. Dental School Programs That Help Students Consider Academic Careers

The faculty shortage in dental education has been reported for many years and is expected to increase. Some dental schools have developed "grow your own" programs that introduce students to academic careers and give them teaching experiences. These programs generally consist of teaching assistant, fellowship, and peer tutoring opportunities. In this study, a nineteen-item survey was sent to fifty-six U.S. dental schools to determine the extent to which such programs were being implemented. Thirty-six out of fifty-six dental schools responded, a response rate of 64 percent. Twenty-five schools or 69 percent of the respondents reported the existence of a formal teaching assistant, fellowship, or peer tutoring program in which students teach in some capacity. The main reasons reported for implementing these programs were to expose students to academia and to address faculty shortages. The respondents reported that positive outcomes for dental student teachers and their students were academic benefits and increased interest in academic life. Among the barriers reported were securing faculty and financial support and problems with scheduling.
LOAD SPECTRUM COMPILING OF OIL DRILLING DERRICK

Measuring the hook load on oil drilling derrick in drilling process, considering the stochastic load property and making use of the extremum statistic method, the probability distribution model of load maxima is established, and the load time histories are compited by using the method just like that of compiling fatigue load spectrum. The compiled programmed spectra for loading in experiment are then obtained, which include all working conditions in the whole drilling process and reflect the real load environment. The programmed spectra can be applied to transient analysis and fatigue damage detection, and moreover, predigest the calculation and improve the reliability of the dynamic analysis of oil derrick.
The apparatus for violence: Repression, violent protest, and civil war in a cross-national framework

Why does repression sometimes work to stop violent protest and sometimes heighten protest? We argue that the effect of repression on protest depends critically on a “memory of violence” within the ...
Over-expression of insulin-response element binding protein-1 (IRE-BP1) in mouse pancreatic islets increases expression of RACK1 and TCTP: Beta cell markers of high glucose sensitivity.

Abstract Background A targeted analysis of the 50 kDa C-terminal fragment of insulin-response element binding protein-1 (IRE-BP1) activation of target genes through the insulin receptor substrate receptor/PI-3 kinase/Akt pathway has been demonstrated for the insulin growth factor-1 receptor. The broader effects of 50 kDa C-terminal IRE-BP1 fragment over-expression on protein abundance in pancreatic islet beta cells have not been determined. Results Liquid-chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analyses of replicate lysates of pancreatic islets isolated from background strain animals and transgenic animals, overexpressing IRE-BP1 in pancreatic islet beta cells, demonstrated statistically significant increases in the expression of proteins involved in protein synthesis, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and scaffolding proteins important for protein kinase C signaling; some of which were confirmed by immunoblot analyses. Bioinformatic analysis of protein expression network patterns suggested IRE-BP1 over-expression leads to protein expression patterns indicative of activation of functional protein networks utilized for protein post-translational modification, protein folding, and protein synthesis. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrate a novel interaction between two differentially regulated proteins receptor for activated protein kinase C (RACK1) and translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP). Conclusions Proteomic analysis of IRE-BP1 over-expression in pancreatic islet beta cells suggest IRE-BP1 (a) directly or indirectly through establishing hyperglycemia results in increased expression of ribosomal proteins and markers of ER stress and (b) leads to the enhanced and previously un-described interaction of RACK1 and TCTP. Significance This study identified C-terminal 50 kDa domain of IRE-BP1 over-expression results in increased markers of ER-stress and a novel interaction between the scaffolding proteins RACK1 and TCTP.
Interested in Copi

A lecture series given by novelist Cesar Aira in 1988 on author, cartoonist, dramaturge, and actor Copi (Raul Damonte Taborda), inspires questions regarding what it means to be interested in queer people, places, and things. A critical analysis of Copi’s early cartoon production in humor magazine Ti a Vicenta during the late 1950s, as well as his first representations of his famed Seated Woman in Paris’ Le Nouvel Observateur from 1964 to 1966, demonstrates that being interested in Copi is synonymous with looking away from nationhood, patriarchy, and traditional notions of family life. A discussion of his 1974 dramatic comedy, Loretta Strong, and his first novel, Le bals des folles (1977) argues that not only is Copi dedicated to non-normative frameworks, but that society as a whole is fascinated with paths and subjectivities that lead to queer spaces.
Energy balance analysis method in oscillating type wave converter

