cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A 10MHz continuous time bandpass delta sigma modulator

This paper presents a continuous-time bandpass delta-sigma modulator using two integrators as a resonator. In the proposed approach, cross-coupled differential pairs are used as subtractors to provide good isolation between input and feedback signals. The delta-sigma modulator is designed for a 10 MHz signal frequency with a 40 MHz sampling frequency. A prototype integrated circuit was fabricated using 0.5 micron CMOS technology.
A maximal concurrency and low latency distributed scheduling protocol for wireless sensor networks

Existing work that schedules concurrent transmissions without collisions suffers from low channel utilization. We propose the Optimal Node Activation Multiple Access (ONAMA) protocol to achieve maximal channel spatial reuse through a distributed maximal independent set (DMIS) algorithm. To overcome DMIS's excessive delay in finding a maximal independent set, we devise a novel technique called pipelined precomputation that decouples DMIS from data transmission. We implement ONAMA on resource-constrained TelosB motes using TinyOS. Extensive measurements on two testbeds independently attest to ONAMA's superb performance compared to existing work: improving concurrency, throughput, and delay by a factor of 3.7, 3.0, and 5.3, respectively, while still maintaining reliability.
Reading and writing mathematics: The MAVIS Project

One of the greatest challenges to the visually impaired student in science and mathematics disciplines is the reading and writing of complex mathematical equations or have convenient access to information based tools such as the world wide web. In research currently underway at New Mexico State University, tools are being built using logic programming to facilitate access to complex information in a variety of formats. On top of the logic based tools, new interfaces are being designed to permit more convenient access to information by our visually impaired students.
Stationarity of the tropical pacific teleconnection to North America in CMIP5/PMIP3 model simulations

The temporal stationarity of the teleconnection between the tropical Pacific Ocean and North America (NA) is analyzed in atmosphere-only, and coupled last-millennium, historical, and control runs from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 data archive. The teleconnection, defined as the correlation between December-January-February (DJF) tropical Pacific sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and DJF 200 mb geopotential height, is found to be nonstationary on multidecadal timescales. There are significant changes in the spatial features of the teleconnection over NA in continuous 56-year segments of the last millennium and control simulations. Analysis of atmosphere-only simulations forced with observed SSTs indicates that atmospheric noise cannot account for the temporal variability of the teleconnection, which instead is likely explained by the strength of, and multidecadal changes in, tropical Pacific Ocean variability. These results have implications for teleconnection-based analyses of model fidelity in simulating precipitation, as well as any reconstruction and forecasting efforts that assume stationarity of the observed teleconnection.
Molecular basis of fertilization.

PERSPECTIVES AND SUMMARy 719 SELECTIVE TRANSPORT OF SPERMATOZOA 721 ACTIVATION OF MOTILITy 722 Identification of A ctive Molecules ...... 723 Identification of Egg Peptide Genes 724 Mechanism of Action.. . . . . ....... . . . . . . . ...... . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . ...... . . . . . ... 726 CHEMOATIRACTlON 727 Identification of A ctive Molecules ....... . . . . . . ....... . . . . . . ...... .. . ....... . . . . . .... .. ... ..... 727 Mechanism of Action 728 RECEPTORS FOR EGG PEPTIDES 728 Identification of Receptor Molecules... . . . . ........ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 728 Comparison with Somatic Cell Receptors 730 Regulation of Receptor Activity.. ......... . . . . . ......... . . ....... . . . . . . ... ... . . . . . ...... . . . . . . . 734 GAMETE ADHESION 734 Identification of Active Molecules . . ..... . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . ..... . . . . . . . . . .... . . . .... 734 INDUCTION OF THE ACROSOME REACTION 735 Identification of Active Molecules . . . . . . . ......... . . . . . .... . . . . . . . ....... . . . ..... . . . . . . . . . ..... 735 Mechanism of A ction... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 737 MEMBRANE RECOGNITION AND EGG ACTIVATION 739
The Helix-Loop-Helix Motif

Recently, families of transcription factors have been identified, having in common a region of homology in their DNA binding domain. Examples are DNA binding proteins containing zinc fingers, homeo-boxes, leucine zippers, etc. In this review I will discuss the structure and function of a new class of proteins that contain a region of homology in their DNA binding and dimerization domain, termed the helix-loop-helix (HLH) motif.
The Systems CaF2 ‐ LiF and CaF2 ‐ LiF ‐ MgF2

Temperature-composition relationships have been measured in the CaF₂-LiF and the CaF₂-LiF-MgF₂ systems in the areas of liquidus temperatures below 1000 deg C. A binary eutectic composition of 80.5 mole% LiF and 19.5. mole% CaF₂ was observed to melt at 769 deg C. A ternary eutectic composition of 59.0 mole % LiF, 2.9 mole % MgF₂, and 13.1 mole % CaF₂ was observed to melt at
Part 2.4: Autonomy Competency

