cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Submicrometer Pore‐Based Characterization and Quantification of Antibody–Virus Interactions

This paper describes the use of a submicrometer pore-based resistive-pulse sensor to 1) detect a specific virus or a virusspecific antibody in solution, 2) probe the ability of an antibody to immunoprecipitate the virus, 3) determine the number of antibodies bound to individual virus particles, and 4) monitor the assembly of nanoparticles onto templates (here antibodies onto viruses) in situ. The assay is label-free, examines viruses in their native, assembled state, and requires no immobilization or modification of the virus or antibody. It functions by detecting the difference in the peak amplitudes of resistive pulses that occur when viruses with and without antibody bound pass through a submicrometer pore. This technique made it possible to monitor quantitatively the time-course of the binding of an antibody to a nonpathogenic virus, the icosahedrical Paramecium bursaria chlorella virus (PBCV-1) with a diameter of 190 nm. [1] We found that the maximum number of antibodies that were able to bind to PBCV-1 was 4200 450. Due to its small footprint and its simple detection scheme, submicrometer pore-based sensing of antibody–virus interactions may enable portable or high-throughput immunoassays for diagnostics and biodefense. The ability to determine the number of antibodies
Analysis of Motor Vibration Isolation System with Focus on Mount Resonances for Application to Electric Vehicles

The vibration isolation effectiveness of powertrain mount configurations is examined for electric vehicle application by considering the effect introduced by internal mount resonances. Unlike internal combustion engines where mounts are typically designed only for static support and low frequency dynamics, electric motors have higher excitation frequencies in a range where mount resonances often occur. The problem is first analytically formulated by considering a simple 3-dimensional powertrain system, and the vibration isolation effectiveness significantly deteriorates at the mount resonance(s). It is shown that by modifying the mount shape, the mount resonance(s) can be shifted while maintaining the same static rate, tuning the frequency away from any engine excitation or natural frequencies. Further, internal mount resonances are utilized to improve vibration isolation over a narrow frequency range, using non-identical mounts to split mount resonance peaks. Then a computational model for a realistic drive unit (containing electric motor, power invertor, and gearbox) is considered. The mount resonance phenomenon is replicated in the computational model, and the effect on non-identical mounts is again examined. Finally, 3 and 4-point mounting schemes are compared, and their parameters (if selected properly) exhibit better vibration isolation over a tunable frequency range of interest. CITATION: Zeng, X., Liette, J., Noll, S., and Singh, R., "Analysis of Motor Vibration Isolation System with Focus on Mount Resonances for Application to Electric Vehicles," SAE Int. J. Alt. Power. 4(2):2015, doi:10.4271/2015-01-2364. 2015-01-2364 Published 06/15/2015 Copyright © 2015 SAE International doi:10.4271/2015-01-2364 saealtpow.saejournals.org 370 Downloaded from SAE International by Rajendra Singh, Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Glare testing in cataract patients: instrument evaluation and identification of sources of methodological error

This study sought to determine the relative sensitivity of two commercially available glare testers in predicting outdoor acuity in a population of patients with minimal cataracts. Two target optotypes were evaluated: high contrast letters and varying contrast sinusoidal gratings. Although both instruments demonstrated a significant correlation between indoor and outdoor acuity, they showed a significant difference between predicted outdoor acuity and obtained visual acuity. The brightness acuity tester on high intensity was inaccurate in predicting outdoor vision regardless of test optotype, overpredicting glare disability in 76% (average) of the study population. Glare disability overpredictions fell to 8% on the medium setting with +/- 2 lines of vision classified as "no change." Using the same criterion, the Miller-Nadler glare tester overpredicted glare disability in 2% of the cataract population but underpredicted glare disability in 62%. In this study, letter optotypes resulted in less variability than sinusoidal grating stimuli. In addition, we identify several methodological factors to consider before designing a glare experiment. These potential sources of error can influence the outcome of any glare study that compares indoor and outdoor acuity and include the study population, visual stimuli (optotypes), and elements of the outdoor testing situation.
Challenges and solutions for multi-Gigahertz testing

There are several approaches that can be applied to the multi-Gigahertz testing problem. These can be classified as either (1) internal test, as in built-in self test (BIST), or (2) external test, as applied by automated test equipment (ATE). Both these general strategies are in widespread use today. Furthermore, they are often used together to solve particularly challenging test requirements. Since the BIST and ATE approaches each have their benefits and limitations, the combination of the two provides for a variety of trade-offs. However, another degree of freedom is represented by the introduction of active circuitry near to the DUT (typically mounted on the load board). This we refer to as a "test support processor" (TSP). Generally the approach may involve the use of BIST and ATE as well as the TSP itself.
Medical therapy of inflammatory bowel disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) comprises a family of idiopathic autoimmune disorders that affect multiple organ systems, particularly the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Roughly half of all IBD patients have ulcerative colitis (UC), whereas the remainder have Crohn’s disease (CD). These diseases afflict people of all age groups, ethnicities, and socioeconomic levels, with only a slight predominance in women as opposed to men. The purpose of this chapter is to explore the medical therapy of these challenging disorders.
Identification of violence in the home: Pediatric and parental reports

