cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Promoting Model-Based Definition to Establish a Complete Product Definition

The manufacturing industry is evolving and starting to use 3D models as the central knowledge artifact for product data and product definition, or what is known as Model-based Definition (MBD). The Model-based Enterprise (MBE) uses MBD as a way to transition away from using traditional paper-based drawings and documentation. As MBD grows in popularity, it is imperative to understand what information is needed in the transition from drawings to models so that models represent all the relevant information needed for processes to continue efficiently. Finding this information can help define what data is common amongst different models in different stages of the lifecycle, which could help establish a Common Information Model. The Common Information Model is a source that contains common information from domain specific elements amongst different aspects of the lifecycle. To help establish this Common Information Model, information about how models are used in industry within different workflows needs to be understood. To retrieve this information, a survey mechanism was administered to industry professionals from various sectors. Based on the results of the survey a Common Information Model could not be established. However, the results gave great insight that will help in further investigation of the Common Information Model.
Solving Induction Motor Equivalent Circuit using Numerical Methods for an In-Service and Nonintrusive Motor Efficiency Estimation Method

Motor efficiency evaluation enables the energy savings in industry. However, because of the uninterrupted characteristic of industrial processes, traditional methods defined in IEEE Std-112 cannot be used for these in-service motors. A novel nonintrusive method for in-service motor efficiency estimation based on a modified induction motor equivalent circuit has been developed by the authors. A highly nonlinear and 4-dimensional system of equations needs to be solved to obtain the parameters of the motor equivalent circuit and finally the motor efficiency. This paper continues this topic and presents an in-depth discussion on solving these motor parameters using three numerical methods under various conditions. Newton's method exhibits the best suitability in this application because of its simplicity and fast convergence. In the rare cases where Newton's method does not converge, the particle swam optimization and simulated annealing methods are used. Finally, the proposed motor efficiency estimation method is verified by the experimental results from a 4-pole 7.5 hp TEFC induction motor. The performances of these three numerical methods are evaluated and compared.
Spectrophotometric Determination of Carbonate Ion Concentrations: Elimination of Instrument-Dependent Offsets and Calculation of In Situ Saturation States

This work describes an improved algorithm for spectrophotometric determinations of seawater carbonate ion concentrations ([CO32–]spec) derived from observations of ultraviolet absorbance spectra in lead-enriched seawater. Quality-control assessments of [CO32–]spec data obtained on two NOAA research cruises (2012 and 2016) revealed a substantial intercruise difference in average Δ[CO32–] (the difference between a sample’s [CO32–]spec value and the corresponding [CO32–] value calculated from paired measurements of pH and dissolved inorganic carbon). Follow-up investigation determined that this discordance was due to the use of two different spectrophotometers, even though both had been properly calibrated. Here we present an essential methodological refinement to correct [CO32–]spec absorbance data for small but significant instrumental differences. After applying the correction (which, notably, is not necessary for pH determinations from sulfonephthalein dye absorbances) to the shipboard absorbance data, w...
A Concentric Neighborhood Solution to Disparity in Liver Access That Contains Current UNOS Districts.

BACKGROUND Policymakers are deliberating reforms to reduce geographic disparity in liver allocation. Public comments and the United Network for Organ Sharing Liver and Intestinal Committee have expressed interest in refining the neighborhoods approach. Share 35 and Share 15 policies affect geographic disparity. METHODS We construct concentric neighborhoods superimposing the current 11 regions. Using concepts from concentric circles, we construct neighborhoods for each donor service area (DSA) that consider all DSAs within 400, 500, or 600 miles as neighbors. We consider limiting each neighborhood to 10 DSAs and use no metrics for liver supplies and demands. We change Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) thresholds for the Share 15 policy to 18 or 20 and apply 3- and 5-point MELD proximity boosts to enhance local priority, control travel distances, and reduce disparity. We conduct simulations comparing current allocation with the neighborhoods and sharing policies. RESULTS Concentric neighborhoods structures provide an array of solutions where simulation results indicate that they reduce geographic disparity, annual mortalities, and the airplane travel distances by varying degrees. Tuning of the parameters and policy combinations can lead to beneficial improvements with acceptable transplant volume loss and reductions in geographic disparity and travel distance. Particularly, the 10-DSA, 500-mile neighborhood solution with Share 35, Share 15, and 0-point MELD boost achieves such while limiting transplant volume losses to below 10%. CONCLUSIONS The current 11 districts can be adapted systematically by adding neighboring DSAs to improve geographic disparity, mortality, and airplane travel distance. Modifications to Share 35 and Share 15 policies result in further improvements. The solutions may be refined further for implementation.
1,3,2-Diazaborole-derived carbene complexes of boron