Based on an efficient potential flow wave model to simulate the oscillating water column (OWC) wave fields, this research further develops the solutions using higher index terms in the wave potential. This effort together with a linear damping correction significantly improves the free surface elevation correlation between the potential model predictions and the model test measurements. In addition, a method to establish conservation of energy within the incident, diffracted, and radiated wave energy flux is introduced. The method uses the gradient of wave phase to efficiently determine the propagating direction of a small element of wave in the wave field. By integrating over the control boundary, this research provides the energy balance for diffraction-only case and diffraction-radiation combined case. Discussions about the influence of different parameters on the energy extraction from the wave field demonstrate the effective application of the method in optimizing wave energy converters utilizing oscillations induced by 3-D wave field.
X-band frequency selective limiter using absorptive notch filters embedded multiplexers

Wideband receivers are becoming more widely adopted as RF systems become more multi-function. These wideband receivers are susceptible to interference from jammers or from co-site interference and mitigation methods are necessary. We present the design and development of a RF Channelizer with embedded tunable absorptive notch filters for the precise excision of undesired signals. Our prototype covers the X-Band from 5.9–12.8 GHz in 5 contiguous channels, and employs an embedded tunable absorptive notch filter in each channel. Our topology demonstrates more than 33 dB of jamming suppression over a 170 MHz bandwidth.
Improving Quality of Dynamic Airway Computed Tomography Using an Expiratory Airflow Indicator Device.

Purpose:Dynamic computed tomography (CT) of the airways is increasingly used to evaluate patients with suspected expiratory central airway collapse, but current protocols are susceptible to inadequate exhalation caused by variable patient compliance with breathing instructions during the expiratory
A 16×20 electrochemical CMOS biosensor array with in-pixel averaging using polar modulation

Biosensors based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), an ultra-sensitive, label-free sensing technique, are a promising technology for precise and rapid disease diagnosis at the point-of-care (POC). However, EIS usually requires mixers and lock-in detection to measure both the magnitude and phase of the complex impedance. To address this issue, we report a 16×20 electrochemical biosensor array with on-chip sensors that implements a polar-mode measurement method that allows the readout circuitry to be mostly digital and small enough to fit within a 140×140 μm2 pixel. The architecture enables in-pixel digitization and accumulation, which increases the SNR by 10 dB for each 10× increase in readout time. Implemented in a 0.18 μm process, the 3×4 mm2 chip achieves state-of-the-art performance with an rms phase error of 0.04% at 50 kHz and was used to measure hybridization of Zika virus oligonucleotides.
The Application of Electromagnetic Energy to The Treatment of Neurological and Psychiatric Diseases

While the application of ELF electromagnetic fields to neurologic and psychiatric disease may appear promising, it is in its infancy. A great deal of research must be conducted to demonstrate its safety and efficacy. The mechanism of interaction of magnetic fields with the nervous system is still unclear. Apart from seizure induction, the flux density used in the cited studies was very low (pT), the effects seemed to occur very fast and were long-lasting. Magnetites have been identified in cells in the human brain (Kirschvink et al., 1990), however, it has been calculated that magnetic fields higher than 5mT are required to generate sufficient effect on these particles (Adair, 1993). There may be a common pathway as to how EMF improves the conditions in the mentioned diseases. The role of calcium is fundamental in neuronal functioning and may play a key role in elucidating mechanisms of effect. It’s involvement was mentioned in all the diseases, and could probably be associated with the neurotransmitter glutamate. Iron also plays a key role in the pathophysiology of neurologic disease (Sachdew, 1993), but to what extent magnetic field affects iron metabolism in the main remains to be elucidated. Endogenous opioids may also play a role. Magnetic fields have been shown to activate endogenous opioids in the brain (Lai, 1993).
Impact of training level on postplacental levonorgestrel 52 mg intrauterine device expulsion.

