cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Posaconazole: A Broad-Spectrum Triazole Antifungal Agent

Posaconazole is a triazole antifungal agent with a spectrum of activity that includes Candida and Cryptococcus species, many molds, and some endemic fungi. Posaconazole has received US Food and Drug Administration approval for the treatment of oropharyngeal candidiasis, including infections refractory to itraconazole and/or fluconazole. It is also approved as prophylaxis for invasive Aspergillus and Candida infections in patients aged >or=13 years who are at high risk of developing these infections, in adult and adolescent hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients with graft-versus-host disease, and in persons with hematologic malignancies and prolonged neutropenia due to chemotherapy, who are at high risk of developing these infections. Approval for additional indications is being sought. Limited clinical experience suggests efficacy for the treatment of infections due to Zygomycetes and as salvage therapy for patients with invasive aspergillosis and coccidioidomycosis. Currently available only as an oral suspension, posaconazole, which has been well tolerated, requires administration with food or a nutritional supplement to assure adequate bioavailability. Posaconazole is predominantly eliminated in the feces, where it appears as unchanged drug. Metabolism, mostly glucuronidation, plays only a minor role in its elimination, as does renal clearance; as a consequence, dose adjustment is not required in the presence of renal or hepatic insufficiency. Although not a substrate of hepatic CYP450 3A4, posaconazole inhibits this enzyme and thus has the potential for significant pharmacokinetic interactions with drugs metabolized by this isoform. Its use in combination with CYP450 substrates that prolong the QTc interval is contraindicated, as is its use with ergot alkaloids; administration of posaconazole with other substrates and/or inducers of this enzyme system requires caution. Posaconazole is both a substrate and inhibitor of P-glycoprotein. Currently, the major roles for posaconazole in clinical practice are as prophylaxis for neutropenic patients with significant risk of infection with filamentous fungi and as therapy for zygomycoses. It may also have a role in the treatment of other filamentous fungal and some yeast infections, but assessment of its overall place in antifungal therapy awaits the availability of further clinical experience.
Induced cell death in a thalamic nucleus during a restricted period of zebra finch vocal development

A discrete network of forebrain nuclei underlies vocal learning and production in male zebra finches. Three nuclei within this network form a neural pathway that is particularly important for vocal learning in juveniles: area X of the avian striatum projects to the medial dorsolateral nucleus of the anterior thalamus (DLM), which in turn projects to the lateral magnocellular nucleus of the anterior neostriatum (IMAN). Lesions of any of these nuclei in juvenile birds disrupt normal vocal development, whereas the same lesions in adult birds have no effect on already-learned song. Because numerous studies have shown that neuronal survival in the developing nervous system depends on access to efferent targets, we have investigated the possibility that the survival of DLM neurons is similarly regulated over the course of vocal learning. Thus, the efferent target of DLM (IMAN) was lesioned electrolytically in male birds at various stages of vocal development (20, 40, 60 d of age and adult) and birds were killed either 2, 4, or 6 d postlesion. Electrolytic lesions of IMAN removed the single identified efferent target of DLM projection neurons and axotomized the terminal arborizations of these neurons. Although DLM does not normally lose neurons during vocal development, IMAN lesions in 20-d-old birds yielded numerous pyknotic cells throughout DLM by 4 d postlesion and a two-thirds reduction in DLM neuron density by 6 d postlesion. In contrast, IMAN lesions in adult birds had little or no effect on neuronal survival in DLM. Analysis of 40-d-old birds revealed significant but less substantial cell loss than in 20-d-old birds, whereas 60-d-old birds were not different from adults. The age-related decline in the vulnerability of DLM cells to IMAN lesion-induced death suggests that factors that regulate DLM neuron survival may also be involved in the acquisition of learned vocal behavior in songbirds.
No Compelling Evidence That Newborns Imitate Oral Gestures.

Newborns (N = 83) were presented with 3 conditions, each for 160 sec: tongue protrusion (TP), mouth opening (MO), and control (CO). In TP and MO, a female model alternated between demonstrating the gesture for 20 sec and presenting a passive, motionless face for 20 sec. In CO, she presented a passive face in both the "demonstration" and "passive" intervals. The participants' eyes were more widely open in the demonstration intervals of TP and MO than in the passive intervals, indicating that they were attending to the gestures. In TP, the participants produced more TP responses than MO responses, but in MO there was no effect, undermining the neonatal imitation hypothesis.
CX43 GAP JUNCTION GENE EXPRESSION AND GAP JUNCTIONAL COMMUNICATION IN MOUSE NEURAL CREST CELLS

