cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Low-Dose and Scatter-Free Cone-Beam CT Imaging Using a Stationary Beam Blocker in a Single Scan: Phantom Studies

Excessive imaging dose from repeated scans and poor image quality mainly due to scatter contamination are the two bottlenecks of cone-beam CT (CBCT) imaging. Compressed sensing (CS) reconstruction algorithms show promises in recovering faithful signals from low-dose projection data but do not serve well the needs of accurate CBCT imaging if effective scatter correction is not in place. Scatter can be accurately measured and removed using measurement-based methods. However, these approaches are considered unpractical in the conventional FDK reconstruction, due to the inevitable primary loss for scatter measurement. We combine measurement-based scatter correction and CS-based iterative reconstruction to generate scatter-free images from low-dose projections. We distribute blocked areas on the detector where primary signals are considered redundant in a full scan. Scatter distribution is estimated by interpolating/extrapolating measured scatter samples inside blocked areas. CS-based iterative reconstruction is finally carried out on the undersampled data to obtain scatter-free and low-dose CBCT images. With only 25% of conventional full-scan dose, our method reduces the average CT number error from 250 HU to 24 HU and increases the contrast by a factor of 2.1 on Catphan 600 phantom. On an anthropomorphic head phantom, the average CT number error is reduced from 224 HU to 10 HU in the central uniform area.
Emergent Postmodern US Military Culture

This article examines recent cultural adaptations in the contemporary emergent postmodern American armed forces’ culture. First, the piece provides a concise working definition for culture, including a beneficial cultural toolkit concept. Second, the article discusses the concept of postmodernism and then explores applicable examples of contested, divergent, fragmented, and complementary cultural changes, currents, and new tools in US military culture. This study explains cases of cultural innovation linked to the global growth of ambiguity, movement toward greater multiculturalism, impact of the information age, growth of military civilians, increasing questioning of authority and ideas, and the emergence of a multimission military. This project illuminates the stark oppositional qualities and cultural tools of two currently prominent and highly relevant cultural orientations—the warrior and the peacekeeper–diplomat—which, along with other conflicted and necessary cultural spheres, ultimately coalesce an...
Determination of copper in whole blood, plasma and serum using Zeeman effect atomic absorption spectroscopy.

Abstract Methods are presented for the determination of copper in whole blood, plasma and serum using Zeeman effect flame and furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy. Three flame measurement modes were compared: continuous aspiration, microsampling in the peak height mode and microsampling in the peak area mode. The microsampler/peak area method was the most satisfactory. The precision for the microsampler/peak area method was as follows: the within-run relative standard deviation (RSD) was 1.84% and 1.89% for whole blood specimens with copper concentrations of 983 μg/l and 974 μg/l, respectively. The within-run RSD was 2.14, 1.66 and 0.87% for plasma specimens with concentrations of 990, 1,467 and 1,963 μg/l, respectively. Within-run RSD was 6.64, 2.86 and 1.15% for serum specimens with concentrations of 462, 984 and 2,056 μg/l, respectively. The average detection limit for the microsampler/peak area method was 10.3 μg/l. Concentrations could be read directly from standards prepared in human whole blood, plasma or serum pools or in a commercial control.
Calcium carbonate as a phosphate binder: is there a need to adjust peritoneal dialysate calcium concentrations for patients using CaCO3?

The widespread use of calcium carbonate as a phosphate binder is limited by its tendency to develop hypercalcemia in some patients using effective dosages needed to control hyperphosphatemia. Most ...
Assessing the Impact of the 4MAT Teaching Model across Multiple Disciplines in Higher Education.

Much attention has focused on learning styles and their impact on the teaching and learning process; however, little has been done to systematically incorporate learning style theory into actual teaching, nor to systematically examine its potential impact on student learning in higher education. As part of a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) project, six faculty members representing the university's Schools of Arts and Sciences, Business, Education and Professional Studies, and Engineering and Technology implemented the 4MAT model in their respective classes during the fall 2007 semester. 4MAT is a teaching methodology posited by Bernice McCarthy (1987) that is built upon the principles of learning styles and their relationship to the natural learning cycle. Use of the 4MAT Model in K–12 settings has been supported by research (Wilkerson & White 1988; Blair & Judah 1990). This article lends support to using 4MAT in a higher education setting. Faculty engaged in the SoTL project at the completion...
Disproportionate Pupillary Impairment in Diabetic Autonomic Failure (P1.095)