Objectives To compare the rates of domestic violence reported by mothers with those identified by physicians, to compare the rates of harsh discipline practices reported by mothers with the rates of abuse identified by physicians, and to examine the relationship between reported domestic violence and harsh discipline practices. Design Interviews with parents and pediatricians to compare pediatric detection of domestic violence and child abuse with parental reports of domestic violence and harsh discipline practices. Setting Community-based pediatric practices in the 13-town greater New Haven, Conn, area. Participants Of the 23 practices invited, 19 agreed to participate. Of the 2006 parents of eligible 4- to 8-year-olds asked to participate, 1886 (94%) completed the Child Behavior Checklist. Of those invited into the interview portion, 1148 (83%) completed the 90-minute in-person interview. Main Outcome Measures Percentages of cases of domestic violence identified by pediatricians and reported by mothers. Percentages of cases of child abuse detected by pediatricians and percentages of mothers reporting that they have hit their children and left a mark. Results Pediatricians detected domestic violence in 0.3% of the cases, but parents reported domestic violence in 4.2% (κ=0.106 [95% confidence interval, −0.007 to 0.219]). Pediatricians identified physical abuse of children in 0.5% of the cases, while mothers reported hitting their children and leaving a mark in 21.6% (κ=0.003 [95% confidence interval, −0.018 to 0.024]). Mothers reporting domestic violence were significantly more likely to report hitting hard enough to leave a mark (relative risk, 1.6 ([95% confidence interval, 1.09-2.38]) compared with those not reporting domestic violence. Physicians identifying domestic violence were not significantly more likely to report child abuse than those not identifying domestic violence. Conclusions Parents report more cases of violence than pediatricians detect. Pediatricians should ask parents directly about domestic violence and harsh discipline.
What We Know About Unauthorized Migration

Unauthorized migration has been an important issue for decades. Because much has changed about this type of migration in the past two decades, this review takes stock of recent scholarship. These studies reveal a new complexity in the unauthorized migration in the early twenty-first century. First, compared with the past, unauthorized migration is more diverse. Whether based on gender, age, or how people enter, there is considerable heterogeneity in the unauthorized migrant population. Second, nation-states approach the issue of unauthorized migration differently than in the past, a fact that has increased the size and prominence of the unauthorized population and is related to the emergence of scholarship emphasizing the social construction of immigrant legal status.
Fracture Paths from Front Kinetics: Relaxation and Rate Independence

Crack fronts play a fundamental role in engineering models for fracture: they are the location of both crack growth and the energy dissipation due to growth. However, there has not been a rigorous mathematical definition of crack front, nor rigorous mathematical analysis predicting fracture paths using these fronts as the location of growth and dissipation. Here, we give a natural weak definition of crack front and front speed, and consider models of crack growth in which the energy dissipation is a function of the front speed, that is, the dissipation rate at time t is of the form $$\int_{F(t)}\psi(v(x, t)) {\rm d}{\mathcal {H}^{N - 2}}(x)$$ where F(t) is the front at time t and v is the front speed. We show how this dissipation can be used within existing models of quasi-static fracture, as well as in the new dissipation functionals of Mielke–Ortiz. An example of a constrained problem for which there is existence is shown, but in general, if there are no constraints or other energy penalties, this dissipation must be relaxed. We prove a general relaxation formula that gives the surprising result that the effective dissipation is always rate-independent.
Defective B cell tolerance checkpoints in systemic lupus erythematosus

A cardinal feature of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the development of autoantibodies. The first autoantibodies described in patients with SLE were those specific for nuclei and DNA, but subsequent work has shown that individuals with this disease produce a panoply of different autoantibodies. Thus, one of the constant features of SLE is a profound breakdown in tolerance in the antibody system. The appearance of self-reactive antibodies in SLE precedes clinical disease, but where in the B cell pathway tolerance is first broken has not been defined. In healthy humans, autoantibodies are removed from the B cell repertoire in two discrete early checkpoints in B cell development. We found these checkpoints to be defective in three adolescent patients with SLE. 25-50% of the mature naive B cells in SLE patients produce self-reactive antibodies even before they participate in immune responses as compared with 5-20% in controls. We conclude that SLE is associated with abnormal early B cell tolerance.
Phenytoin Michaelis-Menten Pharmacokinetics in Caucasian Paediatric Patients

The Michaelis-Menten pharmacokinetic parameters Vmax and Km were calculated for 135 epileptic paediatric patients receiving phenytoin as their only anticonvulsant therapy. Mean Vmax and Km values were 13.95 mg/kg/day and 6.59 micrograms/ml for 0.5 to 3-year-old patients, 10.93 mg/kg/day and 6.82 micrograms/ml for the 4 to 6 year age group, 10.05 mg/kg/day and 6.51 micrograms/ml for the 7 to 9-year-olds, and 8.25 mg/kg/day and 5.69 micrograms/ml for the 10 to 16 year group. Using analysis of variance, the Vmax values were significantly different (p less than 0.01) but the Km values were not. Linear regression analysis of Vmax versus age revealed a significant decline in Vmax with age (r = -0.554; p less than 0.001). A plot of Km versus age showed a poor correlation (r = -0.170) and a large amount of variability. Based on this data, the youngest age group would require on average 62% more phenytoin/kg/day than the oldest age group in order to maintain a steady-state phenytoin concentration of 15 micrograms/ml. Because of these age-related pharmacokinetic differences, phenytoin dosages may require adjustment as paediatric patients become older.
Analysis of the termini of the DNA of bovine parvovirus: demonstration of sequence inversion at the left terminus and its implication for the replication model.

