cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electron paramagnetic resonance measurement of trapped radical concentrations in frontally polymerized and bulk-polymerized multifunctional (meth)acrylates

For the first time, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to compare numbers and distributions of radicals produced in frontal free-radical polymerization of multifunctional acrylates and methacrylates to those produced by bulk free-radical polymerization. A comparison of radical concentrations was performed for individual polymers and selected copolymers of trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TMPTMA), 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, and pentaerythritol tetraacrylate (PETA). Frontally polymerized samples showed a large spike in intensity at the point of initiation. Within a few centimeters, the radical signal diminished to a steady state. The radical concentration remained almost constant over 3 months under helium in flame-sealed tubes. The types of radicals were similar to those in bulk polymerization. For both TMPTMA and PETA, frontally polymerized samples had significantly higher numbers of radicals than did the bulk-prepared samples, achieving concentrations as high as 8.7 × 10−3 mol/kg in the frontally prepared samples of TMPTMA. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011
Work in progress - use of guided inquiry as an active learning technique in engineering

The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of using guided inquiry in an Introduction to Materials class at a large research university. Throughout the course, the instructor, as a facilitator, guided students by providing an active learning environment and probing students with questions. A comparison was made between lecture and guided inquiry sections, both taught by the same instructor. The Materials Concept Inventory was used as a pretest/ post-test to measure students' learning; student satisfaction and self-assessment of learning was measured by the Student Assessment of Learning Gains. Measures of learning showed no significant difference between these two sections. The preliminary findings from surveys and interview data indicated that students did recognize the benefits of being active learners, but they felt uncomfortable without having an authority figure provide the “correct” answers. More detailed analysis of qualitative data is ongoing in order to gain more insights into using guided inquiry in engineering.
Robustness of an induction motor incipient fault detector neural network subject to small input perturbations

The authors present an incipient fault detector artificial neural network (IFDANN) for single-phase squirrel-cage induction motors and discuss a method for improving the robustness of such a network to small input perturbations for real-time applications. In addition, the concept of input-output sensitivity analysis is used to test the performance of the fault detector neural network with respect to input noise. Simulation results are presented to show the significant improvement in robustness of the modified IFDANN for operation with noisy input measurements. The network modification and the input-output sensitivity analysis presented can be extended to other neural networks designed for online applications, where noise is an important factor. >
The auxin transport inhibitor N-(1-naphthyl)phthalamic acid elicits pseudonodules on nonnodulating mutants of white sweetclover

The collection of symbiotic (sym) mutants of white sweetclover (Melilotus alba Desr.) provides a developmental sequence of mutants blocked early in infection or nodule organogenesis. Mutant phenotypes include non-nodulating mutants that exhibit root-hair deformations in response to Rhizobium meliloti, mutants that form ineffective nodules lacking infection threads, and mutants that form infection threads and ineffective nodules. Mutant alleles from both the sym-1 and the sym-3 loci exhibited a non-nodulating phenotype in response to R. meliloti, although one allele in the sym-1 locus formed ineffective nodules at a low frequency. Spot-inoculation experiments on a non-nodulating allele in the sym-3 locus indicated that this mutant lacked cortical cell divisions following inoculation with R. meliloti. The auxin transport inhibitor N-(1-naphthyl)phthalamic acid elicited development of pseudonodules at a high frequency on all of the sweetclover sym mutants, including the non-nodulating mutants, in which the early nodulin ENOD2 was expressed. This suggests that N-(1-naphthyl)phthalamic acid activates cortical cell divisions by circumventing a secondary signal transduction event that is lacking in the non-nodulating sweetclover mutants. The sym-3 locus and possibly the sym-1 locus appear to be essential to early host plant responses essential to nodule organogenesis.
Inhibition of renin angiotensin aldosterone system causes abrogation of obliterative airways disease through inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-α–dependant interleukin-17

Background Alloimmune-induced immune responses to self-antigens are involved in the development of chronic lung allograft rejection. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) have been shown to modulate autoimmune diseases. This study investigated the effect of modulation of the renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) a murine model of obliterative airways disease (OAD). Methods Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I antibodies were administered intrabronchially to C57Bl/6 mice on Days 1, 2, 3, and 6, and weekly thereafter. ACEI/ARB (10 mg/kg/day) were administered in water 5 days before antibody administration. Antibodies were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, cytokines by Luminex, Th-frequency by enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot, and transcription factors by Western blotting and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results Significant decreases (50%–70%) in airway lesions and fibrous deposition were noted in lungs at Day 30 in the animals administered ACEI and ARB vs controls. Antibody concentrations to self-antigens also decreased from 14 ± 21 to 62 ± 18 μg/ml for collagen V and from 263 ± 43 to 84 ± 28 μg/ml for K-α1 tubulin. Th-precursor frequency and cytokine analysis showed increased interleukin (IL)-10 (3-fold increase) and decreased levels of IL-6 (3.4-fold) and IL-17 (4-fold decrease; p Conclusions Our results demonstrate that modulation of RAAS leads to downregulation of IL-17 through tumor necrosis factor-α–dependant IL-6 through p38/MAPKinase pathway and thus abrogation of anti-MHC–induced OAD.
Husbands Might Really Be That Cheap

