cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Superconducting transition-edge-microcalorimeter X-ray spectrometer with 2 eV energy resolution at 1.5 keV

Abstract We describe the operation and performance of a prototype microcalorimeter “energy-dispersive” (non-dispersive) X-ray spectrometer (μcal EDS) developed at NIST for use in X-ray microanalysis and X-ray astronomy. The low-energy microcalorimeter detector, consisting of an Al–Ag bilayer superconducting transition-edge sensor (TES) in thermal contact with a Bi X-ray absorber, is designed for operation in the energy range from 0–2 keV and is fabricated using a shadow-mask lithographic process. The TES microcalorimeter is cooled by a compact adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator and is mounted on a scanning electron microscope. This device achieves a best energy resolution of 2.0±0.1 eV at 1.5 keV, as determined from the analysis of digitized X-ray spectra of a complex glass containing many elements.
Postoperative rehabilitation inprimary total hip arthroplasty

Abstract Rehabilitation after primary total hip arthroplasty should start with a preoperative education and physical therapy session. This can facilitate early progression to functional independence.Transfers in and out of bed are initially carried out with the assistance of a physical therapist or surgical nurse. The patient should get out of bed on the operative side to minimize hip adduction. Dislocation precautions are emphasized during transfers.The hips should be maintained slightly higher than the knees at all times, which requires that bed and chair heights be adjusted for each patient.assistance devices, such as a reacher, sock aid, dressing stick, long shoe horn, and leg lifter, allow the patient to become independent in activities of daily living while avoiding excessive hip flexion and rotation.Early full weight bearing is permitted if both the acetabular and femoral components are cemented.When the femoral component is uncemented, protected weight bearing for 6 weeks is appropriate to permit the bone-implant interface to stabilize with biological tissue. after sufficient abductor strength has returned that limp is minimal, ambulatory support can be discontinued. a long-term exercise program, which avoids impact loading of the hip, should be encouraged to maintain cardiovascular fitness and health.
An Efficient Synchronous Collaborative Editing System Employing Dynamic Locking of Varying Granularity in Generalized Document Trees

The primary goals in a synchronous collaborative editing system (CES) involve ensuring a high level of concurrent access while maintaining the properties of the CCI model. We revisit the idea of applying lock-based concurrency control algorithms to manage access to a shared document; this research overcomes the traditional problem of reduced concurrent access inherent in pessimistic concurrency control by dynamically managing the size of the portion of document locked based upon user demand, scaling up and down the lock granularity to accommodate user write requests. We present algorithms to efficiently maximize concurrent access while utilizing caching techniques to reduce communication costs. We also discuss how OT and other optimistic concurrency control techniques may be incorporated within our approach ? leveraging best practices of both techniques. We conclude with an analysis of the communication and computational costs of our approach and compare these costs to costs incurred using OT-based concurrency control.
Brief Finite gain stabilization of discrete-time linear systems subject to actuator saturation

It is shown that, for neutrally stable discrete-time linear systems subject to actuator saturation, finite gain l"p stabilization can be achieved by linear output feedback, for all p@?(1,~]. An explicit construction of the corresponding feedback laws is given. The feedback laws constructed also result in a closed-loop system that is globally asymptotically stable, and in an input-to-state estimate.
Herb's bipolar transistors

The profound influence of Herbert Kroemer's ideas on the development of high-performance bipolar transistors is described. The historical context and subsequent development of innovations such as the drift base, achieved through concentration gradients and later with semiconductor bandgap grading, the use of wide bandgap emitters, concepts of collector-up transistors, and the introduction of new heterojunction materials, are reviewed.
Secretion of Mutant Leucine-Specific Binding Proteins With Internal Deletions in Escherichia coli

The leucine-specific binding protein, encoded by the livK gene, is located in the periplasm of E. coh. The present study is an attempt to identify intragenic regions that determine the efficiency of its secretion into the periplasm. C-terminal deletions or fusions of the livK gene to trpA (encoding the a subunit of tryptophan synthetase) were secreted with little loss of efficiency (I 1. A series of deletions was constructed at the unique Sphl site within livK, near the 5' end of the region coding for the mature protein. Between 16 and I1 3 amino acids were deleted in the amino-terminal one-third of the protein. A few of these deletions were located within a few amino acids of the signal sequence processing site. Deletions extending within thirteen residues of the processing site were processed and secreted more slowly than normal. Secondary structure predictions suggested that the a-helical core region of the signal sequence extends into the mature protein in the case of the slow processing mutants, perhaps interfering with the recognition site for leader peptidase or other secretory components. These results suggest that the conformation around the signal processing site may be a critical factor in determining the efficiency of secretion. During the course of this study, it was found that the difference in molecular weight between precursor and mature forms of some binding protein mutants, as judged by SDS-PAGE, was much greater than could be accounted for by processing of the signal sequence. This anomalous mobility on gels, however, could be eliminated by performing SDS-PAGE in the presence of 6 M urea.
Is Operative Treatment of Achilles Tendon Ruptures Superior to Nonoperative Treatment?: A Systematic Review of Overlapping Meta-analyses