Abstract The distribution of terminal-sequence orientations in the viral DNA of bovine parvovirus (BPV), an autonomous parvovirus, was studied by end labeling and restriction enzyme digestion and also by cloning. The left (3') end of the minus strand of BPV was found in two alternative sequence orientations (designated as flip and flop, which are reverse complements of each other), with a 10-fold excess of flip. This is in contrast to the autonomous rodent parvoviruses which encapsidate minus-strand DNA with only the flip orientation at this end. The right (5') end of the minus strand of BPV contained both sequence orientations with equal frequencies, as in the rodent parvoviruses. Sequence inversions were also detected at both ends of the plus strand, which makes up about 10% of the encapsidated BPV DNA. Each terminus of BPV DNA had a characteristic ratio of flip to flop forms, and this ratio was restored in the progeny DNA resulting from transfection with genomic clones of different defined terminal conformations. Replicative-form DNA showed the same distribution of terminal-sequence orientations as the reannealed plus and minus virion DNAs, suggesting that the distribution of flip and flop forms observed in virion DNA is not due to selective encapsidation, but rather to the specific distribution of replicative forms. The current replication model for autonomous parvoviruses, which was based on the available data for the rodent parvoviruses, cannot account for the observed distribution of BPV DNA. An alternative model is suggested.
Exercise-Induced Rise in Glucagon and Ketogenesis During Prolonged Muscular Work

These experiments examined the role of the exercise-induced increment in glucagon in the control of ketogenesis during prolonged moderate-intensity (100 m/min, 12% grade) treadmill exercise. Dogs were studied during 150 min of exercise with saline infusion alone (C; n = 6) with the glucagon levels clamped at basal values (somatostatin infusion with basal glucagon replacement and the normal fall in insulin simulated; BG; n = 5) or with the normal exercise-induced rise in glucagon simulated (somatostatin infusion with the rise in glucagon and the fall in insulin simulated; SG; n = 5). Glucose was infused as needed in SG and BG to maintain the glycemic response seen in C. In all dogs, catheters were inserted into the carotid artery and the portal and hepatic veins for blood sampling and the vena cava and the splenic vein for infusions. Glucagon rose from 62 +/- 5 and 57 +/- 4 pg/ml at rest to 104 +/- 20 and 120 +/- 12 pg/ml during exercise in C and SG but did not deviate from basal in BG (56 +/- 3 pg/ml). Insulin fell similarly from rest to the end of exercise in C (13 +/- 2 to 5 +/- 1 microU/ml), SG (11 +/- 1 to 6 +/- 1 microU/ml), and BG (10 +/- 1 to 6 +/- 1 microU/ml). In C, SG, and BG, free-fatty acid (FFA) levels rose from 941 +/- 81, 1240 +/- 155, and 938 +/- 36 mu eq/L at rest to 1615 +/- 149, 1558 +/- 175, and 1391 +/- 160 mu eq/L with exercise.2+n C,
Aspects of measurement scheduling for tracking