Abstract Objective To determine the association between provider training level and postplacental intrauterine device (IUD) outcomes following insertion instruction by email only. Study design We conducted a single-center chart review of demographics, insertion and clinical outcomes within 6 months of delivery for 116 patients who underwent postplacental levonorgestrel 52 mg IUD placement from October 1, 2016, to March 31, 2017. Results We confirmed IUD retention, removal or expulsion in 87 of 116 (75.0%) patients by 6 months after delivery. Complete expulsion or removal for malposition occurred in 20 (23.0%) patients and more frequently after vaginal than cesarean delivery (30.2% vs. 4.2%, OR 9.93 [95% CI 1.25–78.96]) and when a postgraduate year (PGY) 1 physician placed the IUD compared to a PGY 2–4 or attending physician (37.5% vs. 14.5%, OR 3.52 [95% CI 1.25–9.94]). Conclusion Postplacental levonorgestrel 52 mg IUD expulsion rates are associated with provider training level as well as delivery route, though the individual association of each of these factors is difficult to ascertain given the high degree of collinearity between these two variables in our study.
Powerful learning at SEA: Toward a designerly theory of powerful learning systems

The Sea Education Association (SEA) has an international reputation for creating powerful learning experiences in semester-long programs that involve conducting scientific research while sailing tall ships. To what extent, how and why these experiences occur was studied through interviews, extant data analysis, and participant observation of the SEA Semester program Marine Biodiversity and Conservation. Themes consistent with past studies of powerful learning emerged, for example, authenticity, openness, relationships with others, and intense engagement, while outcomes continued to be highly individual. Relationships among these themes point toward complexity, design, and systemic design and suggest seeds of a theory of powerful learning systems.
Pelvic Organ Prolapse Symptoms in American Samoan Women.

Objectives American Samoa has one of the highest rates of obesity worldwide, making it a population at high risk for pelvic organ prolapse (POP). The primary objective of this study was to describe the presence of POP symptoms and associated degree of bother in American Samoan women. The secondary objective was to determine which characteristics are associated with POP symptoms in this cohort. Methods We performed a cross-sectional survey of women presenting to the waiting room of the emergency department of the Lyndon B. Johnson Tropical Medical Center in Faga'alu, American Samoa from February to March 2017. Questions included self-described characteristics and the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Distress Inventory 6. Univariate distributions were described and comparisons of social and health characteristics were made between women without POP symptoms and those with at least 1 POP symptom. Results Two hundred eighty-four women were approached and 225 women completed the survey (79% response rate). The mean (SD) age was 40.5 (14.7), the mean (SD) body mass index was 36.4 (8.7), and the median (range) number of vaginal births was 2 (0-14). A total of 44.2% endorsed at least 1 POP symptom, most commonly pelvic pressure (29.9%) and feeling of incomplete bladder emptying (26.7%). The number of vaginal births was associated with lower abdominal pressure (P = 0.04) and hysterectomy was associated with pelvic heaviness (P = 0.05). Conclusions This is the first study investigating POP in American Samoa. Almost half of women reported at least 1 pelvic floor symptom, demonstrating the need for further research on pelvic floor disorders within this high-risk population.
Local and Global Influences of Visual Spatial Selection and Locomotion in Mouse Primary Visual Cortex

Summary Sensory selection and movement locally and globally modulate neural responses in seemingly similar ways. For example, locomotion enhances visual responses in mouse primary visual cortex (V1), resembling the effects of spatial attention on primate visual cortical activity. However, interactions between these local and global mechanisms and the resulting effects on perceptual behavior remain largely unknown. Here, we describe a novel mouse visual spatial selection task in which animals either monitor one of two locations for a contrast change (“selective mice”) or monitor both (“non-selective mice”) and can run at will. Selective mice perform well only when their selected stimulus changes, giving rise to local electrophysiological changes in the corresponding hemisphere of V1 including decreased noise correlations and increased visual information. Non-selective mice perform well when either stimulus changes, giving rise to global changes across both hemispheres of V1. During locomotion, selective mice have worse behavioral performance, increased noise correlations in V1, and decreased visual information, while non-selective mice have decreased noise correlations in V1 but no change in performance or visual information. Our findings demonstrate that mice can locally or globally enhance visual information, but the interaction of the global effect of locomotion with local selection impairs behavioral performance. Moving forward, this mouse model will facilitate future studies of local and global sensory modulatory mechanisms and their effects on behavior.
WhereWear: Calibration-free Wearable Device Identification through Ambient Sensing

