cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A novel beamformer design method for medical ultrasound. Part I: Theory

The design of transmit and receive aperture weightings is a critical step in the development of ultrasound imaging systems. Current design methods are generally iterative, and consequently time consuming and inexact. We describe a new and general ultrasound beamformer design method, the minimum sum squared error (MSSE) technique. The MSSE technique enables aperture design for arbitrary beam patterns (within fundamental limitations imposed by diffraction). It uses a linear algebra formulation to describe the system point spread function (psf) as a function of the aperture weightings. The sum squared error (SSE) between the system psf and the desired or goal psf is minimized, yielding the optimal aperture weightings. We present detailed analysis for continuous wave (CW) and broadband systems. We also discuss several possible applications of the technique, such as the design of aperture weightings that improve the system depth of field, generate limited diffraction transmit beams, and improve the correlation depth of field in translated aperture system geometries. Simulation results are presented in an accompanying paper.
The effect of base bleed on the steady separated flow past bluff objects

The modifying effect of base bleed on the steady separated flow past a two-dimensional bluff body is considered. Detailed experimental results are presented for Reynolds numbers R between 50 and 250 and for bleed coefficients b in the range 0 to 0·15. The streamline pattern near the object is found to be strongly affected by small changes in the rate of bleed, with the recirculating closed wake disappearing altogether for b > 0·15. Nevertheless, the qualitative dependence on R of the physical dimensions of the near-wake region and the associated streamwise pressure profile appear to be unaffected by base bleed.
Informal hospice caregiver pain management concerns: a qualitative study.

Background:Informal, unpaid, family caregivers provide much hospice care in the United States. These caregivers suffer physically, psychologically, emotionally, and socially from the burden of cari...
Black hole or no black hole

Astronomers are among the most international of scientists. Yet chauvinism surfaces on a cosmic scale where the anxious search for a massive black hole at the centre of our Galaxy is concerned. The prodigious amounts of energy emitted from tiny regions at the centres of some nearby galaxies imply that they contain accreting black holes of masses ranging from 10^5 to 10^8 times the mass of our Sun (M⊙).The orbits of stars in the unspectacular centre of our nearest sister galaxy (Messier 31, visible to the naked eye in Andromeda) indicate that it contains at least 10^7 M⊙ in a form so dark' and concentrated as to suggest the presence of a black hole of about 10^6M⊙. Surely, some astronomers argue, nature cannot have been so unkind as to deprive our own magnificent Milky Way of such an ornament? On page 45 of this issue, Yusef-Zadeh, Morris and Ekers report the latest result of the scrutiny of the centre of the Milky Way.
THE PHYSICS OF BIOLOGY

Biological processes seem magical from the standpoint of physics. Simple biological processes such as cell division and protein synthesis take place billions of times a day. Molecules rapidly move into place to form intricate structures which can in turn rapidly dissipate. The physicist asks: What are the forces that move these molecules just to the right place at the right time? Here it is proposed that there are attractive forces between complementary sites on biological molecules. Like a self-assembling jigsaw puzzle, edges that fit together are attracted to each other. An example of how such a force could arise is given by complementary charge distributions, in which binding sites have identical charge distributions except of opposites charges. Attractive electrostatic forces between complementary sites sum coherently, leading to an enhancement that can "drive" living processes. It is proposed that internal electric fields are generated by current flows in cells arising from ionic pumps, and that these fields align polar molecules to form polymers that parallel field lines.
An empirical analysis of earnings dynamics among men in the PSID: 1968}1989

This study uses data from the Panel Survey of Income Dynamics (PSID) to address a number of questions about life cycle earnings mobility. It develops a dynamic reduced form model of earnings and marital status that is nonstationary over the life cycle. The study reaches several firm conclusions about life cycle earnings mobility. Incorporating non-Gaussian shocks makes it possible to better account for transitions between low and higher earnings states, a heretofore unresolved problem. The non-Gaussian distribution substantially increases estimates of the lifetime return to post-secondary education, and substantially reduces differences in lifetime earnings attributable to race. In a given year, the majority of variance in earnings not accounted for by race, education and age is due to transitory shocks, but over a lifetime the majority is due to unobserved individual heterogeneity. Consequently, low earnings at early ages are strong predictors of low earnings later in life, even conditioning on observed individual characteristics.
Better Debugging via Output Tracing and Callstack-Sensitive Slicing