Background:Multiple meta-analyses have been published in efforts to determine whether operative or nonoperative treatment of Achilles tendon ruptures affords superior outcomes.Purpose:To perform a ...
Hypolipidemic Activity of Phthalimide Derivatives V: Reduced and Hydrolytic Products of Simple Cyclic Imides

A series of cyclic imides and related compounds have previously been shown to possess hypolipidemic activity at the low dose level of 20 mg/kg/d. Hydrolytic and reduced products of the cyclic imides were synthesized and examined to discern if possible metabolic products were the active chemical species of these hypolipidemic agents. Phthalimide proved to be the most active cyclic imide tested. Unfortunately, the new products did not, in general, improve hypolipidemic activity in rodents. The exceptions were piperidine which demonstrated improved hypotriglyceridemic activity, and 3,4,5,6-dibenzohomopiperidin-2-one, which demonstrated improved hypocholesterolemic activity compared to phthalimide.
Analysis of Nonlinear Deflections of Fibers

A variation in the technique of application of the perturbation method is employed in the calculation of moderately large deflections of fibers. A cantilevered fiber is considered to illustrate the method of calculation. Results are summar ized for several problems of bending of fibers. Where possible, comparisons are made between exact solutions and solu tions obtained by the perturbation method.
Are Demilunes in Mixed Salivary Glands Real or Fixation Artifacts? A Critique

Demilunes have historically been considered to be integral components of the secretory tree of mixed salivary glands. Based on preservation of rat sublingual glands by rapid freezing and freeze-substitution fixation, Yamashina et al. have advanced the notion that serous demilunes are artifactual products of chemical fixation, that swollen mucous cells cause a relocation of serous cells to the endpiece periphery. This concept has been uncritically accepted by several authors of histology textbooks. This note presents a compendium of observations and unanswered questions that render this proposition untenable.
THE CORNELL HIGH-ORDER ADAPTIVE OPTICS SURVEY FOR BROWN DWARFS IN STELLAR SYSTEMS. I. OBSERVATIONS, DATA REDUCTION, AND DETECTION ANALYSES

In this first of a two-paper sequence, we report techniques and results of the Cornell High-Order Adaptive Optics Survey (CHAOS) for brown dwarf companions. At the time of this writing, this study represents the most sensitive published population survey of brown dwarf companions to main-sequence stars for separations akin to our own outer solar system. The survey, conducted using the Palomar 200 inch (5 m) Hale Telescope, consists of Ks coronagraphic observations of 80 main-sequence stars out to 22 pc. At 1'' separation from a typical target system, the survey achieves median sensitivities 10 mag fainter than the parent star. In terms of companion mass, the survey achieves typical sensitivities of 25MJ (1 Gyr), 50MJ (solar age), and 60MJ (10 Gyr), using the evolutionary models of Baraffe and coworkers. Using common proper motion to distinguish companions from field stars, we find that no systems show positive evidence of a substellar companion (searchable separation ~1''–15''; projected separation ~10–155 AU at the median target distance). In the second paper of the series we will present our Monte Carlo population simulations.
Bluetooth scatternet formation: criteria, models and classification

Bluetooth ad hoc networks are constrained by a master/slave configuration, in which one device takes the role of master and controls the communication with the slave devices. Piconets are small Bluetooth networks containing one master and up to seven active slave devices. In order to build larger topologies, called scatternets, the piconets must be interconnected. Scatternets are formed by allowing certain piconet members to participate in several piconets by periodically switching between them. Due to the fact that there is no scatternet formation procedure in the Bluetooth specification, numerous different approaches have been proposed. We discuss criteria for different types of scatternets and establish general models of scatternet topologies. Then we describe the state-of-the-art for Bluetooth scatternets and compare and contrast the approaches.
Osteoprotegerin Reverses Osteoporosis by Inhibiting Endosteal Osteoclasts and Prevents Vascular Calcification by Blocking a Process Resembling Osteoclastogenesis