With the growth of wearable devices, numerous health and smart building applications are enabled. As a result, many people wear multiple devices for different applications, such as fitness tracking. Being able to match devices' physical identity (e.g., smartwatch on Bob's left forearm) to their virtual identity (e.g., IP 192.168.0.22) is often a requirement for these applications, especially when different people could use the same device --e.g., home, gym equipment-- or be worn in different places. Context-aware sensing, utilizing the insight that co-located sensors detect the same events, has been used to establish such association ubiquitously. However, challenges arise with the growing number of on-body devices, and existing approaches fail to distinguish where the devices are on the body. In this paper, we present WhereWear, a human pose estimation based calibration-free wearable device identification mechanism through ambient sensing of vision (camera in the environment) and motion (IMU in wearable devices). Our system utilizes the key fact that the orientation change of the devices is related to the orientation change of the body part where the device is on, and matches each device's physical and virtual identities at the bodypart--any part of the body between two joints, e.g. forearm, thigh, etc.-- resolution. We evaluate the proposed mechanism on a publicly available dataset, where multiple human subjects perform activities with 13 devices on their body. Our system demonstrates up to 64% device identification accuracy on average and up to 2.7X improvement over existing baselines with five simultaneous users. With only one user, it achieves up to 92.2% accuracy.
Robots, Blockchain, ESI, Oh My!: Why Law Schools Are (or Should Be) Teaching Legal Technology

AbstractThe author explains the important of introducing legal technology into the law school curriculum. At a time when innovation in law is happening at a rapid-fire pace, the need for these cour...
Pacemaker Lead Management Strategies

Implantable pacemakers and cardioverter defibrillators have dramatically improved the lives of countless patients over the past 50 years. Pacemaker functions include atrioventricular sensing and pacing options to mimic normal sinus rhythm, burst pacing based on algorithms to treat atrial reentry tachycardia, and biventricular pacing to coordinate ventricular contraction. Implantable cardioverter defibrillators terminate dangerous rapid heart rhythms by delivering an electric shock. Implantable cardiac devices have expanded the clinician’s ability to treat complex life-threatening arrhythmias, with approximately 400,000 devices implanted each year in the United States. At the present time, there are over three million patients with implanted cardiac devices.
Radiotherapy and Immunotherapy for Cancer: From “Systemic” to “Multisite”

In the era of cancer immunotherapy, there is significant interest in combining conventional cancer therapies, such as radiotherapy, with drugs that stimulate the immune system. The observation that ionizing radiation applied to murine tumors delays the growth of distant tumors ("abscopal effect") and that this effect is potentiated by immunostimulatory drugs, led to clinical trials in which often only one lesion is irradiated in combination with immunotherapy drugs. The results of these initial clinical trials combining radio therapy and immunotherapy show that a meaningful abscopal effect is still infrequent. Recent preclinical data suggest that preexistent intratumoral T cells can survive radiation and contribute to its therapeutic effect. In this review, we discuss possible mechanisms underlying the preclinical/clinical discrepancies regarding the abscopal effect, and we propose the irradiation of multiple or all tumor sites in combination with systemic immunotherapy as a possible avenue to increase the efficacy of radio-immunotherapy.
Interactive computational tools for assessing and understanding urban accessibility at scale

My dissertation research explores assessing urban accessibility and building interactive tools that support decision making processes (e.g., to influence city policy). Using crowdsourcing, visualization, and data science techniques, I will develop a suite of tools that enables stakeholders to understand and communicate about urban accessibility, with a specific focus on sidewalk accessibility. These interactive tools would allow stakeholders to learn about city (in)accessibility, surface underlying causes behind the current state, and help present that information effectively for political advocacy.
Frailty index predicts long-term mortality and postoperative complications in patients undergoing endovascular aortic aneurysm repair

