cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biology Inspired Approach for Communal Behavior in Sensor Networks

Research in wireless sensor network technology has exploded in the last decade. Promises of complex and ubiquitous control of the physical environment by these networks open avenues for new kinds of science and business. Due to the small size and low cost of sensor devices, visionaries promise systems enabled by deployment of massive numbers of sensors working in concert. Although the reduction in size has been phenomenal it results in severe limitations on the computing, communicating, and power capabilities of these devices. Under these constraints, research efforts have concentrated on developing techniques for performing relatively simple tasks with minimal energy expense assuming some form of centralized control. Unfortunately, centralized control does not scale to massive size networks and execution of simple tasks in sparsely populated networks will not lead to the sophisticated applications predicted. These must be enabled by new techniques dependent on local and autonomous cooperation between sensors to effect global functions. As a step in that direction, in this work we detail a technique whereby a large population of sensors can attain a global goal using only local information and by making only local decisions without any form of centralized control.
Providing Interventions for Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders What We Still Need to Accomplish

Over the past 25 years, we have learned a great deal about the diagnosis, treatment, and impact of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) on young children and their families. The authors describe several overarching themes that have emerged in the educational research on young children with ASD. The focus of their article is on education-based research because public education remains the one comprehensive service to which all children with ASD are entitled to free of charge. Four themes (i.e., inclusion, systematic and effective instruction, intensity, and social context) are described in terms of the major findings and impact on policy and practices. The authors conclude with a summary of implications for future research for the next 25 years.
Detection of Collusive Behavior

AbstractCollusion is an insidious issue in the construction industry. Even though it is widely acknowledged as unethical and illegal, there are not many research studies conducted to detect collusive bidding. This study proposes a step-by-step method to detect collusive bidding by analyzing historical bidding data provided by a construction owner. The construction owner in this study is a public agency that commissioned 108 construction projects that were worth $1.3 billion during a 10-year study period (2001–2010). The number of bidders (80 in total) was small considering that a total of 108 contracts were awarded in the study period. Five of the 80 bidders jointly undertook 72% of the total contracts awarded by this public agency during the study period. The proposed detection method is on the basis of a regression model and involves identifying the potential cartel bidders using two tests called the residual test and the cost structure stability test. After conducting the study, it was found that two o...
Hippocampus and contextual fear conditioning: recent controversies and advances.

Dorsal hippocampal (DH) lesions produce a severe deficit in recently, but not remotely, acquired contextual fear without impairing memory of discrete training stimuli, i.e., DH lesions produce an anterograde and time-limited retrograde amnesia specific to contextual memory. These data are consistent with the standard model which posits temporary involvement of the hippocampus in recent memory maintenance. However, three recent controversies apparently weaken the case for a selective mnemonic role for the hippocampus in contextual fear. First, although retrograde amnesia (from posttraining lesions) is severe, anterograde amnesia (from pretraining lesions) may be mild or nonexistent. Second, a performance, rather than mnemonic, account of contextual freezing deficits in hippocampal-lesioned animals has been offered. Third, damage to the entire hippocampus, including the ventral hippocampus, can produce a dramatic and temporally stable disruption of context and tone fear. These data are reviewed and explanations are offered as to why they do not necessarily challenge the standard model of hippocampal memory function in contextual fear. Finally, a more complete description of the hippocampus' proposed role in contextual fear is offered, along with new data supporting this view. In summary, the data support a specific mnemonic role for the DH in the acquisition and consolidation of contextual representations.
The asymptotic distribution of the likelihood ratio when the model is incorrect

Classical results on the asymptotic distribution of the likelihood ratio statistic rely on the assumption that the model chosen to construct the test statistic be correct. The model is said to be correct if it contains the true distribution of the observations. In this paper the asymptotic distribution of the likelihood ratio statistic is derived without the condition that the model need be correct.
Changes in West Antarctic ice stream dynamics observed with ALOS PALSAR data

The Advanced Land Observation System (ALOS) Phased-Array Synthetic-Aperture Radar (PALSAR) is an L-band frequency (1.27 GHz) radar capable of continental-scale interferometric observations of ice sheet motion. Here, we show that PALSAR data yield excellent measurements of ice motion compared to C-band (5.6 GHz) radar data because of greater temporal coherence over snow and firn. We compare PALSAR velocities from year 2006 in Pine Island Bay, West Antarctica with those spanning years 1974 to 2007. Between 1996 and 2007, Pine Island Glacier sped up 42% and ungrounded over most of its ice plain. Smith Glacier accelerated 83% and ungrounded as well. Their largest speed up are recorded in 2007. Thwaites Glacier is not accelerating but widening with time and its eastern ice shelf doubled its speed. Total ice discharge from these glaciers increased 30% in 12 yr and the net mass loss increased 170% from 39 ± 15 Gt/yr to 105 ± 27 Gt /yr. Longer-term velocity changes suggest only a moderate loss in the 1970s. As the glaciers unground into the deeper, smoother beds inland, the mass loss from this region will grow considerably larger in years to come. Copyright 2008 by the American Geophysical Union.
Neuropeptide Y (NPY) induces gonad reversal in the protogynous bluehead wrasse, Thalassoma bifasciatum (Teleostei: Labridae)