Many target tracking subsystems have the ability to schedule their own data rates: essentially they can "order" new information whenever they need it, and the cost is in terms of the sensor resource. Uniform sampling, in which a new measurement is requested periodically and regularly, is the most commonly-used sampling scheme. Nonuniform schemes are seldom studied: it is "common knowledge" that they exhibit inferior performance and are too bizarre to consider seriously. In this paper, however, we show that such schemes may have been discarded prematurely: a nonuniform sampling can have its benefits. Specifically, the nonuniform and uniform sampling schemes are compared for two kind of trackers: the PDAF (probabilistic data association filter), which updates its track based on a single scan of information at a time: and N-D assignment (an optimization-based implementation of the MHT (multi-hypothesis tracker)), in which the sliding window involves many scans of observations. We show that, given the ground rule of maintenance of the same overall scan rate (i.e. the same sensor effort), uniform sampling is always optimal for the single-scan tracker in the sense of track life. However, a nonuniform sampling can outperform uniform sampling if a more sophisticated multi-scan tracker is used, particularly when: (i) the target has a high process noise: and/or (ii) the false alarm density is high; and/or (iii) the probability of detection is high.
Protection against exotoxin A (ETA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in mice with ETA-specific antipeptide antibodies.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that causes serious and sometimes fatal infections in the compromised host, especially in patients with major trauma or thermal injuries. Exotoxin A (ETA) is the major and most lethal virulence factor produced by this ubiquitous microorganism. In a recent study (H. S. Elzaim, A. K. Chopra, J. W. Peterson, R. Goodheart, and J. P. Heggers, Infect. Immun. 66:2170–2179, 1998), we identified two major epitopes, one within the translocation domain (amino acid [aa] residues 289 to 333) of ETA and another within the enzymatic domain (aa 610 to 638), by using a panel of antipeptide antibodies. Synthetic peptides representing these two epitopes induced ETA-specific antibodies which were able to abrogate the cytotoxic activity of ETA, as measured by incorporation of [3H]leucine into 3T3 fibroblasts. In the present study, these antibodies were tested for the ability to provide protection against ETA and infection with a toxin-producing strain of P. aeruginosa in a mouse model. Antibodies to either of the synthetic peptides conferred protection against ETA. Also, when used for immunization, both peptides induced active immunity to ETA in mice. Antibodies to the peptide representing a region within the enzymatic domain of ETA, in combination with the antibiotic amikacin, enhanced the survival of mice infected with a toxin-producing strain of P. aeruginosa. Thus, antipeptide antibodies specific for ETA might be paired with antibiotic treatment for passive immunization of patients suffering from P. aeruginosa infection.
Detection of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen with the Miniature Centrifugal Fast Analyzer

. A modified reversed passive hemagglutination test for the detection of hepatitis B surface antigen HBsAg is described. Sera and reagent cells coated with antibody to HBsAg (anti-HBs) are loaded separately into the rotor of a miniature centrifugal fast analyzer. The rotor is centrifuged briefly to transfer the components into its cuvettes. After mixing, the suspensions are allowed to stand at room temperature for 30 min, following which the rotor is again centrifuged and the absorbance of each cuvette is monitored. Cells suspended in serum containing HBsAg leave the light path more rapidly than cells suspended in sera free of antigen. The magnitude of change in absorbance varies directly with the concentration of the antigen. In 45 sera tested by the conventional V-plate technique, findings were as follows: 21 positive, 19 false positive and 5 negative. The automated procedure unequivocally differentiated the 21 positives; results for the false positive and negative specimens were identical and clearly distinguishable from the positive results. The automated procedure enhances specificity, offers equivalent sensitivity, and results that are quantitative and objective.
The Effect of Input Device on First-Person Shooter Target Acquisition:

Gaming has become a billion dollar industry over the past several years. First-person shooter (FPS) games have become increasingly popular, and the player's ability to accurately control their weapon and acquire targets quickly is very important. This was a two part study that assessed the effect of input device on FPS target acquisition. Study 1 assessed players' accuracy on eliminating targets in the FPS game Star Wars Battlefront II™ using three different input devices (mouse, Playstation 2 (PS2) controller, and joystick) with two different weapon types (sniper rifle and blaster rifle). No significant differences in performance were found between input devices. However, participants did take fewer shots in the sniper rifle condition when using the joystick. There was a significant difference found between the rifle types, with participants taking fewer shots and less time to eliminate targets when using the sniper rifle. Trends observed in the results suggest different input devices are more effective ...
TiO 2 deposition on AZ31 magnesium alloy using plasma electrolytic oxidation

Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) has been used in the past as a useful surface treatment technique to improve the anticorrosion properties of Mg alloys by forming protective layer. Coatings were prepared on AZ31 magnesium alloy in phosphate electrolyte with the addition of TiO2 nanoparticles using plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO). This present work focuses on developing a TiO2 functional coating to create a novel electrophotocatalyst while observing the surface morphology, structure, composition, and corrosion resistance of the PEO coating. Microstructural characterization of the coating was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) followed by image analysis and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX). The corrosion resistance of the PEO treated samples was evaluated with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and DC polarization tests in 3.5wt.% NaCl. The XRD pattern shows that the components of the oxide film include Mg from the substrate as well as MgO and Mg2TiO4 due to the TiO2 nanoparticle addition. The results show that the PEO coating with TiO2 nanoparticles did improve the corrosion resistance when compared to the AZ31 substrate alloy.
Negative Probability and the Correspondence between Quantum and Classical Physics

The correspondence between quantum and classical physics can be illustrated by considering the time evolution of wavepackets, which in the limit of large quantum numbers, are expected to follow classical trajectories. The remarkable success in understanding microwave photoionization experiments in hydrogen [1] [2] [3] by purely classical calculations of electron trajectories [4] [5], discussed in this workshop, can presumably be based on such a correspondence. Moreover, it has recently been shown [5] [6] that there is a correspondence between classical and quantum phase space calculations in a one dimensional approximation for the dynamics of an electron in a combined Coulomb field and oscillating electric field. Nevertheless, we would like to show that there are some subtleties involved in considering the quantum-classical correspondence for the time evolution of wave packets even in the case of a pure Coulomb field.
Preface—the changing shape of computer vision

Publisher Summary This chapter elaborates the changing shape of computer vision. A great deal of effort has been devoted to understanding how the important intensity changes in an image can be extracted and how the information can be best represented. It is clear that grouping operations need to be defined at each level of resolution of each representation in the visual system to impose hierarchical structure upon the representation. The advantages that should accrue from imposing such structure are likely to be precisely those that have inspired the development of data structures generally in computer science.
Balance of nutrients: Is more better?