Debugging often involves 1) finding the point of failure (the first statement that produces bad output) and 2) finding and fixing the actual bug. Print statements and debugger break points can help with step 1. Slicing the program back from values used at the point of failure can help with step 2. However, neither approach is ideal: Debuggers and print statements can be clumsy and time-consuming and backward slices can be almost as large as the original program. This paper addresses both problems. We present callstack-sensitive slicing, which reduces slice sizes by leveraging the series of calls active when a program fails. We also show how slice intersections may further reduce slice sizes. We then describe a set of tools that identifies points of failure for programs that produce bad output. Finally, we apply our point-of-failure tools to a suite of buggy programs and evaluate callstack-sensitive slicing and slice intersection as applied to debugging. Callstack-sensitive slicing is very effective: On average, a callstack-sensitive slice is about 0.31 time the size of the corresponding full slice, down to just 0.06 time in the best case. Slice intersection is less impressive, on average, but may sometimes prove useful in practice.
SarT Influences sarS Expression in Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus is a gram-positive pathogen that is capable of expressing a variety of virulence proteins in response to environmental signals. Virulence protein expression in S. aureus is controlled by a network of regulatory loci including sarA and agr. The sarA/agr network is associated with the expression of cell wall-associated adhesins during exponential growth and the expression of secreted enzymes and toxins in the transition to post-exponential growth. A number of sarA homologs, including sarT and sarS, have been identified in the S. aureus genome. Previous studies have shown that sarA influences expression of both sarT and sarS in the global regulatory network. SarS has been shown to bind to the spa promoter to induce expression of protein A. SarT, one of the SarA homologs that represses hla expression and is repressible by SarA and agr, was found to induce sarS expression in this report. Northern blot analysis of sarS and spa expression in S. aureus RN6390, and the isogenic sarT, sarT sarA, and sarT agr mutants showed that while sarA regulated spa expression directly, the agr locus used sarT as an intermediary to regulate sarS, thus leading to spa repression in agr-activated cells. Gel shift and footprinting analysis showed that SarT binds to the sarS promoter, indicating that the interaction of the sarT gene product with the upstream region of sarS is likely direct. Induction of sarS and spa by SarT in agr(+) strains was confirmed by a tetracycline-inducible system to titrate sarT expression.
Open-ended interviews, power, and emotional labor

This article investigates the power dynamics of the interview process and the connected emotional labor, drawing on examples from a recent study on workplace grievances in which most data collection was through open-ended interviews. By exploring the shifts of power and the emotional labor demands in the qualitative, open-ended interview, this article emphasizes that power shifts and emotions within the interview are, themselves, important data. A greater awareness of shifts in interviewer and interviewee power and emotional labor in the interview context helps the researcher better understand the nuances of the data, provides the researcher with more information about the interviewee and the research topic, and facilitates greater insights into the interview process, the participants, and the nature of the topics discussed.
Radioguided Exploration Facilitates Surgical Cytoreduction of Neuroendocrine Tumors

Radioguided exploration (RGS) can be an important tool to direct the cytoreduction of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). The selection of the proper radiolabeled isotope, the dose, and the time interval between isotope injection and exploration are the major factors that lead to the successful use of this technique. Data on 43 patients who underwent RGS of their NET at our facility (Ochsner Medical Center-Kenner) was collected. These cases were reviewed to determine the optimal radiopharmaceutical, dose, and interval between injection and exploration. The isotopes used were 99technetium sulfur colloid in three patients, 123I metaiodobenzylguanidine (123I-MIBG) in six patients, and 111In-pentreotide in 30 abdominal NET patients and in four patients undergoing neck and mediastinum explorations. In 29 of 30 111In-pentreotide-guided abdominal explorations (five of which were re-explorations, all successful), the gamma detector was determined to be “helpful”. In the four neck and mediastinum explorations, the gamma probe was deemed “essential” for completing a quick, safe, and minimally invasive procedure. 123I-MIBG injection, in contrast, was useful in only one patient. The optimal dose and interval between injection and exploration of 111In-pentreotide were discovered to be 6 mCi injected 7 days prior to the planned exploration. Radioguided exploration is a useful tool to guide the cytoreduction of NETs. The correct choice of radiopharmaceutical, its dose, and the interval between injection and exploration are critical for obtaining optimal results.
Discriminatively estimated joint acoustic, duration, and language model for speech recognition

We introduce a discriminative model for speech recognition that integrates acoustic, duration and language components. In the framework of finite state machines, a general model for speech recognition G is a finite state transduction from acoustic state sequences to word sequences (e.g., search graph in many speech recognizers). The lattices from a baseline recognizer can be viewed as an a posteriori version of G after having observed an utterance. So far, discriminative language models have been proposed to correct the output side of G and is applied on the lattices. The acoustic state sequences on the input side of these lattice can also be exploited to improve the choice of the best hypotheses through the lattice. Taking this view, the model proposed in this paper jointly estimates the parameters for acoustic and language components in a discriminative setting. The resulting model can be factored as corrections for the input and the output sides of the general model G. This formulation allows us to incorporate duration cues seamlessly. Empirical results on a large vocabulary Arabic GALE task demonstrate that the proposed model improves word error rate substantially, with a gain of 1.6% absolute. Through a series of experiments we analyze the contributions from and interactions between acoustic, duration and language components to find that duration cues play an important role in Arabic task.
Information extraction using the NLToolset

Information extraction takes many forms, from marking entities by type or gathering related information about an entity, to linking entities based on some relationship between them or automatically generating database templates. This paper gives an overview of the process of extracting information from free text documents using Lockheed Martin's NLToolset and a description of some extraction applications.
Racial Differences in Incidence, Outcome, and Quality of Life for African-Americans on Hemodialysis

