cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of degree of crosslinking and polymerization of 3D printable polymer/ionic liquid composites on performance of stretchable piezoresistive sensors

Ionic liquid (IL)/polymer composites (1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMIMBF4)/2-[[(butylamino)carbonyl]oxy]ethyl acrylate (BACOEA)) were fabricated to use as sensing materials for stretchable piezoresistive tactile sensors. The detectability of the IL/polymer composites was enhanced because the ionic transport properties of EMIMBF4 in the composites were improved by the synergic actions between the coordinate sites generated by the local motion of BACOEA chain segments under enough activation energy. The performance of the piezoresistive sensors was investigated with the degree of crosslinking and polymerization of the IL/polymer composites. As the compressive strain was increased, the distance between two electrodes decreased, and the motion of polymer chains and IL occurred, resulting in a decrease in the electrical resistance of the sensors. We have confirmed that the sensitivity of the sensors are affected by the degree of crosslink and polymerization of the IL/polymer composites. In addition, all of the materials (skins, sensing material, and electrode) used in this study are photo-curable, and thus the stretchable piezoresistive tactile sensors can be successfully fabricated by 3D printing.
Intermittent Dosing of Dabrafenib and Trametinib in Metastatic BRAFV600E Mutated Papillary Thyroid Cancer: Two Case Reports.

Background: A multi-institutional, randomized phase II trial of continuous dosing of dabrafenib with or without trametinib is ongoing in metastatic thyroid cancer. Preclinical evidence and emerging...
Increased human intestinal barrier permeability plasma biomarkers zonulin and FABP2 correlated with plasma LPS and altered gut microbiome in anxiety or depression

We read with interest the recent work by Uhde et al ,1 which demonstrated that physically asymptomatic non-coeliac gluten/wheat sensitivity involves compromised intestinal epithelium barrier dysfunction in conjunction with systemic immune activation events. We also read with interest the recent work by Marchesi et al ,2 which comprehensively reviewed the role of microbiota in physical disorders of the gut and extra-gut organs. But common to these Gut papers was the lack of accounting for anxiety and depression, comorbidities often experienced in gastroenterology clinics. Patients who are otherwise physically asymptomatic often do not explicitly divulge these mental disorders, or the disorders are unintentionally overlooked, yet they report ‘diminished quality of life’. In response to this gap, we explored roles of dysbiosis and gut barrier integrity in individuals physically asymptomatic for gastrointestinal distress, yet nonetheless experiencing mental distress. We hypothesised that anxiety and depressive disorders are linked to human gut dysbiosis with microbiota that secrete lipopolysaccharide (LPS) endotoxin into plasma, which in conjunction with compromised gut barrier integrity has systemic manifestations including the brain. We further hypothesised that this correlates with altered intestinal epithelium paracellular integrity molecules discharged …
Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita in utero: radiologic and pathologic findings

Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC) refers to the development of multiple joint contractures affecting two or more areas of the body prior to birth. It affects approximately 1 in 3000 individuals, mostly reported in individuals of Asian, African and European descent with equal incidence in males and females. Arthrogryposis is associated with over 400 medical conditions and 350 known genes with considerable variability in phenotypic expression. The primary underlying mechanism is decreased fetal movement during development. Prenatal imaging is crucial in early diagnosis by identifying fetal movement limitations and the presence of club foot or joint contractures. Postnatal autopsy confirms the diagnosis and extent of associated congenital anomalies and provides a valuable source of DNA material. Molecular methods are particularly useful in delineating novel gene mutations, locus heterogeneity and phenotype genotype correlation. Prenatal evaluation with early diagnosis via image scanning and further genetic surveillance give the opportunity for family counseling concerning future pregnancy management and expected neonatal morbidity and mortality.
Signs and symptoms of Group A versus Non-Group A strep throat: A meta-analysis.

Introduction Both non-Group A streptococcal (non-GAS) pharyngitis and Group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis are commonly found in patients with sore throat. It is not known whether or not they present with similar signs and symptoms compared to patients with non-streptococcal pharyngitis. Methods MEDLINE was searched for prospective studies that reported throat culture for both GAS and non-GAS as a reference standard, and reported at least one sign, symptom, or the Centor score. Summary estimates of sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios (LR+ and LR-), and diagnostic odds ratios (DOR) were calculated using a bivariate random effects model. Summary receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were created for key signs and symptoms. Results Eight studies met our inclusion criteria. Tonsillar exudate had the highest LR+ for both GAS and non-GAS pharyngitis (1.53 versus 1.71). The confidence intervals of sensitivity, LR+, LR-, and DOR for all signs, symptoms, and the Centor score between two groups overlapped, with the relative difference between sensitivities within 15% for arthralgia or myalgia, fever, injected throat, tonsillar enlargement, and tonsillar exudate. Larger differences in sensitivities were observed for sore throat, cervical adenopathy, and lack of a cough, although the difference for lack of a cough largely due to a single outlier. Discussion Signs and symptoms of patients with GAS and non-GAS pharyngitis are generally similar. No signs or symptoms clearly distinguish GAS from non-GAS infection. Further work is needed to determine whether Group C streptococcus is a pathogen that should be treated.
Does access to formal finance matter for stimulating entrepreneurship in developing countries?: Evidence from non-farm entrepreneurial activities in Nigeria

