cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antenna placement on complex platforms by multi-objective genetic algorithms

Where to optimally mount antennas on complex and electrically large platforms to achieve multifaceted electromagnetic goals subject to structural, aerodynamic, and/or real-estate constraints for long has been an open-ended problem. Closed-loop optimizers, including those based on genetic algorithms (GAs), fail when used for antenna placement (AP) purposes because of the prohibitive computational cost associated with the repeated execution of forward/deterministic electromagnetic simulators. Undoubtedly, in all but the simplest scenarios, the cost of repeatedly executing an electromagnetic simulator for antenna platforms exceeding a few wavelengths in size does not allow for the analysis of more than a handful of design candidates, thereby preventing a thorough canvassing of the design space. Not surprisingly, few AP methods have been described in the archival literature. By and large, the AP-GA techniques developed to date bypass the problem of assessing platform effects by focusing on free-standing arrays (of idealized/uncoupled or coupled elements) [1] or assuming an idealized platform [2].
Mixed-Signal Switching Noise Analysis Using Voronoi-Tessellated Substrate Macromodels

We present a new modeling technique for analyzing the impact of substrate-coupled switching noise in CMOS mixed-signal circuits. Lumped element RC substrate macromodels are efficiently generated from layout using Voronoi tessellation. The models retain the accuracy of previously proposed models, but contain orders of magnitude fewer circuit nodes, and are suitable for analyzing large-scale circuits. The modeling strategy has been verified using detailed device simulation, and applied to some mixed-A/D circuit examples.
Seismic tomography, adjoint methods, time reversal and banana-doughnut kernels

SUMMARY We draw connections between seismic tomography, adjoint methods popular in climate and ocean dynamics, time-reversal imaging and finite-frequency ‘banana-doughnut’ kernels. We demonstrate that Frechet derivatives for tomographic and (finite) source inversions may be obtained based upon just two numerical simulations for each earthquake: one calculation for the current model and a second, ‘adjoint’, calculation that uses time-reversed signals at the receivers as simultaneous, fictitious sources. For a given model, m, we consider objective functions χ(m) that minimize differences between waveforms, traveltimes or amplitudes. For tomographic inversions we show that the Frechet derivatives of such objective functions may be written in the generic form , where δ ln m=δm/m denotes the relative model perturbation. The volumetric kernel Km is defined throughout the model volume V and is determined by time-integrated products between spatial and temporal derivatives of the regular displacement field s and the adjoint displacement field s†; the latter is obtained by using time-reversed signals at the receivers as simultaneous sources. In waveform tomography the time-reversed signal consists of differences between the data and the synthetics, in traveltime tomography it is determined by synthetic velocities, and in amplitude tomography it is controlled by synthetic displacements. For each event, the construction of the kernel Km requires one forward calculation for the regular field s and one adjoint calculation involving the fields s and s†. In the case of traveltime tomography, the kernels Km are weighted combinations of banana-doughnut kernels. For multiple events the kernels are simply summed. The final summed kernel is controlled by the distribution of events and stations. Frechet derivatives of the objective function with respect to topographic variations δh on internal discontinuities may be expressed in terms of 2-D kernels Kh and Kh in the form , where Σ denotes a solid-solid or fluid-solid boundary and ΣFS a fluid–solid boundary, and ∇Σ denotes the surface gradient. We illustrate how amplitude anomalies may be inverted for lateral variations in elastic and anelastic structure. In the context of a finite-source inversion, the model vector consists of the time-dependent elements of the moment-density tensor m(x, t). We demonstrate that the Frechet derivatives of the objective function χ may in this case be written in the form , where e† denotes the adjoint strain tensor on the finite-fault plane Σ. In the case of a point source this result reduces further to the calculation of the time-dependent adjoint strain tensor e† at the location of the point source, an approach reminiscent of an acoustic time-reversal mirror. The theory is illustrated for both tomographic and source inversions using a 2-D spectral-element method.
The Undertheorized Environment: Sociological Theory and the Ontology of Behavioral Genetics

Growing interest in the genetic contribution to human behaviors has led to the growth of the field of behavioral genetics. The authors consider the concept of “environment” in behavioral genetics and argue that sociology is in a unique position to evaluate and specify a theoretically robust concept of environment. Building on insights from classical and contemporary social theory, the authors argue that the study of genetic influence on behavior needs to incorporate sociological understandings of contextual effects. The authors propose five points for evaluating behavioral genetic studies' conceptualization of environment and use those points to evaluate three exemplary recent studies.
Investigation of high-efficiency screen-printed textured Si solar cells with high sheet-resistance emitters