High systemic levels of osteoprotegerin (OPG) in OPG transgenic mice cause osteopetrosis with normal tooth eruption and bone elongation and inhibit the development and activity of endosteal, but not periosteal, osteoclasts. We demonstrate that both intravenous injection of recombinant OPG protein and transgenic overexpression of OPG in OPG−/2 mice effectively rescue the osteoporotic bone phenotype observed in OPG-deficient mice. However, intravenous injection of recombinant OPG over a 4-wk period could not reverse the arterial calcification observed in OPG−/− mice. In contrast, transgenic OPG delivered from mid-gestation through adulthood does prevent the formation of arterial calcification in OPG−/− mice. Although OPG is normally expressed in arteries, OPG ligand (OPGL) and receptor activator of NF-κB (RANK) are not detected in the arterial walls of wild-type adult mice. Interestingly, OPGL and RANK transcripts are detected in the calcified arteries of OPG−/− mice. Furthermore, RANK transcript expression coincides with the presence of multinuclear osteoclast-like cells. These findings indicate that the OPG/OPGL/RANK signaling pathway may play an important role in both pathological and physiological calcification processes. Such findings may also explain the observed high clinical incidence of vascular calcification in the osteoporotic patient population.
Planning and Control of Mobile Robots in Image Space from Overhead Cameras

In this work, we present a framework for the development of a planar mobile robot controller based on image plane feedback. We show that the design of such a motion controller can be accomplished in the image plane by making use of a subset of the parameters that relate the image plane to the ground plane, while still leveraging the simplifications offered by modeling the system as a differentially flat system. Our method relies on a waypoint-based trajectory generator, with all the waypoints specified in the image, as seen by an overhead observer. We present some results from simulation as well as from experiments that validate the ideas presented in this work and discuss some ideas for future work.
Presentation of the Morris F Collen Award to William Edward Hammond II, PhD.

The American College of Medical Informatics (ACMI) is an honorary society established to recognize those who have made sustained contributions to the field. Its highest award, for lifetime achievement and contributions to the discipline of medical informatics, is the Morris F. Collen Award. Dr. Collen's own efforts as a pioneer in the field stand out as the embodiment of creativity, intellectual rigor, perseverance, and personal integrity. Once a year, when appropriate, the College gives its highest recognition to those whose attainments have, throughout their careers, substantially advanced the science and art of medical informatics. In 2003, the College was proud to present the Collen Award to Dr. William Edward Hammond II. Throughout his career, Ed has seen possibilities, and then figured out how to do whatever is needed to overcome challenges where others thought goals were unachievable. He is a pioneer in electronic health records and standards. He is a classic triple threat—breaking new scientific ground, developing young people, and providing services that make a difference in health care. He is at once an intense competitor and an effective collaborator. He is richly deserving of the recognition embodied in the Collen Award. Morrie Collen, MD, Emeritus Director of Research, Kaiser Permanente: “I congratulate Ed Hammond on receiving this award in recognition of his outstanding leadership and his significant technical contributions to medical informatics. I first learned of Ed's unusual technical abilities when he was working with Bill Stead at Duke University. Ed Hammond, an engineer, and Bill Stead, a physician, were an ideal pair for developing medical information systems. As early as 1969, using punch cards for some applications and a mini-computer, they were developing what they called a generalized medical information system for community health. Professor and Doctor William Ed Hammond is truly one of the great pioneers …
A new fault-tolerant and congestion-aware adaptive routing algorithm for regular Networks-on-Chip

In this paper, we propose a new fault-tolerant and congestion-aware adaptive routing algorithm for Networks-on-Chip (NoCs). The proposed algorithm is based on the ball-and-string model and employs a distributed approach based on partitioning of the regular NoC architecture into regions controlled by local monitoring units. Each local monitoring unit runs a shortest path computation procedure to identify the best routing path so that highly congested routers and faulty links are avoided while latency is improved. To dynamically react to continuously changing traffic conditions, the shortest path computation procedure is invoked periodically. Because this procedure is based on the ball-and-string model, the hardware overhead and computational times are minimal. Experimental results based on an actual Verilog implementation demonstrate that the proposed adaptive routing algorithm improves significantly the network throughput compared to traditional XY routing and DyXY adaptive algorithms.
UNDERSTANDING THE SUCCESS AND FAILURE OF OYSTER POPULATIONS: CLIMATIC CYCLES AND PERKINSUS MARINUS

Abstract Perkinsus (= Dermocystidium) marinus is a major cause of mortality in eastern oysters, Crassostrea virginica. Because initiation of infection and progression of disease are favored by high temperature and high salinity, we hypothesized that climatic cycles influence cycles of disease. Analyses of a 10-y time series of disease prevalence and intensity, chlorophyll a, suspended sediments, water temperature and salinity from a Louisiana site, using a wavelet technique, show a teleconnection between the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and oyster disease in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Salinity increases precede increased disease prevalence by several months. The changes in salinity that trigger changes in disease prevalence and intensity are strongly driven by ENSO events. Interannual variation is important in the initiation and intensification of disease, and salinity is the primary driving factor. The patterns in the environmental and disease time series suggest that epizootics can be initiated...
Porous Teflon ring-solid disk electrode arrangement for differential mass spectrometry measurements in the presence of convective flow generated by a jet impinging electrode in the wall-jet configuration.