Abstract Objective The Risk Analysis Index (RAI) has been used to evaluate preoperative frailty, which is associated with poor short- and long-term outcomes. We assessed this tool's ability to predict postoperative outcomes after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair. Methods Institutional Review Board approval was obtained for this retrospective study. All patients who underwent elective endovascular aneurysm repair at a single Veterans Affairs Medical Center from December 2010 to March 2016 were included. Patients' characteristics and clinical data were retrospectively collected and analyzed. The RAI score was calculated from preoperative data, and a standard cutoff value (RAI ≥30) was used to determine frailty. Outcomes including postoperative complications, delayed discharge, and survival were compared between frail and nonfrail groups. Multivariate analysis was performed to evaluate preoperative factors associated with these outcomes. Results There were 134 patients who met inclusion criteria. There were 44 frail patients (RAI ≥30) and 90 nonfrail patients (RAI Conclusions Preoperative frailty as evaluated by the RAI is associated with worse short-term postoperative outcomes and long-term mortality. The RAI can be used to inform risk-benefit discussions with patients and their families.
INNOVATIONS IN RESUSCITATION SCIENCE: ASSESSMENT OF DEFIBRILLATION EFFICACY OF A NEXT-GENERATION MINIATURIZED AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR

Efforts to improve the outcomes of sudden cardiac arrest have largely hinged on making AEDs more accessible, with technologies that are smaller & more portable. Defibrillation (DF) efficacy with a novel miniaturized AED device (Avive) was evaluated in a swine model (4 adult [28-43kg] & 1 pediatric
Proton pump inhibitors: misconceptions and proper prescribing practice.

Purpose of review The current review summarizes and attempts to place in proper perspective the past year's literature regarding purported adverse effects of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Recent findings Although generally considered safe, physicians are inundated with retrospective database-driven epidemiologic studies, and meta-analyses on the same studies, claiming a panoply of serious adverse effects associated with long-term use of PPIs. The quality of the evidence underlying most of these associations is very low and cannot ascribe cause and effect. Nonetheless, these reports have stoked fears, in both prescribers and patients. As a result, patients are being harmed. Physicians are not prescribing PPIs when medically indicated and patients are stopping PPIs without consulting their caregivers. It is reassuring that a cross-sectional analysis of data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey as well as a double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial report no safety concerns with PPIs, other than a possible small association with enteric infection. Summary Most of the publicized serious putative adverse effects attributed to PPIs have been debunked in more recent and properly designed studies. Nevertheless, PPIs should be prescribed for valid indications and, when prescribed long-term, they should be used at the lowest effective dose and their ongoing need periodically assessed.
Importance and Severity Dependence of Physical Activity by GPS-Tracked Location in Glaucoma Patients.

Purpose To quantify the association of visual field (VF) damage on physical activity away-from-home, per away-from-home excursion, and at-home. Design Prospective cohort study. Methods Among 229 participants with glaucoma or suspected glaucoma, the severity of VF damage was defined as average sensitivity within the integrated VF (IVF). Participants wore accelerometers and global positioning system trackers for 7 days to measure physical activity and characterize activity location. Multivariable negative binomial regressions were used to test whether away-from-home activity per day, physical activity per away-from-home excursion, and at-home activity per day varied by the severity of VF damage. Results Each 5-dB decrement in IVF sensitivity was associated with a lower number of away-from-home activities per day (18% less moderate and vigorous physical activity [MVPA] minutes/d, 95% confidence interval, 0.69-0.97) and physical activities per away-from-home excursion (20% less MVPA minutes/excursion, 95% confidence interval, 0.65-0.98). Similar findings were noted for other away-from-home activity measures (including active minutes/steps per day, or active minutes/steps per excursion). However, worse IVF sensitivity was not associated with measures of at-home activities (MVPA minutes/d, active minutes/d, and steps/d), time spent at or away from home, or excursions/wk (P > .1 for all). Conclusions Restriction of physical activity in more patients with severe glaucoma results mostly from activity restriction outside the home environment. These findings highlight the importance of maintaining a safe home environment (where activity is less restricted) and increasing confidence to perform activity, particular high-intensity activity, when leaving the home amongst patients with glaucoma.
Towards understanding particle rigid-body motion during solid-state sintering

