cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of solvent acidity on the free-radical-initiated synthesis of methanesulfonic acid from CH4 and SO3

The effects of solvent acidity on K 2 S 2 O 8 -initiated synthesis of methanesulfonic acid (MSA) from CH 4 and SO 3 have been investigated. Dimethyl sulfoxide, sulfuric acid, and trifluromethane-sulfonic acid were used as the solvents. The initial rate of MSA synthesis increased with solvent acidity, being lowest in DMSO and highest in triflic acid. This effect is attributed to the influence of solvent acidity on the extent of decomposition of the S 2 O 8 2- anion, which dissociates to form SO 4 -. . The latter species is responsible for activation of CH 4 to form CH 3 . . The maximum conversion of SO 3 to MSA also depends on the solvent, increasing in the order DMSO < TFMSA < H 2 SO 4 . The highest conversion of SO 3 to MSA observed for the conditions of these studies was 87% when H 2 SO 4 containing 0.2 M TFMSA was used as the solvent. The limit on the maximum conversion of SO 3 to MSA is set by the reaction CH 3 SO 3 H+SO 3 ⇄CH 3 (SO 3 ) 2 H, which removes unconverted SO 3 from solution as MSA is formed. Although the extent to which this reaction proceeds decreases with increasing solvent acidity, the use of TFMSA as the solvent is detrimental because it appears to stabilize the formation of CH 3 (SO 3 ) 2 H, possibly in the form of CH 3 (SO 3 ) 2 H.(CF 3 SO 3 H) 2 . The influences of the initial concentrations of SO 3 and K 2 S 2 O 8 and of the reaction temperature on the maximum conversion of SO 3 to MSA are discussed in terms of a proposed mechanism for MSA synthesis.
Theoretical basis for semi-empirical pseudopotentials

Abstract It is shown that additional “correlation” effects are incorporated into semi-empirical model pseudopotentials because the traditional equations for the theoretical pseudopotentials are generally based upon a frozen core approximation. We derive the exact effective valence electron equations that are being mimicked by the model potentials. It is shown how the energy dependence of model pseudopotentials is partly a reflection of core polarization effects that are absent in the usual theoretical pseudopotentials, and we comment on possible nonadditivity effects that correct for the assumed decomposition of many-electron pseudopotentials into those for one-electron cases.
The neurological basis of mental imagery: a componential analysis.

Abstract The neurological literature contains numerous reports of loss of mental imagery following brain damage. This paper represents an attempt to interpret the patterns of deficits and preserved abilities in these reports in terms of a componential information-processing model of imagery. The principal result was a consistent pattern of deficit in a subset of patients, which could be attributed to a loss of the image generation component of imagery; examination of the lesion sites in this subset of patients implicated a region in the posterior left hemispheres as critical for the image generation process. The analysis also provided evidence that the long-term visual memories used in imagery are also used in recognition, and that dreaming and waking visual imagery share some underlying processes.
Aerodynamics Comparisons Between Two Typical Gas Turbine Combustion Swirlers

In this work, a series of tests have been conducted to study the aerodynamics of two typical gas turbine combustion swirlers, using Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV). The first swirler used is a coaxial counter-rotating, radial-radial swirler, designated as the R-R swirler. The primary swirler accounts for 40% of the total effective area of the R-R swirler. The second swirler employed consists of an inner dual-axial swirler assembly with only around 20% of total swirler effective area and an outer coaxial radial swirler, and is designated as the A-R swirler. The aim of this work is to compare the aerodynamics performance of these two different types of swirlers under similar boundary conditions, such as confinement effect, downstream exhaust nozzle, and chamber length.The R-R swirler has a very high radial dispersing rate, and for the unconfined case, the swirling jet remained attached to the dome plate resulting in a very weak, unbound CTRZ. The swirling jet for the A-R swirler exited at a relatively low expansion angle. For confined cases, the swirling jet attached to the walls of the confinement at a certain distance downstream of the exit plane for both swirlers.When the exhaust nozzle was applied as a downstream boundary condition, a spinning vortex core with high turbulent intensity was detected along the swirler axis for the A-R swirler, whereas the only difference for the R-R swirler was a slight reduction in the expansion angle of the swirling jet. The proximity of the exhaust nozzle to the swirlers was changed by changing the chamber length. For the R-R swirler, the effect of chamber length was only detected in the near-field region. For the A-R swirler, a reduction in chamber length caused the spinning vortex core to become more intense. Additionally, an annular CTRZ was observed for the shorter chamber lengths.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Translation and rotation of a haloaromatic thiol

Lateral manipulation of a halosubstituted aromatic thiol (p-bromothiophenol) by use of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) operated at cryogenic temperatures is always associated with the alignment of the molecule in the translation direction. Tip-height traces acquired during lateral manipulation yield further insight into the dynamic behavior of the molecule. CO-functionalization of the STM tip renders imaging conditions more stable by reducing the attractive interaction between the tip and the thiol.
Long-Term Outcomes of Patients With Spinal Cord Gliomas Treated by Modern Conformal Radiation Techniques