Although gap junctions are not known to be important in mediating cell-cell interactions amongst migratory cells, our studies showed that the connexin 43 (Cx43) gap junction gene is widely expressed in mouse neural crest cell lineages. Using in situ hybridization analysis, Cx43 expression was detected in presumptive neural crest cells emerging from the neural folds of the early postimplantation embryo. Neural crest expression of the Cx43 gap junction gene was also indicated by the analysis of transgenic mice containing a lacZ reporter construct driven by the Cx43 promoter. In neural tube explant cultures of these transgenic mice, lacZ expression was observed in the emerging neural crest outgrowths. Whole mount X-gal staining of these transgenic embryos at various stages of development showed lacZ expression in neural crest cells distributed along the entire craniocaudal axis, with expression found in both cranial and trunk neural crest cells contributing to a wide range of embryonic tissues. This included presumptive cardiac neural crest cells localized in the heart. In light of the widespread expression of Cx43 in neural crest cell lineages, dye injection studies were carried out to determine if neural crest cells are functionally coupled via gap junctions. Such studies revealed extensive dye coupling among presumptive neural crest cells, thus demonstrating that these migratory cells are indeed gap junctional communication competent. In total, these observations suggest that gap junctions may play a role in mouse neural crest development. This possibility is particularly intriguing given the recent finding that the Cx43 knockout mice die of defects associated with the outflow tract [Reaume et al., 1995], a region of the heart in which neural crest cells are required for normal development. Dev. Genet. 20: 119–132, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
An Efficient Method for Psychosocial Screening of Cancer Patients

In high-volume outpatient areas, using Weisman and Worden's Omega instruments for psychosocial screening of cancer patients is not feasible. This study of 30 newly diagnosed patients compared the accuracy of the Omega instruments and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) in identifying patients with high levels of distress at the time of diagnosis as well as in predicting future distress. A significant level of agreement was found between the BSI and the Omega instruments. Both instruments correctly identified the future distress of 16 of 19 patients (84.2%), but the BSI screens patients in one-fourth the time and at one-third the cost. These results support our decision to employ the BSI as a screening tool in an outpatient setting.
Overview of evolution in study of external technology search

Early identification of external technology threats and opportunities has been a key driver for innovations for a long time and for more basic survival in face of rapid technology changes more recently. To capture its various facets, formalized studies of such external information gathering have gone through an evolution over time. Simplifying the concept to its core value of “External Technology Search” (ETS), we have found that many researchers have tackled this work under different headings including technology intelligence[1][2][3], technology foresight[4], technology scouting[1][5][6], and technical intelligence[7], [8]. We use the term ETS as the umbrella term to cover these multiple terms in the literatures with the goal of providing a better cohesive view of this field for the practitioners. In this brief literature review, the evolution of this area has been documented. ETS needs to be defined and implemented more systematically in organization so that ETS can more effectively drive the positive progress need. In spite of some good efforts by researchers so far, ETS remains in the early stages of maturity under both academic standards and industry applications.
Simple stability of general n- person games

Abstract : Three different notes are presented here which are related to certain new and simple concepts of non-cooperative n-person games. These are natural generalizations of the notions of maximin and minimax strategies and the saddle points of two-person games. The concept of the equilibrium point appears as a special case of one of these. The first note expresses some intuitive considerations for games on Euclidean spaces. Their characterizations are essentially given by Kakutani's fixed point theorem. As a particular case, we examine such points for the mixed extensions of finite n-person games. The second and third notes are concerned with two different mathematical extensions of the results obtained in the first note. They are based respectively on Fan's and Nikaido-Isoda's ideas of proving the existence of equilibrium points for games on real linear topological spaces. In particular, the concepts introduced in the first note are examined for mixed extensions of continuous games. These last two notes involve the use of more advanced mathematical techniques than does the first.
Bilateral obturator bypass for combined aortic and femorofemoral graft infection.

A 60-year-old man underwent end-to-end aortobifemoral (ABF) bypass for occlusive disease. 1,2 He subsequently underwent a right-to-left femorofemoral bypass (FFB) for occlusion of the left limb of the ABF. He was referred 4 years later with fever, malaise, and purulent drainage from the right groin. A computed tomographic scan demonstrated fluid surrounding the FFB and the right limb of the ABF (A). A segment of infrarenal aorta proximal to the ABF graft appeared normal. Standard inframesocolic exposure was obtained via the previous midline incision. No fluid was evident at the graft bifurcation, and it appeared well incorporated. The residual infrarenal aorta was dissected free and prepared for an anastomosis. Openings were made in the ventromedial aspect of the obturator membrane bilaterally while standard medial exposure of the above-knee popliteal arteries was performed. Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene grafts ((W.L. Gore & Association, Inc., Tempe, Ariz) Intering; 8 mm 40 cm) were tunneled from the popliteal sites through the obturator foramina into the abdomen. (B) The limbs of a bifurcated expanded polytetrafluoroethylene graft (Gore-Tex; 18 9 mm) were cut 1 cm from the graft bifurcation, and graft-to-graft anastomoses were performed bilaterally. After systemic anticoagulation, the infrarenal aorta and the limbs of the ABF were clamped. The limbs were then transected, ligated, and advanced antegrade along the iliac tunnels. The residual body of the ABF graft was excised. The new bifurcated graft was sewn end to end to the infrarenal aorta proximally. The graft-to-graft anastomoses were assessed for hemostasis before the grafts were pulled through the previously fashioned obturator tunnels. End-to-side anastomoses were performed distally. The wounds were closed and covered with occlusive dressings before complete excision of the residual ABF limbs and the FFB via bilateral femoral and suprapubic incisions. The femoral and suprapubic incisions were packed, and the patient was maintained on chronic oral antibiotic therapy. At 24 months, he had no evidence of recurrent infection and was ambulatory at home. A follow-up computed tomographic scan demonstrated no fluid collections and patent grafts (C; cover image). The treatment of infected ABF grafts is a difficult problem. Options include in situ reconstruction with femoral vein, cryopreserved allografts, or antibiotic-impregnated synthetic grafts. Extra-anatomic reconstruction to the popliteal level is not an ideal solution secondary to poor patency. We suggest that reconstruction with synthetic bilateral obturator bypass is a viable option if there is adequate residual infrarenal aorta. This procedure allows for complete treatment of the femoral pathology and should have improved patency compared with longer extra-anatomic bypasses.
Spice simulations of DC electrothermal interactions in bipolar electronic circuits