African-Americans are the fastest growing racial minority with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in the United States. Although comprising
Optimal Setting of Point Spreads

We develop a model of competitive gambling markets addressing two empirical puzzles. First, why do bookmakers not set unbiased lines that try to equalize betting on both sides, and thus profit from commissions with minimal risk? Second, why is there little evidence of bookmakers competing through lower commissions? We show that the interaction between bookmakers' and gamblers' private information can induce biased lines even when all players are maximizing their chances of winning. We also offer an explanation for persistently high commissions charged by seemingly competitive bookmakers; these commissions are necessary to compensate books for assuming the disadvantage of moving first.
Solid Oxide Fuel Cells with Symmetrical Pt-YSZ Electrodes Prepared by YSZ Infiltration

Platinum electrodes for high temperature electrochemical devices (solid oxide fuel cells, solid oxide electrolyzer cells and sensors) generally show limited performances due to confinement of triple phase boundaries (TPBs) to the Platinum-electrolyte interface. Performance degradation as a result of TPB length loss due to the microstructural instability of the Platinum electrodes at operational temperatures is the other major problem. Infiltration of yttrium stabilized zirconia (YSZ) into porous Platinum electrodes using polymeric metal-oxide precursor was utilized as a prospective solution to these problems. It was shown that this process formed a YSZ coating on the Platinum particle surface which led to significantly increased effective contact area between Platinum electrodes and the electrolyte, and prevented the coarsening of Platinum. Symmetrical cells with YSZ infiltrated Platinum electrodes showed polarization resistance of 0.045 Ohm.cm2 per cathode at 800°C, in air. In fuel cell operation mode, the total electrode polarization resistance (anode + cathode) was 0.35 Ohm.cm2 at 800°C and 0.130 Ohm.cm2 at 900°C. Power densities of 0.45 Watt/cm2 and 0.9 Watt/cm2 at 800°C and 900°C were obtained respectively. No degradation of the cell was observed for the duration of measurement (248 hours).
Mapping haplotype-haplotype interactions with adaptive LASSO.

Background The genetic etiology of complex diseases in human has been commonly viewed as a complex process involving both genetic and environmental factors functioning in a complicated manner. Quite often the interactions among genetic variants play major roles in determining the susceptibility of an individual to a particular disease. Statistical methods for modeling interactions underlying complex diseases between single genetic variants (e.g. single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs) have been extensively studied. Recently, haplotype-based analysis has gained its popularity among genetic association studies. When multiple sequence or haplotype interactions are involved in determining an individual's susceptibility to a disease, it presents daunting challenges in statistical modeling and testing of the interaction effects, largely due to the complicated higher order epistatic complexity.
Beta 2-adrenergic receptor (B2AR) polymorphisms and antihypertensive response to beta-blocker therapy in the invest trial

Purpose Polymorphisms (SNPs) of the B2AR gene have been associated with hypertension. We investigated the association of several B2AR SNPs and blood pressure (BP) responses to atenolol. Methods Data and genomic samples were obtained from 740 participants of the International Verapamil-Trandolapril Study (INVEST) trial with hypertension and coronary artery disease in whom atenolol was added as monotherapy or was added to stable background therapy. Arg16Gly, Gln27Glu and a synonymous CA SNP at nt523 were genotyped by pyrosequencing. Analysis of covariance was used to compare BP responses to atenolol at 6 weeks among genotypes adjusting for age (66.2± 9.2), BMI, baseline BP and race. Results Minor allele frequencies for Arg16Gly, Gln27Glu and nt523 C to A were 0.42, 0.34 and 0.28, respectively. Codon 16 polymorphisms were not associated with BP response to atenolol. 27Gln and nt523A alleles of B2AR were associated with significantly better systolic blood pressure (SBP) response to atenolol (p= 0.0080 and p= 0.0288). 27Gln carriers also showed better diastolic blood pressure (DBP) response (p= 0.0242) to atenolol therapy. (see Table) Conclusion Our data suggest that codon 27 and nt523 gene variants may be important determinants of variable BP response to atenolol therapy in older hypertensives with coronary disease. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2005) 77, P22–P22; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2004.11.086 Table 1. Gln27Glu C523A SBP DBP SBP adjusted means± SD; * p= 0.01 vs. Glu/Glu ** p= 0.012 vs. Glu/Glu *** p= 0.008 vs. C/C Gln/Gln (n = 319) 137.09 ± 17.29* 79.23 ± 9.52** C/C (n = 370) 140.42 ± 18.14 Gln/Glu (n = 315) 140.28 ± 18.66 80.53 ± 9.93 C/A (n = 287) 138.93 ± 18.07 Glu/Glu (n = 86) 142.83 ± 17.71 82.11 ± 9.65 A/A (n = 60) 133.51 ± 17.24***
Soldiers and Citizens An Oral History of Operation Iraqi Freedom from the Battlefield to the Pentagon