Purpose: This study retrospectively examines the long-term therapeutic outcomes of 32 patients with primary spinal cord gliomas at Massachusetts General Hospital between 1991 and 2005 treated by either photon intensity-modulated radiotherapy or conformal proton radiotherapy. Methods and Materials: Individual patient tumor types included 14 ependymomas, 17 astrocytomas, and one oligodendroglioma. Twenty-two patients were treated with photon beam radiation therapy, and 10 patients were treated with proton beam therapy. The overall survival and time to progression were analyzed. Average radiation dose for patients was 51 Gy in 1.8 median daily fractions over 29 treatments. Results: For all 32 patients, the overall 5-year survival was 65% and the progression-free survival was 61%, respectively. Overall survival was significantly worse for patients more than 55 years of age (p = 0.02). Ependymoma patients had significantly longer survival times than astrocytoma patients (p = 0.05). Patients who had undergone a biopsy developed worse outcomes then those with a resection (p = 0.05). With the caveat of a limited number of patients, the multivariate model seems to suggest improved overall survival for younger patients (<54 years of age), ependymoma histology, and photon vs. proton treatment. Conclusion: For patients with spinal cord gliomas, significant factors associated withmore » patient outcome include tumor pathology, age, extent of surgery, and treatment.« less
Model-based tracking of self-occluding articulated objects

Computer sensing of hand and limb motion is an important problem for applications in human computer interaction and computer graphics. We describe a framework for local trading of self occluding motion, in which one part of an object obstructs the visibility of another. Our approach uses a kinematic model to predict occlusions and windowed templates to track partially occluded objects. We present offline 3D tracking results for hand motion with significant self occlusion. >
Physician-determined patient risk of toxic effects: impact on enrollment and decision making in phase I cancer trials.

BACKGROUND The conventional phase I trial design yields an estimate of the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of a new drug defined from treatment toxic effects observed in a small heterogeneous cohort of patients. The MTD is specific for those patients treated in the study and may not be reproducible in another patient series, a limitation known as cohort dependency. PURPOSE We conducted an opinion survey of phase I investigators in an attempt to characterize physician attitudes and clinical practices regarding assessment of risk of toxic effects in patients. METHODS A physician opinion survey of scaled multiple choice and open-ended questions was distributed to oncologists (faculty and fellows) at National Cancer Institute (NCI)-funded phase I contract institutions. The target sample was narrowed to these specific institutions because of their experience in conducting various phase I trials. Each NCI-funded phase I contractor received an instruction sheet and 25 surveys and envelopes that were made available to oncologists enrolling patients in phase I trials. RESULTS Of the 75 surveys distributed, 67 (89%) were returned. Most respondents agreed that unexplained variability in toxicity exists in phase I trials. However, opinion varied considerably among five participating institutions (two-sided P = .001). Informal scoring of patients for toxicity risk prior to treatment was a common practice (85% overall), although the prevalence of this practice varied somewhat among the institutions (two-sided P = .01). Physicians' opinions were mixed regarding the practice of becoming increasingly selective in enrolling patients as the MTD was approached, with strong disagreement noted among institutions (two-sided P = .001). Given background on a hypothetical phase I trial, respondents were asked to rank the usefulness of 27 patient factors for predicting the risk of dose-limiting leukopenia. Eight factors were perceived as strongly informative: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 2 or worse, recent weight loss of more than 10%, multiple bone marrow metastases, two or more prior chemotherapy regimens, history of treatment toxic effects, and prior treatment with carboplatin, mitomycin, or nitrosoureas. CONCLUSIONS Informal assessment of the risk of toxic effects in a patient was found to be common practice among oncologists who enroll patients on phase I trials, and there was strong agreement on the usefulness of several key patient factors for such assessments. Interestingly, interinstitutional variation in opinions and practices were noted, specifically regarding patient-selection bias. Follow-up studies are required to establish if physician-determined assessments of patient risk are consistent and accurate.
Picosecond Dynamics of Semiconductor Fabry–PÉrot Lasers: A Simplified Model

A simplified semiconductor laser model that is sufficient to describe laser dynamics on a picosecond time scale is presented. The model prescribes a time-domain differential equation regarding the complex amplitude of the light field. The simplification comes from an approximation of the semiconductor optical gain dynamics that typically exhibits two distinct time scales with a slow component on the order of hundreds of picoseconds and a fast component on the order of a few picoseconds or subpicoseconds. For laser dynamics concerning mainly the picosecond time scale, the slow component of the material gain dynamics can be treated as a static effect and the fast component can be treated as instantaneous. Such treatment also shines light on relations between semiconductor optical amplifier nonlinearities such as self-phase modulation and device parameters such as the linewidth enhancement factor and confinement factors. The model correctly predicts various picosecond laser dynamics of semiconductor lasers including the preference of a constant-power, FM mode-locking operation once the correct chirp condition is first established. A coupled multispatial mode (MSM) model based on the simplified time-domain laser model is used to successfully explain self-start AM mode-locking operations of single-contact Fabry-Perot laser diodes (FP-LDs) that have been observed experimentally. A mechanism for establishing the needed condition for single-contact FP-LD's self-FM mode-locking operations is also proposed based on the understanding of the MSM AM mode-locking operations.
Robot planning and control

