cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Public Administration in the Twenty-First Century

Books reviewed in this article: Donald F. Kettl, The Transformation of Governance: Public Administration for the Twenty-First Century America Lester M. Salamon (ed.), The Tools of Government: A Guide to the New Governance H. George Frederickson and Kevin B. Smith, The Public Administration Theory Primer
In situ collagen assembly for integrating microfabricated three-dimensional cell-seeded matrices

The contractile forces of cells can cause extracellular matrices to detach from their surroundings, which is problematic for biological studies and tissue engineering. Now, multiple phases of cell-seeded hydrogels can be integrated using a collagen-fibre-mediated method, resulting in the construction of well-defined and stable patterns of three-dimensional matrices. Microscale fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) extracellular matrices (ECMs) can be used to mimic the often inhomogeneous and anisotropic properties of native tissues1,2,3 and to construct in vitro cellular microenvironments4,5,6. Cellular contraction of fibrous natural ECMs (such as fibrin and collagen I) can detach matrices from their surroundings and destroy intended geometry7,8,9. Here, we demonstrate in situ collagen fibre assembly (the nucleation and growth of new collagen fibres from preformed collagen fibres at an interface) to anchor together multiple phases of cell-seeded 3D hydrogel-based matrices against cellular contractile forces. We apply this technique to stably interface multiple microfabricated 3D natural matrices (containing collagen I, Matrigel, fibrin or alginate); each phase can be seeded with cells and designed to permit cell spreading. With collagen-fibre-mediated interfacing, microfabricated 3D matrices maintain stable interfaces (the individual phases do not separate from each other) over long-term culture (at least 3 weeks) and support spatially restricted development of multicellular structures within designed patterns. The technique enables construction of well-defined and stable patterns of a variety of 3D ECMs formed by diverse mechanisms (including temperature-, ion- and enzyme-mediated crosslinking), and presents a simple approach to interface multiple 3D matrices for biological studies and tissue engineering.
Dissimilarity in mother and adolescent illness representations of type 1 diabetes and negative emotional adjustment

The study explored how two measures of mother-adolescent dissimilarity in illness representations relate to negative emotional adjustment in mothers and adolescents. Eighty-four adolescents with type 1 diabetes (age 11.5-17.5) and their mothers completed the Revised Illness Perceptions Questionnaire and measures of negative emotional adjustment. Adolescents viewed diabetes as less chronic, containing fewer negative emotional representations, and that mother had less control over the illness than did mothers. Mother-adolescent mean differences in representations were not associated with negative adjustment for adolescents; mean differences in coherence were related to negative adjustment for mothers, when controlling the individual's own representations. A measure of dissimilarity based on the sum of squared differences between mother and adolescent was associated with negative adolescent adjustment when controlling adolescent's own representations, but no relations were found for mothers. Dyadic approaches to coping with chronic illness will benefit by understanding how dissimilarity in illness representations between patient and caregiver relate to adjustment.
Efficient de novo assembly of single-cell bacterial genomes from short-read data sets

DNA can be amplified and sequenced from a single cell, but unevenness of the sequence coverage complicates efforts to assemble a high-quality genome. Chitsaz et al. devise an algorithm to address this problem and apply it to assemble a genome draft of an uncultured single-cell marine organism from one lane of Illumina sequence data.
The Importance of Resources and Information in the Lives of Battered Mothers

An increasing body of research has documented the overlap between intimate partner violence and child abuse. To date, very little research has explored mothers’ perspectives on how child protection services (CPS) actually investigates and intervenes in families where intimate partner violence (IPV) as well as child abuse or neglect have occurred. The current research explores the complex role of information and resources in child protection investigations and interventions. In-person interviews were conducted with 19 mothers who had been battered and who had been involved with CPS because of the violence. Mothers reported difficulties in sharing information with and receiving information from CPS workers, but some also reported benefiting from information they received. Moreover, for a handful of women, the CPS intervention was a source of emotional strength. Implications for improving CPS interventions when IPV is occurring are discussed.
Universal curves for the horizontal polarization reflection coefficient

A set of universal curves is presented by which the approximate magnitude and phase of the reflection coefficient for horizontal polarization can be determined at any grazing angle with relatively little computation. The approximation is excellent when the relative impedance ratio of the two mediums is high, and sufficiently accurate for almost all engineering purposes even when the impedance ratio is only moderately greater than unity. This set of curves is intended to be a companion to a similar set described in a previous article for the vertical polarization reflection coefficient.
EMS Maglev vehicle-guideway-controller model

