cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Image-Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT) for Prostate Cancer Comparing kV Imaging of Fiducial Markers With Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT)

Purpose To present our single-institution experience with image-guided radiotherapy comparing fiducial markers and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) for daily localization of prostate cancer. Methods and materials From April 2007 to October 2008, 36 patients with prostate cancer received intensity-modulated radiotherapy with daily localization by use of implanted fiducials. Orthogonal kilovoltage (kV) portal imaging preceded all 1244 treatments. Cone-beam computed tomography images were also obtained before 286 treatments (23%). Shifts in the anterior-posterior (AP), superior-inferior (SI), and left-right (LR) dimensions were made from kV fiducial imaging. Cone-beam computed tomography shifts based on soft tissues were recorded. Shifts were compared by use of Bland-Altman limits of agreement. Mean and standard deviation of absolute differences were also compared. A difference of 5 mm or less was acceptable. Subsets including start date, body mass index, and prostate size were analyzed. Results Of 286 treatments, 81 (28%) resulted in a greater than 5.0-mm difference in one or more dimensions. Mean differences in the AP, SI, and LR dimensions were 3.4 ± 2.6 mm, 3.1 ± 2.7 mm, and 1.3 ± 1.6 mm, respectively. Most deviations occurred in the posterior (fiducials, 78%; CBCT, 59%), superior (79%, 61%), and left (57%, 63%) directions. Bland-Altman 95% confidence intervals were -4.0 to 9.3 mm for AP, -9.0 to 5.3 mm for SI, and -4.1 to 3.9 mm for LR. The percentages of shift agreements within ±5 mm were 72.4% for AP, 72.7% for SI, and 97.2% for LR. Correlation between imaging techniques was not altered by time, body mass index, or prostate size. Conclusions Cone-beam computed tomography and kV fiducial imaging are similar; however, more than one-fourth of CBCT and kV shifts differed enough to affect target coverage. This was even more pronounced with smaller margins (3 mm). Fiducial imaging requires less daily physician input, is less time-consuming, and is our preferred method for prostate image-guided radiotherapy.
Confluence: a seminar series as a teaching tool.

In 2007 Florida International University (FIU) received NIH, NSF, and internal support to create a curriculum that was quantitative in nature, and that incorporated some of the most contemporary approaches to the classroom. The QBIC (Quantifying Biology In the Classroom; http://qbic. fiu.edu) Program is a specialized program in the Department of Biology specifically set up to implement ‘vision and change’ principles in the department’s overall approach to students. It is now an optional track within the Department of Biological Sciences. We discuss the major objectives of this series, the affect areas that it addresses, as well as how students incorporate the series’ lessons for their own professional development. It became apparent to us anecdotally that our undergraduates were making career choices without the awareness of the many other viable career options in biology. This is not an issue unique to our institution and other authors (1) have discussed steps to address career choice and exposure. At our institution, we created a number of career development initiatives, one of which was a seminar series called “Confluence: where life and science meet.” For this series we invite science professionals from around the country to give a seminar, mostly to undergraduates, not only on the technical specifics of their field, but also on their personal life story, and how that story informed their career choice. After the seminar, the speaker sits down with a QBIC faculty member for a half-hour interview where he or she is able to go into more specifics about the themes from the seminar. The interview is videotaped in front of a live student-only audience in a film studio on campus. The recording is published on the series’ website (http://qbic.fiu. edu/confluence). In this article we discuss using the series to address issues of identity, and how our video blog can be used in other classrooms to achieve similar objectives for science students nationally.
BB embolus causing monocular blindness in a 9-year-old boy

Abstract PURPOSE: To report a case of monocular blindness resulting from intravascular bullet migration. DESIGN: Observational case report. METHODS: A 9-year-old boy presented to the emergency room with a penetrating BB gun injury to the chest. RESULTS: Carotid angiography localized the bullet to the right internal carotid artery. He subsequently suffered blindness in the right eye, a right pupil-involving third nerve palsy, left hemiparesis, and a probable left homonymous hemianopia. CONCLUSION: BB gun injuries may result in devastating ophthalmologic as well as systemic consequences due to bullet embolization.
On the generation of smooth three-dimensional rigid body motions

This paper addresses the problem of generating smooth trajectories between an initial and a final position and orientation in space. The main idea is to define a functional depending on velocity or its derivatives that measures smoothness of trajectories and find a trajectory that minimizes this functional. In order to ensure that the computed trajectories are independent of the parametrization of positions and orientations, we use the notions of Riemannian metric and covariant derivative from differential geometry and formulate the problem as a variational problem on the Lie group of spatial rigid body displacements. We show that by choosing an appropriate measure of smoothness, the trajectories can be made to satisfy boundary conditions on the velocities or higher order derivatives. Dynamically smooth trajectories can be obtained by incorporating the inertia of the system into the definition of the Riemannian metric. We state the necessary conditions for the shortest distance, minimum acceleration and minimum jerk trajectories.
Performance analysis for IEEE 802.11e EDCF service differentiation