Planning and control are two basic components of autonomous robot systems. In recent years, significant advances have been made in both these areas. However, these developments have continued to be carried out in isolation, and the gap between planning and control remains an important one. This article discusses the ongoing effort at Stanford University for the extension of real-time robot control capabilities in the context of integrated robot planning and control. The goal is to develop a layer of real-time sensor-based motion primitives that connects planning and control. The article presents the basic models and methodologies developed for addressing this research area.
Hormonal Regulation of Immunoglobulins in the Rat Uterus: Uterine Response to Multiple Estradiol Treatments

The present studies explored the processes by which estradiol regulates the accumulation or immunoglobulins A (IgA) and G (IgG) in the uterus. Levels of IgG in uterine secretions increased rapidly within 3 h after either two or three daily estradiol (1 microgram) treatments of ovariectomized rats and then declined. These levels, however, were only a small fraction of the total IgG content measured in uterine tissue. In contrast, luminal IgA levels increased gradually, with maximal amounts occurring 6 to 25 h after the third estrogen injection. Moreover, concentrations of IgA in uterine secretions at this time were significantly greater than those found in uterine tissue. Therefore, under the influence of estradiol, IgA moves from tissue to lumen against an apparent concentration gradient, whereas IgG movement is consistently down a gradient. Estradiol also rapidly increased the levels of IgA and IgG in uterine tissue. These increases, in contrast to the luminal pattern, occurred in parallel. Tissue content of both IgA and IgG were highest within 6 h after the second or third estradiol injection and then decreased. Of particular interest was our finding that, whereas the form of IgA in uterine tissue was both monomeric and polymeric, only polymeric IgA accumulated in the uterine lumen. Analysis of the effect of nafoxidine on the uterine Ig response indicated that this compound significantly increased the amount of uterine tissue IgA and IgG. The Ig levels in uterine secretions, however, were significantly less than those measured after estradiol treatment. Nafoxidine's stimulatory effect on luminal Ig concentrations was equal to that of estradiol when uteri were ligated to prevent fluid loss through the cervix. Utilization of this ligation procedure was also instrumental in demonstrating that chronic estrogen exposure (8 days) resulted in greater quantities of uterine luminal Ig. The role of T cells in the estrogen control of uterine luminal Igs was also examined. In rats that had been neonatally thymectomized, luminal levels of both IgA and IgG were significantly reduced, when compared to those measured in sham-operated or intact estrogen-treated controls. Thymic absence, however, did not prevent the estradiol-induced movement of IgA from tissue to lumen against a concentration gradient.
Computerized automation in acquisition and processing of patterns from high-pressure ion-exchange chromatography.

Fully automated generation, recording, storing, and processing of complex chromatograms demand sophisticated laboratory instrumentation and computer implementation. In the high-resolution liquid-chromatographic system for body fluids analyses we use in our clinical laboratory, the chromatograph is interfaced to a 2114 Hewlett-Packard minicomputer that accomplishes, in an on-line mode, analog-to-digital conversion, reductive averaging of sampled data, transformation from transmittance to absorbance units, and storage of the digitized spectrum on a peripheral disk. The information on disk is eventually transferred to a library of spectral files resident on a direct-access disk associated with an IBM 360/ Model 65 computer. These data files serve as the input source for program COCOA, written in Fortran IV for the IBM 360 computer, which provides the following processing: ( a ) iterative polynomial smoothing; ( b ) sectionally linear baseline tracking; ( c ) peak and envelope detection and delineation; ( d ) least-squares gaussian resolution of up to five component peaks in an envelope; and ( e ) location, size, and shape quantification of peaks. The capability and merits of program COCOA as an off-line procedure on a maxicomputer for the analysis of chromatograms are discussed.
Seeking Work Daily: Supply, Demand, and Spatial Dimensions of Day Labor in Two Global Cities:

Day labor, the industry in which workers, primarily men, seek temporary employment daily in open-air street markets or curb-side hiring sites, is a burgeoning market in the United States and a historically important, but declining industry in Japan. Using data from surveys of day laborers in Tokyo and Los Angeles, we analyze the unique characteristics of these two markets, comparing and contrasting the workers, the demand for their employment, and the spatial dimensions of this industry. We find that day laborers in Los Angeles are predominantly young, recent immigrants undertaking varied jobs. In contrast, day laborers in Tokyo are aging and mostly native Japanese displaced from Japan’s slouching post-industrial economy. Demand for day labor is equally contrasting. In Los Angeles, employers are more diversified, associated with a network of industries, and a consumer base that is broad and elastic. On the other hand, employers in Tokyo are overwhelmingly in construction and day laborers only cater to sub...
Parallel solution of the generalized Helmholtz equation