Computer simulation studies are a useful means to investigate the safety and performance of a high-speed magnetically levitated (maglev) vehicle negotiating an elevated guideway. These studies confirm the importance of accounting for the dynamic interaction that couples the vehicle and guideway. The vehicle and guideway systems are driven by the same action/reaction magnet force inputs specified by a controller. The controller's task is to dynamically adjust these force inputs to maintain a nominal gap between the vehicle and guideway (to prevent contact and robustly accommodate disturbances) while achieving satisfactory ride quality for passengers. The critical components of the dynamically interacting system are vehicle, guideway and controller. This paper presents a summary of research designed to formulate analytical models of each of these components and to conduct computer simulation studies of an electromagnetic suspension (EMS) maglev system.
Evolution of Design for X Tools Applicable to Design Stages: A Literature Review

Design stage is very critical as many decisions impacting the downstream development activities and the product cost are made in this stage. Over the years, numerous “Design for X (DfX)” concepts/methods have been developed in order to increase the efficiency at the design stage, and reduce the total product cost and development lead time. Design for manufacture, assembly, quality, maintenance, environment, obsolescence and recyclability, etc. are among these. Despite the availability of these numerous concepts/methods, a “big picture” to illustrate the relations and the interactions among these X factors remains absent. In the paper, we attempt to provide our version of this “big picture” along with maturity and trajectory of these factors as identified from the published literature.
Microwave assisted thawing of model frozen foods using feed-back temperature control and surface cooling.

An apparatus was developed that combined microwave energy and cold air with different ambient temperatures to reduce thawing time and avoid run-away heating during microwave assisted thawing. Effects of microwave power level, sample thickness and surface air temperature on thawing time were investigated. The microwave power was cycled on and off using two temperature control schemes to maintain a predetermined temperature gradient based on hot and cold points. Thawing time was reduced by as much as a factor of seven compared to convective thawing at ambient temperature when appropriate conditions were used.
Secure execution environments through reconfigurable lightweight cryptographic components

Software protection is one of the most important problems in the area of computing as it affects a multitude of players like software vendors, digital content providers, users, and government agencies. There are multiple dimensions to this broad problem of software protection. The most important ones are: (1) protecting software from reverse engineering. (2) protecting software from tamper (or modification). (3) preventing software piracy. (4) verification of integrity of the software. In this thesis we focus on these areas of software protection. The basic requirement to achieve these goals is to provide a secure execution environment, which ensures that the programs behave in the same way as it was designed, and the execution platforms respect certain types of wishes specified by the program. We take the approach of providing secure execution environment through architecture support. We exploit the power of reconfigurable components in achieving this. The first problem we consider is to provide architecture support for obfuscation. This also achieves the goals of tamper resistance, copy protection, and IP protection indirectly. Our approach is based on the intuition that the software is a sequence of instructions (and data) and if the sequence as well the contents are obfuscated then all the required goals can be achieved. The second problem we solve is integrity verification of the software particularly in embedded devices. Our solution is based on the intuition that an obfuscated (permuted) binary image without any dynamic traces reveals very little information about the IP of the program. Moreover, if this obfuscation function becomes a shared secret between the verifier and the embedded device then verification can be performed in a trustworthy manner. Cryptographic components form the underlying building blocks/primitives of any secure execution environment. Our use of reconfigurable components to provide software protection in both Arc 3 D and TIVA led us to an interesting observation about the power of reconfigurable components. Reconfigurable components provide the ability to use the secret (or key) in a much stronger way than the conventional cryptographic designs. This opened up an opportunity for us to explore the use of reconfigurable gates to build cryptographic functions.
Clutchable series-elastic actuator: Implications for prosthetic knee design

Currently, the mobility of above-knee amputees is limited by the lack of available prostheses that can efficiently replicate biologically accurate movements. In this study, a powered knee prosthesis was designed utilizing a novel mechanism, known as a clutchable series-elastic actuator (CSEA).The CSEA includes a low-power clutch in parallel with an electric motor within a traditional series-elastic actuator. The stiffness of the series elasticity was tuned to match the elastically conservative region of the knee's torque-angle relationship during the stance phase of locomotion. During this region, the clutch was used to efficiently store energy in the series elasticity. The fully autonomous knee prosthesis design utilized a brushless electric motor, ballscrew transmission and cable drive, as well as commercial electrical components. The knee was lighter than the eighth percentile and shorter than the first percentile male shank segment. The CSEA Knee was tested in a unilateral above-knee amputee walking at 1.3 m/s. During walking, the CSEA Knee provided biomechanically accurate torque-angle behavior, agreeing within 17% of the net work and 27% of the stance flexion angle produced by the biological knee. In addition, the process of locomotion reduced the net electrical energy consumption of the CSEA Knee. The knee's motor generated 1.8 J/stride, and the net energy consumption was 3.6 J/stride, an order of magnitude less energy than previously published powered knee prostheses.
Duality of sensor network design models for parameter estimation