Part II. Section 4. Autonomy Competency: Meyers takes John Rawls to task for giving a superficial account of autonomy. Endorsing deliberative rationality, he furnishes no account of how to achieve it. Meyers argues that her conception of autonomy competency fills the gap in Rawls's theory. Moreover, it is compatible with the emotional bonds of a relational self, and, acknowledging human fallibility, it provides an account of how autonomous people can recognize and correct their missteps. In the context of a critique of Michael Sandel's distinction between the cognitive self and the voluntarist self, Meyers shows that autonomy competency allows for individual control and innovation without denying the social situatedness of the autonomous subject.
Adhesion of Spores and Hyphae to Plant Surfaces

Although fungal adhesion to plants has been recognized for over a century, this aspect of fungal-plant interaction has not been well characterized (Nicholson and Epstein 1991). The importance of adhesion has rarely been critically tested, no fungal adhesive compound that mediates attachment to plants has been fully characterized, and few data are available that describe the molecular bases of fungal-substratum binding. The detailed description of fungal-plant attachment is further complicated by the fact that adhesion occurs at multiple stages of fungal morphogenesis; adhesion can be associated with zoospores and their cysts, conidia, germlings, appressoria, and infection cushions (Nicholson 1984). In some species of rust and anthracnose fungi, several different types of cells (i.e., spores, germlings and appressoria) attach to the host surface before penetration (Chap. 2, this Vol.; Chap. 5, Vol. V, Part B).
Time-Resolved Analysis of Domain Growth and Alignment of Cylinder-Forming Block Copolymers Confined within Nanopatterned Substrates

In this Letter, we elucidate the microstructure evolution of asymmetric poly(styrene-b-methyl methacrylate), PS-b-PMMA, block copolymer confined within nanoscale linear channels on silicon nitride substrates. We have directly observed the mechanism for cylinder alignment within the nanochannels using time-resolved AFM imaging and computerized image analysis. The overall alignment occurs via the coarsening of grains that have preferred cylinder orientation along the channel direction and is energetically driven by the interface energies of adjacent diblock domains of differing orientation. Grain coarsening is strongly affected by the annealing temperature and the geometry of the grain boundary itself. Grain coarsening promptly occurs when a domain is bordered by adjacent high-angle grain boundaries. The energetic term that drives this process arises from the fact that high-angle grain boundaries with larger excess energy migrate faster than other lower-angle grain boundaries. The velocity of grain boundary...
Diffusion vs. Monte Carlo for Image Reconstruction in Mesoscopic Volumes

Diffusion is an attractive choice for imaging in scattering media, yet it is not valid in small or highly absorbing volumes. We explore its validity on image-reconstruction of absorption and scattering contrast in mesoscopic volumes.
PREDICTION METHOD OF RECOVERY EFFICIENCY OF CONDENSATE GAS RESERVOIR BLOWDOWN NATURAL DEPLETION

Based on the relevant data of PVT experiment made by Eaton and Jacoby who used 27 condensate gas reservoirs in America, and the well-complete testing data of original formation pressure, original temperature, original gas-condensate ratio(GOR) and relative density of condensate from Banqiao reservoir in Dagang in China, Kaladage field in the former Soviet Union, the new empirical equation on predicting recovery efficiency of condensate gas reservoir's blowdown natural depletion was presented in the paper with the multivariate statistical analysis. At the same time, the influential factors of recovery efficiency of condensate were discussed. The empirical equation was especially applied to Chinese condensate reservoirs whose content is under 400g/m~3, and whose abandonment pressure is about 3.4MPa.
On the Engineering Tradition of Economics and Its Turn to Ethics

The paper firstly introduces the specific applications of engineering in economics,largely including the changes of subject matters in economics brought out by the marginal revolution in the 1970s,and the application of quantitative analysis in economic studies advanced by the progress of natural sciences.The reason behind the engineering tradition of economics lies in the fact that part of the subject matters of economics are specific objects,which means production and distribution.
A Multiuser Shared Virtual Environment for Facility Management

Abstract Facility management (FM) is a critical component of building sustainability because a late response to the FM needs will add unnecessary wastes. A lack of communication has been criticized as an impediment to improving the common understanding of FM requirements among the stakeholders and in turn affects the efficiency of FM. Recent developments in Virtual Reality (VR) have encouraged the utilization of interactive building visualization in the design, construction, and maintenance of different types of facilities. This study finds the interpersonal interaction in the VR environment to be a critical factor in the effective communication in FM by creating a shared immersive experience. To prove the concept, a Building Information Modelling (BIM)-based VR environment tool was developed to bring remotely located stakeholders – building occupants, facility managers, vendors and designers – together to walk through in the same virtual building. It enables real-time interactions of remote stakeholders in the same environment, with a shared immersive walkthrough experience. This tool offers an alternative communication method for sustainable FM. Unity 3D was used to create the interactive environment, and Photon Unity Networking (PUN) was used to implement the cross-platform multiuser function. A case study has shown that this alternative communication method can help stakeholders examine the same facility in remote locations and improve the efficiency of communication.
Effect of Urea and Thiourea on Generation of Xenogeneic Extracellular Matrix Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering

Effective solubilization of proteins by chaotropes in proteomic applications motivates their use in solubilization-based antigen removal/decellularization strategies. A high urea concentration has previously been reported to significantly reduce lipophilic antigen content of bovine pericardium (BP); however, structure and function of the resultant extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffold were compromised. It has been recently demonstrated that in vivo ECM scaffold fate is determined by two primary outcome measures as follows: (1) sufficient reduction in antigen content to avoid graft-specific adaptive immune responses and (2) maintenance of native ECM structural proteins to avoid graft-specific innate responses. In this work, we assessed residual antigenicity, ECM architecture, ECM content, thermal stability, and tensile properties of BP subjected to a gradient of urea concentrations to determine whether an intermediate concentration exists at which both antigenicity and structure-function primary outcome measures for successful in vivo scaffold outcome can simultaneously be achieved. Alteration in tissue structure-function properties at various urea concentrations with decreased effectiveness for antigen removal makes use of urea-mediated antigen removal unlikely to be suitable for functional scaffold generation.
Examining Grade Inflation and Considerations for Radiologic Sciences: A Literature Review

Abstract Grade inflation is defined as an increase in the number of “A” grades being awarded to students. This may lead to students who have the grade but not necessarily the skill to prove that they have mastered the content. Causes such as consumerism, faculty job retention, conflict avoidance, increases in faculty workload, and lack of clear grading standards have led some to question the importance of grades. Ramifications of grade inflation include degrees that may become meaningless, students who may be unable to perform in the workplace and, in the cases of medical professionals, patients who may be put in potentially life-threatening situations. Suggestions for mitigating this trend are increasing faculty training, creating objective student assessments, and evaluating students on their overall character. Because no studies in radiologic sciences currently exist, examining grade inflation in this field is critical. Faculty and student perceptions of grade inflation in radiologic sciences should also be examined to discover if this phenomenon exists. If grade inflation is discovered to be a problem, radiologic science educators should follow the recommendations presented in this review to mitigate this trend.
Local release of dexamethasone from macroporous scaffolds accelerates islet transplant engraftment by promotion of anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages

Transplant-associated inflammatory responses generate an unfavorable microenvironment for tissue engraftment, particularly for cells susceptible to inflammatory stress, such as pancreatic islets. The localized delivery of anti-inflammatory agents, such as glucocorticoids, offers a promising approach to minimize the detrimental side effects associated with systemic delivery; however, the dosage must be carefully tailored to avoid deleterious responses, such as poor engraftment. Herein, we employed a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based three-dimensional scaffold platform for the local and controlled delivery of dexamethasone (Dex). Incorporation of 0.1% or 0.25% Dex within the scaffold was found to significantly accelerate islet engraftment in a diabetic mouse model, resulting in improved control of blood glucose levels during the early transplant period. Investigation into the mechanism of this impact found that local Dex delivery promotes macrophage polarization towards an anti-inflammatory (M2) phenotype and suppresses inflammatory pathways during the first week post-implantation. Alternatively, higher Dex loadings (0.5% and 1%) significantly delayed islet engraftment and function by impairing host cell migration into the implanted graft. Our results demonstrate the dose-dependent impact of local glucocorticoid delivery on the modulation of inflammatory responses at the implant site in vivo. Outcomes highlight the potential of this platform for generating favorable host responses that improve overall cellular transplant outcomes.
High-Resolution Imaging of Intraretinal Structures in Active and Resolved Central Serous Chorioretinopathy.

Purpose We improved our understanding of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), we performed an analysis of noninvasive, high-resolution retinal imaging in patients with active and resolved CSC. Methods Adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO) and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) were performed on five subjects with CSC. A custom AOSLO system was used to simultaneously collect confocal and split-detector images. Spectral domain-OCT volume scans were used to create en face views of various retinal layers, which then were compared to montaged AOSLO images after coregistration. Results Three distinct types of intraretinal hyperreflective clusters were seen with AOSLO. These clusters had a well-demarcated, round, and granular appearance. Clusters in active CSC over areas of serous retinal detachment were termed type-1. They were found primarily in the outer nuclear layer (ONL) and were associated with large defects in the photoreceptor mosaic and ellipsoid zone. Clusters in areas where the retina had reattached were termed type-2. They also were located primarily in the ONL but showed stability in location over a period of at least 8 months. Smaller clusters in the inner retina along retinal capillaries were termed type-3. Conclusions Retinal imaging in CSC using en face OCT and AOSLO allows precise localization of intraretinal structures and detection of features that cannot be seen with SD-OCT alone. These findings may provide greater insight into the pathophysiology of the active and resolved phases of the disease, and support the hypothesis that intraretinal hyperreflective foci on OCT in CSC are cellular in nature.
Pediatric survivors of out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation: Etiologies and outcomes.