In this study it is found that the efficiency enhancement (/spl Delta//spl eta/) resulting from the use of a 100 /spl Omega//sq emitter instead of a conventional 45 /spl Omega//sq emitter is substantially enhanced further by surface texturing. This enhancement is greater for textured cells by at least /spl sim/0.4% absolute over the enhancement for planar cells, and is mainly due to the greater difference in the front-surface recombination velocity (FSRV) between the high-and low-sheet-resistance emitter textured cells. A FSRV of 60,000 cm/s resulted in a reasonably good V/sub oc/ of /spl sim/642 mV for the 100 /spl Omega//sq emitter textured cell. Our investigation of the Ag-Si contact interface shows a more regular distribution of Ag crystallite precipitation for the textured emitter (mainly at the peaks of the texture pyramids). The high contact-quality resulted in a series resistance of 0.79 /spl Omega/-cm, a junction leakage current of 18.5 nA/cm/sup 2/ yielding a FF of 0.784. This resulted in a record high-efficiency 4 cm/sup 2/ screen-printed cell of 18.8% (confirmed by NREL) on textured 0.6 /spl Omega/-cm FZ, with single-layer antireflection coating.
Organizational Change as a Paradigm Shift

Organizational change may be considered as analogous to scientific change. Kuhn's analysis of scientific activities as paradigm guided is applied to an organizational framework to suggest that organizational activities may be understood in the same fashion. This perspective is briefly applied to the current controversy in health care. Research attention is directed toward the use of knowledge in organizational activities and in health care in particular.
Evidence for a Continuum of Decreased Vancomycin Susceptibility in Unselected Staphylococcus aureus Clinical Isolates

Some Staphylococcus aureus isolates have glycopeptide minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) in the susceptible range but have subpopulations that grow on 4 mg/mL vancomycin. Clinical laboratory methods for determining susceptibility have proven to be inadequate for detecting these strains. Among methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) clinical isolates, 149 (66.2%) of 225 and 17 (56.6%) of 30, respectively, grew on brain-heart infusion (BHI) medium containing 2 mg/mL vancomycin; 17 (7.5%) of the MRSA and 2 (6.6%) of the MSSA isolates grew on BHI screening plates containing 4 mg/mL vancomycin. One isolate grew on plates containing 6 mg/mL vancomycin. This isolate escaped detection by routine testing but had a vancomycin MIC of 6 mg/mL when tested in BHI medium. This isolate also had decreased Triton X-100–induced autolysis and killing when incubated in broth media containing vancomycin, properties accorded to glycopeptide-intermediate S. aureus isolates. These observations suggest that glycopeptide-intermediate–like S. aureus isolates are circulating undetected and that a continuum of decreased susceptibility exists in unselected isolates.
NACADA Journal Authors: 20 Years of Contributions

The Senior Editors have undertaken a follow-up study of the NACADA Journal upon its 20th anniversary. This study of Journal authors has revealed that faculty members contribute considerably more ar...
Federal Discrimination of Married Same-Sex Couples

As the discussion and debate in the political arena intensifies concerning the social aspects of same-sex marriage, there are also adverse economic and legal effects on same-sex couples due to the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). In order to sample the effect of DOMA, we examined the tax consequences of the inability of such couples to file a tax return based on "married filing jointly" status by surveying same-sex couples who were married in Massachusetts. After comparing their current tax liability versus their theoretical tax liability using the "married filing jointly" status, we found that sixty-eight percent of those couples suffered an average tax penalty in 2008 of $2,495. Based on this actual adverse impact, we examined a legal remedy based on the failure to accord deference to the States with respect to matters specifically involving marriage in violation of the 10th amendment to the United States Constitution.
Nepheline structural and chemical dependence on melt composition

Nepheline crystallizes upon slow-cooling in some melts concentrated in Na2O and Al2O3, which can result in a residual glass phase of low chemical durability. Nepheline can incorporate many components often found in high-level waste radioactive borosilicate glass, including glass network ions (e.g., Si, Al, Fe), alkali metals (e.g., Cs, K, Na, and possibly Li), alkaline-earth metals (e.g., Ba, Sr, Ca, Mg), and transition metals (e.g., Mn, and possibly Cr, Zn, Ni). When crystallized from melts of different compositions, nepheline composition varies as a function of starting melt composition. Five simulated high-level nuclear waste borosilicate glasses shown to crystallize large fractions of nepheline on slow-cooling were selected for study. These starting melt compositions contained a range of Al2O3, B2O3, CaO, Na2O, K2O, Fe2O3, and SiO2 concentrations. Compositional analyses of nepheline crystals in glass by electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA) indicate that nepheline is generally rich in silica, whereas boron is unlikely to be present in any significant concentration, if at all, in nepheline. Also, several models are presented for calculating the fraction of vacancies in the nepheline structure.
Milestones for the Final Mile: Interspecialty Distinctions in Primary Palliative Care Skills Training