Part of the Palgrave Studies in Oral History series edited by Linda Shopes and Bruce M. Stave, Soldiers and Citizens presents a collection of oral history interviews primarily with American soldier...
Has Wealth Effect Changed Over Time? Evidence from Four Industrial Countries

In this paper, we use long-run equilibrium relationship between consumption, disposable income, and wealth to estimate wealth effect across four industrial countries: Canada, Germany, the UK, and the USA. We also examine whether wealth effect in these countries has changed over time. Our results indicate that the USA and the Canadian economy have become more sensitive to wealth changes in the recent time period. We find that for each dollar increase in wealth, consumption in the USA increases by 1.8 cents, whereas the corresponding increase in Canada is 2.5 cents. This response was insignificant in the USA before 1969 and in Canada before 1983. The corresponding estimate of wealth effect is one cent for the UK economy for the post-1987 time period. We don’t find any significant evidence for wealth effect in Germany.
A new paradigm for anion trapping in high capacity and selectivity: crystal-to-crystal transformation of cationic materials.

We describe a new methodology to the selective trapping of priority pollutants that occur inherently as oxo-anions (e.g., perchlorate, chromate, arsenate, pertechnetate, etc.) or organic anions (e.g., salicylate, pharmaceuticals, and their metabolites, which are often chlorinated into potentially more harmful compounds). The typical approach to trapping anions is exchange into cationic hosts such as resins or layered double hydroxides. Both capacity and selectivity are limited by the equilibrium of the process and moreover are often subject to interference, e.g. by carbonate that is always present in water from atmospheric CO2. Our approach takes advantage of the metastability of our cationically charged materials to instead trap by recrystallization to a new structure. Exceptionally high adsorption capacities for permanganate and perrhenate—studied as models for pertechnetate—were found for a Ag(I)-based cationic extended framework. The exchange capacity reached 292 and 602 mg/g, respectively, over five ...
Department of Defense energy policy and research: A framework to support strategy

Abstract The Department of Defense (DOD) is the major consumer of energy within the Federal government, and it has been directed to implement cost cutting measures related to energy dependence through numerous Executive Orders and Congressional legislation. As a result, the DOD released an Energy Strategy which outlines ways to reduce energy requirements in order to meet both Presidential and Congressional mandates for energy security. With this research, we provide a historical review (1973–2014) of energy policy, legislation, and research. Additionally we identify gaps between strategy and research. The results show that DOD energy research lacks a unifying structure and guiding framework. We propose a knowledge management framework to unify and guide research efforts in direct support of the DOD Energy Strategy.
Pyrolysis GLC Identification of Food and Drug Ingredients. I. Saccharin

Pyrolysis gas-liquid chromatography, used in the qualitative analysis of saccharin, has provided reproducible pyrograms which permit direct characterization of these sweetners in a variety of commerical saccharin tablets and diet beverages. This method was used also to identify the salt, after conversion to the free imide, in a commercial multivitamin product. The tablet analysis required isolation by solvent extraction. Analyses were carried out on quantities ranging from 1 to 100 mug. The sensitivity of the method could be increased by addition of a pure sample of the compound sought to the unknown.
In vivo Wnt pathway inhibition of human squamous cell carcinoma growth and metastasis in the chick chorioallantoic model

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is an aggressive cancer with poor overall survival. New therapeutic strategies that target specific molecular lesions driving advanced disease are needed. Herein we demonstrate the utility of the chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay for in vivo human HNSCC tumor growth and metastasis and the tumor suppressive effects of a new chemotherapeutic agent. We tested anti-metastatic effects of a WNT pathway inhibitor, WNT974 (also known as LGK974), which targets porcupine (PORCN) the palmityl-transferase that is essential for secretion of Wnt proteins. CAM assays were performed with 8 HNSCC cell lines: UM-SCC-1, UM-SCC-10A, UM-SCC-10B, UM-SCC-11A, UM-SCC-14A UM-SCC-17A, UM-SCC-17B, UM-SCC-25, and UM-SCC-34. UM-SCC-1 (University of Michigan Squamous Cell Carcinoma cell line) CAM xenografts contain CD44+ and ALDH+ cancer stem cell (CSC) proportions similar to UM-SCC-1 mouse xenografts supporting the applicability of the CAM assay for study of CSCs. Inhibition of WNT signaling by the PORCN inhibitor WNT974 reduced metastatic spread of UM-SCC cells, especially in UM-SCCs with Notch1 deficiency. Our data demonstrate decreased tumor growth and metastases in tumors from cell lines that showed in vitro responses to WNT974, providing evidence that this agent may have a role in future HNSCC therapy.
Pre-evaluation of Occupational Hazards in The Construction Project for PAN-based Carbon Fiber