Reaction of 2-bromo-1,3,2-diazaborole (1) with excess BBr3 induces 1,2-hydrogen migration, giving 1,3,2-diazaborole-derived carbene complexes of boron bromide (2). Compound 2 exists in a dynamic solution equilibrium with 1. The 1H NMR study shows that the equilibrium lies to the right side of the dissociation reaction of 2. Parallel reaction of 1 with excess BI3 gives the corresponding 1,3,2-diazaborole-derived carbene boron iodide complex (3). Notably, in contrast to 2, the dissociation reaction of 3 largely lies to the left side, favouring the formation of 3. The dynamic solution equilibrium behaviours of 2 and 3 are probed by both experimental and theoretical methods.
Accuracy and Safety of Percutaneous Lumbosacral Pedicle Screw Placement Using Dual-Planar Intraoperative Fluoroscopy

Study Design Retrospective case series with prospective arm. Purpose To assess the safety and accuracy of percutaneous lumbosacral pedicle screw placement (PLPSP) in the lumbosacral spine using intraoperative dual-planar fluoroscopy (DPF). Overview of Literature There are several techniques available for achieving consistent, safe, and accurate results with PLPSP. There is a paucity of literature describing the beneficial operative, economic, and clinical outcomes of DPF, the most readily accessible image guidance system. Methods From 2004 to 2014, 451 consecutive patients underwent PLPSP using DPF, for a total of 2,345 screw placement. The results of prospectively obtained postoperative computed tomography (CT) examinations of an additional 41 consecutive patients were compared with the results of 104 CT examinations obtained postoperatively due to clinical symptomatology; these results were interpreted by three reviewers. The rates of revision indicated by misplaced screws with consistent clinical symptomatology were compared between groups. Pedicle screw placement was graded according to 2-mm increments in medial pedicle wall breach and measurement of screw axis placement. Results Seven of the 2,345 pedicle screws placed percutaneously with the use of the dual-planar fluoroscopic technique required revision because of a symptomatic misplaced screw, for a screw revision rate of 0.3%. There were no statistically significant demographic differences between patients who had screws revised and those who did not. All screws registered greater than 10 mA on electromyographic stimulation. In the 41 prospectively obtained CT examinations, one out of 141 screws (0.7%) was revised due to pedicle wall breach; whereas among the 104 patients with 352 screws, three screws were revised (0.9%). Conclusions DPF is an extremely accurate, safe, and reproducible technique for placement of percutaneous pedicle screws and is a readily available and cost-effective alternative to CT-guided pedicle screw placement techniques. Postoperative CT evaluation is not necessary with PLPSP unless the patient is symptomatic. Acceptable electromyographic thresholds may need to be reevaluated.
Planning motions of robotic systems subject to force and friction constraints with an application to a robotic climber

Multi-limb robots able to apply large forces over large ranges of motion are needed for many tasks. These tasks may strain a system's actuation capabilities and its ability to maintain secure contact with its environment. The Force-Workspace Approach is presented and used to plan a system's activities without violating actuation limits or frictional constraints with their tasks and environments. The technique is applied to the example of a robotic climbing machine.
Critical Care Nephrology and Renal Replacement Therapy in Children: Timing of Initiation of CRRT

This chapter reviews the mechanisms and impact of fluid overload, indications for renal replacement therapy, and factors considered in the timing of initiation in critically ill pediatric patients. Recent literature focused on the timing of initiation of CRRT to treat fluid overload is reviewed as well as the use of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) in critically ill patients, peritoneal dialysis after cardiac surgery, and ultrafiltration during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and during cardiopulmonary bypass.
Atorvastatin Decreases Renal Menaquinone-4 Formation in C57BL/6 Male Mice.

BACKGROUND Menaquinone-4 (MK4), a vitamin K metabolite, is converted from phylloquinone through a process that requires intermediates of endogenous cholesterol production. Recent evidence suggests that MK4 is involved in kidney function. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of atorvastatin treatment on MK4 formation in young and old male mice. METHODS C57BL/6 male mice (4-mo-old and 20-mo-old) were randomly assigned to either a diet containing 300 mg atorvastatin/kg with 3 mg phylloquinone/kg or a control diet containing 3 mg phylloquinone/kg for 8 wk. During week 8, all mice received deuterium-labeled phylloquinone in the diet. Labeled and unlabeled phylloquinone and MK4 in liver, kidney, brain, and intestine were measured by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization LC/MS. 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase gene expression was quantified by reverse transcriptase-PCR. Tissue MK4 and phylloquinone concentrations were compared between atorvastatin treatment groups with use of general linear models. RESULTS There was no age-treatment interaction on MK4 tissue concentrations. In atorvastatin-treated mice, total MK4 and percentage of deuterium-labeled MK4 in kidney were both approximately 45% lower compared to values in mice not given atorvastatin (all P < 0.05). MK4 concentrations did not differ between groups in any other tissue measured. CONCLUSION In male mice, atorvastatin reduced endogenous MK4 formation in the kidney, but not other organs. These observations are consistent with our hypothesis that cholesterol metabolism is involved in the generation of MK4. Further research is needed to understand potential regulatory mechanisms and the unique functions of MK4 in the kidney.
Border Materials, Early Childhood Art Education, and the Ontological Persistence of American Flexibility.