This paper is devoted to the problem of analysis of electronic circuits with thermal effects taken into account. Such analysis-called the electrothermal analysis-can be performed by means of the modified SPICE user. In this case the electrothermal analysis demands formulating the electrothermal device models in the proper circuital form. Two types of electrothermal models of the BJT: the global electrothermal model (GETM) and the hybrid electrothermal model (HETM) have been presented. These models were implemented in the form of subcircuits. To make this analysis possible, the STER program supervising SPICE was elaborated.
Owner-Controlled Insurance Programs: Considerations for the Nebraska Defense Lawyer

This paper examines considerations concerning Owner-Controlled Insurance Programs that Nebraska defense lawyers should consider.
An investigation into the hydration and microstructure of cement pastes modified with glass powders

Abstract This paper examines the hydration and microstructure evaluation of cement pastes modified with two types of glass powders with a fine size distribution and a class F fly ash. Hydration was investigated by measuring the heat of hydration, chemical shrinkage and setting time at early age and non-evaporable water content at late ages. Pozzolanic behavior was studied using thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray diffraction. The microstructure was evaluated by the electrical resistivity measurement and image analysis. Based on the findings of this study for the glass powders and fly ash used, glass powders were shown to enhance the early hydration of cement and fly ash demonstrated a small delaying effect. Glass powders were found to possess pozzolanic behavior and to improve the hydration of cement paste at later ages. Microstructure evaluation indicated pore refinement in the microstructure of cement pastes modified with glass powders. It was concluded that glass powders with a microscale size distribution can be used as a pozzolan in cement-based materials.
Hypophosphatemia and glucose intolerance: evidence for tissue insensitivity to insulin.

Abstract Although hypophosphatemia is commonly present in diabetics, little is known about its isolated effects on glucose and insulin metabolism. We therefore investigated glucose metabolism in six non-diabetic subjects with chronic hypophosphatemia. When glucose was infused to maintain a constant hyperglycemic level (125 mg per deciliter [6.9 mmol per liter] above basal levels), the glucose infusion rate was 36 per cent less in the hypophosphatemic group than in controls (4.90±0.34 mg per kilogram of body weight per minute vs. 7.64±0.37, P<0.001), although responses to endogenous insulin were similar. When exogenous insulin was infused at a constant rate to maintain an insulin level about 100 μU per milliliter (718 pmol per liter) above basal levels and glucose was infused as necessary to maintain fasting glucose levels, the infusion rate of glucose was 43 per cent lower in the hypophosphatemic group than in controls (3.80±0.58 mg per kilogram per minute vs. 6.70±0.33, P<0.001), although the clearance r...
Thylakoid Protein Phosphorylation in an Algae with Chlorophyll A/C/Fucoxanthin Light Harvesting Antenna

Mechanisms for the regulation of excitation energy distribution between PS2 and PS1 have been proposed for higher plants (mobile antenna hypothesis) and for red algae cyanobacteria (spillover). These organisms utilize Chl b and phycobilins respectively as accessory light harvesting pigments. The Chromophytic algae encompass a taxonomically diverse group of phyla which are very successful competitors and contribute substantially to net global photosynthesis. These algae are characterized by their use of Chl c and carotenoid (fucoxanthin or peridinin) as accessory light harvesting pigments and by the arrangement of their thylakoids into extended bands of three. Despite their obvious importance, there has only been one prior report on the regulation of energy transfer in Chromophytic algae in which Owens (1) reported only intensity dependent changes. We have previously shown that the Chromophyte Ochromonas danica shows wavelength dependent changes in chlorophyll fluorescence (both 77K and room temperature) which are diagnostic for a re-distribution of excitation energy (2). We report here on the antenna polypeptide composition of O. danica as well as the in vitro protein kinase activity.
A Study of Change in Clinical Service for General Surgical Patients