Uses the reduced system conjugate gradient algorithm to find the solution of large, sparse, symmetric, positive definite systems of linear equations arising from finite difference discretization of the generalized Helmholtz equation. The authors examine in detail three spatial domain decompositions on distributed memory machines. They use a two-step damped Jacobi preconditioner for the Schur complement system and find that although the number of iterations required for convergence is nearly halved, overall solution time is slightly increased. The authors introduce a modification to the preconditioner in order to reduce overhead. >
Integrating epigenetic data into molecular casual networks

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have recently identified many risk loci for complex human diseases. However, genetics can explain only a fraction of disease variation. Epigenetics refers to cellular mechanisms that affect gene expression without modifying DNA sequence[1]. Epigenetic mechanisms reflect gene X environment interactions, which contribute to risk for many chronic diseases including obesity [2], hypertension [3], cancers [4], chronic inflammation [5], chronic pain [6], and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) [7]. While these studies have provided an initial look into genetic or epigenetic factors affecting disease risk or disease severity, understanding the transcriptional regulation by genetic and epigenetic factors, such as DNA methylation and microRNA, may shed light on understanding the biological processes and molecular mechanisms associated complex human diseases. By integrating genetic, epigenetic, and transcriptomic data we developed genetic causality tests [8,9] and a novel methylation-based causality test. Then, we developed a method to construct a global Bayesian network [10-12] using the causal test results as priors. As a proof-of-concept, we applied these methods to genome-wide genetic, epigenetic, and transcriptomic data and phenotypic data generated from lung tissues of COPD patients and non-COPD controls, and identified multiple causal regulators for pathways associated with disease severity. We experimentally validated candidate genes in cell lines, mouse models, and in human tissues. Our results suggest that the integrative causal network can provide important insights into understanding the mechanisms underlying epigenetic regulations, altering transcriptional programs that lead to COPD pathogenesis and progression. These approaches can be applied to uncover molecular mechanisms underlying other diseases, such as chronic pain.
An example of using computer simulation to predict pharmaceutical costs and outcomes

This paper summarizes the major forms of socioeconomic analysis, the examination of comparative costs and outcomes for new medical interventions. Socioeconomic analysis can be performed in prospective or retrospective studies as well as in computer simulations. The steps involved in developing a computer model to estimate the costs and outcomes of medical interventions are discussed, as well as the limitation of this technique. We conclude by presenting a recent example of socioeconomic analysis using computer simulation, a model examining a new asthma medication in comparison to current standard asthma therapy.
Massive Pulmonary Embolism

To purchase reprints, contact The InnoVision Group, 101 Columbia, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656. Phone, (800) 8991712 or (949) 362-2050 (ext 532); fax, (949) 362-2049; e-mail, reprints@aacn.org. The patient’s hemodynamic stability provided the multidisciplinary team with an opportunity to perform diagnostic tests to look for a possible cause for the cardiac arrest. A 2dimensional echocardiogram showed dilatation of the right ventricle and moderate tricuspid regurgitation with pulmonary artery systolic pressures of 60 to 65 mm Hg, all abnormal findings in a healthy heart. This result, coupled with the postpartum arrest, led to a tentative diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. A ventilation/ perfusion scan indicated a high probability of pulmonary embolism, and a computed tomography scan of the thorax showed a saddle embolism, which confirmed the diagnosis. The definitive diagnosis of pulmonary embolism proved a great threat to the patient’s survival, and an urgent interdisciplinary team meeting ensued. Physician representatives from obstetrics, cardiology, pulmonary medicine, and cardiothoracic surgery, as well as a variety of nursing representatives who directly provided care for the patient, played a crucial part in the decisionmaking process. The critical care nurses reported decerebrate posturing of the patient after the cardiac arrest, which may be indicative of Kathleen Shaughnessy, MSN, CRNP, CCRN
Muscle-specific Pparg deletion causes insulin resistance

Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are insulin-sensitizing drugs and are potent agonists of the nuclear peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma). Although muscle is the major organ responsible for insulin-stimulated glucose disposal, PPAR-gamma is more highly expressed in adipose tissue than in muscle. To address this issue, we used the Cre-loxP system to knock out Pparg, the gene encoding PPAR-gamma, in mouse skeletal muscle. As early as 4 months of age, mice with targeted disruption of PPAR-gamma in muscle showed glucose intolerance and progressive insulin resistance. Using the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp technique, the in vivo insulin-stimulated glucose disposal rate (IS-GDR) was reduced by approximately 80% and was unchanged by 3 weeks of TZD treatment. These effects reveal a crucial role for muscle PPAR-gamma in the maintenance of skeletal muscle insulin action, the etiology of insulin resistance and the action of TZDs.
Why to Keep Osteocytes Alive and How

