cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Highly efficient and selective isolation of rare tumor cells using a microfluidic chip with wavy-herringbone micro-patterned surfaces

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in peripheral blood have been recognized as a general biomarker for diagnosing cancer and providing guidance for personalized treatments. Yet due to their rarity, the challenge for their clinical utility lies in the efficient isolation while avoiding the capture of other non-targeted white blood cells (WBCs). In this paper, a wavy-herringbone (HB) microfluidic chip coated with antibody directly against epithelial cell adhesion molecule (anti-EpCAM) was developed for highly efficient and selective isolation of tumor cells from tumor cell-spiked whole blood samples. By extending the concept of the hallmark HB-Chip in the literature, the wavy-HB chip not only achieves high capture efficiency (up to 85.0%) by micro-vortexes induced by HB structures, but also achieves high purity (up to 39.4%) due to the smooth wavy microstructures. These smooth wavy-HB structures eliminate the ultra-low shear rate regions in the traditional grooved-HB structures that lead to non-specific trapping of cells. Compared with the grooved-HB chip with sharp corners, the wavy-HB chip shows significantly higher purity while maintaining similarly high capture efficiency. Furthermore, the wavy-HB chip has up to 11% higher captured cell viability over the grooved-HB chip. The distributions of tumor cells and WBCs along the grooves and waves are investigated to help understand the mechanisms behind the better performance of the wavy-HB chip. The wavy-HB chip may serve as a promising platform for CTC capture and cancer diagnosis.
Data bases

Mr. Roderick presented the operation of the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). Its effectiveness is clearly demonstrated by some case histories.
Normobaric hypoxia stimulates endothelin-1 gene expression in the rat

The current study tested the hypothesis that exposure to hypoxia enhances endothelin-1 (ET-1) gene expression and elevates circulating ET-1 levels in the rat. Rats were exposed to normobaric hypoxia (10% O2) or room air for 24 or 48 h. ET-1 in arterial blood was measured by radioimmunoassay. ET-1 gene transcript levels were measured by the slot blot technique on total RNA isolated from lung, right and left atria, right and left ventricles, kidney, spleen, liver, brain, main trunk of pulmonary artery, and thoracic aorta. Blots were probed with a 0.5 kb rat prepro ET-1 cDNA that does not cross-hybridize with mRNA for ET-2 or ET-3. Plasma ET-1 levels were increased significantly at 24 (10.03 +/- 2.33 pg/ml) and 48 h (14.02 +/- 3.44 pg/ml) of hypoxia compared with air controls (4.14 +/- 0.66 pg/ml). ET-1 mRNA levels were increased significantly (2-fold) in lung and right atrium after 48 h of hypoxia; no change was seen in organs perfused by the systemic vascular bed. These findings suggest that the hypoxia-induced increase in circulating ET-1 levels is mainly of pulmonary origin. A paracrine effect of ET-1 produced by lung endothelial cells could account for hypoxic pulmonary hypertension.
Carrot Diet and Susceptibility to Acute “Anoxia.”

SummaryOne hundred seven rats fed nothing but carrots for 10 days and 107 rats fed a stock diet were subjected to a simulated altitude of 30,000 ft for 2 hr. Eighty percent of the carrot-fed animals survived and only 20% of the controls survived. The animals on the carrot diet lost 1% oi their body weight per day.A diet of nothing but fresh carrots fed to rats for 10 days for some unknown reason affords marked protection against the lethal effects of exposure to a simulated altitude (decompression chamber) of 30.000 ft for 2 hr. This confirms the observations of J. A. Campbell.1
Characteristics of Nickel(0), Nickel(I), and Nickel(II) in Phosphino Thioether Complexes: Molecular Structure and S-Dealkylation of (Ph2P(o-C6H4)SCH3)2Ni0

The molecular structure of a nickel(0) complex with P,S-donor atom ligands has been characterized by X-ray crystallography. Complex 1, (Ph2P(o-C6H4)SCH3)2Ni0, prepared by Na/Hg amalgam reduction of the NiII complex [(Ph2P(o-C6H4)SCH3)2Ni](BF4)2 ([2](BF4)2), degrades photochemically with loss of CH3 radicals to yield complex 3, (Ph2P(o-C6H4)S)2NiII. Crystallographic parameters for the three compounds are as follows: 1, monoclinic space group C2/c with a = 11.467(2) A, b = 17.613(3) A, c = 15.733(2) A, β = 96.450(10)°, V = 3157.5(9) A3, and Z = 4; [2](BF4)2, monoclinic space group P21/c with a = 9.417(4) A, b = 14.822(9) A, c = 13.773(2) A, β = 98.55(3)°, V = 9101(14) A3, and Z = 2; and 3, monoclinic space group P21/c with a = 9.651(2) A, b = 12.971(8) A, c = 12.540(2) A, β = 110.46(2)°, V = 1470.7(11) A3, and Z = 2. While complex 1 has a distorted tetrahedral geometry, complexes [2](BF4)2 and 3 are square planar with trans stereochemistry. The cyclic voltammogram of [2](BF4)2 in CH3CN shows two redox even...
Vehicle Routing to Minimizing Hybrid Fleet Fuel Consumption