Abstract The role of finance in stimulating entrepreneurship in developing countries is well documented. However, the specific impact of finance on part-time entrepreneurship is less well known. Drawing on the entrepreneurship discourse that self-employment is not a sufficient measure of entrepreneurship in developing countries, this study extends the financepoverty debate by investigating the impact of finance on households part-time and self-employed entrepreneurship choices. It also examines the role of external finance in enterprise growth, with a focus on the missing lower-end of the industrial scale. Using Nigeria Living Standard Measurement Study (LSMS) surveys, our analysis suggests heterogeneity in the effects of finance on households non-farm entrepreneurial choices, with part-time entrepreneurs more likely to be financially constrained. The empirical evidence shows that self-employed entrepreneurs are seemingly not financially constrained. This is, however, not to say that self-employed entrepreneurs are not financially constrained; it may just be that they are concentrated in the informal sector or less capital-intensive sectors of the economy. The results also show that, contrary to findings in previous studies, external finance does not strongly explain household enterprise growth. The results are robust to the use of an alternative econometric approach on identical models and specifications. The policy implication is that improving access to formal financial services may not, on its own, be sufficient to drive the structural transformation process without the integration of the informal financial sector into the mainstream financial system.
Residual Resistance of Ultra High Purity Copper by Sulfate-Electrorefining and Zone-Refining

Ultra-high-purity (99.9999% or higher) copper rod having a RRR value of 5000 was prepared by a two-stage refining process, i.e., a combination of two processes, sulfate-electrorefining and zone-refining. In the first process, the potential of the cathode electrode was maintained at a level of 0.2V (vs NHE) at 25°C to prevent the deposition of more active metals than copper. In the second process, the width of the molten zone was made smaller than the diameter (16 mm) of the copper rod to obtain a higher refining efficiency. A wire of 0. 5 mm in diameter was drawn from the refined rod. The RRR value of the ultra-high-purity copper wire annealed in a N2 gas atmosphere at 500°C for two hours is as high as 4100, while that of conventional oxygen-free copper wire is usually 200. Ultra-high-purity copper will be suitable for applications in the superconducting field, electronic devices and so on.
Nitrate Reduction in the Extremely Halophilic Bacteria

Membranes prepared from Haloferax denitrificans, Haloferax mediterranei and a Haloferax strain designated as Baja-12 contained a nitrate reductase that was stable as well as most active in the absence of added NaCl (60 mM NaCl). Nitrate reduction was competitively inhibited by azide and chlorate; the latter also was a substrate. Cyanide inhibited the reduced form of the enzyme in an inhibition antagonized by nitrate. Membranes prepared from cells grown in the presence of tungstate did not reduce nitrate suggesting that the enzyme was a molybdenum-containing protein. The similarity of this enzyme to other prokaryotic nitrate reductases suggests a eubacterial origin of the enzyme.
Reducing data center energy consumption via coordinated cooling and load management

This paper presents a unified approach to data center energy management based on a modeling framework that characterizes the influence of key decision variables on computational performance, thermal generation, and power consumption. Temperature dynamics are modeled by a network of interconnected components reflecting the spatial distribution of servers, computer room air conditioning (CRAC) units, and non-computational components in the data center. A second network models the distribution of the computational load among the servers. Server power states influence both networks. Formulating the control problem as a Markov decision process (MDP), the coordinated cooling and load management strategy minimizes the integrated weighted sum of power consumption and computational performance. Simulation results for a small example illustrate the potential for a coordinated control strategy to achieve better energy management than traditional schemes that control the computational and cooling subsystems separately. These results suggest several directions for further research.
Lysinoalanine in food and in antimicrobial proteins.