It has been long proposed that the osteocyte network continually compares present mechanical strains to usual levels of strain, and triggers signals to osteoclasts or osteoblasts resulting in bone loss or gain, as needed. Whereas physiological levels of mechanical stimulation maintain bone mass, too low or too high levels of strain induce bone resorption. One mechanism by which osteocytes may trigger bone resorption is by undergoing apoptosis. Either low or high levels of mechanical loading lead to increased prevalence of osteocyte apoptosis, which temporally precedes and is spatially associated with osteoclast recruitment and the subsequent increase in bone resorption[1,2]. A cause and effect relationship between osteocyte death and bone resorption has been demonstrated using a transgenic mouse model of inducible osteocyte ablation in which osteocyte apoptosis was sufficient to trigger osteoclast recruitment[3]. In addition, the normal osteoclastogenic response to unloading was missing in bones from osteocyte-depleted mice, confirming that osteocytes are indispensable for the skeletal adaptation to weightlessness. Because osteocyte apoptosis is inhibited not only by mechanical stimulation but also by estrogens and bisphosphonates, these findings raise the intriguing possibility that preservation of osteocyte viability contributes to the anti-remodeling properties of these agents.
A compact dual-tip STM design

A compact dual-tip scanning tunneling microscope (STM) design that achieves both rigidity and stability is presented. We constructed a prototype unit to perform tests in ambient conditions. The two STM tips were able to maintain a stable tunneling condition with the sample surface simultaneously. Topographic images of a fresh cleaved graphite were taken simultaneously from the two tips. A common feature found in both images indicates that the two tunneling spots are ~800 nm apart
Elevated adenosine monophosphate deaminase activity in Alzheimer's disease brain.

Abstract Abnormal elevations in ammonia have been implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. However, the biochemical mechanism(s) leading to increased ammonia in Alzheimer’s disease have not yet been identified. A potential source of increased ammonia production is adenosine monophosphate (AMP) deaminase, an important enzyme in the regulation of the purine nucleotide cycle and adenylate energy charge. AMP deaminase activity is expressed in human brain and converts AMP to inosine monophosphate with the release of ammonia. We have investigated AMP deaminase activity in postmortem brain tissue from Alzheimer’s disease subjects and age-matched controls. Compared to control brain, Alzheimer’s disease brain AMP deaminase activity is 1.6- to 2.4-fold greater in the regions examined—the cerebellum, occipital cortex, and temporal cortex. Similar increases in AMP deaminase protein and mRNA levels are observed in Alzheimer’s disease brain. These results suggest that increased AMP deaminase activity may augment ammonia levels in the brain in Alzheimer’s disease.
Development and analysis of a probabilistic reasoning methodology for spectrum situational awareness and parameter estimation in uncertain environments

Advancements and proliferation of wireless devices and capabilities have expanded the need for spectrum situational awareness in support of mobile applications. Accurate representations of spectrum usage parameters, however, are limited by the ability to attain sufficiently accurate information in environments characterized by significant uncertainty. This paper describes the design and characterization of a probabilistic reasoning methodology for spectrum situational assessment. The approach uses Functional Causal Models — a form of Bayesian Networks — to represent the propagation environment and enables parameter estimation in uncertain environments. The general model is described and a simulation implementation is used to as a basis for quantitative and qualitative characterization. Results demonstrate the degree of uncertainty reduction for various parameters as functions of prior beliefs and consistency with theoretical predictions. Path loss estimation error was significant reduced to within 10 dB of true conditions via Bayesian updating with several cases showing errors of less than 5 dB. Estimations errors of transmitted power were marginally reduced in the selected scenarios, and path distance could not be reliably estimated. Thus the proposed approach produces path loss estimates that could enable applications such as Dynamic Spectrum Access systems to operate with acceptable levels of risk.
Lugar e não-lugar: espaços da complexidade

Este artigo tem como objetivo refletir sobre a importância dos conceitos de lugar e nao-lugar em um contexto de globalizacao e de profunda transformacao dos espacos da sociedade contemporânea. Iniciando pela abordagem geografica atual dos conceitos, ampliou-se a analise das categorias lugar e nao-lugar por meio das contribuicoes socio-antropologicas de Marc Auge e Michel de Certeau estabelecendo-se paralelos sobre a sua complexidade de sentidos e significados em diferentes areas do conhecimento.
On Bayesian inference about extinction.

Alroy (1) provides Bayesian estimates of the number of recent extinctions among reptiles and amphibians based on their sighting records. This involved calculating posterior extinction probabilities for individual species. This calculation is only cursorily described. The purpose of this comment is to provide an expression for this posterior probability and to raise two issues with the application in ref. 1.
Optimum Rotor Performance in Skewed Flow Based on Actuator-Disk Theory

Recent studies have pointed out that conventional lifting rotors in forward flight have efficiencies far lower than the optimum efficiencies predicted by theory. This paper presents a closed-form optimization of induced power with finite-state models is expanded to obtain the results for pressure and induced velocity distributions for a rotor in forward flight. Results for induced power efficiency (IPE) variations in forward flight and for different conditions are presented.
Integration of multi-modal biomedical data to predict cancer grade and patient survival