When it comes to dietary supplements, many get their (often erroneous) information from health magazines or television doctors. Take folic acid, for example: Fortification programs that enhance folate status in human populations have gained popularity. However, although folic acid supplementation
The Demographic and Political Composition of Mechanical Turk Samples

One of the most notable recent developments in survey research is the increased usage of online convenience samples drawn from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk). While scholars have noted various social and political differences (e.g., age, partisanship) between MTurk and population-based samples, the breadth and depth of these variations remain unclear. We investigate the extent to which MTurk samples differ from population samples, and the underlying nature of these differences. We do so by replicating items from the population-based American National Election Studies (ANES) 2012 Time Series Study in a survey administered to a sample of MTurk respondents. With few exceptions, we not only find that MTurk respondents differ significantly from respondents completing the 2012 ANES via the Web but also that most differences are reduced considerably when controlling for easily measurable sample features. Thus, MTurk respondents do not appear to differ fundamentally from population-based respondents in unmeasur...
Two-Dimensional Quantization Method for Phased-Array Scanning

This paper describes a method for controlling the phase shifters in an electronically scanned two-dimensional phased-array antenna with digital phase shifters. The control algorithm, referred to as two-dimensional quantization (TDQ), significantly reduces the beam-steering errors and the quantization sidelobes caused by the digital phase quantization for a two-dimensional array by increasing the effective phase resolution in the scan-plane direction, and improving the stair-step approximation to an ideal linear phase gradient. This is accomplished by independently adjusting the phases of elements in the plane perpendicular to the scan plane to obtain the desired effective phase gradient. Examples are given showing that a 32 by 32 element planar array with three-bit phase shifters using this method can achieve a beam-steering accuracy equivalent to an array with eight-bit phase shifters. This permits the use of phase shifters with fewer bits to achieve the same beam-steering accuracy, reducing the cost of the array.
Identifying Research Topic Development in Business and Management Education Research Using Legitimation Code Theory.

Although the volume of business and management education (BME) research has expanded substantially, concerns remain about the field’s legitimacy and its ability to attract new and dedicated scholar...
Direct acting antiviral therapy after liver transplantation.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Historically, postliver transplant patients with chronic hepatitis C have had worse outcomes than nonhepatitis C-related causes because of accelerated fibrosis posttransplantation and the lack of effective well tolerated therapies for hepatitis C, and posttransplant hepatitis C patients have been considered a special population. Since 2013, we have entered the era of all oral direct acting antiviral agents for hepatitis C with sustained response rates that are consistently above 90% in nontransplant patients. RECENT FINDINGS The introduction of direct acting antiviral agents to posttransplant patients has demonstrated that sustained virologic response rates that are comparable with nontransplant patients can be achieved with excellent tolerability. The combinations of sofosbuvir/ribavirin, ledipasvir/sofosbuvir/ribavirin, daclatasvir/sofosbuvir/ribavirin, sofosbuvir/simeprevir ± ribavirin, and paritaprevir/ombitasvir/dasabuvir/ribavirin have all achieved high sustained response rates posttransplants. The previously dreaded complication of fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis C can now be effectively treated. SUMMARY In the era of all oral therapies, no patient who undergoes transplant for hepatitis C-related cirrhosis should have their graft fail because of recurrent hepatitis C. It is expected that long-term survival of those who undergo orthotopic liver transplant for HCV-related cirrhosis will be comparable to those without hepatitis C.
Congenital lipoprotein lipase deficiency and hyperlipemia in the young puppy.

SummaryA young puppy with hyperlipemia presumably associated with lipoprotein lipase deficiency is reported. It appears that this rare abnormality of lipid metabolism may occur in mammals other than man.
Prognostic and Functional Significance of MAP4K5 in Pancreatic Cancer.