Heat and alkali treatment of food proteins widely used in food processing results in the formation of crosslinked amino acids such as lysinoalanine, ornithinoalanine, lanthionine, and methyl-lanthionine and concurrent racemization of L-amino acid isomers to D-ana-logues. The mechanism of lysinoalanine formation is a two-step process: first, hydroxide ion-catalyzed elimination of cysteine and serine residues to a dehydroalanine intermediate; second, reaction of the double bond of dehydroalanine with the ∈-NH2 group of lysine to form a lysinoalanine crosslink. The corresponding elimination-addition reaction of threonine produces methyl-dehydroalanine, which then reacts with the NH2 and SH groups to form methyl-lysinoalanine and methyl-lanthionine, respectively. The crosslinked amino acids lanthionine and methyl-lanthionine are formed by analogous nucleophilic addition reactions of the S H group of cysteine to dehydroalanine and methyl-dehydroalanine, respectively. Processing conditions that favor these transformations include high pH, temperature and exposure time. Factors which minimize lysinoalanine formation include the presence of SH-containing amino acids such as cysteine, N-acetyl-cysteine, and glutathione, dephosphorylation of O-phosphoryl esters, and acylation of ∈-NH2 groups of lysine side chains. The presence of lysinoalanine residues along a protein chain decreases digestibility and nutritional quality in rodents but enhances nutritional quality in ruminants. Protein-bound and free lysinoalanines are reported to induce enlargement of nuclei of rat kidney cells. All of the mentioned dehydro and crosslinked amino acids also occur naturally in certain peptide and protein antibiotics. These include duramycin, cinnamycin, epidermin, subtil in and the widely used food preservative nisin. Mechanistic rationalizations are offered for the observed antimicrobial activities of these compounds in relation to their structures. The cited findings and new research to better define the chemistry and dietary and antimi-crobial roles of lysinoalanine and related compounds should lead to better and safer foods.
Environment and Health

This article examines the relationships between human populations and the natural and physical environment. Because of the coupled relationships between human health and the environment, global institutions such as the World Health Organization have intervened to prevent infectious and noncommunicable diseases by attending to their social and ecological determinants. It is generally accepted that human health depends upon a sustainable environment that provides opportunities for healthy decision-making and effective disease management. Multiple scholarly disciplines attend to health and environment interactions, including the fields of environmental health, social epidemiology, medical geography, and political ecology. Additionally, activists and policy-makers have received international attention by showing how human health is affected through disproportionate exposure to positives and negatives within the surrounding environment. Whether this means proximity to facilities that produce toxins and pollutants or access to green space and bikeways that promote healthy lifestyles, these factors have contributed to the linking of health with concerns for social and environmental justice.
Three-dimensional kinematic corridors of the head, spine, and pelvis for small female driver seat occupants in near- and far-side oblique frontal impacts.

Objectives: Analyses of recent automotive accident data indicate an increased risk of injury for small female occupants compared to males in similar accidents. Females have been shown to be more su...
Atmospheric Origins of Variability in the South Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation

AbstractInsights from the RAPID–MOCHA observation network in the North Atlantic have motivated a recent focus on the South Atlantic, where water masses are exchanged with neighboring ocean basins. ...
euforia: Complete Software Model Checking with Uninterpreted Functions.

We introduce and evaluate an algorithm for an Open image in new window -style software model checker that operates entirely at the level of equality with uninterpreted functions (EUF). Our checker, called Open image in new window , targets control properties by treating a program’s data operations/relations as uninterpreted functions/predicates. This results in an EUF abstract transition system that Open image in new window analyzes to either (1) discover an inductive strengthening EUF formula that proves the property or (2) produce an abstract counterexample that corresponds to zero, one, or many concrete counterexamples. Infeasible counterexamples are eliminated by an efficient refinement method that constrains the EUF abstraction until the property is proved or a feasible counterexample is produced. We formalize the EUF transition system, prove our algorithm correct, and demonstrate our results on a subset of benchmarks from the software verification competition (SV-COMP) 2017.
Prediction and Control of Ground Deformations for Mechanized Tunneling in Clays with Mixed Face Conditions

This paper describes a new methodology for predicting and controlling ground movements for a tunnel that traverses an interface between two clay layers of contrasting shear strength and stiffness. We use non-linear finite element analyses to investigate effects of face pressure on tunnel face stability and steady state ground surface deformations. This leads to a series of design charts linking soil properties (undrained shear strength and stiffness), stratigraphy (layer interface), tunnel cover depth and mechanized control parameters (face and grout pressure). The methodology has been validated for a recent case study where EPB tunnels traverse an interface between stiff clay (Old Alluvium) and soft, Marine clays. The proposed methodology successfully uses the measured face pressures to predict ground movements for these mixed face conditions. Further generalization of the method is now needed to represent mixed face conditions with contrasting permeability.
The Degradation of Fluorotelomer-Based Polymers Contributes to the Global Occurrence of Fluorotelomer Alcohols and Perfluoroalkyl Carboxylates

In this chapter, we investigated whether the degradation of side-chain fluorotelomer-based polymers (FTPs), mostly in waste stocks (i.e., landfills and dumps), serves as a long-term source of fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) and perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs) to the global environment. Our modeling results indicate that the estimates of in-use and waste stocks of FTPs are more sensitive to the selected lifespan of finished products, while those of the emissions of FTOHs and PFCAs are more sensitive to the selected half-life for degradation of FTPs in waste stocks. FTP degradation in waste stocks is making an increasing contribution to FTOH generation worldwide, the bulk of which readily migrates from waste stocks and is degraded into PFCAs in the environment. The remaining part of the generated FTOHs is degraded in waste stocks, which makes those stocks reservoirs that slowly release PFCAs into the environment over the long run because of the low leaching rate and extreme persistence of PFCAs.
Resilience as a process instead of a trait