Abstract A quantitative understanding of particle rigid body (RB) motion that inherently accompanies grain boundary (GB) diffusion is highly desirable to understand and control the dynamic interplay between coarsening and densification during solid state sintering. By computer simulation using a multi-phase-field approach, we analyze systematically the roles played by each of these processes at different stages of the shrinkage of the internal pore in a three-particle green body as a function of particle size as well as thermodynamic and kinetic factors of interfaces. We demonstrate that particle RB translation promotes both neck growth, and pore rounding and shrinkage. Moreover, the forces acting at GBs and pulling neighboring particles towards one another dynamically evolve as particles fuse. In contrast, particle RB rotation has no contribution to pore shrinkage. The translational force acting on an individual particle varies with not only its size, but also the number and sizes of its neighboring particles.
A Model of Marketing Strategy for Export Trading Companies

A model of marketing strategy for American Export Trading Companies is developed utilizing the unique antitrust benefits allowed trading companies under the Export Trading Company Act of 1982. The model includes various strategic areas such as the ability to allocate prices, markets and customers. The Japanese Trading Companies are used as a basis for an overall development of strategy for the American Export Trading Companies and the unique benefits of the 1982 act are included in developing an overall strategy for export marketing that is unique to the American Trading Companies.
Modeling and control of intracellular processes

Significant improvements in bioprocess performance can be achieved through the efficient genetic manipulation of intracellular processes. Successful genetic and process engineering requires information from different levels of cellular function, ranging from genome sequence to transcriptional and translational profiles to intracellular metabolite concentration. Advances in genomic and proteomic technologies and the development of sophisticated techniques and instrumentation have provided the tools that have allowed us to know more than we can understand. The number of the components of the cellular processes, their strong regulatory coupling, intricate stoichiometry, and nonlinear nature of the underlying mechanisms, are some of the key elements of cellular complexity that limit our understanding of intracellular systems despite the large amount of information about the elements of these systems. This tutorial focuses on advanced methods for the collection of data about intracellular process and the associated systems engineering methodologies for the analysis of these data and the identification of candidate genetic engineering targets for bioprocess improvement and drug development.
Just Noticeable Difference

The concept of just noticeable difference (jnd), also known as the difference threshold or difference limen (Latin for threshold), derives from early work in the area of classical psychophysics conducted in the mid-nineteenth century. This work was highlighted by Weber (1795–1878), a German physiologist, whose experimental investigations focused on tactile stimulation and the determination of sensory thresholds. Weber's seminal work in this area was extended and elaborated upon by German philosopher and mathematician Fechner (1801–1878), who coined the term “psychophysics” to refer to this area of experimental psychology and, in 1860, published the first textbook on psychophysics, which laid out the basic goals of this emerging discipline and the scientific methods that were to be employed to advance knowledge in this area (Watson, 1973). Keywords: perception; psychophysics; Weber's law; judgment
Fiber-Optic Communication Systems