In this paper, we address a variant of the Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP) where the fleet contains vehicles that not only vary in performance, but this variation is a function of the arc type, such that a given vehicle might have costs lower on some arcs but higher on others. We refer to this as the Hybrid Fleet Vehicle Routing Problem. This is more realistic than the common assumption that all vehicles are identical. In many cases, fleets are made up of different vehicle types, varying in size, engine/fuel type, and other performance-impacting factors. Even in a homogeneous fleet, vehicles often differ by age and condition, which can greatly impact performance. We propose two heuristic methods that take into account the vehicle-specific cost structures. We provide computational results to demonstrate the quality of our solutions, and a comparison with a Genetic Algorithm based method.
“Capture” Me if You Can: Estimating abundance of dolphin populations

ABSTRACTAnimal populations are monitored over time to assess the effects of environmental disaster and disease, as well as the efficacy of laws designed to protect them. Determining the abundance of a species within a defined area is one method of monitoring a population. In “Capture” Me if You Can, middle school students will use data collected by biologists at Savannah State University to determine abundance estimates of the common bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus. The activity has two parts that provide a platform for students to explore Ocean Literacy Principles, Next Generation Science Standards, and Common Core Mathematics Standards. In Part 1: Are Populations Protected or in Peril?, students will be introduced to threats to common bottlenose dolphins and will learn about a federal law protecting marine mammals from the impacts of humans by reading a scientific article. Students will improve their scientific literacy by expanding their vocabulary while interpreting the article and constructing ...
New Directions in Braiding

It is the intent of this manuscript to provide a general treatment of braiding: past, present, and future. A history and evolution of braiding, braiding machinery, and related engineering developme...
Dry skin on the hand.

A 66-year-old man has had dry skin on his left hand for many years. Moisturizers do not improve the appearance of the skin. The scaliness recently migrated to his wrist and forearm. His right hand is not affected.
Performance of the large aperture module of the Aurora krypton fluoride laser system

The large aperture module (LAM) is the final amplifier of the Los Alamos Aurora krypton fluoride (KrF) laser system.1 Ah artist’s conception of the device is shown in Fig. 1. It consists of a laser chamber with a 1-× 1-m aperture and a 2-m active length which is directly pumped by opposing 1- × 2-m electron beams (up to 675 kV at 20 A/cm2). Each electron gun is driven by two 2.7-Ω water pulse forming lines (PFLs) connected in parallel. The PFLs are each 10.7 m long giving a 650-nsec pump pulse. Each pair of water lines is pulse charged by a Marx generator capable of producing up to 1.8 MV. A pair of Helmholz coils is provided to prevent beam pinching in the diodes and to ensure uniform pumping in the laser gas volume. The laser chamber can be filled with up to 1.5 atm of an Ar/ Kr/F2 lasing mixture.
Is the Business Model Efficient and Sustainable? Reconfigure the Business Model

A business model should be capital efficient, cost efficient, risk mitigating, and sustainable. A venture’s return on investment is the product of the operating leverage, the capital leverage, and the operating margin. The business model design can be reconfigured to enhance the operating margin, operating leverage, and capital leverage to provide a higher return on investment. An increase in the operating leverage widens the gap between the unit price and the unit cost of the product, enhancing competitive advantage and generating sustainable positive cash flow. The four attributes of the business model design—namely operating efficiency, supplier and customer lock-in, product market complementaries, and differential advantage—can enhance the operating leverage and provide sustainable scale economies. Several strategies are discussed regarding how to reconfigure the business model and value chain to enhance the competitive advantage and scale economies. Leveraging digital assets can provide high operating leverage and significant scale economies, enabling startups to compete more effectively with larger companies. With digital assets and high customer switching costs, a startup has strong incentive to be a first mover.
Computational Intelligence for Geosciences and Oil Exploration

In this overview paper, we highlight role of Soft Computing techniques for intelligent reservoir characterization and exploration, seismic data processing and characterization, well logging, reservoir mapping and engineering. Reservoir characterization plays a crucial role in modern reservoir management. It helps to make sound reservoir decisions and improves the asset value of the oil and gas companies. It maximizes integration of multi-disciplinary data and knowledge and improves the reliability of the reservoir predictions. The ultimate product is a reservoir model with realistic tolerance for imprecision and uncertainty. Soft computing aims to exploit such a tolerance for solving practical problems. In reservoir characterization, these intelligent techniques can be used for uncertainty analysis, risk assessment, data fusion and data mining which are applicable to feature extraction from seismic attributes, well logging, reservoir mapping and engineering. The main goal is to integrate soft data such as geological data with hard data such as 3D seismic and production data to build a reservoir and stratigraphic model. While some individual methodologies (esp. neurocomputing) have gained much popularity during the past few years, the true benefit of soft computing lies on the integration of its constituent methodologies rather than use in isolation.
Flow line asymmetric nonimaging concentrating optics