Abstract Instead of considering resilience as a dispositional quality or trait, this chapter examines how learning contributes to the process of building resilience. Learning-to-cope sessions of training modeled in monkeys protect against subsequent behavioral deficits on tests of emotionality and diminish the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis neuroendocrine stress response. Similar learning-to-cope training effects were then found for mice monitored on tail-suspension, open-field, object-exploration, and restraint-stress tests. Convergent results across diverse models in both sexes of monkeys and mice establish reproducibility and potential translational relevance. Learning-to-cope training also increases stargazin in anterior cingulate cortex of both monkeys and mice. Stargazin mediates synaptic plasticity by regulating AMPA receptor trafficking as a mechanism for learning, viewed functionally in terms of behavior change. Molecular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity considered in the context of learning to cope with stress provide psychobiological targets for resilience research.
Lasting effects of pre‐university language exposure on undergraduate proficiency

The present study analyzes the effects of two variables on the proficiency development of 907 university students of Spanish and French: years of high school experience; and level of initial placement into university language study. A 3‐year grant‐funded project administered ACTFL proficiency tests in reading, listening, and speaking to students enrolled at the fourth‐, sixth‐, and eighth‐semester curricular levels. Results showed that both of these aspects of pre‐university experience exert an important influence on proficiency ratings throughout the curriculum and that this effect is especially acute in the case of initial language placement. The findings reveal the lasting importance of pre‐university language learning experience, for students completing required coursework as well as for language majors, and are discussed in terms of their implications for university language curricula.
The perception of ride is multidimensional for running footwear

Footwear assessment is thought to be influenced by shoe comfort and the feeling of the ground-shoe interface during contact, sometimes called the ride of the shoe. Runners are often asked to rate t...
Academic Communities of Engagement: an expansive lens for examining support structures in blended and online learning

In this article we share the Academic Communities of Engagement (ACE) framework, which describes a student’s ability to engage affectively, behaviorally, and cognitively in an online or blended course independently and with support. Based on Vygotsky’s (Mind in society: the development of higher psychological processes, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1978) zone of proximal development, the framework examines how a student’s ability to engage in online or blended courses increases with support from two types of communities. The course community is organized and facilitated by those associated with the course or program. The personal community is comprised of actors not officially associated with the course who have typically formed relationships with the student before the course or program began and may extend well beyond its boundaries. Actors within each community have varying skills and abilities to support student engagement, and a student is most likely to reach the necessary engagement for academic success with active support from both. The framework identifies the community actors most likely to provide specific support elements, aligning them to the different types of student engagement. The article outlines implications for practice and research, concluding with illustrative examples.
Utilizing minimally purified secreted rAAV for rapid and cost-effective manipulation of gene expression in the CNS.

Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) is widely used in the neuroscience field to manipulate gene expression in the nervous system. However, a limitation to the use of rAAV vectors is the time and expense needed to produce them. To overcome this limitation, we evaluated whether unpurified rAAV vectors secreted into the media following scalable PEI transfection of HEK293T cells can be used in lieu of purified rAAV. We packaged rAAV2-EGFP vectors in 30 different wild-type and mutant capsids and subsequently collected the media containing secreted rAAV. Genomic titers of each rAAV vector were assessed and the ability of each unpurified virus to transduce primary mixed neuroglial cultures (PNGCs), organotypic brain slice cultures (BSCs) and the mouse brain was evaluated. There was ~ 40-fold wide variance in the average genomic titers of the rAAV2-EGFP vector packaged in the 30 different capsids, ranging from a low ~ 4.7 × 1010 vector genomes (vg)/mL for rAAV2/5-EGFP to a high of ~ 2.0 × 1012 vg/mL for a capsid mutant of rAAV2/8-EGFP. In PNGC studies, we observed a wide range of transduction efficiency among the 30 capsids evaluated, with the rAAV2/6-EGFP vector demonstrating the highest overall transduction efficiency. In BSC studies, we observed robust transduction by wild-type capsid vectors rAAV2/6, 2/8 and 2/9, and by capsid mutants of rAAV2/1, 2/6, and 2/8. In the in vivo somatic brain transgenesis (SBT) studies, we found that intra-cerebroventricular injection of media containing unpurified rAAV2-EGFP vectors packaged with select mutant capsids resulted in abundant EGFP positive neurons and astrocytes in the hippocampus and forebrain of non-transgenic mice. We demonstrate that unpurified rAAV can express transgenes at equivalent levels to lysate-purified rAAV both in vitro and in vivo. We also show that unpurified rAAV is sufficient to drive tau pathology in BSC and neuroinflammation in vivo, recapitulating previous studies using purified rAAV. Unpurified rAAV vectors secreted into the media can efficiently transduce brain cells in vitro and in vivo, providing a cost-effective way to manipulate gene expression. The use of unpurified virus will greatly reduce costs of exploratory studies and further increase the utility of rAAV vectors for standard laboratory use.
Shining the light on abortion: Drivers of online abortion searches across the United States in 2018.