Abstract Context Primary palliative care (PPC) skills are useful in a wide variety of medical and surgical specialties, and the expectations of PPC skill training are unknown across graduate medical education. Objectives We characterized the variation and quality of PPC skills in residency outcomes-based Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) milestones. Methods We performed a content analysis with structured implicit review of 2015 ACGME milestone documents from 14 medical and surgical specialties chosen for their exposure to clinical situations requiring PPC. For each specialty milestone document, we characterized the variation and quality of PPC skills in residency outcomes-based ACGME milestones. Results We identified 959 occurrences of 29 palliative search terms within 14 specialty milestone documents. Within these milestone documents, implicit review characterized 104 milestones with direct saliency to PPC skills and 196 milestones with indirect saliency. Initial interrater agreement of the saliency rating among the primary reviewers was 89%. Specialty milestone documents varied widely in their incorporation of PPC skills within milestone documents. PPC milestones were most commonly found in milestone documents for Anesthesiology, Pediatrics, Urology, and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. PPC-relevant milestones were most commonly found in the Interpersonal and Communication Skills core competency with 108 (36%) relevant milestones classified under this core competency. Conclusions Future revisions of specialty-specific ACGME milestone documents should focus on currently underrepresented, but important PPC skills.
Notes on the Biology and Systematics of the Dermestid Beetle Genus Aspectus with Descriptions of Two New Species

The subfamily Trinodinae is characterized and Apsectus, its single New-World genus, is redescribed. New species are Apsectus araneorum (Arizona) and A. dichromus (Panama); A. hispidus (Melsheimer) is redescribed. The biology and life history of A. hispidus and A. araneorum, both of which inhabit spider nests, are outlined.
Use of androgen deprivation therapy as salvage treatment after primary therapy for clinically localized prostate cancer.

The optimal use of androgen deprivation therapy as salvage treatment (sADT) for men after initial prostatectomy or radiotherapy for clinically localized prostate cancer is undefined. We describe patterns of sADT use and investigate clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of insured men who received sADT versus surveillance in managed care settings. Using comprehensive electronic health records and cancer registry data from three integrated health plans, we identified all men with newly diagnosed clinically localized prostate cancer between 1995 and 2009 who received either prostatectomy (n = 16,445) or radiotherapy (n = 19,531) as their primary therapy. We defined sADT based on the timing of ADT following primary therapy and stage of cancer. We fit Cox proportional hazard models to identify sociodemographic characteristics and clinical factors associated with sADT. With a median follow-up of 6 years (range 2–15 years), 13 % of men who underwent primary prostatectomy or radiotherapy received sADT. After adjusting for selected covariates, sADT was more likely to be used in men who were older (e.g., HR 1.70, 95 % CI 1.48–1.96 or HR 1.33, 95 % CI 1.17–1.52 for age 70+ relative to age 35–59 for primary prostatectomy or radiotherapy, respectively), were African-American, had a short PSA doubling time, had a higher pre-treatment risk of progression, had more comorbidities, and received adjuvant ADT for initial disease. In men with localized prostate cancer in community practice initially treated with prostatectomy or radiotherapy, sADT after primary treatment was more frequent for men at greater risk of death from prostate cancer, consistent with practice guidelines.
Temporary Inferior Vena Cava Filters: How Do We Move Forward?

Despite their widespread use, the indications for the selective use of temporary inferior vena cava (IVC) filters remains uncertain with few trials supporting their use. Additionally, the risks of long-term temporary IVC filter insertion are being increasingly discussed amongst the mainstream media and through multiple class action lawsuits. Retrievable IVC filters were specifically designed to have a less secure implantation in order to facilitate retrieval. However, multiple reports have demonstrated significant filter-related complications, most commonly related to duration of implantation. Furthermore, the risk is not isolated to one manufacturer alone. The incidence of filter-related complications is linearly related to its duration of time on the market. Currently, the FDA recommends that IVC filters be removed within 25-54 days of their implantation. Unfortunately, little evidence exists to show that this recommendation is followed routinely. Recently, the PRESERVE Trial (NCT02381509) was initiated as a multicenter non-randomized open label study to determine the safety and effectiveness of commercially available IVC filters (both temporary and permanent) in individuals who require mechanical prophylaxis against pulmonary embolism. Until such evidence is developed, temporary IVC filters should be implanted based on best available evidence and routinely removed within the guidelines of the FDA of 25-54 days. A fair question at this point is whether the design features themselves that are required to manufacture a low profile removable IVC filter can achieve effective prophylaxis against pulmonary embolism at a low rate of short and long-term complications.
Bridgehead-Substituted Triptycenes for Discovery of Nucleic Acid Junction Binders

Recently, the utility of triptycene as a scaffold for targeting nucleic acid three-way junctions was demonstrated. A rapid, efficient route for the synthesis of bridgehead-substituted triptycenes is reported, in addition to solid-phase diversification to a new class of triptycene peptides. The triptycene peptides were evaluated for binding to a d(CAG)·(CTG) repeat DNA junction exhibiting potent affinities. The bridgehead-substituted triptycenes provide new building blocks for rapid access to diverse triptycene ligands with novel architectures.
A systematic review of the prevalence and incidence of neuropsychiatric conditions in populations with traumatic brain injury

