cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional IL-10 Deficiency in the Lung of Cystic Fibrosis (cftr−/−) and IL-10 Knockout Mice Causes Increased Expression and Function of B7 Costimulatory Molecules on Alveolar Macrophages

Alveolar macrophages are poor APCs that only minimally express B7 costimulatory molecules. Because our previous data suggest that bronchial epithelial cells constitutively secrete IL-10, and IL-10 inhibits B7 expression in vitro, we hypothesized that this IL-10 is responsible for suppressing B7 expression on macrophages that enter the airways. Furthermore, because we have shown that cystic fibrosis (CF) lungs are deficient in IL-10, we hypothesized that bronchoalveolar macrophages (BALMs) from cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)(-/-) as well as IL-10(-/-) mice might express increased B7. Immunofluorescence for B7 was positive on BALMs from CF patients and CFTR(-/-) and IL-10(-/-) mice, but was negative on controls. FACS showed that 63.9% of BALMs from IL-10(-/-) mice were B7-1 positive, as were 67.4% of BALMs from CFTR(-/-) mice, whereas <7% of BALMs from wild-type controls were positive. Using BALMs to costimulate splenic T cells with anti-CD3 as a mitogen showed 9202 +/- 2107 cpm [(3)H]thymidine incorporation for BALMs from IL-10(-/-) mice and 4082 +/- 1036 cpm for BALMs from CFTR(-/-) mice, but <200 cpm with BALMs from either type of +/+ mouse. Treatment of CFTR(-/-) mice with recombinant mouse IL-10 reduced the B7 expression and costimulatory activity of the BALMs. These data suggest that the IL-10 secreted in the healthy lung may be responsible for the absence of B7 and poor costimulatory activity of BALMs and that reductions of pulmonary IL-10 in CF may enhance B7 expression and local immune responses.
Operations management curricula: literature review and analysis

Abstract A review and analysis of studies on the interface between Operations Management (OM) academicians and industry practitioners indicate the existence of a persistent gap between what is being taught and what is relevant to practitioners in their daily jobs. The majority of practitioner studies have been directed at upper management levels, yet academia typically educates students for entry level or management trainee (undergraduate) and midmanagement (MBA) positions. A recurring finding was that academicians prefer to teach quantitative techniques while practitioners favor quantitative concepts. The OM curricula literature shows some disagreements between academicians concerning subject matter, and a wide variety of teaching opinions. This paper provides an extensive analytical review of OM curricula literature along with their respective authors’ conclusions. From this analysis we suggest a customer-focused business plan to close the gap between industry and academia. This plan can be modified to ...
Art in Science: The Gross Clinic by Thomas Eakins

For most of recorded history, art has been both an aesthetic experience as well as a method of education and commentary. At times, art illustrates and interprets the world around us, teaches or conveys a message without the need for written language or even literacy, records an historical event, or provides opinion. Some works of art are examples of this entire spectrum of opportunity. We will use The Gross Clinic, a painting by the American artist Thomas Eakins (1844–1916), to explore these concepts (Fig. 1).
Variations in pediatric trauma transfer patterns in Northern California pediatric trauma centers (2001-2009).

BACKGROUND: Due to the scarcity of specialized resources for pediatric trauma, "regionalization," or a system designed to get "the right child, to the right place, at the right time," is vital to quality pediatric trauma care. In Northern California, four pediatric trauma centers serve 3.9 million children within a geographically diverse area of 113,630 square miles. A significant proportion of children with trauma is initially triaged to nontrauma hospitals and may require subsequent transfer to a specialty center. Trauma transfer patterns to a pediatric trauma center may provide insight into regional primary triage practices. Transfers from hospitals in close proximity to pediatric trauma centers might suggest that some children could have avoided transfer with minimal additional transport time. While pediatric trauma centers are scarce and serve as regional resources, transfers from beyond the regular catchment area of a trauma center could be an indication of clinical need. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to gain an understanding of patterns of pediatric trauma transfer to all pediatric trauma centers within the region as a first step in assessing the efficacy and efficiency of trauma triage. The authors examined three groups of transfer patients: transfers from within the same county as the pediatric trauma center (near transfers), transfers from counties adjacent to the pediatric trauma center (catchment transfers), and transfers from more distant counties (far transfers). The hypothesis was that catchment transfers would form the bulk of transfers, near transfers would compose METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of institutional trauma registry data of children RESULTS: A total of 2,852 of 11,952 (23.9%) pediatric trauma patients were transfers. Near transfers comprised 24.5% of cases, catchment transfers were 37.4%, and far transfers were 38.2%. After controlling for demographic, clinical, and geographic factors, younger age, higher Injury Severity Score (ISS), public versus private insurance, and an injury mechanism of "fall" were associated with near transfer rather than direct triage. Older age, higher ISS, and mechanism of "motor vehicle crash" were associated with far rather than catchment transfer. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis of patterns of transfer to all pediatric trauma centers within Northern California gives the most comprehensive population view of pediatric trauma triage to date, to the authors' knowledge. Trauma transfers comprise an important minority of patients cared for at pediatric trauma centers. The number of near transfers documented indicates the potential to improve the primary triage process of patients to pediatric trauma centers. The frequency of far transfers substantiates the well-known shortage of pediatric trauma expertise. Development of regionwide standardized transfer protocols and agreements between hospitals, as well as standardized monitoring of the process and outcomes, could increase efficiency of care. Language: en
Shear-zone model for the origin of metamorphic core complexes

