cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A technique for the detection of robot joint gear tightness

A new technique for the examination of gear tightness in robot joint drive systems is presented. A single robot joint is subjected to random excitation while the rest of the joints are constrained. The corresponding link motion is monitored by two accelerometers mounted on the link. The transfer function of the translational component of link acceleration is then obtained. From the half peak magnitude bandwidth of the first resonant frequency it is possible to determine whether the joint gears under testing have a tight or loose meshing. Tests were performed on the wrist rotation joint of an industrial robot in two steady state positions with the end effector loaded and unloaded.
Role of Tissue Repair in Carbon Tetrachloride Hepatotoxicity in Male and Female Sprague-Dawley and Wistar Rats:

This study was designed to assess the hypothesis that large differences between male and female Wistar and Sprague-Dawley rats in susceptibility to carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatotoxicit...
On the ''averaged weak energy condition'' and Penrose's singularity theorem

In a previous paper, we used techniques developed by Tipler to prove that Penrose's singularity theorem will still hold if the weak energy condition is replaced by a weaker nonlocal energy condition and if the null generic condition is satisfied. The purpose of the present paper is to strengthen our original result somewhat by slightly weakening the nonlocal energy condition and by showing that the null generic condition is unnecessary. We also comment briefly on whether recent criticisms of Tipler's techniques affect the validity of our results. In addition, we take the opportunity to rewrite some of our previous analysis in what we feel is a more direct mathematical language and, in so doing, we provide the details of a proof which were not included in our earlier paper.
Application of Backus-Gilbert Inversion Technique to Determination of Aerosol Size Distributions from Optical Scattering Measurements

The inversion technique of Backus and Gilbert is applied to the determination of size distributions of spherical particles from optical scattering measurements. The spatial resolution inherent in a set of multiwavelength measurements is studied as a function of number of measurements, measurement noise level, and radius. The inversion technique is then applied to computer simulated intensity data to recover size distributions. These examples indicate that the distribution can be recovered at selected points without using a priori assumptions about the shape of the distribution.
A diagonally recurrent neural network approach to sensorless operation of the permanent magnet synchronous motor

Rotor position sensorless control of the permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) typically requires knowledge of the PMSM structure and parameters, which in some situations are not readily available or may be difficult to obtain. Due to this limitation, an alternative approach to rotor position sensorless control of the PMSM using a diagonally recurrent neural network (DRNN) is considered. The DRNN is a dynamic mapping, requires fewer neurons, and converges quickly compared to feedforward and fully recurrent neural networks. Experimental results of the proposed neural observer to PMSM rotor estimation are presented.
Simulation of Erase After Write on 2.4 T FeCo Solid Pole Writer

We have developed a multiscale fast Fourier transform (FFT) based micromagnetic model to simulate erase after write (EAW) for a 2.4 T FeCo solid pole writer. The simulated remnant state of the writer showed vortices at the pole tip, break and paddle regions that qualitatively match an experimental MFM image. Dynamic responses show that EAW worsens with a longer breakpoint. Sensitivity of EAW with breakpoint is in good agreement with experimental data. We also find that cross track anisotropy reduced EAW risks; however, perpendicular anisotropy is detrimental to EAW. Simulations indicate that EAW risks may be substantially reduced if a demagnetization pulse of polarity opposite to that of the last write is applied to the writer.
Enhancing the Virulence of Streptococcus sobrinus in Rats

The purpose of this study was to explore the virulence of strains of Streptococcus sobrinus that had been re-isolated from a desalivated rat. Furthermore, we wished to determine the influence of desalivation on the acidogenicity of fasting and sucrose-pulsed dental plaque in rats infected by strains of S. sorbrinus. Experimental groups were formed and infected as follows: Group 1, desalivated animals, S. sorbrinus ATCC27352; Group 2, intact animals, infected as in Group 1; Group 3, desalivated animals, S. sorbrinus re-isolated from a desalivated animal that had been infected with the ATCC 27352 strain for five weeks; Group 4, intact animals, infected as in Group 3; Group 5, desalivated animals, S. sobrinus re-isolated from a desalivated animal that had been infected with the ATCC27352 strain for ten weeks; Group 6, intact animals, infected as in Group 5; Group 7, intact animals, no infection. All animals were fed cariogenic diet 2000 and sucrose-sweetened drinking water ad libitum. After five weeks, desalivated and intact animals that had been infected with isolates obtained from desalivated animals had significantly higher (p less than 0.05) smooth-surface-caries scores than did intact and desalivated animals infected with cultures of the original stock ATCC strain. Moreover, fasting plaque pH values were statistically lower in desalivated animals (Groups 1 and 3) than in intact animals (Groups 2, 6, and 7) (Turkey analysis, p less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Intestinal infarction caused by paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria

A patient with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria of 14 years duration presented with severe abdominal pain and fever. On admission, his hematocrit had fallen to 19% from his usual level of approximately 30%, and stools were positive for occult blood. Dilated loops of small bowel with air fluid levels were noted on radiographs, and sonography revealed free intraperitoneal fluid. Several sections of gangrenous jejunum and ileum were resected at exploratory laparotomy, and mesenteric venous thromboses were present. This is the second report of pathologically proven intestinal infarction in a patient with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria who has survived this abdominal emergency with surgical intervention. Although abdominal pain in patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria has frequently been attributed to mesenteric venous thromboses, this has rarely been documented either during life or at autopsy.
Differentiation of Classroom Climate among Home Economics Teachers.