Objective: To study the degree of pupillary impairment in diabetic and non-diabetic autonomic failure. Background: While impaired pupillary reflexes are not uncommon in diabetes, it is unclear if there is preferential pupil involvement in diabetic autonomic failure. Methods: We retrospectively sampled from all patients who underwent comprehensive autonomic testing and infrared video pupillometry at our institution from January 2010 to April 2013. From this pool, we randomly selected patients with autonomic failure secondary to diabetes (cases) and autonomic failure not related to diabetes (controls) matched for gender, age (±5 years), and composite autonomic severity score (±1). Pupillary response was obtained using a single 40ms and 14µV intensity light stimulus, averaging at least 2 trials per patient. Composite autonomic severity scores (CASS) and pupillary parameters were recomputed from raw data. We used matched t-test for statistical analysis. Results: We identified 40 patients with diabetic autonomic failure and 40 matched controls with non-diabetic autonomic failure. The mean CASS was 4.2, mean age was 62.3 years, and the male-to-female ratio was 1.1 in the diabetic group. Six had type I and the rest had type II diabetes mellitus. Eight pupillary indices were obtained in all patients. Baseline pupillary diameter was not significantly different between the groups. Absolute constriction amplitude (ACA) was significantly lower in the diabetic autonomic failure group (0.91 mm versus 1.17 mm, p=0.007). Maximum constriction velocity (MCV) was significantly lower in diabetic autonomic failure group (2.79 mm/s versus 3.63 mm/s in controls, p=0.003). MCV was less than 5 th percentile for age in 48% of diabetic autonomic failure and 28% of non-diabetic autonomic failure patients. The time to ¾ re-dilation (T 3/4 ) corrected for degree of pupillary constriction (T 3/4 :ACA) was higher in diabetic autonomic failure group (3.18 s/mm versus 1.67 s/mm, p=0.025). Within the diabetic group, we found a statistically significant negative correlation between pupillary parasympathetic indices and cardiovagal subscores. Conclusion: In diabetic autonomic failure, parasympathetic and sympathetic pupillary indices were disproportionately impaired. Disclosure: Dr. Yuan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Spaeth has nothing to disclose. Dr. Vernino has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for JAMA Neurology. Dr. Muppidi has nothing to disclose.
B-form to A-form conversion by a 3'-terminal ribose: crystal structure of the chimera d(CCACTAGTG)r(G).

The crystal structure of the chimerical decamer d(CCACTAGTG)r(G), bearing a 3′-terminal riboguanidine, has been solved and refined at 1.8 A resolution (R-factor 16.6%; free R-factor 22.8%). The decamer crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group P212121 with unit cell constants a = 23.90 A, b = 45.76 A and c = 49.27 A. The structure was solved by molecular replacement using the coordinates of the isomorphous chimera r(GCG)d(TATACGC). The final model contains one duplex and 77 water molecules per asymmetric unit. Surprisingly, all residues adopt a conformation typical for A-form nucleic acids (C3′endo type sugar pucker) although the all-DNA analog, d(CCACTAGTGG), has been crystallized in the B-form. Comparing circular dichroism spectra of the chimera and the corresponding all-DNA sequence reveals a similar trend of the former molecule to adopt an A-like conformation in solution. The results suggest that the preference of ribonucleotides for the A-form is communicated into the 5′-direction of an oligonucleotide strand, although direct interactions of the 2′-hydroxyl group can only be discerned with nucleotides in the 3′-direction of a C3′-endo puckered ribose. These observations imply that forces like water-mediated contacts, the concerted motions of backbone torsion angles, and stacking preferences, are responsible for such long-range influences. This bi-directional structural communication originating from a ribonucleotide can be expected to contribute to the stability of the A-form within all-RNA duplexes.
Nonstructural Risk Attitude Estimation

This paper presents an econometric approach to risk attitude estimation that does not require joint estimation of the structure of the firm's technology and input decision rules. The nonstructural approach replaces optimal input choice with the assumption that farmers optimally manage their portfolios of productive activities. By thus shifting the focus from the detailed production decisions of the farm manager to the net returns of the whole farm operation, the modeling problem is simplified. The nonstructural approach is used to estimate risk attitudes in three Indian villages. The results are compared to previous experimental and econometric estimates from the same villages.
Genetic Control of Hormone-Induced Ovulation Rate in Mice

The nature of genetic differences in ovarian responsiveness to gonadotropins was examined in mouse strains and subspecies. Hormone-induced ovulation rate (HIOR) differed 5-fold between Mus musculus strains A/J (10.3 +/- 1.6 eggs in cumulus) and C57BL/6J (B6) (47.3 +/- 2.5 eggs in cumulus), and 6-fold among Mus spretus lines and crosses. Subspecies differed up to 10-fold in HIOR (Mus spretus/Ros: 4.8 +/- 1.0 eggs in cumulus versus B6). An additional experiment examined the genetics of HIOR in crosses. The number of eggs ovulated in response to equine chorionic gonadotropin (CG)/human CG averaged 8.4 +/- 0.9 in A/J, 40.7 +/- 1.7 in B6, 33.9 +/- 1.6 in B6AF1, and 20.2 +/- 0.3 in (B6xA)xA backcrosses. The 5-fold genetic differences in hormone-induced ovulation rate between Mus musculus strains A/J and B6 segregated in backcrosses as though they were controlled by the action of approximately 3 loci with major effects. This study demonstrates genetic variation in HIOR both within and between mouse subspecies, and provides confirmation that genetic differences are a major source of variation in the regulation of ovarian responsiveness to gonadotropins.
New Developments in the Medical Treatment of Spasticity