Core-complex tectonite results from simple-shear rotational strain within regional ductile shear zones that have accommodated a Tertiary crustal stretching. The emplacement of younger and/or upper-level nontectonite rocks on older and/or deeper level tectonites is the ordinary and predictable result of normal-slip translation along shear zones that cut upward through the local geologic column. Progressive deformation produces a structural stratigraphy marked, from bottom to top, by normal country-rock protolith, mylonitic gneiss, tectonite carapace, microbrecciated tectonite, microbreccia, decollement, and upper-plate detachment rocks (as young as mid-Miocene). The reconstructions suggest that local regional crustal stretching locally exceeded 100%.
A self-diplexing quasi-optical magic slot balanced mixer

Drawing on the principles of operation of the magic tee balanced mixer, a quasi-optical magic slot balanced mixer is proposed. The mixer exploits a diametrically fed annular slot radiator which radiates two orthogonal polarizations which are used as signal and local oscillator input ports. The idea has been tested at microwave frequencies. The measured radiation impedances, radiation patterns and conversion efficiency show that reasonable performance is readily obtained over a 30% bandwidth and that this quasi-optical balanced mixer is suitable for submillimeter wave applications. >
Utilizing Depth Sensors for Analyzing Multimodal Presentations: Hardware, Software and Toolkits

Body language plays an important role in learning processes and communication. For example, communication research produced evidence that mathematical knowledge can be embodied in gestures made by teachers and students. Likewise, body postures and gestures are also utilized by speakers in oral presentations to convey ideas and important messages. Consequently, capturing and analyzing non-verbal behaviors is an important aspect in multimodal learning analytics (MLA) research. With regard to sensing capabilities, the introduction of depth sensors such as the Microsoft Kinect has greatly facilitated research and development in this area. However, the rapid advancement in hardware and software capabilities is not always in sync with the expanding set of features reported in the literature. For example, though Anvil is a widely used state-of-the-art annotation and visualization toolkit for motion traces, its motion recording component based on OpenNI is outdated. As part of our research in developing multimodal educational assessments, we began an effort to develop and standardize algorithms for purposes of multimodal feature extraction and creating automated scoring models. This paper provides an overview of relevant work in multimodal research on educational tasks, and proceeds to summarize our work using multimodal sensors in developing assessments of communication skills, with attention on the use of depth sensors. Specifically, we focus on the task of public speaking assessment using Microsoft Kinect. Additionally, we introduce an open-source Python package for computing expressive body language features from Kinect motion data, which we hope will benefit the MLA research community.
Current and emerging drug options in the treatment of diarrhea predominant irritable bowel syndrome.

Introduction: Irritable bowel syndrome diarrhea predominant (IBS-D) is a highly prevalent GI disease, affecting nearly a third of all patients diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome. Current treatment options are limited.Areas covered: This review discusses the pharmacotherapeutic options for IBS-D including currently used medications, the two newly FDA approved medications, as well as emerging therapies with potential benefit in IBS-D. Particular emphasis is placed on rifaximin and eluxadoline and their possible use in IBS-D.Expert Opinion: Current pharmacological treatment of IBS-D includes loperamide, bile acid sequestrants, antispasmodics, tricyclic antidepressants, alosetron, eluxadoline and rifaximin. The latter two treatments have significantly added to the pharmacotherapeutic options for patients suffering from IBS-D.
Vascular patterns in immobilized, denervated, or devascularized rabbit limbs.