The department of surgery at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York City conducted a study examining resource consumption and quality of care for patients referred to surgery from other hospital services, or "referred patients." Referred patients were compared with "nonreferred" surgery patients using several indicators of resource consumption. A quality assessment was also performed on a random sample from both groups using peer review organization guidelines. The study found that referred patients consumed more resources and may have received poorer quality care than nonreferred patients. Previous studies suggest that some resource utilization by referred patients may be avoidable. Thus, referral to the department of surgery may serve as an indicator for identifying patients in need of ongoing quality and/or utilization monitoring.
Teaching with Design Thinking: Developing New Vision and Approaches to Twenty-First Century Learning

How must teaching change to meet demands for the Common Core Standards and a world that is constantly changing in complex and unpredictable ways? Teachers have what seems like an impossible job, yet one we think can be accomplished if they gave access to tools, resources, and 21stcentury pedagogy, such as those building on design thinking. Attention to innovation, creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, communication and collaboration, are essential for preparing students for the future. Design thinking teaches these processes, skills, and dispositions, and we have committed to understanding their feasibility for K-12 integration. To that end, we facilitate camps, professional development workshops, and standards-based curriculum development. We engage teachers in interdisciplinary STEM challenges with design thinking. The teachers experience new ways to teach and learn, and to start making “mindshifts” that might impact them as teachers––being empathy driven, learning that failure is a positive aspect of the learning process, experiencing the positives of collaboration, and determining how design thinking can be generative in any subject or discipline. Two cases exploring design thinking with teachers are described, and we conclude with implications for current teaching practice and research.
On The Structure and Function of Cytochromes P-450

The term mixed-function oxidases or monoxygenases refers to enzymes capable of interacting with molecular oxygen (Mason, 1957, 1965; Hayaishi, 1962). During this reaction the relatively inert diatomic O2 molecule is first bound, then activated, and finally cleaved with one atom of oxygen being incorporated into the substrate forming a hydroxyl, lactone, epoxide, or other group while the second atom of oxygen is reduced to water. Thus both O2 and substrate have to be present, bound to the enzyme at its active site, and probably in close proximity to each other.
P006 Assessing the functional significance of HLA antibodies in renal allograft

Objective To assess potential function of the anti-HLA antibodies in terms of complement binding and non-complement binding in highly sensitized patients and to correlate the functional properties with in-vitro cytotoxicity assays and biopsy. Methods The Class I and II HLA antibody profiles of 78 patients were analyzed to determine antibody strength and specificity and to determine if any of the identified antibodies are complement binding. In vivo correlation was done in 37 patients who had a biopsy and donor-specific antibody (DSA) assessment. The HLA class I and II antibody specificities were determined by single antigen bead assay (SAB) and the C1q binding assay (C1q-B) using Luminex platform (One Lambda, Canoga Park CA). In vitro cytotoxicity assays were done by T-AHG and Amos CDC. Results Of the 2941 antibodies identified by SAB in 78 patients, 1940 (66%) were Class I and 1001 (34%) were Class II specific. In all, 758 (39%) of the Class I antibodies with ⩾ 5000 MFI and 484 (48%) of the Class II antibodies were with an MFI of ⩾ 5000. Of the total 2941 HLA antibodies, 238 (8%) were C1q-B. Of the C1q-B, 77 (32%) were directed against Class I HLA and 161 (68%) were directed against Class II. Importantly, 92% of all C1q Class I antibodies identified were defined as strong among the total 2941 HLA specific antibodies. Biopsy results were available from 37 patients and 15 of them had no C1q Class I or Class II DSAs and no AMR while 6 (16%) patients were C1q Class I and Class II positive DSA and AMR. Fourteen percent (n = 5) of the total patients were C1q Class I negative and C1q Class II positive and per biopsy were classified as C4d negative AMR. Of the 49 patients with CDC and C1q data available 19 (39%) nine were C1q Class I and Class II DSA negative and CDC B-cell and T-cell negative while 5 (10%) were C1q Class I and Class II DSA positive and CDC B-cell positive T-cell negative. In all, 4 were C1q Class I negative and Class II positive with CDC T-cell negative and CDC B-cell positive. Conclusions This limited retrospective analysis confers that assaying for C1q binding antibodies is very likely to have clinical relevance in terms of the functional effect of the multiple HLA antibodies on the allograft. The class II antibodies and antibodies with higher MFIs are are more likely to be C1q-B.
Effect of citrate ratio and temperature on gold nanoparticle size and morphology

Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) were synthesized by the citrate reduction method. The evolution of NP size and morphology was closely studied by varying temperature and citrate to gold precursor (Na3Ct/HAuCl4) ratio. The reaction temperatures below 100 °C were mainly studied. A Na3Ct/HAuCl4 ratio range of 1.25:1 to 4.33:1 was the focus of our investigation. The NP size and morphology was strongly influenced by the Na3Ct/HAuCl4 ratio, while the temperature played a subtle role. The reaction times were also monitored. The higher concentration samples required almost an order of magnitude longer reaction time compared to the low concentration samples.
Bringing the HPC reconstruction algorithms to Big Data platforms

The HPC and Big Data technologies are two important modern means of the scientific discovery process, but until recently, their development was evolved along two independent paths. Born and matured prior to the Big Data era, HPC scientific-oriented applications were implemented with the Message Passing Interface (MPI) protocol. MPI, however, was not designed for data-intensive applications and therefore requires project-specific extensions. An efficient processing framework offered by the Spark computational platform resolved many issues and built a strong foundation for their subsequent integration. At this time, the Spark ecosystem encompasses a rich collection of data analysis algorithms covering everything from SQL queries, to machine learning, to graph processing. Therefore, the paper proposes to extend this scope with the HPC applications of light source experimental facilities. Specifically, it focuses on the Spark-based integration of the SHARP distributed ptychographic solver developed by the team of the Center for Advanced Mathematics for Research Applications (CAMERA) at Berkeley. Aside from its practical value, this application represents an excellent reference use case that captures the major technical aspects of other beamline applications. The resulting approach is derived from the analysis of alternative communication models implemented in Spark-based distributed deep learning frameworks.
InvisiShapes: A Recognition System for Sketched 3D Primitives in Continuous Interaction Spaces

Continued improvements and rising ubiquity in touchscreen and motion-sensing technologies enable users to leverage mid-air input modalities for intelligent surface sketching into the third dimension. However, existing approaches largely either focus on constrained 3D gesture sets, require specialized hardware setups, or do not deviate beyond surface sketching assumptions. We present InvisiShapes, a recognition system for users to sketch 3D geometric primitives in continuous interaction spaces that explore surfaces and mid-air environments. Our system leverages a collection of sketch and gesture recognition techniques and heuristics and takes advantage of easily accessible computing hardware for users to incorporate depth to their sketches. From our interaction study and user evaluations, we observed that our system successfully accomplishes strong recognition and intuitive interaction capabilities on collected sketch+motion data and interactive sketching scenarios, respectively.
Dysregulation of mitochondrial bioenergetics and quality control by HIV-1 Tat in cardiomyocytes.

Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in HIV positive patients, even in those whose viral loads are well controlled with antiretroviral therapy. However, the underlying molecular events responsible for the development of cardiac disease in the setting of HIV remain unknown. The HIV encoded Tat protein plays a critical role in the activation of HIV gene expression and profoundly impacts homeostasis in both HIV infected cells and uninfected cells that have taken up released Tat via a bystander effect. Since cardiomyocyte function, including excitation-contraction coupling, greatly depends on energy provided by the mitochondria, in this study we performed a series of experiments to assess the impact of Tat on mitochondrial function and bioenergetics pathways in a primary cell culture model derived from neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes (NRVCs). Our results show that the presence of Tat in cardiomyocytes is accompanied by a decrease in oxidative phosphorylation, a decline in the levels of ATP, and an accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Tat impairs the uptake of mitochondrial Ca2+ ([Ca2+]m) and the electrophysiological activity of cardiomyocytes. Tat also affects the protein clearance pathway and autophagy in cardiomyocytes under stress due to hypoxia-reoxygenation conditions. A reduction in the level of ubiquitin along with dysregulated degradation of autophagy proteins including SQSTM1/p62 and a reduction of LC3 II were detected in cardiomyocytes harboring Tat. These results suggest that, by targeting mitochondria and protein quality control, Tat significantly impacts bioenergetics and autophagy resulting in dysregulation of cardiomyocyte health and homeostasis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Clinical Value of Mammography in the Evaluation of Palpable Breast Lumps in Women 30 Years Old and Older.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to determine whether mammography adds clinical value in the diagnostic imaging workup of women 30 years old and older who present with palpable breast lumps. MATERIALS AND METHODS. We retrospectively identified the records of all women 30 years old and older who underwent imaging evaluation with mammography and ultrasound for a palpable lump between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2010. Imaging reports were reviewed for findings related to the lump and for incidental nonpalpable findings. Benign versus malignant outcomes were determined by pathologic analysis or 24-month imaging or clinical follow-up. The contribution of mammography to final diagnosis was assessed on the basis of objective criteria to determine the clinical impact of mammographic findings. RESULTS. The study cohort included 861 patients presenting with 935 palpable lumps. Imaging correlates were reported for 568 of 935 (60.7%) lumps, and imaging findings were negative in 367 of 935 (39.3%). Of th...
From sensors to intelligence

"Smart" cars, houses, offices, cities, etc. require increasingly large variety of sensors and associated electronics. This paper describes T SMC's activities in motion, pressure, optical and bio sensors that we hope will help transform "smart everything" into an "intelligent world" we will live in.
Thermal Wave Imaging of Disbonding and Corrosion on Aircraft