This paper explores the life insurance holdings from a general equilibrium perspective. Drawing on the data explored in Chambers, Schlagenhauf, and Young (2003), we calibrate an overlapping generations lifecycle economy with incomplete asset markets to match facts regarding the uncertainty of income and demographics. We then explore the implications for life insurance demand. We find that the aggregate amount of life insurance implies a relatively-small degree
Disruption of type III secretion in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium by external guide sequences

The type III secretion system involved in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium invasion of host cells has been disrupted using inducibly expressed oligonucleotide external guide sequences (EGSs) complementary to invB or invC mRNA. These EGSs direct single site cleavage in these mRNAs by endogenous RNase P, and their expression in Salmonella results in invC mRNA and InvC protein depletion, decreased type III secretion and interference with host cell invasion. Comparison of these effects with those from studies of Salmonella invB and invC mutants suggests that invB EGSs have polar effects on invC mRNA.
Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers: next-generation arrays for acoustic imaging?

Piezoelectric materials have dominated the ultrasonic transducer technology. Recently, capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) have emerged as an alternative technology offering advantages such as wide bandwidth, ease of fabricating large arrays, and potential for integration with electronics. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the viability of CMUTs for ultrasound imaging. We present the first pulse-echo phased array B-scan sector images using a 128-element, one-dimensional (1-D) linear CMUT array. We fabricated 64- and 128-element 1-D CMUT arrays with 100% yield and uniform element response across the arrays. These arrays have been operated in immersion with no failure or degradation in performance over the time. For imaging experiments, we built a resolution test phantom roughly mimicking the attenuation properties of soft tissue. We used a PC-based experimental system, including custom-designed electronic circuits to acquire the complete set of 128/spl times/128 RF A-scans from all transmit-receive element combinations. We obtained the pulse-echo frequency response by analyzing the echo signals from wire targets. These echo signals presented an 80% fractional bandwidth around 3 MHz, including the effect of attenuation in the propagating medium. We reconstructed the B-scan images with a sector angle of 90 degrees and an image depth of 210 mm through offline processing by using RF beamforming and synthetic phased array approaches. The measured 6-dB lateral and axial resolutions at 135 mm depth were 0.0144 radians and 0.3 mm, respectively. The electronic noise floor of the image was more than 50 dB below the maximum mainlobe magnitude. We also performed preliminary investigations on the effects of crosstalk among array elements on the image quality. In the near field, some artifacts were observable extending out from the array to a depth of 2 cm. A tail also was observed in the point spread function (PSF) in the axial direction, indicating the existence of crosstalk. The relative amplitude of this tail with respect to the mainlobe was less than -20 dB.
ESTimating plant phylogeny: lessons from partitioning

While Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) have proven a viable and efficient way to sample genomes, particularly those for which whole-genome sequencing is impractical, phylogenetic analysis using ESTs remains difficult. Sequencing errors and orthology determination are the major problems when using ESTs as a source of characters for systematics. Here we develop methods to incorporate EST sequence information in a simultaneous analysis framework to address controversial phylogenetic questions regarding the relationships among the major groups of seed plants. We use an automated, phylogenetically derived approach to orthology determination called OrthologID generate a phylogeny based on 43 process partitions, many of which are derived from ESTs, and examine several measures of support to assess the utility of EST data for phylogenies.
Mutational Heterogeneity in Human Cancers: Origin and Consequences

Cancer recapitulates Darwinian evolution. Mutations acquired during life that provide cells with a growth or survival advantage will preferentially multiply to form a tumor. As a result of The Cancer Genome Atlas Project, we have gathered detailed information on the nucleotide sequence changes in a number of human cancers. The sources of mutations in cancer are diverse, and the complexity of those found to be clonally present in tumors has increasingly made it difficult to identify key rate-limiting genes for tumor growth that could serve as potential targets for directed therapies. The impact of DNA sequencing on future cancer research and personalized therapy is likely to be profound and merits critical evaluation.
Thinking and behaving like scientists: Perceptions of undergraduate science interns and their faculty mentors