Using an injection technique, the vascular pattern in the hind limbs of rabbits was studied by means of roentgenograms. The right hind limbs of these animals were immobilized by plaster cast, by cast and skeletal pins, and by internal pin fixation of the ankle and knee joints. In addition, denervation, femoral-artery ligation, and tenotomy were done in other animals. The changes in vascular pattern noted after cast immobilization were dilatation of the main arteries and increased vascularization about knee and ankle joints. After internal fixation alone similar changes occurred, except that there was no dilatation of the main arteries. Increased arborization of small muscle vessels was noted after femoral-artery ligation. Diminished vessel size and bizarre vascular patterns were noted after both denervation and tenotomy.
Personality and persuasion in computer-mediated communication

When a group faces a barrage of information pieces for a decision, persuasion is important for reaching a consensus. However, there is lack of related research in systems and technology domain regarding whether individuals characterised by having different personalities exhibit differences. To fill the gap, this work investigates the interactive impact of communication modes and personality on persuasion. Need-for-cognition, extraversion, and agreeableness are hypothesised to interact with use of face-to-face and text technology used in decision making to influence the process of persuasion. A task survival game featuring various pieces of information used in order to simulate the group decision environment. Based on the results, no significant interactions have been found for agreeableness or need-for-cognition. A group using text-based communication technology appears to be similarly effective in reaching a decision as using face-to-face in workspaces. Findings indicate that even though there is no significant change in persuasion based on extraversion in text communication mode, in face-to-face decision making mode, extraverted individuals are less persuaded. These findings provide practitioners with the necessary insights for improving the design of technology devices.
Properties of Ceramic-Coated Nuclear-Fuel Particles

Of the several factors tending toward failure of fuel-particle coatings in irradiation, fuel swelling and radiation damage to the first 15–20 μm of coating by fission recoils are concluded to- dese...
Electron Acceptors Based on α-Substituted Perylene Diimide (PDI) for Organic Solar Cells

Perylene diimide (PDI) derivatives functionalized at the ortho-position (αPPID, αPBDT) were synthesized and used as electron acceptors in non-fullerene organic photovoltaic cells. Because of the good planarity and strong π-stacking of ortho-functionalized PDI, the αPPID and αPBDT exhibit a strong tendency to form aggregates, which endow the materials with high electron mobility. The inverted OPVs employing αPDI-based compounds as the acceptors and PBT7-Th as the donor give the highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) values: 4.92% for αPBDT-based devices and 3.61% for αPPID-based devices, which are, respectively, 39% and 4% higher than that of their β-substituted counterparts βPBDT and βPPID. Charge separation studies show more efficient exciton dissociation at interfaces between αPDI-based compounds and PTB7-Th. The results suggest that α-substituted PDI derivatives are more promising electron acceptors for organic photovoltaic (OPV) components than β-isomers.
Probabilistic updating of building models using incomplete modal data

Abstract This paper investigates a new probabilistic strategy for Bayesian model updating using incomplete modal data. Direct mode matching between the measured and the predicted modal quantities is not required in the updating process, which is realized through model reduction. A Markov chain Monte Carlo technique with adaptive random-walk steps is proposed to draw the samples for model parameter uncertainty quantification. The iterated improved reduced system technique is employed to update the prediction error as well as to calculate the likelihood function in the sampling process. Since modal quantities are used in the model updating, modal identification is first carried out to extract the natural frequencies and mode shapes through the acceleration measurements of the structural system. The proposed algorithm is finally validated by both numerical and experimental examples: a 10-storey building with synthetic data and a 8-storey building with shaking table test data. Results illustrate that the proposed algorithm is effective and robust for parameter uncertainty quantification in probabilistic model updating of buildings.
A Bayesian variable selection method for joint diagnosis of manufacturing process and sensor faults

ABSTRACTThis article presents a Bayesian variable selection–based diagnosis approach to simultaneously identify both process mean shift faults and sensor mean shift faults in manufacturing processes. The proposed method directly models the probability of fault occurrence and can easily incorporate prior knowledge on the probability of a fault occurrence. Important concepts are introduced to understand the diagnosability of the proposed method. A guideline on how to select the values of hyper-parameters is given. A conditional maximum likelihood method is proposed as an alternative method to provide robustness to the selection of some key model parameters. Systematic simulation studies are used to provide insights on the relationship between the success of the diagnosis method and related system structure characteristics. A real assembly example is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed diagnosis method.
Development of a diffusion-based mathematical model for predicting chemotherapy effects

Mathematical modeling of drug transport can complement current experimental and clinical investigations to understand drug resistance mechanisms, which eventually will help to develop patient-specific chemotherapy treatments. In this paper, we present a general time- and space-dependent mathematical model based on diffusion theory for predicting chemotherapy outcome. This model has two important parameters: the blood volume fraction and radius of blood vessels divided by drug diffusion penetration length. Model analysis finds that a larger ratio of the radius of blood vessel to diffusion penetration length resulted in to a larger fraction of tumor killed, thereby leading to a better treatment outcome. Clinical translation of the model can help quantify and predict the optimal dosage size and frequency of chemotherapy for individual patients.
Comparison of Heat Transfer Measurement Devices in Arc Jet Flows with Shear