The Student Estimate of Teacher Concern (SETC) has been used to describe an individual student's perception of the classroom climate as well as the overall classroom environment. This research determines the appropriateness of the SETC in both contexts. Analysis of variance based on student responses to 48 teachers, in 1 to 6 of their classrooms at grade levels 7 to 12, resulted in 22 items differentiating among teachers. Classroom climate scales were established by examina tion of both the between-teachers and pooled within-teacher correlation matrices. Two scales resulted from the between-teachers matrix and four from the pooled within-teacher matrix. Comparison of these results showed the two between-teachers scales essentially duplicated two of the four scales from the within-teacher analyses. These findings suggest that none of the scales of the SETC measure classroom dimensions that are a function of the teacher and that the scales are more appropriately used for assessing an individual's perception of climate. The study also provides a workable methodology by which an inventory to measure classroom climate dimen sions attributable to teachers could be developed.
A randomized controlled trial comparing a modified Burch procedure and a suburethral sling: long-term follow-up

The aim of this study was to compare the long-term results of a modified Burch procedure with a sling procedure for the treatment of stress incontinence with a low-pressure urethra. Thirty-six women with urodynamic stress incontinence, low-pressure urethra, urethral hypermobility and no significant pelvic organ prolapse were randomly assigned to undergo either a modified Burch procedure (n=19) or a sling placement (n=17). Cure of the stress incontinence (defined as a negative stress test and negative pad-weight test) was the primary long-term endpoint. Secondary endpoints included subjective cure of stress incontinence (defined as no incontinence episodes on a 1-week voiding diary) and voiding function studies. Comparisons of group means were performed with the Mann–Whitney U-test, pooled variance t-tests and separate variance t-tests. Proportions were compared with Fisher's exact test. A logistic regression analysis was performed to control for covariates that differed in our two groups despite randomization. Long-term follow-up (mean=72.6 months) was available for 82% (28/34) of the original study group. The objective cure rates for the Burch and sling groups were 84.6% and 100%, respectively (P=0.17). Mean uroflowmetry rates for the Burch and sling groups were 7.38 and 6.8 ml/s, respectively (P=0.58, 95%CI −2.5, 4.4). Mean postvoid residual volumes for both groups were 35 ml (P=0.97, 95% CI −23.8, 65.9). Two sling patients (12%) required partial resection of their slings because of erosion. Both patients remained continent. In terms of voiding function and stress incontinence cure, there were no differences between groups undergoing modified Burch or sling procedures for treatment of urodynamic stress incontinence with low-pressure urethra.
Hispanic Population Growth and Rural Income Inequality

We analyze the relationship between Hispanic population growth and changes in U.S. rural income inequality from 1990 through 2000. Applying comparative approaches used for urban areas we disentangle Hispanic population growth’s contribution to inequality by comparing and statistically modeling changes in the family income Gini coefficient across four rural county types: established Hispanic, rapidly growing Hispanic, rapidly growing non-Hispanic, and slow-growth or declining counties. Results support perspectives that stress growing social heterogeneity for understanding the contribution of minority population growth to inequality, including changes in human capital and industrial restructuring. We find remarkably similar inequality growth across rapidly growing Hispanic and non-Hispanic counties. This suggests that growing rural inequality stems largely from economic expansion and population growth rather than changing Hispanic composition.
Electrochemical Characterization of Mixed Conducting Ba(Ce1-(x+y)PryGdx)O3-x/2 Cathodes

The high proton conductivities of doped barium and strontium cerates has led to their consideration as electrolytes in fuel cel ls operating at intermediate temperatures (600-800 8C). The electrochemical properties of Pr-doped barium gadolinium cerate [Ba(Ce0.82yPryGd0.2)O2.9] have been investigated as part of our assessment of new mixed-conducting electrodes in fuel cells with barium cerate electrolytes. Substitution of Pr for Ce increases the total and electronic conductivities, and the total conductiv ity of Ba(Pr0.8Gd0.2)O2.9 exceeds ,0.75 S/cm at 8008C in dry air. Electromotive force measurements indicate that the Pr-substituted samples also retain high proton and oxygen-ion conductivities despite their decreased ionic transport numbers. Cathodes prepared using these mixed-conducting Pr-doped barium-gadolinium cerates exhibit low cathodic overpotentials in Ba(Ce 0.8Gd0.2)O2.9 electrolyte fuel cells. For example, the cathodic overpotential resistance of a Ba(Pr 0.8Gd0.2)O2.9 cathode is 0.47 V cm 2 at 8008C at current densities <100 mA/cm 2 . This is the lowest cathodic overpotential resistance reported for a perovskite electrode on a proton
Bargaining, Transaction Costs, and Coalition Governance