Plant-performance evaluation relies on the estimation of specific variables, which could be model parameters or performance indicators. Thus, the availability of reliable process knowledge is essential to peformance evaluation. This information is obtained through monitoring and data reconciliation only when an adequate set of instruments has been located at the right places. The measurement arrangement should guarantee the observability and precision of the variables involved in the estimation scheme. Furthermore, the assessment of cost-optimal measurement structures for performance estimation is a challenging issue for complex plants. Several authors have addressed the problem of selecting measurement structures to determine accurate parameter values. Furthermore, several articles have appeared in the literature to design sensor networks for steady-state process. The designs satisfied different purposes, such as observability, precision, cost, reliability, and robustness. A survey of the . state of the art can be found in Bagajewicz 1997 . Among these strategies, we are concerned with maximum-precision models and minimum-cost models for parameter estimation. In this regard, there seems to be confusion in the literature as of which model is best for design. In addition, there is no study performing comparisons or giving recommendations. In this article a brief overview of the minimum-cost ap. proach Bagajewicz, 1997 and maximum-precision models are presented first. In the next section a MINLP generalized maximum-precision model for multiple-parameter estimation is proposed and its advantages over other existing techniques are highlighted. Following that, the duality between the maximum-precision model and the minimum-cost model is established. Finally, illustrative examples are solved.
Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Endothelial Stress in Children and Adolescents

Abstract Objective Links between secondhand smoke exposure and cardiovascular disease in adults are well established. Little is known about the impact of this exposure on cardiovascular status during childhood. The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between secondhand smoke exposure in children and adolescents and cardiovascular disease risk—systemic inflammation, endothelial stress, and endothelial repair. Methods A total of 145 subjects, aged 9 to 18 years, were studied. Tobacco smoke exposure was determined by hair nicotine level. Cardiovascular risk was assessed by markers of systemic inflammation (C-reactive protein [CRP] and adiponectin); by soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (s-ICAM1), which measures endothelial activation after surface vascular injury; and by endothelial repair. This was measured by prevalence of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), which are bone marrow–derived cells that home preferentially to sites of vascular damage. Results Hair nicotine was directly correlated with s-ICAM1 ( r = 0.4090, P r = −0.2002, P = .0195). There was no relationship between hair nicotine and CRP, and a trend toward a weak relationship with adiponectin. Hair nicotine and body mass index were independent variables in a multivariate model predicting s-ICAM1; hair nicotine was the only significant variable in a model predicting EPC prevalence. Conclusions Secondhand smoke exposure during childhood and adolescence is detrimental to vascular health because s-ICAM1 is a marker for endothelial activation and stress after vascular surface injury, and EPCs contribute to vascular repair. The fact that body mass index is also a factor in the model predicting s-ICAM1 is concerning, in that 2 risk factors may both contribute to endothelial stress.
Storage conditions affect soybean color, chemical composition and tofu qualities

Soybeans stored under four sets of conditions were analyzed for the changes in color, composition and their effects on yield and textural properties of tofu. Soybeans stored under the adverse conditions (84% relative humidity (RH), 30C) exhibited significant changes in tofu yield and textural quality as well as in color and total free sugar content with storage time. Significant correlations existed between soybean color and tofu yield within 6 months under the adverse storage conditions. Color changes may provide a rapid method for predicting soybean quality for making tofu after storage. Soybeans stored under mild (57% RH, 20C), cold (4C) arid uncontrolled ambient conditions (garage) exhibited no significant changes in their color or composition except for moisture contents, and maintained good qualities for tofu making for up to 18 months.
Tyrosine Phosphorylation as a Conformational Switch A CASE STUDY OF INTEGRIN β3 CYTOPLASMIC TAIL

Reversible protein phosphorylation is vital for many fundamental cellular processes. The actual impact of adding and removing phosphate group(s) is 3-fold: changes in the local/global geometry, alterations in the electrostatic potential and, as the result of both, modified protein-target interactions. Here we present a comprehensive structural investigation of the effects of phosphorylation on the conformational as well as functional states of a crucial cell surface receptor, αIIbβ3 integrin. We have analyzed phosphorylated (Tyr747 and Tyr759) β3 integrin cytoplasmic tail (CT) primarily by NMR, and our data demonstrate that under both aqueous and membrane-mimetic conditions, phosphorylation causes substantial conformational rearrangements. These changes originate from novel ionic interactions and revised phospholipid binding. Under aqueous conditions, the critical Tyr747 phosphorylation prevents β3CT from binding to its heterodimer partner αIIbCT, thus likely maintaining an activated state of the receptor. This conclusion was tested in vivo and confirmed by integrin-dependent endothelial cells adhesion assay. Under membrane-mimetic conditions, phosphorylation results in a modified membrane embedding characterized by significant changes in the secondary structure pattern and the overall fold of β3CT. Collectively these data provide unique molecular insights into multiple regulatory roles of phosphorylation.
Self-describing delegation networks for the Web