This article draws comparisons between young children’s material explorations and the national and global politics surrounding the U.S.–Mexico border in order to theorize early childhood art education and art education curricular approaches, practices, and policies. Border theories of fluidity and new materialist notions of becoming are discussed in relation to children’s and artists’ explorations of unfamiliar and playful materials. The concepts tool analysis and apparatus are employed to discuss the onto-epistemological and political nature of border materials, processes, and art to advocate for the learners and citizens who are produced through these apparatuses.
Viral Forecasting, Pathogen Cataloging, and Disease Ecosystem Mapping: Measuring Returns on Investments.

Infectious disease emergence into humans from animals or the environment occurs primarily due to genetic changes in the microbe through mutation or re-assortment making it either more transmissible or virulent or through a change in the disease “ecosystem”. Research into infectious disease emergence can be grouped into different strategic approaches. One strategic approach is to study a specific or model disease system to understand the ecology of an infectious disease and how is transmitted and propagated through the environment and different hosts and then extrapolate that disease system knowledge to related pathogens. The other strategic approach follows the genomics and phylogenetics—tracking how pathogens are evolving and changing at the amino acid level. Here we argue that for understanding complex zoonotic diseases and for the purposes of preventing emergence and re-emergence into humans, that the Return on Investment be considered for the best research strategy.
Numerical model of carbon chemical vapor deposition at internal surfaces

Abstract The objective of this study is to obtain the rate of Carbon deposition by low pressure chemical vapor deposition process (LPCVD) at internal surfaces to verify that large aspect ratio features can be filled. The mathematical model of LPCVD from reactor-scale to millimeter-scale channels is developed by using Computational Fluid Dynamics software ANSYS/FLUENT. To mimic voids in fibers’ structure, the CVD rate is obtained along each drilled channel in the parallelepiped sample hanged along the reactor axis. The role of heating of feedstock gas in reactor is discussed. Numerical modeling shows that vortices are generated near entrances of each channel. These vortices partially block the flow of feedstock gas from entering into the channel. Because of higher growth rate of carbon near the entrances of channels and partial blockage of the flow toward the centers of channels, the centers of channels have less exposure to CVD reactants; therefore, the channels can be blocked before completion of CVD that might create voids in CVD-manufactured materials.
Are We Alone in The Cosmos

The desire to understand our own destinies in terms of some great cosmic design is one of the strongest human tendencies. And the ”design” is much more appealing if it includes some superior beings who have an interest in our destiny. We even hope this interest is strong enough to open the possibility of communication if not direct visits. We yearn for this contact: some message, some sign that we are not simply circling the sun without purpose, alone in an uncaring universe. Because of this widespread cosmic loneliness, those of us who are interested in obtaining a scientifically verifiable answer to the question posed in the title of this essay find ourselves confronting a large body of received wisdom, ranging from such authorities as the BIBLE to ”they say”. We must tread a narrow path, overgrown with many varieties of religious beliefs, legends, speculation and tall tales, only to find ourselves finally confronting a large sign saying ”no admittance without hard evidence.”
StreamPipes Connect: Semantics-Based Edge Adapters for the IIoT

Accessing continuous time series data from various machines and sensors is a crucial task to enable data-driven decision making in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). However, connecting data from industrial machines to real-time analytics software is still technically complex and time-consuming due to the heterogeneity of protocols, formats and sensor types. To mitigate these challenges, we present StreamPipes Connect, targeted at domain experts to ingest, harmonize, and share time series data as part of our industry-proven open source IIoT analytics toolbox StreamPipes. Our main contributions are (i) a semantic adapter model including automated transformation rules for pre-processing, and (ii) a distributed architecture design to instantiate adapters at edge nodes where the data originates. The evaluation of a conducted user study shows that domain experts are capable of connecting new sources in less than a minute by using our system. The presented solution is publicly available as part of the open source software Apache StreamPipes.
Signal detection continues to be part of science.

In contrast to Wilson et al. (1), we believe that signal detection continues to be a key component of empirical science because of its inherent uncertainty. Null hypothesis significance testing (NHST) serves to detect signals, and we highlight mischaracterizations of NHST made by Wilson et al. (1). An explanation for observing smaller effects in (larger) replication than (smaller) original studies that does not require the complicated model in ref. 1 could consist of NHST-based truncation of effects with the law of large numbers (LLN). NHST makes no assumption about the distribution of effect sizes or of a random draw from a dichotomous distribution. NHST is a procedure that compares empirical data with a sampling distribution implied by a null hypothesis (e.g., H : μX − μY = 0). A small enough probability ( P value) of observing … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: pek.5{at}osu.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Action Recognition and State Change Prediction in a Recipe Understanding Task Using a Lightweight Neural Network Model (Student Abstract).