The medical treatment of established spasticity is principally of symptomatic nature, since spasticity is generally a consequence of irreversible central nervous system damage. This damage is not amenable to causative treatment. As spasticity presents with polymorphic clinical pictures resulting in various types and degrees of discomfort and dysfunction, the aim of the symptomatic treatment also varies. In general, it includes relief of subjective discomfort, facilitation of patient care, improvement of functional capacity, and protection of the long-term consequences of unevenly distributed excessive muscle tone. Theoretically, the main aim of an antispastic agent is to reduce increased muscle tone, given the definition of spasticity in strictly physiologic terms as a “velocity-dependent increase in tonic stretch reflexes (muscle tone)” (Lance 1980). However, spasticity is associated with other symptoms including brisk tendon reflexes, clonus, flexor, extensor, or adductor spasms which can be painful, loss of dexterity, and paresis, all of which constitute the upper motor neuron or spastic syndrome. Indeed, spasticity is sometimes used as a synonym for the upper motor neuron syndrome (Young and Delwaide 1981). The other positive signs of this syndrome, such as clonus and release phenomena (flexor reflex, spasms), are also amenable to medical treatment, whereas negative signs such as loss of dexterity and paresis are not.
Ex vivo Perfusion of the Mouse Placenta for Maternal–Fetal Interaction Studies during Pregnancy

Chapter Summary The procedure described in this chapter provides the framework for directly studying transplacental passive/active molecular transport or metabolism, and the downstream consequences this might have for the developing fetus. By design, ex vivo and in vitro experiments are performed in an inherently dissimilar environment to those found in vivo. Accordingly, individual environmental and genetic aspects can be manipulated at will, affording researchers greater experimental control. Ultimately, the results obtained from ex vivo conditions can provide novel hypotheses that are testable in vivo. In comparison to the incredibly plastic nature of gestational conditions, both in terms of fetal development as well as maternal circulatory and metabolic changes, an ex vivo placental perfusion setup provides defined conditions and good temporal resolution. This procedure provides a low-cost, high-throughput assay for transplacental transfer of various pharmacological substances throughout gestation, as well as the framework for basic research on placental metabolism and the downstream effects on fetal development.
Detecting activities

A method of activity detection is described. This technique uses a periodicity measure on gray-level signals extracted along spatio-temporal reference curves. The technique is illustrated using real-world examples of activities. It is shown that the technique robustly detects complex periodic activities, while excluding nonperiodic motion. A technique to recognize these activities using the detection scheme described is proposed. It is not clear how much the periodicity alone is useful for recognition, but the authors believe that the phase information is valuable for activity recognition. >
Decision Guidance Analytics Language (DGAL)

Decision guidance systems are a class of decision support systems that are geared toward producing actionable recommendations, typically based on formal analytical models and techniques. This paper proposes the Decision Guidance Analytics Language (DGAL) for easy iterative development of decision guidance systems. DGAL allows the creation of modular, reusable and composable models that are stored in the analytical knowledge base independently of the tasks and tools that use them. Based on these unified models, DGAL supports declarative queries of (1) data manipulation and computation, (2) what-if prediction analysis, (3) deterministic and stochastic decision optimization, and (4) machine learning, all through formal reduction to specialized models and tools, and in the presence of uncertainty.
Illusion and the Self: Honglou Meng, Wilhelm Meister, and Bildungsroman

This essay offers a reading of the famous eighteenth-century Chinese novel Honglou Meng 紅樓夢 in light of theories about the European Bildungsroman and in comparison to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's novel Wilhelm Meister's Years of Apprenticeship (Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre), which was first published in 1795 and is widely regarded as the seminal example of the Bildungsroman narrative form. The purpose of this comparative exercise is not about imposing Western theories upon Chinese texts, but about discerning an intellectually obscured form of ＂modernity＂ from Honglou Meng and the social and cultural contexts around it. In general, my argument is that Honglou Meng is aesthetically analogous to the European Bildungsroman in that it likewise dramatizes a problematic incommutability between the self and society, and in this manner crystallizes a larger process of cultural displacement. Between Honglou Meng and Wilhelm Meister one can indeed observe a set of striking parallels that all serve to manifest this inner-outer divide, such as the protagonist’s naive idealism and artistic temperament, a social-lyrical binary that characterizes his romantic interests, and his mystified ＂enlightenment＂ process that combines a sense of irony and a sense of fatalism. Considering that the two books are closely coeval, these similarities are especially remarkable. Given the emergent thesis of a re-Oriented ＂early modernity＂ and concurrent scholarly movements toward ＂horizontal integrative macrohistories,＂ attention to these structural resemblances between Honglou Meng and Wilhelm Meister-two literary landmarks in Chinese and Western narrative histories-can help pluralize theories of the Bildung-sroman and the related question of the modern self beyond the European trajectory, while reconfiguring the implications of these regionally canonized works in transcultural terms.
A Guide to Automating the Histology Laboratory

Histopathology has somewhat mirrored the rest of the clinical laboratory through the incorporation of automation to replace manual steps. When researched and implemented, automation can streamline the overall process and result in a more efficient, standardized, and costeffective operation. This article describes equipment, identifies considerations for implementation into your laboratory, and lists sources and estimated price ranges.
Flexible processing and diverse collections: a tiered approach to delivering born digital archives