Nonimaging Optics has shown that it achieves the theoretical limits by utilizing thermodynamic principles rather than conventional optics. Hence in this paper the condition of the "best" design are both defined and fulfilled in the framework of thermodynamic arguments, which we believe has profound consequences for the designs of thermal and even photovoltaic systems, even illumination and optical communication tasks. This new way of looking at the problem of efficient concentration depends on probabilities, geometric flux field and radiative heat transfer while “optics” in the conventional sense recedes into the background. Some of the new development of flow line designs will be introduced and the connection between the thermodynamics and flow line design will be officially formulated in the framework of geometric flux field. A new way of using geometric flux to design nonimaging optics will be introduced. And finally, we discuss the possibility of 3D ideal nonimaing optics.
IV Phenytoin and Soft Tissue Reaction in a Neonate

A blue discoloration in the hand following an iv infusion of phenytoin in a term baby with neonatal convulsions is reported from Basildon Hospital, Essex, UK.
Characteristics of intermittent smokers and their association with quit intentions in a sample of heavy-drinking HIV-infected men who have sex with men.

ABSTRACTIntermittent smokers (ITS) have increased health risks compared with non-smokers (NS). Cigarette smoking remains prevalent among men who have sex with men (MSM) and persons living with HIV (PLWH), yet most studies in PLWH do not discriminate between daily smokers (DS) and ITS. In this study, the characteristics and quit intentions of ITS and DS are compared in a sample of heavy-drinking HIV-infected MSM. Of the 185 participants enrolled, 49.2% reported having smoked cigarettes in the past month; among those, 50.5% were DS, and 49.5% were ITS. Compared with DS, ITS were significantly more likely to be White and to have a college degree or higher. DS reported significantly higher average number of drinks per week compared with both ITS and NS. Compared with DS, ITS were significantly more likely to report future quit intentions (i.e., within 6 months or more) compared to no intentions at all; DS were more likely to report immediate quit intentions (i.e., within 30 days) compared to future quit inten...
Proximal Humeral Fractures: Is Some Varus Acceptable? Commentary on an article by Marc Schnetzke, MD, et al.: "Quality of Reduction Influences Outcome After Locked-Plate Fixation of Proximal Humeral Type-C Fractures".

While the overwhelming majority of proximal humeral fractures do well after nonoperative treatment, considerable clinical uncertainty remains, despite numerous techniques and studies, as to the best management of those with more complex fracture patterns. Further, when open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF)1 is elected, debate has raged as to how important anatomical reduction is to the final outcome, given that more aggressive exposure and fracture manipulation may cause soft-tissue damage and threaten bone vascularity. The current study is a welcome contribution to this conversation. This case series evaluated 98 consecutive type-C (OTA/AO classification) fractures treated by locking-plate ORIF at a single center. Surgeons exercised individual judgment as to whether to accept imperfect reduction rather than employ “harsh maneuvers of …
Direct evidence for microbial-derived soil organic matter formation and its ecophysiological controls

Soil organic matter (SOM) and the carbon and nutrients therein drive fundamental submicron- to global-scale biogeochemical processes and influence carbon-climate feedbacks. Consensus is emerging that microbial materials are an important constituent of stable SOM, and new conceptual and quantitative SOM models are rapidly incorporating this view. However, direct evidence demonstrating that microbial residues account for the chemistry, stability and abundance of SOM is still lacking. Further, emerging models emphasize the stabilization of microbial-derived SOM by abiotic mechanisms, while the effects of microbial physiology on microbial residue production remain unclear. Here we provide the first direct evidence that soil microbes produce chemically diverse, stable SOM. We show that SOM accumulation is driven by distinct microbial communities more so than clay mineralogy, where microbial-derived SOM accumulation is greatest in soils with higher fungal abundances and more efficient microbial biomass production. Soil microbes process plant remnants and are hypothesized to synthesize soil organic matter (SOM). Here, Kallenbach and colleagues directly measure chemically diverse and stable SOM derived from microbial communities in the absence of plant compounds.
Utilization Management in the Clinical Laboratory: An Introduction and Overview

Expenditures for heath care in developed economies have been rising steadily over the past decades and have become unsustainable in many countries. This is particularly true in the United States (US) where the country spends more on health care as a percent of gross domestic product that any other country. Changes to the US system of reimbursement for medical services are gradually eroding the traditional fee-for-service model in favor of global payments for episodes of care or even entire populations of patients. In this environment utilization management is gaining an increasingly important role in efforts to control cost and improve the quality of care. This chapter introduces many of the key topics in utilization management and provides a “toolbox” of strategies to support implementation of utilization management initiatives. Many examples of successful initiatives in the literature and in our institution will be described. Further details are provided in the accompanying chapters of this book.
Abstract 5176: Chemotherapy alters the natural history of metastatic progression