Having been originally developed as an extension of the wired local area networks, IEEE 802.11 lacks support for quality-of-service (QoS) and differential services. Since its introduction, various extensions and modifications have been studied to address this current need and the IEEE 802.11 Task Group E is responsible for developing a QoS-aware MAC protocol that considers several service differentiation mechanisms. However, the performance of service differentiation has only been evaluated by simulation. The analytical model that calculates the differential service performance corresponding to the contention parameter configuration has not been found yet. In this paper, we first briefly explain the enhanced distributed coordination function (EDCF) access method of IEEE 802.11e. We then introduce an analytical model, which can be used to calculate the traffic priority, throughput, and delay corresponding to the configuration of multiple DCF contention parameters under the saturation condition. A detailed simulation is provided to validate the proposed model. Finally, using the analytical model, we analyze the effect on service differentiation for each contention parameter. The contention parameters can be configured appropriately at each station to achieve specific needs of service differentiation for applications.
What's DUE

FROM THE EDITOR: This new department in our CAE journal was created to help inform our readers of the ongoing activities in the Division of Undergraduate Education at the National Science Foundation. The services, announcements, and grant awards of this division are vital to engineering education and are certainly crucial to sustaining faculty commitment to and interest in new developments in undergraduate education.
Queer(y)ing Hannah Arendt, or what’s Hannah Arendt got to do with intersectionality?

AbstractThis article takes an unlikely approach to thinking about intersectionality theory. Exploring key concepts from the writings of Hannah Arendt, such as plurality, conscious pariah, and statelessness, alongside her embodied interrogation of anti-Semitism and the Jewish Question, it suggests a way to transgress the ordinary boundaries of the concepts of queer, international, and feminist and, conversely, to unbound the ordinary ways Arendt’s theories have been interpreted as less relevant, if not antithetical to, feminist, intersectional, and queer theories and politics.
If f(x) is a Function in g(x), what are the Coefficients of that Function? A New Expansion for Analytic Function in Standard Form f(x) = Σk=0∞ Sk (g(x) – M)k

In this article we study Taylor, Maclaurin, Lagrange, and others about power series. Taylor and Maclaurin's expansion is a special case of Mansour's expansion. It is an intriguing generalization of the work of Taylor, Maclaurin, and others about power series. We prove that Taylor and Maclaurin's expansion is a special case of the new expansion
Non-medical use of prescription pain medications and increased emergency department utilization: Results of a national survey

Abstract Background There are no population-based studies of emergency department (ED) utilization by individuals using prescription pain medications non-medically. We examined whether non-medical use of prescription pain medications was independently associated with increased ED utilization. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of a nationally representative sample of the non-institutionalized, civilian U.S. population in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2008–2013. We used multivariable logistic regression to examine the association between past year ED utilization and non-medical use of prescription pain medications, defined as use of medications “not prescribed for you or that you took only for the experience or feeling they caused”. Results An estimated 10.5 million adults annually reported past year non-medical use (NMU) of prescription pain medications, and 39%, or 4.1 million adults annually, also reported one or more past year ED visits. After adjustment for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, adults with past year NMU of prescription pain medications had increased odds of past year ED utilization (adjusted odds ratio 1.32; 95% confidence interval 1.24–1.41). In secondary analyses, individuals with more frequent NMU had increased odds of ED utilization in unadjusted analyses, but this association was attenuated with adjustment for the source of prescription pain medication (i.e., physician, friend/family, other source). Conclusions Non-medical use of prescription pain medications is associated with increased ED utilization. Further work is needed to identify the optimal role of ED settings in providing screening, education, and treatment referral for individuals using prescription pain medications non-medically.
Oncovex MGM-CSF –mediated regression of contralateral (non-injected) tumors in the A20 murine lymphoma model does not involve direct viral oncolysis

Meeting abstracts Talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) is an injectable modified oncolytic herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) hypothesized to be efficacious by at least two complimentary mechanisms of action: a) direct oncolysis of the injected tumor and b) elicitation of a systemic anti-tumor immune
Qualitative Electrotonic Comparison of Three Classes of Hippocampal Neurons in the Rat

Mammalian neurons have traditionally been classified on the basis of morphology, but the functional implications of morphology depend also on the biophysical properties of membrane and cytoplasm. The principles that underlie the relationship between anatomy and biophysics on the one hand and neuronal electrotonus on the other are well understood (Rall, 1977; Jack et al., 1983). However, spatiotemporal complexity makes it difficult to draw reliable inferences about the dynamics of electrical signaling in neurons from their neuroanatomical appearance and biophysical parameters.
Hyperammonemia Syndrome After Lung Transplantation: A Single Center Experience.