[Objective]To identify and analyze the potential occupational hazards and its harmful levels of a construction project for PAN-based carbon fiber with an annual output of 1200 t,to determine the categories of occupational hazards,and provide scientific evidence for occupational hazard classification management of this project;to put forward countermeasures and suggestions of necessary occupational hazard protection;and provide technical basis for health administrative departments to examine the occupational health of the construction project.[Methods]Combination of empirical method,checklist method and comprehensive analysis was adopted to identify and analyze the potential occupational hazards.[Results]Through comprehensively analysis,this construction project was evaluated as the severe occupational hazard project due to existence of high harmful occupational toxicant(acrylonitrile,hydrogen cyanide,carbon monoxide and ammonia),moderate harmful occupational toxicant(Ikon acid),and slight harmful occupational toxicant(dimethyl sulfoxide,methyl acrylate,azobisisobutyronitrile and methane) in production process,detection and maintenance,and storage and transportation of raw materials;all toxicants mainly distributed in the production areas.The dissipation and leakage of the toxic could be efficiently controlled by advanced production process,distributed control system(DCS),closed and clean operation mode in this construction project.The plant layouts,production technique,arrangement of the facilities,auxiliary hygiene equipment,health protection in workshop and Personal protection measures,occupational health administration,personal health care,and emergency rescue needed to be improved.[Conclusion]The occupational disease prevention and protection measures presented in basic design and all suggestions mentioned in the pre-evaluation report must be carried out,the potential occupational hazards in production process can be prevented and the project is feasible from the perspective of occupational health.
Appropriateness of the Ilfeld Psychiatric Symptom Index as a screening tool for depressive symptomatology in persons with spinal cord injury.

BACKGROUND Depressive symptomatology is seen in some persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). Identification of a depressed mood can assist clinicians in early treatment. The Ilfeld Psychiatric Symptom Index (Ilfeld PSI) is a screening tool that assesses a range of symptoms: depression, cognitive disturbance, anxiety, and anger. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of the Ilfeld PSI to the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (Zung SRS) in persons with chronic SCI. DESIGN This was a case-control study. METHODS A total of 59 subjects completed the study: 20 persons with tetraplegia, 19 with paraplegia, and 20 age-matched able-bodied controls. The total scores for both measures were analyzed using Pearson correlation, analysis of variance, and chi-square tests. RESULTS The Zung SRS total scores correlated with the Ilfeld PSI subscales and index scores. When using the traditional cutoff scores, there was a low level of agreement between scales. The Ilfeld PSI classified 79% of the SCI group and 75% of controls as depressed. In contrast, 8% of the SCI group and none of the controls met criteria for depression using the Zung SRS. CONCLUSIONS The Ilfeld PSI screens for a broad range of symptoms; however, it poorly discriminates somatic symptoms unrelated to depression. Therefore, the Ilfeld PSI may not be a useful instrument for persons with SCI.
Religiosity and Attitudes Toward Induced Abortion: An Elaboration of the Relationship

This study, using a sample of 821 college students at three different universities, attempted to elaborate the relationship between religiosity (ideological commitment assessed by a five item Guttman-type scale) and attitudes toward induced abortion for seven situational conditions (woman's health endangered, rape, serious defect in child, low income, unmarried, want no more children, and incest). Controls for sex (as gender) and two Guttman-type scales designed to measure attitudes toward other types of fertility control (one scale dealt with coercive controls on fertility while the other assessed a more traditional endorsement of the preventive and educational orientation), produced expected results on the zero-order relationship between ideological commitment and attitudes toward induced abortion.
Cognition and Instruction: Mind, Development, and Community

Abstract A significant step is occurring in cognition and instruction as researchers collaborate with practitioners to understand effective schooling and form teams of developers and designers. The collaborative design of an innovative learning environment has several purposes: (a) to test the theory that went into it, (b) to engage practitioners in learning theory and design development, and (c) to influence and revise theory and practice as a result of evaluation. This interactive context, which recognizes new learning concepts and the wisdom of the teacher, provides the opportunity for teachers to check whether their perspectives on instruction, learning, and learners are now tenable in light of recent developments in instructional psychology. These collaborative designs have enabled researchers to see what parameters limit the application of learning principles.
Cumulative impact of category management on small retailers

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine the performance impact for small, local retailers by the means of category management (CM) practice and implementation. The authors utilized survey methodology to investigate both the immediate and cumulative impact of CM on several regional retailers. Design/methodology/approach – The results suggest CM practices have a positive impact on the performance of small, local retailers. category captain (CC) and minor supplier (MS) performances are also positively related to CM execution. CM practices, however, do not have a direct significant influence on MS performance, but rather have a cumulative impact through CC and CM performances. Practical implications – Small retailers should implement CM principles informally to match with their specific limited resources and management structures. Additionally, results from this study also suggest that local retailers may benefit from leveraging suppliers through tighter relationships encompassed within CM. Origin...
Mechanisms by Which NK T Cells Become the Predominant T Cell Subset in Mice after Irradiation.