The Big Data era in Biomedical research has resulted in large-cohort data repositories such as The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). These repositories routinely contain hundreds of matched patient samples for genomic, proteomic, imaging, and clinical data modalities, enabling holistic and multi-modal integrative analysis of human disease. Using TCGA renal and ovarian cancer data, we conducted a novel investigation of multi-modal data integration by combining histopathological image and RNA-seq data. We compared the performances of two integrative prediction methods: majority vote and stacked generalization. Results indicate that integration of multiple data modalities improves prediction of cancer grade and outcome. Specifically, stacked generalization, a method that integrates multiple data modalities to produce a single prediction result, outperforms both single-data-modality prediction and majority vote. Moreover, stacked generalization reveals the contribution of each data modality (and specific features within each data modality) to the final prediction result and may provide biological insights to explain prediction performance.
The Measurement Varying Weight Evaluation of Unascertained Threats from Air Targets in Key-point Air Defence

The assessment of the extent of threat from an air raiding target, as one of the central problems in the decision of air defence command, involves many uncertain factors and some other qualitative factors which are hard to determine in guantity. These problems reflect uncertainty, or unascertainment of the decision-maker in his subjective thinking. Although the air raiding target has its definite task, the information available is not enough for the decision-maker to determine its intention and extent of threat to our defence points. By applying the unascertained measurement theory, the unascertained measurement functions conforming to non-negativity-normalization and additivity are presented. On this basis, a model of assessment sequence is set up to more precisely make out the extent of threat from assessed air target. The model is reasonable in design, high in resolving power, simple but precise effective in calculation. At the end, the model is successfully applied to the assessment of an air situation.
Five decades of progress in management of the infertile couple

Objective To review milestones in the care of the infertile couple over the past five decades. Data Resources All issues of Fertility and Sterility were reviewed beginning with the first issue published in 1950 through volume 61, number 1 (January 1994). Other significant articles from the literature were reviewed as identified by directed Medline searches. Results This historical review gives the reader a sense of the evolution of modern reproductive technology—how the past has shaped the present—through the development of modern surgical techniques, methods of ovulation induction, laparoscopy, ultrasound, endocrine assays, in vitro fertilization, cryopreservation of sperm and preembryos, and microscopic procedures on gametes and preembryos. Conclusions The remarkable capabilities of modern reproductive technologies are only possible because of the culmination of decades of innovative research.
Final Technical Report to proposal DE-FG02-95ER20187

Our long term aim over our many years of generous DOE-BES funding was to understand mechanisms by which the pathogen virulence factors (called ‘type III effectors’) AvrRpm1 and AvrB activate the plant NLR immune receptor RPM1. In general effectors are delivered from the infecting bacteria into host cells by the type III pilus, where they manipulate host machinery to help pathogens overcome host defense. Delivery of effectors to increase virulence is a general feature of all classes of plant pathogens, from fungi to insects to oomcyetes and bacteria. Hence, understanding the overall diversity of effectors, their myriad delivery systems and their effectors on host cell biology, is of central importance in plant immunology.
Toward a Taxonomy of Varied Purchasing Behavior

A taxonomy of consumer varied purchasing behavior is needed to deal with confusing terminology and relate consumer varied purchasing behavior (CVPB) to other forms of consumer purchasing behavior.
A novel capacitive loaded structure for miniaturized resonators

Miniaturized resonators are designed with variable capacitive loading capability by utilizing both sides of the substrates with Printed Circuit Board technology. The proposed design integrates a spiral-shaped sub-wavelength inductive element with a parallel plate resonant structure of three variations to achieve notch depths of 37, 39, and 48 dB at 94, 138, and 116 MHz respectively within an area of 6.1 by 9.65 cm2 with reduced insertion losses and narrowed bandwidths. The ratio between the largest dimensions of structure to their guided wavelengths at resonance are all <0.05, demonstrating exceptional compactness of the design without sacrificing the performance of band-rejection behavior. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:2554–2557, 2016
New Architectures for Hierarchical Predictive Control

Abstract We analyze the structure of the Euler-Lagrange (EL) conditions of a long-horizon optimal control problem. The analysis reveals that the conditions can be solved by using block Gauss-Seidel (GS) schemes. We prove that such schemes can be implemented in the primal space by solving sequences of short-horizon optimal control problems. This analysis also reveals that a traditional receding-horizon (RH) scheme is equivalent to performing a single GS sweep. We have also found that we can use adjoint information from a coarse long-horizon problem to construct terminal penalties that correct the policies of the RH scheme. We observe that this scheme can be interpreted as a hierarchical controller in which a coarse high-level controller transfers long-horizon information to a low-level, short-horizon controller of fine resolution. The results open the door to a new family of hierarchical control architectures that can handle multiple time scales systematically.
Diagnosis of Abdominal and Pelvic Abscesses by Ultrasound and Gallium Scanning