Background In general, the prognosis is poor for pediatric patients who experience out-of-hospital (OOH) cardiac arrest, with survival rates of 12% to 29%. Objective The purpose of this study was to describe the causes and outcomes of pediatric patients with documented ventricular fibrillation (VF) at resuscitation from OOH cardiac arrest with sustained return of spontaneous circulation after defibrillation and survival to hospital admission. Methods Retrospective analysis of OOH-VF patients Results Forty-five patients fulfilled study criteria (median age 12 years; range 2 months to 18 years). Cardiac arrest occurred in public in 68% of cases, with bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation in 42% before arrival of emergency medical services. All patients underwent defibrillation (1–6 shocks) with return of spontaneous circulation and survival to hospital admission. Underlying etiologies were primary electrical disease (33%), cardiomyopathy (27%), congenital heart disease (11%), other (13%), and unknown (16%). Before arrest, 40% of patients had a cardiac diagnosis and 26% had symptoms. Ultimately, 40 of 45 patients (89%) survived resuscitation to hospital discharge. During 72 ± 37 months of follow-up, 38% of survivors had a normal neurologic outcome, whereas 32% had mild neurologic impairment and 30% had moderate-to-severe neurologic impairment. Conclusion In pediatric patients resuscitated from OOH-VF, a cardiovascular cause was identified in >80%. Regardless of cause, survival and neurologic prognosis appear improved compared to patients with asystole or pulseless electrical activity. These findings support early rhythm assessment and advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation protocols in pediatric cardiac arrest victims.
117th Annual Meeting, Medical Library Association, Inc., Seattle, WA, May 26–31, 2017

The Medical Library Association (MLA) held its 117th annual meeting in Seattle, Washington, May 26–31, 2017, at the Washington State Convention Center. The meeting theme was “Dream, Dare, Do.”
Pack Aluminization Assisted Enhancement of Thermo-mechanical Properties in Nickel Inverse Opal Structures

A low temperature, vapor phase approach to improve the thermal stability of nonrefractory deterministically structured inverse opals is demonstrated. Specifically, pack aluminization at 550 °C was conducted on Ni inverse opals, introducing controlled amounts of Al into the structure. This enabled the formation of a strengthening Ni3Al phase, resulting in enhanced high temperature strength and stability. Following aluminization, the deterministic structures remained stable up to 1000 °C, a 500 °C increase relative to the starting Ni inverse opals. The thermal stability of the aluminized structures is comparable to that of much more difficult to fabricate deterministically structured refractory structures. Additionally, the pack aluminized structures exhibited a 17.6% increase in elastic modulus and an 81.6% increase in hardness relative to the initial Ni inverse opal. This is a promising combination of thermo-mechanical properties for very fine, deterministic structures used in high temperature, chemically...
Estimating coseismic ground displacement during the 2015 Gorkha, Nepal, earthquake from accelerometric data at KATNP station

Abstract This paper presents an investigation into the residual ground displacement during the 2015 Gorkha, Nepal earthquake. The available accelerometric data recorded from a near field recording station (KATNP) are processed using two different techniques. The techniques include a method based on pulse identification after low pass filtering and modifications to an empirical regression method to remove some of the subjectivity. The results are compared to both high-rate (5 Hz) global positing system (GPS) coseismic displacement data and interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) satellite imaging. Since the GPS sensors are not collocated with the acceleration sensors, the InSAR data is used to determine displacement trends to facilitate comparison. It is shown that both methods investigated in this paper provide similar coseismic displacement waveforms matching those of the high-rate GPS. In addition, the vertical and east displacements derived from accelerometric data match well to the quasi up-down and quasi east-west displacement trends from InSAR.
Controlled drug delivery using microfluidic devices

Abstract: Efficient drug delivery plays a crucial role in disease treatment and remains an important challenge in medicine. Recent advances in the field of microfabrication have offered the possibility to develop controlled release systems for drug delivery. Herein, we will mainly address two kinds of delivery devices: microreservoir and micro/nanofluidic devices. For each type of drug delivery device, we start with working principles and the fabrication process, and then summarize the recent applications of each type of drug delivery system, with a focus on how to control drug delivery with different triggered systems. At the end of this chapter, challenges and the future prospect of chip-based controlled drug delivery will be discussed.
Effects of voluntary exercise and/or food restriction on pancreatic tumorigenesis in male rats.