Previously, we found that the percentage of NK T cells among all T cells in the spleen of mice treated with fractionated irradiation to the lymphoid tissues (Total lymphoid irradiation; TLI) with a total dose of 4,080 cGy increased markedly due to greater reduction in the absolute number of non-NK T cells as compared to NK T cells. The underlying mechanisms of the change in the T cell subsets after irradiation remained to be established. In the current study, C57BL/6 mice were given escalating single doses of 240, 1,000, 2,000 and 3,000 cGy total body irradiation (TBI). Splenocytes were harvested at 4 or 24 hours after irradiation, and the percentage and absolute number of NK T and non-NK T cells was determined. At the same time, the intracellular level of the anti-apoptotic protein, Bcl-2 was assayed by flow cytometry. In some studies, the turnover rate of NK T cells and non-NK T cells was examined by injection of BrdU and intracellular staining. At 4 hours after all doses of irradiation, neither the NK T nor non-NK T cell subset had a significant change in percentage or absolute number as compared to untreated controls. However, at 24 hours the percentage of NK T cells among all T cells had progressively increased with increased doses of TBI from 3% in the untreated controls to 65% in mice given 3,000 cGy. Whereas the absolute number of non-NK T cells decreased at least 1000 fold, the absolute number of NK T cells decreased approximately 50 fold after 3,000 cGy. The BrdU incorporation of NK T cells from irradiated mice was markedly reduced as compared to untreated mice, and was similar to that of non NK T cells in these irradiated mice. 8–12% of NK T cells and non NK T cells in untreated mice expressed a high level Bcl-2. As the dose of TBI increased progressively, the percentage of Bcl-2 hi cells increased progressively to 89% amongst NK T cells and 70% amongst non-NK T cells. At each irradiation dose, the percentage of Bcl-2 hi cells amongst NK T cells was higher than amongst non-NK T cells. There were 40×10 3 Bcl-2 hi NK T cell and 10×10 3 Bcl-2 hi non-NK T cells surviving per spleen at 24 hours after 3000 cGy TBI. The absolute number of Bcl-2 hi NK T cells decreased by about two fold while the absolute number of Bcl-2 hi non-NK T cells decreased by about 100 fold. These results indicate that the increased percentage of NK T cells amongst all T cells after irradiation is due to greater radioresistance rather than to more rapid replenishment of NK T cells as compared to non-NK T cells. We are investigating whether Bcl-2 plays a critical role in the extraordinary radioresistance of the NK T cells.
Oseltamivir Use Among Children and Adults Hospitalized With Community-Acquired Pneumonia

BACKGROUND Data on oseltamivir treatment among hospitalized community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients are limited. METHODS Patients hospitalized with CAP at 6 hospitals during the 2010-2012 influenza seasons were included. We assessed factors associated with oseltamivir treatment using logistic regression. RESULTS Oseltamivir treatment was provided to 89 of 1627 (5%) children (<18 years) and 143 of 1051 (14%) adults. Among those with positive clinician-ordered influenza tests, 39 of 61 (64%) children and 37 of 48 (77%) adults received oseltamivir. Among children, oseltamivir treatment was associated with hospital A (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.36-4.88), clinician-ordered testing performed (aOR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.47-5.19), intensive care unit (ICU) admission (aOR, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.27-3.45), and age ≥2 years (aOR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.16-1.76). Among adults, oseltamivir treatment was associated with clinician-ordered testing performed (aOR, 8.38; 95% CI, 4.64-15.12), hospitals D and E (aOR, 3.46-5.11; 95% CI, 1.75-11.01), Hispanic ethnicity (aOR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.18-3.59), and ICU admission (aOR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.34-3.13). CONCLUSIONS Among patients hospitalized with CAP during influenza season, oseltamivir treatment was moderate overall and associated with clinician-ordered testing, severe illness, and specific hospitals. Increased clinician education is needed to include influenza in the differential diagnosis for hospitalized CAP patients and to test and treat patients empirically if influenza is suspected.
Conventional Cerebral Arteriography

Abstract Cerebral angiography was introduced and expanded by the Portuguese neurologist Egas Moniz close to a century ago. Significant morbidity and mortality lead to a transition to iodinated solution as contrast media, leading to satisfactory technical results. Despite the original “distrust” and controversy regarding this method and its future, cerebral angiography not only remains the gold standard for the diagnosis of vascular conditions affecting the craniocervical and cerebral vessels, but has also developed itself into a very sophisticated interventional field. This chapter discusses indications, risks, periprocedural care, as well as recent advancements in the field of cerebral angiography.
Comparison of passive shields for coils in inductive power transfer

Efficiency and stray magnetic field are two important factors for coils design in inductive power transfer. By adding passive shields to the coils, stray magnetic field is significantly attenuated. However, coils' efficiency is reduced due to losses of the shields. Both efficiency and stray magnetic field should be considered for fair comparison of shields' performances. Four kinds of passive shields for coils in inductive power transfer are analyzed, including plate shield, ring shield, litz shield, and reverse loops. Their performances are compared using Pareto fronts of efficiency versus stray magnetic. The fronts show that coils with litz shield generate smallest stray magnetic field when the four shields are designed for the same efficiency. The stray magnetic field was attenuated by 75% in an experimental 100 W inductive power transfer system using litz shield.
Fertilization: Common Molecular Signaling Pathways Across the Species