Consider a natural language sentence describing a specific step in a food recipe. In such instructions, recognizing actions (such as press, bake, etc.) and the resulting changes in the state of the ingredients (shape molded, custard cooked, temperature hot, etc.) is a challenging task. One way to cope with this challenge is to explicitly model a simulator module that applies actions to entities and predicts the resulting outcome (Bosselut et al. 2018). However, such a model can be unnecessarily complex. In this paper, we propose a simplified neural network model that separates action recognition and state change prediction, while coupling the two through a novel loss function. This allows learning to indirectly influence each other. Our model, although simpler, achieves higher state change prediction performance (67% average accuracy for ours vs. 55% in (Bosselut et al. 2018)) and takes fewer samples to train (10K ours vs. 65K+ by (Bosselut et al. 2018)).
Novel spin- and valley-dependent excitonic states in atomically thin semiconductor devices

When the Coulomb interaction becomes strong in semiconductors, the electrons and holes can interact to form excitonic states, which govern the materials’ optical properties. In atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) devices encapsulated by boron nitride, we observe various excitonic states with distinctive spin and valley configurations, including the bright and dark excitons, and intra- and inter-valley excitons. These excitons exhibit complex interactions with photons and phonons, giving rise to a panoply of emission lines. We have tailored the excitonic properties by using the charge density, magnetic field, and moire potential. These novel excitonic states with adjustable properties hold promises for the development of next-generation excitonic devices.
Induction machines sensors-less wind generator with integrated intelligent maximum power point tracking and electric losses minimisation technique

This study presents a high-performance wind generation system with induction machine (IM), specifically devised with the target of maximising the efficiency of the electromechanical conversion, and contemporary minimising the number of the system sensors and their cost. To this aim, the control system has been integrated, from one side, with an intelligent maximum power point tracking (MPPT) technique, so to make the generator track the power available in the wind, from the other side with techniques for the minimisation of the electrical losses (ELMT). Particularly, the power converters' switching losses have been reduced adopting a discontinuous pulsewidth modulation, while the IM overall losses have been reduced by a suitable electric losses minimisation technique. Contemporary, to reduce costs and increase the reliability of the system, the system has been devised as a fully sensors-less generation unit, meaning that both the wind speed and the machine speed sensors are not present. The anemometer has been substituted by the wind speed estimator integrated in the MPPT, based on the growing neural gas (GNG) network. The encoder has been substituted with an intelligent IM speed estimator, the so called MCA EXIN + reduced order observer (ROO). The performance of the adopted technique has been verified experimentally on a suitably devised test set-up.
Generation of Isogenic Mutant Strains of Helicobacter pylori

One important tool in the study of gene function is the construction of mutant strains. Specifically, the construction of isogenic mutant strains imparts researchers with the ability to compare a wild-type strain to a strain that is genetically identical with the exception of the gene of interest. For a bacterial species such as Helicobacter pylori , which is notorious for the genetic heterogeneity seen across isolates, comparisons between isogenic and parental strains control for the genetic variation seen between distinct isolates. This chapter details the construction of a clean gene deletion in which the entire coding region is replaced with a selectable marker. The approach detailed herein allows for the thorough investigation of gene function in the absence of confounding genetic variability.
Cheilanthes ecuadorensis: A New Species of Cheilanthes s. s. (Pteridaceae) from Northern South America

Ongoing research on the taxonomically complex genus Cheilanthes (Pteridaceae; Cheilanthoideae) has resulted in the identification of a new species from Loja Province in Ecuador, Cheilanthes ecuadorensis, described and illustrated herein. Originally collected in 1988 and identified as C. cf. rufopunctata, C. ecuadorensis is clearly distinct from that species in having pubescent adaxial blade surfaces and narrow, poorly-differentiated false indusia (rather than the glabrous adaxial surfaces and wide false indusia of C. rufopunctata). Among the South American species currently included in Cheilanthes, C. ecuadorensis is superficially most similar to C. pilosa. However, our molecular phylogenetic analyses indicate that C. ecuadorensis is sister to C. micropteris, the morphologically disparate generitype of Cheilanthes. Here we examine the phylogenetic relationships, morphology, cytogenetics, and geography of these four South American Cheilanthes species in a study that, once again, highlights the importance of herbaria in the process of new species discovery.
What Price Fame

1. The Intensity of Fame in Modern Society 2. Why Fame Is Separated from Merit 3. The New Heroes and Role Models 4. The Test of Time 5. The Proliferation of Fame 6. The Dark Side of Fame 7. Lessons for the Future Notes References Acknowledgments Index
Science Autonomy for Rover Subsurface Exploration of the Atacama Desert

As planetary rovers expand their capabilities, traveling longer distances, deploying complex tools, and collecting voluminous scientific data, the requirements for intelligent guidance and control also grow. This, coupled with limited bandwidth and latencies, motivates onboard autonomy that ensures the quality of the science data return. Increasing quality of the data involves better sample selection, data validation, and data reduction. Robotic studies in Mars-like desert terrain have advanced autonomy for long distance exploration and seeded technologies for planetary rover missions. In these field experiments the remote science team uses a novel control strategy that intersperses preplanned activities with autonomous decision making. The robot performs automatic data collection, interpretation, and response at multiple spatial scales. Specific capabilities include instrument calibration, visual targeting of selected features, an onboard database of collected data, and a long range path planner that guides the robot using analysis of current surface and prior satellite data. Field experiments in the Atacama Desert of Chile over the past decade demonstrate these capabilities and illustrate current challenges and future directions.
Mediastinal Hodgkin's disease: A possible danger for intubation anesthesia: Intubation danger in Hodgkin's disease