Female-to-male sex transformation in the protogynous marine fish Thalassoma bifasciatum is the culmination of a neuroendocrine cascade triggered by social and behavioral cues. We have previously shown that the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, key components of the neuroendocrine axis, play a significant role in gender reversal of this species. However, nothing is known about the possible involvement of other brain factors with the hypothalamo-pituitary gland axis in this fish. One such factor, neuropeptide Y (NPY) has been shown to effect a direct or indirect control of GtH-II release in gonochoristic teleosts. In view of this finding, we have investigated the role of NPY on sex reversal in T. bifasciatum. Females (n = 38) were injected intraperitoneally thrice weekly with NPY at a dose of 0.02 microgram/gbw dissolved in 0.6% saline. Controls (n = 48) received equal volumes of saline. Fish were sacrificed at 1, 4, 6, and 8 weeks. By the end of 8 weeks, 81.6% of the NPY-treated fish showed signs of gonad reversal ranging from early (n = 25) to mid- (n = 3) and late stage (n = 3). Furthermore, the effects of NPY appeared to be dependent on duration of treatment. At 6 and 8 weeks, the ovaries of four and three fish, respectively, were markedly degenerated. Our findings shed new light on the neuroendocrine control of sex reversal in T. bifasciatum and in hermaphroditic forms in general.
A Dynamic Programming Approach to the Selection of Pattern Features

A method is presented for selecting a subset of features from a specified set when economic considerations prevent utilization of the complete set. The formulation of the feature selection problem as a dynamic programming problem permits an optimal solution to feature selection problems which previously were uncomputable. Although optimality is defined in terms of a particular measure, the Fisher return function, other criteria may be substituted as appropriate to the problem at hand. This mathematical model permits the study of interactions among processing time, cost, and probability of correctly classifying patterns, thus illustrating the advantages of dynamic programming. The natural limitation of the model is that the only features which can be selected are those supplied by its designer. Conceptually, the dynamic programming approach can be extended to problems in which several constraints limit the selection of features, but the computational difficulties become dominant as the number of constraints grows beyond two or three.
Calcifications of lobular carcinoma in situ of the breast: radiologic-pathologic correlation.

OBJECTIVE. Because lobular carcinoma in situ is thought to be an incidental finding at breast pathology, the finding of lobular carcinoma in situ at core biopsy poses a diagnostic dilemma of radiologic-pathologic concordance. The purpose of this article is to describe the radiologic-pathologic correlation of calcifications associated with lobular carcinoma in situ of the breast.MATERIALS AND METHODS. Between July 1999 and July 2000, seven excisional biopsies resulted in findings of lobular carcinoma in situ of mammographic calcifications. The radiographic features of the calcifications were characterized by the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System lexicon, and pathologic features were reviewed.RESULTS. Two forms of lobular carcinoma in situ were associated with calcifications: the classic form with small, uniform cells, and the pleomorphic form with larger cells frequently associated with central necrosis. On mammography, all calcifications were clustered, punctate, high density, and smaller than or e...
Coupled Hydro-Mechanical Elastoplastic Constitutive Model for Unsaturated Sands and Silts. I: Formulation

AbstractUnsaturated soils are three-phase porous media consisting of a solid skeleton, pore water, and pore air. The behavior of unsaturated soils is strongly influenced by the matric suction (pore air pressure minus the pore water pressure). Soil water characteristic curves (SWCCs) describe the relationship between matric suction and water content in unsaturated soils and, therefore, capture the hydro-behavior of soils. SWCCs show hysteretic behavior that not only depends on the wetting or drying history of the soil, but also on the stress-strain history (mechanical behavior) of a soil. The hydro-behavior of unsaturated soils, on the other hand, influences the mechanical behavior through matric suction. To predict the behavior of unsaturated soils, a hysteretic SWCC model is proposed based on the bounding surface plasticity concept. The model for hysteretic SWCCs is then incorporated into a constitutive model for unsaturated sands and silts in the general stress space. The resulting model is a comprehens...
Pattern recognition for passive polarimetric data using nonparametric classifiers