Objectives MAP4K5 plays an important role in regulating a range of cellular responses and is involved in Wnt signaling in hematopoietic cells. However, its functions in human malignancies have not been studied. The major objectives of this study are to examine the expression, functions and clinical significance of MAP4K5 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Materials and Methods The expression levels of MAP4K5, E-cadherin, vimentin, and carboxylesterase 2 (CES2) were examined by immunohistochemistry in 105 PDAC and matched non-neoplastic pancreas samples from our institution. The RNA sequencing data of 112 PDAC patients were downloaded from the TCGA data portal. Immunoblotting and RNA sequencing analysis were used to examine the expression of MAP4K5 and E-cadherin in pancreatic cancer cell lines. The effect of knockdown MAP4K5 using siRNA on the expression of CDH1 and vimentin were examined by Real-time RT-PCR in Panc-1 and AsPC-1 cells. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics. Results MAP4K5 protein is expressed at high levels specifically in the pancreatic ductal cells of 100% non-neoplastic pancreas samples, but is decreased or lost in 77.1% (81/105) of PDAC samples. MAP4K5-low correlated with the loss of E-cadherin (P = 0.001) and reduced CES2 expression (P = 0.002) in our patient populations. The expression levels of MAP4K5 mRNA directly correlated with the expression levels of CDH1 mRNA (R = 0.2490, P = 0.008) in the second cohort of 112 PDAC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) RNA-seq dataset. Similar correlations between the expression of MAP4K5 and E-cadherin were observed both at protein and mRNA levels in multiple pancreatic cancer cell lines. Knockdown MAP4K5 led to decreased CDH1 mRNA expression in Panc-1 and AsPC-1 cells. MAP4K5-low correlated significantly with reduced overall survival and was an independent prognosticator in patients with stage II PDAC. Conclusions MAP4K5 expression is decreased or lost in majority of PDACs. The strong associations between low MAP4K5 expression and loss of E-cadherin, reduced CES2 expression and decreased overall survival may suggest an important role of MAP4K5 in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, chemotherapy resistance and tumor progression in pancreatic cancer. Targeting impaired MAP4K5 signaling may represent a new therapeutic strategy for pancreatic cancer.
Genetic Plasticity of Stored-Product Insects in Relation to Insecticides: Comparative Susceptibility of Confused and Red Flour Beetles from Various Areas of California to Malathion

The toxicity of malathion to 8 strains of confused flour beetles, Tribolium confusum Jacqulin duVal, and to 39 strains of red flour beetles, T. castaneum (Herbst), collected from widely separated locations in California was compared with results from direct spray experiments with standard laboratory cultures of the same species. On the basis of 1 being assigned to LC values obtained from tests with standard laboratory cultures, the susceptibility ratio of field strains of confused flour beetles ranged from 0.84 to 1.19 at LC50and from 0.76 to 1.37 at LC95. The susceptibility ratio of field strains of red flour beetles ranged from 0.78 to 1.33 at LC50 and from 0.75 to 2.22 at LC95. Differences in susceptibility to malathion of field strains of flour beetles from various areas of California was attributed to normal genetic plasticity of the species. Resistance to malathion in the natural sample populations obtained to provide culture stock of field strains was not indicated by the results of this study.
Quantifying drought-induced tree mortality in the open canopy woodlands of central Texas

Abstract During 2011, Texas experienced a severe drought, which caused substantial tree mortality. Drought-induced tree mortality can have significant ecological impacts and is expected to increase in many locations with climate change. This disturbance is unique because it often is limited to only subtle and diffuse changes in forest cover. Thus we developed new methods to quantify drought-driven canopy loss using remotely sensed imagery, across a Landsat scene in central Texas (> 30,000 km2). First, fine-scale canopy loss maps were created by classifying 17 1-m orthophotos (each ~ 50 km2) from the US National Agriculture Imagery Program. These classifications were highly correlated (R2 = 0.90) with field estimates of canopy cover loss measured in 21 plots at 4 sites across central Texas. These fine-scale canopy loss maps were then used to calibrate and validate coarser-scale Landsat imagery. In scaling up to create regional canopy loss maps, we assembled a Landsat time-series and separated mortality pixels experiencing persistent canopy loss from pixels with only background noise by applying the Landtrendr algorithm. We then estimated percent tree canopy loss within each of these mortality pixels by comparing two models capable of handling zero-inflated continuous proportions: random forest and a zero-or-one inflated beta (ZOIB) regression model. We found that the ZOIB regression model had the highest accuracy in predicting canopy loss (mean absolute error = 5.16%, root mean square error = 8.01%). The 2011 drought caused a decrease in canopy cover within the study area, equivalent to 1124 km2 of canopy loss, ~ 10% of the 10,850 km2 area of live canopy present before the drought. Our methods address the need to detect drought-induced tree mortality as extreme droughts are predicted to increase with climate change. More detailed canopy loss maps could then be used (1) to quantify potential impacts to carbon cycling, biophysics, and species compositions and (2) to understand the factors controlling tree mortality, now and in the future.
Importance evaluation of synchronous generator model parameters

Generator model is one of the most important models in the dynamic simulation,and the accuracy of generator model parameters affects the simulation results.Each parameter of the generator model has different effect on the model outputs.Based on the simulation results under different operating conditions and different faults,the trajectory sensitivity of generator outputs to the model parameters was computed,and the synthetic sensitivity was obtained in this paper.The synthetic sensitivity reflects the effects of parameter variations on the outputs.So parameters of generator model can be divided into different grades according to their synthetic sensitivity and the accuracy of parameters must meet the need of their grades.The results of calculation example proved that the grades based on the synthetic sensitivity are consistent with the regulations of generator model parameters determined by WSCC.
Shadow Scholars and the Rise of the Dissertation Service Industry: Can We Maintain Academic Integrity?