AbstractIn the past year, the Digital Archives unit at Emory University’s Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library has been keen to develop workflows for processing born digital material that can flex in response to a collection’s limitations without obscuring its salient characteristics. In order to achieve this, we have developed two sets of criteria by which to assess unprocessed material. The first determines the level of researcher access (for example, use of emulation, access to migrated files, online access, etc.) best suited to the collection, while a second and directly related set uses a tiered approach to determine the collection’s processing level. The impetus for this work was a need for policies that adapt to born digital collections that vary widely in size, scope and technical requirements, and that deliver accessible born digital collections arranged and described according to their own significant properties. This article focuses on the integration of these policies into our processin...
Immunohistochemical determination of the estrogen receptor content of gastrointestinal adenocarcinomas.

Recently there have been several reports documenting the presence of estrogen receptors (ERs) in human gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies, raising the possibility that these cancers may be hormonally manipulated. To test this hypothesis, 68 frozen GI tissue specimens were examined for the presence of ERs within the cell nuclei by immunohistochemical staining. There were 51 cancers (25 gastric, 26 colon) and 17 normal tissue specimens (six gastric, 11 colon). Tissue sections 4 to 6 microns thick were incubated with monoclonal antibody H222SPφ, then stained by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique for visualization of the ER
Foams and Their Applications in Enhancing Oil Recovery

This chapter first summarizes the fundamentals about foams used in enhancing oil recovery. These fundamentals include characteristics of foams, foam stability, mechanisms of foam flooding to enhance oil recovery, and foam flow behavior. Foam application modes and the factors that need to be considered in designing foam flooding applications are discussed. Some survey results about foam projects are summarized. Finally, several field application cases to enhance oil recovery are presented.
The use of metallic oxide nanoparticles to enhance growth of tomatoes and eggplants in disease infested soil or soilless medium

Nanoparticles (NP) have great potential in agriculture. For example, micronutrients have poor mobility in plants and poor availability in neutral soils, yet they play pivotal roles in root health. We investigated whether foliar sprays of micronutrient NP could affect plant health in disease infested soils. In the greenhouse, NP of AlO, CuO, FeO, MnO, NiO, and ZnO were sprayed on tomatoes and grown in soilless medium infested with the Fusarium wilt fungus. NP of CuO, MnO, or ZnO reduced disease estimates [area-under-the-disease-progress-curve (AUDPC)] by 31%, 28%, or 28%, respectively, when compared to untreated controls. When NP of CuO, MnO, or ZnO, their bulked equivalents, or their sulfate salts were compared to untreated eggplants and held in the greenhouse in soilless medium infested with the Verticillium wilt fungus, NP of CuO increased fresh weights by 64%, reduced AUDPC values by 69%, and had 32% more Cu in the roots. These same amendments were sprayed onto the foliage of tomato and eggplant transplants and set in field plots in soil heavily infested with the Verticillium wilt fungus. Compared to untreated controls, yields of tomato were 33% or 31% greater with NP of CuO or the bulked MnO, respectively. NP of CuO or ZnSO4 increased eggplant yields by 34% or 41% when compared to controls, respectively. In vitro studies found NP of CuO were not inhibitory to the Fusarium wilt fungus, suggesting host defense was being manipulated.
Disease-Related Mortality in Patients with Lower-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)

We have recently developed a risk model specific for patients with lower risk MDS that allows the identification of poor prognosis patients (Leukemia. 2008; 22:538-3). We showed that the majority of patients classified by IPSS as low risk actually have poor outcomes with respect to overall survival. The cause of death (COD) of these patients is not well understood. In order to guide early therapeutic intervention, it is important to identify whether the mortality in this group is attributable to causes related to MDS or whether death occurs due to age-related comorbidities. The aim of the present study was to examine the rate of disease-related deaths in a cohort of 269 deceased patients with low or intermediate-1 disease by IPSS at presentation to a tertiary care center from 1980 to 2006. Autopsy, final progress note, physician letter, or death certificate were used to determine COD. For each patient, we categorized the COD as disease-related vs. non-related. MDS-related death was defined as infection, bleeding, transformation to acute myeloid leukemia (AML), or disease progression. Non-related causes included accidents, coronary events, heart failure, respiratory and renal failure, non-hemorrhagic stroke, and chronic hepatitis. Median age at presentation and at time of death was 66 years (range 19–88) and 67 years (range 21–90), respectively. Overall median survival was 59 weeks (range = 1–831). By FAB classification, all subgroups were identified (RA = 41.3%, RARS = 5.8%, RAEB = 28.6%, RAEB-t = 12.3%, CMML = 12.0%). By IPSS score, most patients were Intermediate-1 (Int-1 = 79% and Low = 21%). Most patients had diploid cytogenetics (58.3%), and the most common cytogenetic abnormality was deletion of chromosome 5 (9.1%). Almost all patients received supportive care only. The COD was identified as MDS-related in 229 of 269 patients (85%). The most common disease-related COD was infection (39% of all deaths) followed by hemorrhage (34%) and transformation to AML (23%). The most frequent non-disease-related COD were cardiovascular events (19 of 40 patients). 8 of 269 patients died of a secondary neoplasm. Our data demonstrates that the majority of patients with low- or intermediate risk MDS will succumb to causes related to their underlying disease. Although these results need to be validated prospectively, early therapeutic intervention could be considered in the management of these patients to improve survival.
Assessment of Ca2+ Sensitivity of SK Channels in Rat Ventricular Cardiomyocytes using Intrinsic CA2+ Cycling Machinery