We examined undergraduate research experiences (UREs) participants’ and their faculty mentors’ beliefs about the professional practices and dispositions of research scientists. In Study 1, 63 science interns and their mentors rated Merton’s (J Legal Political Sociol, 1:115–126, 1942) norms and Mitroff’s (Am Sociol Rev, 39(August):579–595, 1974) counter-norms of scientific practice. Specifically, we investigated what practices they believed research scientists should subscribe to (or not), and what practices they believed actually characterized research scientists’ behavior in the real world. Regarding idealized practice, mentors rated the norms significantly higher than did interns; mentors and interns generally did not differ in subscription to the counter-norms. Regarding actual practice, mentors believed scientists’ behaviors reflected counter-norms more than norms. Mentors further noted discrepancies between practices that should represent and actually did represent scientists’ work. In Study 2, interns and mentors listed characteristics associated with “thinking” and “behaving” like scientists. Personal and professional dispositions were mentioned more than intellectual and research skills. Although there was considerable consensus between faculty and intern perceptions, findings also revealed discrepancies that could be addressed in UREs, thereby aiding undergraduates’ socialization into the culture of scientific practice. Suggestions are provided for broadening interns’ conceptions of both scientists and science.
Lenalidomide monotherapy in relapsed or refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Purpose The major cause of death in aggressive lymphoma is relapse or nonresponse to initial therapy. Lenalidomide has activity in a variety of hematologic malignancies, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). We report the results of a phase II, single-arm, multicenter trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of lenalidomide oral monotherapy in patients with relapsed or refractory aggressive NHL. Patients and Methods Patients were treated with oral lenalidomide 25 mg once daily on days 1 to 21, every 28 days, for 52 weeks, until disease progression or intolerance. The primary end point was response; secondary end points included duration of response, progression-free survival (PFS), and safety. Results Forty-nine patients with a median age of 65 years received lenalidomide in this study. The most common histology was diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (53%), and patients had received a median of four prior treatment regimens for NHL. An objective response rate of 35% was observed in 49 treated patients, inclu...
PV Manufacturing R&D Project Status and Accomplishments Under "in-Line Diagnostics and Intelligent Processing" and "Yield, Durability and Reliability"

The PV Manufacturing R&D (PVMR&D) Project conducts cost-shared research and development programs with U.S. PV industry partners. There are currently two active industry partnership activities. "In-line Diagnostics and Intelligent Processing," launched in 2002, supports development of new in-line diagnostics and monitoring with real-time feedback for optimal process control and increased yield in the fabrication of PV modules, systems, and other system components. "Yield, Durability and Reliability," launched in late 2004, supports enhancement of PV module, system component, and complete system reliability in high-volume manufacturing. A second key undertaking of the PVMR&D Project is the collection and analysis of module production cost-capacity metrics for the U.S. PV industry. In the period from 1992 through 2005, the average module manufacturing cost in 2005 dollars fell 54% (5.7% annualized) to $2.73/Wp, and the capacity increased 18.5-fold (25% annualized) to 251 MW/yr. An experience curve analysis gives progress ratios of 87% and 81%, respectively, for U.S. silicon and thin-film module production.
Autoradiographic localization of 3H-digoxin binding by neural cells in the medulla.

The purpose of this investigation was to localize binding sites for the cardiac glycoside digoxin in the medulla of the rat in vivo. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected (IV) with /sup 3/H-digoxin and killed 30 minutes later. Autoradiographs of medullas showed evidence of /sup 3/H-digoxin binding to small- and medium-sized neural cells in the regions of the nucleus solitarius, dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus, area postrema, and in the zone between the area postrema and the underlying neuropil. However, the parasympathetic preganglionic neurons of the dorsal motor nucleus were not labeled. The /sup 3/H-digoxin-labeled cells in the medulla were located mainly in the commissural and medial portions of nucleus solitarius at the level of the area postrema. Animals injected with unlabeled digoxin followed by /sup 3/H-digoxin showed reduced binding of radioactivity. The small- and medium-sized neurons of the caudal portions of the nucleus solitarius are internuncial in position with respect to cardiovascular afferents of the glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves and sympathetic and parasympathetic cardiovascular efferent neurons of the medulla. The results of this study suggest that these /sup 3/H-digoxin-labeled cells, presumably neurons of nucleus solitarius, may possess high affinity binding sites for digoxin. Further, the area postrema, whichmore » lacks a blood-brain barrier, may provide a portal of entry for /sup 3/H-digoxin into regions of the medulla known to contain neurons that play a role in the regulation of cardiac rhythm.« less
A benign psoas teratoma of the non-pelvic retroperitoneal space: A case report.