Representative democracies face two fundamental challenges, delegation and coalescence. Delegation is necessary because most citizens have neither the capacity nor the time to make many important political decisions on their own. To facilitate large-scale governance, delegation must occur. Citizens must find and select representatives whom they can trust to make public policy in accordance with particular principles. Elected representatives, in turn, must delegate to leaders of political parties or bureaucratic agencies to further the pursuit of policy goals. Heads of executive agencies have to delegate to their subordinates. While delegation makes large-scale representative democracy possible, it is not without risk. Problems of delegation need to be overcome. For with the power of the elective or appointive office also comes opportunities to act against the public interest.
Exchangeability characterizes optimality of sequential normalized maximum likelihood and Bayesian prediction with Jeffreys Prior

We study online prediction of individual sequences under logarithmic loss with parametric constant experts. The optimal strategy, normalized maximum likelihood (NML), is computationally demanding and requires the length of the game to be known. We consider two simpler strategies: sequential normalized maximum likelihood (SNML), which computes the NML forecasts at each round as if it were the last round, and Bayesian prediction. Under appropriate conditions, both are known to achieve near-optimal regret. In this paper, we investigate when these strategies are optimal. We show that SNML is optimal iff the joint distribution on sequences defined by SNML is exchangeable. This property also characterizes the optimality of a Bayesian prediction strategy for an exponential family. The optimal prior distribution is Jeffreys prior.
Modern Computational Applications of Dynamic Programming

Computational dynamic programming, while of some use for situations typically encountered in industrial and systems engineering, has proved to be of much greater significance in many areas of computer science. We review some of these applications here.
Exome Sequencing to Identify Novel Genes in Hypertension

### Study Hypothesis Previous genetic studies of patients with Mendelian forms of hypertension have identified causal genes involving renal electrolyte transport, highlighting new mechanisms for the regulation of blood pressure in humans. Pseudohypoaldosteronism type II (PHAII), a rare genetic disorder causing hypertension, hyperkalemia, and metabolic acidosis, has been found, in some cases, to be caused by mutations in WNK1 or WNK4 , but most cases remained unexplained at the time of the study. The authors proposed that exome sequencing and gene resequencing of a number of unrelated individuals with PHAII would uncover novel causal genes. ### How Was the Hypothesis Tested? Boyden et al recruited 52 kindreds with 126 patients with PHAII, of which just 7 kindreds were found to have WNK1 or WNK4 mutations. They performed exome sequencing of DNA samples of 11 unrelated PHAII index cases from 11 kindreds. They simultaneously performed genomewide genotyping of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in all members of the kindreds, in order to perform linkage studies that would …
Effect of Sulfhydryl Reagents on Adenosinetriphosphatase Activity of Myosin

Summary and ConclusionsThe inhibition of adenosinetriphosphatase by mercaptide forming compounds and by mild oxidizing agents, and the reactivation by glutathione can be considered as proof that adenosinetriphosphatase is a sulfhydryl enzyme. The close parallelism between the number of -SH groups of myosin attacked by p-CIHg benzoate and oxidizing agents and the degree of inhibition of adenosinetriphosphatase activity is evidence in favor of Engelhardt's assumption that myosin and adenosinetriphosphatase are identical.
Probing the mechanisms of intron creation in a fast-evolving mite

Available genomic sequences from diverse eukaryotes attest to creation of millions of spliceosomal introns throughout the course of evolution, however the question of how introns are created remains unresolved. Resolution of this question has been thwarted by the fact that many modern introns appear to be hundreds of millions of years old, obscuring the mechanisms by which they were initially created. As such, analysis of lineages undergoing rapid intron creation is crucial. Recently, Hoy et al. reported the genome of the predatory mite Metaseiulus occidentalis, revealing generally rapid molecular evolution including wholesale loss of ancestral introns and gain of new ones. I sought to test several potential mechanisms of intron creation. BLAST searches did not reveal patterns of similarity between intronic sequences from different sites or between intron sequences and non-intronic sequences, which would be predicted if introns are created by propagation of pre-existing intronic sequences or by transposable element insertion. To test for evidence that introns are created by any of multiple mechanisms that are expected to lead to duplication of sequences at the two splice boundaries of an intron, I compared introns likely to have been gained in the lineage leading to M. occidentalis and likely ancestral introns. These comparisons did initially reveal greater similarity between boundaries in M. occidentalis-specific introns, however this excess appeared to be largely or completely due to greater adherence of newer introns to the so-called protosplice site, and therefore may not provide strong evidence for particular intron gain mechanisms. The failure to find evidence for particular intron creation mechanisms could reflect the relatively old age of even these introns, intron creation by variants of tested mechanisms that do not leave a clear sequence signature, or by intron creation by unimagined mechanisms.
Apoptosis and Donor Heart on Ischemie-reprefusion Injury