Thermal wave imaging is emerging as a strong competitor to conventional nondestructive aircraft inspection techniques. Its strengths are in its ability to do rapid, wide-area, contactless imaging to detect corrosion and disbonding. It readily lends itself to the inspection of both metallic and composite aircraft structures. Recently [1], we have described the evolution of thermal wave hardware, and the role of the FAA’s NDI Validation Center in that evolution. In this report, we provide illustrative thermal wave images which show corrosion and disbonding on the B737 testbed aircraft at the NDI Validation Center. By showing sequences of images at successive times after the pulse-heating of the aircraft surface, we show that the greatest detail of subsurface corrosion occurs at very early times, thus mandating the use of rapid imaging techniques. More detailed laboratory studies confirming this conclusion are provided in a separate study by some of the authors [2].
16 Contours from apparent motion: A computational theory

Human vision readily constructs subjective contours from displays of kinetic occlusion and color from motion. To construct these contours from kinetic displays it is argued that human vision must solve the point-aperture problem, a problem more general and more difficult than the well-known aperture problem. In the aperture problem one is given a contour and its orthogonal velocity field, and must compute the full velocity field; in the point-aperture problem one is given neither the curve nor any components of its velocity field, and must construct both the curve and its full velocity field. We formalize the point-aperture problem and present, in special cases, two simple algorithms for its solution.
Energy-Efficient Neural Network Acceleration in the Presence of Bit-Level Memory Errors

As a result of the increasing demand for deep neural network (DNN)-based services, efforts to develop hardware accelerators for DNNs are growing rapidly. However, while highly efficient accelerators on convolutional DNNs (Conv-DNNs) have been developed, less progress has been made with regards to fully-connected DNNs. Based on analysis of bit-level SRAM errors, we propose memory adaptive training with in-situ canaries (MATIC), a methodology that enables aggressive voltage scaling of accelerator weight memories to improve the energy-efficiency of DNN accelerators. To enable accurate operation with voltage overscaling, MATIC combines characteristics of SRAM bit failures with the error resilience of neural networks in a memory-adaptive training (MAT) process. Furthermore, PVT-related voltage margins are eliminated using bit-cells from synaptic weights as in-situ canaries to track runtime environmental variation. Demonstrated on a low-power DNN accelerator fabricated in 65 nm CMOS, MATIC enables up to $3.3\times $ energy reduction versus the nominal voltage, or $18.6\times $ application error reduction. We also perform a simulation study that extends MAT to Conv-DNNs, and characterize the accuracy impact of bit failure statistics. Finally, we develop a weight refinement algorithm to improve the performance of MAT, and show that it improves absolute accuracy by 0.8–1.3% or reduces training time by 5– $10\times $ .
Chemokines in Lung Cancer Metastasis

Chemokines were first described for their ability to recruit inflammatory leukocytes, but their biological role has now been recognized in many other biological processes, including control of cancer angiogenesis and mediating homing of metastatic cells. In this chapter, we review the role of chemokines in angiogenesis and angiostasis and metastasis in the context of lung cancer.
Facial Nerve Palsy

Facial neuropathy is the most common cranial neuropathy, due to its extensive course and multiple sites of potential injury. The causes of facial neuropathy are many, but 70% are diagnosed as Bell’s palsy, an idiopathic syndrome but increasingly being associated with herpes simplex virus infection as the cause of the majority of cases. Ramsay Hunt syndrome (herpes zoster oticus) is the second most common cause. Facial neuropathy causes weakness of the muscles of facial expression on the ipsilateral side, and can be distinguished from a central, or upper motor neuron, caused by the involvement of forehead muscles. Taste, hearing, salivation, lacrimation, and sensation over the ipsilateral ear and the face may also be disturbed. Diagnosis can be confirmed by electrodiagnostic testing or MRI but is often not necessary. Treatment is directed at the underlying cause. In cases of Bell’s palsy a short course of steroids has been shown effective, if started within 72 h of onset. Treatment with antiviral agents against herpes virus is probably best reserved for patients with severe or complete facial neuropathy or those with Ramsay Hunt syndrome.
The Mercier Criterion

We have presented a method to test for instabilities with low mode numbers m and n, such as kink modes. Both theoretical analysis and calculations of axially symmetric equilibria suggest that modes with high m and n, including interchange modes, may be equally critical in the search for stable high pressure configurations [34]. They can be assessed via the Mercier criterion, which is concerned with modes localized about some rational surface [39]. The assumption is made that the plasma is covered by a family of nested flux surfaces, which we have seen to be rather tenuous when the geometry is truly three-dimensional [28]. Specialized variations δW of the energy EP are introduced that are restricted to the neighborhood of a rational surface or a closed magnetic line. Then a necessary condition for stability is derived by careful optimization of δW. A preliminary version of this condition involves integrals over the relevant closed line, but considerations about the ergodicity of magnetic lines on a surface with irrational rotational transform lead to a better version involving surface integrals that occur naturally in our model of magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium. For details we refer to the book by Mercier and Luc [39], noting only that their derivation is somewhat at odds with the resonances that occur at rational surfaces in three dimensions. More specifically, the analysis suggests that in the neighborhood of a rational surface, lower energy levels can be achieved by equilibrium solutions that have island structure.
Systemic artery-pulmonary artery fistulae of adult bronchopulmonary dysplasia characterized with dynamic CT angiography and multiphase 3D-volumetric reconstruction: a case report