A porous Teflon ring|solid disk electrode is herein described specifically designed for acquiring online mass spectrometric measurements under well-defined forced convection created by liquid emerging from a circular nozzle impinging on the disk under wall-jet conditions. Measurements were performed for the oxidation of hydrazine, N2H4, in a deaerated phosphate buffer electrolyte (pH 7) on Au, a process known to yield dinitrogen as the product. The N2+ ion currents, measured by the mass spectrometer, i(N2+), as well as the corresponding polarization curves recorded simultaneously displayed very similar s-like shapes when plotted as a function of the potential applied to the Au disk. In fact, the limiting currents observed both electrochemically and spectrometrically were found to be proportional to [N2H4]. However, the limiting values of i(N2+) did not increase monotonically with the flow rate, νf, reaching instead a maximum and then decreasing to values independent of νf. This behavior has been attribute...
Narcissism in the Epistemological Pit

For some people, the move from dualistic to relativistic epistemological thought is accompanied by significant psychological distress. Although there are several possible sources of psychological difficulty in stage transition, we argue that long-standing deficits in object relations can predispose a person to clinical crisis during particular life phase and cognitive stage transitions. Specifically, a person is likely to experience clinical crisis during a particular life phase or stage transition if that developmental advance requires abandoning strategies that have been used to shore up faulty self and object representations. The life phase move from adolescence to adulthood and the cognitive stage shift from dualistic to relativistic thought often pose particular difficulty for persons with a narcissistic personality organization. The epistemological move to relativism can be particularly traumatic when adolescents have cathected their own intellectual products (ideas, ideologies) as idealized self-objects. A case study is presented to illustrate the clinical crisis that can be precipitated by the narcissistic adolescent's loss of intrapsychic supports in the move to adulthood and to committed relativism.
Analysis on influencing factors of suicide behavior among "MSM" in Wuhan

Objective To explore the situation and influencing factors of suicide behavior among men who have sex with men(MSM).Methods Target sampling method was utilized,with the agreement of participation and obtaining consent form,a cross sectional anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted for MSM in the public bathing places,bars etc in Wuhan.Results Among the 253 respondents,18.6% respondents had a strong suicide ideation,and 10.7% respondents had suicide attempts.Multiple Logistic regression demonstrated that independent variables were:having college level education or above,meeting sex partners in public bathing places,having very few sexual partners,being extremely painful for their homosexuality tend and greatly influencing their life and work,and being eager to have sexual relation with female to raise their own offspring,all these were significantly associated with MSM suicidal ideation;The independent variables for those "attempted suicide" were:Having college level education or above,meeting sex partners in public bathing places or bars,being extremely painful for their homosexuality tend and greatly influencing their life and career.Conclusions A substantial proportion of MSM had suicidal behavior,it is necessary to view the problem from social angle,and carry out psychological intervention from multiple aspects,so as to reduce suicidal events.
Autologous bone from hip or knee replacement in simultaneous foot or ankle arthrodeses

Simultaneous operations on the lower extremities may potentially benefit some patients. However, the only literature discussing simultaneous operations has been limited to bilateral simultaneous total hip or knee replacements. The cases of 10 patients who had combined joint arthroplasty (8 knee, 2 hip) and foot and ankle arthrodesis (6 subtalar, 4 ankle) were reviewed retrospectively. Combining the procedures allowed the patient to have autologous bone brought from the joint replacement site to the foot or ankle to assist in filling defects in the arthrodesis. The fusion rate of 100% and the good results of hip or knee replacement demonstrate that successful treatment is possible when both conditions are treated simultaneously.
Experimental Investigations of the Superelastic Impact Performance of Nitinol 60

ABSTRACTNitinol 60 (NiTi60) is a nickel–titanium alloy that has a unique combination of properties such as high hardness, low elastic modulus, and superelasticity. Recent studies of static indentation tests on prestressed samples demonstrated a considerable load capacity increase, which led to the current experimental work. The coefficient of restitution (COR) is measured for two NiTi60 spheres of different diameters (0.635 and 1.270 cm). This work shows that mechanically stressing NiTi60 spheres enables them to achieve a normal COR greater than 0.9 when colliding with NiTi60 landing. This is one of the highest ever reported COR values for self-mated crystalline metal alloys at moderate impact velocities. Consequently, it is believed that this material may be a potential candidate for use in applications requiring highly resilient and wear-resistant metallic materials. A well-known analytical formulation for the coefficient of restitution is used to gain insight and to elucidate some of the COR results pr...
Utility of hospital admission for pediatric intussusceptions.