*† ‡ This paper presents results of an arc jet test campaign and analyses to identify the sources of measurement errors. The primary objective of the tests was to evaluate different instruments available for measuring convective heat flux in an arc-heated gas flow to wedge test bodies in a shear environment and at the stagnation point of blunt cylinders. The campaign evaluated four types of heat flux sensors: 1) slug calorimeters, 2) Gardon gages, 3) null-point calorimeters, and 4) thin-skin calorimeters. Results from each of the devices agreed reasonably well in stagnation flow, but not so well in shear flow. We performed numerical modeling of the responses of the various devices in an effort to better understand the differences and to quantify the errors. Gardon gages with dimples in them were found to under-report the heat transfer by 6%. Gaps on slug calorimeters were found to admit small amounts of side-wall heating that contributed on the order of 1% to the overall heating on the slug. Null-point calorimeters agreed with thin-skin calorimeters in stagnation, but not in shear environments. We explored catalytic heating effects: The results seem to indicate that the various heat transfer devices may not be as catalytic as we had previously thought.
Institutional factors beyond procedural volume significantly impact center variability in outcomes after orthotopic heart transplantation.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the contribution of institutional volume and other unmeasured institutional factors beyond volume to the between-center variability in outcomes after orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). BACKGROUND It is unclear if institutional factors beyond volume have a significant impact on OHT outcomes. METHODS The United Network for Organ Sharing registry was used to identify OHTs performed between 2000 and 2010. Separate mixed-effect logistic regression models were constructed, with the primary endpoint being post-OHT mortality. Model A included only individual centers, model B added validated recipient and donor risk indices as well as the year of transplantation, and model C added institutional volume as a continuous variable to model B. The reduction in between-center variability in mortality between models B and C was used to define the contribution of institutional volume. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were also compared after stratifying patients into equal-size tertiles based on center volume. RESULTS A total of 119 centers performed OHT in 19,156 patients. After adjusting for transplantation year and differences in recipient and donor risk, decreasing center volume was associated with an increased risk of 1-year mortality (P < 0.001). However, procedural volume only accounted for 16.7% of the variability in mortality between centers, and significant between-center variability persisted after adjusting for institutional volume (P<0.001). In Kaplan-Meier analysis, there was significant variability in 1-year survival between centers within each volume category: low-volume (66.7%-96.6%), intermediate-volume (80.7%-97.3%), and high-volume (83.8%-93.9%). These trends were also observed with 5-year mortality. CONCLUSIONS This large-cohort analysis demonstrates that although institutional volume is a significant predictor of post-OHT outcomes, there are other unmeasured institutional factors that contribute substantially to the between-center variability in outcomes. Institutional volume should therefore not be the sole indicator of "center quality" in OHT.
All-Season Climatology and Variability of Atmospheric River Frequencies over the North Pacific

AbstractRecent work on atmospheric rivers (ARs) has led to a characterization of these impactful features as primarily cold-season phenomena. Here, an all-season analysis of AR incidence in the North Pacific basin is performed for the period spanning 1979–2014 using the NASA Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) reanalysis dataset. An occurrence-based detection algorithm is developed and employed to identify and characterize ARs in instantaneous fields of anomalous vertically integrated water vapor transport. The all-season climatology and variability of AR frequencies due to the seasonal cycle, the El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO), and their interactions are presented based on composites of the detected features. The results highlight that ARs exist throughout the year over the North Pacific, although their preferred locations shift substantially throughout the year. This seasonal cycle manifests itself as northward and westward di...
A Queer Feeling for Plato: corporeal affects, philosophical hermeneutics, and queer receptions

AbstractThis paper takes Plato's metaphor of poetic transmission as magnetic charge in the Ion as a central trope for thinking through the various relationships between philosophy and literature; between poetry, interpretation, and truth; and between erotic affects and the material, corporeal, queer dimensions of reception. The affective dimensions of the Platonic text in the Ion, Republic, Symposium, and Phaedrus are examined at length, and the explicit accounts of ascent to philosophical truth are shown to be complicated by the persistence of tropes of corporeal and affective downgoing, with particular attention afforded to the figures of Eros, Hermes, and shame. The paper argues for an unbroken connection between these scenes of classical philosophy and the emergence of homosexuality in relation to the study of the classics in Victorian England.
Computed tomography of the head in adults.