We present a case of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in an adult survivor to demonstrate the utility of dynamic computed tomography angiography and multiphase 3D-volumetric reconstruction for complete characterization of the systemic artery-pulmonary artery fistulae which can occur with this pathological entity.
Beyond the Borderline: Expanding Our Repertoire to Address Relational Patterns and Power Dynamics Attendant to Diverse Personality Disorders

A present challenge in our field is that diverse and frequently comorbid patterns of personality disorder are not sufficiently addressed by existing evidence-based treatments. Authors in the special section describe promising efforts to address this challenge, including case examples illustrating the utility of each approach. Each approach is consistent with evidence-based principles of change, suggesting the possibility of placing them together within a meta-theoretical integration frame (Magnavita and Anchin in Unifying psychotherapy: Principles, methods, and evidence from clinical science, Springer Publishing Co, New York, 2014). Common threads include use of an individualized case formulation to tailor treatment to diverse patterns; incorporation of affect, behavior, and cognition; and modification of attachment-linked, internal templates using both didactic and experiential forms of learning. Interpersonal Reconstructive Therapy (IRT), our favored approach, offers a similar language and framework, leaving technical choices to the clinician so long as they are consistent with an attachment-based, interpersonal case formulation, and are helpful in establishing new patterns toward adaptive goals. Work with IRT suggests ways to extend further the focus on internalized representations. Direct conversation with “family in the head” can be used to enhance ways of being, thinking, and feeling that allow distance and differentiation from problematic internalizations of loved ones. The authors present suggestions for future research, emphasizing the therapeutic relationship as well as the need to measure therapeutic optimality in a tailored, context-specific manner focused on mechanisms of psychopathology and change.
Model-Based Estimation of Individual Muscle Force Given an Incomplete Set of Muscle Activity Measurements

Direct in-vivo measurement of individual muscle force requires placement of a force sensing element in series with the musculo-tendon structures, which is infeasible due to the invasive nature of such a procedure. Current non-invasive methods for measuring muscle forces use measurements of muscle activity to estimate force. These estimations are, however, prone to inaccuracies, as muscle activity is not always measurable for the complete set of muscles acting around the joints of interest.
Characterization of Nanomaterials: Tools and Challenges

Abstract As the use and potential use of nanomaterials (NMs) in food and food-related products increases, the need for well-defined and established methods for characterization of NM properties is essential for product quality control and for regulatory purposes. The potential for NMs to be introduced into food intentionally as an added ingredient, or inadvertently during manufacturing, or through contact with packaging material is a growing concern, as more NMs are being investigated for use in food-related products. Characterization of NMs is a complicated process that involves the initial steps of identification, extraction, separation, and purification prior to employment of techniques to determine physical and chemical properties such as size, shape, chemical composition, and surface coating. Complete characterization of NMs is further complicated when they are incorporated within a complex matrix, such as food. Therefore, identification and characterization of NMs in food matrices is a challenging task and warrants the utilization of state-of-the-art instrumentation. This chapter reviews the application of various characterization techniques for NMs in complex matrices along with challenges and key factors to consider during the characterization process.
Topic-guided variational autoencoders for text generation

We propose a topic-guided variational autoencoder (TGVAE) model for text generation. Distinct from existing variational autoencoder (VAE) based approaches, which assume a simple Gaussian prior for the latent code, our model specifies the prior as a Gaussian mixture model (GMM) parametrized by a neural topic module. Each mixture component corresponds to a latent topic, which provides guidance to generate sentences under the topic. The neural topic module and the VAE-based neural sequence module in our model are learned jointly. In particular, a sequence of invertible Householder transformations is applied to endow the approximate posterior of the latent code with high flexibility during model inference. Experimental results show that our TGVAE outperforms alternative approaches on both unconditional and conditional text generation, which can generate semantically-meaningful sentences with various topics.
Designing Technology to Support Safety for Transgender Women & Non-Binary People of Color

This work provides a preliminary understanding of how transgender women and non-binary people of color experience violence and manage safety, and what opportunities exist for HCI to support the safety needs of this community. We conducted nine interviews to understand how participants practice safety and what role technology played, if any, in these experiences. Interviewees expressed physical and psychological safety concerns, and managed safety by informing friends of their location using digital technologies, making compromises, and avoiding law enforcement. We designed U-Signal, a wearable technology and accompanying smartphone application prototype to increase physical safety and decrease safety concerns, reduce violence, and help build community.
The effects of dilute concentrations of substitutional Re or Os on the thermodynamics and kinetics of oxygen in tungsten