Context Legal abortion restrictions, stigma and fear can inhibit people’s voices in clinical and social settings posing barriers to decision-making and abortion care. The internet allows individuals to make informed decisions privately. We explored what state-level policy dimensions were associated with volume of Google searches on abortion and on the abortion pill in 2018. Methods We used Google Trends to quantify the relative search volume (RSV) for “abortion” and “abortion pill” (or “abortion pills” hereafter referred to as “abortion pill”) as a proportion of total search volume for all queries in each US state. We also identified the top search queries most related to “abortion” and “abortion pill” and considered these as indicators of population concern. Key exposures were healthcare cost, access and health outcomes, and number of legal restrictions and protections at the state level. In descriptive analyses, we first grouped the states into tertiles according to their RSV on “abortion” and “abortion pill”. To examine the association between each exposure (and other covariates) with the two outcomes, we used unadjusted and adjusted linear regression. Results The average RSV for “abortion” in the low, moderate and high tertile groups was 48 (SD = 3.25), 55.5 (SD = 2.11) and 64 (SD = 4.72) (p-value <0.01) respectively; for “abortion pill” the average RSVs were 39.6 (SD = 16.68), 61.9 (SD = 5.82) and 81.7 (SD = 6.67) (p-value < 0.01) respectively. Concerns about contraceptive availability and access, and unplanned pregnancies independently predicted the relative search volumes for abortion and abortion pill. According to our baseline models, states with low contraceptive access had far higher abortion searches. Volume of abortion pill searches was additionally positively associated with poor health outcomes, poor access to abortion facilities and non-rurality. Conclusion Search traffic analysis can help discern abortion-policy influences on population concerns and require close monitoring. State-policies can predict search volume for abortion and abortion pill. In 2018, concerns about contraceptives and unplanned pregnancies, predicted abortion searches. Current decreases in public contraceptive funding and the Title X Gag rule designed to block millions of people from getting care at Planned Parenthood, the largest provider of birth control and abortion care, may increase concerns about unintended pregnancies that can lead to increases in online relative volume of abortion searches.
Decolonising the Hajj: Nationalist Politics and Pilgrimage Administration the British Empire in the Mid-Twentieth Century

This article argues that viewing the hajj through the lens of decolonisation allows us to see the complexity and conflicts that went into transforming the global pilgrimage to Mecca from a set of r...
Bayesian framework for three dimensional, near field source localization using spherical harmonics

Localization of sound sources relative to a receiver is of great interest in many acoustical applications. Within the near field of a spherical array, spherical wave incidence can be assumed and both direction of arrival and radial distance information can be extrapolated. This work presents a two-tiered Bayesian framework, using spherical harmonics, through which the directions of arrival and radial distance of a single, or multiple sources in the near field relative to a spherical microphone array receiver can be estimated. The first tier estimates the number of sources present in the sound field, while the second tier estimates the direction of arrival and radial distance parameters. Two models for spherical wave incidence on a spherical array, both based on spherical harmonic beamforming techniques, are formulated and analyzed. This work presents analysis of the Bayesian framework and both models to demonstrate the feasibility of model-based Bayesian inference for three dimensional source localization of one or more sources in complex noise environments.
The cumulative impact of social determinants of health factors on mortality in adults with diabetes and chronic kidney disease

A growing body of evidence supports the potential role of social determinants of health on health outcomes. However, few studies have examined the cumulative effect of social determinants of health on health outcomes in adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) with or without diabetes. This study examined the cumulative impact of social determinants of health on mortality in U.S. adults with CKD and diabetes. We analyzed data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (2005–2014) for 1376 adults age 20 and older (representing 7,579,967 U.S. adults) with CKD and diabetes. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. CKD was based on estimated glomerular filtration rate and albuminuria. Diabetes was based on self-report or Hemoglobin A1c of ≥6.5%. Social determinants of health measures included family income to poverty ratio level, depression based on PHQ-9 score and food insecurity based on Food Security Survey Module. A dichotomous social determinant measure (absence vs presence of ≥1 adverse social determinants) and a cumulative social determinant score ranging from 0 to 3 was constructed based on all three measures. Cox proportional models were used to estimate the association between social determinants of health factors and mortality while controlling for covariates. Cumulative and dichotomous social determinants of health score were significantly associated with mortality after adjusting for demographics, lifestyle variables, glycemic control and comorbidities (HR = 1.41, 95%CI 1.18–1.68 and HR = 1.41, 95%CI 1.08–1.84, respectively). When investigating social determinants of health variables separately, after adjusting for covariates, depression (HR = 1.52, 95%CI 1.10–1.83) was significantly and independently associated with mortality, however, poverty and food insecurity were not statistically significant. Specific social determinants of health factors such as depression increase mortality in adults with chronic kidney disease and diabetes. Our findings suggest that interventions are needed to address adverse determinants of health in this population.
Accuracy of an Algorithm in Predicting Upper Limb Functional Capacity in a United States Population