Introduction The relationship between traumatic brain injury and neuropsychiatric conditions has a strong clinical link. Despite significant clinical presentations, there has been a limited focus on quantifying the association between traumatic brain injury and psychiatric disorders. Objectives To conduct a systematic review to determine the prevalence and incidence of neuropsychiatric conditions in patients with traumatic brain injury. Aims To determine the association between traumatic brain injury and psychiatric illness. Methods A systematic search was made of Medline, PsycINFO, EMBASE and article bibliographies. Search terms for rates of psychosis, mood disorders, anxiety conditions, organic personality disorder, neuropsychiatric disorders, neuro-behavioural disorders, aggression, dementia and frontal lobe disorder were utilised. We followed MOOSE criteria and did not apply temporal limits. Results There were 845 relevant searches in total. After exclusion of duplicates, case reports, case series reports, letters, reviews, commentaries, systematic reviews, and editorials there were 143 relevant abstracts identified. This was further reduced to a review of 48 full text papers. We identified prevalence rates of depression between 6.9–62.5%, mania of 9–12.5%, PTSD 1.9–50%, aggression 28.4–57%, anxiety disorders 6–63% (including GAD 8–9%, agoraphobia 2–6%, panic disorder 9%, social phobia 1%) insomnia 11–29%, personality change of 33.3%, dementia 8.16% and substance use 3–8%. Conclusions We have identified significant rates of neuropsychiatric morbidity in patients with traumatic brain injury. We have particularly identified limited research studies into psychosis, mania, dementia and personality disorders in this patient group. The review further emphasises the importance of identifying neuropsychiatric comorbidities in post-traumatic brain injury and the importance of addressing these comorbidities.
Operative cholangiography--its value in the unsuspected choledochal stone.

Over the past two decades, interest in operative cholangiography in biliary tract surgery has increased. The authors suggest that the procedure be done routinely because it is the best method of finding unsuspected stones in the common duct. Their report is based on more than a thousand operations in which operative cholangiography was used.
An in vitro and in vivo validation of a novel color-coded syringe device for measuring the intracuff pressure in cuffed endotracheal tubes.

Background: The clinical practice of pediatric anesthesiology has changed with a transition to the use of cuffed endotracheal tubes (ETTs) in infants and children. The monitoring of intracuff pressure has been suggested as one means to limit the potential for damage to the tracheal mucosa. The current study evaluates the accuracy of a novel, color-coded syringe device which provides three zones (green, clear, and red) to estimate the intracuff pressure. Method: The study was conducted in two phases. Phase 1 was an in vitro study where cuffed ETTs of sizes 4.0 mm, 5.0 mm and 6.0 mm ID were placed into polyvinylchloride tubing of appropriate sizes. A manometer and the syringe device were simultaneously attached to measure the intracuff pressure at the middle of the 3 different zones on the device (red, clear, and green). Phase 2 was an in vivo study where the syringe device and the manometer were simultaneously attached to the pilot balloon to measure the intracuff pressure and the corresponding zone on the color-coded syringe following endotracheal intubation. Statistical analysis included a descriptive reporting of the mean ± SD, median, range, and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of the actual intracuff pressure readings at the three zones of the syringe device during both its in vitro and in vivo use. Results: For phase 1 of the study, the 95% CI for the green, clear, and red zones were 21.5-21.8, 29.2-29.5, and 46.5-47.4 cmH2O respectively. This correlated well with the manufacturer reported values of 20-30, 30-40, and 40-60 cmH2O for the 3 zones (green, clear, and red respectively). Phase 2 of the study included 200 patients ranging in age from 0.1 to 21.8 years (6.7 ± 5.1 years) and in weight from 4.0 to 129.1 kilograms (29.4 ± 23.3 kgs). The size of the ETTs ranged from 3.0 to 7.0 mm ID. The intracuff pressure measured by the manometer ranged from 4 to 65 cmH2O (27.6 ± 9.7 cmH2O). The 95% CI for the green, clear, and red zones were 20.5-21.7, 27.7-29.1, and 41.2-46.5 cmH2O respectively. There was no significant differences noted when comparing different patient ages or sizes of ETT. Conclusion: The current study demonstrates a clinically acceptable correlation between the zones on this novel, color-coded syringe device and the actual measurement of the intracuff pressure obtained by a manometer for both in vitro and in vivo use. This device is a simple, reliable, portable and affordable method to monitor intracuff pressure.
Horizon Effects That Are Larger than You Think: Dynamic Allocation with a Representative Investor

For investors who are more risk averse than the representative investor, the horizon effect in dynamic asset allocation is substantially larger than suggested in previous models that assume a constant risk-free rate. The illustrations here use a market setting with a representative investor who has a multiperiod horizon and a constant degree of relative risk aversion. If the market portfolio is mean-reverting, then the risk-free rate is not constant, and the market risk premium reflects the Merton intertemporal risk of unexpected changes in the market portfolio’s expected return.
Mechanism and Significance of Mirror Movements

Neurophysiological studies, including EMG and focal magnetic brain stimulation, were used to evaluate possible mechanisms for mirror movements in 14 male patients, aged 16-60 years, with X-linked Kallmann’s syndrome compared to controls at the Department of Physiology, University College London, UK.
On planning and preservation