Abstract In many centers, laparotomy and splenectomy is an important procedure in the staging and management of Hodgkin's disease patients. Surgery usually is performed under general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation. Acute complications of such anesthesia in patients with mediastinal disease prompted a review of the anesthesia experience for any procedure in all Hodgkin's disease patients seen at our center from April 1969 through December 1973. Acute life-threatening complications occurred in 5 of 74 intubation anesthesias carried out in untreated patients with mediastinal and/or hilar disease; no complications were seen in 24 anesthesias performed after radiation therapy of mediastinal disease, or in 78 anesthesias in patients without intrathoracic disease. The incidence of anesthesia complications was related to mediastinal mass size. Hodgkin's disease patients with significant mediastinal masses should be treated before surgery whenever possible.
Morphology and Entry of Enveloped and Deenveloped Equine Abortion (Herpes) Virus

Selective removal of the envelope of equine abortion (herpes) virus was accomplished by utilizing the nonionic detergent Nonidet P-40 followed by sonic treatment. The deenveloped particles differ significantly in size and buoyant density from the enveloped form. The cellular entry of purified enveloped and purified deenveloped virus was examined by electron microscopy during critical time periods. Both forms appeared to enter cells by a viropexis mechanism in which particles were engulfed by pseudopodia which either surround the virus and fuse with the cell membrane or to other pseudopodia, forming fusion vacuoles containing from one to numerous viral particles. This mode of entry was noted extensively at 5 min postinoculation. Deenveloped particles were apparently infectious only for hamsters, with a large inoculum being required. Contamination by enveloped forms was not noted after exhaustive search by electron microscopy.
therapeutic vaccines for colorectal cancer

A number of cancer vaccine strategies for the treatment of colorectal cancer have entered clinical trials. Whole tumor cell vaccines have been developed from both patients’ autologous tumor cells as well as established allogeneic tumor cell lines. A vaccine consisting of autologous tumor cells along with bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) has shown a potential clinical benefit in patients with stage II colon cancer. Other approaches using autologous tumor cells have involved transfection of primary tumor cells with cytokine genes. Allogeneic tumor cell vaccines have also been modified to express cytokine genes. Vectors have been studied extensively as a means of vaccine strategy. One tumor-associated antigen (TAA) that has been extensively studied in viral vector vaccines is carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). A recombinant vaccinia virus containing the CEA transgene (rV-CEA) has been shown to elicit CEA-specific immune responses in advanced carcinoma patients. However, patients receiving multiple vaccinations had limited increases in CEA-specific responses by the third vaccination. This problem may be overcome by the use of non-replicating poxviruses, which have been shown in clinical trials to be safe and to elicit CEA-specific responses. However, recent clinical studies have shown that the optimal use of poxviruses is to prime with vaccinia, followed by boosts with avipox vectors. A recent randomized clinical trial showed that patients primed with rV-CEA and boosted with avipox-CEA had greater immune responses compared with patients receiving three 1-monthly avipox-CEA vaccinations followed by an rV-CEA vaccination. Furthermore, a statistically significant survival advantage was noted in the prime/boost arm. Ongoing studies are now incorporating the genes for costimulatory molecules along with TAA in these vectors. Another vaccine strategy involving TAA that is currently in clinical trials for colorectal cancer is the peptide vaccine. Dendritic cells (DCs) are considered to be the most potent antigen-presenting cell, thus providing an attractive modality for cancer vaccines. In addition to using DCs for peptide-based vaccines, a number of other strategies, including transfection with messenger RNA, have produced specific T-cell responses in clinical trials. In addition, several clinical trials using murine anti-idiotype antibodies as vaccines for patients with advanced colorectal cancer have shown both immunologic responses as well as clinical responses.
Ferromagnetic resonance in Ga 1 − x Mn x As : Effects of magnetic anisotropy

This paper describes a systematic study of ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) carried out on a series of specimens of the ferromagnetic semiconductor ${\mathrm{Ga}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Mn}}_{x}\mathrm{As}$ in thin film form. The GaMnAs layers were grown by low-temperature molecular beam epitaxy either on GaAs or on GaInAs buffers, the two buffers being used to obtain different strain conditions within the ferromagnetic layer. Our aim has been to map out the dependence of the FMR position on temperature and on the angle between the applied magnetic field and crystallographic axes of the sample. The analysis of the FMR data allowed us to obtain the values of the cubic and the uniaxial magnetic anisotropy fields---i.e., those which are associated with the natural (undistorted) zinc blende structure and those arising from of strain.
Ketamine, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, and Depression Specific Yoga and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy in Management of Treatment Resistant Depression: Review and Some Data on Efficacy