This case report is of a benign retroperitoneal teratoma which was adherent to the psoas muscle of a 53-year-old female cadaver with a history of metastatic bladder cancer as a cause of death. Teratomas possess derivatives of all three germ cell layers and are usually seen either in children or in the lower pelvic region of adults. The finding of this mass deep to the inferior pole of the kidney is quite unusual. Few studies mention a possible association between metastatic cancer and teratoma growth in extrapelvic locations. The following report is a detailed account of this unusual finding and a summary of the literature on growths of this kind. Clin. Anat. 26:638–640, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Synthesis of N‐(nitrophenyl)amine substituted diacetylene monomers

A new class of nitroaniline derivatives of diacetylene monomers was synthesized for the study of the nonlinear optical properties of their solid state polymers. Several members provide further examples of solid state polymerization by thermal annealing.
Apparel-related participation barriers: ability, adaptation and engagement

AbstractPurpose: To document apparel-related barriers faced by people with disabilities (PWD) and their families as they attempted to engage in various aspects of social participation, and explore the often invisible relationship between apparel-related barriers and disablement.Method: For this qualitative research, we used focus groups to interview PWD, their caregivers and/or parents and health providers to document the experience of apparel-related barriers to community or social participation. A constructivist grounded theory approach was used to analyse interview transcripts and noted.Results: Participant’s responses were grouped into categories of unmet need for adaptive apparel as well as a list of specific apparel-related barriers that participants struggled to navigate in daily life; including functional, cultural and sensory-based issues.Conclusions: The lack of adequate accessible apparel for PWD exacerbated barriers to community participation and disablement, and identified the need for innova...
Phenotypic, Genotypic, and Antimicrobial Characteristics of Streptococcus halichoeri Isolates from Humans, Proposal To Rename Streptococcus halichoeri as Streptococcus halichoeri subsp. halichoeri, and Description of Streptococcus halichoeri subsp. hominis subsp. nov., a Bacterium Associated with Human Clinical Infections

ABSTRACT Phenotypic, genotypic, and antimicrobial characteristics of six phenotypically distinct human clinical isolates that most closely resembled the type strain of Streptococcus halichoeri isolated from a seal are presented. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA, rpoB, sodA, and recN genes; comparative whole-genome analysis; conventional biochemical and Rapid ID 32 Strep identification methods; and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were performed on the human isolates, the type strain of S. halichoeri, and type strains of closely related species. The six human clinical isolates were biochemically indistinguishable from each other and showed 100% 16S rRNA, rpoB, sodA, and recN gene sequence similarity. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis revealed 98.6% similarity to S. halichoeri CCUG 48324T, 97.9% similarity to S. canis ATCC 43496T, and 97.8% similarity to S. ictaluri ATCC BAA-1300T. A 3,530-bp fragment of the rpoB gene was 98.8% similar to the S. halichoeri type strain, 84.6% to the S. canis type strain, and 83.8% to the S. ictaluri type strain. The S. halichoeri type strain and the human clinical isolates were susceptible to the antimicrobials tested based on CLSI guidelines for Streptococcus species viridans group with the exception of tetracycline and erythromycin. The human isolates were phenotypically distinct from the type strain isolated from a seal; comparative whole-genome sequence analysis confirmed that the human isolates were S. halichoeri. On the basis of these results, a novel subspecies, Streptococcushalichoeri subsp. hominis, is proposed for the human isolates and Streptococcus halichoeri subsp. halichoeri is proposed for the gray seal isolates. The type strain of the novel subspecies is SS1844T = CCUG 67100T = LMG 28801T.
Book Review: Remake, Remodel: Women’s Magazines in the Digital Age, by Brooke Erin Duffy:

Remake, Remodel: Women's Magazines in the Digital Age. Brooke Erin Duffy. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2013. 208 pp. $85 hbk. $25 pbk.Women's magazines-those overtly gendered media spaces-have played a role in shaping concepts of female identity since Godey's 's Lady's 's Book began offering advice on domestic ideologies in the 1830s. But what is a woman's magazine in an age of iPads and tablets, social media, and fashion blogs? How are convergent media technologies and their concomitant economic pressures reshaping the industry? What happens when a woman's magazine positions itself as (to use the industry's new mantra) a brand rather than a physical text?In Remake, Remodel: Women's s Magazines in the Digital Age, Brooke Erin Duffy, an assistant professor in the School of Media and Communication at Temple University, surveys the shifting media landscape of today's women's magazines, skillfully tracing the recent seismic shifts in the industry, including the rise of participatory culture, the need to produce copy for multiple platforms, and the pressures convergent technologies put on the magazine industry's already-close relationship with advertisers. Looking largely through the lens of magazine producers-publishers, digital directors, editors, graphic designers, and other creatives-Duffy blends theory with extensive field interviews, attendance at trade shows and professional conferences, and a thorough review of the discourse on digital disruption found in the industry's professional and trade publications. In doing so, she provides a thoughtful-and thought-changing-look into a specific segment of a specific media industry as well as a compelling case for a research methodology that blends political economy with cultural studies.The early chapters of Remake, Remodel establish the necessary context for Duffy's analysis, both in terms of media theory and magazine history. Later chapters-the most compelling of the study-focus on the complexities of the industry as it works to incorporate digital practices. For example, Chapter 4, "Rethinking Readership: The Digital Challenge of Audience Construction," explores one of the industry's formerly unassailable principles-audience segmentation. Relying heavily on demographic and psychographic data, consumer magazines in general ( and women's magazines in particular) have long targeted niche audiences based on factors such as age, marital status, and household income, building the magazine's content and tone around those specific readers and, perhaps more importantly, attracting advertisers based on that reader profile.But new digital technologies, Duffy shows, have put pressure on the way magazine publishers think about their audiences. Thanks to digital technologies, for example, today's magazine publishers can combine demographic data with detailed information about consumer purchases (so-called transactional data) from sophisticated customer databases, making cross-marketing opportunities easier to sell to advertisers, but also raising issues of editorial creativity and reader privacy. …
The Role of Negative Feedback Effects on Single-Event Transients in SiGe HBT Analog Circuits