【Objective】 To study the apoptosis after long time of heart preservation,and the barrier of caspase(Ac-DEVDCHO) in prolonged heart transplantation.To improve the techniques on the preservation of donor heart.【Methods】 Donor rat hearts were subjected to group A(non-Ac-DEVD-CHO-treated),group B(Ac-DEVD-CHO-treated) of hypothermic storage,after 9 hours of heart preservation,then performed heterotopic heart transplantation,followed by 60 min of normothermic reperfusion(n = 6 in each group).【Results】 After 60 min reperfusion,compared with group A,① a significant improvement in the percent recovery of HR was observed in group B(P 0.05);② Caspase-3 activity was decreased in group B(P 0.01);③ an apparent decline in the expression of infarct area was observed in group B(P 0.01);④ an apparent decline in the expression of TUNELpositive cardiomyocyte was observed in group B(P 0.01);⑤ Group B shows the least disease.【Conclusion】 ① After preservation and reperfusion,cardiomyocyte apoptosis was observe evidently,which led to irreversible heart dysfunction.② The administration of caspase-3 inhibition after reperfusion attenuates ischemia-reperfusion injury by suppressing apoptosis in heart transplantation.Furthermore,the use of caspase inhibition was investigated as a strategy for the preservation donor heart in transplantation.③ The relationship of dose-response and time-effect is still unknown.
People Have the Power: Fibromuscular Dysplasia Complications

“We see this.” This is the clinician’s mantra to describe a personal experience with an unexplained observation to colleagues, trainees, and patients but which remains uncoded in the taxonomy of medicine. For example, the bifid uvula, which was noted occasionally for decades but was of modest
Seasonal differences in landbird migration strategies

ABSTRACT Migrating birds make strategic decisions at multiple temporal and spatial scales. They must select flight altitudes, speeds, and orientations in order to maintain preferred directions of movement and to minimize energy expenditure and risk. Spring flights follow a rapid phenology, but how this rapid transit translates to in-flight decisions is not clear. We described flight strategies of nocturnally migrating landbirds using 6 weather surveillance radars during spring (2013–2015) and fall (2013–2014) migratory periods in the eastern United States to investigate seasonal decision-making patterns and how climate change may influence these trends. During spring, we found groundspeed and airspeed of migrants to be significantly higher than those of fall migrants; compensation for wind drift was also significantly greater during spring. Our results indicate that birds make more rapid and precise flights in spring that are only partially explained by meteorological phenomena. Future applications at gre...
Neural Maturational Delay in SIDS

The pathological evidence for developmental delay in SIDS is reviewed from the Division of Neuropathology, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Mastering the interface for advanced all-solid-state lithium rechargeable batteries.

A solid electrolyte with a high Li-ion conductivity and a small interfacial resistance against a Li metal anode is a key component in all-solid-state Li metal batteries, but there is no ceramic oxide electrolyte available for this application except the thin-film Li-P oxynitride electrolyte; ceramic electrolytes are either easily reduced by Li metal or penetrated by Li dendrites in a short time. Here, we introduce a solid electrolyte LiZr 2 (PO4) 3 with rhombohedral structure at room temperature that has a bulk Li-ion conductivity σ Li = 2 × 10 −4 S⋅cm −1 at 25 °C, a high electrochemical stability up to 5.5 V versus Li + /Li, and a small interfacial resistance for Li + transfer. It reacts with a metallic lithium anode to form a Li + -conducting passivation layer (solid-electrolyte interphase) containing Li 3 P and Li 8 ZrO 6 that is wet by the lithium anode and also wets the LiZr 2 (PO 4 ) 3 electrolyte. An all-solid-state Li/LiFePO 4 cell with a polymer catholyte shows good cyclability and a long cycle life.
Fatal varicella pneumonia in an unvaccinated child with Down Syndrome: a case report.

Varicella is an acute infectious disease common during childhood. It has mostly an uncomplicated course in early childhood. Neverthless, it may result in severe complications, especially in particular age groups and clinical conditions. Down Syndrome represents a risk factor for developing complications, because of the frequent comorbidities and their immunodeficiency. A 2-year-old white Caucasian female affected by Down Syndrome was referred to our hospital for cardiac arrest in course of varicella disease. After cardiopulmonary resuscitation and stabilization, her clinical conditions didn’t improve and she developed a massive pulmonary hemorrage, which led her to exitus. Mortality due to varicella infection is rare, but it is more common in subjects with immune deficit or chronic pathologies, and in particular age-groups. The importance of the vaccine for preventable infectious diseases is stressed in this paper, in which we present a case of death in an unvaccinated cardiopathic child with Down Syndrome affected by varicella.
Thermophysical properties of Ni-containing single-phase concentrated solid solution alloys