Abstract Objective To determine the accuracy of an algorithm, using clinical measures only, on a sample of persons with first-ever stroke in the United States (US). It was hypothesized that algorithm accuracy would fall in a range of 70%-80%. Design Secondary analysis of prospective, observational, longitudinal cohort; 2 assessments were done: (1) within 48 hours to 1 week poststroke and (2) at 12 weeks poststroke. Setting Recruited from a large acute care hospital and followed over the first 6 months after stroke. Participants Adults with first-ever stroke (N=49) with paresis of the upper limb (UL) at ≤48 hours who could follow 2-step commands and were expected to return to independent living at 6 months. Intervention Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures The overall accuracy of the algorithm with clinical measures was quantified by comparing predicted (expected) and actual (observed) categories using a correct classification rate. Results The overall accuracy (61%) and weighted κ (62%) were significant. Sensitivity was high for the Excellent (95%) and Poor (81%) algorithm categories. Specificity was high for the Good (82%), Limited (98%), and Poor (95%) categories. Positive predictive value (PPV) was high for Poor (82%) and negative predictive value (NPV) was high for all categories. No differences in participant characteristics were found between those with accurate or inaccurate predictions. Conclusions The results of the present study found that use of an algorithm with clinical measures only is better than chance alone (chance=25% for each of the 4 categories) at predicting a category of UL capacity at 3 months post troke. The moderate to high values of sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV demonstrates some clinical utility of the algorithm within health care settings in the US.
De Haas-van Alphen Effect in β′-CuZn

De Haas-van Alphen oscillations of the low-temperature magnetic susceptibility have been observed on several samples of β′-CuZn at the equiatomic composition.
An Examination of Advertising Execution Related Cognitions as Mediators of Commercial Message Acceptance

Past studies of cognitive responses to advertising messages have focused primarily on thoughts related to the product and/or the message. This study examines the occurrence of thoughts evaluating the execution of the commercial message and their relationship to message acceptance.
Abstract 1464: Patient-derived tumor xenograft are susceptible to formation of B-cell lymphoma after initial transplantation of human carcinoma to immunodeficient mice

Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) tumor models have emerged as new and effective models for developing novel anticancer therapies and personalized use of chemotherapeutic drugs. The PDX approach is based on the transplantation of primary or metastatic human tumors into highly immunodeficient NOD scid gamma (NSG) mice followed by continuous propagation of the established engrafment in mice. Clinicians can evaluate the effects of cancer drugs on their patients’ personalized tumor grafts enabling them to select the best treatment for the cancer patient. Here, we report that PDX tumors engrafted in NSG mice are susceptible to formation of B-cell lymphomas. We xenografted primary or metastatic human tumor fragments into NSG mice and found that tumors generated from patients’ samples of breast (1 out 3 cases), colon (2 out of 6 cases), pancreatic (1 out of 3 cases), bladder (1 out of 2 cases) and renal (1 out of 2 cases) cancer were histologically similar to lymphoid neoplasm. Moreover, we found that the first passage (F1) of some breast and pancreatic cancer PDX tumors could grow as a lymphoid neoplasm in one mouse and as an adenocarcinoma in another mouse after initial transplantation of the pieces from the same human tumor graft (F0). Whereas subcutaneous PDX tumors resembling primary human carcinoma histology were slow growing and non-metastatic, we found that subcutaneous PDX lymphoid neoplasms were fast growing and formed large metastatic lesions in lymph nodes, liver, lungs and spleen of the mouse. Immunohistochemical staining confirmed that lymphoma cells express human leucocyte common antigen CD45 and B-cell antigen CD19/20. By using Epstein-Barr Virus-encoded RNA (EBER) in situ hybridization, we found that PDX lymphoma cells were EBER-positive. Because B-cells are typically present in any solid malignant tumor, B-cell PDX lymphomas may evolve in a wide range of PDX tumor models. Our results suggest that histolopathological evaluation and lymphoid marker testing should be performed as part of the initial model characterization in order to exclude B-cell lymphomas during the development of PDX tumor model from solid human carcinoma. Citation Format: Gennadiy Bondarenko, Andrey Ugolkov, Piotr Kulesza, Stephen M. Rohan, Oleksii Dubrovskyi, Demirkan Gursel, Jeremy V. Mathews, Thomas V. O'Halloran, Jian-Jun Wei, Andrew P. Mazar. Patient-derived tumor xenograft are susceptible to formation of B-cell lymphoma after initial transplantation of human carcinoma to immunodeficient mice. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1464. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1464
Modeling the analog circuit design feature variety