As the necessity of flexible Web security becomes more apparent and as the notion of using policies for access control gains popularity, the number of policy languages being proposed for controlling access to Web resources increases. Instead of defining a single standard policy language, we believe that there should be a way of embracing different policy languages and of allowing interoperability between systems that use different policy languages. We propose Rein - a policy and delegation framework that is grounded in semantic Web technologies - to help the Web preserve maximum expressiveness for local policy communities by enabling global interoperability of policy reasoning. Rein provides ontologies for describing policy and delegation networks, and provides mechanisms for reasoning over them, both of which can be used to develop domain and policy language specific access control frameworks for Web resources. The focus of this paper is the delegation mechanisms of the Rein policy framework that support both delegation of authorization and trust. In this paper we give a brief overview of the Rein framework, describe its delegation mechanisms, and illustrate their usefulness through some examples.
A new liquid aerosol generator. III. Operating characteristics and theoretical analysis

Abstract Additional theoretical and experimental studies of the operating characteristics of a recently developed liquid aerosol generator have been performed to elucidate the factors affecting the aerosol produced. An analysis of the convective diffusion associated with the vaporizer of the generator is shown to be in agreement with experimental data (obtained by collecting the aerosol and by light-scattering measurements) on the degree of saturation of the vapor produced. In addition the redistribution of the vapor radially in the section following the vaporizer is examined as a factor that can affect the size distribution of the aerosol. The effects of flow rate, mass transfer parameters, and the design characteristics of the generator on the aerosol characteristics are described.
Social appraisal of adult ADHD: stigma and influences of the beholder's Big Five personality traits.

Objective: This study investigates social stigma associated with a diagnosis of ADHD in adulthood and whether Big Five personality traits predict appraisals of affected individuals. Method: A sample of 257 undergraduates rate the desirability of targets with ADHD, minor medical problems, and with no appreciable weakness, across several social engagement contexts. Results: Participants exhibit significantly less desire to engage with those with ADHD (as compared to both controls). Agreeableness, Extraversion, and Conscientiousness are found to predict appraisals of targets with and without ADHD, moderated by sex of the target and the beholder. Conclusion: It is suggested that fairly subtle, negative bias toward ADHD contributes to rejection of individuals with the disorder, particularly in academic and work settings. Findings also suggest peers’ personalities do have some effect on appraisals of targets with ADHD (J. of Att. Dis. 2008; 11(6) 700-710).
A Different Kind of Freedom? Order and Discipline among the Moravian Brethren in Germany and Salem, North Carolina 1771–1801

On 19 January 1774, Joseph Muller was expelled from the town of Salem, North Carolina for becoming engaged to Sarah Hauser without the permission of the Elders Conference. On 23 August 1775 Mattheus Weiβ was likewise expelled forwriting a “bad letter” to friends in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and on 4 November 1789, Jacob Bonn Jr., who hadbeen struggling with chronic debt, was expelled for refusing to sell his house and accept a steward for his finances. Theexpulsion of inhabitants for such offenses seems odd in a century labelled the “age of enlightenment.” It might well be viewed by good American constitutionalists as an unacceptable intrusion into the private lives of the individuals concerned. For the Moravian Brethren who built Salem on an ideal molded in Germany, the behavior of such offending Brethren represented a conflict between two different concepts of freedom: that of individual freedom, whichcame to be identified by both the European and American leadership of the Brethren as “American,” and that ofa spiritual freedom, which found expression in the submission to the good of the whole and obedience to Christ as literallord of the community. Historian A. G. Roeber has pointed out that many Germans were puzzled by “the American freedom” especially in the post-revolutionary years and did not always even agree among themselves over its precise meaning. Clearly, however, for many of them it represented a sharp departure from the more communal orientation of German society and government. Even the greater spiritual freedom offered by the lack of a state church was often viewed ambiguously. We can gain insight into the particular meaning of the conflict for the Brethren by first looking at the origins of the Moravian behavioral ideal, then at the way in which the dynamics of church/town discipline illustrate the tension between communal ideal and individual freedom, and finally by considering the specific impact of the translation of this ideal to an American setting.
Quadrature-Based Moment Methods for Multiphase Chemically Reacting Flows

Abstract The numerical simulation of multiphase chemically reacting flows is very challenging due to their multiscale nature. In this chapter, the focus is on disperse multiphase flows with a continuous phase (gas or liquid) surrounding one or more disperse phases (e.g., particle, drops, or bubbles). In such flows, the disperse phase is usually characterized by a size, concentration, and/or temperature distribution that must be accounted for in the mathematical model. In this context, a population balance model (PBM) for the number density function is the most convenient way to account for polydispersity. In addition, the continuous phase is often turbulent, so mixing and chemical reactions in a turbulent flow must also be modeled. This can be done using probability density function (PDF) methods. In this chapter, computational methods for approximating solutions to PBM and PDF transport equations are reviewed in the context of computational fluid dynamic (CFD). In particular, quadrature-based moment methods (QBMM) have proven to be accurate and numerically efficient when combined with CFD simulations. Applications with increasing degrees of complexity in the flow physics are introduced to illustrate how QBMM are used to solve real problems in chemical engineering.
Aftershocks of an Explosively Induced Mine Collapse at White Pine, Michigan