BackgroundHyperammonemia is a rare, often fatal complication after transplantation. The etiology is unknown, but recognition and rapid treatment may help to improve the survival of this unusual syndrome. We present the largest case series to date of hyperammonemia after lung transplantation (LTx) an
Closer to the Creator: Temporal Contagion Explains the Preference for Earlier Serial Numbers

Consumers demonstrate a robust preference for items with earlier serial numbers (e.g., No. 3/100) over otherwise identical items with later serial numbers (e.g., No. 97/100) in a limited edition set. This preference arises from the perception that items with earlier serial numbers are temporally closer to the origin (e.g., the designer or artist who produced it). In turn, beliefs in contagion (the notion that objects may acquire a special essence from their past) lead consumers to view these items as possessing more of a valued essence. Using an archival data set and five lab experiments, the authors find the preference for items with earlier serial numbers holds across multiple consumer domains including recorded music, art, and apparel. Further, this preference appears to be independent from inferences about the quality of the item, salience of the number, or beliefs about market value. Finally, when serial numbers no longer reflect beliefs about proximity to the origin, the preference for items with earlier serial numbers is attenuated. The authors conclude by demonstrating boundary conditions of this preference in the context of common marketing practices.
Accounting in Favor of Investors

The paper evaluates Warren Buffett's comments on accounting presented to his Berkshire-Hathaway shareholders, within a framework assuming that the proper function of financial accounting is to serve public investors. Accounting serves to maximize the efficiency of the stock market's allocation of capital. The paper sometimes praises Warren Buffett as an ally of investors in the accounting wars. Buffett has been articulate in arguing that executive stock options are compensation, properly included in expense. The paper, however, criticizes Buffett in presenting figures using a misleading accounting, the pooling method of accounting, for acquisitions of other corporations. The paper, moreover, is critical of Buffett's comments as an accounting theorist in that he seems not to understand that the valuation of stock depends just on the net present value of its future cash flows. The paper also criticizes Buffett's "owner's equity" measure of value as an unnecessarily balky tool, not easily reconciled with net-present-value valuation.
Adrenal ascorbic acid and corticosteroidogenesis following unilateral adrenalectomy in the rat.

SummaryFrom comparative study of changes in adrenal ascorbic acid and in adrenal and plasma corticosterone concentration induced by unilateral adrenalectomy in the rat, adrenal ascorbic acid depletion appears more closely related in time to release than to synthesis of corticosterone, since maximal depletion did not correspond to peak of corticosterone concentration in the gland (30 minutes postoperatively), but was achieved at the same time (60-120 minutes p.o.) as its peak concentration in plasma, when rate of release of the hormone presumably reached equilibrium with its rate of removal or inactivation. In view of reported instances of dissociation between the 2 phenomena, the observed temporal relationship should be interpreted with caution.The authors are indebted to Miss R. C. Wood for able technical assistance.
Kinetic Monte Carlo simulation of self-organized pattern formation induced by ion beam sputtering using crater functions

The production of self-organized nanostructures by ion beam sputtering has been of keen interest to researchers for many decades. Despite numerous experimental and theoretical efforts to understand ion-induced nanostructures, there are still many basic questions open to discussion, such as the role of erosion or curvature-dependent sputtering. In this work, a hybrid MD/kMC (molecular dynamics/kinetic Monte Carlo) multiscale atomistic model is developed to investigate these knowledge gaps, and its predictive ability is validated across the experimental parameter space. This model uses crater functions, which were obtained from MD simulations, to model the prompt mass redistribution due to single-ion impacts. Defect migration, which is missing from previous models that use crater functions, is treated by a kMC Arrhenius method. Using this model, a systematic study was performed for silicon bombarded by ${\mathrm{Ar}}^{+}$ ions of various energies (100 eV, 250 eV, 500 eV, 700 eV, and 1000 eV) at incidence angles of ${0}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$ to ${80}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}.$ The simulation results were compared with experimental findings, showing good agreement in many aspects of surface evolution, such as the phase diagram. The underestimation of the ripple wavelength by the simulations suggests that surface diffusion is not the main smoothening mechanism for ion-induced pattern formation. Furthermore, the simulated results were compared with moment-description continuum theory and found to give better results, as the simulation did not suffer from the same mathematical inconsistencies as the continuum model. The key finding was that redistributive effects are dominant in the formation of flat surfaces and parallel-mode ripples, but erosive effects are dominant at high angles when perpendicular-mode ripples are formed. Ion irradiation with simultaneous sample rotation was also simulated, resulting in arrays of square-ordered dots. The patterns obtained from sample rotation were strongly correlated to the rotation speed and to the pattern types formed without sample rotation, and a critical value of about 5 rpm was found between disordered ripples and square-ordered dots. Finally, simulations of dual-beam sputtering were performed, with the resulting patterns determined by the flux ratio of the two beams and the pattern types resulting from single-beam sputtering under the same conditions.
The Effect of Grain Boundary Geometry on Intergranular Cracking in Ni3A1 at Room Temperature

The relation between intergranular fracture and grain boundary character was studied in Ni3Al using the electron backscattering pattern (EBSP) technique. A new and improved set of experiments have been performed in which the problems of forced crack propagation and statistical validity of numerical results encountered in the earlier study were eliminated. It was found that low angle and Σ3 boundaries do have a substantially lower propensity for cracking as compared to other boundaries, but there is no correlation between grain boundary Σ value and the propensity for cracking for low Σ boundaries. These results are in general agreement with recent theoretical predictions of grain boundary structure.
Free amino acids in adult mosquitoes.