A debate among historical archaeologists concerning the compatibility of anthropological research and site development is summarized and related to a similar dilemma within salvage archaeology. These positions are then examined with respect to a third and overriding factor, the preservation ethic.
Gauge theories of swimming

Gauge theories lie at the heart of modern formulations of the fundamental laws of physics. The special characteristic of these theories is their extraordinary degree of symmetry, known as gauge symmetry or gauge invariance. It is generally agreed that symmetry is one major source of our concepts of beauty and perfection. For this reason the gauge symmetry of fundamental physical laws is among their most profoundly satisfying features.
STRESS MYOCARDIAL PERFUSION IMAGING VERSUS EXERCISE TREADMILL TESTING: COMPARISON OF CLINICAL AND ECONOMIC OUTCOMES IN REAL-WORLD EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT SETTINGS

Background: Proper triage of acute chest pain in the emergency department (ED) is critical for optimal outcomes. Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) and exercise treadmill testing (ETT) are methods for evaluating patients for ischemia. We compared the outcomes of MPI and ETT patients in a US claims
EMI characterization of a GaN switched-capacitor based partial power RF SEPIC

This paper investigates the EMI characteristics of a GaN switched-capacitor based partial power RF SEPIC, which is one of the preferred candidates to achieve a high power density, high efficiency design. The main noise source and noise coupling paths for both common mode and differential mode EMI are identified and verified by experiments. The impacts of ON/OFF control schemes are also evaluated.
Bone Marrow Fat Changes After Gastric Bypass Surgery Are Associated With Loss of Bone Mass

Bone marrow fat is a unique fat depot that may regulate bone metabolism. Marrow fat is increased in states of low bone mass, severe underweight, and diabetes. However, longitudinal effects of weight loss and improved glucose homeostasis on marrow fat are unclear, as is the relationship between marrow fat and bone mineral density (BMD) changes. We hypothesized that after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery, marrow fat changes are associated with BMD loss. We enrolled 30 obese women, stratified by diabetes status. Before and 6 months after RYGB, we measured BMD by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and vertebral marrow fat content by magnetic resonance spectroscopy. At baseline, those with higher marrow fat had lower BMD. Postoperatively, total body fat declined dramatically in all participants. Effects of RYGB on marrow fat differed by diabetes status (p = 0.03). Nondiabetic women showed no significant mean change in marrow fat (+1.8%, 95% confidence interval [CI] –1.8% to +5.4%, p = 0.29), although those who lost more total body fat were more likely to have marrow fat increases (r = –0.70, p = 0.01). In contrast, diabetic women demonstrated a mean marrow fat change of –6.5% (95% CI –13.1% to 0%, p = 0.05). Overall, those with greater improvements in hemoglobin A1c had decreases in marrow fat (r = 0.50, p = 0.01). Increases in IGF-1, a potential mediator of the marrow fat-bone relationship, were associated with marrow fat declines (r = –0.40, p = 0.05). Spinal volumetric BMD decreased by 6.4% ± 5.9% (p < 0.01), and femoral neck areal BMD decreased by 4.3% ± 4.1% (p < 0.01). Marrow fat and BMD changes were negatively associated, such that those with marrow fat increases had more BMD loss at both spine (r = –0.58, p < 0.01) and femoral neck (r = –0.49, p = 0.01), independent of age and menopause. Our findings suggest that glucose metabolism and weight loss may influence marrow fat behavior, and marrow fat may be a determinant of bone metabolism. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Clinical outcome of patients with early stage favorable Hodgkin lymphoma treated with ABVD × two cycles followed by FDG-PET/CT restaging and 20 Gy of involved-site radiotherapy

AbstractOur purpose was to assess outcome of patients with early-stage, favorable (per GHSG criteria) Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) staged with FDG-PET/CT and treated with two cycles of adriamycin, bleomycin, vincristine, and dacarbazine (ABVD) followed by PET/CT assessment and involved-site radiotherapy (ISRT) to 20 Gy. Records of 23 patients who met eligibility criteria, treated between 2008 and 2016, were reviewed. PET response after two cycles of ABVD was independently assessed by a nuclear medicine physician. After two cycles of ABVD, 91.3% of patients had a Deauville score of 1–2; 1 patient had a score of 3. Median follow-up was 45.3 months. As of this analysis, all patients are alive without disease. One patient had an out-of-field relapse, yielding a 4-year relapse-free survival rate of 92.9% (95%CI [59.1, 99.0]). Our results showed that with careful patient selection by initial disease characteristics and FDG-PET response to chemotherapy, the use of a more restricted treatment volume of ISRT to 20 Gy fol...
Safety and utility of dobutamine and pressure wire use in the hemodynamic assessment of low-flow, low-gradient aortic stenosis with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction.