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the molecular aspects of the regulation of sperm function by the egg and egg-associated structures, including the acellular and cellular matrices around the egg, the female reproductive tract in the case of internal fertilizing organisms, and the factors released from these structures. From the perspective of the spermatozoon, gamete interaction potentially includes selective transport, motility stimulation, attraction to the egg, interaction with cells surrounding the egg, adhesion to the egg extracellular matrix, acrosomal exocytosis, egg extracellular matrix penetration, egg plasma membrane adhesion, and fusion with the egg. Experimental evidence indicates that each of the stages of gamete interaction exhibits some degree of species specificity. Studies in a variety of species have identified several different sperm proteins that bind to the zona pellucida and in many cases carbohydrate appears to be the primary epitope for binding. As a consequence of gamete plasma membrane interaction, spermatozoa triggers egg activation. This has led to the proposition of two new hypotheses. One hypothesis suggests that sperm cells activate eggs through a receptor-mediated pathway. The other hypothesis suggests that a soluble factor in spermatozoa diffuses into the egg upon fusion and initiates activation.
Intersecting disadvantage: Unpacking poor outcomes within early intervention in psychosis services.

Aim In order to strengthen specialized early intervention in psychosis (EIP) services, a contextually nuanced understanding of psychosocial forces driving suboptimal treatment response is critical. This study sought to examine factors driving poor outcomes through a systematic emic coding of psychosocial assessments for discharged EIP clients categorized as leaving with all treatment goals met (AG) or no treatment goals met (NG). Methods Psychosocial assessments at baseline, 1 year, 2 years and discharge were extracted from an EIP research registry and systematically coded. One hundred and thirty clients met the study's inclusion criteria (72 NG, 58 AG) from a larger pool of 278. Assessments were coded, quantized and analysed using a combination of basic inferential statistics and thematic analysis. Results Structural adversity, individual trauma, history of aggression/violence, limited insight and long treatment histories prior to EIP, were strong and significant predictors of poor client outcomes (NG), while motivation for treatment, college goals or preparedness at baseline, baseline engagement in constructive activities, social strengths, individual strengths, talents and family support strongly predicted better outcomes (AG). Race/ethnicity also significantly predicted outcome group. Analyses underscore the powerful impact of multiple converging forms of structural disadvantage, on the one hand, and individual, family and social strengths and supports on the other, in shaping clients’ response to EIP treatment. Conclusions Findings emphasize the importance of greater empirical attention to background structural and socio-economic conditions among early psychosis clients and their multifaceted impacts and underscore the potential value of programmatic components explicitly designed to support clients from multiply disadvantaged backgrounds.
Curvature Sorting and Crowding-Induced Mixing in Experimental Model Membranes

Abstract We review model membrane systems that we have experimentally applied to study concepts of curvature sorting and crowding-induced mixing of lipid membranes in the context of membrane rafts. The methodologies that we use to construct our systems are familiar to the microelectronics and chip-based biotech industry—nanofabrication and spin coating—with an eye toward conceptual applicability to areas such as microfluidics, high-throughput screening, and artificial cells. We also discuss implication of our studies to the understanding of lipid and protein sorting and mixing in biological membranes.
High speed pipelined ADCs: Fundamentals and variants

♦ Digital assistance can be in the form of fixing errors or dithering errors ♦ Calibration of the IGE, DAC, IME, and kick-back errors are examples of using DSP to improve the analog performance ♦ Dither can be used to improve the calibration accuracy and improve the linearity further ♦ Digital assistance enables ADC designers to continue building efficient, accurate and fast ADCs as process geometry shrinks.
Outpatient Posterior Lumbar Fusion: A Population-Based Analysis of Trends and Complication Rates.

STUDY DESIGN A retrospective case-control study. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to determine the nationwide trends and complication rates associated with outpatient posterior lumbar fusion (PLF). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Outpatient lumbar spine fusion is now possible secondary to minimally invasive techniques that allow for reduced hospital stays and analgesic requirements. Limited data are currently available regarding the clinical outcome of outpatient lumbar fusion. METHODS The Humana administrative claims database was queried for patients who underwent one to two-level PLF (CPT-22612 or CPT-22633 AND ICD-9-816.2) as either outpatients or inpatients from Q1 2007 to Q2 2015. The incidence of perioperative medical and surgical complications was determined by querying for relevant International Classification of Diseases and Current Procedural Terminology codes. Multivariate logistic regression adjusting for age, gender, and Charlson Comorbidity Index was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) of complications among outpatients relative to inpatients undergoing PLF. RESULTS Cohorts of 770 patients who underwent outpatient PLF and 26,826 patients who underwent inpatient PLF were identified. The median age was in the 65 to 69 years age group for both cohorts. The annual relative incidence of outpatient PLF remained stable across the study period (R = 0.03, P = 0.646). Adjusting for age, gender, and comorbidities, patients undergoing outpatient PLF had higher likelihood of revision/extension of posterior fusion [(OR 2.33, confidence interval (CI) 2.06-2.63, P < 0.001], anterior fusion (OR 1.64, CI 1.31-2.04, P < 0.001), and decompressive laminectomy (OR 2.01, CI 1.74-2.33, P < 0.001) within 1 year. Risk-adjusted rates of all other postoperative surgical and medical complications were statistically comparable. CONCLUSION Outpatient lumbar fusion is uncommonly performed in the United States. Data collected from a national private insurance database demonstrate a greater risk of postoperative surgical complications including revision anterior and posterior fusion and decompressive laminectomy. Surgeons should be cautious in performing PLF in the outpatient setting, as the risk of revision surgery may increase in these cases. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3.
The prognostic potential of the epidermal growth factor receptor and nuclear factor kappa B pathways and associated therapeutic strategies in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