Pancreatic cancer is the fifth leading cause of death due to cancer in the United States,1 yet thus far the only strong etiological association with this disease is cigarette smoking.2 Hence, research into preventative strategies not only provides practical applications to public health recommendations, but may elucidate carcinogenesis mechanisms.
Asymmetric hydrogenation of 2-methylpyridine to 2-methylpiperidine. raney-nickel modified with a molecular template

Raney-nickel catalysts templated as per Izumi, 1) have been used for the asymmetric hydrogenation of 2-methylpyridine to (d)-2-methylpiperidine. This represents the first example of asymmetric hydrogenation of an aromatic heterocycle and may offer a new synthetic route to biologically active compounds.
The Bimolecular Aliphatic Mannich and Related Reactions

The Mannich reaction is the prototype of carbon-carbon bond forming reactions that involve the addition of resonance-stabilized carbon nucleophiles to iminium salts and imines. In its original and most widely recognized form, the Mannich reaction consists of three components: (i) ammonia, a primary amine, or a secondary amine; (ii) a nonenolizable aldehyde, usually formaldehyde; and (iii) an active methylene compound. These components condense with concomitant release of water to produce a new base, known as a ‘Mannich base’, in which the active hydrogen is replaced by an aminomethyl group (equation 1). A typical example is the reaction of acetophenone (1), paraformaldehyde (2) and piperidine (3) to produce phenyl β-piperidinoethyl ketone (4; equation 2). The formation of both a carbon-carbon and a carbon-nitrogen bond in this aminomethylation process makes the Mannich reaction an extremely useful synthetic transformation. In addition, Mannich bases have important synthetic applications as intermediates for other compounds. They also occur in natural products such as the alkaloids lycopodine (5), cocaine (6) and elaeocarpine (7)
Abstract 4688: Single-cell discrimination of altered human T cell states in the bladder tumor microenvironment

Bladder cancer can be responsive to immunotherapies such as anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors, but overall response rates are low. Tumor-resident T cells demonstrate considerable heterogeneity as far as antigenic repertoire and phenotype. Whether the bladder tumor environment is enriched for specific types of T cells with a particular functional profile and antigenic specificity, and whether these tumor-specific populations are associated with treatment or response to immunotherapy, remains unclear. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from localized human bladder tumors and paired adjacent non-malignant bladder. We also assessed resected bladder tumors treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy or atezolizumab (anti-PD-L1) as part of an ongoing phase II trial. We find both known and unexpected CD4+ T cell functional populations that are specific to the tumor microenvironment, including regulatory T cells and a novel population of cytotoxic CD4+ T cells. Furthermore, by combining whole-transcriptome data with paired T cell receptor identification on single cells, we find that tumor-specific CD4+ populations are clonally expanded and utilize an antigenic repertoire which is distinct from uninvolved bladder. These findings provide evidence for specialization of both phenotype and antigenic specificity of CD4+ T cells in the bladder tumor environment, and indicate that a limited number of tumor-specific antigens may drive in situ expansion and differentiation of specialized CD4+ subsets whose function may be critical to tumor control. Citation Format: David Yoonsuk Oh, Serena S. Kwek, Serghei Mangul, Siddharth S. Raju, Sasha Targ, Arun Burra, Eric Chow, Dvir Aran, Sima Porten, Maxwell V. Meng, Terence W. Friedlander, Chun Jimmie Ye, Lawrence Fong. Single-cell discrimination of altered human T cell states in the bladder tumor microenvironment [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4688.
Deficient auditory predictive coding during vocalization in the psychosis risk syndrome and in early illness schizophrenia: the final expanded sample.

Background During vocalization, efference copy/corollary discharge mechanisms suppress the auditory cortical response to self-generated sounds. Previously, we found attenuated vocalization-related auditory cortical suppression in psychosis and a similar trend in the psychosis risk syndrome. Here, we report data from the final sample of early illness schizophrenia patients (ESZ), individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR), and healthy controls (HC). Methods Event-related potentials (ERP) were recorded from ESZ (n = 84), CHR (n = 71), and HC (n = 103) participants during a vocalization paradigm. The N1 ERP component was elicited during production (Talk) and playback (Listen) of vocalization. Age effects on N1 suppression (Talk-Listen), Talk N1, and Listen N1 were compared across groups. N1 measures were adjusted for normal aging before testing for group differences. Results Both ESZ and CHR groups showed reduced Talk-Listen N1 suppression relative to HC, but did not differ from each other. Listen N1 was reduced in ESZ, but not in CHR, relative to HC. Deficient Talk-Listen N1 suppression was associated with greater unusual thought content in CHR individuals. N1 suppression increased with age in HC (12-36 years), and while CHR individuals showed a similar age-related increase, no such relationship was evident in ESZ. Conclusions Putative efference copy/corollary discharge-mediated auditory cortical suppression during vocalization is deficient in ESZ and precedes psychosis onset, particularly in CHR individuals with greater unusual thought content. Furthermore, this suppression increases from adolescence through early adulthood, likely reflecting the effects of normal brain maturation. This maturation effect is disrupted in ESZ, presumably due to countervailing illness effects.
Distributions of Job Physical Exposure Data in a Pooled Study of Low Back Pain Prospective Cohorts

Low back pain (LBP) is a common health problem and a major cause of lost productivity in workplaces. Lifting and lowering (LL) activities have traditionally been regarded as risk factor for LBP. In...
A continuous-time model of bilateral bargaining