SummaryThe free amino acids of adult, female mosquitoes (Culex pipiens, Culex quinquejasciatus, Culex salinarius, Aedes aegypti, Aedes sollicitans, Culiseta inornata and Anopheles quadrimaculatus) were extracted with ethanol and identified by paper chromatography. Extracts of all species of mosquitoes contained 18 amino acids: Alanine, glutamic acid; beta-alanine, isoleucine, leucine, taurine, proline, histidine, serine, valine, methionine, threonine, lysine, arginine, aspartic acid, glycine, tyrosine and tryptophan.Extracts of C. quinquejasciatus and A. aegypti exhibited relatively larger amounts of most amino acids than those of A. quadrimaculatus as indicated by the size and intensity of spots on the ehromatograms. Such differences between 3 species of Culex mosquitoes and 2 species of Aedes were practically negligible.
Response of a Mammalian Faunal Element to Climatic Changes

Faunal elements are groups of species with similar contemporary distributional patterns and may represent an historical association. It is hypothesized that members of a faunal element will respond similarly to environmental conditions. Since the mid-1960s the central plains has experienced cool, mesic (cryomesic) conditions. The distributional limits of members of the Boreal faunal element in this region— Sorex cinereus, Microtus pennsylvanicus, Zapus hudsonius , and Mustela nivalis —expanded southward since onset of cryomesic conditions.
The use of the self in group leadership: a relational perspective.

ABSTRACTThis article, written from a relational perspective, describes a shift that is taking place in the thinking of many psychodynamically oriented psychotherapists regarding the practice of therapy and the implications it has for group therapists. The shift, from one-person to two-person and multiperson theory, has particular importance for group leaders since it recommends making the subjective involvement of the therapist in the interactional field of the group much more a part of the treatment process. Theory and research on the use of countertransference, noninterpretive interventions, humor, and spontaneity by the leader are reviewed and vignettes are presented to illustrate the application of these ideas. Guidelines regarding the application of such ideas in group therapy are also discussed.
Impact on Student Learning: National Board Certified Teachers' Perceptions.

The purpose of this study is to report National Board Certified Teachers’ (NBCTs) perceived impact on student learning. The guiding research question for this study, “How do teachers perceive the influence of the National Board Certification process on student learning in their own classrooms?” was explored. A total of 496 NBCTs currently teaching in North Carolina public schools completed the survey questionnaire in which they responded to demographic questions, Likert item questions, and open-ended questions. More than 80% of the study’s participants reported the certification process had positively influenced student learning in their classrooms. Thematic analysis revealed several reoccurring themes that NBCTs reported having impact on student learning in their classrooms. These included impact on academic achievement, improved teaching, and/or an increase of effective evaluation and assessment strategies.
Evolution from Traditional Base Station to Active Antenna System Base Station

With the development of wireless network,the more advanced base station( BS) has been explored. This paper introduces the different BS structures in detail,and draws a conclusion that it is necessary to evolve from traditional BS to active antenna system( AAS) by comparing the advantages and disadvantages. For AAS,the accurate concept and the design of AAS are proposed. The technology feature of AAS is further analyzed. It is pointed out that AAS can realize the coverage of more cells by the feasible beam forming( BF) schemes and meet the requirement of green communication equipment with low cost,lower loss and higher power efficiency. So AAS BS must be the trend of BS evolution in future.
The effects of baseline ovarian cysts on the clinical response to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation in an in vitro fertilization program

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of baseline ovarian cysts on the clinical response to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) in an in vitro fertilization (IVF) program. Patients were divided into two groups: group 1 (n = 21) had cysts with mean diameters between 10 and 45 mm on their baseline ultrasound before COH, and group 2 (n = 76) had no ovarian cysts on their baseline ultrasound. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in maximum serum estradiol, the number of follicles greater than or equal to 10 mm on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) injection, the number of follicles greater than or equal to 15 mm on the day of hCG injection, the number of oocytes retrieved, and the number of embryos transferred. There was no difference between the groups in the cycle cancellation rate, in the pregnancy rate per cycle, or in the pregnancy rate per embryo transfer. This study suggests that small baseline ovarian cysts do not negatively impact on ovulation induction parameters or pregnancy rates in an IVF program.
Racial and socio-economic disparities in breast cancer hospitalization outcomes by insurance status