Passive polarization based imaging is a useful tool in computer vision and pattern recognition. A passive polarization imaging system forms a polarimetric image from the reflection of ambient light that contains useful information for computer vision tasks such as object detection (classification) and recognition. Applications of polarization based pattern recognition include material classification and automatic shape recognition. In this paper, we present two target detection algorithms for images captured by a passive polarimetric imaging system. The proposed detection algorithms are based on Bayesian decision theory. In these approaches, an object can belong to one of any given number classes and classification involves making decisions that minimize the average probability of making incorrect decisions. This minimum is achieved by assigning an object to the class that maximizes the a posteriori probability. Computing a posteriori probabilities requires estimates of class conditional probability density functions (likelihoods) and prior probabilities. A Probabilistic neural network (PNN), which is a nonparametric method that can compute Bayes optimal boundaries, and a -nearest neighbor (KNN) classifier, is used for density estimation and classification. The proposed algorithms are applied to polarimetric image data gathered in the laboratory with a liquid crystal-based system. The experimental results validate the effectiveness of the above algorithms for target detection from polarimetric data.
Components of carbon leakage in the fuel market due to biofuel policies

The issue of carbon leakage – where emission reductions by an environmental policy are partially offset or more than offset because of market effects – is often raised as an issue that will undermi...
Clustering schemes for network management

A communication network management structure is considered which consists of regional management centers. These centers receive fault reports from individual nodes in their region and take appropriate action based on the information gathered. The regional centers may report their information to a central management center if required. The problem of partitioning a network into a given number of regions (or clusters) is considered such that there is one management center assigned to each region and the total distance all the nodes to their assigned center is minimized. An efficient algorithm to solve this problem is presented. It is shown that the problem becomes NP-complete when there are two management centers per region with the regions being disjoint. Some heuristic solutions to this problem are also presented. >
Prenatal marijuana exposure and intelligence test performance at age 6.

ABSTRACT Objective: This is a prospective study of the effects of prenatal marijuana exposure on the intelligence test performance of 648 children at a 6-year follow-up. Method: Women were interviewed about the amount and frequency of their marijuana use at 4 and 7 months of pregnancy and at delivery. Participants were light to moderate users of marijuana and represented a lower income population. Children were assessed with the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale by examiners blind to exposure status. Multiple regression was applied to examine the effects of prenatal marijuana exposure on children's intelligence after partialing out the effects of other significant predictors. Results: There was a significant nonlinear relationship between marijuana exposure and child intelligence. Heavy marijuana use (one or more cigarettes per day) during the first trimester was associated with lower verbal reasoning scores on the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale. Heavy use during the second trimester predicted deficits in the composite, short-term memory, and quantitative scores. Third-trimester heavy use was negatively associated with the quantitative score. Other significant predictors of intelligence included maternal IQ, home environment, and social support. Conclusions: These findings indicate that prenatal marijuana exposure has a significant effect on school-age intellectual development.
TFE, an Archaeal Transcription Factor in Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum Related to Eucaryal Transcription Factor TFIIEα

In the archaeon Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum, MTH1669 encodes a protein with a sequence related to the N-terminal sequences of the α-subunits of eucaryal general transcription factor TFIIE. The recombinant MTH1669 gene product has been purified and shown to stimulate transcription in vitro from M. thermoautotrophicum promoters that were almost inactive or much less active in reaction mixtures that contained only M. thermoautotrophicum RNA polymerase, TATA-binding protein and transcription factor B. As all complete archaeal genome sequences contain an MTH1669 homolog, the protein encoded by this gene is apparently the first characterized example of a transcription activator, here designated TFE, that may be universally present in the Archaea.
IFN-α Suppresses GATA3 Transcription from a Distal Exon and Promotes H3K27 Trimethylation of the CNS-1 Enhancer in Human Th2 Cells

CD4(+) Th2 development is regulated by the zinc finger transcription factor GATA3. Once induced by acute priming signals, such as IL-4, GATA3 poises the Th2 cytokine locus for rapid activation and establishes a positive-feedback loop that maintains elevated GATA3 expression. Type I IFN (IFN-α/β) inhibits Th2 cells by blocking the expression of GATA3 during Th2 development and in fully committed Th2 cells. In this study, we uncovered a unique mechanism by which IFN-α/β signaling represses the GATA3 gene in human Th2 cells. IFN-α/β suppressed expression of GATA3 mRNA that was transcribed from an alternative distal upstream exon (1A). This suppression was not mediated through DNA methylation, but rather by histone modifications localized to a conserved noncoding sequence (CNS-1) upstream of exon 1A. IFN-α/β treatment led to a closed conformation of CNS-1, as assessed by DNase I hypersensitivity, along with enhanced accumulation of H3K27me3 mark at this CNS region, which correlated with increased density of total nucleosomes at this putative enhancer. Consequently, accessibility of CNS-1 to GATA3 DNA binding activity was reduced in response to IFN-α/β signaling, even in the presence of IL-4. Thus, IFN-α/β disrupts the GATA3-autoactivation loop and promotes epigenetic silencing of a Th2-specific regulatory region within the GATA3 gene.
The Online Delivery of Psychology Courses: Attrition, Performance, and Evaluation.