The diagnosis of abdominal and pelvic abscesses still present a recurrent clinical problem, especially in the post-operative patient. Morbidity and mortality is directly related to the delay in diagnosis and treatment.1 Current techniques used for the diagnosis of abscesses include conventional radiological opacification procedures. These procedures, however, only imply the presence of a space-occupying mass, and are therefore nonspecific and frequently equivocal. Isotope techniques including liver/spleen, liver/lung and 67gallium citrate scans are widely used for the diagnosis of liver, subphrenic and other abdominal abscesses. 67gallium has been widely advocated as a successful modality for the demonstration of abscesses, and in some reports have been found to be superior to ultrasound.2 Ultrasound has also been long used for the diagnosis of abscesses with an accuracy rate varying between 61% and 96%.3,4,5 We report here the first large series of abscesses evaluated by grey-scale ultrasound techniques. Approximately 10% of these patients also had gallium studies, and the results are presented here.
Results of a Phase I/II Randomized Immunotherapy Trial Testing Adoptive Transfer of Co-Stimulated Autologous T Cells and Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) Immunization after Autotransplantation for Myeloma (MM).

Although immunizations against microbial infections are recommended following autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), the antibody responses are often suboptimal. To assess improved immunization strategies, we tested the ability of autologous T cells that were co-stimulated ex vivo with anti-CD3 and -CD28 coated beads as part of their therapy for MM, as well as pre-ASCT immunization to enhance the antibody response to PCV post-ASCT. Subjects were randomized to receive PCV (groups 1 and 2) or no immunization (groups 3 and 4) before T cell harvest, and subsequent mobilization chemotherapy. All subjects received PCV at days 30 and 90 post-ASCT; however, groups 1 and 3 were given T cells before (day 12) post-ASCT PCV immunization, while groups 2 and 4 received T cells after PCV immunization (day 100). Patients receiving adoptive T cell therapy for MM without PCV immunization (group 5) served as controls. The results of the adoptive transfer of T cells on MM therapy are reported elsewhere. Anti-pneumococcal (Pn) antibody levels for serotypes 6B, 14, 23F, 19F were measured in sequential samples for up to 180 days for each patient by ELISA (response defined as ≥ 2-fold increase over baseline and ≥ 0.5 μg/ml) and opsonophagocytosis assay (OPA) (response defined as ≥ 1-log bacterial kill or ≥ 70% kill when ≤ 30% kill at baseline). | | | Groups | | | | |:------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------ | ------ | --- | ---- | --- | | | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | | a Numbers of evaluable subjects per group responding by ELISA to 3 or more of 4 pneumococcal serotypes tested. bNumber of evaluable subjects with OPA response to 19F only. T=T cells; D=day;* P=0.02, and** P=0.05 v. group 5 by Fisher’s Test. | | No. PCV | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | | | T given at | D12 | D100 | D12 | D100 | D12 | | ≥3 types | 6/7a | 3/8 | 3/9 | 3/6 | 1/4 | | 4 types | 6/7* | 1/8 | 1/9 | 3/6 | 0/4 | | OPA | 8/9b** | 5/8 | 1/8 | 3/5 | 1/4 | Responses in group 1 were of longer duration and greater magnitude than in other groups. We conclude that (1) MM patients immunized with PCV pre-ASCT respond better to PCV post-ASCT; (2) T cell administration before PCV immunization enhances protective anti-Pn antibody levels and for a longer duration. Our vaccine schedule that leads to improved PCV responses may also be used to improve the responses of ASCT patients to other microbial and perhaps cancer vaccines. (This study was supported by NIH contract N01-AI-85342 and LSA SCOR #7000-002).
Abstract P1-11-08: Tumor and procedural factors associated with positive margins at lumpectomy in women undergoing breast conservation surgery

Background: Negative margins are important in decreasing risk of local recurrence after breast conservation surgery. Further, positive margins on final pathology require a second operation, burdening patients and increasing costs. We identified factors predicting positive margins at lumpectomy prompting intraoperative re-excision in a large referral center. Methods With IRB approval we reviewed all breast cancer lumpectomy cases from January 2012 to December 2013. Associations between rates of positive margin (defined as tumor at ink) and patient and tumor factors were assessed using chi square tests and univariate and adjusted multivariable logistic regression, overall and stratified by DCIS or invasive cancer. Results 385 patients (105 DCIS and 280 invasive disease) were identified. Overall positive margin rate at lumpectomy requiring intraoperative re-excision was 62.3% and was higher in DCIS than in invasive disease (78.1% vs 56.4%, OR=2.78, p=0.001). Positive margin rates did not vary by surgeon, patient age, ER, PR or HER2 status of the tumor. On univariate analysis higher tumor grade was associated with a higher margin positive rate (grade 3 vs grade 1, OR=1.71, p=0.049). Within the 105 DCIS cases, no factors had statistically significantly different odds of positive margins on univariate or multivariable analysis. Within the 280 cases of invasive breast cancer, factors independently associated with lower odds of margin positivity were neoadjuvant chemotherapy (OR 0.30, p=0.037, relative to no neoadjuvant therapy) and seed localized excision (OR 0.24, p=0.03, relative to no localization). Conclusion DCIS was associated with higher rate of positive margins at lumpectomy than invasive breast cancer. Within invasive disease, neoadjuvant chemotherapy and seed localization were associated with lower rates of margin positivity. Strategies to decrease positive margins would be best employed in cases of lumpectomy for DCIS and for invasive disease treated without neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Seed localization may be one strategy to lower positive margin rates. Citation Format: Boughey JC, Keeney MG, Glasgow AE, Keeney GL, Habermann EB. Tumor and procedural factors associated with positive margins at lumpectomy in women undergoing breast conservation surgery [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-11-08.
Candidate halophytic grasses for addressing land degradation: Shoot responses of Sporobolus airoides and Paspalum vaginatum to weekly increasing NaCl concentration