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive malignancy with a 5-year survival rate of less than 6%. Metastatic disease accounts for a majority of PDAC-related deaths, even for patients with no evidence of metastasis at the time of resection. In this study we sought to understand the natural history of metastatic colonization and the cellular mechanisms governing the metastatic cascade. Using an autochthonous PDAC mouse model combined with a lineage-labeling approach, we have tracked and characterized the various stages of metastatic progression, from single cells to macroscopic lesions. PDAC tumors primarily metastasize to the liver, where small lesions of 10 cells or less reside closest to portal veins and exhibit a high frequency of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Larger metastatic lesions exhibit reduced EMT and are hypovascular, resembling primary PDAC tumors. Metastases gradually accumulate desmoplasia as they grow, which consists of myofibroblasts, leukocytes and extracellular matrix components including collagen, hyaluronic acid, fibronectin and SPARC. Treatment with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel reduces overall metastatic burden and shifts the size distribution of metastases toward small lesions of 10 cells or less. Single seeded cells in particular seem to be protected from chemotherapy-induced killing, while larger lesions that have accumulated a desmoplastic stroma are more susceptible. Our results demonstrate that chemotherapy has direct measurable effects on metastatic burden, which may explain the improved outcomes for PDAC patients who receive adjuvant chemotherapy. Citation Format: Nicole M. Aiello, David L. Bajor, Minh N. Pham, Robert H. Vonderheide, Ben Z. Stanger. Chemotherapy alters the natural history of metastatic progression. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 5176. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-5176
Genetic and environmental influences on last-year major depression in adulthood: a highly heritable stable liability but strong environmental effects on 1-year prevalence.

Background This study seeks to clarify the contribution of temporally stable and occasion-specific genetic and environmental influences on risk for major depression (MD). Method Our sample was 2153 members of female–female twin pairs from the Virginia Twin Registry. We examined four personal interview waves conducted over an 8-year period with MD in the last year defined by DSM-IV criteria. We fitted a structural equation model to the data using classic Mx. The model included genetic and environmental risk factors for a latent, stable vulnerability to MD and for episodes in each of the four waves. Results The best-fit model was simple and included genetic and unique environmental influences on the latent liability to MD and unique wave-specific environmental effects. The path from latent liability to MD in the last year was constant over time, moderate in magnitude (+0.65) and weaker than the impact of occasion-specific environmental effects (+0.76). Heritability of the latent stable liability to MD was much higher (78%) than that estimated for last-year MD (32%). Of the total unique environmental influences on MD, 13% reflected enduring consequences of earlier environmental insults, 17% diagnostic error and 70% wave-specific short-lived environmental stressors. Conclusions Both genetic influences on MD and MD heritability are stable over middle adulthood. However, the largest influence on last-year MD is short-lived environmental effects. As predicted by genetic theory, the heritability of MD is increased substantially by measurement at multiple time points largely through the reduction of the effects of measurement error and short-term environmental risk factors.
Botox combined with myofascial release physical therapy as a treatment for myofascial pelvic pain.

PURPOSE To report the effects of combined onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) injections and myofascial release physical therapy on myofascial pelvic pain (MFPP) by comparing pre- and posttreatment average pelvic pain scores, trigger points, and patient self-reported pelvic pain. Secondary outcomes were to examine posttreatment complications and determine demographic differences between patients with/without an improvement in pain. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was an Institutional Review Board approved retrospective case series on women over 18 years with MFPP who received Botox and physical therapy between July 2006 and November 2014. Presence of trigger points and pelvic pain scores were determined by digital palpation of the iliococcygeus, puborectalis, obturator internus, and rectus muscles. Average pelvic pain scores (0-10) reflected an average of the scores obtained from palpation of each muscle. Self-reported improvement in pain was recorded as yes/no. RESULTS Fifty women met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Posttreatment, patients had lower average pelvic pain scores (3.7±4.0 vs. 6.4±1.8, p=0.005), and fewer trigger points (44% vs. 100%, p<0.001). Fifty-eight percent of patients (95% confidence interval, 44-72) noted an improvement in self-reported pain. Patients most likely to report no improvement in pain had chronic bowel disorders, while those most likely to report an improvement in pain had a history of past incontinence sling (p=0.03). Posttreatment complications included: constipation (8%), worsening urinary retention (2%), and urinary tract infection (4%). CONCLUSIONS Botox combined with soft tissue myofascial release physical therapy under anesthesia can be effective in treating women with chronic pelvic pain secondary to MFPP.
Understanding Discourse Acts: Political Campaign Messages Classification on Facebook and Twitter

To understand political campaign messages in depth, we developed automated classification models for classifying categories of political campaign Twitter and Facebook messages, such as calls-to-action and persuasive messages. We used 2014 U.S. governor’s campaign social media messages to develop models, then tested these models on a randomly selected 2016 U.S. presidential campaign social media dataset. Our classifiers reach .75 micro-averaged F value on training sets and .76 micro-averaged F value on test sets, suggesting that the models can be applied to classify English-language political campaign social media messages. Our study also suggests that features afforded by social media help improve classification performance in social media documents.
Diachronic Dutch Books and Evidential Import