The effects of negative feedback, both external and internal, on single event transients (SETs) in SiGe HBT analog circuits are investigated. In order to examine internal negative feedback effects, basic common-emitter NPN current mirrors, with and without emitter degeneration resistors, are utilized. A Wilson current mirror and a Wilson mirror with its intrinsic external feedback removed are used to study external negative feedback effects under the influence of laser-induced single events. The measurement data clearly show notable improvements in SET response that can be made by employing both internal and external negative feedback. The peak transient in the output current is reduced, and the settling time upon a laser strike is shortened significantly by negative feedback. All four investigated current mirrors were fabricated with IBM 8HP 130 nm SiGe BiCMOS technology.
Creating and Sharing Records of Multiplayer Online Game Play: Practices and Attitudes.

Online games offer multiple ways for players to interact. Recordings of these interactions are used for a variety of purposes. Such recordings raise ownership issues similar to those arising from the use of other online media. This paper presents an analysis of the attitudes and practices of 241 online gamers, 36% of whom reported recording gameplay and 29% of whom reported watching or accessing records of gameplay. We use a series of scenarios and hypothetical statements to elicit reactions to varying features of the production and use of these records; the parties involved, the type of records, and how they are used may all influence perceived ownership rights. Players are more sensitive to the recording and reuse of in-game textual communication than they are to recordings of avatar activity in the virtual world. Particularly negative reactions were elicited by scenarios that proposed a search capability over players’ textual communication or the reuse of such in-game communication in the software publisher’s advertisements. Additionally, players are skeptical of institutional archiving of such game content, although 50 year embargos on access brought attitudes in line with those for other media.
To breast-feed or not to breast-feed?

For the infant's well-being, breastfeeding is preferable to formula-feeding, but for the mother, breast-feeding has both advantages and disadvantages. If breast-feeding is to be successful, the mot...
An educational tool for understanding the cardiovascular changes associated with diabetes.

Diabetes, a syndrome characterized by high plasma glucose and low plasma insulin concentrations, is associated with somatic and autonomic neuropadiabetes as well as cardiac and vascular disorders. ...
Pre-Transplant Urologic Investigation and Treatment of End Stage Renal Disease

AbstractWe investigated 112 patients with end stage renal disease. Clinical evaluations included cystoscopy, cystometry, voiding cystography, bilateral retrograde pyelograms, history and physical examination, and appropriate serum and urinary studies. Of the 112 patients 28 (25 per cent) had significant abnormalities of the urinary tracts. Of the 28 patients 17 had lower tract abnormalities, such as detrusor hyporeflexia, obstructing prostatic hyperplasia and urethral stricture, and 11 had upper tract disease, 9 of whom required a pre-transplant surgical procedure. Included in the group of 9 patients were those with polycystic kidneys, staghorn calculi, renin-related renal hypertension, chronic pyelonephritis and persistent vesicoureteral reflux. None of the azotemic patients had significant morbidity with the timing of the surgical procedures. We believe that eradication of such conditions in the pre-transplant period resulted in a more suitable candidate for renal transplantation. Furthermore, we believ...
SU-G-206-13: Validating Dose Split: A Method to Image the Same Patient at Multiple Doses with a Single CT Acquisition

Purpose: Dose optimization studies in CT have a need for images acquired at multiple dose levels. This presents ethical and logistical challenges for performing such research with human subjects. As a result, most studies rely on phantom data. The purpose of this study was to perform a physics-based validation of a method to obtain images of the same patient at multiple dose levels using a single CT acquisition on a dual-source CT system. Methods: The Dose Split (DS) method relies on acquiring raw projection data simultaneously from two separate sources/detectors (denoted Tube A and Tube B) on a dual-source system. By distributing the dose unevenly between Tube A and Tube B (at the same kVp), it is possible to reconstruct images corresponding to any dose in the range of min(A,B) to A+B. CT data of the ACR phantom were acquired on a dual-source system (SOMATOM Flash, Siemens Healthcare) with a traditional single-source (SS) technique at 6 dose levels (25, 50, 75, 100, 150, and 200 mAs). Corresponding data using the DS technique were acquired and compared with the SS data in terms of noise magnitude (pixel STD), contrast, contrast-to-noise ratio, noise power spectrum (average spatial frequency), modulation transfer function (50% frequency) and detectability index (for a non-prewhitening matched filter observer). Results: Between the DS and SS techniques, the differences (SS–DS) in noise magnitude, contrast, and CNR were on average (across doses) 1.2 HU (4.1%), 0.7 HU (11%), and 0.02 (6.9%), respectively. The differences in NPS average frequency, MTF 50% frequency, and detectability index were 0.01 cycles/mm (2.5%), 0.03 cycles/mm (7.5%), and −.03 (−6.8%), respectively. Conclusion: The dose split method can be used to acquire images of the same patient equivalent to many dose levels in a single acquisition. Differences in noise, CNR, NPS, MTF, and detectability were all negligible.
The Handoff to Downstream Engineering