Depression affects about 121 million people worldwide and prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD) in US adults is 6.4%. Treatment resistant depression (TRD) accounts for approximately 12–20% of all depression patients and costs $29–$48 billion annually. Ketamine and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) have useful roles in TRD, but their utility in long term is unknown. As per the latest literature, the interventions using Yoga and meditation including the mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT) have been useful in treatment of depression and relapse prevention. We present a review of rTMS, ketamine, and MBCT and also report efficacy of a depression specific, innovative, and translational model of Yoga and mindfulness based cognitive therapy (DepS Y-MBCT), developed by the first author. DepS Y-MBCT as an adjunctive treatment successfully ameliorated TRD symptoms in 27/32 patients in an open label pilot trial in TRD patients. Considering the limitations of existing treatment options, including those of ketamine and rTMS when used as the sole modality of treatment, we suggest a “tiered approach for TRD” by combining ketamine and rTMS (alone or along with antidepressants) for rapid remission of acute depression symptoms and to use DepS Y-MBCT for maintaining remission and preventing relapse.
Taylor dispersion in equilibrium gradient focusing at steady state

An analytic expression is presented for the effective dispersion coefficient in the case where a solute is focused in a parabolic flow against a linear gradient in a restoring force. This expression was derived by employing a minor variation on the method of moments used by Aris in his development of the dispersion coefficients for a time-dependent, isocratic system. In the present case, dispersion is controlled by two dimensionless groups, a Peclet number which is proportional to the parabolic component of the flow, and a gradient number which is proportional to the slope of the restoring force. These results confirm that the Aris-Taylor expression for the dispersion coefficient should not be applied in cases where a solute is focused to a stationary steady state.
Variability in English vowels is comparable in articulation and acoustics.

The nature of the links between speech production and perception has been the subject of longstanding debate. The present study investigated the articulatory parameter of tongue height and the acoustic F1-F0 difference for the phonological distinction of vowel height in American English front vowels. Multiple repetitions of /i, ɪ, e, e, ae/ in [(h)Vd] sequences were recorded in seven adult speakers. Articulatory (ultrasound) and acoustic data were collected simultaneously to provide a direct comparison of variability in vowel production in both domains. Results showed idiosyncratic patterns of articulation for contrasting the three front vowel pairs /i-ɪ/, /e-e/ and /e-ae/ across subjects, with the degree of variability in vowel articulation comparable to that observed in the acoustics for all seven participants. However, contrary to what was expected, some speakers showed reversals for tongue height for /ɪ/-/e/ that was also reflected in acoustics with F1 higher for /ɪ/ than for /e/. The data suggest the phonological distinction of height is conveyed via speaker-specific articulatory-acoustic patterns that do not strictly match features descriptions. However, the acoustic signal is faithful to the articulatory configuration that generated it, carrying the crucial information for perceptual contrast.
Chemical messengers in development: a hypothesis.

The hypothesis that physiological and developmental regulatory mechanisms are similar has been presented. Well-known developmental systems chosen illustrate the capability of the model to suggest a simple mechanism underlying the effects on development of a diverse group of chemicals. This hypothesis might be applied to other systems including the induction of the lens, limb regeneration, and the induction of the head of hydra (124). I have proposed this hypothesis not only because it permits consideration of a complex and varied array of experimental observations as reflections of a simple basic biochemical mechanism, but because recent technical advances in instrumentation and methods allow it to be directly tested. The fluorescent antibody method for the cytochemical measurement of cyclic nucleotides provides a means for investigating changes in the concentrations of cyclic nucleotides in developing cells and could also be used to detect neurotransmitters in developing cells. Similarly, the scanning electron microscope in the emitted x-ray mode provides a method for measuring changes in the content and distribution of cations within developing cells. The hypothesis presented here suggests pleasing asceticism on the part of eukaryotes. It suggests that simple derivatives of metabolites, including neurotransmitters and cyclic nucleotides, are linked together as regulatory molecules throughout the eukaryotes. The neurotransmitters are suggested to have a more general role in information transmission in eukaryotes than is generally accepted. They are hypothesized to have progressed during evolution from being intracellular messengers to a role as intercellular messengers for the relatively slow communication of developmental informaton; and, finally, this process has culminated with their participation in the rapid intercellular communication mediated by nerves. The thought that the complex pictures of physiological regulation and of the construction of a complex multicellular organism like man might be painted with so few colors is quite satisfying.
Comparison of avoidance responses of an estuarine fish, Fundulus heteroclitus, and crustacean, Palaemonetes pugio, to bis (tri-n-butyltin) oxide

Avoidance responses of an estuarine fish, mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus), and crustacean, grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio) to the antifoulant his (tri-n-butyltin) oxide (TBTO) were evaluated. Four out of six groups of mummichogs tested at 1.0 μg total organic Sn L−1 showed avoidance. Total organic Sn concentrations of ≥ 3.7 μg L−1 were avoided by this fish species in all cases. Higher concentrations of total organic Sn did not result in greater avoidance responses. Grass shrimp did not avoid total organic Sn concentrations between 2.3 and 30.0 μg L−1. Response data at 2.3 and 30 μg L−1 were similar. Mummichogs and grass shrimp differed greatly in their abilities to avoid potentially adverse concentrations of total organic Sn. Since mummichogs are major predators of grass shrimp, these behavioral responses may have important implications for tidal marsh ecosystems.
Multidetector-row CT of tumour-bowel fistula: Experience at a tertiary cancer centre.