Abstract Background Breast cancer remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality among women in the US, and despite numerous studies documenting racial disparities in outcomes, the survival difference between Black and White women diagnosed with breast cancer continues to widen. Few studies have assessed whether observed racial disparities in outcomes vary by insurance type e.g. Medicare/Medicaid versus private insurance. Differences in coverage, availability of networked physicians, or cost-sharing policies may influence choice of treatment and treatment outcomes, even after patients have been hospitalized, effects of which may be differential by race. Purpose The aim of this analysis was to examine hospitalization outcomes among patients with a primary diagnosis of breast cancer and assess whether differences in outcome exist by insurance status after adjusting for age, race/ethnicity and socio-economic status. Methods We obtained data on over 67,000 breast cancer patients with a primary diagnosis of breast cancer for this cross-sectional study from the 2007–2011 Healthcare Cost and Utilization project Nationwide Inpatient Sample (HCUP-NIS), and examined breast cancer surgery type (mastectomy vs. breast conserving surgery or BCS), post-surgical complications and in-hospital mortality. Multivariable regression models were used to compute estimates, odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results Black patients were less likely to receive mastectomies compared with White women (OR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.71–0.90), regardless of whether they had Medicare/Medicaid or Private insurance. Black patients were also more likely to experience post-surgical complications (OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.12–1.78) and higher in-hospital mortality (OR: 1.57, 95%: 1.21–2.03) compared with White patients, associations that were strongest among women with Private insurance. Women residing outside of large metropolitan areas were significantly more likely to receive mastectomies (OR: 1.89, 95% CI: 1.54–2.31) and experience higher in-hospital mortality (OR: 1.74, 95% CI: 1.40–2.16) compared with those in metropolitan areas, regardless of insurance type. Conclusion Among hospitalized patients with breast cancer, racial differences in hospitalization outcomes existed and worse outcomes were observed among Black women with private insurance. Future studies are needed to determine factors associated with poor outcomes in this group of women, as well as to examine contributors to low BCS adoption in non-metropolitan areas.
Analysis of fracture patterns from experimentally marrow-cracked frozen and thawed cattle bones

Abstract Pre-breakage treatment of bones affects fracture mechanics and bone-breakage patterns. Understanding the results of various treatments leads to a more objective interpretation of archaeological faunal assemblages. Little is known about the specifics of fracture pattern differences between frozen and thawed bone, which is important in the context of studying potential frozen meat caches. This study reports the results of experiments performing hammerstone bone-breakage on frozen and thawed cattle femora and humeri with the periosteum and a thin layer of muscle meat left intact. Results indicate that the frozen or thawed state of the bone influenced the extent and type of fracture and resulting fragments. These differences potentially allow for the macroscopic identification of frozen and thawed marrow-cracked bones from an archaeological assemblage or scavenging site.
A New Approach in Modeling Phase Distribution in Fully Developed Bubbly Pipe Flow

Turbulent two-phase flow equations are derived and solved for fully developed pipe flow using a composite eddy-viscosity model and a new void-fraction equation. The void fraction profile is first specified from experiments and the velocity field is calculated to validate the eddy-viscosity model. Consequently, a new equation is presented for calculation of the void fraction. This void-fraction equation incorporates the gradient of turbulent normal stresses in the radial direction, the conventional lift force, and a contribution from the unsteady drag force. The implications of this new equation, for the bubbly flow regime, are investigated by calculating the void-fraction distribution for a given velocity field. Inclusion of the normal turbulent stresses in the radial direction is shown to simulate correctly the experimentally observed trends of the phase distribution, both for upward and downward bubbly flow, without the need for a fictitious term such as the so called ``lubrication force''.
Work stressors, sleep quality, and alcohol-related problems across deployment: A parallel process latent growth modeling approach among Navy members.

This study examined how work stressors were associated with sleep quality and alcohol-related problems among U.S. Navy members over the course of deployment. Participants were 101 U.S. Navy members assigned to an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer who experienced an 8-month deployment after Operational Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom. Approximately 6 weeks prior to deployment, 6 weeks after deployment, and 6 months reintegration, participants completed measures that assessed work stressors, sleep quality, and alcohol-related problems. A piecewise latent growth model was conducted in which the structural paths assessed if work stressors influenced sleep quality or its growth over time, and in turn if sleep quality influenced alcohol-related problems intercepts or growth over time. A significant indirect effect was found such that increases in work stressors from pre- to postdeployment predicted decreases in sleep quality, which in turn were associated with increases in alcohol-related problems from pre- to postdeployment. These effects were maintained from postdeployment through the 6-month reintegration. Findings suggest that work stressors may have important implications for sleep quality and alcohol-related problems. Positive methods of addressing stress and techniques to improve sleep quality are needed as both may be associated with alcohol-related problems among current Navy members.
Leonard triples of q-Racah type and their pseudo intertwiners