Notable interest was generated when Dave Tomar’s book, The Shadow Scholar: How I Made a Living Helping College Kids Cheat, was first published. While ghostwriters and paper mills have long been part of the academic landscape, a far more ominous enterprise has appeared that targets master’s and doctoral students seeking assistance with their theses and dissertations. This essay proffers a number of questions for consideration about the services these consulting companies are marketing on the Internet to students across the globe. The article illuminates a rising phenomenon and the potential effects on scholarship, faculty, and universities. It will be of interest to anyone interested in the implications for research education.
Supraventricular tachycardias: mechanisms and therapies.

ECG findings alone are inadequate to provide a definitive diagnosis or even to differentiate supraventricular from ventricular tachycardias. Intracardiac electrophysiologic testing, however, has substantially increased our understanding of the nature of these arrhythmias, thereby clarifying the optimum approaches to their evaluation and treatment.
Learn by Doing or Learn by Failing? The Paradoxical Effect of Public Policy in Averting the Liability of Newness:

Public policy regulations, designed to legitimate and protect fragile, fledgling new firms from failure, on the surface, appear to be of great value. According to Stinchcombe, to the extent that su...
Heat transfer in turbulent pipe flow based on a new mixing length model

A new model for the heat transfer in turbulent pipe flow is presented based on a modified form of the mixing length theory developed by Cebeci [1] for boundary layer flow problems. The model predicts the velocity and temperature distributions and the Nusselt number for fluids with low, medium and high Prandtl numbers (Pr=.02 to 15) and fits the available experimental data very accurately for values of Reynolds number exceeding 104. Expressions for the eddy conductivity and for the turbulent Prandtl number are presented and shown to be dependent upon the Reynolds number, the Prandtl number, and the distance from the tube wall.
The atomic radius of a solute in alloys of the noble metals

Abstract In the f.c.c., disordered, binary alloys of the noble metals, the deviations from Vegard's Law which occur, are studied with emphasis on the shielding of the charge of a polyvalent solute by the conduction electrons of the solvent. This shielding is studied with an empty core Fermi-Thomas Pseudopotential which is used to calculate the value of the effective valence of a number of solutes in alloys of copper and silver. When Vegard's Law is applied to these alloys, the value of the effective valence is assigned to the charge on a solute atom instead of the conventional valence. We take the value of the cancellation radius for a given atom equal to the expectation value of the radius of an electron in the outermost closed S shell of the atom. The radius of a given solute atom in copper and silver is calculated with our Pseudopotential. These theoretical results are compared with the value of the “apparent atomic diameter” of a solute in these solvents, a concept originally proposed by Axon and Hume-Rothery. Some comments are also made on alloys of gold.
Modes of Chemically Induced Cell Proliferation

Cell proliferation, sometimes referred to as mitogenesis, may be induced in tissue-specific fashion by toxic substances. Two general modes of cell proliferation, hyperplasia and regeneration, are responsible for chemically induced cell proliferation. Although chemically induced cell proliferation is not a neoplastic response, it may be associated with increased risk of developing neoplasia in some tissues.
Viète's formula and an error bound without Taylor's Theorem

This note presents a derivation of Viete's classic product approximation of π that relies on only the Pythagorean Theorem. We also give a simple error bound for the approximation that, while not op...
Does a Hologram Give an Encore? Authenticity in Mixed Reality: An Abstract

While the promise of holograms to create a replicable consumer experience excites some consumers, others express skepticism about the potential enjoyment of watching dead celebrities, fictional characters, and so forth, in a materially “real” environment (Giesler, 2004). Virtual and augmented realities have acted as consumer gateways to consumer-hologram interactions (Jin, 2009; Suh & Lee, 2005; Yaoyuneyong et al., 2015); however, little is known about the state of these interactions. Although Milgram (1992) proposed a Reality-Virtuality continuum spanning from Real Environments to Augmented Reality to Augmented Virtuality to Virtual Environments, marketing scholarship has only recently approached application of these new technologies (Javornik, 2016; Scholz & Smith, 2016).
Sub-Band Detector for Wind-Induced Noise

This study considers the problem of reliably detecting wind in portable devices such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDA), tablet computers, and alike. A multi-microphone wind detector is presented that utilizes statistical analysis of microphone signals. This statistical analysis is used to quantify the discrepancy in dynamic behavior of the microphone signals. Empirical Distribution Function (EDF) is proposed to capture the dynamic behavior of each microphone signal, and the discrepancy in this behavior is quantified using mean absolute difference between the corresponding EDFs. A decision about wind presence is made separately for each chosen sub-band in order to avoid performing wind noise reduction in a part of audio spectrum which was not affected by wind-induced noise. The proposed wind detector demonstrates reliable detection of wind for each chosen sub-band in an exemplary mobile phone application. Performance evaluation confirms superiority of the proposed sub-band wind detector in terms of correct detection and false alarm compared to a state-of-the art wind detector.
Intrarenal fat deposition does not interfere with the measurement of single-kidney perfusion in obese swine using multi-detector computed tomography.