A very common question that systems engineers beginning to use MBSE have is to how to effectively handoff relevant engineering data—such as requirements, architectures, and interfaces—to downstream engineering teams. In the Harmony agile MBSE process, this is done incrementally, and each increment transforms the logical system engineering data into physical representations that are useable by the design teams. On one hand, the logical interfaces and types are converted to their physical realizations to be used by the subsystem teams. On the other hand, each subsystem specification is taken, requirements are allocated to engineering disciplines within the subsystem—such as software, electronics, and mechanics—and interdisciplinary interfaces are defined. This chapter provides details on how this can be effectively accomplished.
A Structural and Functional Comparison of Gap Junction Channels Composed of Connexins and Innexins.

Methods such as electron microscopy and electrophysiology led to the understanding that gap junctions were dense arrays of channels connecting the intracellular environments within almost all animal tissues. The characteristics of gap junctions were remarkably similar in preparations from phylogenetically diverse animals such as cnidarians and chordates. Although few studies directly compared them, minor differences were noted between gap junctions of vertebrates and invertebrates. For instance, a slightly wider gap was noted between cells of invertebrates and the spacing between invertebrate channels was generally greater. Connexins were identified as the structural component of vertebrate junctions in the 1980s and innexins as the structural component of pre-chordate junctions in the 1990s. Despite a lack of similarity in gene sequence, connexins and innexins are remarkably similar. Innexins and connexins have the same membrane topology and form intercellular channels that play a variety of tissue- and temporally specific roles. Both protein types oligomerize to form large aqueous channels that allow the passage of ions and small metabolites and are regulated by factors such as pH, calcium, and voltage. Much more is currently known about the structure, function, and structure-function relationships of connexins. However, the innexin field is expanding. Greater knowledge of innexin channels will permit more detailed comparisons with their connexin-based counterparts, and provide insight into the ubiquitous yet specific roles of gap junctions. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 77: 522-547, 2017.
Simulation optimization in discrete event logistics systems: the challenge of operational control

Simulation optimization tools have the potential to provide an unprecedented level of support for the design and execution of operational control in Discrete Event Logistics Systems (DELS). While much of the simulation optimization literature has focused on developing and exploiting integration and syntactical interoperability between simulation and optimization tools, maximizing the effectiveness of these tools to support the design and execution of control behavior requires an even greater degree of interoperability than the current state of the art. In this paper, we propose a modeling methodology for operational control decision-making that can improve the interoperability between these two analysis methods and their associated tools in the context of DELS control. This methodology establishes a standard definition of operational control for both simulation and optimization methods and defines a mapping between decision variables (optimization) and execution mechanisms (simulation / base system). The goal is a standard for creating conforming simulation and optimization tools that are capable of meeting the functional needs of operational control decision making in DELS.
A scalable open-source Web-analytic framework to improve satellite-based operational water management in developing countries

Two software development hurdles to advancing real-world operationalization of satellite datasets for water management are addressed in this study. First, a simple, easy-to-build and open-source web portal connecting to a back-end complex model is developed for resource-constrained developing nations. Second, to enhance the skill of satellite-based predictions, an innovative and dynamic web analytics-based correction system is developed to reduce the uncertainty of satellite estimates. The correction system comprises dynamic precipitation bias correction and streamflow correction. Dynamically web crawled in-situ hydrologic data pertaining to the region are used to estimate satellite estimation bias. These corrected datasets are finally shared through the web portal. On average, these dynamic correction techniques reduced root mean squared error in streamflow by 80–90% for the case of South Asian river basins. The take-home message is that it is now possible to build cost-effective operational web portals based on satellite data and non-proprietary software.
Inhibition of pressure-activated cancer cell adhesion by FAK-derived peptides.