Abstract Tungsten is a candidate material for use in plasma-facing components of fusion reactors. Under operating conditions, transmutation occurs through exposure to neutrons giving rise to rhenium and osmium. Since oxidation is a major operational concern leading to material degradation, it is important to study this issue. In this work, the effects of dilute concentrations of rhenium and osmium on oxygen binding and diffusion in tungsten were investigated using multi-scale modeling. It was determined that the addition of dilute levels of Re or Os (less than 1 at%) led to complex, attractive and long range interactions with the interstitial oxygen. The cases where the interstitial oxygen occupied the 1st, 2nd, and 5th nearest neighboring T-sites were associated with the most favorable binding. Oxygen diffusivity in the material was found to decrease with increasing the substitutional defect concentrations. Finally, osmium was found to have a larger impact on the energy landscape.
Additionality and Avoiding Grassland Conversion in the Prairie Pothole Region of the United States

Abstract Grassland conversion into croplands in the Prairie Pothole Region of the United States is a persistent hurdle toward mitigating climate change. Several carbon offset markets have been designed to reward landowners for keeping lands in their native state when incentives to convert are high. We explore the role of a critical determinant in such programs: the additionality threshold. This factor, if appropriately selected and applied, reduces the participation of landowners that would choose to enroll in the program but would not have converted their land under business-as-usual conditions. Using a simple model relating land quality and land use to economic rents, we simulate potential avoided grassland conversion offset market participation across a range of cropland over pasture rent difference threshold (RDT) values. We find mitigation potential and simulated program costs are widely variable depending on this parameter and assume carbon prices: across the five states studied, the full range is 0.41 tCO2e • yr−1 (0.2 RDT, $10 •·t−1 carbon price) to 4.6 million tCO2e • yr−1 (1.2 RDT, $40 tCO2e • t−1 carbon price), assuming average land use change emissions values for pastureland in the region. Total program costs for these offsets also exhibit a wide range, spanning $2−$120 million • yr−1 depending on parameterization. Results across the full range of RDTs (0.2−2) demonstrate a tendency toward higher RDTs for achieving high levels of avoided emissions, with cost efficiency being maximized in the 1.4−1.8 range for RDTs. A state-level breakdown of results demonstrate the importance of modeling economic trends in land use and setting region-specific additionality thresholds for avoided grassland conversion offsets. Although our study is specific to grassland conversion in one region of the United States, similar offset markets exist elsewhere, where additionality concerns are paramount. We believe our framework can be useful in improving protocol design.
Thiocyanate complexes of the lanthanides, Am and Cm

The synthesis and single crystal structures of Am(iii) and Cm(iii) thiocyanate complexes are reported along with an isostructural series of lanthanide thiocyanate complexes. Because the complexes are isostructural, a comparative study of the metal-thiocyanate bonds was conducted using Raman spectroscopy indicating very similar and electrostatic metal-ligand interactions.
Dissecting antibody-mediated protection against SARS-CoV-2.

Understanding the properties and mechanisms by which antibodies provide protection is essential to defining immunity. Although neutralizing antibodies have been proposed as a potential key mechanism of protection against many viral pathogens, antibodies mediate additional immune functions that may have both protective and pathological consequences. Dissecting these properties against SARS-CoV-2 is likely necessary for defining metrics of immunity that will inform the design of vaccines and therapeutics and improve clinical management. Beyond neutralization, antibodies have immune-modulating functions that can be protective but, in some cases, can enhance pathology. Understanding these functions is critical for the development of safe vaccines and antibody therapies for COVID-19.
Grid Integration and Impact Analysis of High-Power Dynamic Wireless Charging System in Distribution Network

Dynamic wireless charging for electric vehicles is an emerging technology to provide an alternative solution for onboard battery reduction and driving range extension. Because of their unique characteristic of very short charging times and relatively high power levels, high-power dynamic wireless charging systems (DWCSs) introduce significant challenges to grid integration. In this paper, a comprehensive study of the high-power DWCS on grid integration control and impact analysis into distribution networks is conducted. Due to the unique load profile of DWCSs with power pulsations and the inherent imbalanced situations of a distribution network, a control strategy based on direct power control is proposed for the grid interface of DWCS to enhance the load transient response and ensure the stable operation. Considering that the load profile of DWCSs closely relates to traffic volumes and the approaching vehicle speeds, a 24-h load profile is developed based on Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) data and a stochastic model to analyze the grid impact of high-power DWCSs in a distribution network. Case studies on a modified IEEE 13-bus distribution network are presented to validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Value Sets of Polynomials over Finite Fields

We provide a lower bound for the cardinality of the value set of a polynomial over a finite field which improves upon several earlier bounds.