Abstract Background Altered vascular structure or function in several diseases may impair renal perfusion. Multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) is a non-invasive tool to assess single-kidney perfusion and function based on dynamic changes in tissue attenuation during contrast media transit. However, changes in basal tissue attenuation might hamper these assessments, despite background subtraction. Evaluation of iodine concentration using the dual-energy (DECT) MDCT mode allows excluding effects of basal values on dynamic changes in tissue attenuation. We tested whether decreased basal kidney attenuation secondary to intrarenal fat deposition in swine obesity interferes with assessment of renal perfusion using MDCT. Methods Domestic pigs were fed a standard (lean) or a high-cholesterol/carbohydrate (obese) diet (n = 5 each) for 16 weeks, and both kidneys were then imaged using MDCT/DECT after iodinated contrast injection. DECT images were post-processed to generate iodine and virtual-non-contrast (VNC) datasets, and the MDCT kidney/aorta CT number (following background subtraction) and DECT iodine ratios calculated during the peak vascular phase as surrogates of renal perfusion. Intrarenal fat was subsequently assessed with Oil-Red-O staining. Results VNC maps in obese pigs revealed decreased basal cortical attenuation, and histology confirmed increased renal tissue fat deposition. Nevertheless, the kidney/aorta attenuation and iodine ratios remained similar, and unchanged compared to lean pigs. Conclusions Despite decreased basal attenuation secondary to renal adiposity, background subtraction allows adequate assessment of kidney perfusion in obese pigs using MDCT. These observations support the feasibility of renal perfusion assessment in obese subjects using MDCT.
Comparing damage on retrieved total elbow replacement bushings with lab worn specimens subjected to varied loading conditions.

Complication rates following total elbow replacement (TER) with conventional implants are relatively high due to mechanical failure involving the UHMWPE bushings. Unfortunately, there are no standardized pre-clinical durability testing protocols for assessing the durability of TER components. This study examines the damage observed on retrieved humeral bushings, and then uses in vitro durability testing with two different loading protocols to compare resulting damage. Damage on 25 pairs of retrieved humeral bushings was characterized using micro-computed tomographic imaging techniques. The damage was compared with that of in vitro test specimens which were subjected to 200 K cycles of either high joint reaction force (high JRF) or high varus moment (high VM) loading. Material removal (mass loss) from bushing components was measured using gravimetric techniques. Thinning was less for retrieved bushings which were still assembled in their humeral component, versus bushings which were loose (0.3 ± 0.3 mm vs. 0.6 ± 0.3 mm, p = 0.02). Comparing in vitro test specimens, thinning due to high VM loading was 0.9 ± 0.3 mm, versus 0.2 ± 0.0 mm for high JRF loading (p = 0.08); however, the actual material removal rates from the humeral bushings were not different between the two protocols (48 ± 5 mm3 /Mc vs. 43 ± 2 mm3 /Mc, p = 1). Neither loading protocol could produce damage patterns fully representative of the spectrum of damage patterns observed on clinical retrievals. Pre-clinical testing should employ multiple loading protocols to characterize implant performance under a broader spectrum of usage. © 2018 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:1998-2006, 2018.
Methods for Providing Indications of Robot Intent in Collaborative Human-Robot Tasks

Human-robot collaboration is becoming more common in factories. In this paper, we present our designs for methods for providing information to a person about the robot»s intent before the robot moves into the shared work space. We discuss our plan for a human-subjects study to determine which methods are best to express the robot»s intent in an easily understandable way. Our study is also designed to determine the optimal distance from the work space to show signals of intent on the robot itself. The goal of our work is to improve efficiency and safety in human-robot collaboration.
Biodegradability of carbon nanotube/polymer nanocomposites under aerobic mixed culture conditions.

Abstract The properties and commercial viability of biodegradable polymers can be significantly enhanced by the incorporation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The environmental impact and persistence of these carbon nanotube/polymer nanocomposites (CNT/PNCs) after disposal will be strongly influenced by their microbial interactions, including their biodegradation rates. At the end of consumer use, CNT/PNCs will encounter diverse communities of microorganisms in landfills, surface waters, and wastewater treatment plants. To explore CNT/PNC biodegradation under realistic environmental conditions, the effect of multi-wall CNT (MWCNT) incorporation on the biodegradation of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) was investigated using a mixed culture of microorganisms from wastewater. Relative to unfilled PHA (0% w/w), the MWCNT loading (0.5–10% w/w) had no statistically significant effect on the rate of PHA matrix biodegradation. Independent of the MWCNT loading, the extent of CNT/PNC mass remaining closely corresponded to the initial mass of CNTs in the matrix suggesting a lack of CNT release. CNT/PNC biodegradation was complete in approximately 20 days and resulted in the formation of a compressed CNT mat that retained the shape of the initial CNT/PNC. This study suggests that although CNTs have been shown to be cytotoxic towards a range of different microorganisms, this does not necessarily impact the biodegradation of the surrounding polymer matrix in mixed culture, particularly in situations where the polymer type and/or microbial population favor rapid polymer biodegradation.