(1976). Computed tomography of the head in adults. Postgraduate Medicine: Vol. 60, No. 2, pp. 113-119.
Emerging biological therapies for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes

ABSTRACTIntroduction: No drug has resulted in a survival advantage in patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). While hypomethylating agents (HMA) have revolutionized treatment options for patients with higher-risk MDS, the prognosis remains dismal after HMA treatment failure. Novel effective therapies are urgently needed especially after HMA failure.Areas covered: This review covers the current approach to disease prognostication and risk-adaptive therapy, as well as novel therapeutic approaches. We discuss the recent advancements in the understanding of MDS disease biology as a basis of targeted drug development. Several classes of novel agents are reviewed including drugs targeting dysregulated epigenetic control mechanisms, signaling pathways, abnormal splicing, as well as agents that target the immune system and the MDS bone marrow niche.Expert opinion: Significant advancements in the understanding of the underlying biology of MDS are only starting to be translated into novel treatmen...
Engineered knottin peptides as diagnostics, therapeutics, and drug delivery vehicles

Inhibitor cystine-knots, also known as knottins, are a structural family of ultra-stable peptides with diverse functions. Knottins and related backbone-cyclized peptides called cyclotides contain three disulfide bonds connected in a particular arrangement that endows these peptides with high thermal, proteolytic, and chemical stability. Knottins have gained interest as candidates for non-invasive molecular imaging and for drug development as they can possess the pharmacological properties of small molecules and the target affinity and selectively of protein biologics. Naturally occurring knottins are clinically approved for treating chronic pain and GI disorders. Combinatorial methods are being used to engineer knottins that can bind to other clinically relevant targets in cancer, and inflammatory and cardiac disease. This review details recent examples of engineered knottin peptides; their use as molecular imaging agents, therapeutics, and drug delivery vehicles; modifications that can be introduced to improve peptide folding and bioactivity; and future perspectives and challenges in the field.
Evaluation of a model of organic acid flavor thresholds in beer

A formula that successfully models the flavor thresholds in beer of organic acids as a function of their molecular properties (R 2 = 0.905) was previously developed. The predictive ability of the model was evaluated by internal and external validation. Cross-validation of the original data set produced an R 2 of 0.842, which represents a more conservative estimate of the model's predictive ability. Flavor threshold determinations were attempted with four acids whose thresholds in beer were not available in the literature. In three of the four cases (benzoic, fumaric, and sorbic acids), the solubility limit of the acid in beer was exceeded before the threshold was encountered. The observed threshold for heptanoic acid (2.3 mg/L) was reasonably close to the model prediction (18 mg/L). The model was also used to make predictions for acids other than those used to construct the model. The two acids that had structures similar to those in the original data set, isobutyric and isovaleric, showed reasonably close agreement between observation and prediction. For two acids unlike any in the original data set, phenylacetic and gallic, predictions were wildly inaccurate.
Financial Reporting Quality and Auditor Locality Contagion

SUMMARY: Research in information economics seeks to understand how the actions of one individual affect the decisions of related individuals. We examine this issue in the context of information contagion between audit offices in the same locality. Specifically, we investigate whether contagion among Big N audit offices in the same metropolitan statistical area (MSA) causes their client firms' financial reporting quality to correlate. We document a relation between overstatement of earnings for one firm (as evidenced by a subsequent restatement) and higher abnormal accruals for another firm in that same year, where both firms' auditors are located in the same MSA. The correlation in reporting quality is consistent with contagion in practices between auditors. We also find evidence that auditor competition is one channel through which information contagion occurs. The between-audit office contagion we document is incremental to within-audit office contagion documented by prior research. Our evidence is impo...
An SOI-MEMS Piezoelectric Torsional Stage With Bulk Piezoresistive Sensors

This paper presents a micro-electromechanical stage for out-of-plane positioning of microcantilevers designed for atomic force microscopes. The stage produces an out-of-plane displacement using a torsional mechanism that exploits piezoelectric clamped-guided beams as actuators. To measure the torsional displacement of the stage, novel differential piezoresistive sensors are implemented. These sensors feature clamped-guided beams that exploit the bulk piezoresistivity of silicon. Using this sensing concept eliminates the requirement to fabricate highly doped regions on the flexures. An analytical model is provided that describes the sensor’s linearity. The sensor, the microcantilevers, and the mechanical features of the stage are experimentally characterized. The first resonance frequency of the stage is located at 7.8 kHz, and a static out-of-plane displacement of more than 1.2 $\mu \text{m}$ is obtained. In addition, the piezoresistive sensor captures the dynamics of the stage within a bandwidth of 13 kHz with a $1\sigma $ -resolution of 3 nm.
The growth of US science and technology parks: does proximity to a university matter?

In this paper, we present a generalized model of US university science and technology parks, and we identify covariates that might serve as target variables not only to perpetuate the growth of existing parks but also to provide information for those nations, regions, and universities starting new parks. Relevant covariates are the distance between the park and the university and if the park was founded during the information and communications technology (ICT) revolution (post-2000).
The Effect of N-Terminal Cyclization on the Function of the HIV Entry Inhibitor 5P12-RANTES