A handful of well‐known arguments (the ‘diachronic Dutch book arguments’) rely upon theorems establishing that, in certain circumstances, you are immune from sure monetary loss (you are not ‘diachronically Dutch book‐able’) if and only if you adopt the strategy of conditionalizing (or Jeffrey conditionalizing) on whatever evidence you happen to receive. These theorems require non‐trivial assumptions about which evidence you might acquire—in the case of conditionalization, the assumption is that, if you might learn that e , then it is not the case that you might learn something else that is consistent with e . These assumptions may not be relaxed. When they are, not only will non‐(Jeffrey) conditionalizers be immune from diachronic Dutch bookability, but (Jeffrey) conditionalizers will themselves be diachronically Dutch bookable. I argue: 1) that there are epistemic situations in which these assumptions are violated; 2) that this reveals a conflict between the premise that susceptibility to sure monetary loss is irrational, on the one hand, and the view that rational belief revision is a function of your prior beliefs and the acquired evidence alone, on the other; and 3) that this inconsistency demonstrates that diachronic Dutch book arguments for (Jeffrey) conditionalization are invalid.
A Cohort Study of Patient-Reported Outcomes and Healthcare Utilization in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients Receiving Active Cancer Therapy in the Last Six Months of Life

Abstract Background: Evidence about the unique palliative care needs of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is limited. Improving the care of these patients will require a better understanding of their unmet needs, including symptom burden at the end of life, and patterns of healthcare utilization. Objective: To describe AML patients' experiences in the last six months of life regarding symptom burden, blood product utilization, and use of palliative care services. Methods: Exploratory analysis of prospectively collected patient-reported outcomes and healthcare utilization data during the last six months of life among 33 AML patients who died during a longitudinal observational study. Results: Symptom burden, quality of life (QOL), and psychological distress worsened with proximity to death. Of the 26 patients with utilization data, most (n = 24; 92.4%) were hospitalized in the last month of life, with 26.9% (n = 7) dying in the intensive care unit. Patients required a median of 16 red blood cell t...
The electronic health record as a patient engagement tool: mirroring clinicians' screen to create a shared mental model.

Objective Electronic health records (EHRs) in physician offices can both enhance and detract from the patient experience. Best practices have emerged focusing on screen sharing. We sought to determine if adding a second monitor, mirroring the EHR for patients, would be welcome and useful for patients and clinicians. Materials and Methods This mixed-method study was conducted in a general medicine clinic from March to June 2016. Clinicians and patients met in a specially equipped exam room with a patient-facing monitor. Visits were video-recorded to assess time spent viewing the EHR and followed by interviews, which were transcribed and analyzed using established qualitative methods. Results Eight clinicians and 24 patients participated. Main themes included the second screen serving as a catalyst for patient engagement, augmenting the clinic visit in a meaningful way, improving transparency of the care process and documentation, and providing a substantially different experience for patients than a shared single screen. Concerns and suggestions for improvement were also reported. Quantitative results showed high patient engagement times with the EHR (25% of the visit length) compared to reports in previous studies. The median satisfaction score was 5 out of 5 for patients and 3.3 out of 5 for clinicians. Discussion and Conclusion Providing patient access to the EHRs with this design was linked with several benefits including improved patient engagement, education, transparency, comprehension, and trust. Future studies should explore how best to display information in such screens for patients and identify impact on care, safety, and quality.
Immune response to subcutaneous implants of alginate microcapsules

Abstract In vivo implantation of biomaterials elicits myriad of immune interactions known as host inflammatory response. This immune response often undermines the efficiency and performance of implanted biomaterials, especially in the case of cell-encapsulated biomaterials. Here, we sought to study the host immune response towards alginate microcapsules following by subcutaneous implantation. Among various immune factors, we specifically focused on three key players i.e. macrophages, neutrophils, and collagen fibers. We implanted ultrapure low viscosity high gluronate (UPLVG) alginate capsules subcutaneously in the immunocompetent mice. Laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) was conducted to analyze the macrophage and neutrophils infiltration around and into the capsules. Trichrome staining was also performed to investigate the collagen fibrosis. Our findings suggest that while UPLVG capsules could block the infiltration of macrophages and neutrophils into the alginate microcapsules, they form a thick fibrotic layer forms around them.
The Emanative Psychology of Albertus Magnus

Examinant les sources de la psychologie emanante d'Albert le Grand, l'A. fait reference a Plotin, Porphyre, Macrobe, ainsi qu'a la tradition medicale concernant l'anatomie cerebrale et l'astrologie. Se referant a la theorie des hypostases du medecin juif Isaac Israeli, Albert le Grand emprunte les sources arabes de Plotin et defend l'idee d'emanations intrapsychiques entre Dieu, les intelligences et les âmes.
Looking 50 Years Back: Walter, on the Occasion of His 80th Birthday