This paper presents a method to model the design feature variety in analog circuits, such as the various topological structures present in a set of circuits devised for the same purpose (like OpAmps or OTAs). The insight is important to characterize the novel and similar features in a circuit, the conditions under which existing design features can be reused in new circuits, and the exploration of new conceptual designs. The paper introduces the four basic operators used in modeling: circuit comparison, circuit instantiation-abstraction, circuit combination, and design feature induction. A case study presents the circuit feature variety modeling for a set of modern OpAmps.
Anxiety sensitivity and fear of pain in paediatric headache patients.

Anxiety sensitivity (AS), which refers to distress related to the potential sensations and consequences associated with anxiety (Asmundson & Taylor, 1996), including heightened interoceptive awareness may be a precursor to the development of pain-related fear where physiological cues are interpreted as precursors to aversive pain-related outcomes. AS has consistently been associated with a greater fear of pain in adult headache (Asmundson et al., 1999), chronic musculoskeletal pain populations, and non-clinical samples (Asmundson et al., 1999; Greenberg and Burns, 2003; Ocanez et al., 2010), linking these overlapping but distinct constructs. Due to this robust association in adult headache populations and the absence of a similarly comprehensive pediatric model, pediatric headache presents as an appropriate genesis point for the development of this link in pediatric chronic pain. This relationship may result from high levels of interoceptive fear conditioning, such that chronic pain patients with heightened AS may be increasingly associating interoceptive cues with painful experiences (De Peuter et al., 2011). The fear avoidance model, in fact, cites interoceptive fear conditioning as a potential cause for the acquisition of pain-related fear in chronic pain patients (Vlaeyen and Linton, 2012). Because fear of pain plays such a pivotal role in the maintenance of chronic pain in children, (Asmundson et al., 2012; Simons and Kaczynski, 2012), it is useful to understand any predictors of fear of pain that may render them more susceptible to chronic pain development. Initial inquiries into AS in healthy children and adolescents suggest a relationship between anxiety sensitivity and fear of pain (Muris et al., 2001a; Muris et al., 2001b). These results were confirmed in a small sample of children with chronic pain, though the authors were unable to substantiate an association between AS and disability, likely due the sample size (n=21) (Martin et al., 2007). Relatedly, somatic complaints, enigmatic physiological or bodily symptoms, are also common in highly anxious children (Beidel et al., 1991). Heightened interoceptive awareness may be related to an intensified somatic experience. Given the evidence for the links between AS and somatization (Mahrer et al., 2012), somatization and disability (Harris et al., 2009), and AS and FOP (Muris et al., 2001b) we are also interested in determining if the impact of AS on somatic complaints is FOP mediated. In the current study, we examined the relationship between AS and fear of pain and their influence on pain-related outcomes (Figure 1). Specifically we are interested in testing whether fear of pain mediates the relationship between anxiety sensitivity and pain related disability, and between anxiety sensitivity and somatic complaints in a large pediatric headache sample. Figure 1 Hypothesized model of the relationship between anxiety sensitivity and pain-related disability in pediatric chronic headache patients
DNA supercoiling and transcription control: a model from the study of suppression of the leu-500 mutation in Salmonella typhimurium topA- strains.