Abstract We recorded an explosively induced, 320-m-deep mine collapse and subsequent aftershocks at White Pine, Michigan, using an array of 12 seismic stations, sited within 1 km of surface ground zero. The collapse, which followed the rubblizing of a 2 × 10 4 m 2 panel of a room-and-pillar copper mine, was induced to facilitate leaching operations. The explosions produced little seismic energy; however, fracturing and collapse stages produced large signals that were observed at distances up to 900 km, yielding a magnitude ( m bLg ) of 2.8. Previous work showed the initial collapse to be an expanding seismic source, interpreted as an opening tensile crack, opposite to the implosional character most often observed for natural mine collapses (Yang et al. , 1998). We counted over 4000 aftershocks; their occurrence rate followed the modified Omori law: rate = 560 (time − 0.01) −1.3 , with time in hours. Based on P -wave polarities, we identified events of shear-slip, implosional, and tensile character in the aftershock sequence. For shear-slip events, we found stress drops of 1 bar or less, seismic moments of 10 15 −10 17 dyne cm, ( M w −0.8−0.5) and source radii of 10-50 m. Corner frequencies for implosional events were relatively low, an indication that the collapsed cavity played a role in the source process. This caused implosional events to separate from other events in source parameter plots, providing a technique for classifying events of unknown type. We obtained locations of 135 aftershocks using P - and S -wave data. The aftershock zone was less than 100-m thick, situated just above and along the western, mined edge of the collapsed mine panel. Implosional events occurred at the bottom of the active volume, while shear-slip events were distributed throughout. Shear-slip focal mechanisms indicated thrusting along north-striking planes, consistent with the high, eastwest regional compressive stress, coupled with a local decrease in vertical stress. The inferred deficit of vertical stress above the western panel edge following collapse indicated that overburden load shifted preferentially to the surrounding, unmined areas, consistent with lower-than-predicted stresses measured in the first row of intact pillars.
Discrete Aleksandrov solutions of the Monge-Ampere equation

We prove the convergence of a wide stencil finite difference scheme to the Aleksandrov solution of the elliptic Monge-Ampere equation when the right hand side is a sum of Dirac masses. The discrete scheme we analyze for the Dirichlet problem, when coupled with a discretization of the second boundary condition, can be used to get a good initial guess for geometric methods solving optimal transport between two measures.
Marketing Managers' Interpretation of and Response to Strategic Marketing Information: The Influence of Cognitive Style and Perceived Organizational Culture

Marketing managers in different organizations often construct different interpretations of strategic issues, even when exposed to identical information. Marketing managers may interpret and respond to strategic marketing information differently because of individual and organizational cognitive influences on the use of that information. Two cognitive influences that have strong theoretical, empirical, and practical implications for information use are cognitive style and perceived· organizational culture. Cognitive style may influence the use of strategic marketing information because it reflects patterns in the way people perceive and evaluate information. Similarly, perceived organizational culture may influence the extent to which certain aspects of strategic marketing information are deemed as salient because the marketing manager may see them as particularly important to the organization. In other words, organizational culture may provide a cognitive context for marketing managers' interpretation of information.
Effect of 5-Nitro and 5-Chloro Benzimidazole Derivatives on Heme Synthesis in vitro∗

Summary5-Nitro-, 2-methyl-5-nitro-, and 2-ethyl-5-nitrobenzimidazole; 5-chloro-, 2-methyl-5-chloro-, and 2-ethyl-5-chlorobenzimidazole were prepared and their effects on incorporation of N15 from N15-glycine into heme by chicken erythrocytes incubated in vitro were studied. Similar to the 5-methyl-benzimidazole series studied previously, the 2-ethyl-5-nitro- was considerably more inhibitory than the 5-nitro- or 2-methyl-5-nitro-benzimidazole. Likewise in the 5-chloro series, 2-ethyl-5-chloro- was considerably more inhibitory than the 5-chloro- or 2-methyl-5-chlorobenzimidazole. 5-Chloro derivatives appeared to be more inhibitory than the corresponding 5-nitro analogues; 2-ethyl-5-chlorobenzimidazole was as effective as 2-ethyl - 5 - methylbenzimidazole, whereas 2-ethyl-5-nitrobenzimidazole was not. All were more effective than benzimidazole itself. Although methyl, chloro or nitro groups in the 5 position gave compounds having inhibitory activity greater than that of unsubstituted benzimidazole, 5-hydroxy...
Plaque Rupture and Thrombosis: the Value of the Atherosclerotic Rabbit Model in Defining the Mechanism