Small conductance Ca2+ activated K+ (SK) channels are thought to play significant roles in ventricular arrhythmias. It has been hypothesized that increase in Ca2+ sensitivity is the main underlying cause of functional upregulation of SKs in diseased hearts. We developed the protocol to assess Ca2+ sensitivity using simultaneous recordings of currents with intracellular Ca2+ in voltage clamped cardiomyocytes. By converting Rhod-2 fluorescence into [Ca2+]i we estimated Ca2+ sensitivity of rat SK2 channels overexpressed in cells using Adenovirus gene transfer. We obtained apparent affinity of rSK2 ∼ 500 nM which is in consistence with published values. To test whether SK channels from diseased hearts are more sensitive to Ca2+ we used rat model of cardiac hypertrophy induced by thoracic aortic banding (TAB). In contrast to Shams, myocytes from TAB hearts exhibited significant prolongation of APD upon application of SK inhibitor UCL-1684 (1 μM). Voltage clamp experiments showed SK inhibitor-sensitive current with amplitude ∼1 pA/pF. Simultaneous measurements of caffeine-induced ISK (10 mM) and [Ca]i at −30 mV before and after application of UCL-1684 demonstrated that sensitivity of SKs in TAB myocytes is low (Kd ∼900 nM). This result suggests that sensitivity to [Ca2+]i in hypertrophy is rather reduced than increased. To explore potential mechanisms responsible for changes in SK sensitivity to [Ca2+]i we treated cultured rat myocytes overexpressing SK2 with Phenylephrine (100 μM) and Propranolol (1 μM). We found that SK2 Ca2+ dependence in Phe/Pro was shifted to the right (Kd ∼850 nM), which was preventable by coexpressing CRNK, an inhibitory peptide for ROS and Ca2+-dependent tyrosine kinase Pyk2. Western blot analysis demonstrated that Pyk2 levels were upregulated in TABs. These data implicate Pyk2 as a novel negative regulator of SK Ca2+ sensitivity in diseased hearts.
External Beam Radiation Therapy With a Brachytherapy Boost Versus Radical Prostatectomy in Gleason Pattern 5 Prostate Cancer: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Purpose Patients with prostate cancer (PCa) containing Gleason pattern (GP) 5 disease experience a greater and earlier incidence of prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) than general PCa patients. This affords the statistical power to compare PCSM outcomes among different treatment modalities even when restricting the analysis to patients treated in the modern era. The purpose of the present study was to compare the survival outcomes among patients with GP 5 PCa on needle core biopsy or transurethral resection of the prostate who underwent extremely dose-escalated radiation therapy (RT; exemplified by external beam RT with a brachytherapy boost [EBRT + BT]) versus radical prostatectomy (RP) in the modern era. Methods and Materials A total of 7669 men with a diagnosis of GP 5 PCa from 2004 to 2013 who had undergone EBRT + BT or RP were identified using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. After propensity score matching to balance the patient characteristics, PCSM was compared between modalities using a multivariate Fine and Gray competing risk model that accounted for other-cause mortality, with adjustment for age, race, GP, and clinical T stage. Results Patients treated with RP were younger and had a lower burden of GP 5, lower T stage, and lower other-cause mortality than patients who underwent EBRT + BT. After propensity score matching, no difference was found in PCSM between the RP and EBRT + BT groups (adjusted hazard ratio 1.018; P =.910). The cumulative 5-year PCSM incidence rates were 5.6% and 6.1% for patients undergoing RP and EBRT + BT, respectively. Patients with primary GP 5 experienced significantly greater PCSM than those with secondary GP 5, regardless of the treatment modality. Conclusions For patients with GP 5 PCa found on needle core biopsy or transurethral resection of the prostate, RP and EBRT + BT offer equivalent PCSM in a competing risk model after propensity score matching to balance the differences in patient characteristics.
Evaluation of wood bonding performance of water-washed cottonseed meal-based adhesives with high solid contents and low press temperatures

AbstractWater-washed cottonseed meal (WCSM) has been shown as a promising bio-based wood adhesive. In this work, we tested the bonding strength of WCSM slurries with high solid contents and low press temperatures per industrial input for non-structural applications as European Standard Class D1 wood adhesives. Increasing the WCSM content from 11 to 20% and 30% did not substantially change the adhesive strength but increased the viscosity of WCSM slurries dramatically. The shear strength at break of the maple wood pairs bonded at 40 and 60 °C was lower than that of maple pairs bonded at 100 °C. However, the shear strength of the pairs bonded at lower temperatures (40 and 60 °C) could be improved by extending the press time from 20 to 120 min. Addition of citric acid (CA) improved the viscosity of the WCSM adhesive at 20% solid content, but lowered the adhesive strength. The addition of denaturing reagent sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) showed reverse impacts on the adhesive strength and viscosity, compared to...
Detection of Head and Neck Cancer in Surgical Specimens Using Quantitative Hyperspectral Imaging