Abstract Temperature dependent thermophysical properties, including specific heat capacity, lattice thermal expansion, thermal diffusivity and conductivity, have been systematically studied in Ni and eight Ni-containing single-phase face-centered-cubic concentrated solid solution alloys, at elevated temperatures up to 1273 K. The alloys have similar specific heat values of 0.4–0.5 J·g−1·K−1 at room temperature, but their temperature dependence varies greatly due to Curie and K-state transitions. The lattice, electronic, and magnetic contributions to the specific heat have been separated based on first-principles methods in NiCo, NiFe, Ni-20Cr and NiCoFeCr. The alloys have similar thermal expansion behavior, with the exception that NiFe and NiCoFe have much lower thermal expansion coefficient in their ferromagnetic state due to magnetostriction effects. Calculations based on the quasi-harmonic approximation accurately predict the temperature dependent lattice parameter of NiCo and NiFe with
The impact of crime on the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises: Evidence from the service and hospitality sectors in Latin America

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are in the forefront of economic policy in developing economies, playing critical role in local economic growth and development. SMEs tend to serve local r...
Perturbation of Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 Particle Morphology by Differential Gag Co-Packaging

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is an important cancer-causing human retrovirus that has infected approximately 15 million individuals worldwide. Many aspects of HTLV-1 replication, including virus particle structure and assembly, are poorly understood. Group-specific antigen (Gag) proteins labeled at the carboxy terminus with a fluorophore protein have been used extensively as a surrogate for fluorescence studies of retroviral assembly. How these tags affect Gag stoichiometry and particle morphology has not been reported in detail. In this study, we used an HTLV-1 Gag expression construct with the yellow fluorescence protein (YFP) fused to the carboxy-terminus as a surrogate for the HTLV-1 Gag-Pol to assess the effects of co-packaging of Gag and a Gag-YFP on virus-like particle (VLP) morphology and analyzed particles by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy (FFS) were also used to determine the Gag stoichiometry. We found that ratios of 3:1 (Gag:Gag-YFP) or greater resulted in a particle morphology indistinguishable from that of VLPs produced with the untagged HTLV-1 Gag, i.e., a mean diameter of ~113 nm and a mass of 220 MDa as determined by cryo-TEM and STEM, respectively. Furthermore, FFS analysis indicated that HTLV-1 Gag-YFP was incorporated into VLPs in a predictable manner at the 3:1 Gag:Gag-YFP ratio. Both STEM and FFS analyses found that the Gag copy number in VLPs produced with a 3:1 ratio of Gag:Gag-YFP was is in the range of 1500–2000 molecules per VLP. The observations made in this study indicate that biologically relevant Gag–Gag interactions occur between Gag and Gag-YFP at ratios of 3:1 or higher and create a Gag lattice structure in VLPs that is morphologically indistinguishable from that of VLPs produced with just untagged Gag. This information is useful for the quantitative analysis of Gag–Gag interactions that occur during virus particle assembly and in released immature particles.
Estimating Parameters Required for Credit Risk Modeling

Publisher Summary Accurate estimates of credit risk are critical to the determination of profitability because returns are small relative to the risks taken. This chapter estimates the parameters required for credit risk modeling. The key parameters that define the risk of an individual credit exposure are the default probability, the exposure at default, and the loss in the event of default. Default rates can be developed either from market-based measures or from historical default rates associated with risk ratings. To ensure consistency in assigning risk ratings, rating philosophies must be specified and clearly communicated. Measures of exposure upon default can vary depending on the credit quality and maturity of commitments. Determination of loss in the event of default varies depending on whether the loan is senior or subordinated and secured or unsecured, and whether losses occur at the time of downturns in the economy. Judgments are required in defining default events and exposures, and in calculating economic loss. To calculate possible levels of portfolio loss, it is necessary to measure the extent to which individual companies may default at the same time. Default correlations are the key parameters needed to determine overall portfolio credit risk.
Enzymatic Cleavage of Branched Peptides for Targeting Mitochondria

Most of the reported mitochondria-targeting molecules are lipophilic and cationic, and thus they may become cytotoxic with accumulation. Here we show enzymatic cleavage of branched peptides that carry negative charges for targeting mitochondria. Conjugating a well-established protein tag (i.e., FLAG-tag) to self-assembling motifs affords the precursors that form micelles. Enzymatic cleavage of the hydrophilic FLAG motif (DDDDK) by enterokinase (ENTK) turns the micelles to nanofibers. After being taken up by cells, the micelles, upon the action of intracellular ENTK, turn into nanofibers to locate mainly at mitochondria. The micelles of the precursors are able to deliver cargos (either small molecules or proteins) into cells, largely to mitochondria and within 2 h. Preventing ENTK proteolysis diminishes mitochondria targeting. As the first report of using enzymatic self-assembly for targeting mitochondria and delivery cargos to mitochondria, this work illustrates a fundamentally new way to target subcellular organelles for biomedicine.
A Synthetic Binder of Breast Cancer Stem Cells