Aim To study the clinical and multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) features of tumour–bowel fistula (TBF). Materials and methods Fifty-one patients (27 women; mean age 57.4 years, range 30–77years) with TBF presenting to our institution between January 2005 and February 2012 were identified retrospectively from the radiology database. MDCT images before, at, and subsequent to diagnosis of TBF were reviewed by three radiologists in consensus; clinical presentation, management, and outcome were documented from electronic medical records. Results Of 51 patients, small bowel (n = 22) was the most common site with gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) being the most common sarcoma subtype (n = 10). TBF was treatment-associated (TTBF) in 40 patients [78%; 22 of whom had received molecular targeted therapy (MTT)], and spontaneous (STBF) in 11 patients (22%). Thirty-one patients (61%) were symptomatic at the time of TBF detection. TTBF was more often asymptomatic (19/40 versus 1/11; Fisher's exact test p = 0.03). In the TTBF group, 16 had a partial response, seven had stable disease, and 17 had progressive disease. Treatment was discontinued or changed to an alternative regimen in 27/40 patients, and 13/40 patients continued with the same regimen. TBF persisted in 27/33 patients (82%) who underwent CT follow-up. Thirty-one of the 51 patients were deceased at the time of analysis. Time from diagnosis of TBF to death was shorter with STBF (1.8 months) than with TTBF (6.4 months). Conclusion TBF is often associated with MTT and can be seen with treatment response or progression. TTBF is more frequently asymptomatic. TBF is usually managed conservatively by discontinuing treatment, but often persists on CT follow-up.
A microfluidic chemical/biological sensor based on dissolvable membrane incorporating gold nanoparticles and optical absorption

We present a microfluidic chemical/biological sensor based on dissolvable membranes incorporating gold nanoparticles. The presence of the target analyte in a fluidic sample being assayed dissolves the membrane, causing the change in its optical absorption. To enhance the contrast between the membrane and the fluidic sample, the membranes are chemically treated to exhibit strong absorption at certain wavelengths. Here, we use N,N'-cystaminebisacrylamide (CBA) cross-linked poly(acrylamide) (PAAm) membranes dissolved by a sample solution containing dithioerythritol (DTT) to demonstrate this approach. The dissolvable membrane incorporates gold nanoparticles to exhibit strong absorption at 572nm.
Stabilization of Networked Control System with Time Delays and Data-packet Losses

In this paper, we provide experimental results in the application of the results of [4]. Based on the theoretic work in [4], we propose an estimator-based delaycompensation algorithm to stabilize a networked control system (NCS) with network-induced stochastic time delays, data-packet losses, and out-of-order data-packet transmissions. With the p-sampling-period delay upper bound, the NCS can also accommodate up to p – 1 successive packet losses. We also derive sufficient conditions for the stability of the NCS. The feasibility and effectiveness of the theoretic results of [4] is verified experimentally using an NCS test bed incorporating an open-loop unstable ball magnetic-levitation (maglev) system we constructed.
MATHEMATICAL FORMULATIONS AND COMPUTER ENUMERATIONS OF POLYMER MODELS WITH LOOPS

The mathematical formalisms and computer enumerations of two polymeric models: trails and silhouettes are presented. Trails have been quite extensively studied, but their equivalence class, silhouettes are less familiar. By drawing parallelism from n→0 magnetic analog, the tricritical properties of silhouettes are studied both analytically and numerically. The tricriticality of trails, which is inaccessible by a renormalization group analysis in e=4−D dimensions, can therefore only be investigated numerically. The tricritical exponents thus obtained indicate that trails belong to a distinct universality class from silhouettes.
Craniofacial ciliopathies: a new classification for craniofacial disorders

Craniofacial anomalies are some of the most variable and common defects affecting the population. Herein, we examine a group of craniofacial disorders that are the result of defects in primary cilia; ubiquitous, microtubule-based organelles that transduce molecular signals and facilitate the interactions between the cell and its environment. Based on the frequent appearance of craniofacial phenotypes in diseases born from defective primary cilia (ciliopathies) we propose a new class of craniofacial disorders referred to as craniofacial ciliopathies. We explore the most frequent phenotypes associated with ciliopathic conditions and the ciliary gene mutations responsible for craniofacial defects. Finally, we propose that some non-classified disorders may now be classified as craniofacial ciliopathies.
p53 Allelotypes and Enhanced Detection of Allelic Loss in Ovarian Cancer: Lack of Correlation with Familial and Clinical Factors