// Bixi Zeng 1, 2, 3 , Dinesh Devadoss 1, 2 , Shouye Wang 1 , Emilie E. Vomhof-DeKrey 1, 2 , Leslie A. Kuhn 3, 4 and Marc D. Basson 1, 2 1 Department of Surgery, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States 2 Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States 3 Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States 4 Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States Correspondence to: Marc D. Basson, email: Marc.basson@med.und.edu Keywords: wound recurrence; FAK; Akt1; mechanotransduction; metastasis Received: June 13, 2017 Accepted: August 07, 2017 Published: August 24, 2017 ABSTRACT Forces within the surgical milieu or circulation activate cancer cell adhesion and potentiate metastasis through signaling requiring FAK-Akt1 interaction. Impeding FAK-Akt1 interaction might inhibit perioperative tumor dissemination, facilitating curative cancer surgery without global FAK or AKT inhibitor toxicity. Serial truncation and structurally designed mutants of FAK identified a seven amino acid, short helical structure within FAK that effectively competes with Akt1-FAK interaction. Adenoviral overexpression of this FAK-derived peptide inhibited pressure-induced FAK phosphorylation and AKT-FAK coimmunoprecipitation in human SW620 colon cancer cells briefly exposed to 15mmHg increased pressure, consistent with laparoscopic or post-surgical pressures. Adenoviral FAK-derived peptide expression prevented pressure-activation of SW620 adhesion not only to collagen-I-coated plates but also to murine surgical wounds. A scrambled peptide did not. Finally, we modeled operative shedding of tumor cells before irrigation and closure by transient cancer cell adhesion to murine surgical wounds before irrigation and closure. Thirty minute preincubation of SW620 cells at 15mmHg increased pressure impaired subsequent tumor free survival in mice exposed to cells expressing the scrambled peptide. The FAK-derived sequence prevented this. These results suggest that blocking FAK-Akt1 interaction may prevent perioperative tumor dissemination and that analogs or mimics of this 7 amino acid FAK-derived peptide could impair metastasis.
You detect while I search: examining visual search efficiency in a joint search task

Numerous factors impact attentional allocation, with behaviour being strongly influenced by the interaction between individual intent and our visual environment. Traditionally, visual search effici...
Pop on the Move

In International Pop, the curators Darsie Alexander and Bartholomew Ryan propose a new reading of Pop that establishes a set of relationships marked by difference. Theirs is a world riven by disconnection over flow, in which migrations and networks are frequently translated, blocked, or interrupted. While the US mass media provided source material for many artists it was often reworked to other ends. While many narratives of Pop have stressed distance and irony here we witnessed a new version of the moment that made a virtue out of intimacy, politics, and desire.
Capillary Electrophoresis-Mass Spectrometry for Proteomics

Abstract This chapter describes the impact of advances in capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry in the field of proteomics based on bottom-up and top-down strategies and their general workflows. In spite of continuous development in the technique of coupled capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry, some issues remain including standardization to compete with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry methods. One of the main advantages of the technique in proteomics is its ability to resolve and identify isoforms and posttranslational modifications based on differential electrophoretic migration. Together with examples of specific applications, showing the diverse MS interfaces and operating conditions used, the discussion also deals with the strategies applied to overcome protein adsorption and improve the number of protein identifications.
Methods of Assessment

Careful and comprehensive assessment of anxiety and depression is essential to the accurate description and diagnosis that will help to inform and guide interventions. The clinical assessment of children requires a multimethod approach that includes (a) multiple measures, (b) multiple informants, (c) multiple settings, and (d) multiple time periods. Because young children often have not yet developed the cognitive and language ability and personal experiences to accurately self-report their subjective anxious and depressive symptoms, reliance upon observations and information from others, especially parents and teachers, is essential to obtain a thorough clinical picture. Typically, assessment in children using a multimethod approach involves seven components: (a) taking a thorough developmental and family history; (b) direct behavioral observations; (c) interviews with the child, parents, and teachers; (d) completion of behavior rating scales by parents, teachers, and the child; (e) completion of multidimensional personality inventories; (f) completion of self-report measures; and (g) informal methods. These methods provide objective information about the primary symptoms, behaviors, patterns, and their severity. Because anxiety and depression have a significant subjective component, it is necessary to obtain information from as many sources as possible using a multimethod approach. Depending on the developmental level of the child, some self-report methods may not be appropriate due to less developed language and reading skills. Few reliable and valid self-report measures are available for use with children younger than about 8 years of age.
Abstract 2902: Myocardial Ischemic Memory Imaging Using Fundamental High Frequency Ultrasound