Purpose The standard practice in pediatric patients diagnosed with intussusception has been reduction via enema and admission for a period of nil per os and observation. Little data exists to support this practice. The objective of this study was to examine whether post-reduction admission to hospital is required.
Determining the causes of AccuVote optical scan voting terminal memory card failures

Optical scan (OS) voting systems play an increasing role in the United States elections, with over 40 states deploying such systems. The AccuVote optical scanners (AVOS) manufactured by ES&S account for over 20% of all OS systems. OS systems typically use removable media (cards) to provide election-specific programming to the scanners and to convey precinct election results for central tabulation. Several reports document occurrences of AV-OS memory card failures, with up to 15% of all cards failing in some cases. This paper reports on determining the causes of memory card failures that lead to complete loss of data from the card. An initial experimental analysis identified the battery discharge as a significant part of the problem. This finding led to the question of the dependability of the built-in function of the AccuVote OS system that issues a warning when the memory card contains a low-voltage battery. We identified the components used to implement this function in one type of AccuVote memory card. Using the specifications of the commodity batteries that are used in these cards, we determined the time interval from the instant when a battery warning is issued by the AccuVote to the point when the battery does not have enough voltage to retain data on the memory card. We show that such interval is about 2 weeks. Thus timely warnings cannot be provided to protect against battery discharge and loss of data during the election process. The factors contributing to the short warning interval are likely to apply to other battery-backed RAM cards, such as those used in the ES&S Model 100. Recommendations for mitigating the problem are made in light of the expected behavior of the warning system.
Equalized Time Reversal Beamforming for Frequency-Selective Indoor MISO Channels

Time-reversal (TR) is a beamforming technique for wireless frequency-selective channels, which has received increasing attention due to its high energy efficiency and low computational complexity. In this paper, we present two contributions on TR beamforming for single-user indoor wideband MISO systems. First, we provide novel analyses of a baseband TR system using two commonly used indoor propagation channel models. We derive closed-form approximations for the inter-symbol interference (ISI) with these channel models in order to characterize the influence of propagation conditions (such as the power-delay profile, delay spread, and bandwidth) on TR performance metrics. In particular, we analyze spatial focusing and time compression performance of TR beamforming, and their impact on the bit error rate (BER). As a second contribution, we introduce an equalized TR (ETR) technique that mitigates the ISI of conventional TR. The proposed ETR utilizes a zero-forcing pre-equalizer at the transmitter in a cascade configuration with the TR pre-filter. Unlike previous approaches to ISI mitigation in TR systems, we derive theoretical performance bounds for ETR and show that it greatly enhances the BER performance of conventional TR with minimal impact to its beamforming capabilities. By means of numerical simulations, we verify our closed-form approximations and show that the proposed ETR technique outperforms conventional TR with respect to the BER under any SNR.
Abstract 142: Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on 3T3-L1 Preadipocyte Differentiation and Inflammatory Response

Objective: Adipose tissue (AT)-specific inflammation in obesity is associated with several metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance, and hepatic steatosis. We and others have shown that fish oil containing the omega-3 fatty acids increases AT mass in animal models which is associated with reduced AT-inflammation, hepatic steatosis, and dyslipidemia. Therefore, the objective of this study is to determine whether the omega-3 fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) induce the differentiation process in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Methods: 3T3-L1 cells were pretreated and differentiated in the presence of different long chain fatty acids such as oleic acid (OA), stearic acid (SA), EPA, DHA, or a mixture of EPA and DHA (E+D) at a concentration of 50 μM. Results: Oil red O staining revealed that the differentiation process was remarkably increased in cells treated with DHA and, to a lesser extent with SA, compared to control cells differentiated in the absence of fatty acids. Real time PCR analysis showed that the expression of aP2, a marker of preadipocyte differentiation, was increased significantly in cells treated with DHA (4.1-fold, P P P Conclusions: Our data demonstrate that EPA and DHA have differential effects with regard to the differentiation of preadipocytes. Our data also show that unlike SA, the differentiation induced by DHA is not associated with an activation of inflammatory pathways suggesting that this effect of DHA is beneficial in improving the lipid storage function of AT.
Water Quality of the Gulf of Mexico

Water quality is determined by the interaction of physiographic setting with human activities and is measured as the degree of eutrophication—the clarity of water—and the levels of contaminants. The patterns and trends in the Gulf of Mexico water quality are highly variable in space and through time. Assessments conclude that water quality in the Gulf of Mexico coastal environments is highly influenced by human activities, and the primary cause of degraded water quality is excess nutrients. The resulting eutrophication has led to low dissolved oxygen and increased chlorophyll a concentrations, diminished water clarity, and other secondary effects including toxic/nuisance algal blooms and loss of submerged aquatic vegetation. Overall, the ecological condition of the coastal northern Gulf of Mexico was judged as fair to poor, water quality was fair, and expressions of eutrophication were high.
2017 Texas Estates & Trust Codes with Commentary