Abstract Let F denote a field, and let V denote a vector space over F with finite positive dimension. Pick a nonzero q ∈ F such that q 4 ≠ 1 , and let A , B , C denote a Leonard triple on V that has q -Racah type. We show that there exist invertible W , W ′ , W ″ in End ( V ) such that (i) A commutes with W and W − 1 B W − C ; (ii) B commutes with W ′ and ( W ′ ) − 1 C W ′ − A ; (iii) C commutes with W ″ and ( W ″ ) − 1 A W ″ − B . Moreover each of W , W ′ , W ″ is unique up to multiplication by a nonzero scalar in F . We show that the three elements W ′ W , W ″ W ′ , W W ″ mutually commute, and their product is a scalar multiple of the identity. A number of related results are obtained. We call W , W ′ , W ″ the pseudo intertwiners for A , B , C .
Abstract 4155: Interstitial fluid flow-induced hepatocellular carcinoma cell invasion requires MEK/ERK signaling

Background: Worldwide hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cancer-related cause of death. Within the United States, HCC maintains a rising incidence rate of 3% each year since 1992 with a 5 year survival rate of less than 15%. The American Cancer Society has estimated 33,190 new cases off HCC and 23,000 HCC related deaths in the year 2014 within the United States. Our work aims to determine the role of biomechanical forces such as interstitial fluid flow (IFF) in HCC cell invasion. We hypothesized that HCC cells utilize the hypothesized ‘autologous chemotaxis’ mechanism to invade via secretion of the chemokine CXCL12 and expression of its receptor CXCR4. Autologous chemotaxis occurs when a biologically significant chemokine gradient is established by IFF, driving downstream invasion. In an effort to elucidate signaling pathways involved in IFF-induced HCC invasion, we have identified a potential role for MEK/ERK signaling. Materials and Methods: HCC cells or primary rat hepatocytes (PRH) were seeded into in a 3-D matrix composed of Matrigel and type I rat tail collagen, then exposed to static or interstitial flow conditions for 24 hours. The functional role of CXCR4 was tested using the CXCR4-antagonist AMD3100. MEK and ERK were inhibited using U0126 (25 μM) and FR180294 (10 μM), respectively. Phospho-MEK/ERK was assessed using western blot. Results and Discussion: The 3D invasion assay demonstrated that the HCC cells, Huh7 and Hep3B, invaded significantly more in response to IFF (5.5 fold increase in invasion compared to their respective static condition), while PRHs showed no response. AMD3100 was used to block the CXCR4 receptor which resulted in reduced invasion in Huh7 and Hep3B cells. Furthermore when U0126 and FR180204 were incorporated into the 3D invasion assay a significant reduction in flow-induced invasion was observed in Huh7 cells. However, interstitial flow or CXCR4 inhibition did not affect pMEK/ERK, suggesting that MEK/ERK are not modulated directly by IFF and are not downstream of CXCR4. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that interstitial fluid flow stimulates HCC cell invasion. CXCR4/CXCL12 signaling and MEK/ERK signaling both are required for invasion, but appear to operate via separate mechanisms. Further investigation into these two separate mechanisms would provide better insight into flow-induced HCC invasion. This information could potentially enhance current cancer therapies and provide patients with better treatment options. Citation Format: Arpit D. Shah, Michael Bouchard, Adrian C. Shieh. Interstitial fluid flow-induced hepatocellular carcinoma cell invasion requires MEK/ERK signaling. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 4155. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-4155
The CF-CARES primary palliative care model: A CF-specific structured assessment of symptoms, distress, and coping

Abstract Background Current palliative care tools do not address distressing chronic symptoms that are most relevant to cystic fibrosis. Methods A CF-specific structured assessment based on a primary palliative care framework was administered to 41 adolescents and adults with CF. Descriptive and correlational analyses were conducted. Results Patients reported numerous physical and psychological symptoms (mean of 10 per patient), with psychological symptoms rated as more distressing. Anxiety (34%) and depression (44%) were prevalent and correlated with distress attributable to physical symptoms and difficulty with CF self-management, but did not correlate with disease severity. Conclusions Individuals with CF, regardless of disease severity, face challenges managing symptom burden. Frequently reported symptoms are not consistently associated with distress, suggesting the importance of individualized evaluation. The CF-CARES ( C oping, goal A ssessment, and R elief from E volving CF S ymptoms) primary palliative care assessment model provides a framework for patients experiencing chronic symptoms to explore interventional options with their clinicians.
Cyber-physical manufacturing cloud: Architecture, virtualization, communication, and testbed