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are associated with drug resistance, metastasis and recurrence of cancer. A synthetic binder of CSCs can provide a valuable tool to study the biology of CSCs and a lead to develop imaging, diagnostic and therapeutic agents targeting CSCs. Herein, a synthetic ligand (1) that specifically binds to CSCs over non-CSCs of breast cancer cells was identified for the first time via a cell-binding screening of a chemical library. The ligand 1 showed specific binding to CD24- /CD44+ /ALDH+ CSC population of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. We have demonstrated that 1-immobilized beads can be used as matrices for affinity isolation of 1-binding CSC population from breast cancer cells. The 1-binding population showed significantly increased expressions of stemness-associated transcription factors. Importantly, the 1-binding population demonstrated accelerated tumor growth in vivo, and the resulting tumor displayed an increased migratory activity and high expressions of CSC markers.
High Temperature Organic Adhesives

High temperature organic adhesives are required for joining metals, ceramics, plastics, and composites to themselves and to each other. These adhesives, and other materials that are required to exhibit good adhesion, are needed for use in a variety of applications in the aerospace, automotive, computer, electrical, household, and oil industries. The common requirement is thermal stability; but stability under other environmental conditions is also needed. In some applications, the use temperature is not the determining factor. Stability at high temperatures encountered during various processing steps (e.g., soldering) to fabricate a component is the important requirement. These processing temperatures can be significantly higher than the actual use temperature. In this article, high temperature organic adhesives are defined as materials that exhibit usable stength after long term aging (i.e., thousands of hours) at 232°C or short term exposure (i.e., minutes) at 538°C and higher.
Pandemic Preparedness and the Influenza Risk Assessment Tool (IRAT)

Influenza infections have resulted in millions of deaths and untold millions of illnesses throughout history. Influenza vaccines are the cornerstone of influenza prevention and control. Recommendations are made by the World Health Organization (WHO) 6-9 months in advance of the influenza season regarding what changes, if any, should be made in the formulation of seasonal influenza vaccines. This allows time to manufacture, test, distribute, and administer vaccine prior to the beginning of the influenza season. At the same time experts also consider which viruses not currently circulating in the human population, but with pandemic potential, pose the greatest risk to public health. Experts may conclude that one or more of these viruses are of enough concern to warrant development of a high-growth reassortant candidate vaccine virus. Subsequently, national authorities may determine that a vaccine should be manufactured, tested in clinical trials, and even stockpiled in some circumstances. The Influenza Risk Assessment Tool (IRAT) was created in an effort to develop a standardized set of elements that could be applied for decision making when evaluating pre-pandemic viruses. The tool is a simple, additive model, based on multi-attribute decision analysis . The ultimate goal is to identify an appropriate candidate vaccine virus and prepare a human vaccine before the virus adapts to infect and efficiently transmit in susceptible human populations. This pre-pandemic preparation allows production of vaccine-a strategy that could save lives and mitigate illness during a pandemic.
Measuring femoral neck loads in older adults during stair ascent and descent

Fractures at the femoral neck play an important role in morbidity and mortality among older adults. Understanding the loading environment is a crucial factor for reducing the incidence of fracture at this site. In this study, the stresses on the femoral neck during stair ascent and descent were estimated. These femoral neck stresses were also compared to the peak loading from internal hip moments. Five male and five female adult subjects performed 5 successful trials of stair ascent and the same number trials of descent with a 3-step staircase. Motion and force data were collected. Inverse dynamics was used to calculate 3-D joint moments and reaction forces at the hip, knee and ankle joints of the right leg. Musculoskeletal model and static optimization were used and muscle forces, joint reaction forces and moments were used to estimate the 3-D moments and forces at the midpoint of the femoral neck. A standardized elliptical model of the bone structure was used to estimate the stresses of the model. Differences in peak stresses and moments were assessed by dependent t-tests (p < .05). The peak hip extensor moment was significantly greater during ascent as compared to descent (p = .001). The 1 peak tensile stress was significantly increased at the superior site during the descent condition (p = 0.005), but the 2 peak showed no significant difference between stair ascent and descent (p = .098). Both peak compressive stresses at the inferior site during showed no significant differences between stair ascent and descent (1 peak: p =.105; 2 peak: p = .071). Conclusions
Seventeenth Colorado Mathematical Olympiad: April 21, 2000

Clouded by the first anniversary of Columbine’s tragedy, the seventeenth annual Colorado Mathematical Olympiad took place on April 21, 2000, under majestically blue Colorado skies and summer temperatures in the 70s. The last in the XX century Olympiad brought together 480 middle and high school students. Contestants came from all over Colorado: Rangely, Florissant, Commerce City, Aurora, Littleton, Adam City, Parker, Fort Collins, Manitou Springs, Henderson, Erie, Parker, Franktown, Peyton, Calhan, Hayden, Kiowa, Ellicott, Cannon City, Widefield, Monument, Elbert, Elizabeth, Larkspur, and Colorado Springs.
Carbon dioxide warming of the early Earth