This document contains the Texas Estates Code and the Texas Trusts Code (and related Property Code provisions) showing all changes made by the Regular Session of the 2017 Texas Legislature. The changes, most of which take effect on September 1, 2017, are shown in red-lined format for easy comparison of the prior and new versions of the statutes. Also included are charts converting Probate Code to Estates Code sections and Estates Code to Probate Code sections. Caveat: This document was prepared before the conclusion of the 2017 Special Session. Thus, readers need to check to see if any of the statutes were impacted by the Special Session. I have included commentary entitled Statutes in Context to many sections. These annotations provide background information, explanations, and citations to key cases which should assist you in identifying the significance of the statutes and how they operate.
Combination Cancer Therapy Using Chimeric Antigen Receptor-Engineered Natural Killer Cells as Drug Carriers

The therapeutic limitations of conventional chemotherapeutic drugs include chemo-resistance, tumor recurrence, and metastasis. Numerous nanoparticle-based active targeting approaches have emerged to enhance the intracellular concentration of drugs in tumor cells; however, efficient delivery of these systems to the tumor site while sparing healthy tissue remains elusive. Recently, much attention has been given to human immune-cell-directed nanoparticle drug delivery, because immune cells can traffic to the tumor and inflammatory sites. Natural killer cells are a subset of cytotoxic lymphocytes that play critical roles in cancer immunosurveillance. Engineering of the human natural killer cell line, NK92, to express chimeric antigen receptors to redirect their antitumor specificity has shown significant promise. We demonstrate that the efficacy of chemotherapy can be enhanced in vitro and in vivo while reducing off-target toxicity by using chimeric antigen receptor-engineered NK92 cells as carriers to direct drug-loaded nanoparticles to the target site.
Optical Mapping of RF Field Profiles in Resonant Microwave Circuits

We demonstrate a technique for mapping the electric field profiles in resonant microwave circuits. Optical pumping of microwave circuits fabricated on semiconductor substrates is shown to result in a modulation of the load power dependent on the local electric field of the microwave signal in the resonant circuit. By reading out the modulation in transmitted signal as a function of the position of the optical excitation, for a range of driving frequencies, we are able to produce 2D images related to the microwave electric fields in our circuits. Images are generated for a range of resonator designs and compared to numerical simulations. The presented technique is analytically modeled for insight to the relationship between electric field and modulation signal.
Toward a Network of Connected Things: A look into the future of IoT deployments and their usability

While the scale of data presents new avenues for improvement, the key challenges for the everyday adoption of IoT systems revolve around managing this data. First, we need to consider where the data is being processed and stored and what the privacy and systems implications of these policies are. Second, we need to develop systems that generate actionable insights from this diverse, hard-to-interpret data for non-tech users. Solving these challenges will allow IoT systems to deliver maximum value to end users.
The Beauty of Ugliness: Preserving while Communicating Online with Shared Graphic Photos

In this paper, we report on interviews with 11 Shia content creators who create and share graphic, bloody photos of Tatbeer, a religious ritual involving self-harm practices on Ashura, the death anniversary of the prophet Muhammad’s grandson. We show how graphic images serve as an object of communication in religious practices with the local community, the inner-self, and a wider audience. In particular, we highlight how content creators appropriated, in their own words, “ugly” photos to preserve the authenticity and beauty of their rituals while communicating their own interpretation of such rituals to others. We suggest that ugliness may be regarded as a useful resource to inform systems that seek to invite dialogue with marginalized or minority groups.
Understanding semiconductor interfaces

A tutorial review of the electronic structure of semiconductors and their interfaces is given, providing an elementary predictive representation of electronic states in heterojunction systems. The bulk bands remain meaningful even in thin layers and provide bulk states or exponentially decaying states, depending upon energy. Band discontinuities are obtained by aligning hybrid energies on the two sides, shifting the energy bands with them. For interfaces with metals the Fermi energy replaces the hybrid energy. Quantum-well states themselves are best obtained plane-by-plane through the interface using a simple recursion relation. The effects of strained layers are also discussed. For polar interfaces, distinction is made between charged interfaces, those with a dipole layer, and neutral interfaces. The effects of dipole layers on band discontinuities are estimated; it is seen how they may be used to tune the band discontinuities.
Biologic agents for the management of hematological disorders: chronic myeloid leukemia.

Biological materials, either alone or in combination with cancer chemotherapeutic agents, have been used in treatment for almost 20 years. Initially, agents such as BCG, pseudomonas vaccine, and MER were used in the hopes of enhancing normal immunity and retarding the proliferation of neoplastic cells. In addition, it was felt that these agents might enhance the production of normal he-matopoiesis, allowing for early bone marrow recovery and thus enabling increasing doses of chemotherapy to be administered with lower toxicity and a consequent reduction in morbidity and mortality. A number of studies from many institutions using this approach showed a prolongation of complete remission, particularly in leukemia, but there was no clearcut increase in the percentage of patients cured. Additional studies of solid tumors, particularly breast cancer and small-cell carcinoma of the lung, produced similar but less convincing data.
Kalibrierung, Verifizierung und Validierung von Analysegeräten