Abstract Background The ACC/AHA guidelines recommend low-dose dobutamine challenge for hemodynamic assessment of the severity of AS in patients with low flow, low gradient aortic stenosis with reduced ejection fraction (EF) (LFLG-AS; stage D2). Inherent pitfalls of echocardiography could result in inaccurate aortic valve areas (AVA), which have downstream prognostic implications. Data on the safety and efficacy of coronary pressure wire and fluid-filled catheter use for low dose dobutamine infusion is sparse. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 39 consecutive patients with EF on echocardiography who underwent simultaneous right and left heart catheterization . Hemodynamic assessments were performed at baseline and at every increment in the dobutamine infusion rate (The infusion was continued until maximal dose of dobutamine or a mean AV gradient > 40 mm Hg was attained. The occurrence of sustained ventricular arrhythmias , symptomatic hypotension or intolerable symptoms leading to cessation of infusion was recorded. Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) or clinically apparent strokes periprocedurally or up to 30 days after the procedure were recorded. Results Dobutamine challenge confirmed true AS in 26 patients (67%) and pseudosevere AS in 34%. No sustained arrhythmias, hypotension or cessation of infusion from intolerable symptoms were observed. No clinical strokes or TIAs were observed up to 30 days after procedure in any of these patients. Conclusions Hemodynamic assessment of AS using a pressure wire with dobutamine challenge is a safe and effective tool in identifying truly severe AS in patients with LFLG-AS with reduced EF.
Ibrutinib, a dual Btk/Itk inhibitor, promotes dendritic cell maturation by inducing IFN-α/β. (TUM2P.1037)

Ibrutinib, a Btk and Itk inhibitor, treats hematological malignancies by acting on lymphoid cells. Additionally, its efficacy against myeloid cell-mediated inflammatory diseases suggests that Ibrutinib could target myeloid cells. Previous studies show that Btk is expressed by murine dendritic cells (DCs). Further, Btk deficient DCs are more mature, express higher levels of MHC-II, co-stimulatory molecules and cytokines and thereby enhance CD4 + T cell activation. Hence, we studied the effect of Ibrutinib on DC function by treating murine bone marrow derived DCs with Ibrutinib during their development. We observed that Ibrutinib-treated DCs upregulate the expressions of MHC-II and co-stimulatory molecules such as CD80 and CD40. Further, Ibrutinib-treated DCs differentially regulate cytokine synthesis by producing more IL-10 while reducing IL-12 production. Ibrutinib-treated DCs promote CD4 + T cell proliferation and enhance T cell derived IFN-γ production. We studied the mechanism by which Ibrutinib promotes DC maturation by studying the expression of cytokines that direct DC maturation. We identified that Ibrutinib-treated DC cultures increase the induction of IFN-α and IFN-β which are known to promote DC maturation and IRF-7, a transcription factor which is expressed upon IFN-α/β activation. Hence, Ibrutinib treatment enhances DC maturation in an IFN-α/β dependent manner and should be further explored in the development of DC-based therapeutic vaccines against cancer.
The role of corneal hysteresis during the evaluation of patients with possible normal-tension glaucoma.

Purpose There are multiple reports of the role of corneal hysteresis (CH) as an independent risk factor for the diagnosis and risk of progression of normal-tension glaucoma (NTG). Our study measured CH with the Ocular Response Analyzer (ORA) in patients with intraocular pressure (IOP) <21 mmHg to investigate if a low CH would identify NTG in this Asian-based practice. Methods This was a prospective cross-sectional study of patients who underwent routine eye examination during 2016 in a private practice in Honolulu, Hawaii, where most patients are Asian. Inclusion criteria are: 1) ≥65 years 2) IOP <21 (compensated IOP by ORA), and 3) CH values <10 using ORA as measured by a single experienced technician. Exclusion criteria are: 1) sight-limiting ocular or corneal disease that would preclude accurate measurements for the purposes of the study. 2) Any patient who had difficulty in being tested with the ORA. 3) Patients who had any history of any type of glaucoma. All patients that met the inclusion criteria underwent fundus photography to measure cup-to-disc ratio and cup-to-disc asymmetry and also had central corneal thickness measured. Thickness of the retina nerve fiber layer was measured by ocular coherence tomography. The eyes with an average retina nerve fiber layer thickness less than 80 μm were classified as possible NTG and were scheduled for a visual field test. The field examination was considered valid only if the fixation, false positives, and false negatives were within the acceptable range. Patient demographics and data on preexisting diseases were collected including age, sex, coexisting medical conditions, and previous intraocular surgery. Those with thinning of retina nerve fiber layer on optical coherence tomography had a Humphrey visual field test to confirm the diagnosis of glaucoma. Results Seventy-six eyes of 46 patients that met the eligibility criteria were included in the study. Twenty-one previously undiagnosed eyes were confirmed as having NTG, which corresponds to an incidence of 27.6%. Conclusion CH measurement is a valuable test to assist in early diagnosis of NTG, especially in the elderly Asian population. With an established diagnosis, aggressive early treatments medically or surgically to further lower IOP can prevent irreversible blindness, which can severely impact the patient's family and socioeconomic status.
Polarization Division Multiplexing for Optical Data Communications