Abstract Cyber-physical systems are integrations of computation, networking, and physical processes and they are increasingly finding applications in manufacturing. Cloud manufacturing integrates cloud computing and service-oriented technologies with manufacturing processes and provides manufacturing services in manufacturing clouds. A cyber physical system for manufacturing is not a manufacturing cloud if it does not use virtualization technique in cloud computing and service oriented architecture in service computing. On the other hand, a manufacturing cloud is not cyber physical system if it does not have components for direct interactions with machine tools and other physical devices. In this paper, a new paradigm of Cyber-Physical Manufacturing Cloud (CPMC) is introduced to bridge gaps among cloud computing, cyber physical systems, and manufacturing. A CPMC allows direct operations and monitoring of machine tools in a manufacturing cloud over the Internet. A scalable and service-oriented layered architecture of CPMC is developed. It allows publication and subscription of manufacturing web services and cross-platform applications in CPMC. A virtualization method of manufacturing resources in CPMC is presented. In addition, communication mechanisms between the layers of the CPMC using communication protocols such as MTConnect, TCP/IP, and REST are discussed. A CPMC testbed is developed and implemented based on the proposed architecture. The testbed is fully operational in two geographically distributed sites. The developed testbed is evaluated using several manufacturing scenarios. Its testing results demonstrate that it can monitor and execute manufacturing operations remotely over the Internet efficiently in a manufacturing cloud.
LOCALIZING GENETIC LOCI FOR AFFECTIVE AND PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS WITH ENDOPHENOTYPES

Abstract Although several genome-wide significant loci have been localized for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, these findings explain a fraction of the genetic variance predisposing these illnesses and, in general, have yet to result in true gene identifications. Furthermore, there have been no similar findings for the more common mental illnesses like depression and anxiety disorders. Yet, progress in elucidating the pathophysiology of mental illnesses is predicated on causal gene identification. Focusing on quantitative endophenotypes, traits that index genetic liability for an illness, rather than diagnoses alone, provides a complementary strategy for identifying risk genes. Quantitative endophenotypes established in family-based studies of clinical samples typically vary within the normal population, providing the opportunity to localize genes influencing these traits in unselected pedigrees. Such genes are then validated in case-control samples. This normal endophenotypic variation strategy has been successfully applied to identify disease-risk genes for heart disease, obesity, and diabetes and there is no a priori reason this strategy can not be as profitable for mental illnesses. Here, I will discuss our recent work with applying neurocognitive, neuroimage and transcriptional endophenotypes in search of risk genes for affective and psychotic illnesses. Specifically, I will present work from the “Genetics of Brain Structure and Function” study, which involves acquisition of behavioral, neurocognitive and neuroimaging endophenotypes in ~2000 Mexican Americans from randomly-selected extended pedigrees. All participants have high-density SNP arrays, transcriptional data from two time points and ~1000 individuals have genome-wide sequence data. Our approach involves localizing loci for an endophenotype via genome-wide linkage or association, identifying the non-synonymous or regulatory variants diving that effect with sequence data, and then demonstrating pleiotropy with published association studies. Our results provide clear examples of how endophenotypes can provide novel genetic insights for mental illness.
Anaemia worsens early functional outcome after traumatic brain injury: a preliminary study.

Objective: To determine early effects on outcome from traumatic brain injury (TBI) induced by controlled cortical impact (CCI) associated with anaemia in mice.Hypothesis: Outcome from TBI with conc...
Discrete and Continuous: Two Sides of the Same?

How deep is the dividing line between discrete and continuous mathematics? Basic structures and methods of both sides of our science are quite different. But on a deeper level, there is a more solid connection than meets the eye.
Skewed Signaling through the Receptor for Advanced Glycation End-Products Alters the Proinflammatory Profile of Tumor-Associated Macrophages

Tumors are complex tissues composed of variable amounts of both non-cellular components (matrix proteins) and a multitude of stromal cell types, which are under an active cross-talk with tumor cells. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are the major leukocyte population among the tumor-infiltrating immune cells. Once they are infiltrated into tumor stroma they undergo a polarized activation, where the M1 and M2 phenotypes represent the two extreme of the polarization heterogeneity spectrum. It is known that TAMs acquire a specific phenotype (M2), oriented toward tumor growth, angiogenesis and immune-suppression. A growing body of evidences supports the presence of tuning mechanisms in order to skew or restraint the inflammatory response of TAMs and thus forces them to function as active tumor-promoting immune cells. The receptor of advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) is a member of the immunoglobulin protein family of cell surface molecules, being activated by several danger signals and thus signaling to promote the production of many pro-inflammatory molecules. Interestingly, this receptor is paradoxically expressed in both M1 and M2 macrophages phenotypes. This review addresses how RAGE signaling has been drifted away in M2 macrophages, and thus taking advantage of the abundance of RAGE ligands at tumor microenvironment, particularly HMGB1, to reinforce the supportive M2 macrophages strategy to support tumor growth.
Design of the PACIFIC study: A randomized controlled trial evaluating a novel treatment for adults with overweight and obesity