To develop a mapping strategy for improved detection of p53 allelic loss associated with ovarian carcinoma, we utilized multiple intragenic polymorphisms and single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. p53 allelotype distributions were defined for 80 ovarian cancer patients from germ-line DNA. All polymorphic sites studied had polymorphism information content (PIC) rates of greater than 0.25. Tumor loss of heterozygosity (LOH) was determined from informative polymorphisms and migratory shifts on SSCP screening of exons 5-9. Of the four polymorphisms analyzed, the intron 1 (alu) was the most informative (PIC = 0.66). A novel allele of 110 base pairs was found in 4.4% of our ovarian cancer cohort at this site. The intron 3 (16-base pair repeat) and intron 6 (MSP1) polymorphisms were in relative equilibrium; thus, we chose to use only the intron 3 polymorphic site in the mapping strategy. Family cancer history did not influence the allelotype distribution frequencies. Overall, 56 of 61 tumors (91.8%) were informative for allelic loss, and LOH was observed in 66.1 %. A reduction to homozygosity at the p53 locus did not correlate with familial or clinical factors. These observations are consistent with the multiple mechanisms by which p53 dysfunction can occur.
Case injected genetic algorithms for traveling salesman problems

Abstract This paper examines the feasibility of using genetic algorithms augmented with a long term memory to attack similar traveling salesman problems. The proposed learning system combines a genetic problem solver with a case-base or data-base of past problem solving attempts to increase performance with experience. Instead of starting from scratch, we retrieve and inject the solutions of previously solved similar problems into the initial population of the genetic algorithm to provide a performance boost. In this paper we are more concerned with relative improvement in performance over time rather than with absolute performance and our results on a number of problems indicate that we can always get better performance with the combined system. If, as we believe, the results are generalizable, combining a case-base with a genetic algorithm will benefit most purely genetic algorithm implementations.
Dynamic multi-arm radial lens stretcher: A robotic analog of the ciliary body

We developed a dynamic lens stretching device to quantitatively determine the relationships between force, equatorial displacement, and anterior curvature. A computer-controlled four-arm lens stretcher, equipped with real-time force transducers in each arm, was designed and constructed to obtain transient force measurements during lens stretching. The force-decay spectrum was fitted with a seven-parameter viscoelastic model characterized by three time constants. A corneal topography unit was used to measure the curvature of fresh porcine lenses ex vivo and in vitro in a four-arm lens stretcher at various equatorial displacements. The lens stretcher and corneal topography unit provided detailed information regarding the behavior of the porcine lens in vitro. For all lenses, the central portion of the anterior surface flattened as zonular force increased. Force increased nonlinearly with equatorial displacement. Relaxation time constants for accommodation were 34.5+/-12.2 ms, 310+/-122 ms, and 12,800+/-9490 ms. Time constants for disaccommodation were 34.9+/-4.7 ms, 291+/-79.1 ms, and 3400+/-775 ms, which were not statistically different from those measured for accommodation. The lens stretcher acts as a robotic analog of the ciliary body. This device allows direct, quantitative measurement of the forces and curvature changes relevant to accommodation. However, distortions were present due to the use of only four arms.
Socialization, the sequencing of environmental factors, and their effects on weight gain and disease resistance of chickens.

Abstract Weight gain following a 60-hr fast was influenced 1) by prior experiences of either a presence or an absence of a similar initial fast followed by either being moved to unfamiliar quarters or being fed corticosterone or 2) whether or not the chickens were socialized. Socialization, but not the environmental stresses, increased antibody response to erythrocyte antigens and increased resistance to Escherichia coli challenge. Although the experimental cockerels had increased heterophil/lymphocyte ratios following the feeding of corticosterone, their antibody response to erythrocyte antigen and their resistance to E. coli challenge were not altered. The presence or absence of water deprivation stress early in life failed to alter any results.
Performance Evaluation of Fast Microfluidic Thermal Lysis of Bacteria for Diagnostic Sample Preparation

Development of new diagnostic platforms that incorporate lab-on-a-chip technologies for portable assays is driving the need for rapid, simple, low cost methods to prepare samples for downstream processing or detection. An important component of the sample preparation process is cell lysis. In this work, a simple microfluidic thermal lysis device is used to quickly release intracellular nucleic acids and proteins without the need for additional reagents or beads used in traditional chemical or mechanical methods (e.g., chaotropic salts or bead beating). On-chip lysis is demonstrated in a multi-turn serpentine microchannel with external temperature control via an attached resistive heater. Lysis was confirmed for Escherichia coli by fluorescent viability assay, release of ATP measured with bioluminescent assay, release of DNA measured by fluorometry and qPCR, as well as bacterial culture. Results comparable to standard lysis techniques were achievable at temperatures greater than 65 °C and heating durations between 1 and 60 s.