Multiple parallel channels are ubiquitous in optical communications, with spatial division multiplexing (separate physical paths) and wavelength division multiplexing (separate optical wavelengths) being the most common forms. Here, we investigate the viability of polarization division multiplexing, the separation of distinct parallel optical communication channels through the polarization properties of light. Two or more linearly polarized optical signals (at different polarization angles) are transmitted through a common medium, filtered using aluminum nanowire optical filters fabricated on-chip, and received using individual silicon photodetectors (one per channel). The entire receiver (including optics) is compatible with standard CMOS fabrication processes. The filter model is based upon an input optical signal formed as the sum of the Stokes vectors for each individual channel, transformed by the Mueller matrix that models the filter proper, resulting in an output optical signal that impinges on each photodiode. The results show that two- and three-channel systems can operate with a fixed-threshold comparator in the receiver circuit, but four-channel systems (and larger) will require channel coding of some form. For example, in the four-channel system, 10 of 16 distinct bit patterns are separable by the receiver. The model supports investigation of the range of variability tolerable in the fabrication of the on-chip polarization filters.
Parental posttraumatic stress and child behavioral problems in world trade center responders

Background We investigated trans-generational associations between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms in World Trade Center (WTC) responders and behavioral problems in their children. Methods Participants were WTC responders-8034 police and 8352 non-traditional (eg, construction workers)-with one or more children at the time of their first visit to the World Trade Center Health Program (WTC-HP). Self-report questionnaires were administered approximately 4 years after the 9/11 WTC attack. Results A total of 31.4% of non-traditional and 20.0% of police responders reported behavioral problems in their children. Non-traditional responder status, female sex, Hispanic ethnicity, more life stressors, more WTC-related PTSD symptoms, and dysphoric arousal symptoms were significant correlates of behavioral problems in responders' children. Conclusions Specific parental sociodemographic, psychosocial and clinical characteristics, as well as PTSD symptom severity, were significant correlates of child behavior problems. Findings encourage monitoring and early intervention for children of disaster responders, particularly those at highest risk.
Minimizing Queue Length Regret Under Adversarial Network Models

Stochastic models have been dominant in network optimization theory for over two decades, due to their analytical tractability. However, these models fail to capture non-stationary or even adversarial network dynamics which are of increasing importance for modeling the behavior of networks under malicious attacks or characterizing short-term transient behavior. In this paper, we focus on minimizing queue length regret under adversarial network models, which measures the finite-time queue length difference between a causal policy and an "oracle" that knows the future. Two adversarial network models are developed to characterize the adversary's behavior. We provide lower bounds on queue length regret under these adversary models and analyze the performance of two control policies (i.e., the MaxWeight policy and the Tracking Algorithm). We further characterize the stability region under adversarial network models, and show that both the MaxWeight policy and the Tracking Algorithm are throughput-optimal even in adversarial settings.
EMT, stemness and tumor plasticity in aggressive variant neuroendocrine prostate cancers.

Abstract Neuroendocrine/Aggressive Variant Prostate Cancers are lethal variants of the disease, with an aggressive clinical course and very short responses to conventional therapy. The age-adjusted incidence rate for this tumor sub-type has steadily increased over the past 20 years in the United States, with no reduction in the associated mortality rate. The molecular networks fueling its emergence and sustenance are still obscure; however, many factors have been associated with the onset and progression of neuroendocrine differentiation in clinically typical adenocarcinomas including loss of androgen-receptor expression and/or signaling, conventional therapy, and dysregulated cytokine function. “Tumor-plasticity” and the ability to dedifferentiate into alternate cell lineages are central to this process. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal (EMT) signaling pathways are major promoters of stem-cell properties in prostate tumor cells. In this review, we examine the contributions of EMT-induced cellular-plasticity and stem-cell signaling pathways to the progression of Neuroendocrine/Aggressive Variant Prostate Cancers in the light of potential therapeutic opportunities.
The Transaction: The Basic Building Block

It was the obvious importance of finance that led to the development of transactions (flow-of-funds) accounts. The accounting framework was designed to show that uses of funds of decision-making sectors were constrained by financial sources of funds in addition to real sources (income), and secondly that financial uses of funds of one sector were linked to the financial sources of funds of a second sector.
Chromatography of the Plasma Proteins

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the chromatography of the plasma proteins. The resolution of complex mixtures, as exemplified by plasma, is always a basic problem in biochemistry and is particularly difficult where macromolecules are concerned. In part, this is a result of the almost infinite variety of molecular species made possible by the complexity of such molecules, for even though only a very small fraction of the theoretically possible number can be expected to appear in a given mixture, this fraction will generally include close neighbors in that spectrum. Therefore, when any single criterion is applied to achieve separation, groups of molecules will be segregated that include some differing slightly or not at all with respect to the applied criterion but perhaps widely by another. A number of distinct separation principles, based upon different properties of the molecules in question, must be applied successively to achieve ultimate resolution.
Coat Protein Mediated Protection and the Potential for its Application in Agriculture