Im Vergleich zur Software und Computersystemen gestaltet sich die Validierung und Verifizierung von Geratehardware relativ einfach. Analytische Geratehardware besteht haufig nur aus einem einzigen Modul und ist damit weit weniger komplex. Spezifikationen und Prufbedingungen sind in der Regel verfugbar und im Gegensatz zur Software werden Hardwaregeratefehler bei der Inbetriebnahme und im laufenden Betrieb schneller erkannt. Hardware hat jedoch auch einen wesentlichen Nachteil: sie kann sich mit der Zeit durch normalen Gebrauch verschlechtern. Das kann die Leistungsfahigkeit und Zuverlassigkeit eines Systems negativ beeinflussen. Beispielsweise kann sich bei Verunreinigung einer HPLC Detektorzelle das Basislinienrauschen erhohen und damit die Bestimmungsgrenze des Gesamtsystems verschlechtern.
CEQA Analysis of Development Displaced by Rejected Projects

In order to prevent the avoidable environmental degradation that often accompanies new development, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires state and local decision makers to consider the potential environmental impacts of their discretionary approvals, even when they are voting entitlements for purely private development projects. California cities are burdened with notoriously underfunded transportation infrastructure and poor air quality, so CEQA findings can be marshaled to justify rejection of almost any proposed project. Because of California's staggeringly high growth rates, projects rejected at one location are likely to find their way to another site within the same market area. Does CEQA demand that a local government before voting to reject a project must pay attention to the likely environmental impacts of the site where the rejected (displaced) development is likely to arise? Two recently decided intermediate appellate court cases reached opposite answers to this question. This paper examines the two recent cases, Muzzy Ranch Company v. Solano County Airport Land Use Commission and Wal-Mart v. City of Turlock. The author concludes that decision makers should evaluate the environmental consequences of both the proposed project and the destination of displaced development so as better to guide development where it will do the least harm to the environment and the most good.
Knowledge bases in medicine: a review.

Abstract Efforts to represent knowledge effectively have been central to progress in various aspects of medical informatics. These efforts range from relatively simple "electronic textbooks" to fairly sophisticated knowledge-based systems, which function as well as, or even better than, human experts faced with similar problems. Knowledge bases have been developed in many fields, but the relatively limited domains and structured language of medicine, as well as the importance of information in the provision of good medical care, have made research in medical knowledge representation an area of intense activity. This paper reviews representative knowledge bases and knowledge-based systems in medicine: electronic textbooks such as PDQ and the Hepatitis Knowledge Base (HKB), rule-based systems such as MYCIN, causal models (e.g., CASNET), and hypothesis- or frame-based systems, exemplified by PIP and INTERNIST-1. The paper describes the relationships among divergent approaches and provides a sense of current and future trends. It examines problems in knowledge-based systems, particularly in knowledge representation and acquisition, and the responses to these challenges. The latter include the use of domain-independent software shells for constructing knowledge bases, the adaptation and use of previously existing knowledge bases, and multiple uses of the same knowledge base for different purposes.
Safety Strategy and Update of the TREAT Facility Safety Basis

The TREAT facility suspended operations in 1994 after decades of highly successful operation. The TREAT facility began operations in 1958 with a hazards summary report that met the safety-basis reg...
Equivalence: A Unifying Concept.

Artificial boundaries that separate the study of major areas of mathematics often result in fragmented learning. Recent recommendations that favor an integrated curriculum may prove helpful in alleviating this problem. NCTM's Commission on Stan dards for School Mathematics recommends that students learn "to view mathematics as an integrated whole rather than as an iso lated set of topics" (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics 1989, 84). The Col lege Entrance Examination Board (CEEB 1985, 39) supports "an integrated curricu lum in which topics in each of the major areas are studied each year and the relation ships among topics are stressed." Key mathematical ideas pervade all of mathematics. They occur frequently in dif ferent areas of the program and during dif ferent years of study. These ideas play an important role in demonstrating interrela tionships between apparently different mathematical topics. Equivalence exemplifies one of the un derlying themes of mathematics. Because the concept recurs throughout the school mathematics program and is not bound to any particular subject or topic, it serves to unify the various subjects and topics. Equiv alence can relate various segments of the mathematics program and help students de velop an appreciation of the unity of math
Owners’ Attitudes, Knowledge, and Care Practices: Exploring the Implications for Domestic Cat Behavior and Welfare in the Home