In this article I address issues associated with online courses, focusing on introductory psychology. Data from 2 studies compared student attrition, performance, and evaluation in classroom sections and online sections. In Study 1, students chose to enroll in online or classroom sections; in Study 2, students were assigned to a section. Data indicate that attrition was similar in the 2 instructional formats. In Study 1, online students scored nonsignificantly lower on course tests and the final exam. Online students were more likely to fail the course. However, online students evaluated the course similarly to the classroom students. In Study 2, performance and evaluation were not different for the online and the classroom sections.
A scaled linear mixed model for multiple outcomes

Summary. We propose a scaled linear mixed model to assess the effects of exposure and other covariates on multiple continuous outcomes. The most general form of the model allows a different exposure effect for each outcome. An important special case is a model that represents the exposure effects using a common global measure that can be characterized in terms of effect sizes. Correlations among different outcomes within the same subject are accommodated using random effects. We develop two approaches to model fitting, including the maximum likelihood method and the working parameter method. A key feature of both methods is that they can be easily implemented by repeatedly calling software for fitting standard linear mixed models, e.g., SAS PROC MIXED. Compared to the maximum likelihood method, the working parameter method is easier to implement and yields fully efficient estimators of the parameters of interest. We illustrate the proposed methods by analyzing data from a study of the effects of occupational pesticide exposure on semen quality in a cohort of Chinese men.
Programmatic Risk Analysis for Critical Engineering Systems Under Tight Resource Constraints

Managers of complex engineering development projects face a challenge when deciding how to allocate scarce resources to minimize the risks of project failure. As resource constraints become tighter, balancing these failure risks is more critical, less intuitive, and can benefit from the power of quantitative analysis. This paper describes the Advanced Programmatic Risk Analysis and Management model (APRAM), a decision-support framework for the management of the risk of failures of dependent engineering projects within programs. Our goal is to guide the management of the design, the development, and the budget of dependent projects. Considering first a single project, our approach is to optimize the use of the budget reserves and of the funds dedicated to the system itself for each possible budget allocation. This phase involves separate optimizations of the system design and a strategy for resolving development problems based on a chosen objective function. The model also allows checking that specified thresholds of maximum acceptable risks are met, and if not, indicates how much is required to satisfy them. It is then extended to include project dependencies within a program. Finally, it allows checking that the level of resources available is appropriate by computing the shadow "risk cost" of the budget constraint. The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory has supported the development of this model, so each step of APRAM is illustrated by the schematic case of an unmanned space program involving two dependent projects. Also, where applicable, we discuss our experiences working with the APRAM concepts for the management of unmanned space missions.
Systematics and Scientific Understanding

It is a real honor to extol Townend Glover as a systematist. He worked during the mid 19th century, a time when there were few comprehensive collections and no “big brothers” like National Science Foundation to finance museum trips to see type specimens. To identify his specimens he had to rely on an inadequate literature, ambiguous descriptions, few keys, and usually no illustrations. This is a rough situation. To remedy it, Glover conceived the idea of producing careful illustrations of every insect species and on this project he made a noble start. He was one of the first idealists in systematics.
When 3D Holgographic Display Meets with Nanotechnology

Dynamic nano-pixelated modulator is a key device for 3D holographic display. This talk will review the current solutions for nano-pixelated modulator, and also propose a dynamic model based on metasurface for the first time. Article not available.
Investigation of a Columbus, Ohio train derailment caused by fractured rail

Abstract On July 11, 2012 an eastbound Norfolk Southern train derailed 17 cars within the city limits of Columbus, OH. Three of the cars that derailed were carrying over 86,000 gallons of denatured ethanol. Once breached, the ethanol in the tank cars ignited, fueling a large fire. The derailment led to the evacuation of over 100 people and cost over $1.2 million. This paper will detail the on-scene response and failure analysis performed by the NTSB Materials Laboratory, focusing on the recovered rail that contained 25 transverse detail fractures.
Dilation-3 PR QMF for image processing

Perfect reconstruction (PR) quadrature mirror filter (QMF) banks with finite impulse response (FIR) filters are constructed from systems of dilation-3 biorthogonal refinable functions and wavelets. Such filters can be applied to image processing applications, such as image compression, image denoising, etc. These filters are linear due to the symmetry property of their underline biorthogonal refinable functions and wavelets, which satisfy functional equations with dilation factor 3. Image compression experiments show that the proposed dilation-3 QMFs outperform the popular CDF 9/7 filter bank.
Voicing Gay Women's Liberation: Judy Grahn and the Shaping of Lesbian Feminism

A closer look at the rich world of California feminisms demonstrates how Judy Grahn served as a central figure in bay area feminism, working to establish and support lesbian activist organizations, feminist publications, women's cultural events, and more. Two of Grahn's early political writings consider how lesbians sat at the nexus of homophobia and sexism. These writings demonstrate the formative role played by San Francisco lesbians in reframing ideas about "women-loving women" and the intersections of gender and sexuality in creating the oppressions faced by all women.
Molecular diagnostics for cystic fibrosis.