Persistent inflammation and mechanical injury associated with cholesterol crystal accretion within atherosclerotic plaques typically precedes plaque disruption (rupture and/or erosion) and thrombosis--often the terminal events of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. To elucidate the mechanisms of these events, the atherosclerotic rabbit model provides a unique and powerful tool that facilitates studies of atherogenesis starting with plaque buildup to eventual disruption. Examination of human coronary arteries obtained from patients who died with myocardial infarction demonstrates evidence of cholesterol crystals perforating the plaque cap and intimal surface of the arterial wall that can lead to rupture. These observations were made possible by omitting ethanol, an avid lipid solvent, from the tissue processing steps. Importantly, the atherosclerotic rabbit model exhibits a similar pathology of cholesterol crystals perforating the intimal surface as seen in ruptured human plaques. Local and systemic inflammatory responses in the model are also similar to those observed in humans. The strong parallel between the rabbit and human pathology validates the atherosclerotic rabbit model as a predictor of human pathophysiology of atherosclerosis. Thus, the atherosclerotic rabbit model can be used with confidence to evaluate diagnostic imaging and efficacy of novel anti-atherosclerotic therapy.
Roles of Zeb 1 in skeletal development and bone tumor formation

The zinc finger E-box-binding protein 1( Zeb 1),a member of the zinc finger E-box-binding protein( Zeb) family,is an important transcription factor which plays a key role in biological and pathological processes during embryonic development,cell differentiation,and tumorigenesis. Cumulative evidence indicates that Zeb 1 function is closely related to skeletal development and bone tumor formation. In this review,we discuss the function and regulatory mechanism of Zeb 1 during skeletal development,bone tumorigenesis and metastasis.
Live liver donors’ information needs: A qualitative study of practical implications for informed consent

Background As live donor liver transplantation is increasingly used to expand the donor pool, concerns remain regarding how best to obtain live liver donors' informed consent. This study assessed donors’ information preferences and their perceptions of informed consent. Methods Cognitive interviews were conducted with donors by telephone about how knowledge items in a new survey instrument were material to informed consent, between November 2011 and April 2012. Thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data until reaching saturation. Results Twenty-nine liver donors participated (85% participation). Donors commonly reported being unable to understand or retain much information disclosed during education. Donors preferred information about major donation risks, eg, death and minor risks that would likely affect their daily lives, eg, wound infection. Donors expressed less interest in information about their rights, confidentiality, or the medical procedure itself. Donors’ preferences varied regarding statistical information. Many perceived the disclosure of risk information to be excessive, and rationalized risks they believed to be uncommon or not serious. Donors were disappointed by the brevity of the postdonation hospital stay. Conclusion Our findings suggest that the complexity and volume of disclosed information during evaluation were difficult for donors to adequately comprehend. Donors’ lack of appreciation for the seriousness of complications may undermine their ability to provide informed consent. Future research should develop effective methods of information delivery to enhance informed consent.
Heartburn in consumer-directed health care and the cost outcomes of therapeutic maximum allowable cost.

In 2005, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) launched its comparative effectiveness initiative with the goal of providing information to consumers and health care providers to assist in making more informed choices among treatment alternatives.1 AHRQ evaluated the treatments for heartburn (gastroesophageal reflux disease [GERD]) in producing its first report on the comparative effectiveness of drugs.2 In the report dated December 13, 2005, AHRQ concluded that there was no difference in effectiveness in relieving the symptoms of GERD among the 5 proton pump inhibitors (PPIs: Aciphex, Nexium, Prevacid, Protonix, and omeprazole in its marketed forms, brand Prilosec, Prilosec OTC [over the counter], and generic [prescription only] omeprazole). In the 1-page summary for consumers, AHRQ experts state that studies show that, overall, each PPI works about as well as another for relieving symptoms. Since Prilosec OTC has an average price of $0.62 per day ($19 per month) in 2006, it is possible to...
Reliability and performance of direct-expansion ground-coupled heat pump systems: Issues and possible solutions

Abstract The literature on Direct-expansion ground-coupled heat pumps (DX-GCHP) is reviewed. Despite being potentially the most efficient vapor compression-based air conditioning system, DX-GCHPs are not very popular due to the numerous operational and design issues they are faced with: shortage of field studies, oil return to the compressor, expansion valve hunting, refrigerant flow mal-distribution in parallel loops, high pressure drops and gains in the ground heat exchanger, variable speed operation of the compressor, lack of reliable numerical models of the ground heat exchanger and of the whole system, and lack of generalized design guidelines. This paper addresses these issues and discusses possible solutions to them.
Phase-Sensitive Single-Pixel THz Imaging Using Intensity-Only Measurements