Purpose: This study intends to investigate the feasibility of using hyperspectral imaging (HSI) to detect and delineate cancers in fresh, surgical specimens of patients with head and neck cancers.Experimental Design: A clinical study was conducted in order to collect and image fresh, surgical specimens from patients (N = 36) with head and neck cancers undergoing surgical resection. A set of machine-learning tools were developed to quantify hyperspectral images of the resected tissue in order to detect and delineate cancerous regions which were validated by histopathologic diagnosis. More than two million reflectance spectral signatures were obtained by HSI and analyzed using machine-learning methods. The detection results of HSI were compared with autofluorescence imaging and fluorescence imaging of two vital-dyes of the same specimens.Results: Quantitative HSI differentiated cancerous tissue from normal tissue in ex vivo surgical specimens with a sensitivity and specificity of 91% and 91%, respectively, and which was more accurate than autofluorescence imaging (P < 0.05) or fluorescence imaging of 2-NBDG (P < 0.05) and proflavine (P < 0.05). The proposed quantification tools also generated cancer probability maps with the tumor border demarcated and which could provide real-time guidance for surgeons regarding optimal tumor resection.Conclusions: This study highlights the feasibility of using quantitative HSI as a diagnostic tool to delineate the cancer boundaries in surgical specimens, and which could be translated into the clinic application with the hope of improving clinical outcomes in the future. Clin Cancer Res; 23(18); 5426-36. ©2017 AACR.
Development of indigo-based nonvolatile write-once-read-many-times memory device

Abstract The development of a nonvolatile organic write-once-read-many-times (WORM) memory device, consisting of a 100 nm layer of indigo sandwiched between indium tin oxide cathode and Al anode, is reported. This device is found to be at its ON state and can be switched to the OFF state by applying a positive bias with the ON/OFF current ratio being up to 10 6 . The device exhibits storage stability of over 108 h in air without encapsulation. This device offers the possibility of a low-cost biodegradable data storage as Indigo is inexpensive, bio-degradable and non-toxic. The operational mechanism of the device is discussed in terms of dipoles induced at the Al- indigo interface.
Prognostic indicators for the development of strabismus among patients with graves' ophthalmopathy.

Abstract Objective Thyroid eye disease (TED), an autoimmune inflammatory process involving the orbital tissues around the eye, is the most common extra-thyroidal manifestation of Graves' disease (GD). Due to changes in the patient's appearance, TED is a socially and visually disabling condition with significant impacts on quality of life. The aim of this study is to assess predictors of strabismus, a severe manifestation of TED. Design Single-institution retrospective case-control study. Cases of Graves' ophthalmopathy patients with strabismus were matched 1:1 to controls of Graves' ophthalmopathy patients without strabismus by age and sex. Patients Patients ≥18years old with severe Graves' ophthalmopathy who received their medical care at UCLA with strabismus between 2012 and 2015. Measurements Eligibility criteria for cases was a diagnosis of Graves' ophthalmopathy with a subsequent diagnosis of strabismus. Using conditional logistic regression, the odds ratios of developing strabismus following the diagnosis of Graves' disease were assessed. The prognostic indicators assessed include race, ethnicity, cigarette smoking (active), serum thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibody positivity, serum thyroglobulin (Tg) antibody positivity, antithyroidal medication use, and steroid use. Results The study sample (45 cases 1:1 matched against 45 controls) was comprised primarily of non-Hispanic, non-Latino Caucasian women with TED (mean±SD age 63.0±13.1years). There were no significant predictors for the development of strabismus, including cigarette smoking (active), serum thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibody positivity, serum thyroglobulin (Tg) antibody positivity, antithyroidal medication, and steroid use. Conclusions No significant predictors of strabismus, a severe manifestation of Graves' ophthalmopathy, were identified following a diagnosis of TED in this study.
TCT-445 Elective vs. Non-Elective Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in the United States: Insight from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample

Current guidelines recommend aortic valve replacement in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) who are symptomatic or have reduced ventricular function. However, although AS is a chronic evolving condition, many patients are referred for valve replacement on a non-elective basis. Data on the
Evaluating eight-year trajectories for sense of purpose in the health and retirement study.