The majority of adults in the United States have overweight or obesity which is associated with significant health and psychological consequences. Behavioral Weight Loss (BWL) is the current gold-standard weight-loss program for adults but recidivism rates continue to be disturbingly high. Given the health consequences of excess weight and the lack of long-term effectiveness of BWL, it is important to identify novel weight-loss programs. We developed the ROC (Regulation of Cues) program to reduce overeating through improvement in sensitivity to appetitive cues and decreased responsivity to external food cues. This study is a 4-arm randomized control trial designed to evaluate the efficacy of ROC, ROC combined with BWL, BWL alone and an active comparator over 24 months. Study recruitment completed in November 2017. Two hundred and seventy-one participants were randomized (mean age = 46.97 years; 82% female, mean BMI = 34.59; 20% Hispanic) and assessments were conducted at baseline, mid-treatment (6 months) and post-treatment (12 months). At this time, participants are completing 6- (18 months) and 12-month (24 months) follow-ups. Targeting novel mechanisms is critically important to improve weight-loss programs. Through this trial, we hope to identify treatments for adults with overweight and obesity to facilitate long-term weight loss and improved health.
Components of visual perception in marketing contexts: a conceptual framework and review

Visual perception is essential to marketing practice and theory. Based on literature in marketing and related fields, this article develops a conceptual framework comprising five main components of visual perception: illuminance, shape, surface color, materiality, and location. Additionally, a systematic review of related visual perception research within marketing over the past five decades engenders takeaways of theoretical and practical importance, and an analysis of gaps in the literature reveals promising avenues for future research. The material presented includes coherent definitions, illustrative infographics, and accessible tables.
Proneness to Painful Self-Conscious Emotions, Meaning, and PTSD in Veterans

Guilt and shame are commonly related to PTSD. Yet, research has not examined whether guilt- and shame-proneness affect posttraumatic symptomatology due to difficulty making meaning of stressors. Us...
The C1q Receptors: Focus on gC1qR/p33 (C1qBP, p32, HABP-1)1.

Abstract In the past several years, a number of C1q binding surface proteins or receptors have been described. This is not of course surprising considering the complexity of the C1q molecule and its ability to bind to a wide range of cellular and plasma proteins via both its collagen-like [cC1q] region and its heterotrimeric globular heads [gC1q] each of which in turn is capable of binding a specific ligand. However, while each of these “receptor” molecules undoubtedly plays a specific function within its restricted microenvironment, and therefore merits full attention, this review nonetheless, will singularly focus on the structure and function of gC1qR–a multi-functional and multi-compartmental protein, which plays an important role in inflammation, infection, and cancer. Although first identified as a receptor for C1q, gC1qR has been shown to bind to a plethora of proteins found in plasma, on the cell surface and on pathogenic microorganisms. The plasma proteins that bind to gC1qR are mostly blood coagulation proteins and include high molecular weight kininogen [HK], Factor XII [Hageman factor], fibrinogen, thrombin [FII], and multimeric vitronectin. This suggests that gC1qR can play an important role in modulating not only of fibrin formation, particularly at local sites of immune injury and/or inflammation, but by activating the kinin/kallikrein system, it is also able to generate, bradykinin, a powerful vasoactive peptide that is largely responsible for the swelling seen in angioedema. Another important function of gC1qR is in cancer, where it has been shown to play a role in tumor cell survival, growth and metastatic invasion by interacting with critical molecules in the tumor cell microenvironment including those of the complement system and kinin system. Finally, by virtue of its ability to interact with a growing list of pathogen-associated molecules, including bacterial and viral ligands, gC1qR is becoming recognized as an important pathogen recognition receptor [PRR]. Given the numerous roles it plays in a growing list of disease settings, gC1qR has now become a potential target for the development of monoclonal antibody-based and/or small molecule-based therapies.
Wave-Based Spiking Neural Network with Nano-Structured Electronics

The present paper is on neuromorphic computing with temporal spike signaling as elastic waves and building blocks using nano-structured electronic systems. Wave-based neuromorphic computing framework for energy-efficient brain-inspired computing [1] can natively calculate weighted-sums with delay spreads as wave superposition and propagation for temporal spiking neural networks (SNN) processing. Single particle quantum effects of electron wave packets, traveling at the Fermi velocity in nano-structured systems, are exploited to constitute various building blocks. We will first describe passive elements whose delay can be widely controlled electrically as well as geometrically. Then, splitter combiner building blocks are configured with coupled quantum systems and an alignment gate. Finally, we explain self-resetting integrate-and-fire building blocks with tunneling in coupled nano systems. Independent changes of the static potential at subband edges and the Fermi potential lead to rich dynamics of Coulomb and quantum interplay to accomplish critical SNN building block functions.