We present a submillimeter-wave phase-sensitive imaging system by using single-pixel, intensity-only measurements. We implement this unique modality by utilizing the photoelectric effect on a high-resistivity silicon wafer illuminated by visible light from a commercial liquid crystal display projector. Randomly distributed mask patterns ( $16\times 16$ pixel) are generated using two levels of light intensity projected on a high-resistivity silicon wafer. The spatial modulation of the amplitude and phase of the incident terahertz is achieved via the photoelectric effect, resulting in the random modulation of the object beams phase fronts accordingly. Subsequently, intensity-only measurements are collected by using a single-pixel sensor for each of the random mask patterns, and the “Phaselift” algorithm is applied to reconstruct the magnitude and phase of the $16\times 16$ pixel image. We also demonstrate that the phase image of the scene shows superior contrast to the intensity image and offers thickness discernibility of a paper object down to 190 $\mu$ m at 690 GHz.
Predictors of Positive Margins After Definitive Resection for Gastric Adenocarcinoma and Impact of Adjuvant Therapies

Purpose Positive margins after definitive resection in gastric adenocarcinoma are associated with inferior outcomes. There are few randomized data to guide optimal adjuvant therapy after positive margins. Methods Using the National Cancer Database, we identified 24,619 nonmetastatic gastric adenocarcinoma patients who received diagnoses from 2004 to 2013 and underwent definitive resection to analyze for predictors of positive surgical margins. Of these patients, 2754 had positive margins (11.2%). Multivariate prevalence ratios were used to determine predictors. Survival analyses were performed with a Cox proportional hazards model by use of several methods of propensity score analysis. Results Increasing T and/or N category, high grade, and lymphovascular invasion predicted higher rates of positive margins. Asian race, treatment at an academic center, and robotic surgery predicted lower rates of positive margins. Among positive-margin patients with adjuvant treatment (n=1021), with a median follow-up period of 55 months, age, comorbidity score, nodal disease, and T4 disease predicted for worse overall survival (OS). Treatment at an academic center was associated with improved OS. Use of adjuvant concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) was associated with higher OS compared with chemotherapy alone after positive margins (hazard ratio, 0.72; 95% confidence interval, 0.58-0.91; P=.005) after propensity matching adjusting for predictors of OS. The 2-year and 3-year OS for positive-margin patients with chemotherapy alone was 43% and 29%, respectively, compared with 53% and 38%, respectively, with adjuvant CCRT. The log-rank P value for survival was .0015. Conclusions Stage, race, treatment center, and surgery approach predict for margin status after resection. Adjuvant CCRT after positive margins is associated with improved OS after accounting for available clinical variables.
The role of bare parts in avian signaling

ABSTRACT Avian plumage has captivated scientists and the public alike for generations and has been a fundamental study system for research into signal evolution. By contrast, relatively little attention has been paid to avian bare parts such as exposed skin, bills, feet, and combs, despite considerable variation in structure and coloration within and between species. To better understand the potential signaling role of bare parts, we conducted a comprehensive literature search that returned 321 published studies. In reviewing these studies, we found that (1) bare-part color is widely distributed taxonomically and is produced by diverse mechanisms; (2) many bare parts are likely to be dynamic, honest signals of current condition or status and can also reflect genetic makeup and early developmental conditions; and (3) bare parts can function as pluripotent social signals, mediating interactions between competitors, mates, and kin. Differences between bare parts and plumage in phenology and information conte...
Margin Analysis: Malignant Salivary Gland Neoplasms of the Head and Neck.

There are no established protocols for the optimum surgical margin required for salivary gland malignancies. Factors including histologic diagnosis and TNM stage have been shown to be important in prognosis and survival outcome and mandate special consideration of margin size. Salivary cancers are treated differently at different anatomic sites, and different histologic types show a propensity for major or minor glands. Low-grade malignancies are treated with soft tissue margins of 1 cm or less. The facial nerve is preserved unless infiltrated and encased. Adenoid cystic carcinoma and carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma require more complex planning to obtain negative margins.
Nonlinear estimation by Hermite polynomial-based uncorrelated conversion within LMMSE framework

In this paper, within the linear minimum mean square error (LMMSE) framework and with the Gaussian assumption, we propose a novel nonlinear estimation algorithm using a Hermite polynomial based uncorrelated conversion (UC), which is a nonlinear function of the original measurement while being uncorrelated with the original measurement. The UC can be regarded as a “new” measurement and additional information can be exploited to update the state estimate in a nonlinear way. Due to the orthogonality property of Hermite polynomials, each UC is not only uncorrelated with the original measurement, but also uncorrelated with already generated UCs automatically. It provides a systematic method to generate multiple UCs. The simulation results reveal the superiority of the new nonlinear estimation over the conventional quadrature based nonlinear Gaussian estimation in the sense of root mean square error (RMSE) and consistency.
Resistiveness to Care as Experienced by Family Caregivers Providing Care for Someone With Dementia.