Objectives: Though cross-sectional research has suggested that sense of purpose declines into older adulthood, it remains unclear whether inter-individual variability occurs in these trajectories, ...
Larval infestation of chronic ischaemic leg ulcer

Several cases of obligatory wound myiasis have been reported in the medical literature.1–3 For a long time, such infestation was perceived as a complication of poor quality wound care in patients with chronic ulcers. There are only three cases of wound myiasis reported in the literature. Demirel et al reported on a 68-year-old male patient with larvae infestations of diabetic wound that were discovered during surgical debridement.3 Another two cases of traumatic larval infestation associated with …
Which surgical approach for palatally displaced canines

Data sourcesCochrane Oral Health's Trials Register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Medline Ovid and Embase Ovid (up to February 2017); ongoing clinical trials were searched in clinicaltrials.gov as well as the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry. Reference lists of included studies and relevant systematic reviews were searched. No restrictions were placed on the language or date of publication and study authors were contacted when necessary.Study selectionRandomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials assessing open and closed surgical exposures in palatally displaced canines with no restriction on age, presenting malocclusion or type of orthodontic treatment. Unilaterally and bilaterally displaced canines were included in the review. The primary outcomes considered were sufficient eruption of the canine to allow orthodontic alignment without requiring additional surgery, post surgical complications and aesthetics.Data extraction and synthesisTwo authors independently screened titles and abstracts of all studies identified through the search and reviewed full articles against established inclusion criteria. Any disagreements between the authors were resolved by consensus or by consulting an expert. Risk of bias assessment was done using Cochrane Collaboration's tool and study authors were contacted for missing information. Dichotomous outcomes (success of surgery - yes or no) were expressed as risk ratio and 95% CI. Continuous outcomes (pain on VAS scale) were expressed as mean differences (MD) or standardised mean differences (if different scales were used).ResultsA total of three studies (six articles) representing 146 participants were included in the SR. One was an RCT while the other two were quasi-RCTs. With regards to successful eruption, there was no evidence of a difference between the open and closed groups (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.93-1.06, P = 0.79). Other primary measures (including surgical complications or aesthetics) or secondary measures were either reported in just one trial or used different measures, so pooling of data was not possible.ConclusionsLimited available evidence suggests surgical exposure of palatally displaced canines is successful in bringing canines into alignment. However, data do not support one technique over the other (closed vs open). One trial was at low risk of bias while the others were at high risk of bias. This adds to the uncertainty of the conclusions.
Helminthic Diseases of North American Freshwater Fishes

Diseases of North American freshwater fishes caused by members of the Digenea, Cestoda, Nematoda and Acanthocephala are discussed. Essentials of pathogenicity, prevention and control are given. Metacercarial stages (grubs) of Digenea are the most problematic of this group since there is no effective therapy. Few significant problems are caused by adult cestodes, however, pleurocercoids migrating through visceral organs produce lesions and can cause sexual sterility in adults or death in young fish. Tissue-inhabiting nematodes, primarily larval forms, are responsible for considerable damage in fish, while intestinal dwellers are generally thought to be only slightly pathogenic. The armed proboscis of acanthocephalans may cause localized damage to the intestine; adults of some species normally attached to the intestinal lining may penetrate the intestine and invade visceral organs. Intestinal dwellers can be controlled with antihelminthics but there is no therapy for the tissue-inhabiting forms.
Training Networks “On-The-Fly”

Previous trainable connectionist perception systems have often ignored important aspects of the form and content of available sensor data. Because of the assumed impracticality of training networks to perform realistic high level perception tasks, connectionist researchers have frequently restricted their research to toy problems (e.g., the T-C identification task [Rumelhart, Hinton & Williams, 1986, Jacobs et al., 1990]) or to low level tasks (e.g., edge detection [Koch et al., 1990]). While these restricted domains can provide valuable insight into connectionist architectures and learning algorithms, they frequently ignore the complexities associated with real world problems.
Background Signal Processing, Statistical and Optimization Methods

In this chapter we discuss basic manipulations of digital signals and data, such as their transforms, filtering, clustering, and statistical parameter estimation as a preparation for later chapters. We also review the analogues for continuous functions and function spaces.
Proteolytic Digestion Methods for Shotgun Proteomics

Shotgun proteomics has become a routine method for identifying, characterizing, and quantifying proteins on a large scale. Essential to these experiments is the digestion of the proteins within a sample to peptides using proteases, most commonly trypsin. Proteases generate peptide fragments suitable in length for separation using liquid chromatography and gas-phase fragmentation, and identification using tandem mass spectrometry. The use of proteases other than trypsin allows for further characterization of protein posttranslational modifications and topology. This chapter provides a summary of the proteases used for digestion of proteins for shotgun proteomics and the types of experiments for which they are best exploited. Since a protease usually requires access to specific protein domains, also described are common protein solubilization methods that maintain protease activity and are compatible with liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Potential analysis interferants that can be introduced during the digestion process and the steps that can be taken to minimize or eliminate them are discussed. In general, this chapter guides the reader through a discussion of theory relevant to protease digestions, and protocols for the analysis of proteins, both on a large scale and in a more targeted fashion, on purified protein complexes and membrane-embedded proteins.
Type 1 diabetes pathogenesis and the role of inhibitory receptors in islet tolerance