There are many mutations that cause cystic fibrosis, however, only a few account for the majority of the cases. This article provides a review of the molecular genetics of cystic fibrosis. A low cost technique for detection of the most common mutations is described. Emphasis is placed on the appropriate applications and interpretations in the use of molecular diagnostics for the diagnosis, carrier detection, and treatment of cystic fibrosis. Emerging treatment possibilities, including gene therapy, are discussed.
Physical Examination of Swine

Swine may be examined to evaluate a disease state or a lowered economic performance or as a herd health consultation. As much of the examination as possible should be performed without handling the animal. A thorough history, evaluation of herd records, environmental examination, and herd examination should be performed prior to the evaluation of an individual animal. All necessary equipment should be available when starting the individual examination. The animals is then restrained and examined, and necessary samples are taken. Post-mortem examinations or slaughter house evaluations are a very frequent part of a health examination on swine. All samples taken should be in accordance with the standards of the laboratory that you use. You should work closely with the laboratory to obtain the best results. Physical examination of swine can be rewarding for the veterinarian as well as the producer. The most important aspect to remember is to have enough information and the proper equipment available to handle the animals for the minimal amount of time to gain the maximum benefits. Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs are similar to domestic swine in terms of their diseases and health but are dissimilar in management; pot-bellied pigs are frequently brought to the veterinarian for individual examinations. History is the most valuable part of the examination, followed by observation. Pot-bellied pigs prefer to be held securely with a hand under the chin and rump. The examination is conducted similarly to the examination of any companion animal. Chemical restraint often is necessary for sampling or minor surgical procedures. Owners should be consulted prior to the use of any restraint. This will help win their approval and confidence when working on their pets. While performing the physical examination, look at the pig's overall health as well as specific breed characteristics. Try to stay abreast of swine vaccination recommendations; you may be consulted in this regard. Most importantly, never forget even though they are pigs, pot-bellied pigs are companion animals and should be handled as such.
Multi-Site Expansion of an Early Childhood Intervention and School Readiness.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impacts of the expansion of an evidence-based full- and part-day early childhood development program on multiple indicators of school readiness, attendance, and parental involvement for a large cohort of low-income children. METHODS: This study involved the end-of-preschool follow-up of a nonrandomized, matched-group cohort of 2630 predominantly low-income, ethnic minority children who enrolled in the Midwest Child–Parent Centers (CPC) or alternative preschools in the fall of 2012 in 31 schools in Chicago, Illinois. The program provides comprehensive education, family support, and health services. In the preschool component assessed in this study, 1724 children aged 3 to 4 years in all 16 Chicago centers enrolled in the program. The comparison group included 906 children of the same age who participated in the usual preschool services in 14 matched schools. RESULTS: Relative to the comparison group who enrolled in the usual preschool services and adjusted for covariates, CPC participants had higher mean scores on all performance-based assessments of literacy (59.4 vs 52.4; P = .001), socioemotional development (57.0 vs 51.8; P = .001), and physical health (34.5 vs 32.1; P = .001). They also had higher ratings of parental involvement in school (5.3 vs 4.0; P = .04). Group differences also translated into higher rates of meeting national assessment norms. Program estimates were similar for children attending new and established CPCs and according to age, race/ethnicity, and family income status. CONCLUSIONS: The findings show that expansion of the program to new schools and more diverse populations is feasible and effective in promoting school readiness skills and parental involvement.
Supra-Molecular Organization of the Crystallographic Conformations of Inactive and Activated μ-Opioid Receptor in a Multi-Component Plasma Membrane Model

While oligomerization of several G Protein-Coupled Receptor systems, including the μ-opioid receptor (MOR), is an accepted phenomenon, its role in receptor signaling is the subject of much debate as are the specific interfaces formed and the time-scales of their formation and disruption. Crystallographic information of the antagonist-bound, inactive MOR suggested formation of an extensive dimer interface involving transmembrane (TM) helices TM5 and TM6 (TM5,6) on each protomer and a less compact symmetric interface involving TM1, TM2, and helix 8 (TM1,2,H8). The recent agonist-bound, activated MOR crystal structure confirmed that the TM5,6 interface is incompatible with conformational changes occurring upon activation, arguing against its physiological relevance.In this work, several independent, multi-microsecond, coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of arrays of 16 MORs in the inactive or activated conformations were performed to elucidate possible differences in the supra-molecular organization of the receptors in the Martini force field plasma membrane model composed of 63 different lipid types. Unlike the crystallographic TM1,2,H8 interface, which was observed for both inactive and activated conformations of MOR, the TM5,6 dimer interface was not seen in these simulations. In general, interfaces involving TM5 in either dimeric or oligomeric arrangements were formed much less frequently in the case of the activated receptor. While both the inactive and activated states of MOR formed dimers on the same timescale, higher-order oligomers (trimers and tetramers) were observed much more quickly for the inactive system than the activated system. It appeared as if the ability of the inactive state to associate through TM5 allowed for easier formation of higher order oligomers, although other factors (e.g., specific lipids) may have played a role, and are currently under investigation.
TU-FG-207B-00: Federal Funding Opportunities and Grantsmanship