Available research on the link between domestic cats' environment and welfare has primarily been conducted in animal shelters or research facilities; a better understanding of the welfare of cats living in homes is needed. This study measured the attitudes of current U.S.-based cat owners towards cats as pets; owner knowledge about normal cat behavior and environmental needs; current trends in cat care; cats' behavior in the home; and the human-animal bond. The primary hypothesis was that owners with a more accurate understanding of cat behavior and a stronger reported bond with their cats would report fewer behavior problems. Data from an online, anonymous, cross-sectional survey of 547 cat owners supported the primary hypothesis: owner knowledge, along with two measures of the human-animal bond (owner-pet interactions, and perceptions of affordability of cat ownership), were significant predictors of the number of reported behavior problems. In addition to fewer reported behavior problems, greater owner knowledge about cats was correlated with less use of positive-punishment-based responses to misbehavior, and increased tolerance of potential behavior problems when present. Owners' agreement with certain misconceptions about cats and perception of high costs of care were correlated with the use of positive punishment in response to misbehavior. Based on the survey results, many cats living in private homes may be receiving only minimal environmental enrichment. Collectively, these results suggest the need for better education of cat owners. Topics could include: understanding normal cat behavior and correcting misconceptions; enrichment needs (particularly of indoor-only cats) and the risk of behavior problems when cats' needs are not met; welfare risks associated with declawing; and the importance of sufficient resources to minimize social and territorial conflict.
Multisensory Integration: Mathematical Solution of Inherent Sensory Ambiguities

The brain integrates information from multiple sensory modalities to generate appropriate motor output and create perceptual experiences of the environment. Multisensory integration is evident at the single-neuron level in the cerebral cortex as well as the subcortical areas or brainstem nuclei. In the last two decades, the cerebellum has received increasing interest as an essential structure for multisensory integration. Studies have shown that the cerebellum integrates vestibular signals with signals from other sensory modalities to generate predictions of our inertial motion, orientation, postural control, and gaze stabilization. Here, we review recent literature on the cerebellar role in the integration of vestibular, visual, and proprioceptive signals for spatial navigation. First, we present evidence that the cerebellum contributes to solving the ambiguity found in vestibular afferent information. Theoretical and behavioral evidence indicates that this vestibular sensory ambiguity is resolved by the central nervous system using a combination of otolith signal and rotational cues from the semicircular canals. Second, in the light of recent findings, we describe the role of the cerebellum in integrating vestibular and visual information. Third, we describe how the cerebellum may integrate vestibular and proprioceptive cues.
Fosfomycin Susceptibility Testing

Abstract The treatment of infections with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) continues to pose significant challenges for clinicians. Despite the introduction of several novel therapeutics for the treatment of MDROs, older antibiotics, such as colistin and fosfomycin, are being re-purposed and are experiencing a resurgence in use. This review discusses pertinent issues related to the use of fosfomycin with a specific focus on antimicrobial susceptibility testing and the challenges faced by the clinical microbiology laboratory.
Ipsilateral Cochlear Implantation in the Presence of Observed and Irradiated Vestibular Schwannomas.

Objectives:Historically, eventual loss of cochlear nerve function has limited patients with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) to auditory brainstem implants (ABI), which in general are less effective ...
Distinct phenotypes of cancer cells on tissue matrix gel

Breast cancer cells invading the connective tissues outside the mammary lobule or duct immerse in a reservoir of extracellular matrix (ECM) that is structurally and biochemically distinct from that of their site of origin. The ECM is a spatial network of matrix proteins, which not only provide physical support but also serve as bioactive ligands to the cells. It becomes evident that the dimensional, mechanical, structural, and biochemical properties of ECM are all essential mediators of many cellular functions. To better understand breast cancer development and cancer cell biology in native tissue environment, various tissue-mimicking culture models such as hydrogel have been developed. Collagen I (Col I) and Matrigel are the most common hydrogels used in cancer research and have opened opportunities for addressing biological questions beyond the two-dimensional (2D) cell cultures. Yet, it remains unclear whether these broadly used hydrogels can recapitulate the environmental properties of tissue ECM, and whether breast cancer cells grown on CoI I or Matrigel display similar phenotypes as they would on their native ECM. We investigated mammary epithelial cell phenotypes and metabolic profiles on animal breast ECM-derived tissue matrix gel (TMG), Col I, and Matrigel. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), fluorescence microscopy, acini formation assay, differentiation experiments, spatial migration/invasion assays, proliferation assay, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy were used to examine biological phenotypes and metabolic changes. Student’s t test was applied for statistical analyses. Our data showed that under a similar physiological stiffness, the three types of hydrogels exhibited distinct microstructures. Breast cancer cells grown on TMG displayed quite different morphologies, surface receptor expression, differentiation status, migration and invasion, and metabolic profiles compared to those cultured on Col I and Matrigel. Depleting lactate produced by glycolytic metabolism of cancer cells abolished the cell proliferation promoted by the non-tissue-specific hydrogel. The full ECM protein-based hydrogel system may serve as a biologically relevant model system to study tissue- and disease-specific pathological questions. This work provides insights into tissue matrix regulation of cancer cell biomarker expression and identification of novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of human cancers based on tissue-specific disease modeling.