Purpose This research explored family caregivers’ lived experiences of resistiveness to care when they provided care for people with dementia. The goal was to identify a general meaning of family caregivers’ lived experiences to target potential areas for future nursing interventions to help family caregivers manage their caregiving role and provide a base for future research surrounding resistiveness to care. Design Descriptive phenomenology was used to provide descriptions of eight family caregivers who provided care for someone with dementia and experienced resistiveness to care. Family caregivers were recruited from Alzheimer's support groups from June to November 2014. Method Caregiver interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using scientific phenomenology to identify essential constituents of the experience. Findings The identified general meaning structure contained five essential constituents. These included self-questioning of abilities; signal for increased future caregiver responsibilities; changed perception of personal self; unexpected emotional responses; and seeing a changed person, not the disease. Conclusions Study findings represent family caregivers’ lived perceptions of resistiveness to care, which are different from current research findings regarding nurses’ perceptions of resistiveness to care. The identified meaning structure indicates focus areas for future research and for nursing interventions to help family caregivers manage their distress when experiencing resistiveness to care. Clinical Relevance Identification of the meaning caregivers ascribe to their lived experience of resistiveness to care (five essential constituents) provides nurses with opportunities to help family caregivers (coproviders of care) holistically. Supporting caregivers in their caregiving role can decrease caregiver distress when resistiveness to care occurs.
Extended Lagrangian Excited State Molecular Dynamics

An extended Lagrangian framework for excited state molecular dynamics (XL-ESMD) using time-dependent self-consistent field theory is proposed. The formulation is a generalization of the extended Lagrangian formulations for ground state Born–Oppenheimer molecular dynamics [Phys. Rev. Lett. 2008 100, 123004]. The theory is implemented, demonstrated, and evaluated using a time-dependent semiempirical model, though it should be generally applicable to ab initio theory. The simulations show enhanced energy stability and a significantly reduced computational cost associated with the iterative solutions of both the ground state and the electronically excited states. Relaxed convergence criteria can therefore be used both for the self-consistent ground state optimization and for the iterative subspace diagonalization of the random phase approximation matrix used to calculate the excited state transitions. The XL-ESMD approach is expected to enable numerically efficient excited state molecular dynamics for such me...
Timing and mechanism of conceptus demise in a complement regulatory membrane protein deficient mouse.

Problem Crry is a widely expressed type 1 transmembrane complement regulatory protein in rodents which protects self-tissue by downregulating C3 activation. Crry-/- concepti produced by Crry+/- × Crry+/- matings are attacked by maternal complement system leading to loss before day 10. The membrane attack complex is not the mediator of this death. We hypothesized that the ability of C3b to engage the alternative pathway's feedback loop relatively unchecked on placental membranes induces the lesion yielding the demise of the Crry-/- mouse. Method of study We investigated the basis of Crry-/- conceptus demise by depleting maternal complement with cobra venom factor and blocking antibodies. We monitored their effects primarily by genotyping and histologic analyses. Results We narrowed the critical period of the complement effect from 6.5 to 8.5 days post-coitus (dpc), which is immediately after the conceptus is exposed to maternal blood. Deposition by 5.5 dpc of maternal C3b on the placental vasculature lacking Crry-/- yielded loss of the conceptus by 8.5 dpc. Fusion of the allantois to the chorion during placental assembly did not occur, fetal vessels originating in the allantois did not infiltrate the chorioallantoic placenta, the chorionic plate failed to develop, and the labyrinthine component of the placenta did not mature. Conclusion Our data are most consistent with the deposition of C3b being responsible for the failure of the allantois to fuse to the chorion leading to subsequent conceptus demise.
Sex Differences in Neuropsychological Functioning

Throughout most of recorded history, there was relatively little confusion and doubt regarding the basic differences between men and women. Not only were the physiological and structural differences viewed as apparent, they were also considered to be enduring and immutable. This view also extended into the areas of aptitudes, temperament, abilities, and intelligence (Maccoby & Jacklin, 1974). Today, while the physiological and structural differences for the most part continue undisputed (Money & Ehrhardt, 1972), the certainty regarding what aptitudes, temperament, abilities and intellect are concomitants of which sex has been brought under close scrutiny.
A hybrid data model for large-scale analytics

Modern data analytic workflows are a complex mix of heterogeneous data and methods. No one size fits all. Consequently, analytic software platforms must support relational, graph, math, and machine learning methods. These methods use a variety of different data structures---tables, graphs, sets, matrices, and networks---and embody a variety of parallel execution models. At PNNL, we are developing HAGGLE, a hybrid, attributed analytic framework. In this talk, I will describe HAGGLEs integrated hybrid data layer capable of storing heterogeneous data in tables, graphs, or matrices. I will discuss different data views and the analytic methods they support. I will show the benefits of HAGGLE multiple data structure approach over platforms that support a single data structure type.