Up-to-date knowledge about federal funding opportunities related to medical physics research, as well as obtaining skills for writing effective grant proposals are critical for academic and entrepreneurial medical physicists. In this symposium, program directors from key federal research funding agencies, including the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, and the National Science Foundation, will present information about current funding opportunities relevant to the field of medical physics. They will also provide insight to issues that applicants should pay special attention to when crafting their research grant proposals. In addition, the symposium will include presentations on research funding for small business concerns, and the results of an independent AAPM study of the National Institutes of Health funding of AAPM members from 2002–2015. Learning Objectives: 1.To learn about current federal funding initiatives relevant to medical physics research 2.To learn about tactics important for crafting convincing research proposals 3.To learn about an independent study of NIH funding of research done by AAPM members B. Whelan, this work was commissioned and funded by the AAPM
Plasma Serotonin in Heart Failure: Possible Marker and Potential Treatment Target

Background The relationship between heart failure (HF) and the serotonergic system has been established in animal studies. However, data on human plasma serotonin level in HF and its significance over the course of the disease is lacking. Methods Serotonin levels were measured in 173 patients (108 males, 65 females), 116 were stable HF and 40 were acute decompensated HF patients. The normal control group included 17 healthy volunteers with no known medical or psychiatric conditions. Patients receiving medications affecting serotonin receptors and those with pulmonary hypertension were excluded. All patients, except for those in the decompensated group, were on stable doses of HF medications. Results Plasma serotonin levels were significantly elevated in decompensated HF patients compared with stable patients (P=0.002). Higher plasma serotonin levels were associated with worse HF symptoms (NYHA class) and the presence of systolic dysfunction, and was borderline associated with low peak oxygen consumption during cardiopulmonary exercise testing (P=0.055). These results were independent of age, gender, race, hypertension, diabetes, renal failure, weight, coronary artery disease (CAD), atrial fibrillation and medication use. Conclusions Serotonin is a marker for decompensation in patients with chronic heart failure. Higher serotonin levels were associated with worse HF symptoms and systolic dysfunction.
How Do Pain, Fatigue, Depressive, and Cognitive Symptoms Relate to Well-Being and Social and Physical Functioning in the Daily Lives of Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis?

Abstract Objective To examine the relative association between daily change in pain, fatigue, depressed mood, and cognitive function and 4 outcomes—positive affect and well-being, ability to participate in social roles and activities, upper extremity (UE) functioning, and lower extremity (LE) functioning. Design Data analysis, multilevel mixed modeling. Setting General community. Participants Ambulatory adults (N=102) with multiple sclerosis. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Customized short-forms of the Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders positive affect and well-being, UE functioning, and LE functioning item banks and the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System ability to participate in social roles and activities item bank adapted for daily use and administered as end-of-day diaries. Results Above and beyond the effects of demographic and clinical covariates, daily pain was associated with 3 of the 4 outcomes; days of higher than usual pain were related to lower same-day social participation (unstandardized β, B=−1.00; P =.002), UE functioning (B=−1.04; P =.01), and LE functioning (B=−.71; P =.04). Daily fatigue and depressed mood were independently related to daily positive affect and well-being; days of worse fatigue (B=−.54; P =.006) and depressed mood (B=−1.17; P Conclusions The results indicate the role of fluctuations in symptoms in daily functioning and quality of life of individuals with multiple sclerosis. Daily increases in pain intensity are related to social and physical functioning, whereas increases in fatigue and depressed mood are related to lower daily well-being. Findings implicate a person-centered approach to monitoring and treating symptoms.
Stereotyping the Field: The Case for Disentangling Interpersonal and Inter/Cultural Communication

Intercultural communication is often understood as interpersonal communication in an intercultural context confounding both areas in ways that makes it difficult to disentangle and view each as uni...
Cancer Mutations Targeting TNFRSF14 alter Microenvironment Checkpoint Interactions to Limit Tumor Clearance by Cytotoxic Cells

The roles of many non-oncogenic mutations in cancer may influence tumor growth, survival, or how tumors interact with their surroundings. Here we characterize the functional relevance of missense mutations within the gene encoding the tumor necrosis receptor family member HVEM ( TNFRSF14 ), a locus frequently targeted within human lymphoma and other cancers. We find that point mutations identified in human lymphoma were localized to the extracellular domain and specifically target ligand binding, resulting in preferential loss of CD160 and BTLA interactions compared to LIGHT ( TNFSF14 ). Missense mutations were associated with alterations in cytotoxic effector cell signatures within tumor biopsies, while deletion mutations were associated with changes in myeloid cell signatures. Finally, we find that mutated HVEM proteins retained the capacity to inhibit T cell signaling through BTLA, while reducing costimulation of cytolysis in NK cells through CD160. Together, these data provide evidence for how immune selective pressures may drive mutation of TNFRSF14 resulting in greater tumor fitness.
Targeting the PXR-TLR4 signaling pathway to reduce intestinal inflammation in an experimental model of necrotizing enterocolitis