Background: Using microbubbles (MB) targeted to P-selectin, we have previously shown that echocardiography can identify recent myocardial ischemia in rats undergoing transient coronary occlusion. This approach used clinical harmonic systems with low transmit frequencies, yielding high sensitivity for MBs but suboptimal spatial resolution for rodent imaging. Ultrasound (US) imaging systems tailored for rodents necessarily operate at high frequencies, beyond MB resonance, potentially decreasing sensitivity for MB detection. Because myocardial molecular imaging in rodents would be a useful research tool, we tested the hypothesis that high frequency, fundamental imaging can be employed for this application. Methods: A nitrogen/perfluorobutane gas-containing microbubble (mean size 2.2 ± 1.2μm) was conjugated to the P-selectin ligand, sialyl Lewis X (MB sLex ) or control Lewis C (MB CTL ). Five anesthetized open chest rats had 15 min left anterior descending coronary ligation. Ten min after reflow, non-targeted MBs (MicroMarker™, VisualSonics Inc.) were injected (inj) to confirm reperfusion. Fifteen min after reflow, each rat received 1 intravenous inj of 5 x 10 7 MB CTL or MB sLex in alternating sequence. Six min after inj, US imaging at 25MHz (Vevo 770, VisualSonics Inc.) commenced, followed by a high power pulse to destroy MBs, and repeat imaging after MB replenishment. Post-destruction images were subtracted from the 6 min images to derive the signal from MB adhesion in regions of interest drawn over the risk area. Results: Non-targeted MB inj confirmed homogeneous myocardial contrast enhancement. Videointensity in the risk area was higher after inj of MB sLex (20±6) than after inj of MB CTL (12±6, p sLex and MB CTL . Infarct size by triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining was Conclusions: Detection and spatial localization of recent myocardial ischemia using P-selectin-targeted MBs is possible at the high US frequencies required for rodent cardiac imaging, without an absolute requirement for harmonics. This opens significant opportunities for high spatial resolution ultrasound molecular imaging in small animal models.
The role of starting powder size on the compressive response of stand-alone plasma-sprayed alumina coatings

Cylindrical stand-alone tubes of plasma-sprayed alumina were tested in uniaxial compression at room temperature, using strain gages to monitor axial strains. The effect of lamella size on the mechanical response was investigated by employing different starting powders to fabricate samples. The average powder sizes investigated included 9 μm, 19 μm and 32 μm alumina; the resulting effective lamella diameters were 10 μm, 28 μm, and 55 μm, respectively. Similar stress-strain hysteresis was observed on unloading in all tubes, independent of lamella size. A strong correlation between the failure stress and the cumulative strain at failure was also observed for tubes fabricated from the three powders. For samples with approximately constant densities, tubes plasma sprayed with the 9 μm powder exhibited greater moduli than tubes sprayed from either 19 or 32 μm powders. This difference was attributed to the greater percentage of unmelted α-Al2O3 in the coating.
Unilateral herpes zoster ophthalmicus results in bilateral corneal nerve alteration: an in vivo confocal microscopy study.

Purpose Herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO), thought to be a unilateral disease, results in loss of corneal sensation, leading to neurotrophic keratopathy. This study aimed to analyze bilateral corneal nerve changes in patients with HZO by in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) and their correlation with corneal sensation as a measure of nerve function. Design Prospective, cross-sectional, controlled, single-center study. Participants Twenty-seven eyes with the diagnosis of HZO and their contralateral clinically unaffected eyes were studied and compared with normal controls (n = 15). Methods In vivo confocal microscopy (Confoscan 4; Nidek Technologies, Gamagori, Japan) and corneal esthesiometry (Cochet-Bonnet; Luneau Ophthalmologie, Chartres, France) of the central cornea were performed bilaterally in all patients and controls. Patients were grouped into normal (>5.5 cm), mild (>2.5–5.5 cm), and severe ( Main Outcome Measures Changes in corneal nerve density, total nerve number, main nerve trunks, branching, and tortuosity were evaluated after IVCM and were correlated to corneal sensation, disease duration, and number of recurrences. Results Eyes with herpes zoster ophthalmicus had a significant ( P P P Conclusions Patients with unilateral HZO demonstrated a profound and significant bilateral loss of the corneal nerve plexus as compared with controls, demonstrating bilateral changes in a clinically unilateral disease. Loss of corneal sensation strongly correlated with subbasal nerve plexus alterations as shown by IVCM. Financial Disclosure(s) The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
Reflections on A Persian Jewel: Damavand College, Tehran

This paper describes the author’s reflections on a personal and professional experience he had 35 years ago in Iran as President of Damavand College, Tehran, Iran from 1975-1978 to lead this young ...
Development of BRT Architecture: A System Engineering Approach

This report describes the development of a system architecture for Intelligent Transportation systems (ITS) applications for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems. The proposed BRT architecture has a hierarchy of three layers: application, physical, and logical. The application layer is comprised of the BRT service needs or features. The physical layer defines the physical entities that make up a BRT system, while the logical layer defines the process that are necessary for satisfying the BRT service needs. The logical architecture is mapped from the physical architecture such that the physical layer will implement the processes identified in the logical architecture and assign them to subsystems. The data flows that originate from one subsystem and end at another are grouped together into architecture flows.
Column 5

Over the past few months, I have been extremely interested in reading brief notes in this journal by Gene Woolsey, the Editor-in-Chief. I would like to piggyback on his comments on “sophisticated methods” and make a few comments about my 20 years' experience in the application of quantitative techniques for nonroutine management decision making.