Svante Arrhenius' research in atmospheric physics extended beyond the recent past and the near future states of the Earth, which today are at the center of sociopolitical attention. His plan encompassed all of the physical phenomena known at the time to relate to the formation and evolution of stars and planets. His two-volume textbook on cosmic physics is a comprehensive synopsis of the field. The inquiry into the possible cause of the ice ages and the theory of selective wavelength filter control led Arrhenius to consider the surface states of the other terrestrial planets, and of the ancient Earth before it had been modified by the emergence of life. The rapid escape of hydrogen and the equilibration with igneous rocks required that carbon in the early atmosphere prevailed mainly in oxidized form as carbon dioxide, together with other photoactive gases exerting a greenhouse effect orders of magnitude larger than in our present atmosphere. This effect, together with the ensuing chemical processes, would have set the conditions for life to evolve on our planet, seeded from spores spreading through an infinite Universe, and propelled, as Arrhenius thought, by stellar radiation pressure.
Experimental Bovine Uterine Mycoplasmosis

Eight mature heifers received intra-uterine inoculations of viable cell suspensions of a Mycoplasma sp. known to be pathogenic for the bovine mammary gland. In 7 of the animals varying degrees of endometritis, endosalpingitis and salpingoperitonitis were observed. A neutrophilic leukocytosis was the only detectable clinical manifestation of response to the agent. It was noted in 3 of 6 animals.
IMRT-based treatment of unknown primary malignancy of the head and neck: Outcomes and improved toxicity with decreased mucosal dose and larynx sparing.

Background Radiation therapy for squamous cell cancer of the head and neck with unknown primary (head and neck CUP) has been associated with significant levels of swallowing toxicity. We examined the effect of changes in mucosal dose on development of laryngeal strictures and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) dependence. Methods Retrospective analysis of 58 patients with head and neck CUP treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute from August 2004 through July 2013. Results There were no significant differences between any recurrences for groups treated to 56 versus ≥60 Gy to the mucosal surfaces. However, mucosal dose and chemotherapy type were associated with stricture on multivariable analysis; median PEG dependence was decreased for patients treated to 56 Gy. A larynx-sparing approach was associated with improved outcomes for strictures and PEG use. Conclusion In this single institution study, a 56 Gy IMRT-based mucosal dose demonstrated significant improvements in swallowing toxicity. Additional benefit was seen with larynx-sparing IMRT.
Stepping Sustainably: The Potential Partnership Between Dance and Sustainable Development

Focusing specifically on dance, this study explores the relationship between the arts and sustainable development. Very little academic work has been conducted about artists’ role in sustainability, a field that is characterized by intersectionality and cross-disciplinary work. This paper seeks to begin to fill that research gap. It determines two ways that dance artists can interact with sustainability: the operations approach and the artistic approach. Highlighting four organizations — Arts Council England, Kidd Pivot, Eiko & Koma, and Vertigo Dance Company — that have made strides in these two approaches, the study concludes that dance could be a tool for sustainability advocates to better communicate material to non-scientific audiences. Introducing environmental material through dance or other artistic mediums is a way of reframing conversations so that they appeal to broader audiences and target different types of solutions. A true shift toward a sustainably minded society will come from many sources, including a shift in cultural values about consumption and humankind’s relationship to the natural world. Art is a driver and creator of culture. If combined effectively, the arts and sustainable development could help to shift our society in a sustainable direction.
K-space Compounding for Improved Endocardial Border Detection

Visualization of the endocardial border is essential in determining left ventricular and overall cardiac function. Ultrasound imaging systems typically rely on image post-processing for contrast and detail enhancement. Spatial compounding is a physics-based processing method in the channel domain that exchanges resolution for texture reduction. We propose k-space compounding, a variation on the conventional technique enabled by recovery of the complete data set that allows for more aggressive spatial compounding.We performed cardiac scanning on 25 volunteers and patients at the Duke University Hospital to evaluate the degree of compounding useful for diagnostic imaging. Of these, 18 subjects were included for both qualitative and quantitative analysis. We found that compounding improved endocardial border detection according to the generalized contrast-to-noise ratio in all cases and more aggressive compounding improved further in 10 out of 18 cases. Three expert reviewers evaluated the images for their usefulness in several diagnostic tasks and determined that some spatial compounding is usually preferred, but more or less compounding was sometimes beneficial. K-space compounding provides a wide continuum of processing options along the resolution and texture trade-off to enable a clinician to optimize cardiac images.
In psoriasis treatment, greater improvement in skin severity predicts greater improvement in nail severity.