Abstract This paper constructs a continuous-time model of bilateral bargaining to study how fluctuations in bargaining power affect the outcomes of negotiations. The paper deals with the technical complexities that arise when modeling games in continuous time by building strategy restrictions into the equilibrium definition. These restrictions select a unique equilibrium, which is characterized by a system of ordinary differential equations. This unique equilibrium corresponds to the limiting subgame perfect equilibrium of discrete-time bargaining games with frequent offers.
Investigation of Electronic and Optical Properties of CdZnO/ZnO/MgZnO Self-Assembled Quantum-Dot Lasers

In the goal to improve the self-assembled quantum-dot lasers (SAQDL) performance and properties, we propose in this paper a structure based on a material that gained a great attention in the recent years, the ZnO and their alloys. In this study, a theoretical model is used. The rate equations for CdZnO/ZnO/MgZnO were numerically solved using the fourth-order Runge–Kutta method. Several results have been found such as the carrier and photon density, laser turn-on behavior, light–current, output power, and gain characteristics. In each time, the injected current and the homogeneous broadening (HB) (the effects of temperature) have been varied to highlight their impacts on these characteristics. The results have shown that good performances of SAQDL have been achieved with optimal values of current injection and HB. In addition, the peak of optical gain has not changed with the variations of these factors. Based on the results obtained, ZnO and their alloys are found emerging materials to improve the laser performances.
A mathematical model to describe survival among liver recipients from deceased donors with risk of transmitting infectious encephalitis pathogens

Background Between 2002 and 2013, the organs of 13 deceased donors with infectious encephalitis were transplanted, causing infections in 23 recipients. As a consequence, organs from donors showing symptoms of encephalitis (increased probability of infectious encephalitis (IPIE) organs) might be declined. We had previously characterized the risk of IPIE organs using data available to most transplant teams and not requiring special diagnostic tests. If the probability of infection is low, the benefits of a transplant from a donor with suspected infectious encephalitis might outweigh the risk and could be lifesaving for some transplant candidates. Methods Using organ transplant data and Cox Proportional Hazards models, we determined liver donor and recipient characteristics predictive of post-transplant or waitlist survival and generated 5-year survival probability curves. We also calculated expected waiting times for an organ offer based on transplant candidate characteristics. Using a limited set of actual cases of infectious encephalitis transmission via transplant, we estimated post-transplant survival curves given an organ from an IPIE donor. Results 54% (1256) of patients registered from 2002-2006 who died or were removed from the waiting list because of deteriorated condition within 1 year could have had an at least marginal estimated benefit by accepting an IPIE liver with some probability of infection, with the odds increasing to 86% of patients if the probability of infection was low (5% or less). Additionally, 54% (1252) were removed from the waiting list prior to their estimated waiting time for a non-IPIE liver and could have benefited from an IPIE liver. Conclusion Improved allocation and utilization of IPIE livers could be achieved by evaluating the patient-specific trade-offs between (a) accepting an IPIE liver and (b) remaining on the waitlist and accepting a non-IPIE liver after the estimated waiting time.
eIF4B and eIF4H mediate GR production from expanded G4C2 in a Drosophila model for C9orf72-associated ALS

The discovery of an expanded (GGGGCC)n repeat (termed G4C2) within the first intron of C9orf72 in familial ALS/FTD has led to a number of studies showing that the aberrant expression of G4C2 RNA can produce toxic dipeptides through repeat-associated non-AUG (RAN-) translation. To reveal canonical translation factors that impact this process, an unbiased loss-of-function screen was performed in a G4C2 fly model that maintained the upstream intronic sequence of the human gene and contained a GFP tag in the GR reading frame. 11 of 48 translation factors were identified that impact production of the GR-GFP protein. Further investigations into two of these, eIF4B and eIF4H, revealed that downregulation of these factors reduced toxicity caused by the expression of expanded G4C2 and reduced production of toxic GR dipeptides from G4C2 transcripts. In patient-derived cells and in post-mortem tissue from ALS/FTD patients, eIF4H was found to be downregulated in cases harboring the G4C2 mutation compared to patients lacking the mutation and healthy individuals. Overall, these data define eIF4B and eIF4H as disease modifiers whose activity is important for RAN-translation of the GR peptide from G4C2-transcripts.
Statistically representative databases for density functional theory via data science

The amount of data and number of databases for the assessment and parameterization of density functional theory methods has grown substantially in the past two decades. In this work, we introduce a novel cluster analysis technique for density functional theory calculations of the electronic structure of atoms and molecules with the goal of creating new statistically significant databases with broad chemical scope, and a manageable number of data-points. By analyzing without a priori chemical assumptions a population of almost 350k data-points, we create a new database called ASCDB containing only 200 data-points. This new database holds the same chemical information as the larger population of data from which it is obtained, but with a computational cost that is reduced by several orders of magnitude. The labelling of the significant chemical properties is performed a posteriori on the resulting 16 subsets, classifying them into four areas of chemical importance: non-covalent interactions, thermochemistry, non-local effects, and unbiased calculations. The analysis of the results and their transferability shows that ASCDB is capable of providing the same information as that of the larger collection of data-such as GMTKN55, MGCDB84, and Minnesota 2015B-for several density functional theory methods and basis sets. In light of these results, we suggest the use of this new small database as a first inexpensive tool for the evaluation and parameterization of electronic structure theory methods.
Effect of RF Cavity Magnetic Field on Multipactor in a Gap