Despite effective treatment for those living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), there are still two million new infections each year. Protein-based HIV entry inhibitors, being highly effective and specific, could be used to protect people from initial infection. One of the most promising of these for clinical use is 5P12-RANTES, a variant of the chemokine RANTES/CCL5. The N-terminal amino acid of 5P12-RANTES is glutamine (Gln; called Q0), a residue that is prone to spontaneous cyclization when at the N-terminus of a protein. It is not known how this cyclization affects the potency of the inhibitor or whether cyclization is necessary for the function of the protein, although the N-terminal region of RANTES has been shown to be critical for receptor interactions, with even small changes having a large effect. We have studied the kinetics of cyclization of 5P12-RANTES as well as N-terminal variations of the protein that either produce an identical cyclized terminus (Glu0) or that cannot similarly cyclize (Asn0, Phe0, Ile0, and Leu0). We find that the half life for N-terminal cyclization of Gln is roughly 20 h at pH 7.3 at 37 °C. However, our results show that cyclization is not necessary for the potency of this protein and that several replacement terminal amino acids produce nearly-equally potent HIV inhibitors while remaining CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) antagonists. This work has ramifications for the production of active 5P12-RANTES for use in the clinic, while also opening the possibility of developing other inhibitors by varying the N-terminus of the protein.
Precise starshade stationkeeping and pointing with a Zernike wavefront sensor

Starshades, large occulters positioned tens of thousands of kilometers in front of space telescopes, offer one of the few paths to imaging and characterizing Earth-like extrasolar planets. However, for a starshade to generate a sufficiently dark shadow on the telescope, the two must be coaligned to just 1 meter laterally, even at these large separations. The principal challenge to achieving this level of control is in determining the position of the starshade with respect to the space telescope. In this paper, we present numerical simulations and laboratory results demonstrating that a Zernike wavefront sensor coupled to a WFIRST-type telescope is able to deliver the stationkeeping precision required, by measuring light outside of the science wavelengths. The sensor can determine the starshade lateral position to centimeter level in seconds of open shutter time for stars brighter than eighth magnitude, with a capture range of 10 meters. We discuss the potential for fast (ms) tip/tilt pointing control at the milli-arcsecond level by illuminating the sensor with a laser mounted on the starshade. Finally, we present early laboratory results.
Vector vs. raster representations of 3D ridges for propagation modeling over terrains

Digital terrain elevation data (DTED) is usually represented in raster form where the elevations are given at each cell (or point) in a regular grid. Raster forms are simple and widely used for radio propagation modeling. But a raster form does not explicitly have some key terrain features which are important to propagation modeling, such as peaks and ridges. In this paper, we propose a vector form terrain model which directly represents three-dimensional terrain structures (e.g., ridges) and can provide more accurate description of the propagation environments. It can also improve the accuracy for the calculation of diffracted field due to mountainous structures. The advantages and drawbacks of the vector form terrain model are discussed.
‘You opened my mind’: Latinx immigrant and receiving community interactional dynamics in the United States

Communities are continually shaped by immigration. As immigrants join receiving community members as members of the same community, all must co-navigate emergent and evolving relationships. These intergroup relations can range from quite positive, marked by mutual enrichment and engagement, to quite negative, marked by prejudice and discrimination. This study seeks to illuminate immigrant and receiving community member relations by exploring what factors play a role in each group's attitudes and actions toward, and experiences with, one another. Thirty first- and second-generation immigrants from Latin America and 30 third-generation or more U.S.-born respondents participated in semistructured interviews, which were thematically analyzed. Results indicated that while both intergroup contact (Allport, 1954) and the formation of common in-group identities (Gaertner, Dovidio, & Bachman, 1996) helped to create positive intergroup relations, numerous personal characteristics–including values and beliefs, visible features, and relative power–affected experiences and attitudes. Further, in the absence of knowledge based on direct contact, media played a strong role in shaping attitudes toward both groups of community members. These findings show how attitudes and actions of immigrants and receiving community members are each shaped by experiences, or lack thereof, between these groups. Moreover, this pathway is iterative and reciprocal. Therefore, efforts aimed at increasing and improving positive intergroup relations must consider the bidirectional iterative process and experiences of both groups.
Role of communication network topology in controlling microbial population in consortia

Engineering microbial consortia is an important new frontier for synthetic biology given its efficiency in performing complex tasks and endurance to environmental uncertainty. Most synthetic circuits regulate population level behaviors via cell-to-cell communications, which are affected by spatially heterogeneous environments. Therefore, it is important to understand the limits on controlling system dynamics that are determined by interconnections among cell agents and provide a control strategy for engineering consortia. Here, we build a network model for a fractional population control circuit in two-strain consortia, and characterize the cell-to-cell communication network by topological properties, such as symmetry, locality and connectivity. Using linear network control theory, we relate the network topology to system output tracking performance. We analytically and numerically demonstrate that the minimum network control energy for accurate tracking depends on locality difference between two cell populations and how strongly the controller node contributes to communication strength. To realize robust consortia, we can manipulate the communication network topology and construct strongly connected consortia by altering chemicals in environments. Our results ground the expected cell population dynamics in its spatially organized communication network, and inspire directions in cooperative control in microbial consortia.
Shamisen skin on the verge of extinction: musical sustainability and non-scalability of cultural loss