Background: Nail are important for both function and esthetic appearance and although they represent a small body surface area, dermatologic disorders affecting the nails can have a detrimental effect to the patient. Deciding on the best systemic antipsoriatic drug to treat nail psoriasis can be difficult due to the lack of nail data on their Food and Drug Administration-approved labels, as well as the variety of scoring systems used for nail psoriasis.Methods: We performed a literature review and included randomized control trials or articles based on randomized control trials for different systemic antipsoriatic drugs. Only articles and studies utilizing Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (NAPSI) or target NAPSI as outcome measures were included. Data was taken directly from articles, directly from clincaltrials.gov or directly from data on file at various pharmaceutical companies.Results: Data for NAPSI and PASI were collected for 10 antipsoriatic drugs including three oral medications and seven biologic agents. We found that NAPSI or target NAPSI was strongly predicted based on the change in PASI and duration of treatment (R2 = 0.71, p = .0002). PASI alone (R2 = 0.52, p = .001) and duration alone (R2 = 0.21, p = .07) predict NAPSI response.Conclusion: According to this model, there is a relationship between skin and nail response, with improvement in nails correlating with improvement in skin and longer duration of treatment.
Inter-organizational dynamics and the ecology of localized entrepreneurship

In this paper, a set of ecological principles (actor-type, interaction-type, nestedness) that have been theoretically associated with organizational ecosystems guides a qualitative exploration of t...
Reversible Corneal Endothelial Abnormalities With Netarsudil.

Purpose To report a case of reversible corneal endothelial abnormalities after treatment with netarsudil. Observation A 68-year-old woman presented with the complaint of blurred vision soon after starting treatment with the fixed-dose combination of netarsudil and latanoprost (FC-netarsudil-latanoprost). She had been receiving the fixed-dose combination of dorzolamide and timolol and latanoprost for primary open-angle glaucoma until her ophthalmologist switched latanoprost to FC-netarsudil-latanoprost 2 months before referral to our center.Best-corrected visual acuity was 20/20-1 in the right eye and 20/20-3 in the left eye. The slit-lamp biomicroscopic examination was remarkable for a guttata-like abnormality of the corneal endothelium of both eyes. The intraocular pressure was 10 mm Hg in both eyes. Specular microscopy revealed irregularly shaped corneal endothelial cells with indistinct borders between cells. FC-netarsudil-latanoprost was replaced with latanoprost in the left eye but continued in the right eye. Nine weeks later, best-corrected visual acuity remained 20/20-1 in the right eye but it improved to 20/20 in the left eye. Repeat specular microscopy was unchanged in the right eye and was normal in the left eye. Conclusion and importance Topical therapy with netarsudil can result in guttata-like changes of the corneal endothelium and corneal endothelial cell abnormalities that can be detected with specular microscopy. These abnormalities seem to be transient and resolved upon the cessation of netarsudil. Ophthalmologists should consider the possibility of a corneal endothelial abnormality in patients treated with netarsudil who develop blurred vision.
Linearization of the Disposition Index equation allows evaluation of secretion-sensitivity coupling slopes.

Abstract Aims The Disposition Index (DI) is widely used in clinical studies of β-cell function. However, direct physiologic interpretation of the DI value and the inverse exponential slope relating insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity terms is difficult. We evaluated a linearization of the relationship that allows separate evaluation of the DI term and the slope. Methods Insulin secretion and sensitivity indices were derived from standardized oral glucose tolerance testing, including commonly used terms and model-derived terms. The population included participants with normoglycemia, dysglycemia or Type 2 diabetes. Logarithmic transformation of the DI equation to linearize the secretion-sensitivity relationship was performed, and the resulting secretion-sensitivity relationships were evaluated using standard linear regression methods. Results Simple logarithmic transformation linearized the secretion-sensitivity relationships available from a variety of OGTT-derived metrics. In normoglycemic subjects the slopes approximated −1 in insulin-basedsecretion-sensitivity pairs, and approximated −0.6 in C-peptide based secretion-sensitivity pairs. Group differences in DI terms were observed as expected. These analyses also revealed differing secretion-sensitivity slopes, with IGT and T2D demonstrating progressively impaired coupling. Conclusions Linearization of the secretion-sensitivity relationship provides simplified interpretation of the DI value and allows simple analysis and meaningful interpretation of the secretion-sensitivity slope. This linear relationship is amenable to standard statistical evaluations for comparisons of insulin secretion responses and of secretion-sensitivity coupling across groups.
Does gist drive NASA experts’ design decisions?

As engineers retire from practice, they must transfer their expertise to new recruits. Typically, this is accomplished using decision‐support systems that communicate precise probabilities. However, Fuzzy‐Trace Theory (FTT) predicts that the most experts prefer to rely on “gist” representations of risk over “verbatim” representations. We conducted a survey of 41 NASA employees (whose mathematical abilities are a prerequisite for their jobs) and 233 nonexperts. We tested whether experts designing space missions under the micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) impact – rely more on qualitative or quantitative risk representations. We tested three hypotheses: gist and verbatim representations of MMOD risk are distinct for both experts and nonexperts; gist representations are more predictive of decisions than are verbatim representations; and providing nonexperts with a bottom‐line meaning change their gists more than verbatim information does. Results support FTT's predictions: gist and verbatim representations were distinct, and gist representations were associated with decisions for both experts and nonexperts. We did not observe an association between quantitative risk estimates and decisions for either experts or nonexperts. We observed that exposing a nonexpert to an expert's gist modified that nonexpert's gist yet exposing quantitative risk information did not. Implications for expertise transfer are discussed.