ABSTRACTIn many arid and semiarid regions worldwide, high levels of soil salinity is a key driver of land degradation, as well as a key impediment to re-establishing plant cover. Combating land degradation and erosion associated with soil salinity requires experimental determination of plant species that can grow in soils with high levels of salinity and can be used to re-establish plant cover. Herein, we evaluated the responses of untested candidate cultivars of two halophytic grass species to high soil salinity: alkali sacaton (Sporobolus airoides Torr.) and seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum Swartz). We evaluated the growth responses of both species in a greenhouse under control (no-salt) and various levels of NaCl salinity (EC 8, 16, 24, 32, 40, and 48 dSm−1) using Hoagland solution in a hydroponics system in a randomized complete block design trial. At all salinity levels, sacaton grass had a greater shoot height, shorter root length, lower shoot fresh and dry weights, and poorer color and general...
TIRR and 53BP1- partners in arms.

53BP1 is a central player in the repair of DNA-double strand breaks (DSBs) as it orchestrates the choice between the DSB repair pathways, non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombinat...
LOWER CLOSURE AND EXISTENCE THEOREMS IN OPTIMAL CONTROL

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses lower closure and existence theorems in optimal control. The problem of showing that an optimal control exists is that of showing that a certain functional attains a minimum on a given subset Y of its domain of definition V . For an appropriate topology on V , the set V is compact. The chapter explains how a functional is lower semicontinuous on Y with respect to the topology in question. It turns out that in control problems with nonlinear state equations, the lower semi-continuity must be replaced by the concept of lower closure. The chapter presents a summary of some lower closure theorems for a very general class of control problems.
Safety Comparison of Laryngeal Mask Use With Endotracheal Intubation in Patients Undergoing Dacryocystorhinostomy Surgery.

Purpose This study will determine the safety of laryngeal mask airway (LMA) compared with endotracheal tube (ETT) in patients undergoing general anesthesia for dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) surgery. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, intraoperative and postoperative outcomes of patients who underwent DCR at UAB Callahan Eye Hospital using either LMA or ETT were compared. Results Over a period of 52 months, 429 patients underwent external DCR surgery. An ETT was used in 37 patients and LMA in 392 patients. Baseline patient characteristics and anesthetic management were similar. No documented cases of blood or gastric aspiration occurred in the total cohort. Our study confirmed the findings of others that there is less cardiovascular lability on LMA placement than with ETT intubation. A 30% increase in heart rate from baseline after intubation (ETT 10.8%, LMA 1.8%; p = 0.010) and after incision (ETT 8.1%, LMA 1.8%; p = 0.047) occurred more frequently in the ETT group. Airway management with an LMA was also less difficult compared with an ETT (ETT 5.7%, LMA 0.5%; p = 0.035). Conclusions The use of an LMA for airway control is safe and effective in patients undergoing general anesthesia for DCR surgery. No events of aspiration occurred with LMA use. Heart rate increase was significantly less in the LMA group. In our opinion, use of an LMA for airway control during DCR surgery is superior to use of an ETT. Airway protection, improved hemodynamics, and less difficulty in placement of the laryngeal airway device are all validated by this study.
How a research university supports university-industry collaboration

In the past decade, market pressures and decreasing U.S. federal budgets for science and technology have led to a fundamental change in expectations for corporate investments in innovation. The trend to significant, sustained corporate research collaboration with major academic centers has called for rethinking the balance between academic and corporate roles in these relationships. The Georgia Institute of Technology has developed a system-focused strategy for transformational research focused on grand challenges in areas of importance both to faculty and to industry collaborators. A model of an innovation ecosystem is used to guide both research and university-industry collaboration. The paper describes the strategy, the model, and the results to date including the benefits both to university research and industry collaboration. Key lessons learned are presented based on this experience.
Increase your project's success through coordinated communication: Research and practice

Engineering education researchers focus on research, putting research into practice, and creating innovative practice. These foci require meaningful communication that elicits a desired response (e.g. adoption of innovation). Innovation advocates and change agents know that communication is critical to a project's success. Without expertise in rhetoric, communications present significant challenges, but they are known challenges in the organizational change literature. We view a focus on communication as a major empowerment tool for advocates and change agents, thereby positively impacting the reach of innovative practices and research into our engineering classrooms. This workshop centers on providing a framework for communication, allies in communication efforts, and best practices in communicating change. We request no more than 40 participants and require only projection capabilities for audio-visual equipment.