BackgroundThere is substantial evidence that signaling through Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) contributes to the pathogenesis of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Pregnane X receptor (PXR), a xenobiotic sensor and signaling intermediate for certain host-bacterial metabolites, has been shown to negatively regulate TLR4 signaling. Here we investigated the relationship between PXR and TLR4 in the developing murine intestine and explored the capacity of PXR to modulate inflammatory pathways involved in experimental NEC.MethodsWild-type and PXR-/- mice were studied at various time points of development in an experimental model of NEC. In addition, we studied the ability of the secondary bile acid lithocholic acid (LCA), a known PXR agonist in liver, to activate intestinal PXR and reduce NEC-related intestinal inflammation.ResultsWe found a reciprocal relationship between the developmental expression of PXR and TLR4 in wild-type murine intestine, with PXR acting to reduce TLR4 expression by decreasing TLR4 mRNA stability. In addition, PXR-/- mice exhibited a remarkably heightened severity of disease in experimental NEC. Moreover, LCA attenuated intestinal proinflammatory responses in the early stages of experimental NEC.ConclusionThese findings provide proactive insights into the regulation of TLR4 in the developing intestine. Targeting PXR may be a novel approach for NEC prevention.
ROUTINE EARLY DISCHARGE AFTER TRANSCATHETER AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT: A PROPENSITY SCORE ANALYSIS FROM THE PARTNER 2 SAPIEN 3 STUDY

Advancements in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) have allowed some patients to be discharged within 24-48 hours allowing faster mobilization and minimizing procedural cost. Few studies have evaluated rapidity of discharge after TAVR and associated outcomes. The aim of this study was to
Medicaid or Medicare insurance payer status and household income are associated with outcomes after primary total hip arthroplasty

Our objective was to examine if Medicaid/Medicare health insurance and household income were associated with poorer outcomes after primary total hip arthroplasty (THA). We used multivariable-adjusted Cox regression analyses to assess whether insurance payer type and household income were independently associated with health care utilization outcomes or complications post-THA in a cohort of hospital discharges from the 1998–2014 US National Inpatient Sample, adjusting for demographics, underlying diagnosis for THA, medical comorbidity, and hospital characteristics. In a national cohort of 4,116,485 primary THAs, the mean age was 65.5 years, 57% were female, 87% White, and 83% had osteoarthritis. Compared to private insurance, patients with Medicaid had significantly higher hazard ratio (HR) (95% confidence interval (CI)) for hospital charges above the median, 1.18 (1.15, 1.21); discharge to a rehabilitation/inpatient facility, 1.67 (1.62, 1.72); length of hospital stay > 3 days, 1.62 (1.58, 1.67); and in-hospital post-operative complications including infection, 1.70 (1.47, 1.97); transfusion, 1.13 (1.09, 1.16); revision, 1.55 (1.32, 1.82); and mortality, 1.89 (1.35, 2.63). Results were similar for those with Medicare payer status. Compared to the highest quartile, the lowest income quartile was associated with significantly higher HR (95% CI) of hospital charges above median, 1.43 (1.41, 1.45), and a lower HR of discharge to a rehabilitation/inpatient facility, 0.78 (0.77, 0.79); hospital stay > 3 days, 0.82 (0.80, 0.83); infection, 0.57 (0.50, 0.65); and transfusion, 0.80 (0.79, 0.82). The association of Medicaid/Medicare insurance and income with post-THA health care utilization and complications implies that a better understanding of underlying reasons is needed to improve post-THA outcomes.
The robust, readily available cobalt(iii) trication [Co(NH2CHPhCHPhNH2)3]3+ is a progenitor of broadly applicable chirality and prochirality sensing agents.

When NMR spectra of chiral racemic organic molecules containing a Lewis basic functional group are recorded in the presence of air and water stable salts of the cobalt(III) trication [Co((S,S)-NH2CHPhCHPhNH2)3]3+ (23+), separate signals are usually observed for the enantiomers (28 diverse examples, >12 functional groups). Several chiral molecules can be simultaneously analyzed, and enantiotopic groups in prochiral molecules differentiated (16 examples). Particularly effective are the mixed bis(halide)/tetraarylborate salts Λ-23+ 2X−BArf− (X = Cl, I; BArf = B(3,5-C6H3(CF3)2)4), which are applied in CD2Cl2 or CDCl3 at 1–100 mol% (avg 34 and 14 mol%). Job plots establish 1 : 1 binding for Λ-23+ 2Cl−BArf− and 1-phenylethyl acetate (4) or 1-phenylethanol (10), and ca. 1 : 2 binding with DMSO (CD2Cl2). Selected binding constants are determined, which range from 7.60–2.73 M−1 for the enantiomers of 10 to 28.1–22.6 M−1 for the enantiomers of 4. The NH moieties of the C2 faces of the trication are believed to hydrogen bond to the Lewis basic functional groups, as seen in the crystal structure of a hexakis(DMSO) solvate of Λ-23+ 3I−. These salts rank with the most broadly applicable chirality sensing agents discovered to date.
Stochastic Turing patterns in a synthetic bacterial population.