This article explores a cultural preservation project in Japan led by members of the Society for the Preservation of the Sound of Traditional Japanese Musical Instruments for the Next Generation. T...
Analysis of Automated Flow Line Systems with Repair Crew Interference

The interrelations between production and maintenance are mostly neglected during the design phase of automated production systems. Thus, the relevant performance measures of a planned production system like throughput time, production rate, work in process etc. are often estimated inaccurately. The paper presents an analytical approach for performance evaluation of an automated flow line system (AFLS) which takes into account the dependency between the production and the repair system. The suggested model and solution approach are particularly helpful in the initial design phase as well as during a redesign process in order to evaluate alternative configurations of the planned production and repair system.
The habitable exoplanet imaging mission (HabEx): science goals and projected capabilities (Conference Presentation)

The Habitable-Exoplanet Imaging Mission (HabEx) is a candidate flagship mission being studied by NASA and the astrophysics community in preparation of the 2020 Decadal Survey. The HabEx mission concept is a large (~4 to 6.5m) diffraction-limited optical space telescope, providing unprecedented resolution and contrast in the optical, with extensions into the near UV and near infrared domains. The primary goal of HabEx is to answer fundamental questions in exoplanet science, searching for and characterizing potentially habitable worlds, providing the first complete “family portraits” of planets around our nearest Sun-like neighbors and placing the solar system in the context of a diverse set of exoplanets. At the same time, HabEx will enable a broad range of Galactic, extragalactic, and solar system astrophysics, from resolved stellar population studies that inform the stellar formation history of nearby galaxies, to characterizing the life cycle of baryons as they flow in and out of galaxies, to detailed studies of bodies in our own solar system. We report here on our team’s efforts in defining a scientifically compelling HabEx mission that is technologically executable, affordable within NASA’s expected budgetary envelope, and timely for the next decade. In particular, we present architectures trade study results, quantify technical requirements and predict scientific yield for a small number of design reference missions, all with broad capabilities in both exoplanet science and cosmic origins science. This research was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Antal and his Critics: A Forgotten Chapter in the Historiography of the Italian Renaissance in the Twentieth Century

Frederick Antal’s Florentine Painting and its Social Background, published in 1948, was harshly criticized for its Marxist orientation, expressed in the notion that style and social class are closely related. Yet the study of art patronage in the Italian Renaissance, now essential to any responsible discussion of objects from this time, seeks to connect visual culture with larger issues in economic, political, or social history. This paper examines the appearance and dismissal of Antal’s book for the insights it yields on the practice of the social history of art.
User Testing: Gathering Data from First-Year Medical Students as They Interact with the EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS)

Researchers from the Mercer University School of Medicine and EBSCO Information Services formed a partnership to conduct user testing on the library’s EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS) interface. The g...
State Health Care Reform: Waivers, Single-Payer, and the Need for Alternative Pathways

States regulate health insurance, medical benefits, and the clinicians who provide care, and some states are exploring ways to use that power to fill coverage gaps that remain after passage of the ...
All-Frequency Stable Potential-Based Formulation for Electromagnetic Modeling and Simulation

While the numerical solution of the vector wave equation breaks down at very low frequencies, the use of quasistatic formulations results in an incomplete physical description. It is highly desirable that a single formulation can work directly from zero frequency to microwave frequencies. This can be achieved by formulating electromagnetic problems with the magnetic vector and the electric scalar potentials and by enforcing Gauss’s and charge conservation laws explicitly. In this paper, two potential-based formulations are presented and compared, both theoretically and numerically. A simple circuit has been simulated at different frequencies using the two formulations to demonstrate their numerical performances.
α-Lipoic Acid (ALA) Improves Cystine Solubility in Cystinuria: Report of 2 Cases

Cystinuria is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by excessive urinary excretion of cystine, resulting in recurrent cystine kidney stones, often presenting in childhood. Current treatment options for cystinuria include dietary and/or fluid measures and potassium citrate to reduce cystine excretion and/or increase solubility. Tiopronin and D-penicillamine are used in refractory cases to bind cystine in urine, albeit with serious side effects. A recent study revealed efficacy of nutritional supplement α-lipoic acid (ALA) treatment in preventing kidney stones in a mouse model of cystinuria. Here, we report 2 pediatric patients (6 and 15 years old) with cystinuria who received regular doses of ALA in addition to conventional therapy with potassium citrate. Both patients tolerated ALA without any adverse effects and had reduced frequency of symptomatic and asymptomatic kidney stones with disappearance of existing kidney stones in 1 patient after 2 months of ALA therapy. ALA treatment markedly improved laboratory markers of cystine solubility in urine with increased cystine capacity (-223 to -1 mg/L in patient 1 and +140 to +272 mg/L in patient 2) and decreased cystine supersaturation (1.7 to 0.88 in patient 1 and 0.64 to 0.48 in patient 2) without any changes in cystine excretion or urine pH. Our findings suggest that ALA improves solubility of cystine in urine and prevents stone formation in patients with cystinuria who do not respond to diet and citrate therapy.
Pigmented Villonodular Synovitis Mimicking an Acute Septic Hip in an Eight-Year-Old Male.

Pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) is a less common but known cause of joint pain in the adult population. PVNS in pediatric patients is even more rare, with only case reports of occurrence in persons under the age of 18 years. Presentation is typically that of more insidious pain and limited range of motion, and is primarily seen in the knee joint. Diagnosis can be suspected with imaging, but ultimately surgical intervention is needed for tissue confirmation. We present a case of PVNS in a pediatric patient with acute symptoms concerning for a septic joint. The patient's workup revealed a large effusion on hip ultrasound, with operative intervention pursued and further imaging deferred given the patient's symptom burden. A 4 × 1 × 1.5 cm intra-articular pigmented mass excised from the synovium in the operating room. The patient's symptoms improved after the procedure, with pathology showing sheets of plump mononuclear cells in a collagenized stroma with hemosiderin deposits, confirming the diagnosis. This case highlights the importance of keeping non-infectious etiologies in the differential diagnosis of acute onset joint pain.
Real-time dual-channel speech enhancement by VAD assisted MVDR beamformer for hearing aid applications using smartphone

In this paper, a dual-channel speech enhancement (SE) method is proposed. The proposed method is a combination of minimum variance distortionless response (MVDR) beamformer and a super-Gaussian joint maximum a posteriori (SGJMAP) based SE gain function. The proposed SE method runs on a smartphone in real-time, providing a portable device for hearing aid (HA) applications. Spectral Flux based voice activity detector (VAD) is used to improve the accuracy of the beamformer output. The efficiency of the proposed SE method is evaluated using speech quality and intelligibility measures and compared with that of other SE techniques. The objective and subjective test results show the capability of the proposed SE method in three different noisy conditions at low signal to noise ratios (SNRs) of -5, 0, and +5 dB.
The relationship between vacant properties and neighborhood gentrification

Abstract The regeneration of vacant properties due to increased investments in declining neighborhoods does not always have positive outcomes. Vacant urban land can be, on one hand, an opportunity for neighborhood revitalization. On the other hand, regenerated vacant land can lead to neighborhood change in the form of gentrification, with increases in upper-class populations into mostly non-wealthy communities. The relationship between vacant land, its regeneration, and gentrification has been quite limited in the current research, mainly relying on an economic standpoint. Using Minneapolis, Minnesota as a case area, this research questions what types of vacant lands promote gentrification more than others. We analyze if 1) clustered vacant properties in Minneapolis are associated with the neighborhood gentrification process and 2) if certain types of vacant properties attract new investments and catalyze gentrification in Minneapolis. We examine such relationships using spatial autoregressive and logistic regression models. We also identify different vacancy types using proven classification schemes and measure significantly clustered vacancies using Getis-Ord Gi* statistics. Results suggest that clustered residential and commercial vacancies are positively associated with neighborhood gentrification while vacancies typified by institutional land uses are negatively associated with gentrification. Clustered, small-sized, industrial, and recreational vacancies show as insignificant factors contributing to gentrification. This study recommends that moderately-sized privately-owned properties should be targeted for the adoption of policies to preserve neighborhood affordability. In the case of publicly-owned vacancies highly threatened by gentrification, non-developmental pursuits should be primarily sought, such as re-greening and temporary usages.
Capital and Systems Measurement

The measurement of performance is an essential feature of capital creation because management of a capital creation process requires knowing what was produced, the quality and value of the product, and what resources were consumed in the process.
Quantification and compensation of thermal distortion in additive manufacturing: A computational statistics approach

Abstract In this work, we have developed a computational probabilistic method to quantify the permanent (non-zero strain) continuum/material deformation. Different from physical-based modeling, the method developed here is based on a data-driven statistics approach, which solves the problem without needing the information of physical deformation process. The proposed method relies only on the scanned material data from the thermal distorted configuration as well as the shape of the initial design configuration. We coined this artificial intelligence based algorithm as the material deformation finding (MDF) algorithm. In this work, the MDF algorithm was first validated by a 2D synthetic example. We then demonstrated that the proposed MDF method can accurately find the permanent thermal distortion of a complex 3D printed structural component, and hence to identify the thermal compensation design configuration. The results obtained in this work indicate that one can use this data-driven statistics approach to significantly mitigate thermal distortion of 3D printed products in additive manufacturing.