Preface. 1 Introduction. 1.1 Historical Perspective. 1.2 Basic Concepts. 1.3 Optical Communication Systems. 1.4 Lightwave System Components. Problems. References. 2 Optical Fibers. 2.1 Geometrical-Optics Description. 2.2 Wave Propagation. 2.3 Dispersion in Single-Mode Fibers. 2.4 Dispersion-Induced Limitations. 2.5 Fiber Losses. 2.6 Nonlinear Optical Effects. 2.7 Fiber Design and Fabrication. Problems. References. 3 Optical Transmitters. 3.1 Semiconductor Laser Physics. 3.2 Single-Mode Semiconductor Lasers. 3.3 Laser Characteristics. 3.4 Optical Signal Generation. 3.5 Light-Emitting Diodes. 3.6 Transmitter Design. Problems. References. 4 Optical Receivers. 4.1 Basic Concepts. 4.2 Common Photodetectors. 4.3 Receiver Design. 4.4 Receiver Noise. 4.5 Coherent Detection. 4.6 Receiver Sensitivity. 4.7 Sensitivity Degradation. 4.8 Receiver Performance. Problems. References. 5 Lightwave Systems. 5.1 System Architectures. 5.2 Design Guidelines. 5.3 Long-Haul Systems. 5.4 Sources of Power Penalty. 5.5 Forward Error Correction. 5.6 Computer-Aided Design. Problems. References. 6 Multichannel Systems. 6.1 WDM Lightwave Systems. 6.2 WDM Components. 6.3 System Performance Issues. 6.4 Time-Division Multiplexing. 6.5 Subcarrier Multiplexing. 6.6 Code-Division Multiplexing. Problems. References. 7 Loss Management. 7.1 Compensation of Fiber Losses. 7.2 Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifiers. 7.3 Raman Amplifiers. 7.4 Optical Signal-To-Noise Ratio. 7.5 Electrical Signal-To-Noise Ratio. 7.6 Receiver Sensitivity and Q Factor. 7.7 Role of Dispersive and Nonlinear Effects. 7.8 Periodically Amplified Lightwave Systems. Problems. References. 8 Dispersion Management. 8.1 Dispersion Problem and Its Solution. 8.2 Dispersion-Compensating Fibers. 8.3 Fiber Bragg Gratings. 8.4 Dispersion-Equalizing Filters. 8.5 Optical Phase Conjugation. 8.6 Channels at High Bit Rates. 8.7 Electronic Dispersion Compensation. Problems. References. 9 Control of Nonlinear Effects. 9.1 Impact of Fiber Nonlinearity. 9.2 Solitons in Optical Fibers. 9.3 Dispersion-Managed Solitons. 9.4 Pseudo-linear Lightwave Systems. 9.5 Control of Intrachannel Nonlinear Effects. Problems. References. 10 Advanced Lightwave Systems. 10.1 Advanced Modulation Formats. 10.2 Demodulation Schemes. 10.3 Shot Noise and Bit-Error Rate. 10.4 Sensitivity Degradation Mechanisms. 10.5 Impact of Nonlinear Effects. 10.6 Recent Progress. 10.7 Ultimate Channel Capacity. Problems. References. 11 Optical Signal Processing. 11.1 Nonlinear Techniques and Devices. 11.2 All-Optical Flip-Flops. 11.3 Wavelength Converters. 11.4 Ultrafast Optical Switching. 11.5 Optical Regenerators. Problems. References. A System of Units. B Acronyms. C General Formula for Pulse Broadening. D Software Package.
Cooperation and qos in fast packet networks: the view from the edge

The fundamental architecture of the current generation Internet has changed little over the past two decades. This is a problem when services need to be introduced that require something more than basic point-to-point connectivity, such as needing some form of QOS or multicast capability. Multiple ownership of the Internet is both a strength and a weakness — what incentives do ISPs have to evolve their architec-tures? At the same time, processing power and intelligence is increasing at the edge of the network, which can be harnessed to create new services. For example, adaptive network-aware applications can react to changing network conditions, while P2P overlay networks can bypass many of the underlay’s inherent restrictions.
Reid's Third Argument for Moral Liberty

Thomas Reid uses the term ‘moral liberty’ to refer to a kind of free will that is agent-causal and incompatible with determinism. I offer and textually support a new interpretation of Reid's third argument for moral liberty, which Reid presents in Section 4.8 of Essays on the Active Powers of Man. Generally regarded as obscure, most commentators either ignore Reid's third argument or lend it cursory attention. In my interpretation, Reid points to the truism that we have reason to think that human persons conceive of long-term plans. Then, Reid argues that determinism implies that God both conceives of and enacts these plans, leaving us without any reason to believe that people even conceive of these plans. Therefore, we should hold onto the truism and reject determinism. On my interpretation, Reid employs the premises of a theistic argument from design as premises of his argument.
Dynamic Response of Elastically Supported Circular Plates to a General Surface Load

An analytical study is presented for the general dynamic response of elastically supported circular plates with an initial tension subjected to an arbitrary surface load p(r, 9, t}. The plates are considered to be supported by a Winkler elastic foundation and elastically constrained against rotation at the outer edge. General natural frequency equations are presented with numerical values included for the first four modes of vibration plotted as functions of initial tension and elastic edge constraints ranging from clamped to simply supported edges. The general solution for forced response is given in an integral form based on Fourier-Besse l techniques with several useful examples included. Static buckling loads are also included for a range of limiting cases.