It doesn’t exactly seem like yesterday but I was jolted when I was confronted by the fact that we first met more than fifty years ago — more than half a century. Whoever thought of celebrating your birthday with a volume of recollections of friends did everyone a favor. It should bring you great joy. For the contributors if affords them the opportunity to relive a part of their life with you in the background.
Global Path Planning Approaches for Material Movements in a Worksite

In various environments (e.g., manufacturing shopfloors, civil engineering construction sites, space) there is an increasing need to efficiently transport objects from locations to other locations. Although most practical material transportation robotic system built so far have been quite primitive, we believe that in many areas one can significantly gain in efficiency, reliability and flexibility by automatically planning the motions of the transportation devices. While process planning provides a high-level ‘logical’ and possibly ‘temporal’ specification of material movements, motion planning says how these movements are to be ‘physically’ carried out. Thus, motion planning is the natural intermediate stage between process planning and task execution. In this paper, we survey techniques for planning mobile robot paths among obstacles, which have been developed over the last few years. We focus on the so-called ‘global’ techniques. We describe in detail the three most common approaches, which are based on the notions of cell decomposition, free space retraction, and visibility graph, respectively. Within the first two approaches, we survey both the so-called exact and approximate techniques. Although this paper is far from exploring all the facets of motion planning, it gives a fundamental and detailed presentation of issues, which are of general interest to all motion planning problems. These issues are likely to be of prime importance in future material transportation systems.
Enterprise resource planning and business intelligence systems for information quality: an empirical analysis in the Italian setting

Enterprise systems, or enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, are modular systems that support multiple functions in an organization. ERP systems use consolidated data management and provide a...
Network-based likelihood modeling of event occurrences in space and time: a case study of traffic accidents in Dallas, Texas, USA

We propose a novel approach to network-based event likelihood modeling that estimates the probabilities of event occurrences on a network and identifies the influences of site and situation charact...
“Don’t Let Nobody Bring You Down”

This paper explores the engagement of African-American, Caribbean-American, and immigrant West African girls in the critical analysis and writing of poetry to make sense of their multi-dimensional lives. The authors worked with high-school aged girls from Brooklyn, New York who took part in a weekly school-based violence prevention program, and who became both ‘participants’ in an ethnographic research study with the authors and ‘poets’ as they creatively analyzed themes from research data. The girls cultivated a practice of reading and writing poetry that further explored dating and relationship violence, themes that emerged from the violence prevention program sessions and the ethnographic interviews. The girls then began to develop ‘poetic knowledge’ grounded in their lived experiences as urban Black girls. The authors offer that ‘participatory narrative analysis’ is an active strategy that urban Black girls enlist to foster individual and collective understanding and healing.
Clinical Overview of Obesity and Diabetes Mellitus as Risk Factors for Atrial Fibrillation and Sudden Cardiac Death

The epidemics of obesity and diabetes mellitus are associated with an increased incidence of both atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common sustained arrhythmia in adults, and sudden cardiac death (SCD). Obesity and DM are known to have adverse effects on cardiac structure and function. The pathologic mechanisms are thought to involve cardiac tissue remodeling, metabolic dysregulation, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Clinical data suggest that left atrial size, epicardial fat pad thickness, and other modifiable risk factors such as hypertension, glycemic control, and obstructive sleep apnea may mediate the association with AF. Data from human atrial tissue biopsies demonstrate alterations in atrial lipid content and evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction. With respect to ventricular arrhythmias, abnormalities such as long QT syndrome, frequent premature ventricular contractions, and left ventricular hypertrophy with diastolic dysfunction are commonly observed in obese and diabetic humans. The increased risk of SCD in this population may also be related to excessive cardiac lipid deposition and insulin resistance. While nutritional interventions have had limited success, perhaps due to poor long-term compliance, weight loss and improved cardiorespiratory fitness may reduce the frequency and severity of AF.
Adjuvant chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiation is associated with improved survival for resected stage I-II pancreatic cancer.

Background This National Cancer Database (NCDB) analysis evaluates the clinical outcomes of postoperative chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiation (C + CRT) compared to concurrent chemoradiation (CRT) alone or adjuvant chemotherapy alone (C) for resected pancreatic cancer. Methods The NCDB was queried for primary stage I-II, cT1-3N0-1M0, resected pancreatic adenocarcinoma treated with adjuvant C, CRT, or C + CRT (2004-2015). Patients treated with C + CRT were compared with those treated with C (cohort C) and CRT (cohort CRT). Baseline patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics were examined. Kaplan-Meier analysis, multivariable Cox proportional hazards method, forest plot, and propensity score matching were used. Results Among 5667 patients, median follow-up was 34.7, 45.2, and 39.7 months for the C, CRT, and C + CRT cohorts, respectively. By multivariable analysis for all patients, C and CRT had worse OS compared to C + CRT. Treatment interactions were seen among pathologically node-positive disease. C + CRT was favored in 1-3 and 4+ positive lymph node diseases when compared to C or CRT alone, but none of the treatment options were significantly favored in node negative disease. Using propensity score matching, 2152 patients for cohort C and 1774 patients for cohort CRT were matched. C + CRT remained significant for improved OS for both cohort C (median OS 23.3 vs 20.0 months) and cohort CRT (median OS 23.4 vs 20.8 months). Conclusion This NCDB study using propensity score matched analysis suggests an OS benefit for C + CRT compared to C or CRT alone following surgical resection of pancreatic cancer, particularly for patients with pathologically positive lymph nodes.
Effects of pressure on the structure and lattice dynamics of α-glycine: a combined experimental and theoretical study