The origin of biological morphology and form is one of the deepest problems in science, underlying our understanding of development and the functioning of living systems. In 1952, Alan Turing showed that chemical morphogenesis could arise from a linear instability of a spatially uniform state, giving rise to periodic pattern formation in reaction–diffusion systems but only those with a rapidly diffusing inhibitor and a slowly diffusing activator. These conditions are disappointingly hard to achieve in nature, and the role of Turing instabilities in biological pattern formation has been called into question. Recently, the theory was extended to include noisy activator–inhibitor birth and death processes. Surprisingly, this stochastic Turing theory predicts the existence of patterns over a wide range of parameters, in particular with no severe requirement on the ratio of activator–inhibitor diffusion coefficients. To explore whether this mechanism is viable in practice, we have genetically engineered a synthetic bacterial population in which the signaling molecules form a stochastic activator–inhibitor system. The synthetic pattern-forming gene circuit destabilizes an initially homogenous lawn of genetically engineered bacteria, producing disordered patterns with tunable features on a spatial scale much larger than that of a single cell. Spatial correlations of the experimental patterns agree quantitatively with the signature predicted by theory. These results show that Turing-type pattern-forming mechanisms, if driven by stochasticity, can potentially underlie a broad range of biological patterns. These findings provide the groundwork for a unified picture of biological morphogenesis, arising from a combination of stochastic gene expression and dynamical instabilities.
Cross-polarization reflectance imaging of root caries and dental calculus on extracted teeth at wavelengths from 400 to 2350 nm.

The identification of root caries and calculus on tooth roots is of increasing importance with our aging population. Exposed root surfaces are often impacted by erosion, abrasion, calculus and staining which can make the identification and management of caries challenging. Identification of dental calculus on root surfaces and verification of its removal is also important for patient education and to decrease susceptibility to caries and periodontal disease. The objective of this study was to determine how the contrast of root caries lesions and dental calculus varies with wavelength in the visible to near-infrared. The contrast of suspected root caries lesions and dental calculus on 30 extracted teeth was measured using cross-polarization reflectance measurements at wavelengths from 400 to 2350 nm. Significantly higher (P < 0.05) lesion contrast was measured at wavelengths greater than 1460 nm. Stains interfered significantly at wavelengths less than 850 nm yielding non-diagnostic contrast for root caries lesions. We postulate that the high absorption of water at longer wavelengths reduced the light scattering from the surrounding and underlying normal dentin, thus increasing the lesion contrast. This study indicates that wavelengths beyond 1400 nm are advantageous for imaging calculus and caries lesions on root surfaces due to the high contrast and lack of interference from stain.
"A solution to a worrisome problem": the rhetoric of scientific discourse in a public policy dispute about the environment

The goal of this study is to demonstrate how rhetorical analyses of public discourse artifacts and practices reveal science as a civic discourse—with highly epideictic and deliberative purposes—that guides public policy decisions made by non-expert, civic leaders. Though typically recognized for its forensic function, little is written about how the epideictic function of scientific discourse politically performs in public policy debates about the environment. Nor is much written about the connection between the epideictic and deliberative functions of scientific discourse and the resolution of public controversies. To demonstrate the intersection of the political and scientific, I present a case study in which two opposing scientists attempted to shape public policy using scientific reports. These reports contained conflicting evidence and claims concerning the suspected emission and deposition of dioxin from a Midwestern power plant to the food sources of the Inuit who reside in the Arctic Circle. Specifically, I analyze what rhetorical moves these scientists used to construct scientifically based arguments in both the initiation and resolution of the environmental conflict, and I speculate how expectations appropriate for scientific discourse complicated (and possibly conflicted with) understanding about what was suitable for discourse surrounding the controversy. Using the analytic categories of genre and delivery, frames and values, ethos and identity/image, I locate three rhetorical actions that may be helpful to professional communicators, civic scientists, environmental advocates, public officials, and general citizens when reading and responding to the discourse that is created to initiate and resolve an environmental controversy: (1) the use of warrants to express non-scientific values, (2) the difference in rhetorical situations and generic conventions that surround scientific and environmental discourses, and (3) the creation of a “web of discourse and activity” by scientists seeking change in public policy.