During operation of the storage ring VEPP-3 [3], the voltage on the 72.5 MHz accelerating cavity is slowly varied through a wide range of amplitudes. At some voltage levels, this cavity can be prone to multipacting, which prevents an increase in the voltage.
On short-term institutional trading skill, behavioral biases, and liquidity need

Abstract Are portfolio managers skilled or do they trade too much? Using a marked-to-market based “fair-value” method for measuring fund manager skill, we find that institutional managers can potentially earn +42 (+33) basis points benchmark-adjusted return before transaction costs after a holding period of four weeks on their buy (sell) trades. After transaction costs, the benchmark-adjusted return for the buy (sell) trades is +1 (-8) basis points. Pension fund managers outperform money managers. We are unable to detect evidence for overconfidence among pension fund managers over this short-horizon. In addition, we are unable to find evidence of disposition effect among mutual fund managers. Institutions tend to engage in short-term trades with holding period of four weeks (or less) despite only breaking-even or making economically insignificant (modest) benchmark-adjusted losses after round-trip transaction costs for liquidity, risk-management, or tax-minimization reasons. Among these, evidence for liquidity trading motive is the strongest.
Is the world converging to a ‘Western diet’?

Objective: To test the nutrition transition hypothesis of global dietary convergence to a ‘Western diet’. Design: Consumer-waste-adjusted FAO Food Balance Sheets are used to construct for each country a Western Diet Similarity Index (WSI), expressed as a ratio of calories from animal-sourced foods, oils, fats and sweeteners to total per capita calories. β-Convergence and associated speed are estimated by growth regressions using 1992–2013 panel data. Speed of convergence, a non-linear function of income per capita, globalisation and urbanisation, determines the steady-state or long-term global WSI. The long-term global WSI is compared with the WSI of the group of countries with the highest population-weighted average WSI. The group, determined by K-means cluster analysis, consists of sixteen Western countries. Setting: Worldwide. Participants: Not applicable. Results: Strong evidence of global dietary convergence at a speed driven by income per capita, globalisation and urbanisation with a long-term WSI of 38 %. When compared with the WSI of Western countries (68 %), the hypothesis of global dietary convergence to a Western diet is rejected. Conclusions: The nutrition transition is acting in two opposing directions. Some countries experienced positive and others negative WSI growth, slowing down the transition to a Western diet in the long run. Policies to further slowdown the transition by some countries to unhealthier dietary patterns are as important as policies to further speed up the transition by other countries to healthier ones.
Adaptive Enlargement of Arteries in Response to Increased Flow and Increased Intimal Plaque

We studied adaptive changes in artery diameter in response to increased blood flow and increasing intimai plaque. Experimental increase in blood flow through an arteriovenous fistula resulted in an increase in lumen diameter such that wall shear stress was normalized. Increasing intimai plaque in human coronary arteries resulted in arterial enlargement which acted to counter or prevent lumen stenosis. Such enlargement was effective in preventing left main coronary stenosis in arteries with plaques occupying less than 40% of the internal elastic lamina. In the distal left anterior descending coronary artery, the most diseased arteries overcompensated and had enlargement of the lumen despite the presence of extensive plaques. The development of stenosis, preservation of a normal lumen caliber or lumen enlargement may depend on local differences in response and on the relative rates of plaque deposition and compensatory arterial enlargement.
The Future of Nuclear Energy: Electrochemical Reprocessing of Fuel Takes Center Stage

Nuclear power plants use energy-dense fuel and provide dependable baseload energy without generating greenhouse gas emissions. Despite these advantages, the long-term management of used nuclear fuel (UNF) remains a key challenge due to its lifetime (hundreds of thousands of years) and radiotoxicity. The components of UNF that contribute the most to this challenge are the actinide elements. A potential solution to this issue is to separate these radioisotopes from the bulk of the UNF and recycle them as fuel in advanced nuclear reactors. These separations can be achieved using electrochemical reprocessing, which employs electrochemical conversion and electrodeposition in a high-temperature molten salt electrolyte medium to separate the actinides from UNF. In this short perspective, we review the current status, fundamental challenges, and future prospects of electrochemical reprocessing as they relate to UNF recycling.
Microculture Plaque Neutralization Test for California Group Arboviruses