α-Glycine is studied up to 50 GPa using synchrotron angle-dispersive X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and quantum chemistry calculations performed at multiples levels of theory. Results from both XRD and Raman experiments reveal an extended pressure stability of the α phase up to 50 GPa and the room temperature (RT) equation of state (EOS) was determined up to this pressure. This extended stability is corroborated by density functional theory (DFT) based calculations using the USPEX evolutionary structural search algorithm. Two calculated EOSs, as determined by DFT at T = 0 K and semiempirical density functional tight-binding (DFTB) at RT, and the calculated Raman modes frequencies show a good agreement with the corresponding experimental results. Our work provides a definitive phase diagram and EOS for α-glycine up to 50 GPa, which informs prebiotic synthesis scenarios that can involve pressures well in excess of 10 GPa.
Regulation of c-myc gene transcription in B lymphocytes: mechanisms of negative and positive control.

Transcription of the c-myc oncogene is stringently regulated. To begin to elucidate the mechanisms of transcriptional control, we have studied growth arrest of the B cell lymphoma WEHI 231 and mitogenic stimulation of quiescent splenic B lymphocytes. In these systems, transcription of c-myc is subject to negative and positive regulation, respectively. We have used DNA gel-retardation assays employing nuclear extracts prepared from exponentially growing or growth arrested WEHI 231 cells to characterize protein-DNA interactions within segments of the putative dehancer region, which has been implicated in the transcriptional down-modulation of c-myc. We find that decreased transcription is associated with specific changes in a relatively complex pattern of binding of proteins to sequences within this regulatory region. Furthermore, evidence suggests that some of this binding may involve protein-protein interactions. For activation of quiescent murine splenic B lymphocytes, two signals are required. As noted previously, these can be delivered in a competence/progression type manner by goat anti-mouse immunoglobulin antibody (GaMIg) and cytochalasin D (CD). Here we demonstrate that the synergy of action of these two signals on c-myc RNA levels can be accounted for by changes in the rate of transcription. We find that GaMIg “primes” the gene in such a manner that its responsiveness to CD is enhanced. These systems now allow us to dissect the signals involved in transcriptional control of this proto-oncogene.
HIGH FREQUENCY NOISE IN SCHOTTKY BARRIER DIODES

A program of systematic noise measurements on Schottky barrier diodes was carried out at microwave frequencies, in order to determine the noise temperature as a function of both frequency and bias. The diode model was extended to include the effects of the transit time on the noise. This takes into account that some electrons have insufficient kinetic energy to cross the barrier of the junction. Excellent agreement was found between the measured results and the theoretical analysis.
Organ Responses and Organ Support

Severe burn injury is a massive physiologic insult to the human body. The trauma to tissue caused by large burns results in an intense immune-inflammatory and hypermetabolic response that can be greater than other forms of severe critical illness and trauma. Critical care is a process of frequent physiologic monitoring coupled with procedural or pharmacologic interventions done in real time to address the patient’s current clinical status. This chapter details the organ-specific responses to the physiologic stress of burn injury and what is currently being done in burn intensive care units to support organs that are injured or failing as a consequence of the systemic response to burn injury.
Direct Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing on Clinical Urine Samples by Optical Tracking of Single Cell Division Events.

With the increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance, the need to develop antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) technologies is urgent. The current challenge has been to perform the antibiotic susceptibility testing in short time, directly with clinical samples, and with antibiotics over a broad dynamic range of clinically relevant concentrations. Here, a technology for point-of-care diagnosis of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in urinary tract infections, by imaging the clinical urine samples directly with an innovative large volume solution scattering imaging (LVSi) system and analyzing the image sequences with a single-cell division tracking method is developed. The high sensitivity of single-cell division tracking associated with large volume imaging enables rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing directly on the clinical urine samples. The results demonstrate direct detection of bacterial infections in 60 clinical urine samples with a 60 min LVSi video, and digital AST of 30 positive clinical samples with 100% categorical agreement with both the clinical culture results and the on-site agar plating validation results. This technology provides opportunities for precise antibiotic prescription and proper treatment of the patient within a single clinic visit.
Increasing the Number of Installed Residential Heat Pump Water Heaters in the USA Through Improved Technology and Utility Programs

Heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) offer an efficient alternative to electric resistance water heaters, but they suffer from limited market penetration. This paper reviews the current state of HPWHs in the USA, focusing on technology developments and programs to increase adoption. What technological improvements are needed to make HPWHs a good fit in more homes? What are the best ways of promoting HPWHs to consumers? Improved communication and controls will allow HPWHs to provide demand response and follow dynamic utility rates. To enable fuel-switching, HPWHs are being developed that only need a standard 120V outlet. Split HPWHs can alleviate the cooling and noise that limit the use of HPWHs in small homes, multifamily buildings, and cold climates. Additionally, new utility programs aim to train installers and provide incentives to distributors to increase the number of HPWHs installed. Some utilities offer novel incentive programs that have led to increased customer uptake. Those advances, coupled with improved controls for load shifting and new products such as split HPWHs and HPWHs that can run on 120V power, may finally move the market forward.
The Role of Radiation Therapy for Symptomatic Desmoid Tumors

Desmoid tumors have a variable clinical course that ranges from indolence or spontaneous regression to an aggressive pattern marked by local invasion. Up to half may remain stable or regress; watchful waiting is the preferred approach in the initial management of desmoid tumors. Symptomatic or progressive tumors or those that may affect adjacent critical structures require surgery, radiotherapy, or systemic therapy. Although radiotherapy effectively controls desmoid tumors in most cases, concerns regarding late toxicity exist. Definitive radiotherapy for macroscopic disease is indicated when a non-morbid complete surgical resection cannot be accomplished and provides similar control rates to surgery plus radiotherapy but avoids toxicity from combined-modality treatment (surgery and radiotherapy). Adjuvant radiotherapy can be considered for microscopically involved margins, particularly for recurrent cases or when a future recurrence may be challenging to treat. Large size, extremity site, and younger age are poor prognostic factors after radiotherapy. In the extremity, radiotherapy may have superior outcomes to surgery. Younger patients, especially children, are challenging to manage as they are at particular risk for late toxicity due to the number of potential years at risk. For patients under 20 years old, for whom a non-morbid complete resection is not possible, we recommend systemic therapy as the first line of treatment. Although the long-term efficacy of systemic therapy is unproven, this strategy allows additional time for growth and development prior to radiotherapy. In younger patients and those with axial desmoid tumors adjacent to critical organs, consideration should be given to using proton therapy as the dosimetric advantages may mitigate some of the toxicity associated with conventional radiotherapy.
Gluten-Free Breadmaking: Facts, Issues, and Future

Gluten-free foods have attracted increased attention in the food industry due to health issues (i.e., celiac disease and other gluten-related disorders) associated with gluten and the changes in eating habits, such as following gluten-free diet (GFD). Among this food segment, gluten-free (GF) bread plays a crucial role because of the stable consumption of bread in many parts of the world. The increasing demands for GF breads require new approaches to mimic wheat-based bread in terms of the quality, sensory attributes, shelf-life stability, and nutritional value. Therefore, various ingredients have been used for GF bread formulation to mimic gluten-network and to obtain a favorable bread quality along with a good dough characteristic. Alternative ingredients (i.e., flours from pulses and pseudocereals, and proteins sources) have been engineered to improve nutritional profile and health benefits of GF bread as well as sensory and texture attributes of bread. Sourdough biotechnology and novel technologies are potential approaches to address the need for GF bread processing system. This chapter summarizes the issues associated with health, GF ingredients for breadmaking process, and technologies employed for GF breadmaking process.
Understanding the Clinical Impact of MUC5AC Expression on Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Mucin-5AC (MUC5AC) is a heavily glycosylated gel-forming secreted mucin with a reliable prognostic value when detected in multiple malignancies. It is highly prevalent (70%) in PDA and is nonexistent in normal pancreatic tissues. Retrospective studies on PDA tumor tissue (detected by immunohistochemistry or IHC)) have investigated the prognostic value of MUC5AC expression but were equivocal. Some studies associated it with poor outcomes (survival or pathological features such as lymph node disease, vascular/neural invasion in resected tumors), while others have concluded that it is a good prognostic marker. The examination of expression level threshold (5%, 10%, or 25%) and the detected region (apical vs. cytoplasmic) were variable among the studies. The maturation stage and glycoform of MUC5AC detected also differed with the Monoclonal antibody (Mab) employed for IHC. CLH2 detects less mature/less glycosylated versions while 45M1 or 21-1 detect mature/more glycosylated forms. Interestingly, aberrantly glycosylated variants of MUC5AC were detected using lectin assays (Wheat Germ Agglutinin-MUC5AC), and Mabs such as NPC-1C and PAM4 have are more specific to malignant pancreatic tissues. NPC-1C and PAM4 antibody reactive epitopes on MUC5AC are immunogenic and could represent specific changes on the native MUC5AC glycoprotein linked to carcinogenesis. It was never studied to predict treatment response.