With the development of techniques for the introduction of foreign genes into plant cells and the regeneration of transgenic plants, a number of different approaches have been taken to attempt to produce resistance to virus diseases. Those most commonly used have been (1) the expression of antisense RNAs; (2) the expression of satellite RNAs and defective interfering RNAs and DNAs; and (3) the expression of genes encoding viral capsid (coat) proteins. Of these the latter has been generally accepted because of its ready application to control a variety of virus diseases in a number of different crops. Because we recently published a review of the current state of the field (Beachy et al, 1990) this brief review will highlight the status of the field.
Tiling the Plane with Regular Polygons

A good starting point for the study of the geometry of the (Euclidean) plane is the concept of isometry. To many modern geometers this is the natural way to talk about things like congruence, and we might expect Euclid to have used isometries in his Elements. Strangely enough, Euclid fails to mention isometries; yet he appears to use them from the very outset. Proposition 4 ([18], p. 247) states:
Righteous Royal Rage

In their monastic chroniclers, ecclesiastical authors constructed a space for the honorable, and even righteous, display of royal anger, often in forms of violence. The pattern of these accounts suggests that monastic communities felt that there were four areas in particular that were a vital part of the use of royal anger: to suppress and control rebellious or excessively cruel lords; to maintain law and order and make sure justice was enforced; to combat challenges to the king’s personal honor and reputation; and finally to demonstrate the powers of their elevated status as kings.
A Brief History of Digital Communications

People searching for health and wellness information can consult millions of web pages, blogs, social media sites, podcasts, and videos in their quest for instant answers. Those seeking information 50 years ago had far fewer options. This change did not take place by chance. Many pioneers conceived new ideas and built upon the work of others as they produced the first network routers, connected distant computers into regional networks, and eventually created the Internet we know today. Over time, the speed and efficiency of these connections grew as developers incorporated supercomputers into the network backbone and high-speed broadband replaced dial-up modems in homes and businesses. Along the way, novel forms of information gathering appeared, including newsgroups, the World Wide Web, search engines, RSS feeds, and smartphones. This chapter explores the history of digital communications from 1968 to the present and examines how those seeking answers to medical questions took advantage of each new development.
Thermophile Lytic Enzyme Fusion Proteins that Target Clostridium perfringens

Clostridium perfringens is a bacterial pathogen that causes necrotic enteritis in poultry and livestock, and is a source of food poisoning and gas gangrene in humans. As the agriculture industry eliminates the use of antibiotics in animal feed, alternatives to antibiotics will be needed. Bacteriophage endolysins are enzymes used by the virus to burst their bacterial host, releasing bacteriophage particles. This type of enzyme represents a potential replacement for antibiotics controlling C. perfringens. As animal feed is often heat-treated during production of feed pellets, thermostable enzymes would be preferred for use in feed. To create thermostable endolysins that target C. perfringens, thermophile endolysin catalytic domains were fused to cell wall binding domains from different C. perfringens prophage endolysins. Three thermostable catalytic domains were used, two from prophage endolysins from two Geobacillus strains, and a third endolysin from the deep-sea thermophilic bacteriophage Geobacillus virus E2 (GVE2). These domains harbor predicted L-alanine-amidase, glucosaminidase, and L-alanine-amidase activities, respectively and degrade the peptidoglycan of the bacterial cell wall. The cell wall binding domains were from C. perfringens prophage endolysins (Phage LYtic enzymes; Ply): PlyCP18, PlyCP10, PlyCP33, PlyCP41, and PlyCP26F. The resulting fifteen chimeric proteins were more thermostable than the native C. perfringens endolysins, and killed swine and poultry disease-associated strains of C. perfringens.
Shape stability of deflated vesicles in general linear flows

A simulation of deflated vesicles in linear flows finds that their shape stability is unaffected by moderately rotational flows, where the results collapse to those of extensional flow by a simple scaling factor. Vesicles in near shear flows develop an asymmetrical shape that increases their critical capillary number.
Cercopithecus ascanius (Red-tailed guenon)

The marker autosome is placed before the sex chromosomes. It is acrocentric and has secondary constrictions near the centromere. Skin biopsies of one male and one female animal were kindly provided by Dr. C. Gray, National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C., USA.
Detecting Low-Rate Replay-Based Injection Attacks on In-Vehicle Networks

The lack of security in today’s in-vehicle network make connected vehicles vulnerable to many types of cyber-attacks. Replay-based injection attacks are one of the easiest type of denial-of-service attacks where the attacker floods the in-vehicle network with malicious traffic with intent to alter the vehicle’s normal behavior. The attacker may exploit this vulnerability to launch targeted low-rate injection attacks which are difficult to detect because the network traffic during attacks looks like regular network traffic. In this paper, we propose a sequence mining approach to detect low-rate injection attacks in Control Area Network (CAN). We discuss four different types of replay attacks that can be used by the adversary, and evaluate the effectiveness of proposed method for varying attack characteristics and computational performance for each of the attacks. We observe that the proposed sequence-based anomaly detection achieves over 99% f-score, and outperforms existing dictionary based and multi-variate Markov chain based approach. Given that the proposed technique only uses CAN identifiers, the techniques could be adaptable to any type of vehicle manufacturer.