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) affects over a million Americans, and disease incidence is on the rise. Despite decades of research, there is still no cure for this disease. Exciting beta cell replacement strategies are being developed, but in order for such approaches to work, targeted immunotherapies must be designed. To selectively halt the autoimmune response, researchers must first understand how this response is regulated and which tolerance checkpoints fail during T1D development. Herein, we discuss the current understanding of T1D pathogenesis in humans, genetic and environmental risk factors, presumed roles of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells as well as B cells, and implicated autoantigens. We also highlight studies in non-obese diabetic mice that have demonstrated the requirement for CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and B cells in driving T1D pathology. We present an overview of central and peripheral tolerance mechanisms and comment on existing controversies in the field regarding central tolerance. Finally, we discuss T cell- and B cell-intrinsic tolerance mechanisms, with an emphasis on the roles of inhibitory receptors in maintaining islet tolerance in humans and in diabetes-prone mice, and strategies employed to date to harness inhibitory receptor signaling to prevent or reverse T1D.
Blood flow dynamics after laser therapy of port wine stain birthmarks

During laser therapy of port wine stain (PWS) birthmarks, regions of persistent perfusion may exist. We hypothesize that such regions, which are not readily visible, exist even during laser surgery performed by highly experienced clinicians. The objective of this study was to use objective feedback to assess the acute vascular response to laser therapy. We have developed a clinic-friendly laser speckle imaging (LSI) instrument to provide the clinician with real-time images of blood flow during laser therapy. We acquired images from patients undergoing laser therapy of PWS birthmarks at Scripps Clinic and Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic. We extracted blood flow maps from the acquired imaging data. Collectively, we have observed two regimes of patient response to therapy: 1) an immediate increase in perfusion within minutes after laser therapy; and 2) an overall decrease in blood perfusion approximately one hour after laser therapy, with distinct regions of persistent perfusion apparent in the majority of post-treatment blood-flow images. A comparison of blood flow in PWS and adjacent normal skin demonstrated that PWS blood flow can be greater than or sometimes equivalent to that of normal skin. Regions of persistent perfusion frequently exist immediately after laser therapy of PWS birthmarks. Existence of these regions may be correlated to the need for multiple treatment sessions to improve substantially PWS skin appearance. With the use of intraoperative LSI, immediate retreatment of these regions may improve the outcome of each session.
ROADM Subsystems & Technologies

ROADM subsystems can be implemented using a variety of architectures and technologies, each with their own trade-offs in performance and functionality. This paper will describe the available technology options, and corresponding subsystem features, while highlighting the key advantages and implementation challenges associated with each.
Development of Novel Second Generation DC/Tumor Fusion Vaccine in Lymphoma

Our personalized cancer vaccine comprises patient tumor cells fused with autologous dendritic cells (DCs) and limits the risk of antigen escape by presenting a broad array of tumor antigens in the context of DC mediated co-stimulation. In clinical trials of hematologic malignancies patients, vaccination induced expansion of tumor-specific T cells (Tc) and led to prolonged remission in a subset of patients. Currently, we are developing a novel second-generation (2G) vaccine. Fusions are presented in the context of a unique biomatrix expressing high levels of 41BB ligand (41BBL), to further accentuate Tc activation. In this study, we show the efficacy of vaccination in a preclinical lymphoma model and enhanced potency of the 2G vaccine. We first showed the fusions potency in generating anti-tumor immunity in the A20 lymphoma murine model. Bone marrow derived mononuclear cells cultured with GM-CSF and IL-4 were fused to A20 cells. Fusions effectively induced tumor specific immunity as manifested by potent lysis of A20 Tc in vitro as compared to unstimulated Tc in a CTL assay. Consistently, vaccine effectively induced tumor specific immunity in an immunocompetent murine model. Balb/C mice (30) underwent IV inoculation with 750,000, luciferase transduced, A20 cells. 24h post inoculation, 15 mice were vaccinated with 105 fusions. 10 days post inoculation, in the untreated cohort all mice had detectable tumor whereas in the treated group, 5 mice didn't show disease and 5 mice showed minimal disease as detected by BLI imaging. We further showed that patient autologous vaccine stimulated Tc mediated lysis of primary lymphoma cells. DC, generated from patient's peripheral blood mononuclear cells cultured with GM-CSF and IL-4 and matured with TNFa were fused to primary lymphoma cells isolated from resected tumor. In a standard CTL assay, fusion stimulated Tc potently lysed autologous tumor cells as compared to unstimulated Tc (25.7% as compared to 12.66%). To enhance vaccine potency, we developed a biomatrix expressing 41BBL. By carbodiimide chemistry we covalently bonded 41BBL protein to an alginate (Alg)-based scaffold, promoting a supporting microenvironment for Tc and fusions co-culture. We cultured syngeneic Tc with fusions within a scaffold with or without bound 41BBL and examined Tc cytotoxicity by a CTL assay. Tc stimulated by vaccine within the Alg/41BBL scaffold showed higher levels of tumor lysis compared to the percent killed by Tc cultured within an Alg scaffold (22.95% and 13.95 respectively). In this study we succeeded in demonstrating the fusions capacity to generate tumor specific Tc cytotoxicity. We presented patient derived tumor results supporting the applicable nature of the vaccine. In addition, we developed a 2G vaccine comprised of the original vaccine presented to the Tc in an Alg/41BBL scaffold acting as a nurturing microenvironment for Tc tumor specific immune response.