Abstract DNA supercoiling is known to modulate gene expression. The functional relationship between DNA supercoiling and transcription initiation has been established genetically and biochemically. The molecular mechanism whereby DNA supercoiling regulates gene expression remains unclear however. Quite commonly, the same gene responds to the same DNA supercoiling change differently when the gene is positioned at different locations. Such strong positional effects on gene expression suggest that rather than the overall DNA supercoiling change, the variation of DNA supercoiling at a local site might be important for transcription control. We have started to understand the local DNA supercoiling dynamic on the chromosome. As a primary source of local DNA supercoiling fluctuation, transcription-driven DNA supercoiling is important in determining the chromosome supercoiling dynamic and theoretically, therefore, for transcription control as well. Indeed, by studying the coordinated expression of genes in the ilvIH–leuO–leuABCD gene cluster, we found that transcription-driven DNA supercoiling governs the expression of a group of functionally related genes in a sequential manner. Based on the findings in this model system, we put forward the possible mechanisms whereby DNA supercoiling plays its role in transcription control. © 2003, Elsevier Science (USA).
Phase 2 multi-institutional trial evaluating gemcitabine and stereotactic body radiotherapy for patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND This phase 2 multi-institutional study was designed to determine whether gemcitabine (GEM) with fractionated stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) results in acceptable late grade 2 to 4 gastrointestinal toxicity when compared with a prior trial of GEM with single-fraction SBRT in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC). METHODS A total of 49 patients with LAPC received up to 3 doses of GEM (1000 mg/m2) followed by a 1-week break and SBRT (33.0 gray [Gy] in 5 fractions). After SBRT, patients continued to receive GEM until disease progression or toxicity. Toxicity was assessed using the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events [version 4.0] and the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group radiation morbidity scoring criteria. Patients completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30) and pancreatic cancer-specific QLQ-PAN26 module before SBRT and at 4 weeks and 4 months after SBRT. RESULTS The median follow-up was 13.9 months (range, 3.9-45.2 months). The median age of the patients was 67 years and 84% had tumors of the pancreatic head. Rates of acute and late (primary endpoint) grade ≥2 gastritis, fistula, enteritis, or ulcer toxicities were 2% and 11%, respectively. QLQ-C30 global quality of life scores remained stable from baseline to after SBRT (67 at baseline, median change of 0 at both follow-ups; P>.05 for both). Patients reported a significant improvement in pancreatic pain (P = .001) 4 weeks after SBRT on the QLQ-PAN26 questionnaire. The median plasma carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) level was reduced after SBRT (median time after SBRT, 4.2 weeks; 220 U/mL vs 62 U/mL [P<.001]). The median overall survival was 13.9 months (95% confidence interval, 10.2 months-16.7 months). Freedom from local disease progression at 1 year was 78%. Four patients (8%) underwent margin-negative and lymph node-negative surgical resections. CONCLUSIONS Fractionated SBRT with GEM results in minimal acute and late gastrointestinal toxicity. Future studies should incorporate SBRT with more aggressive multiagent chemotherapy. Cancer 2015;121:1128–1137. © 2014 The Authors. Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Cancer Society.
Agile Communicators: Cognitive Apprenticeship to Prepare Students for Communication-Intensive Software Development

We report on our efforts to enhance our undergraduate computer science and software engineering curriculum, promoting what we term agile communication through practice in inquiry, critique and reflection. We are targeting early courses in our curriculum, so that students internalize agile practices as part of their personal software development process. Our approach constitutes a cognitive apprenticeship that engages students in authentic software settings and articulates processes that are traditionally left implicit. Communication-intensive activities are woven through this curriculum in a variety of ways. The POGIL framework provides a structured approach to inquiry. Automated feedback on test coverage, programming style and code documentation are provided through WebTA, a novel tool that we have integrated into the Canvas learning management system, providing communication by proxy that supplements instructor feedback with continual critique of code and documentation. A program of guided inquiry through real case studies of software communication prepares students for their team software activities, and a series of reflective exercises leads them to focus on their own team communication practices.
Letter about component groups of elliptic curves

This is the text of a letter written by K. Ribet to J.-F. Mestre in November, 1987. The letter proves three formulas that had been conjectured by Mestre and Oesterl\'e. These formulas concern component groups of elliptic curves that occur as optimal quotients of certain Jacobians of modular curves, and relations between the component groups and the character group of the toric component of the Jacobian. (The "toric component" and component groups are computed in positive characteristic.)
A nonlinear programming based power optimization methodology for gate sizing and voltage selection

In this paper, we investigate the problem of power optimization in CMOS circuits using gate sizing and voltage selection for a given clock period specification. Several solutions have been proposed for power optimization during gate sizing and voltage selection. Since the problem formulation is nonlinear in nature, nonlinear programming (NLP) based solutions yield better accuracy, however, convergence is difficult for large circuits. On the other hand, heuristic solutions result in faster but less accurate solutions. In this work, we propose a new algorithm for gate sizing and voltage selection based on NLP for power optimization. The algorithm uses gate level heuristics for delay assignment which disassociates the delays of all the paths to the individual gate level, and each gate is then separately optimized for power with its delay constraint. Since the optimization is done at the individual gate level, NLP converges quickly while maintaining accuracy. Experimental results are presented for ISCAS benchmarks which clearly illustrate the efficacy of the proposed solution.
Applications of a generalized Dirichlet principle to transistor modeling

We report the theory, implementation and results of using a Poisson solver to compensate the measured valuer of drain conductance and transconductance in a nonlinear MESFET so as to render them compatible with a large-signal model. The consequent restructuring of the I-V curves is exhibited.
Electric‐Field‐Guided Growth of Carbon Nanotubes during DC Plasma‐Enhanced CVD

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been grown aligned with the directions of electric fields in a DC plasma-enhanced (DC PE) CVD process. The CNTs can be grown at various predefined angles with respect to the substrate. It is shown that the local electric field, even at the very surface of the substrates, can be inclined. The strength of the electric field inside the plasma sheath is estimated and the electric-field directions near the surface of Si substrate where the CNTs grow are modeled. By control of the directions of these electric fields, several novel CNT morphologies are demonstrated, which could be useful for various applications.