THE PROGNOSTIC POTENTIAL OF THE EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR RECEPTOR AND NUCLEAR FACTOR KAPPA B PATHWAYS AND ASSOCIATED THERAPEUTIC STRATEGIES IN PATIENTS WITH SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA OF THE HEAD AND NECK By Pamela Susan Wirth, Ph.D. A Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2010 Major Director: Teresa S. Nadder, Ph.D. Chairman and Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences Little is known about the signaling pathways that contribute to treatment response in advanced stage head and neck tumors. Increased expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and downstream pathways such as nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) are implicated in aggressive tumor phenotypes and limited response to therapy. This study explored the rationale for combining the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib with the EGFR inhibitor gefitinib in a subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas with high EGFR gene amplification. Drug responses of gefitinib and bortezomib as single agents and in combination within head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell lines were analyzed using MTS assays. The effects of gefitinib on the activation of EGFR and itsthree major downstream pathways, Akt, STAT3 and MAPK were determined by western blotting. The activation status of NFκB and the effects of bortezomib on the canonical pathway were assessed by DNA binding assays. Resistance to lower doses of gefitinib was associated with elevated EGFR and activated Akt expression. Gefitinib was able to effectively inhibit activation of STAT3, Akt and MAPK in HNSCC to varying degrees depending on EGFR expression status. Bortezomib treatment inhibited TNFα – induced nuclear NFκB/RelA expression but demonstrated variability in levels of baseline nuclear NFκB/RelA expression between sensitive and resistant cell lines. Bortezomib effectively suppresses NFκB/RelA nuclear activation but demonstrates additional modes of cellular toxicity beyond the NFκB pathway in sensitive cell lines. Further understanding of tumor response to the targeted inhibitors gefitinib and bortezomib may provide novel approaches in managing HNSCCs.
Quantitative analysis of hypertrophic myocardium using diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging

Systemic hypertension is a causative factor in left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). This study is motivated by the potential to reverse or manage the dysfunction associated with structural remodeling of the myocardium in this pathology. Using diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging, we present an analysis of myocardial fiber and laminar sheet orientation in ex vivo hypertrophic (6 SHR) and normal (5 WKY) rat hearts using the covariance of the diffusion tensor. First, an atlas of normal cardiac microstructure was formed using the WKY b0 images. Then, the SHR and WKY b0 hearts were registered to the atlas. The acquired deformation fields were applied to the SHR and WKY heart tensor fields followed by the preservation of principal direction (PPD) reorientation strategy. A mean tensor field was then formed from the registered WKY tensor images. Calculating the covariance of the registered tensor images about this mean for each heart, the hypertrophic myocardium exhibited significantly increased myocardial fiber derangement (p ¼ 0.017) with a mean dispersion of 38.7 deg, and an increased dispersion of the laminar sheet normal (p = 0.030) of 54.8 deg compared with 34.8 deg and 51.8 deg, respectively, in the normal hearts. Results demonstrate significantly altered myocardial fiber and laminar sheet structure in rats with hypertensive LVH.
The Ideal-Degradation Procedure: Searching for Vector Equilibria

The Ideal Degradation Procedure (IDP) is designed to solve multiple criteria problems without scalarization, i. e., in the vector-maximum sense. Scalarization reduces multiple criteria into a single aggregate superfunction, thus defeating the very purpose and all advantages of explicitly considering multidimensionality. Very few OR/MS analysts would propose “collapsing” problem constraints into a single “superconstraint”. Yet, multiple criteria are being freely scalarized even when they express the same economic variables as constraints.
Main Content Detection in HTML Journal Articles

Web content extraction algorithms have been shown to improve the performance of web content analysis tasks. This is because noisy web page content, such as advertisements and navigation links, can significantly degrade performance. This paper presents a novel and effective layout analysis algorithm for main content detection in HTML journal articles. The algorithm first segments a web page based on rendered line breaks, then based on its column structure, and finally identifies the column that contains the most paragraph text. On a test set of 359 manually labeled HTML journal articles, the proposed layout analysis algorithm was found to significantly outperform an alternative semantic markup algorithm based on HTML 5 semantic tags. The precision, recall, and F-score of the layout analysis algorithm were measured to be 0.96, 0.99, and 0.98 respectively.