Abstract A microculture plaque neutralization test is described for California-group arboviruses that is as precise and quantitative as the standard test conducted in 60-mm petri dishes. It was shown that there was no significant between-panel or between-day variation in determinations and that a single pipette could be used for all serum-dilution levels within a titration without inoculum carry-over effect. The experimental protocol and statistical methods used produce 50% neutralization end points that meet the assumptions of parametric statistics. This permits the power and versatility of the analysis of variance to be exploited in testing for treatment effects in serological and immunological studies with viruses.
The Interaction of α-Lactalbumin and the A Protein of Lactose Synthetase

Abstract Lactose synthetase is made up of a galactosyl transferase (the A protein) and α-lactalbumin which controls the specificity of the reaction by regulating the affinity of the system for acceptor sugars. We have purified the A protein from bovine skim milk so that it is free of contaminating proteins. This preparation is a single chain glycoprotein of molecular weight 44,000 with a sedimentation coefficient of 3.2 S. The enzyme behaves on disc gel electrophoresis as a family of closely related components all of which are enzymically active and contain carbohydrate. A rapid and sensitive method of studying macromolecular interactions is described. In this procedure the band forming cell of Vinograd is used and the migration of a band of A protein through solutions of α-lactalbumin is followed in the analytical ultracentrifuge equipped with a photoelectric scanner. These experiments show that a complex is formed between A protein and α-lactalbumin which contains one molecule of each protein component. The complex is stable enough to be observed only in the presence of one of the substrates of the enzyme such as UDP-galactose or N-acetylglucosamine. Binding of tetranitromethane-treated α-lactalbumin to A protein in the presence of UDP-galactose could be demonstrated by conventional sedimentation velocity techniques using absorption optics at 430 nm.
Sleep/waking Variability In Sudden A-ventilatory Event (S.A.V.E.) Infants At High Risk For S.I.D.S. And Controls

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome(S.1 .D,S.) continues to be a major cause of mortality in young infants despite new information from several studies
Line-of-sight visible light communication system design and demonstration

With the emergence of high lumen output white lighting LEDs, visible light communication has become an intriguing technology to realize low cost data transmission in conjunction with lighting. In this paper, we discuss some key issues in practical line-of-sight (LOS) visible light communication system design. They include a transmitter, channel model, and receiver front-end. A transmitter containing white LED arrays should be designed to achieve required lighting distribution and reliable data transmission at the same time. A basic LOS channel model to characterize the path loss and received optical power is also needed for optimization of the receiver under major noise sources. Finally we show a practical indoor LOS visible light communication system to demonstrate some of our analyses.
Systemic Akt1 Deletion after Tumor Onset in p53−/− Mice Increases Lifespan and Regresses Thymic Lymphoma Emulating p53 Restoration

Summary Akt is frequently activated in human cancers. However, it is unknown whether systemic inhibition of a single Akt isoform could regress cancer progression in cancers that are not driven by Akt activation. We systemically deleted Akt1 after tumor onset in p53 −/− mice, which develop tumors independently of Akt activation. Systemic Akt1 deletion regresses thymic lymphoma in p53 −/− mice emulating p53 restoration. Furthermore, pharmacological inhibition of Akt selectively kills thymic lymphoma cells and not primary thymocytes. Mechanistically, Akt1 inhibition in p53 −/− thymic lymphoma inhibits Skp2 expression and induces FasL, which is the primary cause of cell death. Skp2 exerts resistance to cell death by antagonizing the induction of FasL and reducing FAS expression, which is linked to cyclin D1 expression. The results established a paradigm whereby systemic Akt1 inhibition is sufficient to regress tumors that are not driven by Akt activation and a mechanism of cell survival by Skp2.
Description and clinical application of the Pulfrich effect.

Background: In 1922, German physicist Carl Pulfrich described an illusory binocular perceptual disturbance in which an object moving across an observer9s field of vision is perceived as traveling along a curved trajectory. Objective: To review the discovery of the Pulfrich effect, and subsequent clinical applications. Methods: We translated Pulfrich9s description and searched for subsequent publications using electronic databases and review of reference lists in identified publications. Results: In 1901, Pulfrich developed an optical device to accurately compare stereoscopic photographs, but brightness difference between plates caused distance misperceptions that interfered with precise measurements. Pulfrich proposed that this Stereo-Effekt resulted from interocular differences in perceptual latency. He induced the effect by placing a smoked glass in front of one eye. The resulting perceptual disparity creates an apparently curved trajectory of an object moving sideways across the field of vision. Pulfrich also recognized that visual pathway disorders can produce a pathologic Stereo-Effekt. In 1925, Grimsdale demonstrated this in a man with unilateral retrobulbar optic neuritis and suggested treatment with a neutral density filter (NDF) over the good eye. Not until the 1970s, however, was the Pulfrich effect evaluated as a diagnostic test for retrobulbar optic neuritis and the therapeutic efficacy of an NDF confirmed. Conclusion: Although the clinical importance of the Pulfrich effect was suggested by Pulfrich and quickly confirmed, it took decades before its diagnostic utility and the efficacy of an NDF were assessed. Recognition remains clinically important to minimize safety risks and mislabeling, and because resulting misperceptions can be easily treated.